A Different Perspective
I watched some of the coverage this morning after I got home from work. I've read a lot of the blogs covering the coverage, including those that say we're carrying on too much about it. Apparently some folks see this as a healing catharsis, a way of gaining a little closure and moving on, while others see it as picking at a scab, rather than letting it heal. I see it a little bit differently. I see a people standing together, mourning our dead, saluting our heroes, and saying to the world "NEVER AGAIN!" We are commemorating an event that, God willing, will remain unique in American History. We remind ourselves that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, and complacency leads to tragedy. We remind ourselves that Evil does exist in the world, and it can't be appeased or ignored. There are people who are opposed to our very existence, and will use any means at their disposal to hurt us. The history of man is a bloody tangle of war and destruction, and the last few decades of relative peace and stability is the exception, rather than the rule. We forgot that for awhile, getting lost in a morass of moral relativism and wishful thinking. We said to the world, "Can't we all just get along?"
The answer was,"No."
I remember that the nuns at school used to teach us that fighting never solved anything. Tell that to the slaves freed during the War Betwee the States. Or to the American Indians. Or to the Carthaginians, if you can find any. The use of force has solved every major question throughout history. We pretend to be civilized now, and tell ourselves that we solve our problems with diplomacy rather than armies, but diplomacy doesn't mean a tinker's damn without the army to back it up. Just as an example, let's look at Iraq. They have violated the agreements which ended the Gulf War, and have faced no repercussions from the international community or the UN. Hussein knows that the UN will not act, and therefore he ignores their 'diplomacy.' He makes the right noises, but does nothing. The only diplomacy a rogue will accept comes at the end of a rifle barrel, and only if he thinks you have the will to pull the trigger.
Of course, the nuns also told us that it takes two to make a fight. Wrong again, Sister. Or partially right, at best. It's true that you need two sides to make a fight, but if one side refuses to fight, that doesn't eliminate the fight; it just makes it a lot shorter, and grants the aggressor an easy victory. Look at WWII. Had the Allies not fought back, would the world be a better place now?
Bottom line is there comes a time when war is necessary. Now is such a time. We can wait longer, let our enemies grow stronger, let them hit us again, let them strike at our citizens, our families, our children, but why? Hussein has declared war on the US, and never rescinded that declaration. We have evidence that he is seeking the capability to inflict great harm to our nation. Do we have to wait until another 3000 people die before we act?
I don't think so. You don't let a rabid dog bite your kids before putting him down.
Posted by Rich at September 12, 2002 2:33 AM