"For years, many governments played down the threats of Islamic revolution, turned a blind eye to international terrorism and accepted the development of weaponry of mass destruction. Indeed, some politicians were happy to go further, collaborating with the self-proclaimed enemies of the West for their own short-term gain — but enough about the French. So deep had the rot set in that the UN security council itself was paralysed... Our own Prime Minister was staunch and our forces were superb. But, above all, it is President Bush who deserves the credit for victory... There are too many people who imagine that there is something sophisticated about always believing the best of those who hate your country, and the worst of those who defend it." - Margaret Thatcher, in New York yesterday.





Times of London

i always wondered why she was like the most hated women in England....

Sounds like our actions during the Cold War up until its end in 1991. Who supplied the Taliban? The US. Who supplied Saddam with Sarin and Mustard agents as well as other weapons? Who helped him rise to power? The US. For our own short-term gain in each case.

We did the same thing in Africa when we supported non-communist regimes, no matter how repressive, simply because they were not Communist. Case in point, Zaire/DR Congo.

Again, it was the German chemical companies that supplied poison gas to the Iraqi regime. It was the French who built that nuclear reactor. And yes it was all about the oil.

BTW,

The so called "liberals' can't contain how upset they are that the USA fought and won the Cold War against their communist cause.

Oh god...

I'm glad that we won. But that's what the US did and you can't deny it. The Germans and the French certainly did give them things, but my point is that WE DID TOO. We are no less guilty. We supplied Saddam, we supplied bin Ladin, and now we're paying the price for it. We supplied Iran a while ago, and where is our relationship with them now? Isreal seems to be at odds with us lately. We're killing ourselves and you don't seem to have the capacity to understand that.

We supported Stalin in WWII because it was advantageous for us to do so at the time.

The Soviets were making some land grabs in East Asia after VE day. The USA dropped the A-bomb on Japan to stop the Soviet expansionism as much as to get the stubborn Japanese to surrender.

Thus you see the beginning of where we have supported enemies to fight a seemingly more dangerous enemy.

Supported Osama? No, we supported the Mujahadeen during the 1980'. Most of whom went on to become the "Northern Alliance' in a struggle with the Taliban, who came from Pakistan. The support for the Taliban and Al Qaida came from the Saudi Arabians.

The Iran-Iraq war? We gave Saddam some conventional weapons for use against the Iranians, but you need to show some proof that we ever gave any WMD to Iraq.

Who brought THAT up?
Actually, the treaty of Potsdam had the Russians agreeing to help us in the war in Japan if they (the Japanese) didn't yield to the bomb...
Its a stated fact by OUR government that we gave them nerve agents and other chemical weapons, which was half of what this was all about in the first place.

That we supported Stalin is an example of where we made temporary alliances with enemies because it was beneficial for the United States to do so.

A case in point, Iraq was at war with Iran. It was beneficial for us to aid Iraq as long as they were fighting what was then a more dangerous enemy. Iran is still dangerous, but not as much as it was then as most of the religious fanatics died fighting against the Iraqi army. Right now there is a generation gap in Iran that we may be able to exploit for deposing the ayatollahs in power there.


Treaty of Potsdam? I suspect that it was brought on by some of the New Dealers (ie. Alger Hiss, et al.) that remained after the passing of FDR. Regardless, the Cold War was already taking shape in the waning days of WWII.

Show me a source on that bit about the US suppling Iraq with WMD.

Once again you fail on what is the 'truth'.
The US actually had deals going with Iraq & Iran during the Iraq/Iran war.
Yes, it did serve there interest to do so...
In the weapons industries - as long as the war continued, they would continue selling weapons. - that was the bottom line so to speak.
In fact, one can even say, that it was the American interest, to see that the War continued, and never stopped.

You have recognised that the US has created alliances with enemies, to serve other purposes - usually economic.
Isnt this the least bit hipocritical in your opinion ?
And you also fail to recognise that there are side effects from this alliance, considering it was with your enemy - wouldnt you expect side effects ?
Consider Yin-Yan as a basis - 'For every action, there is an equal and OPPOSITE reaction'.

IF IT WAS ALL ABOUT OIL, THEN WHY WAS SADAM A 'THREAT' ?

A THREAT TO THE AMERICAN INTEREST, TO EXPLOIT THE OIL FIELDS FOR AMERICAN "INTERESTS" (PROFITS) ?

The French, Germans, Belgians, and Russians had contracts with Saddam's regime. Those German chemicals, Russian tanks, and French nuke power plant did not come free, they were being paid in petrol. Now those contracts are null and void because of the regime change. (Ah, too bad...)

If the US wanted cheap oil, then Saddam's regime would have eagerly sold it to us.

We were over there because we did not want Iraq to develop into a situation like North Korea. Not when Iraq has been supporting terrorists (Abu Abbas, et al.).

abu abbas? oh my what happend to the al quaeda link?

There are more Islamic terrorist groups than just Al Qaida that need to be stamped out.

Abu Abbas led a break away faction of the PLO. Remember the hijacking of the Achille Lauro in '85?

Yes, so by God, invade the whole world and set ourselves up for a fall while trying to stamp them out!

We invade the countries that support these terrorist groups.

You don't comprehend that they are already comitting acts of war on the US when they give shelter and support to terrorist organizations that have attacked us.

You of course are one of the peaceniks whose concept of "peace" is that the USA become a doormat for these terrorists to walk all over US.