More stuff ...
no one wants to hear (except me, I guess) - Killing of bin Laden: What are the consequences? by Glenn Greenwald, from a couple of days ago.
The killing of Osama bin Laden is one of those events which, especially in the immediate aftermath, is not susceptible to reasoned discussion. It's already a Litmus Test event: all Decent People -- by definition -- express unadulterated ecstacy at his death, and all Good Americans chant "USA! USA!" in a celebration of this proof of our national greatness and Goodness (and that of our President). Nothing that deviates from that emotional script will be heard, other than by those on the lookout for heretics to hold up and punish ....
But beyond the emotional fulfillment that comes from vengeance and retributive justice, there are two points worth considering. The first is the question of what, if anything, is going to change as a result of the two bullets in Osama bin Laden's head? Are we going to fight fewer wars or end the ones we've started? Are we going to see a restoration of some of the civil liberties which have been eroded at the altar of this scary Villain Mastermind? Is the War on Terror over? Are we Safer now? Those are rhetorical questions. None of those things will happen. If anything, I can much more easily envision the reverse ....
The killing of Osama bin Laden is one of those events which, especially in the immediate aftermath, is not susceptible to reasoned discussion. It's already a Litmus Test event: all Decent People -- by definition -- express unadulterated ecstacy at his death, and all Good Americans chant "USA! USA!" in a celebration of this proof of our national greatness and Goodness (and that of our President). Nothing that deviates from that emotional script will be heard, other than by those on the lookout for heretics to hold up and punish ....
But beyond the emotional fulfillment that comes from vengeance and retributive justice, there are two points worth considering. The first is the question of what, if anything, is going to change as a result of the two bullets in Osama bin Laden's head? Are we going to fight fewer wars or end the ones we've started? Are we going to see a restoration of some of the civil liberties which have been eroded at the altar of this scary Villain Mastermind? Is the War on Terror over? Are we Safer now? Those are rhetorical questions. None of those things will happen. If anything, I can much more easily envision the reverse ....
posted by crystal | 3:56 PM
7 Comments:
I, for one, think that there's now an opening for people to raise questions about negotiating an end to the war in Afghanistan. I just wrote a letter to President Obama to that effect. We went to war there because the Taliban wouldn't give him up and because al Queda had bases there. He's now dead, the Taliban are out of power, and al Queda isn't operating in Afghanistan anymore.
Can't we just say something really juvenile like "Mission Accomplished," and go home?
Hi Denny,
That seems like the logical consequence of OBL being dead, but sadly I bet that isn't at all what will happen.
PS - good luck with that letter :) I wrote to him a couple of times about not allowing more offshore oil drilling, but it did no good.
Well, you never know about letters... they're like snowflakes on limbs. They don't seem to matter, and then at some point the limb gives way.
In any event, I write because it matters to ME. I can't just "say nothing" if I really do care.
Writing is good - didn't mean to be discouraging. I send a lot of emails to my representatives about animals rights legislation too and I don't know if it really helps but it's worth it just in case.
I'm sure we'll find a new villain very soon to justify the maintenance of the National Security State / Military-Industrial Complex. It's like finding a new celebrity to sell Nikes. There's always someone, and there's simply too muich money to be made. It's what we do.
I think you're right, unfortunately.
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