Should The USA skip the Olympics this summer?

Yes, please!~

Sounds like Mark Spitz has become something of a hysteric in his old age.

Boy, tough one. I can't imagine how difficult and costly the security problems are going to be for these Olympics. Events will be dispersed over a large area over a long time period, with athletes travelling and socializing about the city. And how many tourists from all over the world will be likewise rooming, travelling, and socializing.

Recall the pipe bomb that went off in a US city with security levels that that allowed.

The US won't pull out. Politically it would be the last thing the adminstration would do either philosophically or polically. But I suspect a lot of atheletes will think twice.

It is time to stop making enemies. Arghhh...I'm getting a headache.

Yes, my son at one time trained for an olympic event. I have wondered how I would feel if he or my daughter had been training for Athens. Would I encourage them not to go? I honestly don't know. That would be a tough one.

And as for making enemies, philosophically if we all just chuck whatever faith or nonfaith we hold, embrace radical fundamentalist Islam, and obey their convoluted interpretation of the Quran, we will eliminate almost all of our enemies. I won't do it though. I really have holster hips in a burka.

I think there could be other reasons not to go to Athens for the Olympics: no city in recent memory has been this ill-prepared to host the Games this close to its start. Many venues are incomplete, including the main Olympic Stadium. :wink:

No matter what I think about USA occupation of Iraq, this has nothing to do with athletes. And anyone that would try to attack athletes would be lowest and dirtiest scum terrorist. So, what's the point in cancelling events or withdraw from international sport events because of scum? Isnt that exactly their goal?

And as for Olympics they are just biggest event. American hockey players are now in Czech Republic, playing World championship, every single european basketball league has plenty of american players, Americans will participate in World volleyball league, Tour de France, Roland Garros and Wimbledon - should all american sportsmen and sportswomen withdraw from all events in World? After all, terorrists would probably be more interested in assaulting famous american tennis players in Wimbledon then american athletes in Athens, where they can maybe cause more casualties, but also it's likely that they can kill someone pretty anonymous worldwide. While everybody knows who is Andre Agassi for example.

After all, should Americans stop travel around the world, visiting other countries?

USA withdrawing from Olympics can send only two messages to world:
a) we are incredible cowards, bigger cowards then anyone in world's history (cause nobody ever skipped Olympics out of fear); or:
b) we are well aware that what we are doing in Iraq is totally wrong


As for Walter's digression - things that Greeks are doing are really shamefull. IOC yesterday announced that they put 170 million dollars aside for insurance and penalties from sponsors if games will not be held in Athens, which is pretty scary sign for Greeks. Also, it's announced that Sydney is willing to organize games once more if Athens turns out not to be capable.

The terrorist stock-in-trade is fear. They have no qualms about killing innocent people, especially children, therefore public opinion is not a concern to them. Every time they are able to scare somebody into quitting, it is a major victory for them. Therefore, I agree. The games must go on; however, security must be a concern. The athletes are not soldiers and its tough to ask somebody to put himself/herself in harms way. And I think the terrorists will target the games.

After thinking about it, as a mother, I couldn't encourage my children to participate and would worry like crazy if they did. I would also be proud of them if they decided to represent their country out of principle.

Wow! That is a tough call. If you look at it logically, by withdrawing, the terrorists win the psychological battle. By going, I DO believe that the young people are at definite risk.

Your thread is a perfect example of being between a rock and a hard place!

Security must be concern and I am pretty sure that terrorist might target games, and I am also pretty sure that if they will it's going to be successfull, because Greece seems to be unable to build a stadium and their traffic jam disasters are worldwide legendary, so one can only wonder a level of security (although NATO is in duty for it, but still...)

Although; I think that possible terrorism on Olympics will not be particularly aimed on Americans, simply because it's much harder to do in such event - so everybody will be in danger (I honestly doubt there is any chance of armed group entering olympic village like in Muenchen 1972, security now is much better) - actually I think that all athletes will be secure as much as they can be, however, tourists and supporters from all world can be in really great danger - I think that olympic village and venues will be properly secured - but that is not sure for open-air-outside of stadium events, especially long ones like marathon, road cycling or long distance disciplines in rowing

of course, I must also add that when mentioning that message would be "we are cowards" relates to possible official decision by US govt. or US Olympic Commitee - parents being scared for their son or daughter is something completely different.

In 1972, the target was Israelis specifically. This time I'm sure Americans would be a desired target, but I agree that it would be difficult to target only Americans. The terrorists M.O. is always to take out large groups of men, women, children; therefore the spectators may be at more risk than the athletes, not that this is in any way comforting.

And I hope that a mother's love can be ethically separated from conviction regarding one's country. I didn't encourage my son to enlist in the military either, but was proud of him when he joined the Navy; then a part of me was relieved when a knee injury forced him to become a civilian again. So I wouldn't encourage him to complete this summer if he was still a contender, but would be proud of him if he did; and a part of me would be relieved if circumstances prevented it from happening.

Sometimes having principles is really, really hard.

It's not a tough call at all.

The USA should not pull out of the Olympics. Why punish the young men and women who have spent a large portion of their lives training for such an event because George "aWol" Bush won a lawsuit and waged a war against a sovereign nation for oil, and pissed off a large chunk of the world in the process?

Go USA Go!

well unfortunately if they decide to hit the olympics the terrorists have mor going for them then against. Heck all they have to do is get perhaps one suicide bomber, or one bag in. But the security personnel has to check what a couple hundred thousand people, a million? Hey they could very much hijack a plane and crash it into the stadium, scenarios are endless. And please none of the bush style gunho "bring it on" attitude. Dont you see it is us that is more vulnerable than the terrorists. I detest loss of innocent life no matter who does the killing, be it terrorist organisations or nation states. Killing innocent civillians is terrorism whether it be a suicide bomber in tel-aviv or specter gunships in fallujah. But we can not let the terrorists dictate what we do, that is their exact aim. They are terrorists, they terrorize people to not go to cinemas, or places of worship or olympic games or whatever. Their aim is to destablize our daily lives in such a way that we no longer function as a society. The Spaniards should be the role model, the way millions gathered in defiance just after the train bombs to curse terror and terrorists.
Perhaps all countries should provide assistance in assuring the security of the games, but none should refrain from participating. If the US pulls out of the olympics over these concerns it will be viewed as America's surrender to terrorists.

For a lot of reasons, security will be particularly tough here.

As to integrity as a mother/citizen...we are all watching to see if Karen Hughes urges her son to sign-up for Iraq. Start holding breath beginning...NOW.

As to the following...
Silly red herring. As everyone under the sun, moon and stars (who ain't also an unflinching supporter of this administration) is yelling...We are now less safe...We now have predictably turned more unsettled young men into settled extremists bent on blowing us up.

Then Blatham, you are saying that the USA should just do what it had been doing? That when the twin towers came down, the Pentagon was trashed, four airliners crashed, more than 3000 dead, we should just suck it in as we have always done and take it because to retaliate just makes the terrorists more angry? Or it was sufficient to rout the Taliban out of Afghanistan to make our point and then go home with 99% of the terrorists still out there plotting their next attack?

Yes to oppose them helps them make their case for more recruitments. But hello. They hate all democracies that are successful. And they hate America most of all because we are the flagship for all that they hate.

And whether or not we oppose them, they'll take us out if they can.

Maybe we should all just stay in our homes with the blinds drawn, the doors locked, the lights turned off and hide in fear?

Why do I get the impression this is exactly what the neocons and their cheering squad would like to see?

Quoting from Brzezinski's The Grand Chess Board
"The attitude of the American public toward the external projection of American power has been much more ambivalent. The public supported America's engagement in World War II largely because of the shock effect of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.P 24."

There was a 60 minutes special a few weeks bag and it was staggering - they are far behind in the construction, and I'd say security is lacking big time, thing if you were a terrorist you'd move in early to avoid suspicion??

there is a word that comes to mind - blind ignorance

Yilmaz writes:



Brezinski is exactly right. We were solidly in the camp of neutrality and appeasement though FDR, behind the scenes, was drawing up battle plans against both the Germans and Japan. When Japan attacked, it provided the incentive and the clear justification to go to war.

Brezinski has also suggested that the militant Islamic element in Afghanistan that defended itself against the U.S.S.R. was an "American invention". While, Hafizullah Amin was American educated, a thoughtful study of his biography and the history behind it would suggest otherwise. And that cannot realistically be used for why militant Islam hates the USA.

And Infowarrior: You can't have it both ways. You can't accuse the 'neocons' of being irrational blood sucking murderers when they prosecute the war against terrorism and then turn around and say



Okay, you can say that because you have said it. And you probably can't even see how irrational that is. To borrow from another member I have to wonder, did somebody kick your puppy when you were little?

And Blatham, call it a red herring all you wish. You didn't answer the question.