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our war is with an ideology and its adherents, not Islam.
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Mmm, could be, but I don't think so. First of all, what is the difference? What is Islam if not an ideology and its adherents? Secondly, since Islam is the pervasive element in all of their actions, how can we separate the three? I would say we are at war with Islam and not at war with all Muslims before I would say the reverse.
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A test case will be how the Moqtada as-Sadr arrest warrant and the Badr Brigades is handled.
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Too many variables for me for a test case. if he whacked that other guy, they will probably give him up. Plus he's only 30 years-old, so he's probably considered an upstart by the real deals. Plus, they need our help in there, its an industrial area and even they won't be able to control the unemployed young people for ever. Better test case me for would be Arafat or one of the big Ayatollahs from Iran or Hizbollah. It will be interesting to watch the dance with Sadr though.
Huh?
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it is not possible to make war upon an intangible concept or idea.
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I don't agree with this at all. In fact, I think I believe that it is
only possible to make war on a belief or idea. Sure, you kill the adherents, but the actually war is on the idea that you oppose. Such as Hitler's conquest of Europe, communism, slavery, Islamic facsism, etc. You can kill thousands of them, but if you don't defeat the ideology, you don't win. That's why Vietnam, El sal, Nicaragua were important, despite what others may think. They were battles in the war against the ideology of communism. And that's why McNamara et al were idiots for judging success or failure by body count.
Jimbo, I didn't write that about the alcohol, its a quote.