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[Willis Erin <erindive AT yahoo.com>]

RE: "In a western country? a few weeks. In an area
that
> looks much like 13th
> century?  who knows. Specially when the locals are
> not co-operative and
> US operatives were removed from the area long ago."

Our government couldn't/can't find Eric Rudolph...so I
would say the above point has little validity.



--- "Josep L. Guallar-Esteve" <jlguallar AT maduixa.net>
wrote:
> As always, this is long, my only opinion, you agree
> to not sue me if you
> read it, do not read this while playing with your
> food, etc etc etc
> 
> 
> On Wed, 2002-10-09 at 12:11, David R. Matusiak
> wrote:
>  
> > it pleases me greatly to now see that there are
> actually 4 (four) 
> > people who are thinking about this. with myself
> included, we could 
> > probably rig up a helluva jazz quintet.  i dunno,
> maybe bluegrass.
> 
> jazz sounds nice. maybe even progressive rock.
>  
> > i would also like to know who or what "IISS" is. 
> i would also like 
> > sound, rational answers to the following list of
> questions (forwarded 
> > with permission from original author):
> 
> IISS: http://www.iiss.org/
> 
> International Institute for Strategic Studies.
> 
> An independent think tank, based in the UK. As
> themselves say:
> 
> "The IISS is the primary source of accurate,
> objective information on
> international strategic issues for politicians and
> diplomats, foreign
> affairs analysts, international business,
> economists, the military,
> defence commentators, journalists, academics and the
> informed public.
> 
> The IISS's work is grounded in an appreciation  of
> the various
> political, economic and social problems that cause
> instability, as well
> as the factors that can lead to international
> cooperation. The IISS is
> independent and it alone decides what activities to
> conduct. It owes no
> allegiance to any government, or to any political or
> other
> organisation."
> 
> I have great respect for their works, always
> independent, always right
> on the point. For example, the Adelphi Papers are
> quite an impressive
> set of printed researchs. Only Jane's Group can be
> thought as their
> 'rivals' in strategic information. 
> 
> All the "Strategic Studies " centers around the
> world are modeled after
> them, although they all pale in comparison.
> 
> > ---
> > I think there are some questions that should be
> > investigated and answered:
> 
> > 1) What are the origins of the Al Quaeda movement,
> who
> > trained them, armed them and backed them in the
> > beginning.
> 
> I thought that this had already been answerd by all
> the news agencies in
> the world, circa December'2001. Maybe you would want
> to read "bin Laden:
> The Man Who Declared War on America". IIRC this book
> was first published
> in 1999.
>  
> > 2) How difficult is it to find a dialysis
> dependant
> > 6"5' Arab who had his toes blown off during the
> > Soviet-Afghan war and his buddy the blind Taliban
> > Mullah who was ruling Afghanistan a year ago?
> 
> In a western country? a few weeks. In an area that
> looks much like 13th
> century?  who knows. Specially when the locals are
> not co-operative and
> US operatives were removed from the area long ago.
>  
> > 3) Why is the administration so unwilling to have
> a
> > threat assesment for Iraq done?
> 
> Impatience, lack of qualified experts on foreign
> affairs, lack of formal
> foreign policy before 2/2001 , although today's
> policy doesn't strike me
> as 'well thought' nor 'sound'.
>  
> > 4) Is the Iraqi threat to create AND deliver
> > biological, chemical and/or nuclear weapons
> against
> > their populace or a neighboring populace greater
> or
> > equal to any other country?
> 
> It is definitively greater. They already had the
> capability to store NBC
> (Nuclear, Bacteriological, Chemical) weapons and
> they have already used
> that capability, both against internal and external
> enemies. They also
> have a dictator not supported
> (blackmailed/payed/trusted/put in place)
> by any western power. And that dictator has been in
> power for a long
> time (think Franco, Pinochet, Tito...) so it has
> developed both an
> authoritarian style and a 'gusto' for violence.
> 
> > 5) Should the there be "regime change" in Iraq who
> > will replace Saddam?   Will the new government be
> able
> > to hold itself together in the long run?
> 
> I would like to see myself the older brother of the
> current King of
> Jordan. A few analysts got to this conclusion when
> the latest King
> Hussein of Jordan changed the successor to his
> throne. If you all read
> history, you will find that the Hachemite family
> (rulers of Jordan) were
> the family to rule Saudi Arabia or Iraq after the
> dissolution of the
> Ottoman Empire (end of WWI). Instead, they were put
> in a small,
> resourceless country in the middle of nowhere. The
> Hachemites rulers
> have a proven track of good and intelligent leaders
> that do well with
> their people and with the neighbours.
> 
> > 6) Will the new regime be able to effectively
> > introduce lasting democracy to a culturaly diverse
> > population? Will we be prepared to handle the
> choices
> > made by an Iraqi democracy?
> 
> Maybe a federation or confederation will work at
> Iraq. Thus, while
> granting a certain degree of political autonomy, you
> are also avoiding a
> single group reclessly ruling over the other groups.
> Also, I don't
> believe that Iraq is ready for democracy in, at
> least, 2-year period.
> Get a strong, respected man. A Hachemite King,
> appointed by a coalition
> of Arab states anyone?
>  
> > 7) Are we willing to station troops in a hostile
> > Afghanistan and Iraq for a decade or more to
> ensure
> > security to new governments?
> 
> This has already been planned for Afghanistan. If
> (IF) there's war with
> Iraq, whoever wages war will need to be there at
> least 5 years.
>  
> > 8)  How much of our Middle-Eastern foreign policy
> is
> > guided by an interest to protect Israel on the
> basis
> > that they are "the chosen people?"
> 
> None. 
> 
> Maybe the US has a special interest in protecting
> the only democracy in
> the area. Think about it. They have free elections.
> Women have rights.
> And there's a sizable population of dual-passport
> (US, Israel) citizens.
> As well as, of course, they are part of US markets
> abroad and a market
> where to shop for technology. 
> 
> Hey! with money, your citizens, democracy and women
> rights involved, do
> you need more?
>  
> > 9) Is there solid evidence tying the government of
> > Iraq to terrorist networks?
> 
> None linking with Al Qaeda. Although it's well known
> the 
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