dragging out the scapegoats

[Paul Mackin]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrance" <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>

> I don't have any idea what the task is yet, but fact that B52s have been
> readied on Diego Garcia hints that there will be heavy carpet bombings
> first. Where? Iraq? Afghanistan? Pakistan?  Sudan? Yemen? Boston? Vero
> Beach Florida? All or none of these? Who can say?

What we would like to think is that a lot of the fast and feverish activity
is "theatre" put forth to satistisfy various  PR needs including balancing
the use of more conciliatory gestures.  Is the administration doing enough?
Is it doing too much too fast? One wonders of what use would be actual
massive deployment of these forces.  Some damage will have to be inflicted
somewhere--5000 lives having been lost--but multiple wiping out of countries
will seem excessive. Aren't there backchannels to explore? After the Cuban
Missile Crisis it was revealed that the thing was resolved by the promise to
remove missiles from Turkey (wasn't it?) What about removing American forces
from Holy Saudi Arabia. This might placate bin Laden a bit. Europe and the
Saudis and Japan would hate it but there must be give and take. I agree with
Terrance that the people running the Administration are not idiots. Many are
corporate executives of the highest level. they know the value of under the
table details. Also when to hold them and when to fold them .Perhaps even
bin Laden deep in his heart knows.

Hopefully,

P.