Interesting e-mail from a friend
 

It has been over a month since the attack and after the adreneline rush, I'm now able logically think about the course of action that we have taken. The first week I was all for bombing the crap out of Afghanistan because of emotional ties with WTC. I have many high school friends who work there, a couple brothers from my chapter and my sister work across the street. But I have also been blessed by being in another continent and being able to see the whole event from the outside. So here is an e-mail from a friend who is from Ghana:

HANDY GUIDE TO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TERRORISTS AND US GOVERNMENT

Confused? Having difficulty telling the good guys from the bad guys?
Use this handy guide to discern differences between Terrorists and the U.S. Government:

TERRORISTS: Supposed leader is the spoiled son of a powerful
politician, from extremely wealthy oil family

US GOVERNMENT: Supposed leader is the spoiled son of a powerful politician, from extremely wealthy oil family

TERRORISTS: Leader has declared a holy war ('Jihad') against his
'enemies'; believes any nation not with him is against him; believes God is on his side, and that any means are justified.

US GOVERNMENT: Leader has declared a holy war ('Crusade') against his 'enemies'; believes any nation not with him is against him; believes God is on his side, and that any means are justified.

TERRORISTS: Supported by extreme fundamentalist religious leaders who preach hatred, intolerance, subjugation of women, and persecution of non-believers

US GOVERNMENT: Supported by extreme fundamentalist religious leaders who preach hatred, intolerance, subjugation of women, and persecution of non-believers

TERRORISTS: Leadership was not elected by a majority of the people in a free and fair democratic election

US GOVERNMENT: Leadership was not elected by a majority of the people in a free and fair democratic election

TERRORISTS: Kills thousands of innocent civilians, some of them
children, in cold blooded bombings

US GOVERNMENT: Kills (tens of) thousands of innocent civilians, some of them children, in cold blooded bombings

TERRORISTS: Operates through clandestine organization (al Qaeda) with agents in many countries; uses bombing, assassination, other terrorist tactics

US GOVERNMENT: Operates through clandestine organization (CIA) with agents in many countries; uses bombing, assassination, other terrorist tactics

TERRORISTS: Using war as pretext to clamp down on dissent and
undermine civil liberties

US GOVERNMENT: Using war as pretext to clamp down on dissent and undermine civil liberties

* * *

Very significant differences lie NOT in the ideological plane, but
elsewhere:

Bin Laden's active combatant force numbers in the hundreds if not
thousands. Many are willing to sacrifice themselves for what they
believe in, and they are armed with essentially black market
equipment, homemade weapons and whatever they can capture and use against those whom they view as the enemy.

The US Government's active combatant force numbers in the millions. By and large --especially at the top-- they are not willing to die for what they believe in, they are only willing to kill for what they believe in. They are armed with every weapon of murder, mayhem and genocide ever invented in the entire history of the human race and have a very convincing record of a willingness to use them, not just in one spectacular action but with the humdrum ruthless efficiency of a soulless bureaucracy that handles "tasking" the annihilation of what turns out to be a peaceful rural hamlet as one more piece of paperwork. They view any number of civilian casualties and any amount of misery visited upon a nation's population as the merely inevitable, acceptable "collateral damage" inflicted by the Fates of War.

These are, in turn, expressions of different social classes.

The U.S. Government's side is an expression of the imperialist
system. I assume everyone here agrees on that. All the folderol about Western Civilization and Modernity and all that is either
tautological -- because current "modernity" is imperialist modernity, there is no other world system -- or an attempt to cover up the reality and responsibility of this single world system for what it has wrought on a world scale.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not exactly a pro-war advocate, but some of your parallels were laughable, really. Brilliant effort though, bravo...

Sorry, can't take the credit for it. Though some are true, some are not true. Just something to think about.

Oh, I def agree on some, I think just the way your friend put some of it makes some of it seem less valid, like they tried to stretch it to fit.

I agree on many aspects though. I am like a giant war-field, internally. I battle opposing views within myself until my brain nearly blows off. That's why this is such a big deal to me. I mena, we do lots of bad shit, but honestly, I think we usually have good intentions, or we're ignorant that we're causing harm. You know? So when people say bomb the shit out of them...I'm like..is that the answer. But damn, to be honest, sometimes you simply have to fight blow for blow. It's this stuff that gave us the freedom we have today, people fighting for our country. A metaphor: a snake. I hate snakes. I've no real reason to hate them, but they seem to pose a substantial threat to my health. If I see one, I'm not willing to die so that someone else doesn't get bit, unless of course it's a few select people, but I'm willing to kill the piece of crap so that it no longer poses a threat to me. Elitist and Gorilla? Maybe. But like I said, sometimes an eye for an eye might be best.

But don't misinterpret..I'm still not pro-war, I'm just not anti-war.

Here is something for you to think about.

Why dont you take that email and go straight to hell.

How bout that? You make me sick posting that kind of commie ass email on here.

What reaction did you expect on here Arya? A gentle debate or discusion over a nice cappuchino about the similarities? Give me a damn break. Never been so mad about something posted on here in all my LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!


ZETA I AM REQUESTING THAT YOU SHUT THIS THREAD. You answer everyone elses requests over little things that get everyone elses feathers ruffled, and I never fathomed that I would ever request for a thread to be closed. Well this straight PISSES ME OFF. If this thread dont close I will never hit this site again. Bet on it.

WOW....I would have to disagree with many aspects of this email..too many to debate here..but..if someone thinks that the U.S. gov't is almost exactly the same as a terrorist regime...then maybe they should leave this evil gov't and go live under a new one. People in our very own country bash the hell out of our gov't day after day after day, but if it came down to it, i'd be willing to bet that the majority of them wouldn't leave.

d

to clarify myself, in case I was misunderstood at all, I don't agree with what's said, despite saying I did, I agree with the fact that we have done some bad shit in our history...on accident, or out of misunderstanding/miscommunication. Just wanted that point cleared up. I hope that is the general point Arya was wishing to convey, not that the US is a terrorist regime of sorts, but I cannot be sure from his intent. Also, I hope my 'bravo' was read as sarcastically, towards his friend, the emailer, as I'd typed it.

This is perhaps what majority of the world think of us. Although most government condemn the attack, I'll bet you my VW that most are skeptical whenever our government talk about freedom and democracy. Don't get me wrong, I think bin Ladin should get his balls cut, but let's not be naive to think that our government are loved and respected by the rest of the world.

KA, the first casualty of a war are not lives, but rational argument and freedom of expression without the fear of being branded traitor or being one with the terrorist. Do I believe everthing the e-mail said. Hells no. But I also realized of our sins in the past which made many nations hesitant to support us 100%.

That is exactly what I'm trying to convey. That it's time that we also expect more from out elected representative and no longer have a our interest first attitude toward the world.

<< If this thread dont close I will never hit this site again. Bet on it. >>

Hope this is insincere...I'd hate to see you go.

This..I will give you, a lot of countries in the world scorn America and it's government..but...it's not just because of our military advancements. It's because of American Capitalism. Face it, we are one of the richest countries in the world. Americans are for the most part, arrogant, lazy, and desensitized to foreign policies (notice i said most...a majority..not all)

Second, a lot of gov'ts scorn the U.S. for being a "police force" so to speak. Yet, when it's time to help their respective country..they are all for it. Yes, they will take our money, they will take our supplies, they will take our food, adn when we are gone, all that we get are cursed remarks and debts that will never be paid.

Let's take for instance the events of WWII...events that nearly broke almost every coutry in Europe..notice i said nearly...why not surely? BECAUSE..the U.S. gov't was there to help, aiding with supplies, food, and loans, yes..loans....huge huge loans...Hell the U.S. gov't helped the French gov't from going under after being controlled by Nazi Germany for so long. Now..for the most part...we are scorned by the French..not always..but..there is hatred against Americans...not to mention..no country ever paid back those loans to the U.S...hell, they didn't even pay the interest that has accumulated on those loans. So, our gov't had to take a hit and suck up their pride.

Bah...

d

The French don't like anybody. That is from personal experience. You think we are arrogant, wait till you go to French and try to speak English or tourist style French.

I will talk to mods about it if the mods of this forum don't take it down first. This site (gc) isn't anti american. And I agree it should go.

If this thread go, c-ya all later

I've witnessed the French in action...yes..they are very arrogant...and I agree they don't like anyone..but...Americans hold a top spot on that list.

d