Mr Gassama,
                     we seem to be at that common a confluence inherent in
any honest discussion, a point we will just have to agree to disagree. Your
examples which are extensions of the main basis of your original article are
only a list of grievances you have as an observer of U. S foreign policy. I
can offer counter arguments for each of them but that would be an entirely
different exercise and one that would not address the crux of your criticism
about the U. S being a hypocrite in it's prosecution of the war in
Afghanistan and terrorism in general.Infact it is not correct to say the
Taliban were not offered an opportunity to surrender Osama and the Al Qaeda
leadership to a third country.  President Clinton spent a considerable amount
of time and effort to secure his transfer and the Taliban were recalcitrant
employing stalling tactics and shifting goal post each time they were
required to actually deliver the accused. First they demanded to try Osama
themselves as a substitute for sending him and his associates to New York
where they face multiple counts of murder and terrorism for killing hundreds
of people in East Africa. Then they offered to try him in Afghanistan under
Sharia but comprising of jurists from Islamic countries. Then they further
offered to try him in a third Muslim country with Taliban jurists being part
of the panel. They steadfastly refused to hand the accused over to either the
countries where they are alleged to have committed crimes, or to neutral
third countries who would try them under international jurisprudence. Now why
would the Taliban stubbornly shelter people who stand accused of killing
thousands of people across three continents? The answer is simple and direct
and it revolves around a terrible quid pro quo arrangement in which they
would shelter a vicious terrorist network with no regard for human life in
return for security and financial aid to perpetuate their equally vicious
rule over the people of Afghanistan. These were two evil enterprises mutually
tied together in pursuit of a political agenda drenched in the blood of
innocent people. They are willing to perverse the Holy religion of Islam,
sell opium, enslave women and bring their own brethren into destitution,
death and starvation. What they got from the U. S is a fitting, just and
swift act of self defense from a nation they have attacked multiple times.
      As for the examples you gave particularly the one pertaining to The
Gambia , I would only say that it is true that Yahya Jammeh who is an equally
creul and monstrous tyrant has murdered scores of Gambians. That is a wanton
and vicious crime against us the citizens of that country and it is our duty
to address them in the manner prescribed by our laws, religion and ethics. He
is yet to kill an American but the U. S as a government has done far more
than many a Gambian has in standing up for our people and their
victimization. How many of us has specifically done a thing to stand up for
our country and it's people? Often times we find all the reasons to complain
but not one good one to actually do something. We are quick to eschew
violence as a means of change when we are faced with a brutal tyrant who
murders our friends. But neither do we do a darn thing to strengthen the
political process. We give the parties no resources, no ideas and yet we try
to shout exasperation that they have not done this or that. It is up to the
people to determine their fate and countries for the most part must shake off
the yoke repression on their own. It is not up to the United States to remove
Yahya Jammeh and try him for capital crimes. They do us great justice by
isolating him, denying him their money and ensuring that he stays in the box
of the bad and the creul. It is me you and everyone who agrees that the
Jammeh regime is a pugnacious and destructive one that we must confront and
destroy it. The outcome of our efforts would be determined in large part on
the price we are prepared to pay to bring about just change. America has no
direct responsibility in the overall fate and direction of nations. By and
large the U. S is a good country that has helped mankind in good and
measurable ways. Their own experiment in forming a perfect union is an
ongoing process with it's own pitfalls and problems but nonetheless forging
ahead. Their overall foreign policy is not without problems but I believe
that in it's totality, it strives for the betterment of mankind within the
context of freedom, liberty and free enterprise. I can live with that.
Karamba

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