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Date Posted: 09:18:15 03/11/04 Thu
Author: Dave Huber
Subject: Continuing: Aristide & Iraq

>>I can understand that. I don't agree, but I understand. I'd be more enclined to think that in the current world order we live in and giving your current President's general attitude when it comes to international affairs, it takes a lot of guts to disagree and try to stop the United States. I'm glad there's dissention, that means that some form of international democracy exists.<<

I also do not agree much w/your assessment of our president's general attitude concerning international affairs.

>>Well, Al Qaeda isn't a country, so my definition doesn't work in such a case. And given my understanding of this organization, capitulation by the head (Ben Laden for example) would not necessarily mean that all the different terrorist cells would lay down their arms. Realistically, these being a group of fanatics, I would not expect any sort of capitulation to occur and if Al Qaeda was somehow dismantled, I would expect certain elements to carry on the fight or found a new organization. So there won't be a capitualtion and these men can't be held in jail indefinitely. They have to be found guilty of something, or they have to be released, in my opinion.<<

If they were captured on the battlefield in a de facto state of war, actually they can be held until hostilities cease, whenever that may be. And if Congress decided to declare war against al Qaeda officially (there's nothing that says war must declared against a sovereign state, and there is precedent for an American gov. engaging in battle against informal armies), this would make the situation even more legally settling.

>>Do I detect some sort of power struggle between Congress and the White House in this particular issue? I imagine some Presidents felt quite unhappy about having to ask for Congress' permission...<<

There's always a power struggle between the White House and Congress over many issues...

>>Having a single man hold that power is very scary to me. It seems more wise to have Congress be in charge of it.<<

That's why it was put into the Constitution that Congress has that power.

>>>Thanks for the clarification. You make an excellent
>case. The problem is that the UN's track record on
>"sending in an international peace force."

Could you elaborate on that?<<

Sure -- their track record is horrendous, especially recently. They didn't get involved in Kosovo (NATO had to do it) or Rwanda. The latter is an especially horrific case where, if EVER the UN should have intervened, it was there. In the past, the UN seemed to do a better job (in the 60s the UN was pretty darn quick to get involved in the Congo situation). I don't have any ideas offhand on how to "streamline" the process of UN intervention, but clearly something needs to be done especially in cases like Rwanda's.

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