h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Right, ok, Bin Laden got cheesed off and flew some planes into buildings killing thousands of inocent people, but, and correct me if im wrong, didnt America do something similar in Japn back in 1945, TWICE! They dropped two nukes on japaness cities and killed more people tan the spetember 11 attacks, all of whom were inocent, but people didnt go really mad about that.
NOw, I still wouldnt mind seeing Bin Laden killed, i think what he done is worse than wrong and he should get all the pain we can give him, but isnt it time we maybe treid to forget and move on?
E

3,000 babies a day die from being fed breast milk substitutes. Such substitutes are heavilly marketed in third world companies by a variety of first world companies, who proceed to make large profits off the back of human misery.

Yeah, I think we could stand to get over Bin Laden. As mass murderers go, he's got a long way to go before he reaches western 'standards'.

-Xanthia

Just bookmarking.

TD

That was in the context of a declared war and it involved legitimate military targets. There are other forums on this site where that issue has been dealt with.

We're in this situation now because we didn't effectivly deal with bin Laden's multiple attacks over the last decaade. We have to continue, or his attacks will become more horrific. Even if we do continue to act, there may be more attacks, but we have to carry on.

...And there´s great dispute wether it was a legal target, or an act of terror. As many researchers will know, I regard it as an act of horrible terror.

But as TBTHM said; this is discussed in a variety of threads, and tend to pop up once in awhile out of context; I´m partly responsible for that.





TD.

And that´s TBTPM, sorry TBTPM...

And it's not like many people died on Sept 11th either, not compared to American massacres in the central America.

Not that i'm suggesting this is a numbers game. The killing of one person is a terrible thing. It's just odd that because we watched the Twin Towers soap opera live on tv we somehow still care, despite the fact that it's relatively insignificant as a single event. The thing that makes it significant is the bigger budget sequel of course.

All im asking is, can we not just move on from America saying "we have a bigger stick than you." And maybe try to sort things out without the need for large armies to kick lumps out of each others country?
E

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Gaffi, I agree, but in my experience most people are ignorant, pig- headed morons, so Americans are no different from most. There are many things of which I am ignorant, and I can be pig-headed at times, but I do try to understand.

On "Question Time" on BBC Radio4 last week, the UK member of parliament, Tony Benn, came out with the statistic that 18000 children die every day from starvation. Assuming that's true, it means that world poverty is about 3000 times the threat to human life as is that of world terrorism. (Please correct my estimate, anyone that has more accurate or more complete data.)

I suggest, therefore, that GW Bush (and Tony Blair) should abandon the war against terrorism and instead put their resources into a war against poverty.

If the vast inequalities in wealth & power that exist between the Western "democracies" and the poor countries of the world were evened out just a bit, (I suppose it's too much to ask for the inequalities to be ironed out altogether?) perhaps the terrorists would hang up their suicide belts and disarm their bombs. At least the resentment felt by people in the poor countries (see the thread "Why do people hate Americans") would fade somewhat, and the terrorists would lose much of their support.

D.

Sorry, the reference to "Question Time" should say "Any Questions" D.

Dryopithecus - I'm all for it. Promlem is. The rich need the poor so that they stay rich. That's how capatalism works.





"That was in the context of a declared war and it involved legitimate military targets. There are other forums on this site where that issue has been dealt with." - really, where? I'd like to see someone justify Ngasaki

I heard somewhere someone say somewhere that it was the most important event in the World for the last hundred years. My other half and I proceded to spend the next half hour coming up with bigger, more important events...

Bambi

Apparition: Yes, I did know that - I was a member of the CPGB until it dissolved itself (very sad - & a bit too hasty methinks.)



My point is that, if the West learnt the lesson of Sept 11, put the money it intends to spend on this war into alleviating world poverty, made a start at reforming some of the unfair trade restrictions and, in particular, put pressure on Israel to make peace with the Palestinians, we may very easily get enough Brownie points to avert future attacks.

We would also be upholding the Christian principles that most of our leaders wish to defend.



(I sincerely apologise to anyone who was offended by the first version of this posting.)

um what is/was CPUK?

The US media confuses the hell out of me by equating Christanity with wealth, rightwing politics and conservative goals. I end up with a furrowed brow asking myself "do they even know what christanity is?"

Sorry, it should have been CPGB - the Communist Party of Great Britain.

No, they just pick out the bits they like and ignore the main message, which is compassion & forgiveness, definitely not revenge. I think St. Paul summarised the core message nicely in Romans 12:9-21, especially verse 21: 'Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.' (NIV)

I am an atheist, but I do approve of this.

Those leaders of ours who claim to be Christians should take note of verse 19: 'Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.' (NIV)

D.

>I end up with a furrowed brow asking myself "do they even know what christanity is?"

I agree. I wish my party would get rid of all the fundamentalist christians. Their bedroom issues ruin an otherwise great party.

"Sorry, it should have been CPGB - the Communist Party of Great Britain."



Yeah, the CPUK were a bunch of splitters and fascists!

Two Bit - I'm guessing your party would be the further right of America's two right wing parties.

Two Bit, can you answer my question from post 3?
""That was in the context of a declared war and it involved legitimate military targets. There are other forums on this site where that issue has been dealt with." - really, where? I'd like to see someone justify Ngasaki"