[Rhodes22-list] Religious Tolerance

[bberner@optonline.net]

   Funny!
   Bill Berner
   v: 914.478.2896
   f: 914.478.3856
   e: BBerner@optonline.net

   ----- Original Message -----

   From: brad haslett <flybrad@yahoo.com>

   Date: Thursday, January 30, 2003 1:05 pm

   Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Religious Tolerance

   > So as not to offend Bill, please accept the following
   > correction to my earlier post.
   >
   > "year of our Lord" should read "year of the horse".
   > Beginning Saturday, February 1, 2003, it will be "year
   > of the goat". Thank you.
   >
   > Brad Haslett
   > --- bberner@optonline.net wrote:
   > >
   > > Of course though, being an atheist, opposed to
   > > pretty much all forms
   > > of organised religion (though not spirituality),
   > > I do have to take
   > > exception to your use of the phrase "year of our
   > > lord".
   > >
   > > BB
   > > Bill Berner
   > > v: 914.478.2896
   > > f: 914.478.3856
   > > e: BBerner@optonline.net
   > >
   > > ----- Original Message -----
   > >
   > > From: brad haslett <flybrad@yahoo.com>
   > >
   > > Date: Thursday, January 30, 2003 11:25 am
   > >
   > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Rebuilding Iraq was
   > > State of the Union
   > >
   > > > Mark your calendars! On this day, January 30,
   > > year of
   > > > our Lord, 2003, I find myself in agreement with
   > > Bill
   > > > Berner on something. This is surely a sign from
   > > the
   > > > heavens; the end is near!
   > > >
   > > > Bill is right, we'll have to stay in Iraq for a
   > > long
   > > > time to achieve any lasting, positive effect on
   > > the
   > > > region. For and indepth article on the subject
   > > read
   > > > James Fallows, "The Firty-First State",
   > > Atlantic
   > > > Monthly, NOV 2002.
   > > >
   > >
   > http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/11/fallows.htm
   > > >
   > > > For the record I regretfully accept that taking
   > > out
   > > > Saddam is a necessity. Every trip to China I am
   > > > saddened that FDR and Truman didn't listen to
   > > General
   > > > Stillwell and force a two party system there
   > > after
   > > > WW2. The USA has a historical record of
   > > "fighting the
   > > > good fight" and then not following up with the
   > > long
   > > > term commitment necessary for lasting peace. We
   > > did
   > > > it in Japan and Germany, we'll have to do it
   > > again in
   > > > the Middle East. Truman was able to fund the
   > > Marshall
   > > > Plan during a sagging post war economy. Our
   > > challenge
   > > > will be no less.
   > > >
   > > > Brad Haslett
   > > > --- bberner@optonline.net wrote:
   > > > >
   > > > >
   > > > >
   > > > > Alex -
   > > > >
   > > > >
   > > > > I cnouldn't disagree with you more on getting
   > > out
   > > > > of Iraq as soon as
   > > > > the war is over.
   > > > >
   > > > > For the record - I am against a war on Iraq
   > > at
   > > > > this time. However,
   > > > > based on the SOTU speech, it seems like a
   > > pretty
   > > > > sure thing.
   > > > >
   > > > > At any rate, if the US or some coalition wer
   > > eto
   > > > > go in, remove Saddam
   > > > > and some generals, and then pack up and
   > > leave,
   > > > > there would be chaos.
   > > > > Tribal fighting and genocide would surely
   > > result.
   > > > > Now that's a
   > > > > scenario that is ripe for increasing religous
   > > > > fundamentalism, hatrred
   > > > > of the US, and increased terorism
   > > > >
   > > > > On the other hand, a major long term benefit
   > > of
   > > > > getting rid of Hussein
   > > > > is the chance to try to enable a democracy to
   > > > > grow and take hold in
   > > > > Iraq, that might spread to Saudi Arabia and
   > > > > Kuwait. The way this
   > > > > could occur, admittedsly over many years, is
   > > that
   > > > > democracy in Iraq
   > > > > would lead to greater education, equal
   > > rights,
   > > > > and the resulting
   > > > > increase in economic opportunity for a large
   > > part
   > > > > of the population.
   > > > > Citizens of other Arab countries, witnessing
   > > > > this, would press for
   > > > > democratization in their own countries.
   > > > >
   > > > > The final benefit would be a depowering of
   > > > > religous fundamentalist
   > > > > extremists, and lessening the likelihood of
   > > > > terrorism in western
   > > > > countries.
   > > > >
   > > > > Short sighted foreign policy has been a major
   > > > > contributor to the mess
   > > > > we find ourselves in today with both our
   > > enemies
   > > > > (at least this
   > > > > decade) and allies. Your prescrikption to
   > > kick
   > > > > soime Iraqi ass and
   > > > > get the hell out, would only add perpetuate
   > > the
   > > > > problem and add fuel
   > > > > to the terrorist fire.
   > > > >
   > > > > BB
   > > > > Bill Berner
   > > > > v: 914.478.2896
   > > > > f: 914.478.3856
   > > > > e: BBerner@optonline.net
   > > > >
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