Quote: DaButt @ June 19 2008, 11:17 PM BSTYou're tiptoeing dangerously close to truther territory.
Wrong. The motto of the US Army is "This we'll defend." Trust me, I know.
It's there somewhere - I'm not trying to universally diss your country but it's stated aim is to protect it's interests around the world. Nobody should be surprised when they do it but, what amazes me, is the fuss that is caused when it happens.
Does any one remember when the CIA had an internet contest for good ideas on how to defeat terror.
There were prizes and everything.
Oh well can't be much worse than this country. Our last wannabe suicide bomber, had profound learning disabilities, and still managed to outwit MI5.
Quote: David Chapman @ June 19 2008, 11:18 PM BSTThe USA is basically the Fourth Reich
Quote: DaButt @ June 19 2008, 11:17 PM BSTWrong. The motto of the US Army is "This we'll defend." Trust me, I know.
I Cant speak for the US army.
Anyhoo I am orf to bed now. It has been nice debating with you.
Each is entitled to their own opinion. Friends? Shake Hands? x 
Quote: DaButt @ June 19 2008, 11:08 PM BSTUtter rubbish. The Taliban were given plenty of chances to turn over Osama, but they were more interested in training tens of thousands of terrorists to attack the West and anyone else who stood in the way of their vision of global domination. They wanted a war and they got one.
Yes, but what has the war actually achieved, that would not have been achieved by a simple quick in and out punitive action to teach the Taliban that harbouring Al Quaeda was not on? Al Quaeda are still in business. Do you feel safer because of these actions> I do not. The main effect has been to drive moslems around the world in to the arms of Al Quaeda. In a country with a massive and increasingly militant moslem community that scares the shit out of me.
As long as their stated destiny is the ultimate destruction of me, my family and my nation, then I'll be happy for the punitive action to go on indefinitely. Perhaps we'll find it in our hearts to treat them in a "civilized" fashion once they stop the rather uncivilized practice of sawing off heads.
Yes Al Quaeda are barbarians. And our actions are only making them stronger and increasing the risk to you and your family. And mine, which is of more concern to me.
Quote: Charley @ June 19 2008, 11:21 PM BSTI Cant speak for the US army.
Anyhoo I am orf to bed now. It has been nice debating with you.
Each is entitled to their own opinion. Friends? Shake Hands? x
Friends, of course. I'm not at all upset. I get a little uncomfortable when untruths and misconceptions fly around the Internet, but not enough that I let them get to me.
The West has the ultimate WMD, money
pay double the going rate for heroin, and starve the Taliban of funds.
Quote: Timbo @ June 19 2008, 11:22 PM BSTThe main effect has been to drive moslems around the world in to the arms of Al Quaeda. In a country with a massive and increasingly militant moslem community ...
*snip*
Yes Al Quaeda are barbarians. And our actions are only making them stronger and increasing the risk to you and your family. And mine, which is of more concern to me.
Damn straight.
I remember reading the Narnia books when I was about 10 and being aware then that it was us against the turbanned ones.
It does surprise me that, for a country which fought to preserve it's own freedom, we find it difficult to understand why countries we invade get a little pissed off with us being in theirs and go to major extremes to tell us we are not wanted.
Quote: Timbo @ June 19 2008, 11:22 PM BSTYes, but what has the war actually achieved, that would not have been achieved by a simple quick in and out punitive action to teach the Taliban that harbouring Al Quaeda was not on?
As in Bill Clinton's 1998 attack on Afghanistan? It didn't do much to prevent 9/11, did it? Boots on the ground were the only way of ensuring that those training camps didn't keep churning out terrorists.
Quote: Timbo @ June 19 2008, 11:22 PM BSTYes Al Quaeda are barbarians. And our actions are only making them stronger and increasing the risk to you and your family. And mine, which is of more concern to me.
Actually, Al Qaeda are in the worst shape of their history. They've been spanked almost completely out of Iraq and their hold in Afghanistan is tenuous. And it's all because the locals decided that the infidel invaders were preferable to the head choppers. Again, boots on the ground.
Quote: sootyj @ June 19 2008, 11:11 PM BSTOh now that is silly, very silly.
They periodically reduced supply to force the price up.
The Taliban needed to increase cereal production and for that reason edict of July 2000 proscribed opium cultivation, and driving production down to an all time low. In the year subsequent to the invasion production increased by 1,400 per cent.
Quote: DaButt @ June 19 2008, 11:36 PM BSTActually, Al Qaeda are in the worst shape of their history.
Not in Leeds.
Quote: DaButt @ June 19 2008, 11:36 PM BSTAs in Bill Clinton's 1998 attack on Afghanistan? It didn't do much to prevent 9/11, did it? Boots on the ground were the only way of ensuring that those training camps didn't keep churning out terrorists.
No the new Pearl Harbour did it, ie 9/11 ? Funny how you have to be careful what you wish for 
The rise in grian was becuase they were price controlling, and production controlling.
If one over all authority controls supply, you don't need so much heroin to make a profit.
Once thats gone it's every one for themselves. e.g. grow as much as possible, as quickly as possible.
Quote: Alan C @ June 19 2008, 11:27 PM BSTIt does surprise me that, for a country which fought to preserve it's own freedom, we find it difficult to understand why countries we invade get a little pissed off with us being in theirs and go to major extremes to tell us we are not wanted.
I'm equally surprised that a bunch of radical Islamists are angry about us landing in Somalia to feed starving people, protecting Muslims in the former Yugoslavia, protecting Saudi Arabia from Iraq, liberating Muslims in Kuwait and destroying a murderous dictatorship in Iraq. But then I remember that their goal is to spread Islam around the globe and destroy infidels like myself.