At 10:18 AM 10/1/01 -0500 Marvin Long, Jr. wrote
>>"The Taliban must be destroyed," I think. IIRC, it's a riff on "Carthago
>delenda est," or "Carthage must be destroyed." Which, considering what
>Rome did to Carthage, probably isn't the best of analogies since the
>historical prcedent involved laying waste to an entire nation--precisely
>what we claim we don't want to do.
Not surprisingly, I disagree.
First, I think that my post "The War of Love" adequately expressses my view
on this subject, as you indeed noted.
Secondly, as Julia noted, the fact that I have changed the motif from a
nation-state to that of an oppressive organization should immediately clue
the reader into the fact that Rome's eventual reaction to the nation-state
is not the historical allusion being cited here.
Rather, the allusion is to the complete unyielding single-mindedness in
pursuit of the defeat of a grave enemy.
Given the circumstances, I think that it is most appropriate. There can
be no freedom and there can be no victory until the blemish of the Taliban
is forever wiped clean from the slate of human civilization.
As much as it is possible for evil to exist on this Earth, the Taliban is it.
Taliban Delenda Est.
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
