[extropy-chat] Re: Nam

The Avantguardian avantguardian2020 at yahoo.com
Sun Jul 10 09:44:16 UTC 2005



--- Dirk Bruere <dirk at neopax.com> wrote:

> Well, let me make the point more forcefully.
> The US lost not because of any military defeat but
> because of those 
> "gestures and statements", made not by the
> Vietnamese, or even US 
> tourists in Vietnam but by people in the US and
> around the world.
> 
> The Iraqi resistance knows that the US  does not
> have the will to fight 
> for twelve years, most especially because popular
> support for the war is 
> collapsing. And I make a point of criticising the
> war, and the bogus 
> reasons for it, at every oportunity thereby helping
> that process along.

      Interestingly enough, I agree with you Dirk in
that public sentiment/opinion (most importantly
American public opinion) is the kryptonite of the
American soldier. When they are inspired by a cause
that we believe in, they are capable of homeric deeds.
But when they no longer believe they are fighting for
the people and things they love, they can be routed by
barefoot guys with bows and arrows. 
     That being said, I still think U.S. withdrawal
without replacement by U.N. peacekeepers, would be a
huge tragic mistake. All economic self-interest of the
U.S. aside (and we would lose big) we would be
knowingly allowing a four way civil war that will at
best result in a return of the Baathists to their
murderous splendour and at worst the creation of three
more fractious states that will further destabilize
the Middle East. And you will have more countries for
terrorists to hide in while they plan their next
London bombing. Sooner or later they may get a nuke.
     If your "gestures and statements" campaign
succeeds, one of two possible outcomes will result
depending entirely on your motive. If your motive was
to deal a punitive economic blow to the U.S. for
invading a country that was formerly on EVERYBODY's
shit list then you will have succeeded. If your motive
was to save lives, whether they were those of the
Iraqis, Americans, or even your own fellow Brits, you
will have failed. I would not presume to guess your
motives.


The Avantguardian 
is 
Stuart LaForge
alt email: stuart"AT"ucla.edu

"The surest sign of intelligent life in the universe is that they haven't attempted to contact us." 
-Bill Watterson


		
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