[lit-ideas] Re: Experience of War
- From: "Andy Amago" <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 08:30:39 -0400
I never said disarm. Not once ever. I just think being obsessed with the
military and acting like a bully is counterproductive. I second Andreas'
position. If I were to run for President, my slogan would be "Speak softly and
carry a big stick". The U.S. screams wildly and flails. Invading Iraq has
proved our military is not invincible. The military isn't a part of American
international politics. It's all of it. There is no diplomacy. Guns are even
one of our better export products. They're big business. We arm the very
people who we then want to blow away. It's like we generate business for
ourselves. So, Lawrence, what do you think of my campaign slogan, "Speak
softly and carry a big stick" versus the "I'll get you!" of what's going on
today?
Regarding your "love" post, that's a most creative way of saying "fuck you".
You're a gentleman and a poet, Lawrence. Too bad you love war so much.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 5/9/2006 12:32:38 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Experience of War
Dang it Irene, you?ve got me laughing again. I tried to be serious and kind
because of my supersensitive Marine Corps training, but you keep cracking me
up. Think of it this way, we were trained to protect you so you can continue
to do and think all the silly things you do and think. That?s Entertainment .
. . er, I mean ?Liberal Democracy.? We are free in this country to engage in
all sorts of discussions even anti-American discussions because we have a
fighting force capable of protecting those rights. Pious ?peace begets peace?
wishful thinking is nonsense as any student of history could tell you. It is
too silly by far to even talk about.
But let?s do it just for fun. We elect, you, Irene Cassidy, President of the
United States on the new Peace at any Price ticket. Mike Geary is your Vice
President. You abolish the position of Defense Secretary in your cabinet,
because you won?t be needing that. In your acceptance speech you once again
use those words that got you elected, ?peace begets peace.? Peaceniks from
Cambridge Massachusetts to San Francisco California shout their approval with
tears dripping down their cheeks. In your first week in office you abolish the
Marine Corps and Army. In the Second you abolish the Navy, and order all ships
mothballed. In your third you abolish the Air Force and order that all
military airplanes be flown to deserts in Nevada and Southern California and
parked there. The unbelieving world realizes that you are serious. The
military might of the U.S. is no more. The rest of the world is on its own.
Does that sound good to you Irene? Most strategic analyst would tell you
(after they stopped laughing) that such a scenario, despite you sensitive
tender feelings about matters of war, would produce more murder, mayhem and
loss of life than if you had followed your predecessors in the White House and
taken up the ongoing responsibility of protecting our borders and protecting
weak nations against Rogue nations. They would tell you that there are several
nations in the world that would love such a scenario. If they don?t have the
U.S. to worry about (the military force of the U.S.) then they would as Hans
Morgenthau persuasively argued, invade and conquer their neighbors. I can
imagine a snappy title for a history of your four years in office, Nightmare on
Pennsylvania Avenue.
Lawrence
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