[lbo-talk] Juan Cole Answers "The Questions of Christopher Hitchens"

[Brad DeLong]

>C. G. Estabrook wrote:
>
>
>I'm surprised to see someone of Cole's perspicacity on
>Iraq write, "My answer with regard to the aftermath of
>September 11 and defeating al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is,
>yes, I would have been willing to go fight and die
>myself to protect my country from another such
>attack."
>
>The Bush administration rejected the Afghan
>government's offer to discuss the extradition of Osama
>bin Laden; it wanted its war, against an essentially
>defenseless country.  It was hardly "protect[ing our]
>country from another such attack."

What was there to "discuss"? The Taliban's choice was between 
immediately arresting Osama bin Laden and his cohorts and turning 
them over to us, or war.

"Discussion" was neither necessary nor appropriate.

-- 

Yours,

Brad DeLong