[ RadSafe ] RE: Proliferation
garyi at trinityphysics.com
garyi at trinityphysics.com
Fri Jul 11 14:26:54 CDT 2008
Hi Ken,
You have said quite a lot in your message, but please focus for a minute on the main thrust
of my post.
I said, or tried to say, that there are some people who want nuclear weapons so they can kill
non-muslims, and that these people can not be reasoned with. This was in response to a
comment about the cold war relationship between the US and the USSR, in which MAD
(mutually assured destruction) prevented either side from using its nuclear weapons. That is,
both sides had rational self-interest at work to prevent cataclysmic war.
Islamic terrorism does not have rational self-interest at work, unless you are willing to
concede that rewards in heaven are part of your self-interest inventory. In my post I pointed
to suicide bombers and the culture that celebrates them as evidence of this. If islamic
terrorists get a nuclear weapon, they will strive to use it in the most effectively destructive
manner possible. Therefore, we (non-muslims and non-terrorist muslims) would be smart
(as in, alive or surviving) to prevent them from getting nuclear weapons.
If you wish to rebut my post, allow me to suggest some ways to prove me wrong. You could
show that with any of the following:
= non-muslims are just as likely to be suicide bombers.
= there are no muslim suicide bombers, its just an urban myth or a Dan Rather fabrication.
= suicide bombers are a genetic flaw that is quickly being removed from the gene pool.
= strapping a bomb to your child is really an expression of international good will.
= if we give money to terrorists, they will decide that they really like infidels (maybe as pets).
= its ok for jihadists to kill us because OUR heaven is better than theirs.
Or, best of all, why don't you hop on a plane and go reason with them? That would prove me
wrong. Remember that guy who got his head cut off on TV? I bet you could have talked
them into putting down the knives and changing their lives. Maybe going back to school,
right? A new career would solve their problems - maybe flight school.
-Gary Isenhower
On 11 Jul 2008 at 12:03, Peterson, Ken wrote:
Gary,
Your posting shows the influence of media propaganda. While the US
Government and the media would like you to think that all Muslims are
sword waving terrorists, it's just not true. While I abhor the
circumstances in which children are used by some of these groups, the
Mullahs encouraging these types of acts are shunned by the majority of
Muslims and do not have the resources or finances to develop or use a
nuclear device. Iran talks a good game, but they aren't in a position
to do anything, it's just posturing. Don't make the mistake of
judging whole countries by the actions of a few fanatics - even in the
USA we have prominent, powerful people who believe that the earth was
created 5,000 years ago and others who state AIDS was developed by the
US government to eradicate the black community. I would hope the rest
of the world does not judge the US people on the actions or statements
of Jerry Falwell and his ilk. And while the Koran is not exactly a
text endorsing peace and tolerance, neither is the Old Testament. I
share your horror in using women and children as suicide bombers, but
I do realize it's an emotional response - I can confess to some old
fashioned Neanderthal dismay when I hear of the US military using more
and more women in combat related roles (even ones for which they are
not suited) in pursuit of political correctness.
I used to have the strong, maybe blind belief that my country could do
no wrong and was the shining light of freedom and democracy for the
world. I have become much more cynical over the past ten years. I
remember being young and watching the Deer Hunter and being horrified
at how helpless prisoners were treated - fast forward 30 years to Abu
Graib and water boarding at Guantanamo.
For every person lining up to push a button destroying all
non-Muslims, rest assured there are 3 or 4 here who would fight to
push a button killing all non-Christians...
Ken Peterson
Message: 8
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:59:39 -0500
From: garyi at trinityphysics.com
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Proliferation
To: "rad safe" <radsafe at radlab.nl>, "Brennan, Mike (DOH)"
<Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV>
Message-ID: <4875F9AB.11329.1E7C301 at garyi.trinityphysics.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Hi Mike,
You make some excellent points, but I must say that any culture that
embraces suicide bombing, using their own children as carriers,
definitely falls into the category of "They are just crazy enough to
do it!"
Remember, I am not talking about having their children taken from them
by force. No, I am talking about parents who have a celebration prior
to the bombing. Just think about that for a second. What would they
do if they had a nuclear weapon? North Korea is one thing, but
Islamic terrorism is entirely different. But I do agree with you that
biological or chemical agents are the more serious threat.
If there were a button that would make every non-muslim head in the
world suddenly explode, I promise you that we would find quite a few
people who would fight each other to be able to push it first.
And that is your happy thought for the day. :)
-Gary Isenhower
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