ANDREW SULLIVAN: We must shock them ... with a force not not yet seen in human history.

andrewsullivan.com ^ | 9/12/2001 08:07:15 PM | Andrew Sullivan (bless his li'l heart)

[SlickWillard]

We must shock them more than they have shocked us. We must do so with a force not yet seen in human history. Then we can begin to build a future of greater deterrence. I repeat: we are not responding to terrorism any more. We are at war. And war requires no restraint, simply massive and unanswerable force until the enemy is not simply defeated but unconditionally destroyed.

Emphasis mine.

[SlickWillard]

a force not yet seen in human history

Actually, that force has been seen twice in human history: at Hiroshima and at Nagasaki.

[Jim Noble]

Weather for Kabul:

Today, sunny and hot. Tomorrow, cloudy, with temperatures rising to 3000 degrees and winds from the west at 700 miles per hour.

[wastoute]

We should thank Bin Laden for what he has done for us. The next round of American election will feature candidates that want 90% of the vote, and those voters won't be begging for "restraint". Count on it. Bin Laden don't know American History very well. Good. He has united Americans like we haven't been united in 50 years. Good. No more Jesse Jackson hugging Khaddafi, no more Arafat at the White House, no more Maxine Waters shaking hands with Castro. WE HAVE REAL ENEMIES. Any "American" giving them comfort or aid is a TRAITOR.

[hobbes1]

Atta boy Jim. nice forecast.

[MizSterious]

You are right. I've been shocked (pleasantly so) to see democrats actually saying they're behind the President 100%. Last night, on Fox, some were kind of wavering, saying they didn't want to give the President "a blank check"--this morning Gephardt appeared on CBS this morning saying the President has everyone's support, even dem's. Amazing, and heartening. I feared for a time that there would be another war to fight--between the dems and the Republicans--to get the funding needed for whatever it is we have to do.

[BurkeanCyclist]

Hymn Before Action

by Rudyard Kipling

The earth is full of anger,
     The seas are dark with wrath,
The Nations in their harness
     Go up against our path:
Ere yet we loose the legions
     Ere yet we draw the blade,
Jehovah of the Thunders,
     Lord God of Battles, aid!

High lust and froward bearing,
     Proud heart, rebellious brow--
Deaf ear and soul uncaring,
     We seek Thy mercy now!
The sinner that forswore Thee,
     The fool that passed Thee by,
Our times are known before Thee--
     Lord, grant us strength to die!

For those who kneel beside us
     At altars not Thine own,
Who lack the lights that guide us,
     Lord, let their faith atone!
If wrong we did to call them,
     By honour bound they came;
Let not Thy Wrath befall them,
     But deal to us the blame.

From panic, pride, and terror
     Revenge that knows no rein--
Light haste and lawless error,
     Protect us yet again.
Cloke Thou our undeserving,
     Make firm the shuddering breath,
In silence and unswerving
     To taste Thy lesser death.

Ah, Mary pierced with sorrow,
     Remember, reach and save
The soul that comes to-morrow
     Before the God that gave!
Since each was born of woman,
     For each at utter need--
True comrade and true foeman--
     Madonna, intercede!

E'en now their vanguard gathers,
     E'en now we face the fray--
As Thou didst help our fathers,
     Help Thou our host to-day.
Fulfilled of signs and wonders,
     In life, in death made clear--
Jehovah of the Thunders,
     Lord God of Battles, hear!

[Strider]

We must shock them more than they have shocked us. We must do so with a force not yet seen in human history.

He's right.

The only way to prevent further attacks is to make the price they pay so vicious, violent and horrible that they won't want to pay the price again.

Nuke'm until they glow!

[Lancey Howard]

I was thinking on Tuesday that if we have some kind of space-based laser that can reach down and fry a base camp at the speed of light, now is the time to show it to the world.

[Search4Truth]

"Kill one suicide bomber and you create four more. Wright's argument is that our new enemies are "simply not susceptible to normal deterrence.""

Is this spontaneous procreation? Dead people don't do anything.

I see dead people.

[kjam22]

Gephardt actually said this morning there was "no air"... "no space" "no distance" between the democrat leadership and the president. That they would give him "whatever he asked for".

Truly historic times. We are going to war.

[Search4Truth]

"Gephardt actually said this morning there was "no air"... "no space" "no distance" between the democrat leadership and the president. That they would give him "whatever he asked for"."

I do not believe him or the likes of that Hillary bitch for a second. They have embraced evil and brought it home to America. Now these sociopaths are running for cover. The WTC massacre is a consequence of their actions. They have blood on their hands. This worthless slime are simply in fear of their political careers. For they are responsible for bringing this evil upon America.

The WTC tragedy is the Clinton's, Hillary's and Liberal Democrats legacy.

[backhoe]

Hillary! and Arafat's wife-

[BluH2o]

Gephardt actually said this morning there was "no air"... "no space" "no distance" between the democrat leadership and the president.

Heard the interview on GMA an hour or so ago. Diane Sawyer commented with incrudelity,
"You mean your prepared to give the President a blank check?" ... or words to that effect!
Earth to Diane ... we are at war ... shelve your liberal bias for the duration!

[workerbee]

Yeah... I'm pretty skeptical of how long all this comradarie on the Hill lasts myself. I keep waiting to hear Dickie G. or Puff Daschle talk about how "if not for the huge wasteful tax cut, we wouldn't have to pay for this out of SS" or something to that effect. It's awful, the cynicism the last few years have wrought. It's awful to believe (as I do) that even after a national tragedy like this, with all its ramifications, all Hitlery, Schumer & Co. are doing is shedding crocodile tears and calculating the ways to use it in their next campaign.

[Steven W.]

That is hilarious - now only if we can get the DumboCRAPS to wipe the blood from their hands and agree on what the meaning of "war" is ...

[WaterDragon]

#12...I totally agree with you

[Mr. Lucky]

Kill one suicide bomber and you create four more Good. I'm not sure having only one to kill would be an adequate revenge anyway.

[freedomson]

Good one!

[Kevin Curry]

Attacking Kabul would be symbolic and little else. We could bomb an abandoned gas station in the Mojave Desert and cause about as much physical damage.

This enemy thrives in isolated, scattered, diffuse pockets and are constantly moving to new locations. The only genuinely effective response in this particular instance would be to track down and eliminate or take Osama bin Laden.

BTW, it is refreshing to come across a Sullivan piece that doesn't include a gratuitous gallon of gay-activist whine.