What are the other "lots of religions" aiming for world theocracy you claim? I can think of only Islamism? I see no major movements within Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, or others currently trying to dominate the world religiously. The last major movement for world domination was atheistic communism.
What should be done about political Islamism? I don't have all the answers, but it should at least be contained and opposed. In relation to Iran, Islamists should be prevented from having nuclear weapons. That was the trump card preventing the free world from annihilating the Soviets and ending communism early. Don't let the Islamists get such a capability. You see no problem in the tens of millions killed and trillions wasted on communism? Your association of "Christian elements" with "drug and consensual crime" laws is nonsensical. Almost all religions and cultures oppose drugs and personal vices. Islamic law punishes those a lot more severely. This is a nanny state mentality, not a religious one. I would say there's nothing inherently non-libertarian about military aggression. It depends entirely on the purpose of the aggression. If used to obtain or maintain liberty, then it is quite consistent with libertarianism. A cold war that allows death, destruction, and totalitarian control of people to proliferate is very non-libertarian. A hot war to stop or preempt it seems better for liberty. Again, think of the lives saved and liberty gained had the Soviets been eliminated before they had the bomb. From: ma ni Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 3:46 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [Libertarian] Stop the War FOR Terror Lots of religions "aim" for a world theocracy, and lots of their adherents (and texts) advocate similar methods. By "stopping", what exactly are you suggesting we do to them? Should we go to their lands and apply military aggression? Should we kill them or just convert them? Seriously: Is this "political Islamist movement" a credible threat to America? No. Aims are one thing, but means are another. I didn't even think communism turned out to be a really credible threat in hindsight. Sure theocratic ambitions are pretty unlibertarian, but not nearly as unlibertarian as the real physical force of unwarranted military aggression. And likewise, a cold war is not nearly as unlibertarian as an unjustified real one. I don't believe I have ever heard of initiating a real war in order to preempt a cold one; and I think there is something very wrong with that logic - let alone the ethic. IOW since when was military action defended on the grounds of preventing non-military action? Besides, if you want to use military force to fight theocracies and their aims, you better be deploying troops right here in American to fight all the Christian elements in our own govt; all drug and consensual crime laws to begin with. Lots of things are setbacks to liberty, but unjust military invasions are the worst. ------------------------- The "political Islamist movement" aims to have government run by the religious laws of Islam. In accordance with principles in the Koran and Hadiths, it is necessary to impose this on any and all people whenever practical. It can be achieved by violence or through the ballot box ("one man, one vote, once"). What is your point? Are you able to define the "Marxist movement" that screwed up the world for most of the 20th century? The initial Western reaction to that included much apathy and even admiration. It turned out to be very deadly and a huge setback for liberty. Political Islam has a similar potential for loss of life, liberty, and property. ----------------------------- Define "political Islamist movement". Do they have a website? ---------------------------- Deterrence was a Cold War policy. It led to the deaths of 50 - 100 million people worldwide during those years, as well as two generations of people living under totalitarian regimes. It cost the US $10 - 15 trillion to maintain its deterrent military force. It would have been better to take care of the Soviets in 1946, BEFORE they had nuclear weapons. If that were done, the world today would be richer, safer, and FREER. Stop the anti-libertarian political Islamist movement now, before we get another deadly cold war. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
