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Date Posted: 10:53:44 02/27/03 Thu
Author: Patrick
Author Host/IP: el79-95.med.utah.edu / 155.100.79.95
Subject: The Paradox of Peace....

....or "What Happens When We Do Nothing"?

I originally posted this at the Politics section in the Fray. Penny for your thought? Here is a cut-and-paste replica:

Okay. First of all, I just want to say that I got most of this information from one of my friends who is highly opinionated on this subject. So, you tell me if it's accurate. I just want to see what you guys have to say about my particular spin. I'll let you know my two cents worthy at the end of a paragraph with "(mine)". So, here goes.

When we did nothing in World War II, the world was engulfed in the flames of war. It was only when we stepped in that the war flames began to die down. Now "peace activists" want us not to go to war with Iraq. Okay, "what-if" senario: What if Iraq is hiding "weapons of mass destruction" and what if Iraq has sponsered terrorism (as we have evidence for)? Should we pretend that it'll go away? Wake up people. The issue isn't "should we go to war". We are already at war - with terrorism! Sadaam Hussein terrorizes is own people for goodness sake. If we don't go to war what will happen? Will Iraq be able to finance more terror? And you'll think you'll live in peace? Look at the Revolutionary War. Why did we go to war with England? To live in peace. (mine)

Now, I don't mean to knock on any of the past U.S. presidents but my friend is highly opinionated. Hence, it'll seem like I'm knocking on past U.S. presidents, but its not really the topic. (mine)

Okay, so back in Carter's reign, Carter told or had the soldiers in the US embassy to replace their bullets with rubber bullets. The real bullets were a major deterrant. One Middle Eastern fell over the wall. Nothing happened. The U.S. soldiers didn't do much. Other's came down. Nothing happened! At least, the bullets weren't capable of causing real harm! It told the Middle Easterns to come on over. And storm the embassy they did. In fact, it esculated into a hostage situation for hundreds of days. Why? We did nothing.

Then we were gonna attempt a rescue mission. One problem. They couldn't fly in until good weather and Carter said not to go until he gave permission. Well, one night, they had good weather, but guess what? Carter was sleeping, and he gave a standing order not to be disturbed. Hence, the rescue mission did not have permission to go in. The next day, the weather got bad again, but Carter said to go. This, of course, botched the rescue mission attempt. Why were hostages taken? We did nothing.

Okay, so Clinton comes along. He cut military by major percentage points. He also cut air marshals by 50%, border partrol 60%, immigration by 50%, and there were even cuts in the FBI. Ben Laden even told them that he would attempt to bomb the World Trade Center at a particular time (lst attempt). Why did people die in the second bombing attempt? We did little if nothing.

When silver-back apes as the leader of a particular primate tribe (alpha male) get old, others may begin to challenge his supremacy. You know what tactic the ape uses? The challenger acts like he gets all pissed and stuff, but the alpha male just sits there and pretends like nothing happens, like the challenger is insignificant as to his position. The alpha male does this, or course, because he is really too old to win or retaliate effectively. Eventually, the challenger becomes more bold upon subsequent attempts until he becomes physical enough to overthrough the alpha male. Is the United States loosing it's position in the pecking order of nations or something? The analogy holds but it's not the same at all of course, but the similarities are there. (mine)

Maybe France and those other countries who wish to do nothing are just too old as nations to want to do anything? But let's not become too bogged down in the analogy or make it too literal. What happens when we do nothing? We tell other nations to come on over the metaphorical fence and begin to reek havoc. Then when something happens, like the destruction of the WTC towers, we wake up and figure we ought to do something before its too late, or before something else happens. (mine)

When we DO do something, let's also not do stupid "somethings". What is the message we send to the world when nations like North Korea have a nuclear weapons program and we give them food in hopes it'll go away? A free lunch? All some little nation has to do is make or come up with a nuclear weapons program, or even fake it, and the U.S. 'll give 'em free food. Maybe that would solve Ethiopia's problem? (mine)
:)

Sometimes for peace, should't war be an option? Is that a paradox? Your thoughts?

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