> 1. We hear that our nation must exercise military action against the
> Taliban because of the evil nature of the Taliban. If this is so, why
> was there no talk of war against the Taliban on September 10th or any
> day prior?
Because we were blind? We probably should have gone to war earlier, just as
we should have opened our eyes to Hitler earlier than we did.
> 2. If we take military action against the Taliban because we think it
> is an evil, oppressive, regime, is this nation then not taking an action
> that says that we are the judge of all other nations? Why then couldn't
> another nation go to war against us because they think that our
> government is evil and oppressive?
I'm not at all uncomfortable judging the Taliban as an evil, oppresive
regime. World opinion is overwhelmingly on our side on this one. Yes,
another nation COULD go to war against us because they think our government
is evil. Looks like one already has, on September 11.
> 3. Should we take military action against the Taliban because of our
> opinion of its government and its values, then innocent people will be
> killed. That is the reality of war. How then does that differ from
> someone killing innocent people in our country because of their opinion
> of our government and its values?
Because their "values" in this case are evil and profoundly dangerous.
> 4. A reason cited often about the evil of the Taliban is their
> treatment of women. I agree that their treatment is horrible -
> according to our understandings. Do we possess universal truth and
> stand ready to wage war against those whose values differ from ours?
Are you suggesting that the Taliban's treatment of women stems from Islamic
values and that we Westerners should not judge them for it? That would be
seriously disrespectful to Islam. I believe that the Taliban's "values" are
unique to itself, and deserve harsh judgment. If it makes anyone feel
better, it's not "just women" they are brutalizing but all political
opponents.
Nazi "values" included the precept that Jews were vermin to be exterminated.
I am comfortable proclaiming a "universal truth" that Naziism is evil. Same
with the Taliban. Evil, or mad, as some other poster said.
> 5. If we deplore the treatment of women under the Taliban, how will war
> with Afghanistan be good for the women of Afghanistan? Women and
> children will be killed in our taking military action against the
> Taliban. Will their deaths improve their lives?
Quite possibly!!! Death is not the worst that can happen to a person. I
guess I'm thinking of the European Jews again. Would they have been willing
to die as "collateral damage" in Allied attacks, if those attacks helped
defeat Hitler and thus save future generations of Jews? I've never had that
discussion with any of my older Jewish relatives, but I can imagine them
being willing to die. I can't imagine any of them being a pacifist!
The arguments that the criminal justice model should prevail over the
military model are tempting, but I don't think realistic. We need both
strategies. Rules of evidence do not apply to a military attack, but all
those clamoring for proof don't seem willing to lend any credence at all to
our national leaders who tell us they are preparing to lay out the proof, at
the UN. Are you willing to accuse them of being liars, before you hear the
evidence they say they have accumulated? Doesn't that mean you are
prejudging them?
> 8. We strike at Afghanistan because we victims of terrorism. In large
> parts of the world, we will be seen as the evil actor and aggressor for
> the overkill of our response, and for terror or war that we will inflict
> as a natural consequence of war. Thus there will be those who will seek
> vengeance on us through acts of terrorism against us.
This is the ONLY argument I find compelling in this debate. I'm in favor of
whatever action protects us, and I do worry that war will not do so. But
I'm not sure what will. But leaving the terror network that committed this
atrocity intact would be the most dangerous option of all, so I come out on
the side of going after that network, by any means necessary.
-----------------------------------
Deb Messling =^..^=
-----------------------------------
