Posted on 09/12/2001 12:31:51 AM PDT by ouroboros
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
By Harry Browne
© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com
The terrorist attacks against America comprise a horrible tragedy. But they shouldn't be a surprise.
It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth – that during any war truth is forsaken for propaganda. But sanity was a prior casualty: it was the loss of sanity that led to war in the first place.
Our foreign policy has been insane for decades. It was only a matter of time until Americans would have to suffer personally for it. It is a terrible tragedy of life that the innocent so often have to suffer for the sins of the guilty.
When will we learn that we can't allow our politicians to bully the world without someone bullying back eventually?
President Bush has authorized continued bombing of innocent people in Iraq. President Clinton bombed innocent people in the Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Serbia. President Bush, senior, invaded Iraq and Panama. President Reagan bombed innocent people in Libya and invaded Grenada. And on and on it goes.
Did we think the people who lost their families and friends and property in all that destruction would love America for what happened?
When will we learn that violence always begets violence?
Teaching lessons
Supposedly, Reagan bombed Libya to teach Muammar al-Qaddafi a lesson about terrorism. But shortly thereafter a TWA plane was destroyed over Scotland, and our government is convinced it was Libyans who did it.
When will we learn that "teaching someone a lesson" never teaches anything but resentment – that it only inspires the recipient to greater acts of defiance.
How many times on Tuesday did we hear someone describe the terrorist attacks as "cowardly acts"? But as misguided and despicable as they were, they were anything but cowardly. The people who committed them knowingly gave their lives for whatever stupid beliefs they held.
But what about the American presidents who order bombings of innocent people – while the presidents remain completely insulated from any danger? What would you call their acts?
When will we learn that forsaking truth and reason in the heat of battle almost always assures that we will lose the battle?
Losing our last freedoms
And now, as sure as night follows day, we will be told we must give up more of our freedoms to avenge what never should have happened in the first place.
When will we learn that it makes no sense to give up our freedoms in the name of freedom?
What to do?
What should be done?
First of all, stop the hysteria. Stand back and ask how this could have happened. Ask how a prosperous country isolated by two oceans could have so embroiled itself in other people's business that someone would want to do us harm. Even sitting in the middle of Europe, Switzerland isn't beset by terrorist attacks, because the Swiss mind their own business.
Second, resolve that we won't let our leaders use this occasion to commit their own terrorist acts upon more innocent people, foreign and domestic, that will inspire more terrorist attacks in the future.
Third, find a way, with enforceable constitutional limits, to prevent our leaders from ever again provoking this kind of anger against America.
Patriotism?
There are those who will say this article is unpatriotic and un-American – that this is not a time to question our country or our leaders.
When will we learn that without freedom and sanity, there is no reason to be patriotic?
Harry Browne was the 2000 Libertarian presidential candidate. More of his articles can be read at HarryBrowne.org, and his books are available at HBBooks.com.
Americans will not sit by and allow Israel to go unaided against such terrorists as the Palestines. They have not, they do not, and they will not. Nothing you can do will ever change that.
Yeah dug, ole demi here probably sees William Bennett as worse than the people who murders thousands yesterday.
Ah, so in other words when a policeman stops you and meddles in your affairs by telling you to fasten your seat belt, you are free to murder him for instigating violence upon you? Now you understand why the libertarians are really just ideologue losers. Your fellow Christian-haters just murdered 20,000 Americans, and here's the L.P.'s lap-dogs trying to rationalize it and justify it. Let's see another of your fine graphics which call Christianity evil. Bin Laden would approve.
You forget (or are perhaps just pig ignorant and simply do not know)that they have tried and been anihilated. Oh and we provided the weapons so that Saddam could do it.
The Kurds have been virtually murdered out of existence by both Turkey and Iraq and our State department said that it wasn't really a matter of U.S. interests. Just like the genocide in Armenia wasn't our concern and the attempted genocide by the KLA against Serbs.
Or the mass murders of Chinese citizens, Soviet citizens. When you hormonally imbalanced warmongers claim concern for certain regions of the world, it is always with a view to what is "winnable." If it is a large country like the Soviet Union who has killed over twenty million of its own citizens, it's not worth it.
But if it's a small country where you know we'll prevail, you're all for it. That is the definition of cowardice.
Are you saying they weren't? Or are you defending Harold Browne?
Absurd. However, if he were to burn my children to death, you would suggest I appeal to congress to get laws passed or go to court. And if that fails tough shit because the majority of Americans were behind it.
All this terrorism...and big men making decisions for the little people...and who is it that gets killed? Not the big guys but the little people. The big guys just go right on making decisons that get the little people killed.
When will we ever learn?
William Bennet was the head of the Department of Education. And If I'm not mistaken he was a former Drug Czar.
Please explain what his relevance is to this situation.
Your own blind belief in the principles of jihad style politics is showing. Not a pretty picture anymore, as we see in the NYC rubble.
Freedom isn't a popularity contest. Please do try and study your constitution and recent history. People who wanted slavery abolished were in the minority at one time as well.
In your world, those who wanted to continue the practice were in the right because they were in the majority I suppose.
Although, frankly that wasn't the case in the U.S. The only thing that kept slavery from being abolished in 1776 was two votes. Two out of 13.
Finally, a person who realizes the obvious: while the libertarian philosophy has some great merits; the Libertarian Party LEADERS themselves are jokes.
"Bomb another country after they killed OUR people? Are you sure?? Even though it would involve SELF-DEFENSE (you know, the thing we always claim to support), it would also involve--gasp-- government! We've better check with Ayn Rand first..."
David Wright
Well, Mr. Jihad (How dare you keep that name now?), you obviously have the same mindset as the people who did this. You're evil. The only thing you care about is using this as an excuse to destroy freedom, because you're evil.
I notice you still have that stupid little Islam essay up on your site. You're disgusting on so many levels.
You do, of course, realize how President Johnson made his money???
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