Threats or manipulations?

As you may note, it was just a few days ago that I posted the ‘Iraq’ entry below. Since then, a video of Bin Laden that was apparently created sometime in 2002 has surfaced, and today  a report on CNN.com that goes like this has appeared: 

Report: Al Qaeda may use Iraq operatives to hit U.S.
Al Qaeda will try to tap its resources and capabilities in Iraq in its efforts to exact another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, according to a top government intelligence report released today.

I’m not sure what to make of this. I’m not sure I believe it. I want to believe it in a way, because I want to trust my country, I want to trust the current administration. On the other hand, this information could be seen as another attempt to prop up the war in Iraq and associated efforts. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me that Al-Qa'ida would start with the threats just as the American people and much of the American government are leaning toward getting out of Iraq. On the other hand, our current administration is on the ropes regarding the war and staying the course, and this kind of media could just cause the American people to take pause and reconsider ending the so-called war in Iraq.

A global economy...

It surely started out all about the money. Companies discovered that they could farm out their product manufacturing to third world countries and by getting the cheap labor etc, could make significantly more profit. That’s capitalism. Then comes greed and the desire to sell as much as you can and make as much money as possible as quickly as possible. Well, if Korea agrees to sell our products, then we are likely going to have to agree to sell theirs. Now we have international free trade and the competition is fierce. Now farming out things to be produced by other countries isn’t just for the money…it’s to survive. Now if we can’t get cheap labor…we can’t compete.

It kind of reminds me of an illicit drug user. At first, the drug maybe makes a person feel extra good. They want more. Eventually, though, they NEED the drug, and it doesn’t even feel as good anymore. They become dependent on it, and though it may become less desirable, there is no way around the fact that they are addicted.

Is it time for America to check into rehab or is it too far gone?

Iraq...

I don’t know what the best answer is concerning the ‘war’ in Iraq. I think I do know that those who are making the big decisions for al-Qa'ida may be pretty cunning. In the media, I’ve heard supporters of President Bush and proponents of the war use the fact that there have been no further attacks on USA soil as a sort of justification for continued support of the war. That’s only one angle, though. I think it’s quite likely that the primary reason we have had no other attacks on our soil is that al-Qa'ida knows that would just unify the American people and would cause them to be more committed than ever to staying the course in Iraq and wherever else necessary. You really don’t want to tick off a majority of Americans. I think the Taliban learned that lesson. So, al-Qa'ida seems to be trying to get us to lose our resolve primarily through what amounts to the murdering of innocent people. There have been many troop losses as well, but nowhere near as many as Iraqi citizens. al-Qa'ida’s statement seems to be, if you want us to stop murdering innocent people, or creating the chaos that is responsible, get out of Iraq and stay out of Muslim countries in general. al-Qa'ida’s methods seem to be working as many politicians and voters alike are losing their resolve.