If you want to defeat someone, it helps to see through their eyes.

Crusades, Tripoli, 1920, Al Saud, Operation Ajax. Perception is
reality, moreso than ''truth''.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_ajax

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 12:52:31 -0500, "Michael Lawson"
wrote:

You don't read what you post, do you? The Pasha of
Tripoli wanted protection money from pirates attacking
our shipping interests. We'd been paying it since 1796
or so because we had other issues to deal with first, but
didn't want to pay the "increase" the Pasha wanted.
Doesn't sound like a "first thing we did was attack Muslims
on the other side of the world", with the implication that
it was preemtive in any way. If you want to build your
case, you'd better a) read the entry first, and not just
hope we don't read it, and b) learn a little history from
some books (I'd recommend Tindall's "America: A
Narrative History" volumes for a general overview)
before you sound off.

--Mike L.