Bad news from Bali

[Ron Mummert]

And, while I'm at it. I pray that they catch that crazy bastard in Virginia or Maryland, before he takes one more life. [/B][/QUOTE]



Too late. The bastard did it again tonight. And, of course, the media has a thousand & one theories as to "who" & why.
I'm going to bed now. Perhaps I'll get up tomorrow.

Ron.

[sfsvx]

This thread has certainly gone in some interesting directions.

Two things my daddy used to say:

1. "War" is old men sending young men to die.

2. The problem is not that people are dying - the problem is the WRONG people are dying. A well-placed bullet fired at Adolf Hitler in 1932 would have significantly altered world history.

I'm ex-military; I accept that sometimes the only way to change what's going on is to kill some people (like, perhaps, that crazy bastard in VA/MD). That, however, doesn't seem to be accomplishing much in this situation. Getting Saddam out of the way may or may not help.

I'm with Aredubjay. I pray for the President and his advisors, so that they have the wisdom to make the right decision.

[svxistentialist]

This is an interesting thread to lurk and watch. I do hope you guys are indicative of general informed intelligent opinion in the US.

The world is not behind the US for a military strike against Iran, not if the UN is anything to go by.

By the way, it is highly likely that words such as Iran, Saddam, Bin Laden, etc etc are keywords kicking software into life at CIA or FBI or MI5, wherever. No doubt your names, descriptions and opinions are now logged and categorised in the bowels of the Shadow-world.

Probably as good a reason for voicing them as anything else.

Joe

It's not paranoia if they really
are out to get you.

[SHISVX]

something needs to be done right here in America....

that damn sniper needs to be sniped...what the heck is that?!?!

i can't understand how we can't catch a *(&^*#$)@#$% man like that who would shoot a 14 yr old as he left school and a person as they left church.. what kind of crazy ^*)&#^_(&^#%@ do we have living in our own country!

Kelli

[Earthworm]

here's a story I came across recently:

Story Link

[Ron Mummert]

Originally posted by Earthworm
here's a story I came across recently:

Story Link

I agree - The Bali atrocity was the Aussie equivolent of 911, and although the blast didn't occur "technically" on their turf, the effects are the same. FINALLY today, the Wash. Post began to record the aftermath in some detail. My thoughts & prayers are with all of our OZ & Kiwi members here, as well the rest of the continent, whose population has supported us in so many of our past military excursions that would never have directly affected Australian/NZ soil.

Ron.

[Trevor]

Thank you Ron,

You are an old bastard like me but you are a gentleman first and foremost.

[Beav]

It appears to me that the Bali incident is nothing more than a 'divide and conquer' tactic, no doubt perpetrated by the al Qaeda regime. As stated by John Howard, "I've been informed by the relevant intelligence agencies that the only possibly relevant reference to Bali in recent intelligence reporting was its inclusion - along with a number of other tourist and cultural locations across Indonesia - of possible terrorist activity against United States tourists." Now the terrorists are making people around the world afraid of being near U.S. citizens and/or establishments. Soon afterwards that will become resentment and anger.

Everyone should know when picking a fight in a large group you take on the biggest guy first. If planned well you have a chance of coming out on top and won't have to worry about the smaller guys coming at you afterwards. It's pretty pathetic that the apathy and foot dragging going on around the world, as evidenced by the U.N., will begin pointing fingers at us when the fight comes to their door.

Not many people like war, myself included. But I see it as an infection, a disease. The longer you wait, the more widespread it becomes. You don't treat a cancer with an aspirin, you go at it with the best and strongest medicine you've got. Once infected it really doesn't matter how it began, you worry about that after the patient is cured, in order to prevent reoccurence. One can ill afford to have the head doctor wringing his hands, kissing other doctors' backsides and pussy-footing around with two-bit dumbass wannabes before administering the proper antidote.

I've always admired those that lived and contributed during WWII. What a tremendous sense of knowing what needed to be done, courage, duty and sacrifice for the common good they had! It's such a shame that it only took a mere three generations for apathy and sloth to become the prevalent attributes of the world they fought and died to protect.

[oab_au]

Originally posted by Earthworm
here's a story I came across recently:

Story Link

Gota agree wth that, even in this thread.

!71 Australians died that night.

Harvey.

[jscorse]

This is a GREAT group. Let me just say that I am SO impressed how we are handling/discussing these topics. It makes me extremely proud to be a member. Such a mature group. Thank you.

As for Bush...well.. I HOPE he/we make the right decisions. I certainly don't know the right decision.

I agree with the cancer analogy only to add that with the latest techniques we(doctors) do their best to NOT kill the good cells....

Same goes for that loser shooter. I hope our people make the RIGHT choices in finding him/them. I also HOPE that the loser makes a mistake. Revenge on the perp(s). will not bring back those killed. These people simply have to removed from society - period.

As for Australia, my heart goes out to the families/friends and the country as a whole. They too often get the short view from our press. That's unfortunate and unexplainable as I know we all think highly of our friends from the REALLY big island.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by jscorse
As for Australia, my heart goes out to the families/friends and the country as a whole. They too often get the short view from our press. That's unfortunate and unexplainable as I know we all think highly of our friends from the REALLY big island.

Hear, hear! Good on yers, Mates. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with you.

[SVXphile]

First, I wish to add that our thoughts and prayers are with our "down under" friends during this time of loss. If it wasn't obvious before, perhaps now more people will realize that this terrorst thing is not just directed against the U.S. We will have to be as cunning in stopping it, as the terrorists are in planning it.

<I just think there have got to be better ways of doing it than killing more innocent people in the process>

I agree. Of the people I have talked to, I have yet to find an informed individual that can can find a MAJOR problem with this idea. Kick this around and provide some feedback....

Our problem with Iraq is really a problem with Saddam. Yes, I am also aware of how we supported him in the past. I have a whole separate soapbox I could get up on about THAT topic, but it can wait. If the problem can be narrowed down to just him....and in the quick and dirty sense, it can....then he should be the target. It makes absolutely no sense to me, to place one young American life at risk to topple this Hitler wannabe. Is there anyone out there that believes that with our intelligence network, that we can't find out....just ONCE....where that guy spends the night? Cruise missiles don't risk pilots. Our "no-fly-zone" guys could drop leaflets with a simple message. (1) We found Saddam, and he is no more. (2) Iraq has the opportunity to establish free elections, eliminate the secret police, leave the folks in the north and south alone, allow weapons inspectors in, and rejoin the family of nations, or....(3) We vaporize the next clown to take his place. Tell the people by radio, television and leaflet that we are NOT anti-Muslim, but we are anti-nut case, and if they would like to rise up and reclaim control of their country, we would be happy to lend a hand. Ask them to ask a member of their family, who was taken captive in the Gulf War, just how TERRIBLE we treated them. Were they beaten? Starved? Executed and dumped in the desert? Did we do to them, what they did to the people of Kuwait? Gee, so much for the monster U.S.A. Yes, those same people want to help you lift the yoke of tyranny from your sholders. Go for it.

...and then while we are at it, we can quit supporting ANY country or any "leader" that doesn't hold our values in common. Any money for those nations could be channeled to the people through democratic underground movements. We are still paying the price for our cold-war policies; "Anyone as long as they aren't communist!" No wonder we have so many "friends" around the world....

Meanwhile, we have another psycho wandering around the D.C. area.....good grief.

PS As always, this is an amazing forum, where people of differing views can speak their minds intelligently and respond in kind. I hope everyone treasures what we have here. Yes it is not SVX related, but we do all have lives and interests and differing backgrounds all brought together by one outstanding car.

Cool. Don

[SVXphile]

Not all the news organizations are neglecting this story and follow-ups...

http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapc...arn/index.html

Don