[syndicate] a philosophical question

[Ed Hoffman]

Yugoslavia posed no threat to the United States. It was a nice, clean, 
"surgical" strike in the minds of many (although, I am sure, not those on 
the ground), which we could support safely. Those of us on the left, like 
me, tend to worry and frighten easily. The right has the confidence of the 
insane, believing they are right all the time. We on the left are afraid 
that the attack on Iraq could spiral out of control, unleashing fanatacism 
across the globe. We must speak up without feeling like cowards.






>From: "Ivo Skoric" <ivo at reporters.net>
>Reply-To: ivo at balkansnet.org
>To: Ed Agro <edagro at bellatlantic.net>
>Subject: [syndicate] a philosophical question
>Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2002 12:57:25 -0500
>
>I am confounded with the part of American human rights activist
>left, that lended its support to the Democrat Clinton for bombing of
>Yugoslavia, under the pretense of the humanitarian intervention,
>and that withholds the same support from the Republican Bush for
>bombing of Iraq, under the pretense of weapons of mass
>destruction removal.
>
>I do not argue that either Milosevic should not have been bombed
>or that Saddam should be bombed. I am just asking why was
>Clinton given permission on merits, and Bush is not? Was Clinton's
>reason more valuable? Was Clinton more persuasive?
>
>Because, if we look at both Yugoslavia and Iraq in strictly
>humanitarian terms, Saddam is no different from Milosevic in his
>propensity for disregard of human rights. I mean, he gassed Kurds.
>Milosevic never threw mustard gas on Kosovo, did he? Saddam's
>military, aided by American help just like Yugoslav was once,
>attacked Iran. Later it attacked Kuwait. Behavior of Iraqi soldiers in
>Kuwait was comparable to behavior of Serb soldiers in Bosnia, if
>not worse. He kills his political opponents, just as Milosevic did,
>only Saddam tortures them beforehand for his pleasure.
>
>And, yes, of course, hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis died
>due to the first gulf war, subsequent tens years of bombing and
>crippling sanctions. As one may argue that on humanitarian
>grounds Saddam at least deserve the same fate as Milosevic, one
>may also argue that no bombing campaign can ever be dubbed
>humane. Which conclusion, then, must be applied to bombing of
>Yugoslavia, as well. It is the only honest way.
>
>Because, as Michael Moore, aptly noted in his recent release
>'Bowling for Columbine' - on the same day two teenagers with
>automatic weapons unleashed their anger on Columbine High
>School, NATO dropped the biggest payload of bombs in its 78
>days bombing campaign against Milosevic regime, accidentally
>hitting a high school, leaving more dead than the Columbine
>massacre did.
>
>ivo
>---------------------------------------------------------
>Ivo Skoric
>19 Baxter Street
>Rutland VT 05701
>802.775.7257
>ivo at balkansnet.org
>balkansnet.org
>
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