Posted on 07/20/2002 8:43:05 AM PDT by Pokey78
For Saddam, or any one of his ministers, spitting on the street should be grounds for action. The sum total of all his misdeeds has grown to enormous dimensions.
I fear not the lone suicide bomber, but the 5000 suicide bombers/gunmen/women in the malls, parking garages, schools, crowded buildings, dairy mart coffee dispensers...the death of a thousand cuts.
The likeliest places for such a detonation include Washington, Dc New York City, Boston, Ma, Seatle/Tacoma, Wa. SanFranciso, CA and New Orleans if for no other reason than a ship carrying such a device could concievably get into one of those ports with such a device.
The CBW attacks may we can presume include airborne anthrax, Tulerimia, and maybe such agents as Ebola and smallpox. The Chemical attacks will be directed at urban areas. A coordinated series of attacks designed in response to an attack on Iraq prtoper may mobilize enough troops and regime changes to hamper efforts on the ground but Saddam is counting on the political fallout of a large number of dead Americans to have us call off the war. His succeeds will depend on how well we stop and respond to such attacks. Clearly while Al Qaeda has mounted some relative light attacks since September 11 they have not tried a large scale op post September 11. perhaps that is because of the effectiveness of our strikes against the Al Qaeda bases in Afghanistan but while Al Qaeda exists every American should be aware that the need to eliminate them exists because they may and will strike again in force and they will do it on their own timetable in a manner that will grab our attention.
Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown
On 18 September, 2001, Congress passed with but one dissenting vote in the House, its Anti-Terrorism Act. Folded into the text of that Act was a Joint Resolution which originated in the Senate, and that authorized the President to "take what steps are necessary" under the "War Powers Act." It was not restricted to Al-Qaeda, and did not mention Afghanistan or any other nation by name.
This was not as clean and obvious as the Joint Resolution introduced in the House by Rep. Bob Barr and six others. The House JR was a "Declaration of War" because it used that precise phrase. It was tabled in favor of the Senate JR that does not use that phrase, but DOES ACCOMPLISH THE SAME RESULT. The power to conduct war has been transferred from Congress which must act under the Constitution, to the President as Commander-in-Chief. That is all that is necessary.
Some people are under the misimpression that we cannot "declare war" without naming a nation. This is historically false. In 1806 we declared war against "the Barbary Pirates," who were Muslim criminals operating through the territory of several nations, especially Libya. In a 10-year low grade war, we crushed the Barbary Pirates. (That's where the line comes from in the Marine Hymn, "to the shores of Tripoli.")
The War against Terorists is similar to that War, except that the Barbary Pirates did not kill Americans, but only captured them and their ships, freeing them after ransom payments. Their interests were purely economic. In 1805, 20% of the US budget was spent on ransom for captured ships and people. The phrase, "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute," comes from this period.
Bottom line: a new declaration of war against Iraq is constitutionally unnecessary. For political reasons, as the article points out, the Administration may seek such a declaration, but it does not have to do that.
Congressman Billybob
Incredible that they're still here, isn't it?
Even more amazing that they are still ARRIVING?
I dont mean to be morbid but I honestly feel that the city's days are numbered.
Starts on the one year anniversary of the war against the Taliban in October.
There are only certain large streets to block. It would leave the terrorists to attack the common places instead...and that is just what i fear is going to happen, the multiple attacks, not even simultaneous, in common places, like Joe's Cigar stand, Betty's Hairdo Shoppe, Movie theaters, the local Gas Station blowing up...on every corner of 2 or 3 towns...after they poisoned the coffee pots with anthrax or something....for the previous 2 days...
That's a possible explanation, except that the "other shoe" we are waiting to drop could be Iran. Events seem to be accelerating there, and U.S. intelligence may indicate (and may be helping) a near-term revolution and overthrow of the theocracy. If that is indeed eminent, we don't want to joggle their elbows just before it happens by engaging in a war in neighboring Iraq, and thereby risk short-circuiting the elimination of a major center of terrorism.
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