Habib, No, you did not write that Saddam should stay in power and I didn't mean to convey that in my piece. Nor did you write that US forces should withdraw. All I did was extend the logic of our argument. If one does not think the US should launch a military campaign against Saddam, then the US forces will have to be returned back to the US. Without war, it's just not feasible to maintain such a huge standing force indefinitely in the Middle East. You made a point about the US not being consistent in terms of allies. I can't argue with that. I don't know who coined this statement but I find it particularly apt: "nations don't have permanent allies but permanent interests." It goes something like that. If we scrutinize the behavior of all countries across time, we will find ourselves in a sea of inconsistencies. That is asking too much of a country - even for a superpower. What I'm mainly interested in is whether the US is justified in this particular case. You also mentioned that some might favor the US bypassing the UN because Iraq is a Muslim countries and the only casualties will be Muslims. I favor bypassing the UN Security Council but certainly not because I don't care about Muslims (I understand you didn't direct that at me). But whoever it is directed at, it's charge certainly new to me. Sorry I cannot address at this time all the points you raised in your email. Hopefully, we will have time to touch them all. Have a nice day. Ousman >From: Habib Ghanim <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [>-<] The Ides of March are coming but not yet gone >Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 06:13:03 +0000 > >Ousman > >I never called for withdrawal of US troops nor did I say let Saddam >stay >in power. yes there is no doubt that the US is the most powerful >empire >today but all empires come and go and I think this is the >begining of the >downfall of GW Bush's self imposed empire on the >world. The whole world >can't be wrong on this . Faked evidence was >even tried to fool us all. >Saddam must have had good lessons from his >former masters Bush Sr and >Rumsfeld and Channey. > >You know where I stand on Saddam Hussein .We all want Soddam dead or >alive >- but why bomb Iraq and kill many people including some of our >own Us >troops when he can be eliminated CIA style as they did to >Lumumba. Dan >rather found Saddam why cant the CIA ? and why did he not >put a bullet in >his head as George rightfully suggested. because GW is >not after saddam >only but Iraq's oil . Ironically the Iraqis cannot >eat the oil so they >will have to sell to the US in the end . Let us >call a spade a spade. you >are a smart young man and I am sure you can >read between the lines per say > >Remember the Russian Empire /// The British Empire / Chinese Emperors >and >Ottoman Empire ( turkish) . Yes I agree let us look at history >and not >repeat the same mistakes . If only GW Bush would admit how his >dad created >Saddam and apologize for that mistake , I think this >whole operation for >most people worldwide would be much easier to >swallow . The world is not >all full of fools ,maybe some greedy >leaders will get some cash for a pro >US vote but not all . > >It may be convenient to by pass the UN today because a muslim country >and >maily muslims will die imho but why did the USA not take the same >stand >with Israel that has never complied with over 30 UN >resolutions ? did You >ever ask your self that? and do you know how >much Israel alone is costing >the US taxpayers DAILY ( fyi $ 1.9 >million us dollars daily -yes daily) . >I can bet my bottom dollar as >James brown would say that if this was a >European country today , >America would not send its troops first and talk >later seriously >Ousman. > >Why is Bush suddenly bent on Mugabe 's lack of democracy and not at > >Saudi's or Kuwaits non democracy . Is it the oil ? or are they >different >? This double standard is what bothers me not the war alone. > >Finally ,when Osama was working with the US to fight the Russians in > >Afghanistan why did they let him go after the war was won. Don't tell >me >they could not find him . The CIA can get anyone they REALLY want. >that is >a fact! I bet now that we are getting close to a police state >with the new >home land security cover the FBI can tell what each of us >wear or eat >daily not only hear our phone conversations etc. > >bottom line - get Saddam out now but do not bomb Iraq- how ? 007 /cia > >style > >goodnight > >Habib > _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~