On Tuesday, we started off our day with a visit to the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (expressed as the German acronym SWP), a think tank for German security issues. SWP is, however, very different from the American “think tank” concept because it receives funding from the federal government. SWP also has, theoretically, a direct line of influence to government officials that is unheard of in the US model. Is this a good thing? In this case, definitely no, but it might well explain why German foreign policy is usually amateur hour. The SWP representative that spoke to us blasted US foreign policy (expected) and said that all of Europe’s terrorism threats were caused by the US led war in Iraq. What is so absurd about this comment is that, though it may contain some truth, it ignores the glaring fact that France, Germany, and the UK have been sitting on a volcanic chain of unassimilated Muslim populations for the past 20 years. The Iraq war did not create an underclass of Islamic outcasts in Western Europe, the cultures and policies of those countries did. Even so, if the presenter had simply stopped there I wouldn’t have wanted to beat my head to unconsciousness on the table. But of course he didn’t. When pressed on the issue of intercepting terrorists abroad he said, “Well of course countries can catch terrorists abroad, but murdering them is unacceptable…blowing up suspected terrorist with missiles in Yemen is simply wrong.” I find this concept more than a little difficult to wrap my mind around; this clown wants us to send a diplomatic envoy to a country that doesn’t exercise effective control over 60 percent of its territory in the hopes that it will dispatch its ineffective and corrupt police force to arrest an admitted enemy of our country? I can discuss different policy options and perspectives with many different people with different opinions and backgrounds while keeping and open mind, however, I have no use for someone that does not see the value in a well placed HellFire missile from a Predator drone. So I decided to keep these thoughts to myself and I slipped into an intellectual coma, safe and out of the reach of the relativist black hole that had formed between his ears.
Perhaps this story provides a good opportunity to segue to an email question I received a couple of weeks back; Barrett wanted to know about the European reaction to Zarqawi’s death. I honestly didn’t find out until several days later and was informed by someone in Croatia who said, “Well, I guess your country finally managed to murder Zarqawi, huh?” I responded with a deadpan response of, “Interesting”, not really interested in the provocation. I’ve heard a few similar comments, but not many. The general feeling is that it won’t accomplish much. My take: My ethical response is best summarized by a quote from French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, “Vengeance is pointless, but certain men did not have a place in the world we sought to construct.” My strategic evaluation of the situation is that he is replaceable but I doubt his successor will be as eager to stick his neck out. I also think that his death makes the reconciliation between Shiites and Sunnis much more plausible.
The photo is from the visit to the Bundestag the previous day.
1 comment:
UK bombing, French riots were all caused by Muslim youths not integrated into society. Well yeah can't they see that? Reality will sink-in in the next 15-20 years.
Zarqs death is looking more and more like the beginning of the end. 2006 combat deaths are down 40% from this time last year, another religious seikh AQ agent was captured in Baghdad, an amnesty plan has been extended to the insurgents, and SF has reaped loads of intel about AQ in Iraq (thank you Zarq). Small troop reductions in the near future (in the north and east) and much larger reductions in the next two years (south and west), the continued fight between Senate Intel Comm. and DNI over WMD in Iraq, give the impression that Iraq could be making a turn for the better. We'll wait and see.
Your tounge must be really sore from having to bite down all the time!!
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