THE SOLUTION FOR TERRORISM

[Bill Ballard]

At 4:28 PM -0700 9/28/01, Robert Wilson wrote:
>There is no instant cure which is why
>President Bush has indicated that this is going to be
>a very long crusade, possibly lasting years.  You have
>to tackle not only terrorism but the causes of
>terrorism (to parody a favourite phrase of our Prime
>Minister, Tony Blair) !
>
>Bob Wilson
>London

I wouldn't get in the ring with Mulhammed Ali (in his prime), and I 
wouldn't go to war with terrorists. This is inviting us to join in 
the war they want to fight. We should choose our own weapons (and 
kind of war) and our own time, not simply take what kind of fight and 
what time they hand us. I know it's embarrassing that, given the 
sorry consequences of military action in this case and given its 
unsuitability to the task, our enormous military strength is not much 
use. but this is a different situation. Bin Laden is not Manuel 
Noriega and Afghanistan is not Panama.

Rather, we should return them in kind. The terrorists (whoever they 
may be) cleverly took what we had always assumed to be strengths of 
our country and turned them into weapons against us. Our country's 
strength is an advanced financial and social structure: airplanes to 
erase geographical distances, and tall buildings to concentrate more 
human activity into a smaller acreage. Boy did they get us.

If we assume that bin Laden is the best target, then we should look 
at his strength, an unending reserve of indigent and displaced 
muslims ready to die for the cause and the mission. Without a fresh 
supply of Afghani, Saudi, Egyptian , Palestinian, and Algerian with 
nothing to lose and thoroughly convinced that the Prophet Mohamed 
himself approves of this terrorist's war, Bin Laden couldn't buy 
enough people willing to do this kind of work for pay.

This is his strength and this is where we will attack him. Beginning 
with the tide of Afghani women and children now over the Pakistani 
government. Take care of the families of those poor Afghani men whom 
the Taliban forced to remain in the country. Family values will 
quickly become clear, as the woman and children will be cared for as 
never before during Afghanistan's long civil war. That's when the 
large "Silent Majority" of the Afghani population not wearing the 
Taliban's uniform, will know on which side of the Pakistan border 
their bread is getting buttered on, and in fact, where the bread and 
butter is. That's when country after country will look upon this 
warrior class of terrorist networks and cells as being a venomous 
population to be cast out. I'm talking any of the Arab Islamic 
country as being the next stop in Bin Laden's continual trek: 
Palestine/Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Somalia. Each country is going to 
have to have it's living conditions cleaned up (famine abated, 
standards of health/education/democracy raised, whatever). It's a 
tall order, but consider the alternative: living,as this war 
progresses, in an increasing state of siege mentality and getting 
used to it. The Israelis do better at this than anyone else, but 
while this may be staying on top of the war, it is definitely not 
being in peace. The Israelis and Arabs may never coexist in peace, 
but I think this country wants the blessings of peace. I know I do.

I think this whole woeful chapter in our history would run better if 
the government could do what it has to in this country quietly, and 
not feel that it has to make such a show on the 6PM news every night. 
Our enemy doesn't need to have any clues about what moves we're 
making.

This country should stand for life rather than death. I'm hoping it 
stands for the rule of law, and for proper peaceful forums for the 
settlement of disputes.

Mr. Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.

"The law gets you into everything. It's the ultimate backstage pass. 
It's the new priesthood"
     ...........Al Pacino in "Devil's Advocate"
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