So here we are, at war with Iraq. One can't help but wonder if this is the right thing to do?
In 1981, Israel launched an attack on a nuclear reactor that was being built by Iraq. They decided to do this when they came upon evidence that its intended use was to produce nuclear weapons that would likely be pointed at Israel. This aggressive move was in clear violation international law, but was it wrong?
As some smart guy who wrote a long paper on the subject said, "International law is not a suicide pact! Under the long-standing customary right known as anticipatory self-defense, every state is entitled to strike first when the danger posed is "instant, overwhelming, leaving no choice of means and no moment for deliberation." Indeed, this right is especially compelling today, when--in an age of mass destruction weaponry--failing to preempt may bring about annihilation or create a world of international political/criminal extortion by renegade states or terrorist groups."
That's a pretty good argument. Can we apply it to the Iraq situation?
Instant? No.
Overwhelming? No.
No choice and no moment for deliberation? Certainly not.
However, the next part is the most important question of all... would the failure to preemptively strike Iraq bring about a situation in which the region, and the world, is hopelessly extorted?
Yes.
Every time I've seen Israel make a bold move for their own defense, irregardless of public opinion or even international law, I have applauded them. Yet, for some reason, as our own nation has geared up for a similar move, I've become queasy.
I suppose it's because Israel is akin to Custer, and the atrocities its citizens have endured under Hitler and its neighbors since its formation are enought to justify any sort of "bad attitude" they might have. But aren't we in a better situation? Aren't we above that?
We've had it pretty good, and we continue to have it pretty good. September 11 or no, we're pretty safe all the way over here. Or are we? That is one of the issues right? Is Iraq going to bomb us? Certainly not. Is Iraq going to provide horrible weapons to people who would do us harm? Possibly. Would Iraq use nuclear weapons to get us to back the fuck off the next time they invade Kuait? Probably.
What Would Satan Do? Or more appropriately, Anton LaVey? Number 11 of his Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth says, "When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him."
So do we have the right? Morally? Are we defending ourselves? Or are we nation building? Are we the Evil Empire forcing our political ideology down people's throats under the banner of Freedom? My skin crawls and I'm thrown back to my Jello Biafra-loving conspiracy theory teenage years when I hear about things like contracts to rebuild Iraq being awarded to companies with distinct ties to the Bush administration. (An issue that the administration is attempting to diffuse today... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A665-2003Mar20.html)
Arrgh! This is so frustrating. I suppose it's because of all the "reasons" for this war. The administration has been so concerned with public opinion and international support that they seem to try to cover all the bases. Terrorism. Human rights. Women's rights. Chemical warfare. Have you noticed that every teen from Iraq that gets interviewed on TV loves the Backstreet Boys? Do you hate them yet?
God damn it. If you're a hawk, you're a hawk. Pick a reason, preferably the real one and stick to it. Cut out all the hippy crap about the cruelty of the burka and human rights abuses and so on because we only care about that when we're putting together a laundry list titled "additional reasons to go to war."
Is this war just? Is it moral? It just might be. That is, so long as we are acting in self-defense and not self-interest then I can support it. Just as I can relate to Israeli Jews' hypersensitivity to any threat to their existence, the events of September 11 make me a lot more willing to do what it takes to care of ourselves with or without the support of say, Slovenia.
Is this war necessary? No.
In 1981, Israel launched an attack on a nuclear reactor that was being built by Iraq. They decided to do this when they came upon evidence that its intended use was to produce nuclear weapons that would likely be pointed at Israel. This aggressive move was in clear violation international law, but was it wrong?
As some smart guy who wrote a long paper on the subject said, "International law is not a suicide pact! Under the long-standing customary right known as anticipatory self-defense, every state is entitled to strike first when the danger posed is "instant, overwhelming, leaving no choice of means and no moment for deliberation." Indeed, this right is especially compelling today, when--in an age of mass destruction weaponry--failing to preempt may bring about annihilation or create a world of international political/criminal extortion by renegade states or terrorist groups."
That's a pretty good argument. Can we apply it to the Iraq situation?
Instant? No.
Overwhelming? No.
No choice and no moment for deliberation? Certainly not.
However, the next part is the most important question of all... would the failure to preemptively strike Iraq bring about a situation in which the region, and the world, is hopelessly extorted?
Yes.
Every time I've seen Israel make a bold move for their own defense, irregardless of public opinion or even international law, I have applauded them. Yet, for some reason, as our own nation has geared up for a similar move, I've become queasy.
I suppose it's because Israel is akin to Custer, and the atrocities its citizens have endured under Hitler and its neighbors since its formation are enought to justify any sort of "bad attitude" they might have. But aren't we in a better situation? Aren't we above that?
We've had it pretty good, and we continue to have it pretty good. September 11 or no, we're pretty safe all the way over here. Or are we? That is one of the issues right? Is Iraq going to bomb us? Certainly not. Is Iraq going to provide horrible weapons to people who would do us harm? Possibly. Would Iraq use nuclear weapons to get us to back the fuck off the next time they invade Kuait? Probably.
What Would Satan Do? Or more appropriately, Anton LaVey? Number 11 of his Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth says, "When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him."
So do we have the right? Morally? Are we defending ourselves? Or are we nation building? Are we the Evil Empire forcing our political ideology down people's throats under the banner of Freedom? My skin crawls and I'm thrown back to my Jello Biafra-loving conspiracy theory teenage years when I hear about things like contracts to rebuild Iraq being awarded to companies with distinct ties to the Bush administration. (An issue that the administration is attempting to diffuse today... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A665-2003Mar20.html)
Arrgh! This is so frustrating. I suppose it's because of all the "reasons" for this war. The administration has been so concerned with public opinion and international support that they seem to try to cover all the bases. Terrorism. Human rights. Women's rights. Chemical warfare. Have you noticed that every teen from Iraq that gets interviewed on TV loves the Backstreet Boys? Do you hate them yet?
God damn it. If you're a hawk, you're a hawk. Pick a reason, preferably the real one and stick to it. Cut out all the hippy crap about the cruelty of the burka and human rights abuses and so on because we only care about that when we're putting together a laundry list titled "additional reasons to go to war."
Is this war just? Is it moral? It just might be. That is, so long as we are acting in self-defense and not self-interest then I can support it. Just as I can relate to Israeli Jews' hypersensitivity to any threat to their existence, the events of September 11 make me a lot more willing to do what it takes to care of ourselves with or without the support of say, Slovenia.
Is this war necessary? No.
Do it.