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Posted November 10, 2001
Hubris
With this Afghanistan affair I would like to dig deeper and analyse the American psyche about war. I would like to ask John Galvin and other people that think like him why only a minority of Americans and the majority of the world's population think like him. Is it a lack of education that [causes] most Americans [to] think the world centres around them? Has the American educational system contributed to it? Why do they think other people are inferior? Why do they think that other people can not see through their propaganda? Do they think that people believe their side of the story about what they did in Latin America or that these people have forgotten? I would like someone to address these questions because it is fundamental to the future existence of the US.
~ Mike H.
John Galvin replies:
Thanks for your excellent questions. I wish I had the answers. Honestly, I've been shocked by the mindless bloodlust that I've witnessed since September 11th. That was a tragedy, but why have we been so bound and determined to compound the tragedy? Until someone posted one of my previous articles, I had never been to FreeRepublic.com, but I assumed that I would agree with most of the people there. Instead I've been horrified at the sub-literate hatred that is the only form of communication. So far I haven't seen anything that rises to the level of semi-intelligent discourse. If any poster is not 100% gung-ho for incinerating towel-heads, there is an immediate shark-attack feeding frenzy. Today they were positively gleeful at the prospect of leveling Afghanistan with unlimited BLU-82's. The only contrary voice among 200 posts had his message deleted by the moderator.
As to why America is like that, the only answer I can give is what I touched on in the last paragraph of my article ["The Lessons of Vietnam," November 6]. We believe we are invincible. We believe we are the ultimate culmination of history. We believe that "we are good and they are evil." Even after Sept. 11, we believe we cannot be reached by destruction. It is hubris pure and simple.
Dumbfounded Eyes
Y'all are a welcomed sight for dumbfounded eyes. Keep up the great work!
Enabling
The Supreme Court can overrule our "democratic" vote, but no one can force us to participate in the enabling of the corporations that are currently wreaking havoc throughout the world – from corporate food to the military/industrial complex. Buy less and buy local.
Your website is a lifeline.
The Government Drum
I
have only recently
discovered your
site, and I have
really found it
enlightening.
I started a
weblog about
a month ago, and
have frequently
linked to articles
I found on Antiwar.com
(with attribution,
of course!).
Thanks for a great
resource for those
not marching to
the beat of the
government drum.
~ Greg Carter
Responsibility
Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) on the innocence of those killed in the Sept. 11th attack:
"I speak, now, directly and bluntly. The people of every nation bear some responsibility for those who govern it. That is obviously true in a democratic society, where governments rule with the consent of the governed. ... The innocent American people who regrettably now lose their lives, as the people of all nations, bear some responsibility for those who govern them – by the ballot box wherever it is possible, by force of arms where it is necessary, or by whatever means that might be required to free themselves, or to ensure that their governments are either not engaged in actions against other people or harbor those who would harm other people. Responsibility rests on all of us who are citizens of nations."
The above is a direct quote from a speech delivered by Senator Torricelli in the U. S. Senate on November 2nd, if you substitute "Afghan" for "American."
Bulging Bureaucracy
Most readers of Antiwar.com are already skeptical, or even cynical, of the U.S. government. However, being a cynic myself, even I can still be dumbfounded by the sheer stupidity and frightening ignorance of our mostly unelected, war-frenzied leaders.
For example, anyone with merely a trace of historical knowledge of the Central Asian highlands knows that vast, foreign empires have been humbled by ferocious, tribal warriors. So, after Donald Rumsfeld expressed his amazement regarding the Taliban's resiliency, I had to do a double-take. A man in his position with a shockingly feeble grasp on reality is a danger to this country.
I understand that cushioned chairs in a plush office can lead one to a sense of false security, but – my God! – has he a clue what he's doing? Recent events would elicit a "no" from me. I simply don't understand the nature of a citizenry that offers greater and greater support to a bulging bureaucracy that continues to consistently fail.
Bad Decisions
Does the CIA actually ever get anything right? They are very well funded still (considering cuts in the military) and yet their failures seem to continually out number their successes. They sure got caught once again with their pants down this time.
I agree with Rep. Ron Paul's ... statement ["US Taxpayers Sent Billions to Our Enemies in Afghanistan," November 6] that too many tax dollars are too often wasted by bad foreign policy decisions – especially with the policies that were pursued during the Cold War. We are now reaping the "benefits" in Afghanistan of one such policy.
This new war on terrorism may lead our country once again down some poorly thought out decisions yet again – where the long term consequences are not thoroughly considered and the short term goals overshadow an overall global vision for the safety of our nation.
Let us hope for the best – but by all means cut down on military aid to the Middle East on all sides. Fewer weapons make for a safer planet.
~ Justin T.