Let's not speculate on how well I know or may have known my source. I've known him for 20 years or more. He's an officer in the military. He emailed me and said that we either win this one or lose everything. His words, not mine. No further info.

-- helen (this_a_real_address@yahoo.com), October 14, 2001

Answers

It's the "lose everything" part that has me concerned. It's a 50-50 gamble with no guarantees. Frankly, I'm not comfortable with the odds, especially with biologicals and nuclear capabilities on the table and the enemy dealing from the bottom of the deck with an ace up his sleeve.

-- Don't (Bet@The.Farm), October 15, 2001.

Sounds like a typical paranoid military officer. It's always win everything or lose everything with those types of guys. LOL

-- military industrial complex (brimming with @ paranoid. psychotics), October 15, 2001.

The reason his statement struck me as worthy of comment is that this guy would see your house is on fire and assume that you had installed smoke alarms and that you had a plan for evacuation. He'd stay out of your business while your house burned. :)

He doesn't go out of his way to give warnings. We've had many tense international situations in the past two decades, and this is the only time he's made a comment on the world scene. He isn't evacuating his family or anything nutty.

-- helen (odd@times.interesting.times), October 15, 2001.

It might help some if we define "lose everything" in Helens original post. Does that mean the USA ceases to exist? I cannot see that.

For me it's the USA as a "second world" nation.

Could we even _conceivable_ be brought down from the worlds greatest, strongest, etc nation to one of the also-rans?

I think is is conveivable. Not likely mind you, but conceivable.

- Greybear

-- Keep your powder dry

-- Greybear (greybear@worldemail.com), October 16, 2001.