Posted on 02/15/2003 6:56:37 PM PST by strela
You know, this is stupid.
As a country and as a people, the United States has invested a considerable amount of national and human capital in the last 20 years in a valiant attempt to corral the depredations of one little tinpot dictator. This mustachioed little man, not content with oppressing and torturing his own citizens, has tried on many occasions to subjugate his neighbors and generally terrorize the entire region.
Having admitted that Saddam Hussein is indeed a very very bad man who would get a bullet between the eyes (or a Black and Decker drill through his back teeth sans anesthesia) in a perfect world, I find myself asking, why do we bother? Pretty much the entire world is apparently willing to stand by and allow Saddam to murder and conquer his neighbors and oppress his citizens.
Millions of people all over the world got up off their butts on this beautiful Saturday to protest US policy in Iraq and demonize our President and our country. OK, I am prepared to play the devil's advocate and admit that they are right and that we are wrong, and that we should take no action whatever against Iraq (subject to the helpful suggestions below).
The Iraqis are required by the terms of UN Resolution 1441 to "prove" that they do NOT have WMD. How does somebody prove a negative? Logically, it is impossible to do. The fact that the Iraqis agreed in 1441 to do just that doesn't make it possible for them (or anybody for that matter) to do it.
Well, so be it. Let Danny Glover pay for the relief supplies that the Kuwaitis, Saudis, and the rest of the Middle East and Europe will need the next time that Saddam gets bored and decides to flip a few dirty bombs, biological weapons, and mustard gas artillery shells at the next country that pisses him off. Let Susan Sarandon foot the bill when the children of Japan are screaming in agony from flash burns and radiation poisoning from the third nuclear attack in the country's history, courtesy of North Korea. Let France and Germany and all the other little pisspot principalities who are throwing rocks at the US these days put out the world's fires for a change.
George W. Bush should announce the following to the nation tomorrow morning:
Effective immediately, the representative of the United States to the United Nations Security Council will demand an immediate, up-or-down vote in the UNSC within 72 hours authorizing the use of military force against the nation of Iraq for their violations of UN Resolution 1441. If the use of force is subsequently authorized by that body, then the military forces of the United States and all allied nations will carry out that mandate immediately. The nations of France and Germany will not be allowed to participate in the action in any way, and military or civilian personnel from either country caught providing aid and comfort to the government of Iraq during the action will be considered to be enemy spies and punished accordingly. The mission will be considered to be successful only if Saddam Hussein is killed or captured, with the appropriate DNA evidence.
If the use of force is not authorized or if the vote does not occur within 72 hours, the United States will immediately take the following actions:
1. The United States will resign from the United Nations and NATO within 15 days. All existing written and oral agreements and treaties between the United States and both bodies will be considered to be null and void.
Also effective immediately, diplomatic relations between the United States and the governments of France and Germany will be severed. With the exception of one charge d'affaires from each country to be permanently located in Washington DC, all French and German diplomatic personnel and their families will be deported immediately, and all American diplomatic personnel and their families will be recalled from those countries.
Also effective immediately, all available national resources will be dedicated to encouraging the exploration of and development of domestic oil supplies and hydrogen motor vehicle fuel technologies. Areas such as ANWR will be fast-tracked so that they begin to produce as soon as possible, and the National Petroleum Reserve will be tapped for civilian use if necessary.
1. Effective 30 calendar days from today, the headquarters building of the United Nations in New York City and any NATO facility on the US mainland or any US territory will be closed, and all foreign diplomatic and military personnel and their families still on US soil at the end of the 30-day period will be deported.
2. Effective 60 calendar days from today, all immigration to the United States from other countries will cease. All US citizens abroad who do not return to the United States at the end of the 60-day period will be required to surrender their US passport and citizenship.
3. Effective 180 calendar days from today, the United States will return all US military and civilian personnel from all overseas military bases not located on a protectorate or territory of the United States. Also, all US military bases in those countries will be closed and ownership returned to the host country, and those countries will be billed for the cost of the permanent structures and improvements to those facilities paid for by the United States. Failure to pay for those improvements within 30 days after this action is taken will result in an equal amount of that country's assets in the United States being immediately seized by the United States.
With no immigration and an effective ballistic missile shield installed domestically, the United States can simply let the rest of the world consume itself, as far as I am concerned. Blank 'em and the horse they rode in on.

BTW, excellent rant.
Like anybody else, Israeli citizens would have 60 days to immigrate here if they wished to. Otherwise, why should we assume any responsibility for another country's citizens? This incredible little nation defeated the combined might of the Arab world once; surely they could do it again.
Interesting reply. Essentially content-free and unburdened by rebuttal and/or facts, but interesting nonetheless.
(I wouldn't take the job on a bet - people get shot doing that sort of thing).
Uh....Would we be allowed out, or would people who try to leave be shot?
Great idea, but how about an exception for the UK and Australia?
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