About pre-emptive war and why it works:
http://denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/2003/12/AletterfromTehran.shtmlAs for the French, I have no problem in
general with the French people or French culture. I
do however, have a problem with those specific French people, just like those specific American people, who have this irrational hatred of America, characterized by an irrational hatred of G.W. Bush. I myself hold issue with many of GW's positions (particuarly on the religious issues), but from an objective standpoint, he's done what was needed to protect the US from terrorist attacks while trying to minimize human deaths and promote individualism and freedom - if we REALLY believed that just blowing the enemy up was the answer, no major islamic city would be left standing 3 days after 9-11. Peace is NOT made by signing agreements with the enemy and allowing them to walk over you, peace is made through showing the enemy that if he attacks you, you attack him right back. An excellent recent (albeit fantasy) novel by Terry Goodkind titled "Naked Empire," the latest in the excellent "Sword of Truth" series, details this flawed philosophy of never responding to force with force. This philosophy has been presented by many "great" thinkers in the past 2000 years, from Jesus Christ, Ghandi, Mendela, to our political and religious leaders today. Don't take me as a crazy follower of Ayn Rand (who presents good points, but sometimes goes too far in her soultions IMHO), but it seems to me from a thinking, intelligent standpoint, that "loving your enemy" just lets him walk all over you, and do whatever he wants to you (as Hathcock quoted earlier, the only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good to do nothing). The only thing militant extremists understand is force, because that is the only weapon they use - If their cause was just and founded in reason and intelligent thought, they wouldn't be blowing themselves up!
</rant>
PS.
About that Rummy quote Typhy - don't you see how
DEEP it is? It's like something you would hear in any Philosophy 101 class!