Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2001 17:06:45 +1100
Subject: Re: media responses to 9/11


Eric wrote:
> What is your take on this situation right now?
>
> I have to say I am glad there has been no bombing so far and that we
> appear to be moving slowly and with some restraint. I agree in principle
> that if Bin Laden is involved with this, retaliation is called for,
> although I admit my preference would be for this to take place as a
> trial in an international court of law.  (I'm not sure how realistic
> this desire is given the circumstances.)

Well, the 800 lb. gorilla is US.  Empire is US.  Sooner or later empires are
.hated. No empire has survived. The Romans, and later, the Mongols, endured
for many centuries, the British for a century plus. Now its our turn.

International law is a dream which was attempted after each World War and
soon
frustrated. Most governments serve the billionaires and millionaires who own
the Planet.  Even small nations require armed forces, an airline, diplomats,
embassies etc. to assert their status.  Most of the near-200 nation states
of very
poor.

 You've heard the analogy of terrorism and piracy on the high seas.   I'm
not sure when piracy ended, and it have been reported from Asian waters in
recent years, but not a chance when Britain ruled the waves.

The cell mode of Bin Laden terrorists resembles the cell mode of Communism.

At the beginning of WWII, Stalin purged his senior military officers,
reportedly 9000 of  them to assure personal loyalty by their replacements.
It may have prevented his armies from fighting wars of the past.  That's
more people than the terrorists have
killed lately.

According to Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War,
the 20th century wars cost about 160 million lives.  He's sorry now, but
even God can't change the past.

The most destructive terrorist of modern times is on trial.  European
countries who protest sanctions on Iraq watched quietly while Milosevic
murdered
thousands of  Muslims over several years.  So did the U.S., which gets no
credit for the action it finally initiated, nor for the Muslims who were
saved.

Collateral damage is inevitable in modern warfare.  Terrorists incidents
must be prevented.  The desire for revenge is natural..  Any justice
rendered would be after the event.

The Yugoslav dictator was using the tactics which won the American
West:  Kill the able bodied men and move the elderly, the women and children
off their lands. (Trail of Tears)..  Pay for scalps - perhaps the U.S.
should buy
terrorist scalps.  The Mexican  Govt. paid renegades for Indian scalps, but
they sometimes delivered scalps of Mexican villagers, if you can believe the
historical
novel, "Blood Meridian".

Yes, innocent people were killed when NATO went to Kosovo, but it was not
like
Hiroshima or Nagasaki and the first A-bombs.. A hydrogen bomb would have
vaporized the WTC and  other buildings leaving less wreckage at Ground Zero.

The U.S. had an active bio-chemical military establishment for decades
until Nixon ended it in 1979. I think Fort Dietrick, Md. was the center.
The Russians continued their bio-chem efforts and may still have stockpiles.

On TV, an expert showed a bottle, the size of a baby's bottle, and said that
that amount  of a deadly agent could cause enormous damage in an enclosed
environment.  Crop dusting planes would not be so effective.  Among large
closed environments, there are subways, air and rail terminals, some sports
arenas, convention centers, museums, auditoriums and the local mall.

The effects of many bio-substances are delayed, and although Health and
Human Services has quanties of remedies, antidotes, it is often difficult to
recognize the
symptoms of infection, and since there's never been a mass attack, not many
health
workers
have been trained to take appropriate action.

If bio-chem attacks have been in the planning stage for months or years you
would think the terrorists might delay them because of the present intensity
of investigative efforts.  On the other hand, present fears could lead to
greater panic after the event.

Sanctions and attempts to stop money-laundering may have some effect, but
that seems to be a very large industry.

All I know is from the news.  I expect an attack on Bin Laden soon, days or
weeks,
but we may not learn much about it before or after it happens.  The Muslim
sect he belongs to is said to be strong in Saudi Arabia, and they send
$millions
to support schools all over the world.

This is very rambling, I think there are no "good" answers, but wanted to
respond
without much delay.

regards,
Hugh