[WW] OTClosing statement

[Arne Reuter <reuter@tse-online.de>]

Hi John and everybody!

Am Donnerstag, 13. September 2001, 07:06:46, schrieben Sie:

> As it seems the listserv moderator is not going to be banning Cpt
> Canuck from the list, I will be adding him to my killfile.

> I would rather not have to do this, but it seems that his (often
> insulting) "differeing opinions" are welcome here, acording to the
> moderator.

I have to agree with Alan. While Cpt. Canucks differing opinion might
have seemed insulting to someone, I did not see him lash out blindly.

IME hastily read posts have a tendency to ignite a thread of flames,
where opinion grows into a nasty chimera. I ask everybody to calm down
and possibly reread the posts one thought to be insulting.

We _all_ agree that Tuesdays deed was as abominable as they get,
shocking _all_ of us. Everybody of us wants the perpetrators found,
and at least shot. This is a very emotional period.

There are other things to consider though, and I guess that's what "us
non-US people" stay a little bit more coolheaded over.

1. There is a problem finding those involved (and proving it).

2. The US (and the western world) base their constitutional
foundations on the principles of freedom and lawfulness (And a few
others - just have a look at your constitution and the bill of rights)
The danger for the US is to leave that path in lieu of a (justly
deserved) retaliation. But where would it stop? To take up the example
of "carpet bombing" again: Would it be just to bomb a village where
bin Laden was based? What about the women and children? What if he
wasn't even there any more? What if he hid in Kabul (somebody said
Islamabad - that's the capital of Pakistan, btw)? If he went to
Bagdad, to Tripolis? Does it justify using nuclear weapons?
Those are some of the questions the American (and Allied!) governments
are facing right now - where to draw the line and still be able to
live with it later on.

3. What will be the reaction of other countries and how will they
feel? I am thinking about those, that harbor bad feelings against the
western world anyway (mostly Africa and the Near East). What's to keep
them from starting a shadow war? We still want to live in a world of
peace and prosperity, don't we?
Isn't that what Weird Wars can be all about? A history lesson of how
we have to strive for peace and liberty, at risk of our own lives?
I disagree with demonstrations in Germany, who fear a world war III.
Actually I am ashamed, because I believe this would be understood in
totally the wrong way.
But it does have a point: To start thinking about what will come next.
And that many people dread.


So all we are asking for is the US and their people to start thinking
outside of their "narrowmindedness". There is a whole world out there,
and sometimes we "out there" get the feeling, Americans forget that.
And you have only been around for less than 250 years ;-), discounting
the times before the independence.

In a news interview with an expert on the orient I heard an
interesting theory on how the change of US foreign policy in the
Middle East might have contributed to this terrorist attack...

Food for thought.

I sincerely hope I was able to state my thoughts in a manner not to
offend anybody any further and would actually like to close the (my)
discussion with this. We'll follow CNN and hope that intelligence
agencies worldwide find evidence on who did this.

Mit freundlichen Gruessen,

Arne Reuter

--
TSE GmbH Neue Medien, Hovestr.14, 48351 Everswinkel
Tel: +49 2582 66180            FAX: +49 2582 661833
WebDesign & WebMarketing   http://www.tse-online.de
SIMSL       http://www.schlemmen-im-muensterland.de
Muenster Spielt!      http://www.muenster-spielt.de