Irene, I didn't see the Peter Galbraith article. If it was posted, I missed it. I didn't see it. I didn't' read it. You are on your high horse about things I didn't see when you should practice reading the articles you can see. I also don't watch ABC, so I missed the warmongering etc etc you are referring to. We have very different ways of looking at articles and news. You comment as though you read something you don't read, and if I don't comment about something I haven't read you seem to think I'm in denial. Lawrence _____ From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andy Amago Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 10:02 AM To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: After August 22 Another surprise, anti-American ambassadors to the M.E. who write books aren't allowed in Lawrence's bunker. Don't read him, Lawrence. You don't want to know what the other side is saying. Come to think of it, that's why we're doing so well in Iraq, because we invaded without a clue as to what the other side was saying. Carry on that tradition, and shoo Galbraith and Suskind and Ricks away from your door. ----- Original Message ----- From: Lawrence <mailto:lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Helm To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: 8/23/2006 12:45:54 PM Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: After August 22 I didnt see or read the Peter Galbraith reference and inasmuch as I have a policy against responding to notes I havent read, I guess Im just going to have to forego arguing with Peter Galbraith. And one of the things I mean was in the earlier Walter Williams article I posted. Perhaps it didnt make it all the way through the Lit-Ideas mail system. It was as follows: Lawrence Theres no denying it. The Left has had a tremendous influence on the US since WWII. Leftists do peace at any price with straight faces and no signs of shame. They root for the enemy. If it were up to them Saddam Hussein would still be in power. If it were up to them, Iran would get their nukes [I wrote this before reading the latest MEMRI report]. Walter Williams doesnt use the term Left so that should meet the approval of those who dont like pigeon holes, but can there be any doubt? He even has a special message for Irene in his last paragraph -- gotta like the guy. Lawrence Will the West defend itself? By Walter E. Williams Wednesday, August 23, 2006 Does the United States have the power to eliminate terrorists and the states that support them? In terms of capacity, as opposed to will, the answer is a clear yes. Think about it. Currently, the U.S. has an arsenal of 18 Ohio class submarines. Just one submarine is loaded with 24 Trident nuclear missiles. Each Trident missile has eight nuclear warheads capable of being independently targeted. That means the U.S. alone has the capacity to wipe out Iran, Syria or any other state that supports terrorist groups or engages in terrorism -- without risking the life of a single soldier. Terrorist supporters know we have this capacity, but because of worldwide public opinion, which often appears to be on their side, coupled with our weak will, we'll never use it. Today's Americans are vastly different from those of my generation who fought the life-and-death struggle of World War II. Any attempt to annihilate our Middle East enemies would create all sorts of handwringing about the innocent lives lost, so-called collateral damage. Such an argument would have fallen on deaf ears during World War II when we firebombed cities in Germany and Japan. The loss of lives through saturation bombing far exceeded those lost through the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the battle of Midway, and the long string of Japanese defeats in the Pacific, including Guam, Okinawa and the Philippines, had today's Americans been around, they'd be willing to negotiate with Japan for peace, pointing to the additional loss of lives if we continued the war. More than likely they would have made the same argument in 1945, when German defeat was imminent. Of course, had there been a peace agreement with Japan and Germany, all it would have achieved would have been to give them time to recoup their losses and resume their aggression at a later time, possibly equipped with nuclear weapons. We might also note that the occupation of Germany and Japan didn't pose the occupation problems we face in Iraq. The reason is we completely demoralized our enemies, leaving them with neither the will nor the means to resist. Our adversaries in the Middle East have advantages that the axis powers didn't have -- the Western press and public opinion. We've seen widespread condemnation of alleged atrocities and prisoner mistreatment by the U.S., but how much media condemnation have you seen of beheadings and other gross atrocities by Islamists? Terrorists must be pleased by statements of some members of Congress, such as those by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., who recently said, "I don't take sides for or against Hezbollah." Hezbollah, backed by Iran, is responsible for the 1983 bombing of Beirut barracks killing 241 U.S. service members. I'm not suggesting that we rush to use our nuclear capacity to crush states that support terrorism. I'm sure there are other less drastic military options. What I am suggesting is that I know of no instances where appeasement, such as the current Western modus operandi, has borne fruit. What Europeans say about what should be done about terrorist states should fall on deaf ears. Their history of weakness and cowardice during the 1930s goes a long way toward accounting for the 60 million lives lost during World War II. During the mid-'30s, when Hitler started violating the arms limitations of the Versailles Treaty, France and Britain alone could have handily defeated him, but they pursued the appeasement route. Anyone who thinks current Western appeasement efforts will get Iran to end its nuclear weapons program and end its desire to eliminate Israel is dumber than dumb. Appeasement will strengthen Iran's hand, and it looks as if the West, including the United States, is willing to be complicit in that strengthening. _____ From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andy Amago Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 9:24 AM To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: After August 22 In other words, it's okay for us to redesign the Middle East, and the countries in the area have to take what we dish out. Is that what you mean? How do you respond to the fact - the fact, Lawrence, or argue with Peter Galbraith that he's wrong - that Iran made friendly overtures and we rebuffed them at every turn? Why are you not focusing on our warlike rhetoric? It's our right to be belligerent without push back? Do you think that's feasible?