> Stephen wrote:
>
> > Didn't Alterman leave out the quotes from Brezinski in L'Observateur
> in which he claimed the purpose of US policy in Afghanistan in the late
> > 1970's was to make the Soviets more likely to invade Afghanistan?
> > That quote alone seems to make Alterman's thesis a pretty weak one i would
> > think.
> Luke:
> Perhaps I misread, but I thought Alterman tried to make it clear in the rest
> of the article that many people (including Brezinski) did want to lure the
> Soviets into Afghanistan.
>
Steve responds: You're right, he mentions it and it doesn't seem that
significant to him, though I don't see why really. It could well be that
Brezinski was overstating the case...in any event,
I had asked:
> > In any event, what is Alterman trying to get at, that there is no relation
> > between our 1980's Afghanistan policy and the falling of the WTC bldgs?
> Luke responds:
> No, just that the relationship of blowback isn't one that should be used as
> grounds for condemnation.
Steve: Sure, the policy of knowingly supporting terrorists was bad enough...
I originally asked:
> > Or that people in the anti-"war on terrorism" camp are claiming that there
> > is a direct causal relationship, as in , "A-->B ? Gimme a break, that's as
> > true as his claim that there's a significant "hate America" left opinion
> > that actually shares the Taliban's disdain
>
Luke responds:
> I don't think Alterman ever implied that leftists share the Taliban's
> disdain for things like civil liberties, social justice struggles, etc. etc.
> That some leftists may hate America as surely as some right wingers do
> hardly seems controversial.
Steve: On this one I pretty certain I'm correct, this is what Alterman wrote in the article on Patriotism preceding this most recent one:
"Of course, not everyone on the left concurs. While many nonpatriots share an idealistic belief in a kind of cosmopolitan, humanist internationalism, some--like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson on the right--really do hate this country. These leftists find nothing to admire in its magnificent Constitution; its fitful history of struggle toward greater freedom for women, minorities and other historically oppressed groups; and its values, however imperfectly or hypocritically manifested in everyday life."
As I asked Alterman in a letter, to whom is he referring? Chomsky? Zinn? Rosa Parks?
Steve
>
> -- Luke
>
>