The Application of Reason
Look:
Either the Iraqi government is a threat to the American people or the Iraqi government isa threat to the Iraqi people.
The threat of the Iraqi government against the American people is a stronger justification for war then a threat against the Iraqi people. The American people are more likely to favor war if they are the ones who are threatened.
And so: If the Iraqi government is a threat to the American people, then arguments in favor of war against the Iraqi government would not stem from the idea that they are a threat to the Iraqi people.
If the Iraqi government is not a threat to the American people, then our civil liberties, such as the freedom of speech, are not threatened by the Iraqi government.
And so: The war against the Iraqi government cannot be justified as preserving our freedom of speech or civil liberties, unless the Iraqi government is a threat to the United States.
Which doesn’t seem likely of course. Otherwise the pro-war crowd would not bore us with stories of how the Iraqi government has oppressed it’s own people or is helping along terrorist action towards Israel, or whatever. Instead they would alarm us with stories about how the Iraqi government is threatening the United States specifically, as that is the greater justification for the United States to enter a war.
Basically, if you want to argue that we should help out the Iraqi people, or whoever else that’s fine; just don’t use conclusions that could only be come upon if the United States is directly vulnerable to attack. As an American, the American government has a greater responsibility to protect me then it does an Iraqi. It would be nice if people were just people. But sadly, some are Americans and some aren’t.
Alex Jackson
520-17-7954
(435)797-6491