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Posted November 7, 2001
Innocent Blood
Justin Raimondo is one columnist I rarely miss so I can only hope that his idea of sending the Russians back into Afghanistan ["Attack of the McCainiacs," October 31] was tongue in cheek. You see, even with American help, the Russkis are not going to whip the Afghanis, nobody ever has. It is too far away from anyone's supply lines, the terrain is very inaccessible, and the people there are born to the sword like politicians are born to the trough. To turn on a major war there would be to start a bloodbath of terrifying proportions. The Russkis did not lose last time for lack of murderous intent.
My own question about dealing with Bin Laden, assuming our government is not lying about his involvement, is based on a simple question. If that same government could murder 70 or more people at Waco without collateral damage to Dallas and Houston, why don't they do that to Bin Laden and leave the Afghanis alone? If it turns out that the Afghanis were indeed actively supporting Bin Laden, well then blast 'em, but somehow this whole thing is not ringing true.
If Raimondo's piece on Saudi Arabia ["A Saudi 9/11 Connection?," October 12] is as accurate as I fear it is, we may well be bombing the wrong folks -- I for one don't like the feel of innocent blood on my hands.
The Moorish Empire
[Regarding Mario de Solenni's letter of November 5, "The Right Idea":]
His [letter] indicates that he might be just a little bit ignorant of the past. Up until Ferdinand (along with wife Isabella) engineered the defeat of the Moors in 1492, the Moorish Empire was a thrivingly educated entity. They knew as much about anatomy as in Gray's Anatomy today. They had developed air conditioning using the natural breezes of the Mediterranean. I believe that our system of mathematics is derived from the Arabs. Some of the universities, such as Cordoba, are still in existence.
Of course, he said in the last half of the millennium nothing has been done, but after being driven out of Spain these achievements continued on the South shore of the Mediterranean.
It is, also, interesting to note that after Spain drove out the Moors and the Jews they began to disintegrate. The Jews had brought order to the fiscal part of Empire, and the Moors brought government.
The Drug Suppliers
[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of October 29, "Osama in the Balkans":]
Regarding
the Taliban and heroin, a year
ago, they decreed that growing
opium violated the tenets of Islam,
and they pretty well shut down
opium poppy cultivation. According
to the UN, last year's crop was
3,300 tons; this year, it was
only 50 tons. The Taliban has
also burned down labs where opium
was refined into heroin. On the
other hand, the Northern Alliance
produced a crop this year of 150
tons, even though they control
only 5-10% of the country, and
even though the prime land for
opium poppy cultivation is mostly
in the Taliban-controlled 90-95%
of the country.
Under Batista, with US support,
Cuba was the western hemisphere
point of entry of heroin for the
original French Connection. Castro
cut it off, which is why the US
turned against him. During the
Vietnam war, the CIA's Air America
C-130 transport planes carried
opium from Laos to Saigon. After
the US Congress cut off the CIA's
funding of the Contras in Nicaragua,
the CIA financed the "freedom
fighters" through the cocaine
trade. There is a long-term history
in US foreign policy -- we side
with the drug suppliers. The situation
in the former Yugoslavia is not
an anomaly.
~ Martin M.
The Antiwar.com Constituency
One thing that intrigues me about conservatives and libertarians is the fact that you are intellectually open to forming coalitions and debating ideas. This sets you apart from the Left, which, in too many cases, still insists on doctrinal purity.
Believe me, I've been burned more than once by this essential fundamentalism on the Left. I'm a Democratic Socialist, who happens to be pro-life; feels strongly about my religious persuasion (Christian); has an innate respect for the rank and file of our military (as opposed to its leadership); am disgusted by the government's overreaction in Waco and Ruby Ridge; am skeptical about the anti-second amendment movement (the second amendment ensures the viability of the first); and who has a certain fondness for Israel. The moment these subjects come up, I'm persona non grata.
...The Antiwar.com constituency is well placed to work on and through initiatives that come from the Left. You can add your energies, and perhaps open the door to further cooperation.
Viewpoints
You have a great website. I have been trying to get everyone I know to become more educated by forwarding them your Viewpoints page.
Misleading Name
Your site is great, but I think the name is misleading. I almost glossed over it as a left wing pacifist site. I'm happy I read further.
The 17th Amendment
[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of October 31, "Attack of the McCainiacs":]
It is not only McCain who is dangerous. Many of his Senate colleagues are dangerous zealots to one cause or another (Kennedy, Shumer, Daschle, Clinton, ad nauseum). The only answer is to repeal the 17th Amendment!
~ D.S.