Deseret News | A despicable method

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In our opinion: A despicable method

The few, the proud, | 2:54 a.m. July 9, 2009

the Marines.

Grand Oil Party | 5:10 a.m. July 9, 2009

... but we need to indirectly support the Taliban because of our Mideast oil addiction. Yes, the Grand Oil Party says, "drill, baby, drill," believing that somehow we can drill our way to oil independence, but the reality is that not only do we NOT have the domestic oil reserves to sate America's thirst, but the more we continue to use oil, the more we support he global market price of it so that groups like the Taliban benefit from its internationl price.

In sum, we're financially supporting both sides of the war on terror. Our tax dollars support the military and escort oil tankers out of the Mideast to keep oil flowing around the world. But our oil dollars go to terrorist fronts and organizations.

Can the climate bill that the Grand Oil Party hates change the equation? Yes... but that would mean modest sacrifice for Americans, and we've become too fat and lazy to make the modest choices for our energy future and security. The congressional budget office says that by 2020, the average family would pay $175 more annually for energy under the climate bill... but GOP says we can't afford it!

Desperation | 5:42 a.m. July 9, 2009

If the Taliban have to pay for 11 year olds to fight for their religious beliefs and opium. But then again nothing surprises me from a bunch of extremists.

Comments continue below

Just Wondering | 6:26 a.m. July 9, 2009

If the taliban were in my neighborhood, throwing acid in the faces of girls who go to school, beheading anyone who doesn't support them, I would think there would be lots of people who would make it very difficult for them to operate, such as taking them out. How is it anyone supports them?

Anonymous | 6:55 a.m. July 9, 2009

Can't argue about the problem, but what do you propose we do about it?

Mob tactics | 8:10 a.m. July 9, 2009

The Taliban has been watching to many Hollywood movies about the mafia.

RE: Just Wondering | 8:11 a.m. July 9, 2009

They know the oldest form of governance... rule by fear.

RedShirt | 8:22 a.m. July 9, 2009

We should talk to them, maybe that we we can come to an understanding. They probably had bad childhoods, and just need some love.

Wrex | 8:51 a.m. July 9, 2009

Wow, RedShirt, you mean you're not going to blame Obama?

Holy cow, are you feeling ok???

Mr. Wright | 8:55 a.m. July 9, 2009

The Taliban is religiously-based. Religious insanity promotes hatred, and it abounds in the world. What a planet!

RedShirt | 9:24 a.m. July 9, 2009

To "Wrex | 8:51 a.m." I was thinking of inviting the Taliban over to my house next week for rides on my Unicorn and to have a tea-party, complete with rainbows and lollie-pops. After all, if just took the time to come together and understand eachother they would see that we can be friends. Just because they say they want to destroy and kill us, or have us forcefully converted to their brand of Islam, doesn't mean that they really will do that.

Anonymous | 12:27 p.m. July 9, 2009

You know, as an outsider of the prominent Utah religion...

I find there is a very thinline and increasingly harder to distinguish between the Extremist intolerence of some in Islam and the Extremist intolerence of others in Christianity.

History shows us all, that it was merely a spilt second in time that the intolerence of Nazi Germany caused that Christian nation to commit crimes against humanity on a scale of epic proportions.

Beware....

Re; Mr. Wright | 12:30 p.m. July 9, 2009

You must be a hater, hater of religion? Would that be considered promoting hatred through insanity?

wallofvoodoo | 12:41 p.m. July 9, 2009

Hey Anonymous, the door swings both ways.

Mr. Wright | 12:43 p.m. July 9, 2009

Mr. Wright does not hate ... merely states the obvious. You must be a self-hater. What a planet!

Beware | 12:52 p.m. July 9, 2009

To Anonymous at 12:27, as a member of that dominant religion, I share your concern and applaud your making the point. Too many people think your policitcal views should be tested during a temple recommend interview. We are in danger of stepping over that line, just a little bit at a time, but always getting closer to the dogmatic edge.

Hatuletoh | 1:00 p.m. July 9, 2009

The Taliban are very bad and clearly training terrorists. That's why we invaded Iraq--to take out the Taliban. They were swarming all over the place in that country. You couldn't turn around without tripping over some guy with a bomb strapped to his chest screaming, "Allahu akbar!" in downtown Mosul back in '02. Yes sir, it was good that we diverted our military resources from other less Taliban-y places like Afghanistan to take down all the the terrorist training facilities in Iraq.

Really, | 1:10 p.m. July 9, 2009

What's the difference between a "smart bomb" dropped from 15000 feet, and a car bomb or suicide bomber? Are ours more accepetable and more moral? A military industrial complex company makes a profit? What is it?

re Really, | 1:10 p.m. July 9, | 1:29 p.m. July 9, 2009

The difference is the cause. Would you want to live under the Taliban? They throw acid in the eyes of girls who want to go to school, they burn girl schools, they make women wear full body coverings. They don't allow women to work outside the home, so they can't become doctors for example. They don't allow doctors who aren't their husbands to attend to their needs. They force men to wear beards, they will cut off your head for adultery, they will cut off your hand for stealing (what if a person is falsely accused), need I go on?

A smart bomb dropped on any of them from "15,000" feet seems like a god send to me. It saves GI lives that GI's can call them down.

Have you no common sense or don't you get into any depth when learning the news?

Anonymous | 1:42 p.m. July 9, 2009

Before the Taliban, Russians were fighting a war. Because of Russia, no terrorist were trained in Afghanistan. What's event created a vacuum for the Taliban to gain control over Afghanistan? Who provided training and equipment to the Islam extremist who would later become the Taliban?

A hint?

He sold arms to Iran and cut and ran from Beirut after a terrorist bombing, showing terrorist in the Islamic World terrorism works against America.

After Russia decided to withdraw, it approached this American President urgently advising him that their would be a power vacuum in Afghanistan after they withdrew. Reagan dismissed this notion.

We can establish a chain of events between Ronald Reagan and 9/11.

I'm amazed at now a mythology has been created about Reagan. He also had 138 people in his administration convicted of various crimes.

Really | 1:45 p.m. July 9, 2009

Yes, kill them all to save them from themselves. How American. Those "smart bombs" do also kill the girls who can't go to school, the women who are home, the doctors in the villages, the average Joe with a beard. Not so smart bombs, eh? Funny thing is, the Soviet Union lost that war, and they occupied the place too. And don't forget, the Taliban used to do our bidding against said Soviet Union.

RedShirt | 1:56 p.m. July 9, 2009

To "Really, | 1:10 p.m." the difference between a smart bomb and a car bomb or suicide bomber is simple. A smart bomb is meant to minimize civilian casualties. A car bomb or suicide bomber is designed to maximize civilian casualties. So, yes, our bombs are more acceptable and more moral. We try to not kill innocent lives. Terrorist target innocent lives.

What about terrorists, they profit too, why only complain about organized militaries. The terrorists will hold people for ransom, sell drugs, traffic weapons, and other things for money.

So, if somebody has sworn to kill you, what are you going to do? Are you going to build a campfire and sing inspirational songs with them until they play nice, or do what is needed to be secure?

Anonymous | 2:41 p.m. July 9, 2009

Red you understand how I feel about conservatives

Ryan Larsen | 2:46 p.m. July 9, 2009

The Taliban is a great example of why we do not need religion in the world. All it has ever gave the world is bloodshed. It is pointless to kill one another over blind faith. A spiritual belief is another thing, believe what you want, but when you role it into a religion and start telling people how to think and then there will most certainly be violence and bloodshed.

huh | 2:58 p.m. July 9, 2009

re: Mr. Wright | 8:55 a.m. July 9, 2009
"The Taliban is religiously-based. Religious insanity promotes hatred, and it abounds in the world. What a planet:

So how do explain the stellar success of officially atheist regimes like Stalin and Mao who each killed more people than Hitler.

I guess fear and hatred works for the irreligous too. Thank you for your example of "tolerance" lol

Religion | 3:06 p.m. July 9, 2009

God created religion and Satan organized it.

Anonymous | 3:19 p.m. July 9, 2009

To Religion,

I think you are half right.

To huh,

Neither Stalin nor Mao were "officially atheist regimes."

Nobody can possibly argue that atheism has been responsible for anywhere near the destruction, carnage, and bloodshed as religion has been! Wake up and get an education outside of your pathetic Sunday School and Seminary classes!

Anonymous | 3:38 p.m. July 9, 2009

It's been interesting watching conservatism become like a religion. Where must members are conservatives, conservatism becomes a test of being devout.

huh | 3:40 p.m. July 9, 2009

dear anonymous 3:19
Check your history: yes they were.
Specifially they followed Karl Marx's "opium of the masses" mentality. Stalin's and Mao's form of Communism were specifically anti-religous regimes that vigorously supressed and punished religous expression. They also murdered millions of their own people for politcal reasons.
I didnt find that fact in Sunday School. They teach it in any normal high school history class(perhaps you wouldnt know)
And thank you for your stellar example of "tolerance" (that is sarcasm)

wow | 4:02 p.m. July 9, 2009

I have always liked your thoughts Ryan - but this one misses the mark.
Taliban is bad therfore all relgion is bad? Followng that line of thought. KKK bad - all white people bad. Communists bad - all non-religous people bad. John Wayne Gacey bad - all gay people bad. Son of Sam bad - all Jews bad.

I dont think so.

huh | 4:04 p.m. July 9, 2009

re: Anonymous | 3:38 p.m. July 9, 2009
"It's been interesting watching conservatism become like a religion. Where must members are conservatives, conservatism becomes a test of being devout."

I feel the same way about left wing political correctness where people are visciously intolerant in the name of tolerance.
Check your mirror

Keep blaming religion | 4:55 p.m. July 9, 2009

You guys on the LEFT can keep blaming religion for everything but it's bad people, not religion alone that leads to people killing people (ie war, crime, etc).

Go back to ANY point in history. Before, during, or after ANY given religion or ANY agnostic regime came to be. You will find people subjugating, hurting, killing, and trying to control other people in EVERY age in history. Even back to Adam and Eve if you believe that kind of thing.

It's our "human nature" that leads to this. I know it's part of your leftist agenda but you can't blame this ALL on religion. History just doesn't prove you out.

PEOPLE have used Religion to justify or start wars throughout history but it's the PEOPLE not religion that start the war. And there have been plenty of wars in cultures where religion wasn't involved nor the driving force.

Come on left! It's a little more complex than "Religion did it"! That's just a cop-out.

Super Wright | 5:58 p.m. July 10, 2009

All TRUE BELIEVER organizations, including organized religions, are evil.

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