Certainly don't think of you as a racist Charles and I share some of your worries about the effect of our past immigration levels.

>>I could suggest that the aggressive options favoured by you are an equally boneheaded option and also about giving some people a kick ass good feeling whatever the consequences. If there had been success at Tora Tora do you think that would have solved anything ?
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>I don't think it is a question of "solving". Of course the inherent problem of traditionalism and millenialism trying to come to terms with change that represents cultural anathema would remain. We don't just kill Dr. No, get the girl and party on. But if we were able to take out Bin Laden and Zawaheri at Tora Bora it would have made the redoubt in Wazhiristan today less a problem and hence less a point of friction in the relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan which is one of our greatest foreign policy challenges at present. I am (and was in 2002) much more concerned about Pakistan than Iraq and much more concerned about Al Queda's threat to Pakistan than its destabilizing threat to Afghanistan. I am not sure why you would consider the successful resolution of Tora Bora more "aggressive" than the unsuccessful policy of allowing Pakistanis of questionable allegience to open the escape route and create the problem that now exists in the NW provinces of Pakistan.
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>The problem cannot be solved it can only be managed. Britain is going to have to deal with a very high-minded and yet short-sighted immigration policy which gave a foothold to many who do not share a common vision of multi-cultural Britain. (and no, I am not race baiting or denigrating the contribution of Muslim immigrants - I am referring to the laissez passe that was given to the likes of the mullahs at Finsbury Park in the 80s and 90s which has created a home-grown problem that you share with France and Holland)
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>I think the problem can be managed, but ignoring it or pretending that it is just a question of 'crimes' committed by a few misguided (or socially or economically deprived) persons won't get it done and does not reflect any understanding of the nature of the problem.
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>>>>>Yes, Bill Clinton thought that about every attack prior to 9/11 - WTC1, Khobar, Cole, Kenya .... Bin Laden has actually said he found that approach quite encouraging, so it did indeed have some positive effect on foreign opinion.
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>>>>>Perhaps, after a thorough investigation, we should have gone to the Hague and sought justice?
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>>>>The US don't recognize that court. So... what are you suggesting, that they should recognize it?
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>>>No, I was sarcasticly suggesting it as an option that would have yielded no results whatsoever but is the kind of bone-headed feel-good solution that would be favored by those who find feeling good about themselves to be more important that achieving the goal of removing enemy pieces from the board.
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>>>I believe the Afghanistan operation was exactly what was called for but was squandered at Tora Bora, partly due to Rumsfield's obsession with doing it all on the the cheap.