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"True happiness comes from having love and compassion for all sentient beings." - The Dalai Lama

Maybe you were not aware that Saddam Hussein’s regime supported terrorist in many attacks which have killed hundreds of Americans both inside and outside of the U.S. before and after the Sept 11 attacks. The 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro, The 1988 boming of Pan Am Flight 103, and The 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
It’s well known Sadam’s support for Abdul Rahman Yasin, who was indicted for mixing the chemicals for the bomb used in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six New Yorkers and injured over 1,000. Yasin fled to Baghdad after the attack, where he was given sanctuary and lived for years afterward.
Khala Kahadar al-Shalahat was the guy who furnished the Semtex explosive used to blow up Pan Am Flight 103 in Dec 1988. That attack killed all 259 passengers, which included 189 Americans. He was picked up in Baghdad by our brave Marines not too long ago.
Abu Abbas, the guy responsible for the hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship was captured in Baghdad on April 14, 2003. That was the incident you might remember where the wheelchair-bound American Leon Klinghoffer was pushed over the side to his death.
Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who ran an Ansar al-Islam terrorist training
camp in northern Iraq and reportedly arranged the October 2002 assassination of U.S. diplomat Lawrence Foley in Jordan, he made Iraq his home, luckily we got him.
Ramzi Yousef, who entered the U.S. on an Iraqi passport and was the architect of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing as well as Operation Bojinka, a foiled plot to explode 12 U.S. airliners over the Pacific. He was arrested in Pakistan in 1995, Yousef is currently serving a triple life sentence in Colorado's Supermax federal lockup.

We are fighting against these people because they want to kill us and destroy our country. I think that is why you see so many young people willing to sign up for our armed services, which is all volunteer by the way. These men and women in our armed forces are putting their lives on the line every day over there. If you talk to them you will see the tremendous pride and courage they have, and if it wasn’t for people like them this country would not have lasted as long as it has. Our Veterans are some of the same type of people.

Brian Cox

Brian, I think you missed Evan's point. We can point fingers forever. The US government has been overthrowing leaders in Middle Eastern (and other) nations for decades. All kinds of bad things have been done by all kinds of people. And until someone changes their perspective and is willing to put all this energy that we spend trying to kill each other into trying to find workable solutions, nothing will change. As I read it, Evan's point is to stop the cycle of hatred and violence and "he said, she said" since we don't seem to be getting anywhere with that strategy.

August 21, 2006
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/21/bush-on-911/

BUSH: The terrorists attacked us and killed 3,000 of our citizens before we started the freedom agenda in the Middle East.

QUESTION: What did Iraq have to do with it?

BUSH: What did Iraq have to do with what?

QUESTION: The attack on the World Trade Center.

BUSH: Nothing. Except it’s part of — and nobody has suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a — Iraq — the lesson of September 11th is take threats before they fully materialize, Ken. Nobody’s ever suggested that the attacks of September the 11th were ordered by Iraq.

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

So Brian, where's Osama?

Who is Osama?

Heather,
You stated: And until someone changes their perspective and is willing to put all this energy that we spend trying to kill each other into trying to find workable solutions, nothing will change.

Heather, This is happening !
And the U.S. and Britain are doing it. See for yourself:

http://www.theotheriraq.com/relationship.html

Brian Cox

I'm not certain what the connection is. The US and Britain established no fly zones around Kurdish territories (over a sovreign nation) but they continue to bomb Afganistan and Iraq into the stone age (remember Shock and Awe - that wasn't just a pretty fireworks display). And if you heard President Bush's most recent speech, he went on and on about all the regimes in the Middle East who need to change their tune to match his or face the consequences. Being nice to the Kurds is good press (not to mention good business - did you notice that the new liberties they have are watching CNN and shopping? - it isn't a change in philosophy.

The "connection" is workable solutions are being accomplished !

Apparently you don't care wheather or not good things are happening in some parts of Iraq.

Too bad you can't see past your hatred of President Bush.

You think is was bad that we protected the Kurds by not allowing Saddam to fly over them and kill them?

And you also don't care if they are succeeding economically.

I would guess that nothing would please you more than to see any positive things that were accomplished over there to fail. I sure that would make you very happy.

Brian Cox

Hey Brian -

You must have missed my post. Where's Osama?

Love,
Tyler

Heather's right, Brian: you've missed my point. in fact, you're quite predictably making things much more complicated than they need to be by citing even MORE "he said, she said" instances, as if throwing more shit onto the pile will make the smell go away.
my point, as accurately read by both Tyler and Heather, is WHERE DOES IT END? and dont you DARE say "when all the terrorists are dead". you know better than that. remember what is often said to children when one complains that the other is chasing her?
STOP RUNNING.
you can't be chased if you're not running, just as you can't have a war if you stop fighting. and by "stop fighting" i mean stop starving people, and occupying their countries, and selling weapons to their enemies, and torturing them.

WHEN, Brian. WHEN and WHERE does the cycle of violence end?