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I don't give a flying fuck if Al Qaeda has all the oil in the world or not.



See, this has got to be one of the most ignorant comments ever made. Because after Al Qaeda had that much oil, you damn well would care. ... It's about a way of life. Western civilization is entirely dependent on oil. ... How the hell would you get to work? ...



You might consider it ignorant. That makes it no less true. I really don't care. You don't seem able to grasp that notion. Western civilisation is, indeed, completely dependent on oil. That doesn't make it right. (Nor does it mean that it is the best way of living.) It only raises the question how it could have come to pass, how ignorant it has been to let it happen and what other ways to live there are.
Btw, I'd go to work by bicycle, if necessary


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Here's Al Qaeda's stated mission: Click.



Thanks for the link! I'll read it later.


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... Iraqi casualties are now at the lowest point they've been during the entire war and getting better. The situation isn't dire anymore in Iraq. The light at the end of the tunnel has become obvious.



Talking about ignorant. Last few weeks has seen a significant rise in bombings and random violence with a lot of casualties. It has become bad enough for several European governments to stop the extradition of refugees back to Iraq. If random violence in all major cities isn't 'dire', then I don't know what is.


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Afghanistan is different.



Different how, exactly? It's an illegal occupation. There's been no declaration of war or anything similar.


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Plus, the rampant curruptuion amongst Afghan leaders makes you wonder if those people are capable of developing a functional country.



Yes, it's a difficult word. Do you realize that 95% of all corrupted dollars in Afghanistan are coming from US (or US-backed) funds?


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...And, having seen what happened last time Al Qaeda was left to their own devices in that country, you've got to be hard pressed to leave that country now.



Al Qaeda (or what it's made to be) has never ruled Afghanistan and it's not likely they ever will. The Taliban regime has ruled a part of the country for a period of time, but don't think it's the same thing. They don't have too many things in common.


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The thing is, I'm not the least bit anti-Arab.



Me neither.


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I'd rather see a two-state solution over there.



Two-state solution? Yeah, sounds nice enough. Maybe the US can invade Israel and make it adhere to some UN resolutions. This has little to do with the earlier subject of your lecture, though.


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The only question is whether or not the war was necessary.



That may be your only question. I have other standards, values and questions, I guess.
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The only thing you got that I want, is your suffering.