I've Never Said "Never" without a Qualifier
That would just be too irrational, even by my emotionally over-influenced standards.
So I've gotta kinda wonder why this report is entitled as it is. There seems to me to be an implication that Pakistan has bombed an educational facility. Hhmmm... I s'pose, strictly speaking of course, that such is exactly what they've done, and I'd never condone or try to excuse such a use of violence against school kids.
Unless of course they're learning how to be more effective murderers there. Yes . . .
Well, here's the story. I'm sure that most of you have read/heard of it by now. I submit, as I have before, that, despite the insanity and immorality of war and deadly violence, there are indeed appropriate occasions for the use of deadly force. From all that I have seen, this was rationally and morally one of those times.
And, yes, it does make me feel sick to my stomache to say it.
There IS plenty of responsibility to be shared for such insanity, and as al Qaeda (in particular) has grown and spread across the globe, and irrespective of any legitimacy* which their grievances against The West may actually have, they have done so under the banner of Death and Violence, and by violence and death will they necessarily be rejoined.
As awesome and wonderful as our species most certainly is, we do also so very much suck.
* And if you refuse to entertain the notion that there is any legitimacy to these reactionary anachronistas' repulsion to modernity, then you are empirically NOT acknowledging All the Facts.
So I've gotta kinda wonder why this report is entitled as it is. There seems to me to be an implication that Pakistan has bombed an educational facility. Hhmmm... I s'pose, strictly speaking of course, that such is exactly what they've done, and I'd never condone or try to excuse such a use of violence against school kids.
Unless of course they're learning how to be more effective murderers there. Yes . . .
Well, here's the story. I'm sure that most of you have read/heard of it by now. I submit, as I have before, that, despite the insanity and immorality of war and deadly violence, there are indeed appropriate occasions for the use of deadly force. From all that I have seen, this was rationally and morally one of those times.
And, yes, it does make me feel sick to my stomache to say it.
Pakistanis Protest Attack By Own Army on SchoolSo yet again, we have more dead children. Killed by the Allies of America in the name of Peace.
Musharraf Says Only Radicals Were Killed
By Anwarullah Khan
Reuters
Wednesday, November 1, 2006; Page A15
KHAR, Pakistan, Oct. 31 -- More than 15,000 Pakistani tribesmen, many of them carrying rifles and ammunition, protested Tuesday over a Pakistani army helicopter attack on an al-Qaeda-linked religious school near here that killed about 80 suspected radicals.
Chants of "Down with America" and "Down with Musharraf," referring to Pakistan's president, rang out as the tribesmen protested in Khar, main town in the Bajaur tribal region close to the Afghan border.
***
The government says the school at Chenagai was being used to train fighters and had been under surveillance since July.
Officials said it had been frequented in the past by Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and other al-Qaeda members including Abu Obaida al-Misri, whom security officials have named as the organizer of a plot that was broken up in August to blow up U.S.-bound airliners flying from London.
The officials said they did not believe any high-ranking radicals were present at the time of the airstrike. Protesters said the dead, mostly young men ages 15 to 25, were merely students.
There IS plenty of responsibility to be shared for such insanity, and as al Qaeda (in particular) has grown and spread across the globe, and irrespective of any legitimacy* which their grievances against The West may actually have, they have done so under the banner of Death and Violence, and by violence and death will they necessarily be rejoined.
As awesome and wonderful as our species most certainly is, we do also so very much suck.
* And if you refuse to entertain the notion that there is any legitimacy to these reactionary anachronistas' repulsion to modernity, then you are empirically NOT acknowledging All the Facts.
good point. And in addition to responsibility, we need accountability.
ReplyDeleteI agree. If they were teaching math and reading, that's one thing. However, teaching fighters sounds more like a military instruction facility like West Point. It's not RFK Jr. high or Amherst College.
ReplyDeleteNor was it akin to Harvard's Divinity School, for ex. Unless, of course, the Pilgrims are giving instruction on how to utilize any of the Bible's various and sundry genocidal techniques and requirements.
ReplyDeleteBut in that case, I do believe the U.S. Justice system might well have jurisdiction before getting our military involved. At least I'm pretty sure 'bout that.
My biggest problem with a gut-level acceptance of this event's necessity is simply one of trusting the authorities who determined what kind of "school" it was. I do believe them, but it's awfully hard to trust them all the way. Musharraf's record doesn't exactly glow with an aura of forthcoming innocence.
None the less...
Oh yah, to Jack (who is perpetually stymied by Blogger's bugginess, and can't leave comments:) No.
Not until
A: the Decidererer is out of office and we can return to something more akin to what the Clinton Admin was attempting to do vis-a-vie Kim and the DPR
and
B: we've formally apologized to Iran for murdering their fledging Demoncracy in its crib back in the 1950s and then demand that the cease their financing of Osamaic and Hamassian murderers the world over.
No more wars of any nature from America until we've a sane and essentially honest Leadership elected and serving our nation according to the proscriptions of the US Constitution, just as that doc requires.
I should have said At least not until.
ReplyDeleteHah! While I'm de-typoing...
ReplyDeletefledgling Democracy
{-; Ain't nobody's perfect, don'tchyaknow. I just hate being so obviously unso in the midst of such heavy wee soapboxary.
Eighty people, some of whom may have actually been students? Helicopter gunships? I would think they could have employed something a little less shocking and awesome, don't you?
ReplyDeleteAs a defeatocrat myself, I'm of the law enforcement school of thinking on terrorists. I say bring the troops home, and turn the LAPD loose on al Qaeda. The standard used to determine when all out war is appropriate has gotten altogether too low lately.
... turn the LAPD loose on al Qaeda. The standard used to determine when all out war is appropriate has gotten altogether too low lately.
ReplyDeleteSomething like that has always seemed a very wise idea, to my way of thinking as well, LJ. Of course, the likelihood of "wisdom" from this Admin is scant at best, and laughable if'n it weren't so grimly and consistently lacking.
Gonna follow this up w/ linkage from teh Guardian UK, via Common Dreams, in a moment.
Thx for stoppin' by, Larry. Always enjoy/appreciate your commentary elsewhere.