Re: A lesson on foreign policy.
Our involvement in training and equiping the mujahidin is a matter of hsitorical fact. The Sovets were our enemny, our biggest threat, and we, rightly so, helped the mujahidin defeat them in Afhganastan. It also hastened the fall of the Soviets.<br /><br />When the war was over and the Soviets withdrew, so did we. Our job was done. Nobody cared anymore. The place was a wasteland after a decade of war. We had no national interest there anymore so we moved on to the next problem. I'll give any man who could forsee what would happen there a big pat on the back.<br /><br />Now, at some point during the CLINTON admin it did become obvious what was going on there and they did NOTHING. NOTHING. NOTHING. Despite having a CIA list of trgets to strike there after the Cole. Also a matter of historical fact. To reach back to RR or GBI and blame them is a stretch. <br /><br />Saddam tried to kill GB I. A matter of historical fact. What did BC do? Lobe a couple of missles. I would have declared war and killed the whole lot. Firget the UN resolutions to disarm, trying to kill a US president is an act of war that Clinton Ignored. Just like he ignored the attack on the Cole and our emabssies - both also acts of war.<br /><br />Did RR support Iraq during the Iraq/Iran war? You bet. We hated the Iraninas as much as the Soviets for what they did to our hostages and their support of terrorism (read hostages in Lebanon, bombings in Isreal). But we were smart enough to help him just enough not to lose and we also secretly helped the Iranians with spare parts, etc. We wanted each side to slaughter each other with no winner and that is what we got.<br /><br />Our enemies were emboldened and encouraged by 8 years of inaction. Funny how there have been no major attacks at home or on US interests since we kicked a little A$$ in Afhganastan and Iraq... Compare that to 8 years where we had:<br /><br />1) The Embassy bombings<br />2) The Kobart Towers<br />3) Modadishu<br />4) The Cole<br /><br />and finally,<br /><br />5) 911<br /><br />Appeasement does not work. It never has and never will. When you cowtow to madmen you invite disaster. That is the lesson from the Clinton years.
