The Old Oligarch has an excellent post summarizing his thoughts about the UN weapons inspections, the liberal fetish for international coalitions to fight wars, and the visceral impact 9/11 still has on the American mind. It really did change everything, but most Americans are pretending it hasn’t. Or maybe just the media are.
As for the UN weapons inspectors, his good point is that you have 88 guys searching a country the size of California. Just because they haven’t found a smoking gun yet doesn’t mean it isn’t there. The inspectors themselves are beginning to say as much themselves. Was it Hans Blix who said yesterday they’re only going to find conclusive evidence if they accidentally stumble on it, Saddam wants them to find it, or a defector comes forward to tell them about it?
Saddam hates America, makes no bones about his desire to kill Americans and using the largest possible weapon to do it, and gives aid and comfort to those who share his view. He’s got to go.
As a counterpoint to the anti-war protests, Old Oligarch highlighted a college event somewhere called Barbecue for a Free Iraq that was a counterpoint to a peacenik fast against war. I just love the idea. The people aren’t saying they’re for war, just for ousting Saddam and freeing the country from his overlordship.
While I’m straying all over the place, let me bring up Sheryl Crow’s appearance at the American Music Awards last night. She had a t-shirt on that said, “War is not the answer.” She also said later:
“I just think there’s a really vital, sweeping peace movement out there that’s not getting covered in the press, so I just kind of try to do my part,” she said backstage.
“I think war is based in greed and there are huge karmic retributions that will follow. I think war is never the answer to solving any problems. The best way to solve problems is to not have enemies.”
Has Sheryl been smoking too much pot? Of course, the best thing is not to have enemies, but that isn’t always up to us. Some people hate America just because we are what we are, and then won’t love us until we completely capitulate to their agenda. Is Sheryl willing to give up music and put on a burqa to satisy Osama bin Laden’s followers? If not, then she’s got some enemies.
As for the assertion that war doesn’t solve problems, she’s dead wrong. Hitler and the Nazis were bent on conquering the world and killing as many Jews as they could get their hands on. The correct answer to that was to gird up our loins, take up the sword, and beat them into non-existence. War was the answer then. It’s not always the answer to every problem and it shouldn’t be our first impulse, but there are times when it’s necessary.
