You know, Kakki I wish I could agree with this.
I'm too young to comment on the attitudes of the people re: Vietnam and
Chile. (I remember Nicaragua and it seemed like most average Americans
didn't even know what the hell was going on.) But I think I am
justified in my concern for what is happening right now.
I'm astutely aware that there has been no official mention of what our
role will be in Pakistan. The potential for conflict there is great
whatever the Pakistan government chooses. Again, if anyone has read any
statements by Secretaries Powell or Rumsfeld that speak on this, please
let me know.
A few days ago (it could have even been last week), there was a Gallop
editor on CNN. The comment was made that although Congress hasn't done
so, the American people have given the President a "blank check" for the
battle against terrorism. Of course, we can infer many things about
polls, but it seems that the general atmosphere of comments made from
people around the nation (I listened to many of CSPAN callers after the
speech last night) falls in line with the polling.
Now maybe things will be different. But there was one comment in the
President's speech that should put us on alert:
"Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated
strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign
unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes
visible on TV and covert operations secret even in success."
I am not naive; I know that there are covert operations in most of our
foreign initiatives (and domestic ones for that matter). However, you
can't dissent from what you don't know about.
Brenda
n.p.: Majek Fashek - "Send Down the Rain"
On 21 Sep 2001, at 9:13, Kakki wrote:
The thing that I don't think some non-Americans realize
is that we are usually criticizing ourselves very much as we go along.
The
way we handled the situation in Chile was dissented in the U.S. at the
time
as was our involvement in Vietnam. There is a certain smugness in
non-Americans that irritates us because it always acts like we are
completely clueless and unknowing about our effect on the world.
