Australia jumps on the 'terrorist' bandwagon.

[TRD2000]

i don't hate communism... it'll just never work!

yeah... why'd everything got to be about america anyway? what's the title of this thread anyway?

[lazysmurff]

because the majority of people on the forum are americans, and the majority of them believe there are two countries...America and the world, us and them, etc.

[TRD2000]

ahhhhh yeah now i get it.... how silly of me... and everyone else lives in caves and are barely civilised right?

[taranaki]

Originally Posted by Flatrater

Perhaps you should be a bit more grateful that America took care of Saddam, instead of riding on the back of their sacrifices and trashing them the whole way!

I very much doubt that it would have made one iota of difference to Iraq's impact on the world had Bush decided to do the right thing and go after the perpetrators of the WTC attack instead.It has not been proven that Iraq had any current stockpiles of WMD,or the capability to manufacture them,or any intention of using them.The whole scenario is bullshit.Iraq was a country being held under control by crippling sanvctions,and the manner in which America ploughed through to Bagdhad emphasised just how poorly equipped and badly organised the Iraqi forces were.Saddam was in no condition to pose athreat to anyone,least of all America.

Meanwhile,every time there is an explosion anywhere in the world,the US press leap too link it to Al Quaeda.Either they are helping to perpetuate the big lie,or Bush has failed miserably in his efforts to damage the organisation alleged to be responsible for the WTC bombings.Iraq was just a sideshow that Bush had planned long beforE Sept 11.Saddam would have had no bearing on the rest of the world had he been left alone.Sure,the Iraqis would have continued to suffer,but they'd have been no worse off than they are under armed and trigger-happy occupation.

[TRD2000]

Hey Naki did you see that howard got like 33% in the election debate? mostly due to his ass lcking stance on iraq aparently.
the bomb at the embassy in jakarta will probably sway things his way a little, but it still remains to be seen if there is a proper terrorist attack in the coming weeks, similar to Madrid.

[twospirits]

The way I see it, the attacks in Madrid were a test. They get more and more creative in their attacks every single time and the intelligence agencies get more and more blinded and stepped on. I'm afraid no matter who is in office, an attack will happen again.

TS out

[TRD2000]

i think it probably depends on a little more than that.... what country are you talking about?

[TRD2000]

i mean nothing (practically) will stop the attacks on America and it's interests. Other countries that are less directly involved may make themselves less of a target by stopping their involvement. America has gone into so many other countries and flagrently flaunted their "might" as it were for the last 50 years, in doing so it has pissed off a lot of people and made a lot of enemies who i don't see becoming appeased by anything that america can do in the near future...
lets not forget that most countries in the world opposed the U.S going into Iraq, and out of the few that were willing to go, many of the citizens (the vast majority in some countries) opposed their governments, vehimently. As some of those countries approach elections these governments try to shift the issue onto other areas like the economy (fair call) and many voters will be willing to support a government that may lie to them and take them into wars they oppose, because they aren't really at risk or affected. These voters will swing violently if they are suddenly put at risk, if the war that they opposed has suddenly come home and worse still if people they know are affected directly (perhaps killed).

These countries do not have the ability to force others to leave them alone by military might, they have to resort to making the countries WANT to leave them alone. The war goes on.

[twospirits]

I was referring to the USA. What happened in Spain, to me was a test. They are planning something big and I fear that their hatred towards the US is so great that any new methods will be applied soon to us. I am also referring to the fact that the attacks on 911 were with Bush in office. Even if Gore would have won, I believe it would have happened as well. The security intelligence community was not at its upmost and it ended up costing many lives. I just hope they are more aware this time around. But there are too many ways to attack such cities as NY, with its mass transit system, non check points etc. and I fear that it will happen again.

TS out

[TRD2000]

yeah i don't think it would have made a diff who was in when 911 happenned... as i said the U.S has made a lot of orphans... i mean enemies.

With Australia's election coming up in a few weeks it will be interesting to see whether there is an attck there to sway the election. because if countries like spain and australia (spain more so) have made themselves a target recently, and by assosciation, therefore if they change their actions they reduce their risk. going back, it takes a long time to undo a long period of behavior, and a relatively short time to undo a short period of similar behavior...

attacking Australia now could result in a change of government that did not follow the U.S into foreign countries on crusades for oil and other minerals...

This said, I completely support Australia going into East Timor, there was like 30 years worth of protests and stuff to get it to happen... the people had asked for intervention long ago... unfortunately i can't support the motive, they only bothered when they found a huge gas field and got it planned on how to use it...

[TRD2000]

i didn't mean spain is more of a target i meant they've made themselves one more recently...
these days they are probably relatively safe! as a result of leaving Iraq.

[TRD2000]

i DON'T THINK sPAIN WAS A "TEST" THOUGH.

IT SEEMED TO ME TO BE A CALCULATED ATTACK TO DESTABILISE THE "COALITION OF THE WILLING" AND MAKE OTHER COUNTRIES AWARE THAT THEY WOULD PUT THEMSELVES AT REAL RISK FOR SUCKING UP TO THE STATES. THE US IS THE TARGET AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID BECOMING ONE. THE US IS STUCK WITH IT.

[twospirits]

The following Public Service Announcement brought to you by twospirits.
First off, can you please refrain from posting your replies one after the other. Just use the edit link to edit your post and add additional comment.


Now, getting back on topic.
Personally I do not think the terrorist really care about disrupting an election no matter where its being held at. They just want to strike fear by causing harm/dealth and damage regardless of the days importance.

On a side note: Even if all the countries involved were to suddenly get away from the situation of helping the US and the US left Iraq and minded its own business. i would honestly say that the terrorist will still attack. Their hatred is too great.

TS out

[TRD2000]

Thanks for the tip! didn't realise i could...

anyway, Nobody does something without a reason, you just have to work out what that reason is.

as i said i dont think anything will stop attacks on the U.S. however preventing them might be as easy as withdrawing from other countries and concentrating on looking after your (generalised not personal) own country.

regardless, the attack on madrid changed the course of an election and the policies within that country, as well as making other countries feel vulnerable and possibly reluctant to help the U.S. I think it's important at this point to draw the distinction between the war on terror and the war on Iraq. Iraq was not and did not attack America, and the secular government provided by saddam, did not lend itself to religious war or islamic extremism. Therefore it is possible to support the "war on terror" and still have outright opposition to the occupation of Iraq. Causing other countries to back away from the U.S. and U.S. interests affects more than just diplomatic relations, the American economy can be hit, thereby affecting the "american way of life" as other countries try to diplomatically distance themselves, and the people start looking for alternate products/culture. Attacks like that in Madrid are not testing for America, they are squarely at America, and Americas global image.

[Oz]

Surprise, surprise. Howard is trying to scare the Australian public into another term in office. Not in this fucking life time for this little black duck. He has done enough to ruin our country.