[lit-ideas] Re: One Plus One equals Russia
- From: "Andy Amago" <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 12:31:24 -0400
> [Original Message]
> From: Eric <eyost1132@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 4/5/2006 10:18:26 AM
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: One Plus One equals Russia
>
> ck: In Eric's terms, though, the war is justified
> as retalitation for 9/11--"blood lust," or, to
> recall a familiar, stupid refrain from that time,
> "We've got to do SOMETHING!" No, we did not.
>
>
> Disagree. We did have to do something...years
> before 9/11. It didn't have to be Iraq.
>
> Retaliation doesn't merely mean punishment. Not
> merely blind brute punishment. Threat of
> retaliation serves as a coercive means to maintain
> order. Effective retaliation eliminates an enemy's
> potential for future attacks. That we didn't
> effectively counter Bin Laden much earlier...made
> the 9/11 attacks possible.
>
> But forget retaliation. If Clinton and Sandy
> Berger had even realized Bin Laden's significance
> in 1996, the Sudanese would have allowed us to
> extradite him. Again, we did have to do
> something...and our current situation derives from
> Clinton's prior failure to act combined with the
> Bushistas' various mistakes.
>
Clinton bombed OBL in Afghanistan. Missed him by 15 minutes and was
accused of distracting attention from Monica. Richard Clarke said Bush
stopped shaking the trees. I sometimes think if all these people who so
clamor for war went out and found a punching bag and punched it hard for 15
minutes, they'd suddenly stop clamoring for war and start doing what it
takes to effectively protect the country. But that's not going to happen.
For Paul, can you suggest what the world would look like if everyone
preemptively struck at those they think will hurt them?
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