From: Kai Becker (kmb@kai-m-becker.de)
Date: Sun Jan 26 2003 - 08:03:55 MST
Am Samstag, 25. Januar 2003 15:10 schrieb Dehede011@aol.com:
> Kai,
> You can't even keep 80 German companies from breaking the law
> and dealing with Sadaam to help him develop WMDs and you think you can
> do this.
In case you refer to the link in "memoryhole" and the list in
Tageszeitung, this list contains deals back from the 70s to today. This
includes the era where the West supported Saddam against the former top
enemy of the free world, the Ayatollahs in Iran. If you happen to find
this list of 80 companies, I'll be happy to investigate what's the actual
status. From what I know, several illegal deals of german companies (ca.
6-10) have been uncovered by german and other european authorities during
the last years and several perpetrators have been convicted. I have no
evidence that there are no more illegal activities, but I have also no
evidence that any authorities in Germany (or the US) are backing such.
> You are making the first mistake that every socialist starts with,
> "first totally change human nature. Second, change the laws and think
> that will solve the problem."
That's not what I said. I only say: You cannot demand from others what
you are not willing to give yourself. If lawfulness and human rights are
the most important principles of our societies, we have to observe them
ourselfs or we will lose them completely. That is, btw, the fundament of
every democratic society, beginning from 1776. Equal law and justice for
everyone. Not individual might defines the course of action, but common
agreements. So consider the UN security council a court of justice and
the members to be the jury. That's the way, a law-abiding society works.
If one nations breaks out of this system, there are two choices. The
other nations will either collectively convince or force him back, or the
whole system will crash and politics will fall back into stone-age.
The key word here is collectively. If the Iraq has broken the UN
resolutions and really has ABC weapons, there has to be an adequate
response. If the Iraq refuses to work with the UN or to give out those
weapons even a military action might be necessary. But only if the UN SC
decides so, based on the evidence given.
Should the US itself start a war without legitimation from the UN, it
will open the door for every other country to behave at will. And don't
think that damaging the power of the UN will be any good for the US,
because this will make dealing with more Iraq-like cases more difficult.
Even the US cannot handle all possible conflicts be themselfes.
> Your plan might have some validity if it didn't depend on our
> standing quietly by and being murdered while you plan took centuries to
> work.
Where did I say so? I once again dare to ask, where the "clear and
present danger" is, Mr. Bush is talking about. No weapons found yet. No
attack plans. No connections with Al-Qaida. No military might worth
speaking of. No political, no financial, no technological and no
strategic power. A 23mio., almost 3rd world country after a decade of
embargo shall be the top enemy of the single super power of this planet?
Do you really believe that? Do you really believe, we don't have the time
for patience and wise, long lasting decisions?
Or are there other interests to start a war just now? Time is running out
- for Mr. Bush. A desert war in Iraq is only possible in spring time. If
he can't start now, he'll have to keep the crisis cooking for 6-8 more
months, where internal themes like the world and US economy have good
chances to win over it. Six to eight more months also mean that more and
more people begin to think about costs and consequences. And then there's
the upcoming election in 2004. A war in late 2003 and early 2004 would
bear a high risk of bringing the costs and consequences into the debate.
More than 50% of the US people are already against a war.
The only chance for Bush is to figh a quick and succesful war just now or
risk to lose a substancial amount of votes.
Kai
-- == Kai M. Becker == kmb@kai-m-becker.de == Bremen, Germany == "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced"
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