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.
Denials, and refusing to take credit for the attacks IS cowardly.
Time to run Harry Browne out of town on the rails, all tarred and feathered in the traditional way we treat scoundrels, swindlers, smugglers, and sops.
Yes, there are.
INNOCENT? Far from it, the butchery in Iraq's invasion of its neighbors was shocking! From that point on we have bombed anti-aircraft installations that were placed to defy the agreements that Iraq signed to stop the war. It is called military targets, or in this liberals vocabulary, targeted assassinations. WHERE IS THE BARF ALERT?
This "enlightened" statement coming from someone named Jihad. Mr. Browne makes some good points, which nobody else is making because they're too busy calling for more violence and government intrusion.
The sanctimonious grave-dancing of you "principled" jerks is mind-numbing. Is there any tragedy that can keep you from beating your chests and clucking?
The public would never allow that to happen. But we could use more real men on these flights. Where were they while these monsters were cutting up the flight attendents?!
And I suppose it's not grave-dancing when American politicians tell the families of men, women and children killed in bombing attacks made by our government that they should blame their own leaders for their loved ones' deaths.
This is certainly a horrible, monstrous act. But I never cease to be amazed at the ability of the American people to completely miss the point in such situations.
This is the most moronic statement I've heard in a long time. This guy is a limp rag flapping in a moist breeze.
Seems now to be Browne is simply a soulmate of the late Neville Chamberlain. I've heard this policy analysis, from all the cowards. Say, Harry: Which unit did you serve in? Ever risked your own hide?
I'd say he's a notch below Clinton today. At least Clinton, Daschle, Gephart are able to call for us to properly return fire. Harry doesn't fire; he just quakes in his foxhole, decrying the wars of the ages, which inevitably occur in the REAL WORLD. A world Harry knows nothing about.
This is the most moronic statement I've heard in a long time. This guy is a limp rag flapping in a moist breeze.
And I always thought it was the cheese!
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