Comments on: Fearful Asymmetry

By: Barry

Barry — Wed, 23 May 2007 18:56:41 +0000

I’ve heard a mention that it’s considered to be normal in the Poli Sci field that ‘enemies’ are rarely imputed to have positive motives or features. E.g., US Marines take casulaties, fight on when wounded – they are brave, patriotic, noble, etc. Enemy forces do the same – they don’t value human life we do, they don’t feel pain like we do.

By: Glen Whitman

Glen Whitman — Mon, 21 May 2007 21:18:54 +0000

I quoted most of this post on my blog, and now there’s a fairly vigorous debate going on. Maybe you’ll want to go defend yourself!

http://agoraphilia.blogspot.com/2007/05/blowback-for-thee-but-not-for-me.html

By: The Black Monk

The Black Monk — Sun, 20 May 2007 01:59:00 +0000

Speaking of Charlie Wilson’s War…

Aaron Sorkin (the man behind The West Wing (seasons 1-4), SportsNight, and A Few Good Men) has turned it into a screenplay. The movie should be out around Christmas. Keep that in mind if you’re a slow reader.

By: thoreau

thoreau — Sat, 19 May 2007 15:54:56 +0000

Damn good point, Julian. Damn good point.

Although if terrorists respond to Iraq the way that we responded to 9/11 they won’t attack the US. No, they’ll attack France instead.

By: Brautigan

Brautigan — Sat, 19 May 2007 13:26:36 +0000

And Poland! Don’t forget about Poland!

By: James Hogan

James Hogan — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:37:27 +0000

There are two books that I wish every American would read.

The first is “Charlie Wilson’s War”, written by George Crile. Mr Crile was a producer for CBS’ “60 Minutes”. It is about the exploits of a group of people, including the Texas congressman, Charlie Wilson, who thought it would be a very good idea to arm radical Islamists in a war against the Soviets in the 1970’s and beyond. This group included Zbiginew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter’s national security advisor, and most of the Reagan Administration. It would be truly an eye-opening experience for most people. This is where Osama bin Laden got his start. Zbig is said to have remarked that he wasn’t worried about a few “stirred up muslims.” To be sure there were a few of them (19) and they were stirred up. We called it 9/11.

The second is “Ghost Wars,” written by Steve Coll, a former associate editor of the Washington Post. This book describes several other clandestine wars fought surreptiously, ostensibly in the name of the United States.

The bottom line is that none of these wars have helped us in the least. In fact, they have helped make the US one of the most–if not THE most–despised countries in the world.

We desperately need to take another course.

By: Micha Ghertner

Micha Ghertner — Sat, 19 May 2007 06:05:44 +0000

Damn you and your William Blake references!

By: mattsteinglass

mattsteinglass — Sat, 19 May 2007 04:49:09 +0000

Also Britain. The upper lip thing. And don’t forget Gondor.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 19 May 2007 03:08:11 +0000

Well, to be fair, most American hawks would also allow Israel to respond to attacks in a resolute and determined way. So that’s two of us.