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>>>As long as each side argue from a position of righteousness the world is worse off ... except perhaps the weapons makers.
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>>>Was war really the only option left ...
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>>There is an old American expression: “The only good Indian is a dead Indian”! Perhaps that applies here!
>
>Hi Tom. I know you have seen war up close and personal and although I have not I strongly suspect that those who have will not so easily choose that option again. War is easy when you dont see the carnage, the maimed, and the children. There were other options. If only there had been a willingness to find them.

Jos;

It has taken our nation nearly 300 years to "accept" native Americans. Even today they are the poorest group of humans in our country. We have improved our treatment of native Americans. We no longer shoot them from moving trains. We no longer atack their villages to kill every man women and child. We have truely matured! :)

Perhaps in another 300 years we can begin to "accept" others and not kill them instead?

I have no love of war. For the last few decades war is controlled by egotistical desk jockeys with a button that can destroy the world. We defeated the British during our Revolution by “not fighting by the prescribed rules of war”. We hid behind trees and bushes and whacked the Red Coats at every opportunity. Combined with the outstanding and essential help from France we defeated the British. Even Poland helped us!

Today we expect our enemies to fight “by the book”! Terrorists and gorillas – the same entity with a different name. In Vietnam you never knew if that five-year-old child walking towards you had a bomb strapped to his or her back. Many men, women and children were killed in the name of democracy and freedom. We are blind except to see our flag wave high. Our course is a righteous one and throughout history those countries who thought this gave them divine intervention found out otherwise!

It is no wonder that Pierre Salinger (a good fellow San Franciscan) left the United States and moved to France. He could not live in this country with GWB as president! If I had the means I would also move out!

We were a country founded upon religious freedom to worship as long as you were a Puritan. Well, that was the original concept! Then various Protestant groups came and took over what the Puritan’s began. Catholics came and were hated by all. Ah yes, religious tolerance is our ideal but historically not our practice!

Today you had better have a copy of the “right flavor Bible” or you just might have a serious problem with righteous folks who are “Real Americans”!

Other than that- have a great weekend! :)

Tom