Lee Harris: The Lesson of Fallujah

Tech Central Station ^ | April 2, 2004 | Lee Harris

[quidnunc]

The Bush administration has promised to respond to Fallujah. But how can a civilized nation such as our own respond to what had happened there this week? We cannot do to them what they did to us. They know that, and we now know it too. We cannot dismember bodies, and hang them from telephone lines. We cannot cheer and yell when men who have done nothing to hurt us are butchered like animals. We cannot do to them the things that they have done to us. We cannot pay them back in kind.

Yes, we can declare our intention to hunt down those responsible for such atrocities. We have announced that we are determined to bring the culprits to justice. But what does justice have to do with Fallujah? Where do any of our civilized ideas of justice fit into a world in which such things not only happen, but are celebrated?

I have only heard verbal reports about what happened. I have not been able to bring myself to look at the pictures of what was done there. I have to keep it at a distance from my consciousness, as I suspect many other Americans must do as well. But those who set out to reconstruct Iraq from the ground up need to stare at those ghastly images for as long as it takes for their message to sink in.

There are laws that govern the development of civilized life, just as there are laws that govern the natural order, and those in the Bush administration who supposed that democracy would spontaneously emerge from the overthrow of Saddam Hussein chose to ignore these laws because they did not fit in with their ideological illusion. Over and over again, we heard from the administration that all human beings are alike, and that we all want the same thing.

The American engineers whose bodies were torn apart did not want the same things as the mob that savaged them. They had come to Iraq to lend a helping hand, and perhaps to make a few bucks. They wished to do no one any harm. Like the brave American soldiers who have given up their lives in the defense of the Iraqi people, they expected to live out a full and rather ordinary life. They never imagined that their deaths would occasion dancing in the streets and delirious shouts of joy.

-snip-

[tessalu]

The USA Government does not know how to deal with savages, and that is a given. I think that our government would try to teach us the manners of the devil, if given the opportunity. My faith is small. I would really love to be wrong.

[expatguy]

"...You do the math: 100,000 Americans can't control a nation of 25 million Muslims through fear alone...[sic]

Not if these 100,000 Americans are expected to fight this war with one hand tied behind their back and blindfolded.

You are a defeatist like Harris in thinking that a uncivilized country like this can hold us hostage.

The problem is not that we are afraid to use our power. The problem is that our enemies know this and it emboldens them.

Osama Bin Laden and his followers believe America is a paper tiger. We need to remind not only them, but the world that we are a paper tiger with nuclear teeth.

[Tolik]

Lee Harris is asking hard questions here. I think this will stir quite a bit of emotions. He is an independent in his thoughts and this article will be attacked from all the sides.

This is that type of debate we desperately need and practically don't have as a nation, because the shrill allegations from the Left drown civil discussion and make many conservative reflectively defend the administration policy even when the hard questions must be asked.

Pile on!

 

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[mrustow]

Fallujah should spell the end of the neo-conservative fantasy that all human beings want the same things. It should awake the Bush administration from its dream that what the Arab street really needs is democracy. Fallujah represents the end of the road for that kind of thinking and that kind of talk. And if it doesn't, we are in serious trouble.

We're in serious trouble.

[Charlespg]

"But how can a civilized nation such as our own respond to what had happened there this week? We cannot do to them what they did to us."

Sorry but what a load of whinie crap

liberals and their ilk just refuse to understand that this is a war against Civilization that can only be won by the side thats willing to be the most ruthless ,not the most restrained or merciful Time to take a page from history and DAS REICH and talk to these creatures in a language THEY understand {not a fan of the SS but they are times the End justifys the means}

[Tolik]

How about this one:

Raze Fallujah
By Tammy Bruce
There was a reason why we bombed Dresden into oblivion

[Valin]

Fallujah should spell the end of the neo-conservative fantasy that all human beings want the same things.


Strawman Alert!

[Valin]

The only problem I see is ~ Who is the enemy?

Islamists - not who they say they are
by Daniel Pipes
Jerusalem Post
May 9, 2001

http://www.danielpipes.org/article/378

Those Moslems variously known as fundamentalists or Islamists often appear to outsiders to be the most authentic adherents of their faith. They refer constantly to God and conspicuously pray in public. Men sport full beards and women wear veils. They urge Moslem solidarity and demonstrate a suspicion of non-Moslems.

A closer look, however, finds that Islamists are hardly model Moslems.

[mrustow]

Thanks for the link. Excellent, feisty essay by Tammy. I think there's a middle ground, as suggested by some FReepers, and by the title itself: "Raze Fallujah." We don't have to do a Dresden. We could give them 72 hours to take what they can pack on mules, and get out. Then they will wander the Sunni Triangle, as an example to their brothers in bloodthirst.

[varon]

We need to overcome our own hangups about ethnicity, culture and "religion" and come to the realization that we are at war against Islam.

Right on target!

[TastyManatees]

Bump for congressmen advertising on site that expresses support for murder of Americans in Fallujah.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1110343/posts

[Tolik]

I'd support anything but let it slide.

[mrustow]

Have you seen this yet?

Fallujah Delenda Est

I never get so emotional about essays (not since perhaps January, 2002, anyways), but I just e-mailed this to a bunch of friends and blogger buddies. I think it's destined to become one of those e-mail/message board/fax/photocopier classics that eventually reaches tens of millions of readers around the world. The writer is new to me, but I intend on checking out his work, from now on.

[Capt. Tom]

We are trapped. Our enemy knows now that no matter what they do to us, we will not do it back to them. They know now that no matter what insult they offer us, or how deeply they violate us, that we can never bring ourselves to descend to their level of de-civilization.

How soon they forget. -Tom

Source: U.S. National Archives, Record Group 77, Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers, Manhattan Engineer District, TS Manhattan Project File '42 to '46, Folder 5B "(Directives, Memos, Etc. to and from C/S, S/W, etc.)."

The written order for the use of the atomic bomb against Japanese cities was drafted by General Groves. President Truman and Secretary of War Stimson approved the order at Potsdam.

The order made no mention of targetting military objectives or sparing civilians. The cities themselves were the targets. The order was also open-ended. "Additional bombs" could be dropped "as soon as made ready by the project staff."

[TOUGH STOUGH]

Re#37

I like it. The rest of your posts on this thread are excellent as well.

[lainde]

bump and thanks!

[Tolik]

Thank you very much. I'd hate to miss such great article.