[at-l] (Guest Post) 2002 hiking

[patv@ukans.edu (Pat Villeneuve)]

Hey, seeing as this is not mostly about the trail, let's take it off list right away.

Thanks-
Chocolate

Gary Ticknor wrote:

> ONLY BARELY ON TOPIC
>
> Surely you're not seriously suggesting that this "war" is more difficult than the
> Revolutionary War, which had we lost we wouldn't exist? Or the War Between the
> States? Or WWII? Do you really think we are in danger of actually being conquered
> and occupied by terrorists?
>
> Again, a sense of proportion, please. I have heard this situation compared more to
> the British Empire's campaign against piracy in the 19th century. I wonder how long
> it took to lose 7000 (I heard more like 5,500 on 9/11, still a lot) to piracy.
>
> This is not a war - more of a police action. Wars are fought against nations (only
> one country  even recognizes the Taliban as a government). These people are
> terrorists, criminals. Like pirates were criminals. Big scale criminals, but
> criminals nonetheless, not a nation.
>
> Yes, this will be long drawn out, like the "war" on crime, or the "war" on drugs,
> or the "wars" on poverty or illiteracy. These also were not wars. Crime, drugs,
> poverty, illiteracy, and yes, terrorism are facts of life. And none of these should
> interfere with hiking, which is what started this thread.
>
> - Gary from Fairfax, not much prone to hysteria
>
> Bob Cummings wrote:
>
> > "...If this is a big war, what was World War II? Or World War I? Let's keep a
> > sense of proportion, here."
> >
> >  I hope Gary's right. But we lost 7,000 civilians in the first skirmish. Unlike
> >  the wars Gary cites, I suspect civilians will be the primary victims this time
> >  -- civilians and the freedom to move freely and fearlessly about the country.
> >
> >  Regardless of the size, it surely is the most difficult war we have ever
> >  attempted.
> >
> >  Weary
>
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