Posted on 09/18/2001 2:10:55 PM PDT by BamaG
Repeat after me: Osama bin Laden is a dead man.
The danger of the manic wave of emotion that the nation has been riding for the last week is that when it ebbs away, we may be particularly susceptible to the depressive voices of doubt and complication: We don't do mountains; we can't track down a "shadowy" network that has none of the traditional infrastructure of a state; we aren't ready for the casualties and time this war will entail.
Indeed, if you follow the logic of various pieces in the press over the last few days, the "nothing option" begins to seem the only reasonable alternative: We can't undertake any large-scale bombing in the Middle East because this would be counterproductive and immoral; we can't take out Saddam specifically because we supposedly already tried that once and it didn't work out; and, finally, even getting bin Laden will be difficult because of his elusiveness and the Afghani terrain.
You can just hear the pundit class talking itself out of any intensive military action. (Maureen Dowd will probably be back on the side of the Euro-appeasers before the month is out.)
All of this is "realism" as an excuse for lack of resolve — since the real hard work requires a moral and intellectual commitment many commentators won't be willing to undertake. It means welcoming the frank application of American military power, acknowledging the superiority of American civilization to the corrupt and backward political culture that has attacked it, and supporting unilateral American action when necessary.
This is what's difficult for that portion of the political elite that is wedded to cultural relativism and a low-grade anti-Americanism. The rest is relatively easy.
And telling ourselves as much is not simply a matter of maintaining patriotic ardor. A nation's attitude matters. What it tells itself about its capabilities has an important influence on what those capabilities will be.
For instance: Between the two world wars, the French were, in a sense, psychologically damaged. After the slaughter of the trenches, they so abhorred the idea of taking the offensive that they crouched behind the Maginot Line and were unwilling to deal Hitler an offensive blow — even when he was at his most vulnerable, during his remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936.
So, let's remember.
We breached the Atlantic wall in 1944: Osama bin Laden is a dead man.
We — thirty years ago! — put a man on the moon: Osama bin Laden is a dead man.
We vanquished Saddam's army in a 100-hour ground war: Osama bin Laden is a dead man.
It may take some time and dirty tactics and unsavory temporary alliances, but given our might, technology, and determination, it's inevitable — all four of his wives will be widowed. Osama bin Laden is a dead man.
Just war has two goals: to protect the people and punish the guilty. Eliminating bin Laden accommplishes at least one out of two, which isn't bad.
Again, the question: Do you have evidence the Twin Towers were destroyed?
But bin Laden isn't the only one who is a dead animal walking. So whether he's just one of the vermin or just a victim of his pretending to be a terrorist mastermind at war with the U.S. for the past five years, he's about to be terminally censored.
BUMP
And, to this end, we should be telling the pig farmers in this country to preserve a lot of pig bellies.
Body bags for the innocent, pig bellies for the terriorists.
As a propaganda piece, about two-days' worth of value.
As a substantive factor in preventing future Mass Murder?
ZERO.
I'd be happy to bet you any amount of money that they have in fact been destroyed. But I don't see how that proves bin Laden paid for the hijacker's flight school, etc. and\or ordered the act.
I'm not trying to argue his innocence; I merely hoped that my posting would elicit responces directing me to the best evidence available, as that can often be found here at FR. I'm still hopeful that I can find some good evidence by researching previously posted articles. I like to know what I'm talking about instead of just following the herd.
First of all, surrendering any evidence would compromise ongoing intelligence/covert operations. On that we all agree.
Common Sense tell us that the following two statements are true:
The Twin Towers are gone.
The demon known as Bin Laden is involved.
It is accepted even though most of us have never seen concrete evidence for either allegation.
(2) Carpet Kabul, and two other Afghan cities with Fuel/Air bombs.
(3) Carpet Baghdad and two other Saddam Hussein cities with Fuel/Air bombs.
(4) Get a good night's sleep.
If further terrorist attacks occur, decapitate two more Arabocracies, and get a good night's sleep. Continue as needed.
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