Originally posted by Virage
Will invading Iraq prevent another 9/11? Would 9/11 have happened had we invaded Iraq 10 yrs ago? Should we invade every country we 'suspect' may have something to do with 9/11? Will the arab world stop terrorizing the west if we invade one of their countries?
We seem to forget all the people we have been pissing off with our airstrikes and cruisemissles for the past 2 decades.
When Jimmy Carters quick strike force failed in the desert in Iran in 1979, in the eyes of the extremist Islamics, there was a crack in the foundation....when 250+ marines died in Beirut trying to restore peace to the region, and we pulled out our troops, that crack, in the eyes of the extremist Islamics, widened. When we failed to bring Saddam out of Bagdad in 1991, they pointed to us as weak again. When the WTC was bombed in the early 90's, they said "See, they rutabagas, vulnerable rutabagas". When we tried to protect food shipments in Somalia, and subsequently pulled out after a thwarted attempt, that gave them more ammunition for showing what cowards we were in their eyes.
They only understand one concept. Fear. In their eyes, you either give fear, receive fear or understand it and leave it alone.