Tim, fear is the best thing going for the GOP, so don't think for a second that the beating of the drum is going to do anything but get louder before the election.
Terrorism is a tactic, it is not a philosophy, a religion or a political persuasion. The GOP and the right wing news media (and even more so the far right wing news media) blurs the lines between the tactic of terrorism and the multitude of organizations that use terror as a method of either resistance, protest, desperation or war. In Russia the Chechnyan's have been attempting to acquire independence since the Soviet Union collapsed. Their lands became occupied by the Russian's during the early 1800's. The Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and several other white Christian principalities all achieved their independence from the Soviet Union during the collapse of the communist regime, with the open backing of the United States and the European community. Chechnya has not had the same support. I am sure that the fear is that we don't want any small Islamic states operating on Russia's door step and that as Chechnya goes so goes the rest of the region. But, the Chechnyans aren't going to come over here and blow up a school. They want independence from Russia! Are there links between Alkida and the Chechnyans? Maybe, but as they use to say there are only six degrees of separation between any two people. I know its, hard and I know the news outlets (CBS, NBC, ABC) find it much to hard to differentiate between any two Arabs or any two followers of Islam, but watching the right wing froth at the mouth over the plight of the Russian's and link their troubles to ours, when only a few years ago Reagan called them freedom fighters is a bit of a twist. In the 80's, one of Reagan's tactics in fighting communism was to inspire nationalism in the Soviet Union. This is just one more of those "nations" fighting the Imperial Soviet Union/Russia. They aren't coming over to blow up a junior high (not to say that some pissed off Iraqi wouldn't, but we know they are all throwing flowers at us). Chuck Repke Saint Paul _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
