[OT] What Is "Terrorism?"

On July 28, 2003, Chris wrote:

Subject: [OT] What Is "Terrorism?"
From: (Chris)
Date: 7/28/2003 1:14 PM Central Daylight Time
Message-id:

Most Americans still naively believe that the USA "won" in
Afghanistan. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the
USA is in much the same position in Afghanistan today as the Soviet
Union was in the early 80's with its puppet government barely able to
control the capital city while Islamic extremists and warlords control
the countryside. And we all know the long term results of the USSR's
"victory" in Afghanistan...

Chris (USA)


There is not the slightest similarity between the positions of the USA today
and the USSR in the 80's. Chris is once again allowing his virulent ideology
to overwhelm his respect for truth. The media is not conveying the good news
from Afghanistan with the same intensity that it pursues "uranium-gate", but
the facts are available, albeit somewhat inconspicuously. For example, the
July 28 edition of the Washington Post casually mentioned on page A-16 that 2
million Afghan refugees have recently returned home. Yes, two million! These
are people who fled during the years of USSR occupation, civil war, and/or
Taliban brutality. Now they feel it is safe to return.

During the USSR occupation, huge numbers of people fled, but since the
Americans arrived, 2 million have returned. Enough said.


http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml...toryID=3165887

Afghans Urge U.S. Action on Free-Roaming Taliban
By Mirwais Afghan
Reuters

Sunday 27 July 2003

As the headline says, "Afghans urge U. S. action". How can anyone of clear
mind believe that this is "much the same position" as that of the USSR in the
80's? Did Afghans ever urge Russian action?


KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The government of a volatile
southern Afghan province urged U.S. forces on Sunday to deal with
resurgent Taliban guerrillas and said hundreds of them were roaming
around freely.



[ cut]

Mullah Mohammed Omar, a namesake of the Taliban leader, said
hundreds of Taliban now roamed freely in several districts of Zabul
and
provincial forces were powerless to act as they had insufficient
support
from the U.S.-backed central government.

"There are about 500 Taliban in Deh Chopan district," he said.
"The
district is under our control, but they are walking freely in the
bazaar."

"If coalition forces do not launch a big operation here, it will
be a big
problem."

[cut]

So which side is Chris on? Does he want America to "launch a big operation" in
Afghanistan, or doesn't he? Or does he just want to sit smugly on the
sidelines in a posture of preening self-righteousness, incessantly spewing
pointless, petulant criticism of America's leaders? Does he have anything at
all constructive or useful to say about terrorism?

Mark