<Cyniscism>

I think I found a spin angle for the attacks on Afganistan. Remember all the press about the opression of women in Pakistan and Afganistan? I give it three months until someone in the Bush administration mentions the positive effects of our strikes on that situation. I dunno. Just thought I'd share that.

</Cynicism>

A few things:

Average Joe has favored me with a few tidbits about one of my previous postings about the current situation. I have chosen to post a tidbit from Salman Rushdie, who, while I frequently disagree with him, writes eloquently. See what he has to say.

He [Rusdie] makes a number of good points but I think has missed the boat in one critical place: I don't think a single one of those of us that has commented on the role of American foreign policy in these attacks has been trying to excuse terrorism. Let me say this for the record: Terrorism is an abomination. The theft of life for whatever cause is abhorrent.

I will say this: It alarms me that we have waited for terrorism to come home before getting upset about it.

Let me repeat: The theft of life for whatever cause is abhorrent.

For my own part I want to see justice served and I want to see us, as Americans, made more aware of the actions of our government. The two are not mutually exclusive... in fact, I think these events, among other things, serve to illustrate the cost of our ignorance.

...

It's too easy to believe that you have the moral high ground when you are fortunate enough to have the luxury of time to think things through. It just ocurred to me how ludicrously superior a lot of the things I've said recently must come across. I have always believed that killing and violence are wrong but I have never said that... because I have never chosen to think so much about it. I have never had the plight of so much of the world forced into my awareness and I have never sought it. I am as guilty of not being upset about terrorism until recently as any other American is... perhaps more so because I DO have the luxury of time. My apologies.