[CLUE-Talk] Sure its 'Not About Oil' was: Why Iraq? Why now?

[Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier]

On Tue, 4 Feb 2003, Alex Young wrote:

*snip*

> I can't speak for Jeffery, but I'll bite.     I, like many others, have problems with any war.
> The "Hitler Problem" is often used as a reason that pacifism can't be logical.    There are many reasons why this argument is weak, but I'll stick with the one that I best identify with.

I'd like to hear some other reasons. I think the "Hitler Problem" is
exactly why pacifism is a untenable philosophy.

> The fact that Hitler was able to take power was primarily a result of the economic unrest in Western Europe following World War I.     Had we not participated in WWI, I believe that Hitler would not have risen to power, and, on the whole, the world would be a better place today.

This is a non-answer. It's "well, if Hitler didn't exist, then pacifism
would work." Sorry, try again. If a threat like Hitler exists, can you
justify being passive? Yes or no? Arguing that if people had practiced
pacifism in WWI, and then by extension the war before that and the war
before that and... that's not dealing with reality.

The fact is that pacifism is simply an untenable philosophy unless
everyone practices it. Since that's unlikely, you need to decide if
there are reasons that justify fighting or going to war.

I say there are. The situation in Iraq isn't one of them, but that
doesn't mean they don't exist.

> I grew up in Western Montana.   I mention this because it lead me to a familiarization with Jeannette Rankin, the first woman congressperson, and the only member of congress to vote against both world war one and two the only member of congress to vote against world war one, stating "I can not vote for war".      Another memorable quote is "You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake"

Apparently, Rankin didn't read much history. Yes, you can win a war. It
might not be pretty, but the philosophy that "all war is always bad"
ignores the greater evil of allowing people like Hitler to stay in
power.

> Whether or not you believe that Iraq has the power or the intent to cause damage to the US, I believe the only reasonable course of action is to make every attempt to peacefully resolve the conflict.     Peaceful nations have (at least recently,) historically existed longer than the war-making states.    It is in our best interest to be cautious in our international affairs.

I certainly agree that it's in our best interest to be cautious...
that's kind of a no-brainer. I don't believe that we should be gearing
up for war with Iraq, but that doesn't mean that there is never a case
for going to war. This just isn't it.

Zonker
--
Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier
http://www.dissociatedpress.net/