Doug Henwood wrote:
> Nathan Newman wrote:
>
> >But at the moment, that isn't an alternative.
There is, as far as I know, no alternative to smallpox, and the elimination of smallpox did not bring about perfect health to humankind. I am still glad that smallpox was eliminated.
NATO is one of the tools of the Evil Empire. Inflicting a defeat on that tool will not eliminate the evil empire. Even defeating and neutralizing the evil empire will not bring peace on earth good will to all. It might however create some room for humanity to do its best -- or if not its best, somewhat better than now.
I have never seen a more irrational and incoherent question than that in the subject line of this thread. What is the alternative to arthritis? What is the alternative to heroin addiction? What is the alternative to the raging sinus headache which has plagued me for four weeks? When it disappears I will not immediately become wise. I will not immediately be freed from the ills of the body. Nevertheless I most devoutly hope it disappears soon and leaves no alternative except its absence behind. So with NATO.
There is a sort of logic to Nathan's question however. It expresses the very heart and soul of the liberal world view. Sneak one's conclusions into one's premises. State the question in such a way that any rational response is excluded by the very wording of the question, the very formulation of the premises. Without this hidden tautological argument based on falsehood no one of decency and rationality could remain a liberal for a moment.
Carrol