Re: Man, Mr. bush Jr. sure is wicked evil eh?

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "Bill Hobba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>Mat Merron wrote:
>> True.  However, here is one difference between a modern terrorist
>> movement and past revolutionary processes (such as the French and
>> Russian revolutions).  To run an actual revolution you need mass
>> support, i.e. support of the masses (sorry, couldn't resist, it sounds
>> too good:-)).  On the other hand, you can run something like Al Quida
>> with no more than few thousand active members and, say, few tens of
>> thousands "active sympathizers", and such numbers can be recruited
>> from "leadership classes" alone.
>
>Yep - without doubt.  But one must question how long a movement will last
>without mass support.  And from information I have seen in the press it is
>supported by the economically impoverished Muslims.

As well as, apparently, some very wealthy ones, in Saudi Arabia.

>  That is the point I am
>making - unless it is supported by the masses it will eventually fizzle out.

Yes, that's true.  Eventually.  

>My observation is that Al Quida knows this only too well and times it press
>releases and attempted action to attract the greatest support.  However due
>to the nature of terrorism you do not know which of the actions is going to
>be the 99% that get caught or the 1% that succeed.  Exactly what effect this
>will have on the long term viability of the movement only time will tell.
>
> Mat Merron wrote:
>> Question is how to get them out of this vicious circle, other then
>> through brutal, "30 years war" type of processes.  Unfortunately we
>> don't have the luxury of being able to say "lets just wait till they
>> come to their senses" since this may take few generations and the
>> amount of damage that can be done within this time can't be even
>> estimated.
>
>I think we both know the answer (economic rationalism) - but that takes
>time.

Aye, that's the problem:-(

>  It is much easer to seek short term gratification in religion than a
>long term solution that goes against your cultural background - that is just
>human nature.
>
Yes, all history points to this.  Still, as Churchill (I think) once 
wrote, "people will do the reasonable think once all other 
possibilities have been exhausted".  Only (again) this takes time.

Mati Meron                      | "When you argue with a fool,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]         |  chances are he is doing just the same"