We learned nothing, not only from Vietnam, but from the war on drugs as well, that the war on terror would be a bad idea! It led us into a war in Afghanistan and Iraq from which we, sooner or later, shall have to withdraw in clear defeat. It has multiplied many fold the number of young militants willing to be our enemies at the cost of their own lives.

What should we have done about 9/11? Certainly not falsify a connection between 9/11 and Iraq in order to justify the worst mistake in our history! Certainly not implement the confrontations (with allies and enemies) and costs of warfare! Certainly not earn ourselves a reputation for atrocious behavior abroad and the denial of civil rights at home!

What we should have done, as others have suggested, was to treat 9/11 as a crime, and to pursue the criminals by legal, international means rather than by risking 140K of our servicepeople, wasting our treasure and the lives of over a million people.

By legal, international means. we should have had the cooperation of most of the world; most of the world was shocked by 9/11 and all too willing to help us. We threw all that away!

Now come our presidential candidates for 2008, Obama, Clinton, almost all Demons and Repugs except Kucinch and Gravel, competing with one another for the title of Champion of American Militarism, Champion of War on _____!

"Obama is naive", according the Hillary. Hillary is "Cheney lite", according to Obama; yet he would invade another Muslim country, Pakistan. They just don't get it: Americans in Muslim countries increase the zeal for terrorism.

The shame is that our so-called democracy or democratic republic just does not work! It does not bring forward leaders on the strength of their ideas. It promotes them on their charm and, particularly, their abilities to charm the big insurance, pharmaceutical and "defense" contributors.

I see no hope for our country so long as our system fails to offer really thoughtful candidates to the voters, instead of political celebrities and fund raisers. We are in for much more trouble before the inadequacy of our political system is widely realized and acted upon.

In this regard, it may be of some cheer for readers to know that on January 11th, 2008, the University of Alabama School of Law will present a symposium called, "Imagining a New Constitution for the United States in the 21st Century." The "panel will include scholars who focus on academic areas other than constitutional law." About time!

Yes... it's a terrible idea to try to rid of problems in society... It's the way we've gone about it that's not the best. How do you go about it a different way? Good luck. Get back to me when someone figures it out.

Well, heres what I find amusing. People, such as yourself, often tote that we should try to solve the problems of 9/11 by solely legal means. Push some paper, fax it to Whoknowsistan, and expect things to be said and done with.

Listen, if these people, who are criminals who are willing to fly planes into buildings do this stuff in the first place, what's another ulitmatum on their head mean to them? I mean, lets look just at BinLaden. Mans got tons of support. Apparently he has a cash flow to fund these operations. No one can find him but Clinton apparently. What's he care about someone after him for some people killed in the US?

Problem is, no one likes war. Not me, not anyone, in their right mind, that is. And another thing is people don't like to look at the good things being done over there in the mid-east because it doesnt adhere to their political stances about our President or his decisions.

Cheers,
Andrew

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Prohibition hasn't worked before in history so why would it work now?

It isn't the problem not to find him. Nobody wants to find him. Stop the support of extremists what else? And you shouldn't change the constitution because you think someones needs a special treatment. How many people were treated specially?

Then don't do it. If this would be the case there wouldn't be any war. But in fact the arm industry needs war.

Where was done good in the ME? Turning Iran into a dictatorship? Supporting Jordan, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc? Attacking Afghanistan and Iraq? Supplying weapons in ME that it gets more peaceful? Where is done something good there?