ofut@gatech.UUCP (11/10/83)
For those of you who had to read this very personal attack on my article
I can only regret it. I did send mail to the originator detailing how
he misunderstood my original article and why such an attack belongs in
the mail between ourselves and only ourselves.
He did make me realize that my article was not totally explicit and I
apologize. If I may be more plain:
I do *not* think that our marines were lax in Lebanon and thus were
bombed. It has been shown throughout history that nuts willing to die
can usually kill anyone in almost any situation. There is very little
way to guard against that. I was trying to point out that three armies,
one of which had recently decisively won a war, are not likely to all be
lax. Maybe we could be getting fat and out of practice, perhaps even
the French - but not the Israelis! I don't even think we were. The
marines I know are TUFF and I wouldn't mess with one without a tank.
I think we should stay in Lebanon until the Syrians and etc. leave. I
think the Israelis are ready to leave as well but.... 'Nuff said.
The "barbarous" action I spoke of was tht of running out with planes and
bombing hillsides without even being sure who bombed the Israelis camp.
Yes it's a barbaric action, but it's a barbaric region. I understand it
though I don't feel I know enough whether to decide to support it or
not. (Please don't educate me, I don't think it matters at this point.)
P.S.
While I'm on my soapbox (which I stole from spaf), I'm very glad we went
into Grenada! My sympathies are with the people who live there and
myself and I think we were both helped.
If anyone wonders about my whys of my beliefs, most of them have been
detailed previously on the net. Usually more than once.
--
Jeff Offutt
School of ICS, Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA
CSNet: Ofut @ GATech ARPA: Ofut.GATech @ Csnet-Relay
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