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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ukma!edward
From: edward@ukma.UUCP (Edward C. Bennett)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.flame
Subject: Re: Terrorism and TWA 847
Message-ID: <1900@ukma.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 23-Jun-85 13:53:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: ukma.1900
Posted: Sun Jun 23 13:53:17 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Jun-85 06:25:00 EDT
References: <600003@ur-univax.UUCP> <518@hou2g.UUCP>
Organization: U of Kentucky, Mathematical Sciences, Lexington KY
Lines: 43
Xref: watmath net.followup:5000 net.flame:10725

In article <518@hou2g.UUCP>, scott@hou2g.UUCP (Danger Mouse) writes:
> 
> I'll tell you what to do if you REALLY want to
> stop this kind of thing from happening again.
> (I make no claims of justification on legal or
> moral grounds--just a solution.)
> 
> Each and every time those Shiite
> terrorists kill a hostage, or let a hostage die,
> let's execute 5 or so of the people they're trying to
> have released.  That'll shut 'em up...
> 				SJBerry

	While it might shut them up, we can't take that stand. As much
as Reagan would (probably) like to bomb Beiruit into non-existance,
he can't. We are dealing in politics here.

	Suppose Reagan issused the ultimatum that Mr. Berry suggests.
And further suppose that you were, in some way, emotionally tied to
one of the hostages. Would you like your President voluntarily letting
your loved ones get killed? Probably not. Think what the Democrats would
say. "Look, Republicans kill Americans!" Reagan political opponents
would have a field day. The news media would crucify him. Reagan's a
politician, he can't allow that (even if he is ineligible for re-election).

	I'm as disgusted as the next American at the wimpy world posture
that the United States is projecting. We're simultaneously the greatest
country in the world and one of the most spineless. Of course the MAD
syndrome is an effective determent to hostile action againt the Soviets
(Remember KAL007?). But the Shiites are non-communist, the only thing
keeping Lebanon IN EXISTANCE (physically, that is) is 40 American lives.

U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

-- 
edward
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