Gratitude and Concern
Reader comment on item: [Lee Harris on Why the U.S. is] Discarding War's Rules

Submitted by Timothy Schiff, Ph.D. (United States), Jul 26, 2003 at 19:39

Subject: [Why the U.S. is] Discarding War's Rules
by Daniel Pipes
New York Post
July 22, 2003


Many thanks for this excellent essay. It is one which should be read by every American--indeed, by everyone concerned about freedom, justice, and diversity.

I am concerned, however, about the optimism expressed in the following:

"The Bush administration, however, has figured it out and in several ways has begun implementing an unapologetic and momentous break with past restraints:

Pre-empt: Knock out fantasist leaders (the Taliban, Saddam Hussein, Yasser Arafat) before they can do more damage.
Rehabilitate: Dismantle their polities, then reconstruct these along civilized lines.
Impose a double standard: Act on the premise that the U.S. government alone 'is permitted to use force against other agents, who are not permitted to use force.'"

Arafat hardly seems to be "knocked out." "Rehabilitation" and "imposing a double standard" appear to be far more complicated and problematic than the U.S. has expected (a chronic failing), and the U.S. is hardlly consistent about implementing either. Why, for example, has the U.S. not tried to rehabilitate the major supporter of Wahabbism, Saudi Arabia? Why, furthermore, does the U.S. still so frequently kow-tow to Arab/Palestinian demands?

Sadly, one the best examples of how the U.S. is not consistently or effectively
"breaking with past restraints," is the fact that you have not been immediately approved as a member of the new U.S. Institute of Peace! If the U.S. is going to win the war against terrorism, it must also deal with the increasing influence--within its own borders--of Muslim groups waging war against the very ideals of justice and truth upon which this country was founded.

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