They Still Don't Get It!

Submitted by Ken Keane (United States), Jun 10, 2002 at 17:31

Mr. Pipes: I've seen you on these type of "debate" segments numerous times. It is amazing, people (especially the hosts) still don't get it! Television persists in packaging this WAR as a sit around the coffee table debate society topic, sandwiched in between segments on movie box office rankings or the Tyson/Lewis fight, i.e., filler.

"Root Causes " arguments have about as much substance as the "self esteem" movement has in our educational institutions. They give the advocate a nice warm and fuzzy feeling; however, they are all wrong. Anyone who has flown can't help but see (at least anyone with half a brain) that "tightened" airport security measures are ridiculous.

Attempts to re-organize an already bloated bureaucracy can only render a less confused bloated bureaucracy. This behemoth can't by definition have any needed rapid response capabilities; like chasing drug runners through the Keys with an aircraft carrier!

Mr. Pipes, in your words, "Our diplomacy, our military efforts, our counterterrorist efforts, everything is changed once you take away this simple notion of terrorism - or this abstract notion of terrorism, I should say - and replace it with the much more accurate one of extremist Islam."

Before these changes in notions can possibly occur, many people (diplomats, ambassadors, politicians, editorial boards) will have to say the one thing that none will, "I was wrong".

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