It Takes My Breath Away

by Dean LeBaron

(23 September 2002)

A new foreign policy/military strategy of the US that has been sent to Congress.

Just when I can't think anything else will arise with no previous congressional or electoral discussion, and when it is something seminal, it does. It follows on the heels of earlier announcements that the US would not continue to honor international treaties when they were not in the US interest at that moment and the US renounced the no first strike nuclear policy

And so the new military doctrine guiding our governmental policies today continue in the same fashion, but takes a new, dominating posture.

[Washington Post article: Bush Shifts Strategy From Deterrence to Dominance]

In other words, we announce that we shall promote baby, compliant US vassals around the world or otherwise subject them to the possibility of pre-emptive military strikes. And there is no mention of the UN, the conflict resolution body we founded and host within our borders.

I'm reminded of Harry Truman's: "I have always been opposed even to the thought of fighting a 'preventive war.' There is nothing more foolish than to think that war can be stopped by war. You don't 'prevent' anything by war except peace."

And digging way back in time to the Second Lateran Council in 1139 the Catholic Church in one of the first of the consistent failed efforts of arms control, outlawed the crossbow against knights and Christians, but not infidels.

As we candidly put it in the same language of Innocent II, "This is a struggle of ideas and this is an area where America must excel," referring to our need of military superiority to enforce just those ideas as did the Pope of that day supporting his Crusades.

[back to index] [add reply] [view replies]