USS Clueless              Voyages of a restless mind

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Stardate 20011107.1813 (On Screen): There are so many mushy phrases which can mean whatever you want them to mean, so that you can create a sentence using them and everyone will nod their heads even though they interpret them in radically different ways. Take for example this one:

''This campaign (must) end as soon as possible so that the Afghan people will be spared any further rigors."

What does "as soon as possible" mean? Well, it could mean "as soon as an order to cease hostilities can be transmitted to all American military formations in the theater." Equally, it could mean "as soon as the Taliban have been defeated and the war is over." In other words, it could mean an hour or a year.

Once the allied forces capture bin Laden, the chief suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, ''he should have a fair trial,'' Moussa said, without elaborating.

What does "fair trial" mean? It could mean a trial in NYC in front of an American jury, or a trial in Afghanistan in front of an Islamic judge.

To some extent, that's why the history books are written by the victors. Who is to decide these issues? Well, whoever wins. The bombing will definitely end "as soon as possible" but that decision will be made by the US, not by the Arab League. If bin Laden actually is captured, he'll be given a "fair trial" but it will be under American law in front of an American jury.

And then we'll execute him. (discussion in progress)