At 12:48 AM 9/15/01 -0400 Erik Reuter wrote:
>I have mixed feelings about this. The US has a history of aiding
>fascists against communists, and the result has been a lot of suffering
>for many innocent people.
Failing to oppose communists would also have had the result of a lot of
suffering for many innocent people.
Having mixed feelings about this, however, *is* a good thing. I think we
all have mixed feelings about this. Nevertheless, I think we ultimately
need to recognize that we need to try to make the best decisions that we
can in opposing powerful evil forces.
>This is a gross simplification, but I think the point is clear: there
>is a difficult judgement call in trying to decide how evil is the evil
>regime you are supporting.
That's true. For example, deciding to support the USSR against Nazi
Germany was a tough choice - and even though Stalin's regime was perhaps
the most evil that this planet has ever scene, I still believe that it was
the right decision.
>I think the US has done a poor job of choosing the groups they support.
>I am sure the US could do better. It would be impractical for the US to
>wait for perfect people to support, but the standard DOES need to be
>raised significantly above what it has been in the past. "Not communist"
>or "not Muslim" is an insufficient judgement standard.
Sometimes there are no good choices. For example, if we want to oppose
Iraq, the nearest nation that meets American standards of "goodness" is
probably Italy. That's just not going to cut it. We *need* nations
like Israel, and Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, and Egypt if we are
to successfully oppose Iraq - flaws and all.
The US, after all, has done many a nasty thing in its past. Think of the
Trail of Tears, Slavery, Internment, My Lai (sp?), etc. We can't be
demanding perfection of our allies. Instead we must enlit support against
our greatest enemies wherever we can find it.
>> It is also a rational response to a world in which the bad guys
>> outnumber the good guys.
>
>Do the bad outnumber the good? I hadn't thought so.
Depends how high a standard of "good" you want to hold. I can find
significant criticisms of most every nation that is not a member of NATO,
ANZUS, Japan, South Korea, or the OAS. Then again the United States, has
both the death penalty and abortion. Many people might well classify the
US as "bad." So, if we're all bad - how can we criticize another nation?
Sometimes, you can agonize too hard over imperfections - especially if it
paralyzes you from rising up to oppose the true evils in the world.
JDG
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"Freedom itself was attacked today, and Freedom will be Defended."
-U.S. President George W. Bush, 09/11/01
