John Cawston wrote:

John Cawston wrote:

David Moss wrote:

In article <dvl16v$i5g$1@lust.ihug.co.nz>,

Probably because the vast amount of terrorism is committed by Muslims.

Certainly a lot of the terrorism currently in the media is committed by
Muslims. But a lot of the terrorism that gets ignored by the media is
committed by Infidels.

"I saw in Falluja with own eyes a family that had been shot by U.S.
soldiers: The father was in his mid-fifties, his three children between
ten and twelve years old. In the refugee camp a teacher told me she had
been preparing a meal, when soldiers stormed their dwelling in Falluja.
Without preliminary warning they shot her father, her husband and her
brother. Then they went right out. From fear the woman remained in the
house with the dead bodies. In the evening other soldiers came, who took
her and her children and brought them out of the city. Those are only
two of many tragedies in Falluja."
(http://www.health-now.org/site/article.php?menuId=14&articleId=423)

Is going from house to house killing all the males terrorism?
I think so.

No. Go look up the definition of terrorism.
Fallujah was war against a main Baathist and historic crime centre and
staging point for foreign al Qaeda fighters in which all citizens who
wished were allowed to move out to a prepared tent city before
operations commenced.

So you don't think the operation was intended to send a message to
other Iraqi cities about what would happen to them if they resisted the
occupation?

Indeed. The message being that the Yanks and Iraq Govt. was responding
to their concerns to get rid of the terrorists, would give citizens time
to get out of the way, then kill the terrorists, provide massive support
to repair damages and leave an Iraq army support structure to protect them.

"U.S. forces bombed the power plant at the beginning of the assault;
for the next several weeks, Fallujah was a blacked-out town, with light
provided by generators only in critical places like mosques and
clinics. The town was placed under siege; the ban on bringing in food,
medicine, and other basic items was broken only when Iraqis en masse
challenged the roadblocks. The atmosphere was one of pervasive fear,
from bombing and the threat of more bombing. Noncombatants and families
with sick people, the elderly, and children were leaving in droves.
After initial instances in which people were prevented from leaving,
U.S. forces began allowing everyone to leave except for what they
called "military age males," men usually between 15 and 60. Keeping
noncombatants from leaving a place under bombardment is a violation of
the laws of war. Of course, if you assume that every military age male
is an enemy, there can be no better sign that you are in the wrong
country, and that, in fact, your war is on the people, not on their
oppressors,, not a war of liberation."

In case you missed it buried in the middle of the eyewitness account

"U.S. forces began allowing everyone to leave except for what they
called "military age males," men usually between 15 and 60."

And we now know they went from house to house killing every male they
found.

Terrorism.

As the Mayor of Tall Afar wrote, they forfilled that promise:

"In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful

To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who
have changed the city of Tall' Afar from a ghost town, in which
terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing
with life.

To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists
who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.

To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us
restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and
gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days, and
stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.

Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. The
city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our
schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our
streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were
barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every
corner. Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the
city. Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses
of children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to
kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young.
This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered unto
them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who
liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawi's followers after harsh
fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers to
flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas, where the bravery of
other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar and Avgani finally
destroyed them.

I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they are
not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by The God
Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.

The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC Hickey,
LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom.
Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and character of
knights in a bygone era. The mission they have accomplished, by means of
a unique military operation, stands among the finest military feats to
date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly deserves to be studied in
military science. This military operation was clean, with little
collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the enemy. With the skill and
precision of surgeons they dealt with the terrorist cancers in the city
without causing unnecessary damage.

God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated
these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the
families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the
families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all
bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their
sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls
hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be
forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that
which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and in
every flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the
world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.

Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave Regiment,
I haven't the words to describe the courage of its officers and
soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these legendary
heroes and their brave families.

NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall 'Afar, Ninewa, Iraq"

Sounds like he was sufficiently impressed by the massacre to toe the
line.
Terrorism clearly works.

Its a bit difficult to convince people to abandon terrorism when you
youself successfully employ the tactic.

DM
personal opinion only

Do you really think Christians and Jews are not struggling with the
concept of democracy? For instance, Australia attacked Iraq despite the
fact 70% of the population vehemently opposed the attack.

If you are looking for a reason why the Middle East has difficulty
moving toward democracy perhaps an examination of foreign interference
from "democratic" countries would be helpful.
We have just seen the secular democracy of Iraq destroyed by invasion.

Previously we say a secular democracy in Iran toppled, helped by US
interference. The elected government was replaced by the Shah of Iran,
who was later toppled by a popular uprising that installed an Islamic
theocracy.

Free press is rare throughout the world. Do you really thing the press
we see in Australia and in the USA is "free"? If so, why do we have to
rely on the Internet to see coverage of US atrocities in Iraq?

Perhaps we should also consider why we thing democracy is good while
theocracy, monarchy and despotism are bad?

On the ABC late last night a guest summed it up nicely by saying:
"In Australia we elect a Prime Minister to be our dictator for 3 years"

This is true. Between elections we have little or no control over what
our elected leaders do. Even at election time we have little say in who
our elected leaders will be. The people contesting the election are
preselected by political parties.

But members of those political
parties have little say over who is preselected, tht is determined by
an even smaller club of elites on the preselection panel. Yet we call
this a democratic system, declare it to be good and therefore all other
systems to be bad.