21st Century Piracy

WSJ ^ | 10-6-2001 | Paul Johnson

[white trash redneck]

The answer to terrorism? Colonialism.

The West has no alternative but to wage war against states that habitually aid terrorists. President Bush warns that the war may be long, but he has not, perhaps, yet grasped that this may entail long-term political obligations for America--and possibly its European allies as well. For the nearest historical parallel--the war against piracy in the 19th century--was an important element in the expansion of colonialism. It could be that a new form of colony, the Western-administered former terrorist state, is only just over the horizon.

[white trash redneck]

I can already hear the lefties and the yo-yo's from the UN howl about this. What a delicious thought - Paul Johnson and Ann Coulter have it exactly right. Turn all the terrorist states into colonies, and convert them to Christianity.

[Congressman Billybob]

This is only the third mention in the lamestream media of the exact historical parallel to the War on Terrorism. The first was a week ago in the London Observer. The second was three days ago in the IBD.

This third mention ignores the most salient point, that against the Barbary Pirates we declared war without naming a nation as the "enemy." Same situation here. We then pursued them wherever we found them. Same situation here.

As for the colonialism or "mandate" situation, the United States is not going back into that thicket. Some nations are too backward for institutions such as democracy and individual freedom, press freedom, etc., to survive, much less thrive.

But as long as whatever governments exist when this War is over, tremble in their boots, sandals, bare feet, whatever, over the thought of attacking the US, that will be sufficient for now.

See the second click link below for the FIRST discussion that appeared on the Internet "media" of the parallels between the Barbary Pirate War and the War on Terrorism.

Click here for Billybob's latest, "Bush is DEAD Wrong." The next, "The ONE Commandment," will be posted after al Qua'da and Taliban are gone, or in about 48 hours.

Click here and go to "ALCU Watch" for "The Law of War," a detailed legal discussion of how the US declares war, both historically and in this instance.

[Cicero]

One further point should be added to this excellent analysis. How do you pay for the pacification and administration of large parts of the world that seem incapable of justly governing themselves?

Since the end of the last colonial era, the answer was, the U.S. taxpayers paid for it, and maybe a few Swedes and Brits. But that answer simply won't work if we end up governing large territories and take on the job of bringing millions of impoverished people into the modern economic world.

The only practical answers is that these protectorates must be self-supporting. I.e., the taxes should be imposed on the protectorate states, not on hapless American wage-earners. This means, of course, a full return to colonial policies. But most people would rather be moderately taxed to pay for a just and stable government rather than heavily taxed to pay for corrupt dictators. So it is workable. But fifty years of anti-colonial discourse will have to be undone first.

[supercat]

Didn't Letters of Marque and Reprisal also enter into this?

[TheMole]

Two words, Senator. Oil taxes.

[white trash redneck]

I'd kinda like to see the UN pay for and administer it. ;-}

[KC_for_Freedom]

I can already hear the lefties and the yo-yo's from the UN howl about this. What a delicious thought - Paul Johnson and Ann Coulter have it exactly right. Turn all the terrorist states into colonies, and convert them to Christianity.

Yes, Ann Coulter is often ahead of her time.

[The Raven]

Countries that cannot live at peace with their neighbors and that wage covert war against the international community cannot expect total independence.

That's the answer

[SauronOfMordor]

I can already hear the lefties and the yo-yo's from the UN howl about this.

Hey, at least it's not as bad as what the Roman Empire did to deal with a certain annoying North African state called Carthage.

(For those who didn't study much history, the Romans finally got fed up with Carthage, sent an army which took the city, killed all the men, enslaved the women and children and dispersed them throughout the Empire, then leveled the city and spread salt on the ground so nothing would ever grow there again)

[Jim Noble]

Your link doesn't take me anywhere I can read your (I am sure) excellent analysis.

Whazzup?

[FreedomPoster]

Some nations are too backward for institutions such as democracy and individual freedom, press freedom, etc., to survive, much less thrive.

This is fundamental, and until we learn to not apply our system of government and mores of behavior to places not ready for it, we are doomed to failure. A prime example is South Africa, which is running rapidly down the path to internal implosion. The part of South Africa which could operate with the above freedoms was removed from power, and many were given the franchise who had no understanding whatsoever of the above concepts.

You can't hand a Republic to a mass of uneducated people and expect it to survive. Let's hope that isn't something that gets tried in the end game of The Terrorist War.