Kevin's Watch

Anybody who studied WWII history at all, will get it.

Right, and those people are few and far between.

Lurch wrote:...There is NO surrender,,approval of, reap what you sow,,attitude on my part towards the Al Kay. I am Talking About How They Can Be Defeated.

Okay, I'm with you so far.

Lurch wrote:The first thing one must do,,is drop the American Mind Set and try to perceive the Middle East thru a Middle Eastern Mind Set. Once that is understood, then you are closer to victory because you see the victory in Their Terms.

What is their goal? What is the Middle Eastern Mind Set specifically? What concrete steps do you advocate to combat/solve the conflict?

Lurch wrote: The general population may not be wearing suicide vests,,sniping at patrols,,setting up roadside remote control explosives,,but they sure as hell ain't stopping those that do...the hearts and minds........

It appears that the Iraqi's support the idea of representative government based upon the Iraqi election turnout and the recent efforts of the Sunni leadership to become involved in the political process. The increases in the size and effectiveness of the Iraqi police and armed forces also indicates a willingness to fight for their country and freedom. Do you think that Japan welcomed the US with open arms after WWII? Look at Japan now. The siren call of representative government and a free market economy are difficult to resist once the seeds have been introduced.

Lurch wrote:...George the First and Wild Willie, both, were wise enough to keep Saddam under wraps, and ipso facto , create a three state entity out of iraq. That wasn't good enuf for George the 2nd,,

The policy of containment pursued under prior administrations was costly and unsustainable. Saddam's regime and the sanctions were taking a tremendous toll on innocent iraqi's...mostly children. I wouldn't venture so far as to call the policy "wise"...shrewd maybe, short-sighted definitely, but not wise.

For what it's worth, I do agree about hearts and minds being the best possible course.

My heart goes out to all those who lost and are searching for loved ones. My prayers have been for London these past few days and I grieve for them.

Garth Brooks wrote a song for the victims and rescuers of the Oklahoma bombings...and I believe it speaks volumes for those in London as well.

The Change

One hand
Reaches out
And pulls a lost soul from harm
While a thousand more go unspoken for
They say what good have you done
By saving just this one
It's like whispering a prayer
In the fury of a storm

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me

This heart
Still believes
The love and mercy still exist
While all the hatred rage and so many say
That love is all but pointless in madness such as this
It's like trying to stop a fire
With the moisture from a kiss

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me

As long as one heart still holds on
Then hope is never really gone

I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world we know
Never changes me

What I do is so
This world will know
That it will not change me

God bless all our London/UK Watchers, you are all in my prayers.

Peace

Thanks Furls I had not heard that song in years and it is so appropriate.

VF, thank you for your wisdom.

edit

man, this outpouring of love and prayers makes me want to vomit...(thats just a personal opinion though)



on the OTHER hand...i agree with everyone here...this was a cowardly act, and Britain was just living up to their word to be our allies, and, as far as im concerned, were doing what was right...in keeping their word and doing what they thought was right...even if they thought the US was wrong...

Despiser,

Is all kewl where you're located in FL from Dennis? We're just overcast and occasional downbursts here.

OK I admit I haven't been following much news lately, other than Hurricane Dennis updates. Paul (dh) just informed me that CNN reported that Birmingham, England was totally evacuated yesterday due to vague threats? Is this true? If so, are people still beig kept out of their homes?

Brinn wrote:

Lurch wrote:Perhaps the same indebtedness used in finding alternate sources of energy would dis-connect our reliance on the middle east in a way that some future American child would be the recepient of a better life,,rather than some possible Iraqii child.

...We have to change the way the West is being perceived.

LOL...Do you see the irony in your words?

I was on vacation when this tragedy occurred. I too extend my prayers to the English people, who have shown admirable stoicism.

It's truly too bad - the euphoria from Live 8 and the news of the 2012 Olympics, clashing with the death of 50 or so of their countrymen. Truly terrible.

As for any geopolitical ramifications this might have, it certainly changes the face of the G8 summit in Scotland, no? In addition, if this can happen in a Western European nation with one of the world's best counterterrorism programs and 30 years of experience thanks to the IRA, then it certainly can happen here in the US, but hopefully the Administration can stop any attacks.

Menolly wrote:OK I admit I haven't been following much news lately, other than Hurricane Dennis updates. Paul (dh) just informed me that CNN reported that Birmingham, England was totally evacuated yesterday due to vague threats? Is this true? If so, are people still beig kept out of their homes?

Four suspicious packages were destroyed by controlled detonation on Saturday night, after a "series of specific threats" made by telephone to police. None of the packages turned out to be explosive devices, but 30,000 people had been evacuated from Birmingham city centre as a precaution.

Hoaxers. Classy.

Nav wrote:

Menolly wrote:OK I admit I haven't been following much news lately, other than Hurricane Dennis updates. Paul (dh) just informed me that CNN reported that Birmingham, England was totally evacuated yesterday due to vague threats? Is this true? If so, are people still beig kept out of their homes?

Four suspicious packages were destroyed by controlled detonation on Saturday night, after a "series of specific threats" made by telephone to police. None of the packages turned out to be explosive devices, but 30,000 people had been evacuated from Birmingham city centre as a precaution.

Hoaxers. Classy.

Hoaxers are lame. Much love, my Brummies.

Myste wrote: I agree with Kins. Think-Tank time.

Me, too. Could one of the GD mods please split or move this there?

'Tank sounds good to me.

--A

Ok, I sent the bulk of the in-depth political analysis to the Tank.

In doing so, I noticed this:

theDespiser wrote:man, this outpouring of love and prayers makes me want to vomit...(thats just a personal opinion though)

Though it's an old post, I couldn't let it slide. I kind of know what you mean, when people who don't really care make out that they do, simply because they think they should seem to. But from what I know of the Watch, that's not the case here. Either way, for the love of God show some tact.