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.
When you stop looking just your own bellybutton? You're the best???? Your leader is moron who hasn't even been abroad before became president, really seem to suit for you and your opinions!
There were a very few people of Middle Eastern descent cheering the carnage in the streets of New York City. Is that the sort of "free expression" that Harry Clowne The Traitor supports?
.... Sounds almost like Nazi Germany.
(broken record mode)
We do not live in Nazi Germany. If you think we do, perhaps you should move.
(end broken record mode)
You are really pathetic.
Harry Browne remains the titular head of the Libertarian Party. Plus, it seems many Libertarians agree with his statements.
"Thanks for admitting this. I wish more statist republicans would just come out and admit that they do not like the Constitution. It'd make debate much easier."
I support the Constitution. I disagree with using it to justify turning a blind eye towards evil.
"In WHICH fight? You mean in Serbia, Bosnia, Haiti, Somalia, South America?"
We cannot ignore evil just because it appears outside our borders.
"Good. Let them stand alone, and defend their own nations and their own regions. That is how it is supposed to be."
No, when others who oppose evil ask for our help we either provide that assistance or we become a part of that evil.
" Mass attacks on civilians are not, by definition, cowardly."
Another red herring.
"Do you feel the same way about the very hawkish columnist Charles Krauthammer as you do about Browne? He too has said it is a mistake to call these terrorists cowards."
Too many confuse willingness to die with heroism. Attacks directed exclusively towards terrorizing civilians are always cowardly especially when the terrorist has been conditioned to expect heavenly bliss as his reward.
"Ah yes, two of the favorite neocon epithets, and two favorites of the left, the hurling of which is supposed to herald victory. I see the right has learned well from leftist academics."
Do not complain about injecting epithets when you were the first to do so by referring to "fascists for Jesus". BTW, the term "fascist" is the favorite epithet of the left, not the right, so where does that place you on the political spectrum?
People are lining up to give up Freedom as we "speak". Fools that they are they cannot see past today. Here's the real rub; it won't stop terrorism.
Since our country became the "dump" for the rest of the world's trash and the meal ticket for many others people of all kinds are pouring in-and if they have skills and money? come on in! I'm not saying all these folks are bad (my company hires many, many folks from the middle east) but how do you seperate them? Now if there is a domestic reaction in the form of Contitutional Violations you can wager on domestic attacks against our government and how do you catch them?
We cannot sacrifice any Freedom in fact we must reclaim that which has been lost or bargained away. The people must take back control of this country. We must stop the intrusion into other countries.
... oh, AFTER we kill the offenders.
You're an a$$hole. Always were, always will be.
Woah, Dude! The initiation of force, man! You'd, like, be totally awesome and Constitutional, man, if you were to, like, teach that Federal pig a lesson in minding his own bidness! What? He was a local law enforcement officer??
Of course, in the stuportopia as envisioned by ideologues, if *I* don't happen to like heroin being sold at the corner warehouse next to the kiddie porn theater and the brothel next to the school, all protected by the Libertarian police, then *I'm* free to move elsewhere, and *I'm* supposed to feel sorry for your seat belt ticket? Try being a little more personally responsible, instead of a whiner.
I visited Texas a few months ago. I'm busy running a company so I won't be back in awhile. I wish I could move back, but my company will probably be run out of Atlanta. As for where I have been. I have been everywhere on this continent.
That, though, has nothing to do with Iraq's need to be a parking lot. Or al least the need for a bullet in Sadam and his son's head.
Can I ask you something? Do you enjoy allowing evil to thrive?
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