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.
How ironic. Considering the mess we're in right now is because of the actions of "your kind" ... the creation of Saddam and Usama by "your kind". Saddam was created by our military (through Security Assistance programs), and Usama was created by (a) the CIA training of the Shah's secret police, their subsequent use of these tactics to torture and murder the Ayatollah Khomeni's son, the dearth of rage and anger left by him upon his death, (b) the CIA's training of Usama, and (c) the ascension of Usama to fill the vacuum left by Khomeni.
Just be a man, and own up to your kind's mistakes.
But that won't be quite as much fun as blaming everyone else, putting on the big macho act like you're going to save the day now that everyone else got the situation FUBAR'd, and going in hot to rip off Afghani's skulls and crap down their throats.
Did you see the idiot Law Professor form Illinois at Urbana/Champagne opining all the thoughtful nuances about "law" and "liberty"?
Hmmm ... a law professor opining on the law. Seems fairly normal to me. Is what bothers you so greatly the fact that he's using exercising his right to free speech, or is it that he used words you couldn't understand?
He reminds me of "your kind". Soft, indecisive, weak and preoccupied with self.
ROTFLMAO. You're just a dumb shark. You smell blood in the water, and you're going for it. Never mind that its just chum, and there's a big fat hook waiting for you, along with a few shots from Quint's shotgun.
I have lived in brutal environments my dear and "your kind" are nice targets. This is war.
Well, thank goodness you have such a wonderful opportunity to satisfy that blood lust of yours. Sort of makes up for other shortcomings, eh?
All of you objectivists and Dubya bashers can shout your shrill hyperbole from every hilltop after this is over. Right now, no one is listening.
You can't stop listening, nor posting in.
Most of "your kind" is reacting thru their opinings on this forum exactly as I expected they would should a cataclysm ever happen as has unfortunately been the case.
One of the wonderful things I learned from the space program was something a couple of the astronauts said: that if they were in a catastrophe, and had only 10 seconds, they would think for 9 and act in 1.
Your derision of those who would rather think before this country acts, is only one more example of "your kind's" beastiality.
Considering you brainless meatheads over at the Pentagon and the CIA created the very monsters you're being called upon to destroy, I believe your straw draw here is quite fair.
I hope ya'll enjoy yourselves. Probably a good time for all of you to go light up some nice "fatty" and "contemplate" over what's really the best course of action from a purely objectivist perspective while the rest of us go about helping this effort however we can.
Sorry. Too busy trying to figure out how to keep this country from getting into future messes that "your kind" creates.
God bless all of you. I don't know how we could survive without ya'll.
You wouldn't survive. Your kind never makes peace.
Thanks for the sentiments. I can honestly say that I have never had to consider sending my son to war before. In all the dangers that I have sought to protect him from, war has never entered my mind, until now. To my mind, I can not call for a war, that I am not willing to send my own son to. I'm having difficulty with that idea, although I know it is the right thing to do. I am praying that God will give us all the strength to do what we must do.
Attempting a little biological warfare on your own, by infecting the country's blood supply?
We know you were busy spouting your sick screed.
You're blowing me over with all that charm. Tell us, Can'tWizzOn your ownJackson, what bothers you the most ... the fact that some of us use our 1st amendment rights, or that you can't understand all the big words we're using?
I guess we both had things to do yesterday that was important to us.
The ARC will be logging your name into their "Reject" donor database.
Moral-coward idiots on parade alert! How come you didn't denounce this idiot, OWK? Some "principle".
Well, thank goodness you have such a wonderful opportunity to satisfy that blood lust of yours. Sort of makes up for other shortcomings, eh?
Tell us, Can'tWizzOn your ownJackson
Well Mary dear, you certainly seem to have an obsession with manliness and male genitalia. Do you have an itch you can't cure.?..pity. Or perhaps you just suffer from old fashioned penis envy?
It's funny, most mommies I've heard opining have even more resolve and anger than I and are certainly not as encumbered by perpetual introspection and self derived morality like you are. I'm proud of them. Thank God they outnumber shrews such as yourself exponentially.
I'm retiring now from the Libertairian wolf puppy pack threads. You may have the last word.
You really oughtta see somebody about that "man problem" thing you have going on.
Having said that, I asked my former Colonel at Camp Pendleton to let me know what I can do to help when the time comes. I do hope they're planning to re-call retirees for the job.
David Wright
So, you're standard for measurement is how many idiots are attracted to some one-dimensional thinking?
No big surprise there.
and are certainly not as encumbered by perpetual introspection and self derived morality like you are.
Ah yes, don't let's get excited and look at ourselves for some responsibility in the situation in which we find ourselves. After all, the US is never responsible, n'est pas? We're just these great good guys with white hats? And why shouldn't the world just do what we say, eh?
I'm proud of them.
Given your expressed distaste for anyone who disagrees with you, I don't doubt you adore anyone who refuses to think for themselves, refuses to do a little historical research, and especially refuses to educate themselves on how bozos like yourself got us into this mess.
Thank God they outnumber shrews such as yourself exponentially.
Well, the Chinese outnumber all of us. Using your measuring stick, you think Communism is the right way, and that Christianity should be rejected in favor of Buddhism or Hinduism.
I'm retiring now from the Libertairian wolf puppy pack threads.
Good riddance. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
"Every great institution is the lengthened shadow of a single man. His character determines the character of the organization." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
That was repugnant and uncalled for. I was perfectly willing to sacrifice MY blood to keep the seas open for "cheap Middle Eastern oil".
Our "constitutional jurisidiction" to protect the American people extends as far beyond our borders as is necessary to accomplish that. I never cease to be amazed at those who prefer to fight our wars on our own territory rather than at a distance. And, these wars will come to our territory regardless of whether we offer support and assistance to our friends overseas or not. Evil will not stop at our borders. Those who would do evil to us will only let us wait our turn until they get around to us. If you think that isolationism is a solution to international terrorism, then you are sadly mistaken.
That said, you are to be commended for voluntering.
I thought you were bad before, but now it's obvious that you loath America. You sound like you're glad it happened, and I think I know why. You are.
Just go away.
Your fairly stupid comment that you said more in that post than Uriel had in the thread, you earlier comments about him, and Cultural Jihad's comment later about his "scattered" thought process reminded me of a study I heard about a while back which showed that incompetant people are not only perform poorly, they greatly overestimate how well they did. Apparently, the skills needed to do something well are the skills needed to tell how good you, or others, are at it. I was also reminded of a certain Scripture about light shining into darkness.
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