The tools of empire
Letter writer Beverly Stout believes our troops are fighting to defend our country and each of us personally (“Pray for our troops,” April 16). This is a comforting belief, but as St. Paul said, there comes a time to put away childish things.
It has been a very long time since our military has actually protected us from foreign aggression. Since the end of World War II, its only role has been to expand and maintain our global empire.
Doing so has actually made us far less safe; 9/11 is only the most spectacular instance of “blowback” from our foreign military interventions.
Stout asks us to pray for our troops. I agree; I pray they will realize the truth and refuse to be the tools and cannon fodder in the service of imperial ambition.
Rich Cantillon, Littleton
Talk about a tool.
Posted by on May 1, 2007 06:10 PM9/11 was a spectacular inside job.
Posted by on May 1, 2007 08:03 PMActually, according to the people who did 9/11, much of the problem they have with America is Hollywood, smut, women dressing immorally, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and economic success.
Could you explain why you think they lied about their reasons? Could you explain what they really mean?
Posted by Yaakov Watkins on May 2, 2007 06:14 AMGreat letter! It is another attempt to try and change the hearts and minds of the people that support the war. Many people that supported the war at one time have changed their minds. Indeed, a majority of Americans now think the war was a mistake or a fraud.
There will be lots nasty comments about your letter, but the authors are just "dead-enders".
Posted by Dave on May 2, 2007 07:14 AMI know that the truth and reasoned debate have little use here in the Rocky letters section. I figure I will give this a shot anyway. Yaakov, What set Osama off on the United States was the presence of American troops in Saudi Arabia following Gulf War I. Before we stationed troops near Muslim holy sites he really didn't care that much about us.
Does he have a problem with "Hollywood, smut, women dressing immorally, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and economic success?" Yes he does, but what set him off was our troops in Saudi Arabia.
And as for "Hollywood, smut, women dressing immorally, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and economic success." Sounds like everything James Dobson is against as well.
8:03pm,you are right,inside job by clinton.
Posted by Keith on May 2, 2007 08:59 AM8:03pm,you are right,inside job by clinton.
Posted by Keith on May 2, 2007 08:59 AMDave II: "And as for "Hollywood, smut, women dressing immorally, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and economic success." Sounds like everything James Dobson is against as well."
Interesting observation. Maybe the crisis is not so much between Islam and Christianity as it is between fundamentalism and freedom.
Posted by Truth on May 2, 2007 09:03 AMTruth: "Interesting observation. Maybe the crisis is not so much between Islam and Christianity as it is between fundamentalism and freedom."
Or perhaps between Reason and Religion or Science and Superstition. It's like having to go through The Enlightenment all over again
Posted by Dave II on May 2, 2007 09:21 AMDave II...The U.S. could not have had troops in Saudi Arabia without the permission of the Saudi government!!!!!!!. Who the hell did Bin Laden think he was? The Grand Arabian Savior? Arabia's Superman in robes?
I don't agree with Mexico's blatant approval to send millions of their citizens into America, and endanger the sovereignty of this country. I guess I should go topple a few of Mexico's buildings and kill thousands. Bin Laden is a mass murderer plain and simple. I believe he is dead and has been for a few years. If so, good riddance, to one more religious fanatic!!!
Posted by A on May 2, 2007 10:31 AMAll of which brings to mind a bumper sticker I once saw, back some years ago: "Beam me up, Scotty. There's no intelligent life on THIS planet."
But then again, HAVE we ever really managed to "go through" the Enlightenment?
Or are we sort of "stuck" in an endless loop that appears to have no real terminus?
Posted by Old Grouch on May 2, 2007 10:33 AMA, I was not saying Osama was justified or even rational in being set off by our presence in Saudi Arabia. I was simply saying it was our presence there and not our culture that was his major beef.
Posted by Dave II on May 2, 2007 10:44 AMPray, it will manipulate God's mind. Notice how often the pope does it along with perhaps 4 billion humans seeking to annul the laws of the universe to favor them each.
Posted by Richard Grimes r22037@yahoo.com on May 2, 2007 11:21 AMI wonder what we sowed, that this is what we reap.
Oh, now I get it. According to letter writer Rich, it is all America's fault. No, wait, I guess it was because our troops were in Saudi Arabia. Oops, it is Hollyweird. Nope, according to Richard Gibberish, it is because people around the world pray.
Same old, same old at the Rocky letters section. ; - (
Posted by on May 2, 2007 06:27 PMYes, anonymous, that's EXACTLY what I was saying -- 9/11 was all America's fault. Geesh. If that's what I meant, I would have said so directly!
Posted by Rich Cantillon on May 4, 2007 12:19 AMDave II...Thanks for clarifying!
Posted by A on May 4, 2007 12:41 PM