[lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2007 16:51:39 -0800
Simon:
You have made a series of assertions on a subject I'm not particularly
interested in. You imply that intelligence would comprise my accepting your
assertions unchecked. Blind acceptance of unsupported assertions is not
well known as a sign of intelligence.
1. For example, did the courts decree that the Shia militia carry out
the execution? Were there alternatives? Who should have done it? Who
cares?
2. Was his death filmed like some of the deaths Saddam filmed? Again,
who cares?
3. Was the judicial system under Iraq's control? If so, who cares
whether it meets your standards of impartiality?
4. You say Saddam was verbally taunted and insulted - was that worse
than you are verbally taunting and insulting me or better?
5. It took place during the Muslim Hajj and the Sunni Eid, you say?
Did it also take place at the end of a legitimate trial?
6. And you note that the US military was responsible for the guarding
of the living Saddam. Was that before he was turned over to the Iraqi
Judicial system for trial? I fail to see why this should interest anyone.
The US military has guarded virtually everything in Iraq at one time or
another.
7. You say the whole event can only incite further hatred between the
Shia and Sunni? You imply that we shouldn't allow the Iraqis to execute one
of the worst criminals in their history because it might make someone mad?
Is that what you are saying? Shall we make this a principle: Execute no
one if it will make someone mad. In response to this possibility I did a
Google search to find out who was being incited thus far. So far it's a few
relatives and some people from his home town. When is the rest of the
incitement supposed to take place.
7.a. But you probably mean a lot of someone's. You probably quantify the
holding up of an execution. If a certain number will be made angry by the
execution of someone, then the execution shall not take place - even if it
means we renege on our telling the Iraqis they have control over their own
courts, government, etc and are trying to turn everything else over to them
as quickly as possible?
7.b. Tell you what went perfectly? Has someone established a standard for
perfection in Iraq?
7.c. However, I will say this. In the war against Militant Islam, the Bush
& Blair administrations has done surprisingly well. On the one hand we have
the destruction of the World Trade Center. We have also Osama's speeches
indicating that he believed the US too timid, too afraid of the loss of life
to mount an effective counter to his Islamist ideals. Osama joined others
in declaring war against the West, ala Sayyid Qutb. Others joined in
taunting and insulting the US and Britain.
7.d. The US agreed that we were at war and eliminated Afghanistan as a
Militant Islamic threat
7.e. Influenced Pakistan to quit supporting Militant Islam and support us
instead
7.f. Influenced Libya in to abandoning its nuclear weapon program
7.g. Removed one of the Icons of Militant Islam, Saddam Hussein by defeating
his army and arresting him
7.h. Saddam when turned over to Iraqis was executed.
8. The U.S. and its allies have a good deal to be proud of. The
gauntlet was thrown by militant Islam and was picked up and responded to.
We have done much better than Militant Islam has done. They operated out of
prejudice and ignorance. They had a low opinion of our abilities and will
have learned (if they can somehow avoid reading Leftist analyses of these
matters) that things are not going well for them. And what shall we do now?
Shall we listen to the Leftist Chicken Littles who cry and tell us we must
surrender for we have been defeated when all the rest of the world including
our enemies can see that we have not? Or shall we somehow learn who it is
we're fighting, and how we must combat them? Oh some of us know, but too
many don't - or as in the case of the Leftists, won't.
Lawrence
_____
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Simon Ward
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 3:38 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Max Boot
Let's try it really slowly Lawrence, your attempt at unintelligence is just
too convincing.
1. It's not the fact of Saddam's death that's at issue, but the manner of
it.
2. It was carried out by the Shia militia.
3. His death was filmed in a similar manner to some of the Islamist
executions.
4. It took place with no attempt at judicial impartiality.
5. He was verbally taunted and insulted.
5. It took place during the Muslim Hajj.
6. It took place on the Sunni Eid (Thanks Judith).
7. The US military (responsible for guarding the once living Saddam) must
have given him over to his executors just as they subseqently received his
body from them.
8. The whole event can only incite further hatred between the Shia and
Sunni.
Now tell me it went perfectly.
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