So if 9/11 was just a sorry band of men, why are we still in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan,

[dkf]

Yemen, etc?

Why are we willing to use military means to prevent Iran from getting the nuclear bomb?

I swear when I hear this coming from Obama, the cognitive dissonance goes crazy.

I don't understand any of our military posture if the real underpinning isn't some fear of people who are Muslim.

So my question is...do we have anything to fear from these folk or are we being misled?

[mike r]

1. The most powerful military in the world vs. 100 cave-dwellers in Afghanistan

But that doesn't sound as good as The Great Worldwide War On Terror.
And the great expense to feed the War On Terror machinery.

[Bitwit1234]

2. This is something I have thought about but can't understand

the reasoning. If people are so darn upset about the Muslims, and going ape over the Community Center they want to build five blocks from the Twin Towers ex site, how come they didn't storm the white house, during Bush's two stolen reigns when he INVADED a neutral country Iraq instead of INVADING Saudi Arabia. After all 17 of the 19 men CAME FROM SAUDI ARABIA. They did not come from Iraq. Seems to me they should have picketed the white house and demanded that the COWBOY president FLY his own plane into Saudi Arabia instead of jumping out of an airplane in a flyboy flight suit, with an over sized codpiece.

[dkf]

4. Wow that is a good point.

[elleng]

3. A 'sorry band of men' grows with 21st century publicity

into international guerilla war, because it can. Its a big world, and weapons abound.

[stray cat]

5. maybe the dead are not dead like on LOST? - thats news to their loved ones

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Because acknowledging lost wars isn't "sensible" politically.

Bush wanted to prove he was a "leader" rather than a frat boy. And, Obama wants to prove he's "tough" on terror.

See LBJ for precedent in a war fought for PR.

[USArmyParatrooper]

7. This doesn't make any sense

"I don't understand any of our military posture if the real underpinning isn't some fear of people who are Muslim."

The premise of your question is that viable threats can only stem from the Muslim religion, which Obama has not claimed.

[WinkyDink]

8. Gas pipeline, oil, poppy fields,......

[Desertrose]

9. Because basically one thing really has nothing to do with the other.

It was a darn good excuse to go to "war"with countries that have something we want...or we don't like their religion....or some other excuse.

Keeping us "safe"...not so much.

[humpty dumpty]

10. Because it is NOT about a sorry bunch of men

Because it is NOT about a sorry bunch of men. That's the answer.

[Nihil]

11. Because the "sorry band of men" are still in charge?

> So if 9/11 was just a sorry band of men, why are we still in Afghanistan,
> Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, etc?

None of the "sorry band of men" behind 9/11 were Afghans, Iraqi or Pakistanis.

Not one person in any of those countries had the power, the ability or the
organisational support to deliver the events of 9/11 - or the events of the
following few months.

Did any Afghans vote for the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act?

Were any Iraqis employed in Ames, manufacturing weaponised anthrax?

How many Pakistanis owned stock options in Halliburton worth $8M+?

How many Yemenis were photographed shaking hands with Saddam while
providing chemical weapons for use against Iran?

Yes, it was indeed a "sorry band of men" behind 9/11 but they weren't the
19 (mainly Saudi) inconclusively identified scapegoats who took part in
the events of that day, they were people who have been explicitly protected
from prosecution for war crimes, crimes against humanity, war profiteering
and treason.

Some of those people actively protected themselves whilst they were in
positions of power (as many corrupt juntas have done over the years) but
the fact that they are *STILL* being protected (without any more threat
of investigation - much less prosecution - than when they were in charge)
is strongly suggesting that a significant part of the "sorry band of men"
are still pulling the strings today, regardless of any name changes or
other make-up applied in the current administration.