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Things blowing up in Pakistan

17:21 / 08.05.02

A bomb has gone off outside a hotel in Karachi, where some people from overseas were staying, and among them were the handsome lads of the New Zealand cricket team and some French people who were building submarines for the Pakistani navy. 'They' say it was a terrorist attack, and that it could have been al-Q or someone similar.
And, I don't mean to make light of anyone else, but one of the people hurt was my stepbrother, the team physio, who broke his arm in the blast. And, although it's just a broken arm, it could be a whole lot worse.
So, what I want to say is this: why shouldn't we get back at them? They've killed in excess of 5000 people, and hurt a whole lot more, and caused so much mental pain. I know that America should get the hell out of dodge, sure, but they started it. Should we just forget that someone else is keeping it going?
My answer is no. I'd be a big fan of having this over as soon as possible, but how?

22:51 / 08.05.02

1st of all, glad to hear that your brother only suffered a broken arm. Hope he's doing ok. As far as everything else though...I don't think there's any right way to do it. I guess taking away the sources of frustration or at least trying to come to some agreement with people is the way to do it. But if you're looking at extremists and if there's no other way to appease them, then take'em out...that's my opinion.

10:23 / 12.05.02

The one thing you really have to understand, is that in this day and age, the world is almost totally controlled by super-powers, such as the US. Now if Bin Laden got himslef control of a country, and just declared war on America, the chances are, he would get incredibly fucked, and his country would then fall into the hands of some american puppet.

"Terrorism" is the only way to make any headway against a nation such as the US. Right now, there is a war being waged against america. Not in the traditional sense of the word 'war' (i.e. two countries/regions slugging it out for some form of political/social/econimic/geographical gain) but in a more amateur way. And so what if they've killed in excess of 5000 people?? Do you have any idea what the yanks were doing in Korea, or Vietnam, and probably in Iraq and Afghanistan too??

And how exactly are you going to take the extremists who bombed the WTC?? There were 19 militants, all of whom are currently dead. The only way the western world is actually capable of 'dealing' with a situation like this, is to find a scape-goat, and begin a total eradication of it. (Think of Israel and the all the innocents they've murdered, in retaliation for the actions of a few armed combatants. In the West Bank + Gaza, teh israeli army have been shooting doctors, and children, and all the sorts of people who are most definately not part of the suicide bombings. I mean, does anyone seriously believe that Sharon is the best man to be in power over there right now?? Smerica may be run by a complete moron, but at least he has some sensible politicians in his cabinet (such as Powell). In israel, Sharon has surrounded himslef with yes-men and racists.)

IMHO, the best way to deal with terrorists, is to keep an incredibly low foreign profile to begin with. How many suicide bombers attack Switzerland every year?? Or Japan??

Now don't get me wrong, i'm not endorsing the execution of innocent people, especially not in suicide bombings, but i am saying that some countries could try a little harder to attract less attention to themselves.

Harold Washington died for you

13:53 / 12.05.02

Mikebro, glad to hear your bro is going to be fine.

I have no idea what we should do aganist terror. Assassinating all the leaders of these terror networks seems like the best idea for now. The sacking of Afghanistan was not quite as cathartic as I had hoped. Let the CIA handle it with spy drones and exploding cigars from now on I say.

Manga, what are you smoking?

""Terrorism" is the only way to make any headway against a nation such as the US. Right now, there is a war being waged against america. Not in the traditional sense of the word 'war' (i.e. two countries/regions slugging it out for some form of political/social/econimic/geographical gain) but in a more amateur way. And so what if they've killed in excess of 5000 people??"

Terrorism is not the only way to deal with the United States. If it was (it is not) it would not work because generally we (Americans) are rabid reactionary puritans who do not take kindly to being fucked with in such a manner. Yes, I think there may be a low level war aganist the US. If the US is at war it seems wise to not roll over but fight back in the most efficient way possible. So what if they killed 5000 people? Shit. It was 5000 civilians. Deliberately targeted civilians.

Keep a low profile? How exactly does a superpower keep a low profile? And would it really work? "Jeez I dunno Ahmed, haven't heard much from the Great Satan recently...check the atlas, see if they're still there."

18:00 / 12.05.02

"Terrorism" is the only way to make any headway against a nation such as the US

I think headlines was the phrase you were looking for.

Harold Washington died for you

21:17 / 12.05.02

Touche.

shirtless, beepers and suntans

22:40 / 12.05.02

um, about Japan not being attacked by terrorists...wrong.

the 1995 sarin attack in a crowded tokyo subway. i forget the exact numbers, but scores died and thousands were injured. very scary stuff. granted, the perpetrators were homegrown (not to mention very organized) nutjobs, but it just goes to show that no country is beyond the reach of insane people with an agenda and the resolve to kill lots of innocent people.

05:34 / 13.05.02

so, basically, America needs to keep its nose the hell out of things and this wouldn't happen? Man, that's pretty easy.

21:00 / 13.05.02

The japanese attack, as you have already said, was perpetrated by japanese citizens, not foreign individuals, enraged by japans international stance.

And the american civilians?? Well, in the Korean war, when american troops went into south korean villages, to evacuate the villagers, they found that to their surprise, old people and children aren't actually able to evacuate themselves quite as quickly as trained, healthy soldiers are. In order to reduce the time it qould take to get htese people to 'safety', the american army herded thousands of villagers into as small an area as possible, then called in air strikes. They actually sanctioned the use of deadly force against unarmed innocents. And has any american ever paid for this action?? No! I'm willing to bet that in the wake of sept.11th, almost every person living in america has felt that Bin Laden should be executed. And, in fact, i would have to agree with that. However, only if you are willing to recognise that Bin Laden is not the first to attack civilians. Hell, the entire western world has been doing it (and getting away with it) for decades now. Is it really all that surprising that islamic militants are joining in??

I'm not saying that the deaths of those in the WTC are in any way justifyable (and i apologise profusely for my earlier comment "so what if they've killed in excess of 5000 people??". I really should have been more sensitive with the way i phrased that), but what i am saying is that if you're going to throw your weight around at an international level, you've really got to expect to get a few kalashnikovs pointed in your direction.

solid~liquid onwards

16:43 / 16.05.02

heh, yay for argument.

the best way to combat someone killing people is not to kill more people...well ok some times it is. extremists will always be around, the worst thing you can do is make a martyr out of em. The best thing you could do is to try and remove the inequalities that create this kind of problem...cos at the core of it is a mass of people who are pissed off :|

perhaps everybody should be tagged at birth, their DNA checked and recorded for potential mental illness's that may make them more likely to murder. Control of everything increased...why not pre-birth, so that they can be aborted if they happen to be "wrong"

rant-over