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DEL.ICIO.USDrinking latte with tyrants never works
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer cites the recent rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages in Colombia as an example of how “hard power”- much maligned by critics of President Bush- is often the only effective way to ensure freedom.
He writes, “On the day the Colombian military freed Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other long-held hostages, the Italian Parliament passed yet another resolution demanding her release. Europe had long ago adopted this French-Colombian politician as a cause célèbre. France had made her an honorary citizen of Paris, passed numerous resolutions and held many vigils.”
But it was only skilled military action that saved the hostages, not the soft-power of diplomacy. ” Solemn condemnations have been issued from every forum of soft-power fecklessness — the EU, the U.N., the G-8 foreign ministers — demanding that Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe stop butchering his opponents and step down. Before that, the cause du jour was Burma. And then there is Darfur, a perennial for which myriad diplomats and foreign policy experts have devoted uncountable hours at the finest five-star hotels to deplore the genocide and urgently urge relief.”
Europe, writes Krauthammer, “specializes in providing haven for those fleeing the evil that Europe does nothing about…”
Only the U.S. - in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq has the guts to save innocent people from tyrants - but is severely condemned for it internationally and is thus losing its taste for such actions.
Is the U.S. a force for good and are we retreating from that now?
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By James Winslo
July 11, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this
During the 1970 “May Day” demonstrations at the University of Georgia I was a young Marine Corps veteran just back from Vietnam. Most “students” used the day to demonstrate or goof-off but since the G.I. Bill and I were paying for my education I went to class anyway. As I walked into an empty classroom I found something very profound written on the blackboard. I wrote it down and have never forgotten it.
“When civilized man can no longer stand the horror of war and refuses to fight, then he will surely be killed or enslaved by the uncivilized who can.”
Author Unknown
By Copyleft
July 11, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this
Yawn… civilization either means something to us, or it doesn’t.
We know where James Winslo stands—on the side of idiotic, law-of-the-jungle savagery. How about the rest of America? Are we tired of fighting the whole world, all the time, yet?
The “balance of power” model has been struggling to find a new enemy since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Bush tried to assemble an Axis of Evil, and failed.
Time to get back to the smarter Wilsonian ideal: a community of nations facing our problems together, not sniping at each other and jockeying for temporary advantages that only stir up more violence. America isn’t about ruling the world, and it’s time to kick out the traitors who claim it should be.
By Sanjay
July 11, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
I suppose to Charles no examples exist of force making matters worse and diplomatic measures actually working. Must be nice to live in such an easy to understand world.
By RealityKing
July 11, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
The oppressed continue to suffer while the protected continue to whine about their responsibility of helping others. It’s a progressive style of life that tryants and dictators have come to count on…
By gttim
July 11, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this
“But it was only skilled military action that saved the hostages, not the soft-power of diplomacy.”
No actually it was ruse, trickery and deception. No force was used. No attacks, no bombs, no guns. This was done by use of the mind, not weapons.
By RealityKing
July 11, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this
No.., actually that was a gun that was stuck into the face of that guerrilla leader when he got onto the helicopter. And it was a gun that was used to kill most of his fellow high ranking non-compatriots, which thereby led to the ruse, trickery and deception to save innocent lives. All part of a skilled military action.
By James Winslo
July 11, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this
To Copyleft:
Sorry I didn’t respond to you earlier. I just got back from a security briefing/update on Islamic terrorism. Too bad you weren’t there.
In any case, there are many types of evil in the world. Sometimes you fight those evils with politics, sometimes with education, sometimes with money, sometimes with persuasion and diplomacy, sometimes with spiritual endeavors, sometimes with international law and sometimes physically. The wisdom is in knowing which types of evil respond only to force. Only foolish, naive people would think there is any other way to deal with the evils of Islamic terrorism.