War on Terror - Obama's end game

Ground&Pound · 10-08-2008, 11:13 PM

Does anything really change if we capture or kill bin Laden?

Obama keeps saying we need to get bin Laden and squash Al Qaeda.

Will this end the war(s)?

Through my many discussions with BIG and others at TWT, we all seemed to agree that the enemy in the war on terror is not a country, government or group, but an ideology.

The enemy is Islamic extremism.

It existed long before 9/11 and before bin Laden began hating the west.

We were very naive prior to 9/11 and should never return to that way of thinking again.

I feel Obama is trying to sell us on getting bin Laden, killing a few Al Qaeda bad guys and all of our troubles will be over.

I wish it were that simple. Ignorance is bliss.

UGLY · 10-08-2008, 11:18 PM

I think McCAin was right when he called Obama out about attacking Pakistan. I believe that if you attack someone in another country without the consent of that country then that can be considered an attack on said country.

RYou · 10-09-2008, 06:18 AM

There is no question in my mind, that if they go into Pakistan to take out bin Laden, that it will trigger every sleeper cell out there. If the the US really wanted to take him out, the CIA would have done so long ago and a new head would emerge from the snake.

ODH · 10-09-2008, 07:34 AM

Obama was obviously using campaigning rhetoric. He needs to appear tough on terrorism and the campaign trail is not the place for complexity of real life.

He would have been skewered if he said he knew where Bin Laden is and would not take him out. In reality I think for either candidate the answer would be it depends on the circumstances.

Clinton attack the Bin Laden camp in Afghanistan before 9/11 and he was mostly criticized for missing.

ODH · 10-09-2008, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by Ground&Pound

Does anything really change if we capture or kill bin Laden?

Obama keeps saying we need to get bin Laden and squash Al Qaeda.

Will this end the war(s)?

Through my many discussions with BIG and others at TWT, we all seemed to agree that the enemy in the war on terror is not a country, government or group, but an ideology.

The enemy is Islamic extremism.

It existed long before 9/11 and before bin Laden began hating the west.

We were very naive prior to 9/11 and should never return to that way of thinking again.

I feel Obama is trying to sell us on getting bin Laden, killing a few Al Qaeda bad guys and all of our troubles will be over.

I wish it were that simple. Ignorance is bliss.

I disagree. We cannot go to war against an ideology. There will always be extremism and always be Islamic extremism (there will always be Christain extremism as well). Just like there will always be terrorism and the "war" on terrorism will not eliminate it.

We should be going after the organized groups that have attacked us and top of the list is Al Quaeda and Bin Laden.

ccbig · 10-09-2008, 07:44 AM

There is a possibility the bin Laden is already dead.

If bin Laden is alive there is a good reason not to have him killed in a way that the public would know for certain he is dead, martyrdom.

Bin Laden's death could potentially have a more drastic effect of triggering terrorism attacks if bin Laden's death was seen as that of a martyr.

The best manner in which bin Laden could die would be after a trial and to be sentenced to death in a Arab courtroom. This would probably have the best chance of reducing bin Laden's chances of martyrdom.

ccbig · 10-09-2008, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by ODH

I disagree. We cannot go to war against an ideology. There will always be extremism and always be Islamic extremism (there will always be Christain extremism as well). Just like there will always be terrorism and the "war" on terrorism will not eliminate it.

We should be going after the organized groups that have attacked us and top of the list is Al Quaeda and Bin Laden.

A battle can be waged on ideology. To do so the USA has to regain the moral high ground.

Building schools, building and supplying hospitals are excellent ways to start on a positive path on a war of ideology.

This does not mean the war on terrorism will end. But until the general Arab population has a more positive view about the USA and the rest of the Western nations terrorism will remain strong.

Ground&Pound · 10-09-2008, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by ccbig

A battle can be waged on ideology. To do so the USA has to regain the moral high ground.

Building schools, building and supplying hospitals are excellent ways to start on a positive path on a war of ideology.

This does not mean the war on terrorism will end. But until the general Arab population has a more positive view about the USA and the rest of the Western nations terrorism will remain strong.

Well put.

ODH · 10-09-2008, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by ccbig

A battle can be waged on ideology. To do so the USA has to regain the moral high ground.

Building schools, building and supplying hospitals are excellent ways to start on a positive path on a war of ideology.

This does not mean the war on terrorism will end. But until the general Arab population has a more positive view about the USA and the rest of the Western nations terrorism will remain strong.

Maybe this is just semantics... you can wage a battle on an ideology but you are not going to win a "war".

As far as fighting current extreme Islamic terrorism I believe we have to be aggressive towards the ones who attacked us and try to win the "hearts and minds" of the rest of the Arab world. The war in Iraq did not come close to doing either of these and if fact seemed to be a big step backwards on both accounts.

Ground&Pound · 10-09-2008, 09:42 PM

The Bush plan was to make Iraq a model nation of peace and prosperity by doing things the American way. Then hopefully, the rest of the Middle East would wish to do the same.

Occupying Iraq would also give us a jumping off point to get to the bad guys in the region.

A few years ago, these were laugh-out-loud statements.
Today, they still may bring a chuckle, but some progress has been made.

War on Terror - Obama's end game

Politics & Religion