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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jill who wrote (283)	9/18/2001 9:20:13 PM
From: SirRealist	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

There is, no doubt, too much ignorance and too much arrogance, Jill. Complex problems and situations contribute to that for a significant portion of the country. As a result, those who cannot sort out the complexities retreat to their ignorance and resort to nationalistic responses (the flag & God bless America!) Which is true on both sides: nationalistic responses, with the conviction that it must be the other country's fault. I call it the balance of ignorance. Typically, however, this does not cause the more privileged nation to seek war, unless a clear act of major aggression occurs. We did not seek war because of the USS Cole bombing, the Somalia killings, the barracks carbomb in Lebanon, etc., probably because we acknowledged that the death toll was not too great and these are risks soldiers must encounter. We did respond to Iraq, because of a masterfully deceitful PR campaign that included reports of atrocities involving hospitalized babies. How can we expect Joe Average to overcome ignorance with such a propaganda campaign in the way? Still, I doubt very many are thrilled when collateral damage occurs. Victory over troops, on the other hand, does cause celebration. Certainly, Americans cannot begin to fathom what it's like to spend one's life under fire, as the Palestinians and Israelis have done. There is no midpoint in this balance. Yet what we experienced 9/11 was an act of aggression well beyond most measures of what deserves a military response. In any country. So in addition to nationalistic yayhoos, moderate and educated people are calling for war, and do so weighing our past record and current risks. I think moderate and educated people elsewhere recognize this to be rational and expect it. And if we keep most of our response confined to the extremist warriors, we'll get by without the universal rancor some fear. At least, I hope so. I think the call for war this time meets every standard of reasonableness that any civilization adheres to.