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.
What nations are you referring to?
If the answer to that question is "Afghanistan," here's a follow-up: Who was more than happy to receive weapons and training from American entities when the Soviet Union was invading their country?
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.
That has a lot to do with the fact the "business" of the Swiss is laundering the world's rogues' dirty money.
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.
What particular terrorist attack by our leaders is Harry suggesting brought this one about? Does he know? Does he care to elaborate?
Harry...are you saying the US should "learn a lesson" from the terrorists that did this? That if the US lets Bin Laden or whoever slip away without retribution, he will call a moratorium on American targets?
Third, find a way, with enforceable constitutional limits, to prevent our leaders from ever again provoking this kind of anger against America.
Harry, Harry, Harry...what is it America can do to prevent "provoking anger" in people willing to fly planes into buildings?
Hey, Harry...what did the US do to the Japanese to "provoke their anger?"
One more over here, Harry...in your America, would you just count on other nations not wanting to conquer the world's richest, most influential, and most envied nation?
Those people are seriously memetically compromised.
Time for some serious disinfectant.
But I could be wrong.
Lets get to work on getting out of all our overseas meddling first thing (after we exterminate every scumbag arab that even KNEW somebody that had something to do with these attacks on our soil, of course!)
Yeah, great idea. Sounds like you'd be more at home with someone like bin Laden. Any other freedoms you'd like to give up along with speech in the wake of this horrific attack?
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. I can only conclude that Browne's piece really rang true to you on a very deep level. If not, why the animus?
We have had this coming for a very long time. Did America really think that we could bomb a few civilians in the middle east and end terrorism? Our campaign against Japan was effective because WE made Japan realize that we would completely and utterly destroy them.
By bombing an occasional site at a time over a long period of time we have managed to create a new generation of people who regard Americans as cowards! We wreak havok and destruction on a very small scale without ever getting our hands dirty. Don't you see how that would make us appear?
"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."
And let me guess, some of Clinton's pals are all lined up to sell us the bullets? We in the US are suckers, and we'll be fleeced bigtime over all this!
My thoughts exactly. The emasculation of American mail civilians is obvious and continues to this day in our government schools.
Any notion of the Libertarian Party ever occupying a prominent spot in American politics died along with thousands of innocents and freedom yesterday.
The implications of this attack cuts to the core of our belief in freedom...and still we stare into our peep holes from paradise...will the government embrace our hatred and anger, enjoin us, or simply continue to coddle us, and paternalistically assure us all is well.
I don't want to be "reassured" by Bush or any other government servant...I want to know where the nearest recruiting station is so I can join the hunt for these bastards...
Mr. Browne's article is crap. If you truely believe in Libertarian values, you can not justify terrorist acts on any basis. Nor do you use this time to advance your political agenda. And, you Sir, Mr. Ourobors, should be ashamed to have even thought of posting an article that blames the victims rather than the perpertrators.
Just look in the front of your phone book under Federal Govn't. Godspeed to you, son.
The anti-gunners said the same thing about concealed weapons permits, and nothing like it has even remotely happened! Get real!
Cut off their oil.
It is now proven that Cordell Hull and Franklin Roosevelt deliberately provoked the Japanese into the war. There is also strong indication that they knew about the attack in advance.
I'm not exactly with Mr. Browne here, but if we're too dumb to close our public schools and develop a body politic with sufficient brains to keep tabs on the corporate thugs raiding the planet behind the skirts of our military we do deserve what we get.
This is all about energy. Why don't we just admit it? Who profits by that oil-dependency? As far as I am concerned, the conversion of our economy from a progression toward nuclear back to oil sealed its fate.
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