| Wednesday, February
12, 2003
It's raining -- like 4 inches last night -- and one of the joys
of puppyhood is that they can't figure out why their gods can't stop the
rain, and Sable doesn't know where she is supposed to do her business. Or
even where to sleep. The gutters are breaking, the yard is flooded, and
the rain keeps coming down...
Sable wants us to make it stop. Huskies talk. She sounds like Scooby
Doo. And she keeps looking at the rain and telling us about it. The UPS
keeps screaming. The lights keep blinking. Fun Fun Fun.
The tape: it declared war, and proclaimed Iraq and al Queda to be
allies. Saddam Hussein had time to denounce that. He hasn't.
He's not a nice man, but there are a lot of bad people in this world
who are not our business. Now he is letting our enemies proclaim policies
for him. That makes for a just war.
Were I him I'd be on the TV day and night saying "He don't speak
for me!"
More rain and lightning and screaming UPS and flickering lights.
Megapath iDSL still working. How long I don't know.
On the war:
Aquinas teaches that war is justified in self defense, or on behalf of
others in a moral cause. The war must be winnable and conducted by humane
means. On those latter grounds there have been few wars in history that
fit better: The US has the most humane means of reducing enemies to
military helplessness that any army ever had. And we can certainly win.
Moshe Dyan's remarks are clearly to the point here. Or Robert of
Normandy's for that matter.
Since this Republic is not a Christian Republic (although the Framers
seriously contemplated putting that phrase into the Constitution; after
all, seven of the States had Established Churches, all Christian, and the
other six were divided by denomination but nothing else): since this is
not a Christian Republic we are not bound to go right wrongs by breaking
things and killing people. God Wills It! is not a valid policy motivator
for the Senate and People of the United States.
We have and should have a foreign policy based on national interest,
and that's how I am treating this matter. I never had any intent of
defending Saddam Hussein on moral or ethical grounds.
I contend that Saddam Hussein is too stupid to be in charge of the
resources he has. Just now it's his business to convince the Senate and
People of the United States that he can be deterred, that he is no threat
to us, that the President is wrong in his assessment of him as a threat.
He knows or darned well should know that there are many here out for his
blood, and the only way his enemies can convince the Senate and People of
the United States that this is a just war is to show that he is a threat.
There are many ways he could act to try to convince us that he is not a
threat, and that the President and his neocon warhawk advisors are wrong.
Saddam has not chosen to do this: either because he is a threat and
wants to retain the means to be a threat; or he is so stupid as to believe
that appearing to be a threat when he is not is a good idea. Either
way, there comes a point at which enough is enough.
Now true: had I been in charge I would not have sent the power of the
Empire to the Persian Gulf. I would have adopted other policies more in
keeping with being a Republic. We did not do that, and we threatened war,
and prepared for war. We raised the stakes to the point that US
credibility is now part of the bet.
That gives Saddam Hussein a much harder task, and requires that he make
much greater effort to show that he isn't a threat and won't be one. If he
does not know that he is too stupid to live. If he does know that, and
isn't making those efforts, he is still too stupid to live, and dangerous
to boot.
He has had many chances. Even after the State of the Union he had a
chance. He steadfastly refuses to act in his own interest, he fires
missiles at our airplanes, he plays silly games of hide and go seek with
the UN and thinks that outwitting Inspector Blix is a good thing to do: he
has shown himself to be unclear on the concepts, and he has too many
resources at his disposal; and he doesn't understand that now is the time
to show the Senate and People of the United States that he is not and will
never be a threat.
His behavior toward his own people is enough reason for men of good
will to wish him removed, but, as I said, there are many in this world who
have done that including thousands of teachers in South Africa who think
it part of their rights to rape their high school students of both sexes.
We need no moral justification to hang Saddam Hussein: we can do it for
war crimes committed in the First Gulf War and never punished, if what we
want is a moral pretext.
It is now a matter of high policy. Sanity requires Saddam Hussein to
act and act quickly; he isn't doing it; if he's not smart enough to do
that, he's too dumb to be deterred.
A man too stupid to be deterred can't be in command of resources
capable of doing great damage to the people of the United States not to
mention the world economy.
As to France, it's a pity their Viking blood has got so thin.
Apparently the same problem afflicts the Russ...
Greg Cochran points out that the tape is likely a fake. As I said
earlier, I think so too: if Usama were alive and healthy he'd be front and
center with copies of US and Arab newspapers prominently in view. The
background might be sheets or drapes but he'd be there.
The fact that it's a still picture and voice means he's either
disfigured, disguised as a dwarf, or dead.
It's Saddam's reaction or lack thereof that I am more interested in.
Greg also says, wisely:
And your Imperial analogy is not good,
because we're not going to have the enthusiasm to keep pushing and pushing
and pushing this in the face of bad press, televised casualties, etc, especially
since there isn't going to be any payoff. On the contrary. Look the Roman
Republic - more exactly the Senate was far-sighted, had a coherent policy,
was determined, didn't care about casualties unless they approached the
level where they threatened the strength of the state. Their aggressions
made money - ours won't because our military is too damn expensive. None
of those conditions apply today.
And alas, that may be correct. We may end up as neither Republic
nor competent Empire. Just Empire and not well managed at that.
But just now, Republic or Empire, we can't afford to look as if we can
be bluffed by an idiot who doesn't even understand the game.
On an entirely different subject:
Dell Dude Reportedly Wearing Kilt, Tuxedo
Jacket When Busted
http://www.wnbc.com/money/1968152/detail.html
Dude you're gettin' a cell. In the Tombs. With a kilt.
Well, it is now clear: you hire a Husky to be sure you get a lot of
exercise, and get it EVERY DAY; and they take that seriously from 4 months
on, and just because it is raining in sheets and buckets is no excuse for
putting it off.
Roberta came upstairs a couple of hours ago. "She is guilty of
every possible offense." That included getting a half dozen eggs off
the counter and eating them leaving the shells all over the kitchen floor;
shredding newspapers; messing in front of the door and in the bathroom
since it's clearly flooded in her usual areas in the yard; running through
the house like a maniac; talking incessantly including actual barking;
etc.
So first lull in the rain we went for a walk, me in a rain jacket,
boots, and a Swedish Army umbrella which is the best one I have. Sable
wore her fur coat. And loved every minute of it including when it started
coming down in sheets and buckets. Drying her off was a bit of a chore but
she's now happily asleep under the dinette table, satisfied that she's
done her job for the day.
If you want to be sure to get your exercise, get a Husky puppy.
They're intelligent, and while not obedient, they are cooperative -- and
they know what job they have been hired to do.
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