-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: Note to the "ladder of force left" Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 18:07:10 -0500 From: Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com References: <B7FC0DE7.DAA8%jpsegal at rcn.com>
Jacob Segal wrote: [quoting Max]
> We would be fools not to accept the need
> > of the Gov to respond, not because that is what
> > everybody thinks, nor because it is easy to do, nor
> > because the Gov is an effective or legitimate instrument
> > for such purposes, but because it is the only way to
> > do what must be done.
> >
Max, my argument is that "what must be done" will not be done. All the actions you propose, even if the government followed your suggestions in detail, would _not_ achieve the desired ends.
I am not here saying anything whatever about whether the various proposals are good or bad, whether they are progressive or reactionary. I'm just saying that in strictly technical terms, THEY WILL NOT WORK.
My core prediction is that the U.S. will kill about 10,000 people in the short run, doom another million or so to death by disease and hunger in the medium or medium short run, and then they will (without ever damaging any terror network) declare a victory and call the whole thing off.
Carrol
> > mbs
> >
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Clearly even I did not see how destructive the u.s. efforts "to do what must be done" would be.
Query: Were those of us who did not "accept" the need of government to respond fools?
There will sooner or later be other terrorist attacks on the u.s.
No matter how terrible those attacks are; no matter how many they kill; leftists must oppose _any_ militry or CIA response outside the u.s. borders.
Carrol Cox