> >Subject: Re: What were we thinking?
> >Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 21:00:10 -0500
> >
> >If you read this and remember back that far, it does seem that attacks
> >against Americans have been escalating and our response has not been
> >apparently strong enough to scare the daylights out of other
contemplating
> >such acts. Maybe a little "war" back a number of years ago would have
> >prevented this current mess--but maybe not. Does make one think,
however.
> >Read on.
> >
> >Subject: What Were We Thinking?
> >
> >
> >
> >U.S. Navy Capt. Ouimette is the XO of NAS, Pensacola. Here is a copy
of
> >the speech he gave earlier this month. A wonderful and accurate account
of
> >why we are in trouble today.
> >+++++++++++++++
> >
> >America WAKE UP!
> >
> >That's what we think we heard on the 11th of September 2001 and maybe it
> >was, but I think it should have been "Get Out of Bed!" In fact, I think
the
> >alarm clock has been buzzing since 1979 and we have continued to hit the
> >snooze button and roll over for a few more minutes of peaceful sleep
since
> >then.
> >
> >It was a cool fall day in November 1979 in a country going through a
> >religious and political upheaval when a group of Iranian students
attacked
> >and seized the American Embassy in Tehran. This seizure was an outright
> >attack on American soil; it was an attack that held the world's most
> >powerful country hostage and paralyzed a Presidency. The attack on this
> >sovereign US embassy set the stage for the events to follow for the next
23
> >years.
> >
> >America was still reeling from the aftermath of the Viet Nam experience
and
> >had a serious threat from the Soviet Union when then, President Carter,
had
> >to do something. He chose to conduct a clandestine raid in the desert.
> >
> >The ill-fated mission ended in ruin, but stood as a symbol of America's
> >inability to deal with terrorism. America's military had been decimated
> >and downsized / right sized since the end of the Viet Nam war. A poorly
> >trained, poorly equipped and poorly organized military was called on to
> >execute a complex mission that was doomed from the start.
> >
> >Shortly after the Tehran experience, Americans began to be kidnapped and
> >killed throughout the Middle East. America could do little to protect
her
> >citizens living and working abroad. The attacks against US soil
continued.
> >
> >In April of 1983 a large vehicle packed with high explosives was driven
> >into the US Embassy compound in Beirut. When it explodes, it kills 63
> >people. The alarm went off again and America hit the! Snooze Button
once
> >more. Then just six short months later a large truck heavily laden down
> >with over 2500 pounds of TNT smashed through the main gate of the US
Marine
> >Corps headquarters in Beirut. 241 US servicemen are killed.
> >
> >America mourns her dead and hit the Snooze Button once more. Two months
> >later in December 1983, another truck loaded with explosives is driven
into
> >the US Embassy in Kuwait, and America continues her slumber. The
following
> >year, in September 1984, another van was driven into the gates of the US
> >Embassy in Beirut and America slept.
> >
> >Soon the terrorism spreads to Europe. In April 1985 a bomb explodes in a
> >restaurant frequented by US soldiers in Madrid. Then in August a
> >Volkswagen loaded with explosives is driven into the main gate of the US
> >Air Force Base at Rhein-Main, 22 are killed and the Snooze Alarm is
buzzing
> >louder and louder as US soil is continually attacked.
> >Fifty-nine days later a cruise ship, the Achille Lauro is hijacked and we
> >watched as an American in a wheelchair is singled out of the passenger
list
> >and executed.
> >
> >The terrorists then shift their tactics to bombing civilian airliners
when
> >they bomb TWA Flight 840 in April of 1986 that killed
> >4 and the most tragic bombing, Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland
> >in 1988, killing 259.
> >
> >America wants to treat these terrorist acts as crimes; in fact we are
still
> >trying to bring these people to trial. These are acts of war...the Wake
Up
> >alarm is louder and louder.
> >
> >The terrorists decide to bring the fight to America. In January 1993,
two
> >CIA agents are shot and killed as they enter CIA headquarters in Langley,
> >Virginia. The following month, February 1993, a group of terrorists are
> >arrested after a rented van packed with explosives is driven into the
> >underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Six
> >people are killed and over 1000 are injured.
> >Still this is a crime and not an act of war? The Snooze alarm is
depressed
> >again.
> >
> >Then in November 1995 a car bomb explodes at a US military complex in
> >Riyadh, Saudi Arabia killing seven service men and women. A few months
> >later in June of 1996, another truck bomb explodes only 35 yards from the
> >US military compound in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It destroys the Khobar
> >Towers, a US Air Force barracks, killing 19 and injuring over 500.
> >
> >The terrorists are getting braver and smarter as they see that America
does
> >not respond decisively. They move to coordinate their attacks in a
> >simultaneous attack on two US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
> >These attacks were planned with precision, they kill 224. America
responds
> >with cruise missile attacks and goes back to sleep.
> >
> >The USS Cole was docked in the port of Aden, Yemen for refueling on 12
> >October 2000, when a small craft pulled along side the ship and exploded
> >killing 17 US Navy Sailors. Attacking a US War Ship is an act of war,
but
> >we sent the FBI to investigate the crime and went back to sleep.
> >
> >And of course you know the events of 11 September 2001. Most Americans
> >think this was the first attack against US soil or in America. How wrong
> >they are. America has been under a constant attack since 1979 and we
chose
> >to hit the snooze alarm and roll over and go back to sleep.
> >
> >In the news lately we have seen lots of finger pointing from every high
> >official in government over what they knew and what they didn't know.
But
> >if you've read the papers and paid a little attention I think you can see
> >exactly what they knew. You don't have to be in the FBI or CIA or on the
> >National Security Council to see the pattern that has been developing
since
> >1979.
> >
> >The President is right on when he says we are engaged in a war.
> >I think we have been in a war for the past 23 years and it will continue
> >until we as a people decide enough is enough.
> >
> >America has to "Get out of Bed" and act decisively now. America has
> >changed forever. We have to be ready to pay the price and make the
> >sacrifice to ensure our way of life continues. We cannot afford to hit
the
> >Snooze Button again and roll over and go back to sleep. We have to make
> >the terrorists know that in the words of Admiral Yamamoto after the
attack
> >on Pearl Harbor "that all they have done is to awaken a sleeping giant."
> >
> >Thank you very much.
> >Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 21:00:10 -0500
> >
> >If you read this and remember back that far, it does seem that attacks
> >against Americans have been escalating and our response has not been
> >apparently strong enough to scare the daylights out of other
contemplating
> >such acts. Maybe a little "war" back a number of years ago would have
> >prevented this current mess--but maybe not. Does make one think,
however.
> >Read on.
> >
> >Subject: What Were We Thinking?
> >
> >
> >
> >U.S. Navy Capt. Ouimette is the XO of NAS, Pensacola. Here is a copy
of
> >the speech he gave earlier this month. A wonderful and accurate account
of
> >why we are in trouble today.
> >+++++++++++++++
> >
> >America WAKE UP!
> >
> >That's what we think we heard on the 11th of September 2001 and maybe it
> >was, but I think it should have been "Get Out of Bed!" In fact, I think
the
> >alarm clock has been buzzing since 1979 and we have continued to hit the
> >snooze button and roll over for a few more minutes of peaceful sleep
since
> >then.
> >
> >It was a cool fall day in November 1979 in a country going through a
> >religious and political upheaval when a group of Iranian students
attacked
> >and seized the American Embassy in Tehran. This seizure was an outright
> >attack on American soil; it was an attack that held the world's most
> >powerful country hostage and paralyzed a Presidency. The attack on this
> >sovereign US embassy set the stage for the events to follow for the next
23
> >years.
> >
> >America was still reeling from the aftermath of the Viet Nam experience
and
> >had a serious threat from the Soviet Union when then, President Carter,
had
> >to do something. He chose to conduct a clandestine raid in the desert.
> >
> >The ill-fated mission ended in ruin, but stood as a symbol of America's
> >inability to deal with terrorism. America's military had been decimated
> >and downsized / right sized since the end of the Viet Nam war. A poorly
> >trained, poorly equipped and poorly organized military was called on to
> >execute a complex mission that was doomed from the start.
> >
> >Shortly after the Tehran experience, Americans began to be kidnapped and
> >killed throughout the Middle East. America could do little to protect
her
> >citizens living and working abroad. The attacks against US soil
continued.
> >
> >In April of 1983 a large vehicle packed with high explosives was driven
> >into the US Embassy compound in Beirut. When it explodes, it kills 63
> >people. The alarm went off again and America hit the! Snooze Button
once
> >more. Then just six short months later a large truck heavily laden down
> >with over 2500 pounds of TNT smashed through the main gate of the US
Marine
> >Corps headquarters in Beirut. 241 US servicemen are killed.
> >
> >America mourns her dead and hit the Snooze Button once more. Two months
> >later in December 1983, another truck loaded with explosives is driven
into
> >the US Embassy in Kuwait, and America continues her slumber. The
following
> >year, in September 1984, another van was driven into the gates of the US
> >Embassy in Beirut and America slept.
> >
> >Soon the terrorism spreads to Europe. In April 1985 a bomb explodes in a
> >restaurant frequented by US soldiers in Madrid. Then in August a
> >Volkswagen loaded with explosives is driven into the main gate of the US
> >Air Force Base at Rhein-Main, 22 are killed and the Snooze Alarm is
buzzing
> >louder and louder as US soil is continually attacked.
> >Fifty-nine days later a cruise ship, the Achille Lauro is hijacked and we
> >watched as an American in a wheelchair is singled out of the passenger
list
> >and executed.
> >
> >The terrorists then shift their tactics to bombing civilian airliners
when
> >they bomb TWA Flight 840 in April of 1986 that killed
> >4 and the most tragic bombing, Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland
> >in 1988, killing 259.
> >
> >America wants to treat these terrorist acts as crimes; in fact we are
still
> >trying to bring these people to trial. These are acts of war...the Wake
Up
> >alarm is louder and louder.
> >
> >The terrorists decide to bring the fight to America. In January 1993,
two
> >CIA agents are shot and killed as they enter CIA headquarters in Langley,
> >Virginia. The following month, February 1993, a group of terrorists are
> >arrested after a rented van packed with explosives is driven into the
> >underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Six
> >people are killed and over 1000 are injured.
> >Still this is a crime and not an act of war? The Snooze alarm is
depressed
> >again.
> >
> >Then in November 1995 a car bomb explodes at a US military complex in
> >Riyadh, Saudi Arabia killing seven service men and women. A few months
> >later in June of 1996, another truck bomb explodes only 35 yards from the
> >US military compound in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It destroys the Khobar
> >Towers, a US Air Force barracks, killing 19 and injuring over 500.
> >
> >The terrorists are getting braver and smarter as they see that America
does
> >not respond decisively. They move to coordinate their attacks in a
> >simultaneous attack on two US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
> >These attacks were planned with precision, they kill 224. America
responds
> >with cruise missile attacks and goes back to sleep.
> >
> >The USS Cole was docked in the port of Aden, Yemen for refueling on 12
> >October 2000, when a small craft pulled along side the ship and exploded
> >killing 17 US Navy Sailors. Attacking a US War Ship is an act of war,
but
> >we sent the FBI to investigate the crime and went back to sleep.
> >
> >And of course you know the events of 11 September 2001. Most Americans
> >think this was the first attack against US soil or in America. How wrong
> >they are. America has been under a constant attack since 1979 and we
chose
> >to hit the snooze alarm and roll over and go back to sleep.
> >
> >In the news lately we have seen lots of finger pointing from every high
> >official in government over what they knew and what they didn't know.
But
> >if you've read the papers and paid a little attention I think you can see
> >exactly what they knew. You don't have to be in the FBI or CIA or on the
> >National Security Council to see the pattern that has been developing
since
> >1979.
> >
> >The President is right on when he says we are engaged in a war.
> >I think we have been in a war for the past 23 years and it will continue
> >until we as a people decide enough is enough.
> >
> >America has to "Get out of Bed" and act decisively now. America has
> >changed forever. We have to be ready to pay the price and make the
> >sacrifice to ensure our way of life continues. We cannot afford to hit
the
> >Snooze Button again and roll over and go back to sleep. We have to make
> >the terrorists know that in the words of Admiral Yamamoto after the
attack
> >on Pearl Harbor "that all they have done is to awaken a sleeping giant."
> >
> >Thank you very much.
