John Arquilla is professor of defense analysis at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.
Posted on 01/29/2006 9:15:24 AM PST by Pikamax
Osama bin Laden's offer of a truce has sunk from sight without leaving a ripple, but it should have made waves.
When the audiotaped proposal was made 10 days ago, the White House dismissed it out of hand. That was a politically logical move, given the need to appear tough on terror at all times. An image of strength and determination may be particularly important in the months ahead because Republican Party leaders have put security issues at the heart of their 2006 congressional election campaign strategy.
But there are reasons why bin Laden's overture should be carefully weighed and thoughtfully debated.
The moral imperative that should drive us is a sincere desire to end the long suffering of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Official figures suggest that 30,000 innocent noncombatants have been killed since March 2003 in Iraq alone. Many respected sources believe that this figure is grossly underestimated.
So if bin Laden were to call off his dogs of war, it would be a very good thing, saving lives by removing major elements in the insurgencies in both countries. Such al Qaeda withdrawals would sharply reduce the need for our forces to remain in these sad lands.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
-ccm
We should be grateful this idiot is not part of the Administration.
(Save this comment for the 2008 campaign.)
Sure, John, negotiate with terrorists...great idea. You go first. (These were the first people to generate hatred for anyone talking to the Iranians who could help free hostages.)
And if my aunt had any balls, she'd be my uncle.
John Boy voted for Kerry, right?
John Arquilla is professor of defense analysis at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.
This man, like so many educated people, fails to understand the nature of evil.
Or the concept of jihad - rightly or wrongly- as interpreted by wahabbism.
No sir, the moral imperative is to stand firm against and seek to destroy evil.
OBL is an evil man.
Seeking to make truce with evil is moral weakness and human fallacy.
Im surprised it took the appeasers this long to crawl out
Excuse me, Mr. Arquilla? Just how do we negotiate a peace deal with a dead terrorist? *Smirk*
Someone is off of their meds.
But I have no doubt the next democrat president will pick an idiot of like mind to be the next secretary of state.
We pretty much had a truce with him before 9/11. He'd attack us. We wouldn't respond.
He'd like that again.
John Arquilla is a fool.
Better yet, we should surrender and put our heads on the chopping block to be beheaded, as Islam requires of infidels who don't embrace the death cult.
Let's put another Clinton back in the White House to show how we prefer inaction to terrorism.
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