Hey, people really do love us
Murdoc is on vacation and people have hardly noticed. His substitute bloggers are doing such a bang up job, Murdoc might not even be invited back. One example of the newfound puissance of the Murdoc Online, or rather three, is the series on America's lesser known allies in the war on terror. Most conscious citizens are aware that Great Britain has been there with us in proportionally large numbers from the start. Those who are more conscious are aware that there are more nations with troops fighting along side, but are often hazy on the details, or only become aware of it when, say, a terrorist bombing causes a whole nation to chicken out. Like, say, Spain.
Nicholas, who very occasionally blogs on his own blog, the Smell of Freedom, has done a bang-up job in gathering the details on these other troops. In three installments, he has illuminated the contributions of Romania, Italy, and Japan; Poland, South Korea, and Georgia; and Australia, Denmark, and El Salvador. Nicholas is himself an Australian, you can almost hear him choking up when he discusses the Aussies.
I think this is important. While some have been pleased to ridicule the comparatively small contributions that some nations have made - I remember that one island nation sent two soldiers (out of a population of a few thousand, probably) - these countries are actively helping. Which is certainly more than we can say for allies in name France, Germany, Spain (hey, weren't they all fascist within living memory?) or for China and Russia, our strategic partners. We have allies. Countries like Poland and Romania understand what we stand for - because they were oppressed for decades by what we stood against. Britain and Australia get it, but then, they are us, for reasonable values of "us." I'm glad these nations are our allies. I can't say I'm really sorry to see France on the outside.
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"France Detains 17 Suspected
"France Detains 17 Suspected Finance Associates of Radical Islamic Terror Group
Tuesday, June 20, 2006"
That's from FOX News, by the way.
Or there's always these reminders from the ADL:
"Mar 29, 2006 - FRANCE - A Paris criminal court convicted Rachid Ramda, the key suspect in a deadly series of terror attacks in Paris in 1995, and sentenced him to the maximum 10 years in prison. Ramda was convicted for his role as the banker for Algerian terrorists who carried out bombings at a Paris subway and for giving logistical support to the attackers."
"Jan 23, 2006 - GERMANY - A German court charged Ferhad Kanabi A., an Iraqi national, with funding, recruiting and supporting the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam, a radical Islamic group whose members are fighting U.S. and allied forces in Iraq."
"Dec 12, 2005 - FRANCE - Twenty people were arrested at their homes and at Internet cafes in Paris and the Oise region on suspicion of preparing terror attacks. Among those arrested is Ouassini Cherifi, a French-Algerian who was convicted in 2002 of trafficking phony passports."
"Aug 19, 2005 - GERMANY - Mounir el Motassadeq, 31, a Moroccan man accused of helping the September 11 hijackers, was sentenced to seven years in prison in Hamburg for membership in the Al Qaeda cell that included Mohamed Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah. He was acquitted of direct involvement in the September 11 attacks."
But you were saying?
Oh, that's right -- for some undiscernable reason, unless a country is actually fighting in the Iraq war, it isn't actually fighting terrorism. Hey, keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep it night, or massages your Jingo Gland, or what the fuck ever.
Oops, I forgot Pol . . . or,
Oops, I forgot Pol . . . or, Spain:
Nov 29, 2005 - SPAIN - A Spanish judge in Madrid charged four Algerians with membership and support of an Al Qaeda linked Islamic extremist group. Kaled Bakel, Said Bouchema, Salim Zerbuti and Lyied Sihamida are suspected of having ties to the Algeria-based Salafist Group for Call and Combat. They were also charged with forging official documents and credit cards, drug trafficking and other petty crimes.
Sep 26, 2005 - SPAIN - A Spanish court has convicted a 41-year-old Syrian man of conspiring to commit the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. and leading an Al Qaeda terrorist cell in Madrid. Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, alias Abu Dahdah, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for coordinating a July 2001 meeting in Tarragona, Spain, between members of his cell and some of the September 11 hijackers, including ringleader Mohammed Atta. During the meeting, final preparations for the attacks on New York and Washington were reportedly discussed.
Jan 24, 2006 - SPAIN - Spanish authorities arrested Mohammed Anouar Zaoudi in Estepona for allegedly belonging to a militant Islamic group that recruited people to fight in Iraq. Authorities believe Zaoudi, a Moroccan, worked for Mohamed Mrabet Fahsi, the leader of a now-defunct Islamic fundamentalist cell.
Apr 11, 2006 - SPAIN - A Spanish judge handed down the first indictments in the March 2004 Madrid train bombings, which killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,700. Twenty-nine people were charged with murder, terrorism or other crimes. Six of the 29 men were charged with 191 counts of murder and 1,755 counts of attempted murder. Five of these six suspects are also charged with belonging to a terrorist organization, while nine other men are accused of collaboration
Still, go on. It's funny when it's not sad.
I didn't know I had a jingo
I didn't know I had a jingo gland. Hey, you learn something new every day. Now, if only I could get it to respond on command...
Seriously, or at least more seriously, the fact that Spain, France and Germany have made arrests of terrorists, or terrorist suspects, and even convicted them is all good, but still somewhat beside the point. We did that in the nineties. Look where it got us.
France and Germany didn't just not contribute, they actively opposed, and worked to thwart us at every step. A lot of that was cynical poll manipulation on the part of the leaders, but still reflected the sentiments of large chunks of the populace. Spain, in leaving the way it did, gave a lot of momentum to the terrorists.
They aren't helping.
Spain, Germany and France
Spain, Germany and France have all successfully fought terrorists on their own soil for far more years than Americans could ever dream of. They know what it's like to worry about this stuff every single day. So spare me the notion that their populations aren't interested in fighting or suppressing terrorists. It's a complete non-starter.
And, again, this idea that the only possible way to fight terrorism is within the borders of Iraq. Where does this come from? I've met you, Buckethead, and I get the idea that you don't even LIKE Kool-Aid. So it's baffling.
And beside the point? Hardly. What do we have to show for our efforts so far? A bunch of Afghani and Pakistani tribal bounties stuck in Guantanamo and one crazy loser who was likely completely unconnected to 9/11 going to SuperMax. Excellent! Good work, America!
Phil,
Phil,
Let's not forget the fine Peacekeeping contributions the Europeans (French especially) made in Africa. We should have consulted them on how to mistreat prisoners.
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/UN/peace.html
Phil,
Phil,
All your examples demonstrate is that the judicial systems in Germany, France and Spain work. That's terrific, but irrelevant.
If they were really interested in defeating terrorism, as opposed to prosecuting court cases, they'd be more forthcoming with martial support. And I am not going to forget the extraordinary efforts France took to undermine American efforts. Ever.
What do we have to show for our war so far? The destruction of the Taliban as an effective fighting force. The elimination of the Hussein regime, a terror-supporting government. A tremendous body count of jihadis and wanna-bes. Anti-terror operations in Africa, the Philippines, South America, and other garden spots. Libya surrendering its WMD program.
But most important of all, a demonstration of will. That the United States can put a million soldiers into the heart of the muslim world, and keep them there as long as it takes to finish the mission and despite the best efforts of the French. That's a very, very different perception from the one that prior administrations, back to Carter, perpetuated, and that Al-Qaeda counted on.
But seriously Phil, why all the venom? I half expect a rant on the evils of depleted uranium or American crusader war crimes next.
Bram,
Bram,
Buckethead and I have both seen the documentary "Soldiers for Hire"; if you've not, do so.
Executive Outcomes put a clutch of men on the ground in west Africa and did more good in three months than 17,000 blue berets over the subsequent year ever did. And also at something under 5% of the UN cost, too.
The UN force was incapable of even fundamental force protection, let alone stopping the carnage.
Thanks Geeklethal,
Thanks Geeklethal,
I will check it out. My sarcastic point to Phil was that when the smarmy self-righteous Europeans send their troops to the 3rd world, they gleefully torture, rape, and murder the locals. Only their incredible level of hypocrisy allows them to criticize us for anything.
Here’s another cool article: http://www.taemag.com/issues/articleid.18718/article_detail.asp
Phil seems upset about
Phil seems upset about something. There are many facets of the war on terror, and law enforcement is obviously one of them. Well done.
Most of those listed stories seem to be about nabbing threats against internal targets, though, and I'm not sure that French authorities arresting those planning to attack French targets from within France really headline the "Global War on Terror" as usually considered.