Arguments for ground war - forget it

[Max Sawicky]

> > >So we should have gone to visit the homes of the dishwashers at
> > >Windows on the World killed on September 11, and told their wives,
> > >husbands, and children that "Because the United States is a rich and
> > >powerful country, it would be illegitimate to take any steps to
> > >force the Taliban to hand over those responsible for this atrocity,
> > >and illegitimate to take any steps to reduce Al-Qaeda's ability to
> > >commit a similar atrocity again?"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
jks:  Max, "any steps" is one thing. War is another. . . .
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

mbs:  those are Brad's words, but that aside, you are glossing
over the difference between law enforcement and national defense,
between crime-fighting and war.  I think stipulating norms of due process
etc. in a military situation defies practicality and is unreasonable on
that account.  I've said before that granting discretion to the big bad
State is clearly risky, but I see no alternative.  There is an obvious
problem here in the U.S. detentions because the Bushies have an incentive
to err on the side of caution, where caution is defined as the safety of
anyone they haven't rounded up.  Solutions that protect rights but also
speak to the need to catch residual terrorist cells in the U.S. are what's
needed, IMO.