American Foreign Policy + ???? = bin Laden

[martinw718]

The idea is being passed around all over the world -- that American foreign policy contributed to the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Of course, when they say "American foreign policy" they are probably referring to that part of American foreign policy that they personally do not like. The part they do like cannot possibly be the culprit.

But what is the connection between American foreign policy and bin Laden's maniacal deeds? What's the theory itself?

The theory is never actually stated.

With all the people claiming a connection, we have yet to hear from anyone with an actual theory as to the connection -- the vehicle that takes us from American foreign policy to a collection of maniacs with a plan for mass murder.

So what is that secret ingredient in the formula? Does anyone even have a theory, much less a sound one?

Go for it! Tell us your theory.

Put up or shut up.

[L@mplighterM]

Someone told me a long time ago that no matter how hard you try you cant please everyone.

I’ve witnessed Muslims squawking about the big bad US while standing next to a mountain of sacks containing of food labeled “GIFT FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE USA” (or something along that line). Statements like the US doesn’t care about us or other negative American comments are quite common.

I talked to an Afghan prior to 9/11 and he was complaining about the US and how they were instrumental in putting the Taliban in power and ****ing up his country. I see him now and then (I refuse to talk to him anymore since 9/11) so I guess he’s not in any hurry to return now that the Taliban have gone.

I think that its fair to say that American foreign policy isn’t etched in stone and it’s subject to change depending on political changes around the world.

If Hussain had been assassinated and his replacement had been a leader with pro American sentiment we wouldn’t be facing a Gulf War II type of a situation right now.

Still no matter what you’re always going to leave one side in a country remaining bitter and angry. It can’t be helped it’s a fact of life.

In the case of Afghanistan its true that the US helped the Muhajadeen who of course were the Islamo-fundamentalist forerunners of the hated Taliban but it’s also most likely true that this help was instrumental in collapsing the former Soviet Union.

This led the world to perestroika and that cold war came to an end. Perestroyka most likely left a lot of people feeling bitter against the United States if they followed the line of thought that the US had helped the Muhajadeen Afghanistan’s and that support was partly responsible for the collapse of their monolithic empire.

The world keeps spinning and new problems come while some disappear.

Generally speaking I believe that US foreign policy can to some extent be compared to a law suit always leaving one side is happy with the judgment and the other unhappy.

[martinw718]

Originally posted by L@mplighterM
Someone told me a long time ago that no matter how hard you try you cant please everyone...

While the USSR and her "satellites" were throwing off communism like they'd hated it all along and people were dancing on and around the rubble of the Berlin Wall there were a bunch of people who were unhappy with the end of their secret lover and were not joining in what should have been the celebration of the century.

We're hearing from them now. They still hate Israel and they still hate what they like to call "American foreign policy" though I'm not sure what that is exactly. It seems to change a lot from administration to administration and sometimes day to day.

I guess the issue is not whether you leave someone unhappy it's who you leave unhappy.

I'm very happy with who we're leaving unhappy right now. The old guard pro-Soviet leftists. The burned-out philosophically washed-out sixties political and pseudo-ecclesiastical left. The residue of European anti-Semitism. And of course the "Radical Islamists" though there seems to be some controversy over whether they're more radical or more islamic.

But still I do get uneasy when a whole lot of people are parroting the same slogans without so much as a "where did this idea come from?"

It reminds me of strange things I've read about in history books.

[Mediocrates]

We hear this all the time - even here. As if countries never change partners or strategic objectives or goals. Or sometimes whoever is useful today doesn't turn out to be tomorrow's monster. I honestly don't understand where people get this static perfect candy cane view of the world.

[martinw718]

Originally posted by Mediocrates
We hear this all the time - even here. As if countries never change partners or strategic objectives or goals. Or sometimes whoever is useful today doesn't turn out to be tomorrow's monster. I honestly don't understand where people get this static perfect candy cane view of the world.

I remember part of an old movie or TV show where this guy had been in a coma since WWII and they were trying to explain to him that Germany and Japan were our allies and Russia and China our enemies.

[minusthejihad]

I remember part of an old movie or TV show where this guy had been in a coma since WWII and they were trying to explain to him that Germany and Japan were our allies and Russia and China our enemies.

I think that was called the Philadelphia Project or Experiment or maybe the Manhattan some. No that was different. But I think the story line was that he was a Navy guy who was caught in some Stealth Experiment during WWII and was actually sent into the future. There he was looking through a Time Magazine and said that. Good movie, thought I would try to point it out.

[Mediocrates]

It was Captain America (the movie). He wakes up in the glacier and then stunbles to the highway and hitches a ride with a guy in VW. He sees the name and where it was made and he flips out and jumps out of the car thinking that the Germans won WW2.

Far a darker and more interesting view, read P.K. Dick's "The Man in the High Tower".

[minusthejihad]

Yes, it was also used in that film. The one I was refering to had the lead actor that also played Eddie from Eddie and the Cruisers.

[martinw718]

Originally posted by minusthejihad
Yes, it was also used in that film. The one I was refering to had the lead actor that also played Eddie from Eddie and the Cruisers.

I'm not sure which movie I saw.

But it's a good joke. I guess they pass these jokes around.

Maybe someday we'll be friends with Iraq and getting terrorist attacks from Denmark.

Okay, probably not.