Hi peter,

Good to hear from you... I hope things are well.

>So, your CURRENT viewpoint is that Afghanistan was understandable?! And will that still be your viewpoint if the Taliban succeed in their strategy to frustrate the current Afghanistan government, the allied forces and the NGO's (http://www.ngo.org/index2.htm)?

Afghanistan is understandable as it had a direct relationship with 911 and the taliban directly supporting terrorism. This was not the case in iraq

There is another difference. There already was a war going on in afghanistan for decades, between the taliban and the warlords in the north. Iraq was another kettle of fish. It was a stable country (though a violent dictatorship) that had a secular government. There was no proof of terrorism there and the reason for invading iraq was a total different one (WMD).

Not even to mention the total underestimation of the situation in iraq (3 different religous/ethnic groups that are fighting eachother) and the absense of a good plan (I refer to the interview with peter guilbraith (I posted a link a few messages ago)).

>I think your current viewpoint about Iraq would be a different one if there was less or no terrorism in Iraq. I think you are a clear example of someone who those terrorists have successfully influenced.

That there is terrorism in Iraq is something you could know even before invading. Do you really think the soenies would happily accept the new situation ?? Come one...?

Walter,