[thechat] war phase 2

[John Handelaar]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: thechat-admin at lists.evolt.org
> [mailto:thechat-admin at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of Erika Meyer
> Sent: 27 November 2001 22:42
> To: thechat at lists.evolt.org
> Subject: RE: [thechat] war phase 2
> 
> A proper response would be a legal response.
> 
> Because the WTC acts were considered an attack on the United States, 
> the counterattack on Afghanistan was not criticized by the UN or 
> world community, or at least that is what it appears to me.
> 
> Or perhaps the counterattack was not criticized because everyone is 
> intimated by the United States and everyone knew criticism would be 
> fruitless... and perhaps seen in poor taste and anti-US.

[snip]

This post is basically what I was hearing from
my former colleagues at CND when they asked if
I was up for joining the 'cavalry' of experienced
stewards / police negotiators for the anti-war 
demonstrations here.

This time, I said no.  Not because I have much
actual dispute with what Erika's saying but because
in toto it's such a completely inadequate response.

It's entirely true that *if* lots of this stuff
had been done, there wouldn't have been an attack.
But to suggest that this should be the only (and
immediate) response to the attack would be to
instantly reward the perpetrators of _one of_ the
single largest atrocities ever with an immediate
victory.  Which, like it or not, would more or
less guarantee more attacks of the type seen in
September.

What the peace movement has completely failed to
do is provide a suggested response which doesn't
make itself look (at the very best) naive or
(more commonly) deeply foolish.  

And as a very-long-time member of the peace movement
I therefore want no part of this campaign, because
no political action can succeed in the absence of
either a goal or a good case.  

[As a former student of military history and 
contemporary security I know the same is also 
true of wars, which I guess is moderately ironic, 
but there you go.]

 From a very UK-specific peace movement point
of view the other huge problem I have with CND
getting involved in things like this is that it's
nothing whatsoever to do with CND.  But if you're
not from the UK that probably won't mean anything
at all.

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John Handelaar

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