What was the United States supposed to do when a government was harboring Osama bin Laden and other members of Al-Qaeda who planned and carried out the 9/11 attacks?
The real solution would be to stop messing with the world. While homicidal maniacs will always exist, the United States manage to cultivate them like no other. You wont find that many lunatics running around chanting Death to Canada. (Well, maybe Rush Limbaugh on a Hillbilly Heroin bender) No, the people in the towers and planes didnt deserve to die. Caught together, hanged together, as a German saying goes. But, in addition to the murderous lunacy of the terrorists, they certainly can also thank US policy for their grim fate. There is no good vs. evil here, theres bad vs. worse. There is no need to play the game of being either with us or with the terrrrists., that wonderful fascist carte blanche every leader dreams of. 9/11 was to Bush what Christmas is to retail - if it didn't exist, it'd have to be invented. Of course, those jihadists would be happy to kill a Canadian pacifist, too, but I'd argue that it's American policy that does much of the recruiting for them. In any case, none of this makes terrorists any less guilty. There is also no "blaming the victim" involved, unless one deems oneself identical with a political system.
Id be happy with some truth in advertising, Im not asking for much, right ? make the stickers say Support war, not Support our troops, its so slimy and arm-twisting. "Surely you don't hate ourbravemenandwomeninuniform or DO YOU ?" It's an admirable trick, to make supporting war synonymous with supporting the individuals involved in it. An honest arsonist would say "Support Fire", instead our leaders say "Support burn victims."
In general, Id feel so much less insulted if our leaders were honest about their goals. Iraq should have been called Operation Oil Well. Freedom. Please. Youre free to be our newest dependent, honored to be exploited by the most skillful people in the business. Its flattering, in a way, to be singled out by the US. Its like the world is beef and you just got called filet mignon. It makes the being carved up and devoured aspects hurt less. I mean, if youre gonna get raped, youd want it to be a distinguishing connoisseur rapist.
As far as Just War is concerned, when the attacked party (US on 9/11) bears considerable blame for why it got attacked, can such a case still be made ? Supporting despots favorable to the US Oil industry (the former Shah of Iran, for example), to name just one item, didnt endear the US to a great many people. Spreading democracy is the advertised goal, the reality is quite different. The will of the public of Turkey, the EU etc. wasnt held in high esteem when it was against invading Iraq. Dubious leaders who were willing did not have their credentials questioned. The obliging oligarch beats the dissenting democrat any day.
National sovereignty defended in Kuwaits case is another touted value, unless a nation decides its had quite enough of being milked for oil by US (and British, Dutch etc.) companies.
Human rights are just wonderful, heck freedom is Gods gift to mankind right ? The US has the divinely-appointed job of doling them out around the globe, right ? Unless of course General Pinochet has Milton Friedman sitting on his lap, then whats a few thousand tortured, murdered people. Surely their orphans and widows will appreciate a free market.
It is true of the American system what used to be said of the Greeks: Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.
The real solution would be to stop messing with the world. While homicidal maniacs will always exist, the United States manage to cultivate them like no other. You wont find that many lunatics running around chanting Death to Canada. (Well, maybe Rush Limbaugh on a Hillbilly Heroin bender) No, the people in the towers and planes didnt deserve to die. Caught together, hanged together, as a German saying goes. But, in addition to the murderous lunacy of the terrorists, they certainly can also thank US policy for their grim fate. There is no good vs. evil here, theres bad vs. worse. There is no need to play the game of being either with us or with the terrrrists., that wonderful fascist carte blanche every leader dreams of. 9/11 was to Bush what Christmas is to retail - if it didn't exist, it'd have to be invented. Of course, those jihadists would be happy to kill a Canadian pacifist, too, but I'd argue that it's American policy that does much of the recruiting for them. In any case, none of this makes terrorists any less guilty. There is also no "blaming the victim" involved, unless one deems oneself identical with a political system.
Id be happy with some truth in advertising, Im not asking for much, right ? make the stickers say Support war, not Support our troops, its so slimy and arm-twisting. "Surely you don't hate ourbravemenandwomeninuniform or DO YOU ?" It's an admirable trick, to make supporting war synonymous with supporting the individuals involved in it. An honest arsonist would say "Support Fire", instead our leaders say "Support burn victims."
In general, Id feel so much less insulted if our leaders were honest about their goals. Iraq should have been called Operation Oil Well. Freedom. Please. Youre free to be our newest dependent, honored to be exploited by the most skillful people in the business. Its flattering, in a way, to be singled out by the US. Its like the world is beef and you just got called filet mignon. It makes the being carved up and devoured aspects hurt less. I mean, if youre gonna get raped, youd want it to be a distinguishing connoisseur rapist.
As far as Just War is concerned, when the attacked party (US on 9/11) bears considerable blame for why it got attacked, can such a case still be made ? Supporting despots favorable to the US Oil industry (the former Shah of Iran, for example), to name just one item, didnt endear the US to a great many people. Spreading democracy is the advertised goal, the reality is quite different. The will of the public of Turkey, the EU etc. wasnt held in high esteem when it was against invading Iraq. Dubious leaders who were willing did not have their credentials questioned. The obliging oligarch beats the dissenting democrat any day.
National sovereignty defended in Kuwaits case is another touted value, unless a nation decides its had quite enough of being milked for oil by US (and British, Dutch etc.) companies.
Human rights are just wonderful, heck freedom is Gods gift to mankind right ? The US has the divinely-appointed job of doling them out around the globe, right ? Unless of course General Pinochet has Milton Friedman sitting on his lap, then whats a few thousand tortured, murdered people. Surely their orphans and widows will appreciate a free market.
It is true of the American system what used to be said of the Greeks: Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.
der_hollaender:
was soll man dazu sagen, auer: genau!
turbulence:
+1