Posted on 09/12/2001 12:31:51 AM PDT by ouroboros
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
By Harry Browne
© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com
The terrorist attacks against America comprise a horrible tragedy. But they shouldn't be a surprise.
It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth – that during any war truth is forsaken for propaganda. But sanity was a prior casualty: it was the loss of sanity that led to war in the first place.
Our foreign policy has been insane for decades. It was only a matter of time until Americans would have to suffer personally for it. It is a terrible tragedy of life that the innocent so often have to suffer for the sins of the guilty.
When will we learn that we can't allow our politicians to bully the world without someone bullying back eventually?
President Bush has authorized continued bombing of innocent people in Iraq. President Clinton bombed innocent people in the Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Serbia. President Bush, senior, invaded Iraq and Panama. President Reagan bombed innocent people in Libya and invaded Grenada. And on and on it goes.
Did we think the people who lost their families and friends and property in all that destruction would love America for what happened?
When will we learn that violence always begets violence?
Teaching lessons
Supposedly, Reagan bombed Libya to teach Muammar al-Qaddafi a lesson about terrorism. But shortly thereafter a TWA plane was destroyed over Scotland, and our government is convinced it was Libyans who did it.
When will we learn that "teaching someone a lesson" never teaches anything but resentment – that it only inspires the recipient to greater acts of defiance.
How many times on Tuesday did we hear someone describe the terrorist attacks as "cowardly acts"? But as misguided and despicable as they were, they were anything but cowardly. The people who committed them knowingly gave their lives for whatever stupid beliefs they held.
But what about the American presidents who order bombings of innocent people – while the presidents remain completely insulated from any danger? What would you call their acts?
When will we learn that forsaking truth and reason in the heat of battle almost always assures that we will lose the battle?
Losing our last freedoms
And now, as sure as night follows day, we will be told we must give up more of our freedoms to avenge what never should have happened in the first place.
When will we learn that it makes no sense to give up our freedoms in the name of freedom?
What to do?
What should be done?
First of all, stop the hysteria. Stand back and ask how this could have happened. Ask how a prosperous country isolated by two oceans could have so embroiled itself in other people's business that someone would want to do us harm. Even sitting in the middle of Europe, Switzerland isn't beset by terrorist attacks, because the Swiss mind their own business.
Second, resolve that we won't let our leaders use this occasion to commit their own terrorist acts upon more innocent people, foreign and domestic, that will inspire more terrorist attacks in the future.
Third, find a way, with enforceable constitutional limits, to prevent our leaders from ever again provoking this kind of anger against America.
Patriotism?
There are those who will say this article is unpatriotic and un-American – that this is not a time to question our country or our leaders.
When will we learn that without freedom and sanity, there is no reason to be patriotic?
Harry Browne was the 2000 Libertarian presidential candidate. More of his articles can be read at HarryBrowne.org, and his books are available at HBBooks.com.
Foreign policy for idiot jocks, by idiot jocks for the public consumption of idiot jocks.
It's not going to change. They still are avoiding the issue.
TO THEM..The only time it's not acceptable to murder foriegn citizens without an act of war is when a Democrat does it.
Look at what the same suspects support here in the US... killing in the name of the WOD... gun control....
They worship government. Even if they maintain an (R) after their names. If government says that a bunch of people in Serbia must die, well... so be it... they must have done something... And don't let that pesky Constitution disturb us either...
While I have absolutely no problem with turning areas of the MidEast into a parking lot for what happened yesterday... The attitude of these idiots is sickening.
They won't even stop to think WHY... even though they've been told over and over and over...
If there were more Ruby Ridge and Waco crimes would there be more Timothy McVeigh crimes?
I am not willing to give up any Freedom or Liberty over this attack. My Freedom and Liberty is worth much more...
I've been waiting patiently to find an appropriate place to make the following response: There's 99.9% certainty that people will lose some of their freedom as a result of yesterday's terrorist crimes. Less freedom of travel on airlines. The list is long, but one is enough to make The Point. What would the U.S. policy in regards to military intervention on foreign lands have us lowly citizens believe? They have us believe that the government is there to help those "foreigners" maintain or attain freedom? We lowly citizens sacrificed some of our freedom. Did the foreigners get that freedom we gave up? A few did, most didn't. How much freedom is left to be sacrificed?
"I'm Arabic and Palestinian and I have just one thing to say," said Yasmeen Hindi, 19, a customer at Uptown Deli Grocery. "I feel bad, but Americans have to understand something: If we're going to get killed, they're going to get killed back. Stop supporting the Israelis."
Feel free to ignore it. It's only proof after all...
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b9f87046e33.htm
Does that mean your support of Harry is reason to attack you?
American's enemies were in the streets cheering yesterday while our citizens were dying. Seems like there are some cheer leaders here in this country as well.
Typical simple-minded paleo/libertoid foreign policy analysis.
Harry Browne and the rest of you libertoids just love the example of Switzerland and the Nazi's. Minding there own business, and everyone armed to boot.
So how do you explain the failure of the Nazis to invade Sweden during World War II? Sweden was a major source of iron ore to Germanany. Without Swedish iron ore, the German war machine would have ground to a halt.
And yet, somehow, the Germans never felt the need to invade Sweden either. Why? Because as long as the bullion kept coming, the Swedes were happy to send the ore.
Just like Switzerland. As long as the Nazis got what they wanted, it wasn't worth invading.
While the points about the perils of imperial foreign policy are correct and have been made many times, his article overall is impossible to defend.
Bears repeating. -- The posts above are among the few that bear rereading.
As usual, those that support jihads at FR, and in the US, are prattling their usual emotional nonsense. -- If anything shows the ultimate result of fanatical politics, yesterdays terrorism should.
- Zealots of every stripe never learn.
So, -- 'we the {rational} people', must find a way to work around them, constitutionally.
Vote pussy
Vote Libertarian..
Our existance is enough reason for those bullies to return. Fortifications and isolationism will not stop them. Nor will those things help those elsewhere who face the same enemies. We are in a war and we must join with others who also oppose this evil. We must fight it everywhere it exists. Appeasement never works and withdrawing from the world is appeasement.
It must really chap your @ss to realize that we have been asking for this course of action for YEARS.
I'm not a strict isolationists but even I can see that WE have done more to create this problem than any other nation on earth. Personal responsibility DEMANDS that we admit OUR ERRORS.
Explain what need there was to invade them. Have you been to Sweden? I have. Have you been to Finland? I have. Have you been to any air museums in Finland or Sweden. I suppose you can explain why the Majority of old flying ships there have swastika's painted on them.
The Nazi's wanted Switzerland badly. Hitler especially. Strategically, it's a gem in Europe. Hitler's generals convinced him that it would be insanity to try.
It is clear that the money was of no consequence in their decision. There was a tremendous treasure to be had but the price was too great.
This ridiculous excuse for a presidential candidate will be lucky to get 400 votes next election.
All of them will probably come from the sandbox section of Free Republic.
When can we expect to hear from your parents?
Bring a translator for your mother, I don't speak skank.
Harry Browne who speaks for the Libertarian Party. If you agree with his statement: "Second, resolve that we won't let our leaders use this occasion to commit their own terrorist acts upon more innocent people, foreign and domestic, that will inspire more terrorist attacks in the future.", then you do not agree with "bomb these people back into the Stone Age".
"You liars and hypocrites are interesting... nothing's wrong and no attack takes place, and you dismiss our righteous claim to a return to Constitutionalism as pointless or as a isolationists.."
Your "righteous" call for a return to "Constitutionalism" is pointless and isolationist. You cannot hide your head in the sand from the evil these people commit in the world. If we will not stand with good men everywhere in the world who oppose this evil then we are a part of that evil.
"Then the fruits of your philosophy are borne out, and you still blame us.."
Any one who does not stand up against evil deserves blame. Bringing our troops home only means that others will have to stand alone in this fight. Only cowards take that course.
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