So how can al-Qaeda actually be defeated?

Hi All

So from recollection i have read threads on the Chimp's (Bush's) visit to London, legalities of the Iraq war, Islamic extremism, pre-empitive strikes etc etc....

I would like to know whether you guys actually think if Al Qaeda can actually be defeated as the Chimp and his Gimp (Blair) think?

Speaking at a joint press conference Bush stated "the terrorists hope to intimidate, they hope to demoralise... they're not going to succeed."

My personal view is that anybody who uses violent means to 'object' to the order of the day falls into the incorrect definition of 'terrorist' with 'possible' links to al-Qaeda. That makes a lot of unidentifiable people branded as al-Qaeda. The USA did not win in Vietnam against a 'Peoples Army', the UK did not, and has not, succeeded in destroying the IRA despite over 30 years of trying to with intelligence, with some force. Al-Qaeda as we refer to it will NOT be defeated. The root causes MUST be re-examined 'cause & effect', 'action & re-action'. Phrase it as you will. The ROOT causes must be looked at in an unbiased, non-aligned way.

It also totally baffles me that Bush and Blair can piously pronounce their resolve to defeat terrorism, having recently kicked off a war with Operation Shock and Awe. What was that if not a terror bombing campaign that killed thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians. If we cannot see our own states' terrorism, what chance is there of bringing an end to freelance terrorism?

[jjl]

The root causes are neural short-circuit religious fundamentalism. Negotiation/reasoning/bribing cannot work - my gut feeling.

The only thing I can think of is that one part of the answer must be educating the potential crazies before they get robotized. That seems unlikely to happen in most of the Islamic world as things stand - quite the reverse, it seems.

Not very profound, but my two cents.

[yal]

Education will not work either. You cannot get to the children early enough. The fundamentalist have a target for their hate and that target is Israel. (Your root cause I believe). Because we helped create Israel the hate extends to us in the US.
Israel isn't going anywhere. The Israelis are not going to wake up one day and say "Ok chaps, it was a great run but we're out off here". They've lost too many people for that to ever happen.
The Palestinians also lay claim and have also lost a lot of people. They're not going anywhere either. So there you have at "best" a bloody war of attrition, at worst a violent stale mate.

Bin Laden, Iraq, Syria, Saudi and the world wide spread of islamic fundamentalism are symptons of the above conundrum.
The problem now I see is that even if by some miracle the Israel question is solved will this stop the momentum or did these terrorist start something they can't ever stop. Will they just stick around like nazis do.

[Hatterasguy]

How can Al-Queda be defeated? Simple really, we have to kill the hard core ones and re-program the not to far gone ones. It is either them or us. Let me assure you it will not be us. We have destroyed enimies that Al-Queda pales in comparison to, in the past. They will be defeated and throwen into History's dust bin, it's just a matter of time.

[jjl]

Shave half their moustaches off.

Spock, from your list I see you subscribe to the notion that 'hell is other people'

[mikemover]

Waytoo,

If you don't believe they can be defeated, then you'd better start growing your beard and rehearsing your Islamic prayers now, because they're a lot closer to you than they are to us!

Mike

[mikemover]

Originally posted by 300SDLLLL
Mike, even with huge rewards in place we can't seem to catch Saddam OR Osama, what makes you or anyone else think we can bring down each and every member of Al Qaeda? And what organization will pop up to take their place if we do get rid of them?

Everyone knows it is a dauting task.

So what do you propose?....Do nothing?

Mike

[mikemover]

Originally posted by 300SDLLLL
I propose we stop being delusional about it. Almost sounds like a religon, if we have faith then we can get rid of al qaeda.

Nothing delusional about it. If you kill a terrorist, he is no longer a terrorist.

It may be vulgar and time-consuming, but I say eliminating them one at a time is better than doing nothing, as many folks like you seem to be advocating.

Mike

[Botnst]

Originally posted by mikemover
Nothing delusional about it. If you kill a terrorist, he is no longer a terrorist.

It may be vulgar and time-consuming, but I say eliminating them one at a time is better than doing nothing, as many folks like you seem to be advocating.

Mike

Mike, Mike, Mike. That's so crude.

When in danger
Or in doubt,
Run in circles
Scream and shout.

[wbain5280]

Catch Osama? We have a hard time catching our own bad guys. http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/fugitives.htm

America's Most Wanted has pulled in over 400 bad guys over the years.

OSB and the others will be caught eventually, they have a price on their heads, a big price.

Our biggest weakness against terrorism is men on the ground, due to the fact that Radical Islamic terrorism has been largely ignored we have very few people on the inside to determine strengths and accurately forecast attacks. While Col. Mover is correct about killing the bad guys we must take some prisoners and attempt to get some of our guys in their circle. Unfortunately OBL and company are very secretive and getting anyone close could take years. The bright side is we have had intelligence in the past about OBL and other leader’s whereabouts but it was not acted on. Although some don't agree with how the war is waged, there haven't been any attacks on US soil since 9-11 so I would say that so far our government is doing a pretty darn good job.

[Vronsky]

Originally posted by MedMech
Although some don't agree with how the war is waged, there haven't been any attacks on US soil since 9-11 so I would say that so far our government is doing a pretty darn good job.

I'm sure folks in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Chechnya, Moscow, Iraq will agree with you: 'pretty darn good job' What a disgusting attitude. Wake up, fella, Al Quaeda has become stronger, instead of weaker, with Iraq now becoming the homeland of terrorists. Its really only a matter of time untill US gets hit again.

[Lebenz]

Hey ‘sky. Your comment about the US getting attacked again is probably correct, but our government is doing it’s best. Don’t you think it a shame that most countries are flat out indifferent? Too many problems at home. BTW a slightly belated Happy Thanksgiving

[Lebenz]

MIDEAST MYSTERY?

Everyone seems to be wondering why Muslim terrorists are so quick to commit suicide.

Let's see now:

No Jesus, No Walmart, No television, No cheerleaders, No baseball, No football, No basketball, No hockey, No golf, No tailgate parties.

No Home Depot.

No pork BBQ, No hot dogs, No burgers, No lobster, No shellfish, or even frozen fish sticks, No gumbo, No jambalaya.

More than one wife.

Rag for clothes and towels for hats. Constant wailing from the guy
next-door because he's sick and there are no doctors. Constant wailing from the guy in the tower.

No chocolate chip cookies.

No Christmas.

You can't shave. Your wives can't shave. You can't shower to wash off the smell of donkey cooked over burning camel dung.

The women have to wear baggy dresses and veils at all times.

Your bride is picked by someone else. She smells just like your donkey, but your donkey has a better disposition.

Then they tell you that when you die it all gets better!

I mean, really, IS THERE A MYSTERY HERE ??

[mikemover]

Originally posted by Vronsky
I'm sure folks in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Chechnya, Moscow, Iraq will agree with you: 'pretty darn good job' What a disgusting attitude. Wake up, fella, Al Quaeda has become stronger, instead of weaker, with Iraq now becoming the homeland of terrorists. Its really only a matter of time untill US gets hit again.

Maybe if THOSE countries would wake up and do a little more to help us get rid of terrorists, then they wouldn't be having such a hard time! It's so easy to complain when someone ELSE is doing all the work and paying all the bills, isn't it?

The fact that the terrorists are killing in those countries as well shows that it is not only anti-US sentiments that the terrorists are acting on. They have anti-ANYONE sentiments. Anyone that is not part of their wonderful, peaceful radical Islamic "religion", that is.

So you just continue to sit there and do nothing and blame the US, while the terrorists get closer and closer to killing YOU, just because YOU are not like THEM. Don't worry, some US soldiers will probably be there to save your whining a$$ when the need arises.

It is YOUR attitude of misplaced blame and denial that is disgusting.

Mike