Bennett - Woolsley (Americans Against Terrorism) Led TEACH IN at UCLA - on CSPAN NOW

CSPAN ^ | April 7, 2003 | Self

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

James Woolsley, William Bennett and others leading "TEACH-IN" on Terrorism at UCLA - Tune In!

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Refreshing to find this on US Campus - especially in LaLaLand. Tune In.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Please ping others if you think this is worthy of their attention. Hitting the "scholarly" understanding (misunderstanding ususally) on US Campus - William Bennett, James Woolsey, others. So far, Woolsley speaking. Very good.

[LisaFab]

Thanks for the post - interesting.

[hoosiermama]

DO you suppose we could get them to come to IU?

[FairOpinion]

Thanks!

They are doing it as part of AVOT's mission.

http://www.avot.org

Americans for Victory Over Terrorism (AVOT)


Apparently this was on April 2nd, I am glad CSPAN is re-broadcasting it for all to see during the daytime (originally seems to have been schedules for Sat night)

From their site:

C-SPAN to air UCLA teach-in

Americans for Victory Over Terrorism (AVOT), a project of Empower America, hosted a very successful teach-in at UCLA on Wednesday, April 2, 2003. The teach-in featured a panel of experts who discussed the case for America's war against the Iraqi regime and the worldwide network of terrorism.

The AVOT teach-in is scheduled to air on C-SPAN on Saturday, April 5, between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. ET.

The panelists were:


William J. Bennett: Former Secretary of Education and Chairman of AVOT

James Woolsey: Former CIA Director and AVOT Senior Advisor

L. Paul Bremer: Former Ambassador-at-Large for Counter Terrorism an AVOT Senior Advisor

Seth Leibsohn: Executive Director of AVOT



More information on Americans for Victory Over Terrorism can be found at http://www.AVOT.org

---

[leadpenny]

Thanks. I was trying to watch the "In-Depth" on C-SPAN2 with Bernard Lewis. Woolsey is much more interesting.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Woolsey spent first moments telling about the Shi-ite Islamic fanatics in Iran who have been at war with us since the 1970's and the Fascist States (Iraq, Syria) modeled on Stalin and Hitler as being our chief enemies in the War on Terrorism.

Now he is talking about what needs to be done - to defeat the Terrorists (*nations and individuals and organizations) - We made it clear that those Wars were wars of freedom against Tyranny (WWII, and Cold War) - so we must do the same things now - convincing the decent Muslims - multiplied millions of them - (Mentioned Democracies in Indonesia, Bangladesh) that this war is for decency, peace, and freedom.

Middle East prsents substantial difficulties towards moving towards Democracies. (understatement of the century). Will not be easy. Just as the COLD WAR was not easy. As we move towards peace in the Middle East - we will make a lot of people very nervous. Saudi family, Mubarek regime in Egypt. Our response to them should be: GOOD. We want you nervous. Now for the 4th time in 100 years, this country and its allies are on the march and we are on the side of thos who you most fear. We are on the side of your own people.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

William Bennett up now. Yes, FairOpinion - thank you for that information about AVOT - Americans for Victory over Terrorism which Bennett helped form immediately after September 11th.

War will be a LONG struggle - many conflicts, many different theaters, but it is essential that we do this.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

William Bennett's book of about a year ago - said that America would be seen as much of a problem as the terrorists are seen. People dismissed it as bunk. Now we see this has taken place.

Bennett decided that in the spirit of free marketplace of ideas, AVOT, wanted to come to make this point of view, arguments, for something as critically important as this.

Bennett - says a lot of self-doubt in America - Immediately after 9-11, a Teach In was held at his Alma Mater - what did we do to provoke this!

Now - Germany doesn't like what we are doing, France doesn't like what we are doing, why are we doing it? Why should France and Germany be right and America be wrong?

Bennett - my field is ethics, philosophy. Now telling how he came to work for Reagan administration. One of 3 Professors of Humanity (chuckle) in America at the time Reagan was elected who voted for him.....so he got the job.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Bennett - I cannot understand this. The greatest moral outrage in London would be the US effort in Iraq? Explosion has been in the Western STreets, NY, Washington, San Francisco, Paris, London - explosion of anti-Americanism.

Why do these nations not like us? Bennett: I don't know but I do not suspect it is our fault. UN Resolutions authorize the use of force against Iraq if they continue to refuse to comply with former UN Resolutions. We took up this authorization since UN refused to act.

We look at this man, Saddam, we know he is developing WMD, and we know as well that Saddam has killed more Muslims in modern history THAN ANYONE IN HISTORY!!!! And people go to the streets to keep us from removing his murderous regime.

Woman who was against Iraq who came back and wrote the article about Iraqi's placed head first or feet first into a plastic shredding machine. She is no longer against the war. (Link here to this article - has been posted here).

[FairOpinion]

I am watching it, thanks. I think it's really great.

Bennett is speaking very calmly and really explains things very well, so hopefully, people, who have at least one tiny open window in their minds, can start to think.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Where is the left now? Not against Dictators, brutal regimes.

Bennett - I don't know the problem in the left's thinking. Unless it is this: Now there is one superpower. Perhaps now we just have to endure the fact that the entire world looks at us (not the entire world) with disdain - due to our success, our strengths, and we have done so much for so many for so long. It is not the fact of military force that makes us so impressive - though this fact can make the consequential difference (in this part of the world) that respects firmness, resolve, force. Don't think they believe we are the "weak horse" any longer. Heart and soul in this effort is to use our military force to achieve something other than dominance of the Middle East. Where in our founding documents is there justification for what we are doing in Iraq (was asked by leftist professor last night) - in the Declaration of Independence.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Yes, agreed. Yet some on the left react to him as we react to Hillary Clinton. Let's hope some of the young minds who do not have that baggage are listening. We can only hope.

[kristinn]

While I'm glad Bennet is doing this, he and his group are so late to the game they are playing catch-up. AVOT was formed one year ago, yet this is only the third such seminar they have held (all in the past few months.)

Bennett was wondering why there were so many people at the anti-war rallies in the West. It's because people like him in the conservative community take an 'Ivory Tower' approach to street activism and informing the general public.

The left was allowed to go virtually unchallenged in the streets (except by FReepers) for a year, thus emboldening them. As a result our troops went to Iraq with serious doubts about whether the American people supported them and their mission because they saw the huge anti-war demonstrations with hardly any public shows of support in response.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Bennett just told off one of the young skulls of mush.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Thanks, Kristinn for your comments. I totally agree. But at LEAST he is here now. Finally. It is about ....time. Would to God they would sit down with you and the DC Chapter of FR, for instance, and learn what it takes to counter the left "on our feet".

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

At least Woolsley is NOW equating the left's support for Saddam's Regime with the Chamberlain appeasement of Hitler. Saying, the reason such appeasement is popular is because it is EASY - do not have to make tough choices or difficult sacrifices. At the least - it is good for a US Campus to have this said on its premises and to be broadcast by CSPAN. It may be late being said - but at LEAST it is being said - NOW = finally.

[kristinn]

Well, their finally coming around. Citizens United is holding a rally in D.C. next Saturday.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Woosley is a Democrat. And is now taking the question: How different would AlGore be now on this War on Terrorism. He is saying Gore would not be substantially different. (GUFFAW). Saying Gore supported MX in 1983 and save the Missile program and the Pershings in Europe, supported 1991 Gulf War (ha! - at what price). Strong interest in Arms Control. But don't think he would think negotiation is way to deal with Saddam Hussein - Woosley - don't think Algore would be far.

Bennett - If Gore were President, would we see the same kinds of reaction at home that we are saying against President Bush. What this is about (demonstrations) is anti-Conservative, anti-Bush, anti-Republican is at heart of demonstrations. (understatement).

[kristinn]

Woolsey and Bennett are excellent speakers. They recognized the potential problems on the college campuses and set about to counter them. I just wish they had done more seminars and got rolling earlier.