[MD] Barbarian attack

[Cigarboysmokes at aol.com]

Greetings  All, 
Pardon me for  interjecting but in reply to this list of questions and 
statements I humbly  offer the following:  
“Iraq had WMD, used them  and hid or destroyed them. What's negative about 
that?” 
The documented use of  WMD by Iraq took place in 1988  during the Al-Anfal 
Campaign which spanned a period roughly between 1986 and  1989. Specifics 
including the nature of the weapons used are still discussed to  this day. Since 
than? 
“As the quote says, Iraq could scramble jets  with bio-bombs within 45 
minutes.”  
“When did Bush say the  threat was imminent as you charged? Can you 
gracefully accept the fact that he  said just the opposite?” 
“Saddam's links with  Al-Qaeda have been documented.” 
Err….let’s take these  together by offering this quote: 
“The danger to our  country is grave and it is growing. The Iraqi regime 
possesses biological and  chemical weapons, is rebuilding the facilities to make 
more and, according to  the British government, could launch a biological or 
chemical attack in as  little as 45 minutes after the order is given. The regime 
has long-standing and  continuing ties to terrorist groups, and there are al 
Qaeda terrorists inside Iraq. This regime is  seeking a nuclear bomb, and with 
fissile material could build one within a  year”.  
Guess who said this  and guess when. On second thought I will provide the 
date: 9/28/02. As to those “Al-Qaeda  connections” asserted; though I have done 
numerous Internet searches on such  most of what I find “proving” this point 
appears a odd, large, and rather  circular echo chamber of web sites the 
nature of which I will leave to the  imagination. The problem here is that viewing 
a handful of nebulous  interrelationships (one example a bank) looks from the 
outside like calling your  12th cousin 47th removed close family. The elephant 
in the  room is lowering the bar of a cause for war between nation states. 
That to me is  one bar I would like to see raised so high that no nation state 
can clear it.  Ever. Say like for eternity plus one day. 
“What "animosity"  between Saddam and Al-Qaeda? And I guess you don't 
consider his mass murder and  brutal torture of his political opponents "terrorist 
tactics."”   
Actually I consider  mass murder and brutal torture abhorrent when done by 
anyone. Same goes if you  leave out the words “mass” and “brutal”. 
“If you don't consider  the invasion of Kuwait international  terrorism, we 
have a difference of opinion. If you think I scored a point, so be  it.” 
I for one consider the  invasion of Kuwait a war. As I assume  did the author 
of the objection quoted. The word missing so one understands the  point being 
scored is “rhetorical”. If the above is true than one could  reduce this 
statement to “invasion is terrorism” which leads to a  rather….ummm….awkward 
situation for all involved. 
“Anyone who orders the  mass murder of his own people and sanctions throwing 
dissidents alive into wood  chippers is a barbarian.” 
Yep. Same goes for  Thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden and upside down 
crucifixions and stoning and  exploding yourself and napalm….well….history is so long…
.and sad and ugly with  some breathtaking moments blended in. Which reminds me 
of this little bit I  read: 
“The point is that the President and  everyone else, from the wildest radical 
to the wildest reactionary, agree that  the government should change in 
response to Quality, even if it doesn’t.  Phædrus’ concept of changing Quality as 
reality, a reality so omnipotent that  whole governments must change to keep 
up with it, is something that in a  wordless way we have always unanimously 
believed in all along.”  Sigh…. 
“When fighting  terrorists you sometimes have to use terrorist methods. Or 
would you, like Arlo  and others, rather invite the terrorists to swallow some 
sugar cubes laced with  LSD, dance together around a maypole and then have 
group sex?  :-)” 
To the first sentence I say never.  “Danger Will Robinson….Value trap.” 
Smells inviting but, “Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum”, says  me, “I smell rice in a coconut.” 
Which makes me question who is waiting at the  other end of the rope. If anyone 
should continue to press this point I say  softly but insistently: “You are what 
you do.” Or may even read this out loud to  them: 
“To put it in more concrete terms:  If you want to build a factory, or fix a 
motorcycle, or set a nation right  without getting stuck, then classical, 
structured, dualistic subject-object  knowledge, although necessary, isn’t enough. 
You have to have some feeling for  the quality of the work. You have to have 
a sense of what’s good. That is what  carries you forward. This sense isn’t 
just something you’re born with, although  you are born with it. It’s also 
something you can develop. It’s not just  "intuition," not just unexplainable 
"skill" or "talent." It’s the direct result  of contact with basic reality, 
Quality, which dualistic reason has in the past  tended to conceal.” 
Which leads me to  offer “Arlo and others” my services saying: if 
sacrificing personal dignity or  Victorian mores is what it takes to end the damn 
slaughter….fine….count me in.  Twice on Sunday. If there be a god, I like to hope 
that he will understand. Know  in advance that I can provide tons of evidence 
to back up my “opinions” but feel  this site is not the place for that. As to 
why I might be interested enough to  have paid this much attention: 
My neighbor just got  back. 
My grandmother’s  favorite nephew is a Marine sniper. 
My nephew just joined  the Navy (as his Uncle before him) and is training to 
be an  MP. 
Sincerely and with no  offence intended, 
jeff