' only difference between crime and war is scale' - that's one way to express it, maybe .... probably takes something resembling a government on each side, as well, otherwise there is no opponent with definable territory
Another reason for terming al Qaeda style terrorism as crime and not war, is that by doing so you avoid giving the bin Ladens the right to speak for Islam ..... they do not legitimately have that right, no matter what they say about it, they don't have it until the great body of muslims agree and actively support them .... by honouring bL as 'warrior', you set him up as some kind of generalísimo with the power of spokesman for 1.3 billions people, something he hasn't earned, and won't, unless whackos among us get on this 'war' crusade
One of the smartest moves Dubya made, was right after 11.09.01 he went to that mosque, took off his shoes and showed respect for a faith not his own ..... he was looking for allies, and that's a better way to get them than his little slip of the lip with the term 'crusade' ..... police can have allies, i don't think you need a war for that? |
