Minor opinion point: > -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Diehl [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 23:34 > > History didn't cause Sadam > to start a > Weopon of Mass Destruction program. These are all current > events.
Going to disagree with this one. This is happening because of the school yard bully effect as far as I can tell (nutshell, yes I know its more complicated that this). Historically (as in a hundred+ years of US policy) the US (the bully) has been beating up and delegating its way to other nations (the kids / students). As with school yards politics, kids that stand up to bullies often are beaten down regardless of the media trying to convince us this isn't so (people love little guy heroic stories). You see this time and time again in real life and US's past (Monroe Doctrine / Spain / Cold War cases / other incidents that others far more historical inclined than me can comment on). Eventually people get sick of getting beat up and see the historical results of what happens when you stand up for yourself so you start to develop a edge on the bully. In school yard politics this edge is normally a weapon of some sort that can equalize the playing field (guns usually in the US, try going to an inner city public school for 2 years). Saddam sees this and that is what let him to develop those WMD, to equalize against a superior foe / bully. Same as the USSR, same Israel, same as every other nuke country. All scared of the school yard bully. Saddam see's history, understands history, and did the only a sovereign nation in this time can do to stand up to the bully, develop WMD. History DID lead Saddam to develop WMD regardless of what you believe. Nukes are a pretty good equalizer. -Peter
