"Doesnt it go without saying that terrorism is a repulsive tactic?"

not necessarily. I've attended the Australian National University, one of the very best in the world (particularly for Int. Rels). The amount of pure and utter BS that comes outta the mouths of some of these people makes you wonder why they dont open up a gardening store, with free manure for every customer!

If you attend one of their meetings, you'll hear that evil is performed wholly and solely by western govts, and you will see videos of Glorious and Wonderful attacks against troopsand civilians by these Noble, Brave and Magnaminous men.:damn: (just to clarify, by "these men" i refer to terrorists)

I'm trying not to understand what you said, but unfortunately I think I do ...

How sad ... :cry:

Gotta be careful disagreeing with some people there, students in particular but also a couple of lecturers (lecturers will fail you...:nope: )

I remember one winters day a couple of years ago, very nearly causing an all-in down in union court (a big open thoroughfare).

Approached by some students from the Socialist Alternative to attend their big protest against howard and the war, i told em i am not stupid enough to think that pulling troops out means we'll (the west) never be attacked again and in many respects i think that howard is one of the greatest leaders we've had. I interjected the abusive tirade which followed with the comment "and you know, i think that bush is doin a pretty good job". Wasnt that fun to watch! red faces, people screaming at me, throwing stuff... i stood there and said, once they'd finished, that their reaction is why they'll never get any credibility with anyone and that the beauty of our election process means they can vote against howard no problems!

Hmm, wasnt that slightly OT....

point is, there are several particularly extreme groups at the university, and that there some lecturers agree with them. Disappointing, really

You called them stupid, their reaction was over the top but not without cause...

My grandfather said, "That when you get angry ... you lose your ability to love people"

Interesing
 

Hmmm... now that's is something to think about :hmm:

Baggy,
I went to American University, in DC, where I earned a JD in law and a MA in international affairs, and was there on 9/11.

It wasn't a week before the faculty and majority of the student body had decided that the terrorists were not at fault, but the United States, since we are an imperialist power. That is the midset of the acadamy in this country, for the most part. The poor terrorists are just reacting to all the horrible things that the United States have done to them.

Lovely. Most of the IR professors I have had the enjoyment of having to listen to would also tell you with a straight face, that the United States and the Soviet Union were equally at fault for the Cold War.

Not to be a total jerk, but when the ex-hippie crowd retire from the acadamy, I won't be too upset.

I hope this is not OT, but this topic is about Bush and Bush is an American and well here goes ...

I finally figured out the "Cold War" we didn't understand each other ... WWII and Korea and Vietnam all contributed to not understanding each other.

After Reagan told Mr. Gorbachev to tear down that wall, we started understanding each other ... Germany got their brothers and sisters back, Mr. Reagan got some respect for America back and moving ahead 27 years we now pay Russia to destroy nuclear warheads and are willing to help them with old nuclear submarine disposal's ...

Progress of understanding each other ended the "Cold War"

Quoted for absolute freaking truth!:rock:

Students, at least here, are left by nature, .......... till they start earning money, then they shift massively to the right (still left in your eyes, I think).

I believe thats the way of the world. :D

This is the only good thing so far in the "War on Terror". It's like pitting all the Columbian and Mexican drug cartels against each other in the "War on Drugs".

Hot, hot, hot druggie on druggie action.

I wouldn't call it a good thing per se, though, since as with drug cartels having civvies caught up in the crossfire, the Middle East instability always has a potential to spill over onto others (ignoring the fact that a lot of innocents are caught up in it). And that's not to mention the surging oil prices.

Ironically, however, Bush has not only destabilized the situation but also now has to account for keeping it under control. If he wanted "hot raghead on raghead action" - pull the troops out of Iraq and pull the carriers out of the Persian Gulf and THEN watch what happens. :dead:

A little birdy told me that the USS Stennis isn't over there to go on liberty ... :cool:

By the way Battle Carrier Croup Stennis is now on station waiting for Iran to find out why we call the FA-18 a Hornet ... :know:

So what, we've got Stennis, Eisenhower, and isn't there another set to arrive there? And then you have whatever is backing up Operation Sea Dragon, or is that still off the Big E? (which the Sea Dragon operation alone is probably enough to take on two times what the Iranian navy is:rock:)