Lines in the Sand

Well, thanks to the unparallelled brilliance of the Bush administration, the doctrine of preemptive war has been unleashed on the world. That's right. The logic goes: We better start a war or else there might be a war.

I know a ridiculous number of 'Merica-loving rednecks thought that was an awesome idea; as did those who would profit from endless war as part of the military-industrial complex. Today though, I really came to realize the dangers of making war-to-prevent-war a worldwide norm.

The US is actively involved in drone strikes against terrorists cells in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. Think about that for a minute. US aircraft are actively committing lethal attacks in sovereign nations that we are not at war with. In the case of 3 US citizens in Yemen, drones were used to kill them without due process for what they said, not did. The war on terror apparently trumps international law and our own Constitution as well.

But a further danger arises. How can we now tell another nation that it cannot invade another country, or cannot establish a no-fly zone, or perform ground attack missions against whomever they want? In 2008 we saw the conflict of this when Russia performed an incursion into Georgia to combat what they called terrorism. The US objected, but with what right?

Now that Israel is demanding, yes demanding, that the US plan to attack Iran, we see the logical conclusion of our own irresponsibility. President Obama has said that the US will not attack Iran, or assist Israel in an attack, without a clear danger to US interests. Israel has continued saber-rattling and now says that the US has no right to prevent or discourage an Israeli attack on Iran. And you know, they have a point. We introduced the concept. We're still using it to justify our own attacks. How can we tell somebody else to stop?

There is one thing to be examined though: I am not a fan of Israel. I believe that a state built on religious segregation is, in and of itself, a bad thing. I do understand the "need" for it, as it were though. So, like it or not, Israel has the right to exist. Through formidable military strength, Israel has claimed it's spot among a landscape of countries that want it destroyed. However, it has always been on the defensive. Defending itself has been part of its moral justification for existence.

We are seeing the transition from clear defense to offense-as-defense and that makes the moral high ground less clear. I believe that in the long term Israel will be putting itself at more risk if it can be seen as the aggressor. Just as the US did not have a coalition for the invasion of Iraq, Israel will alienate itself from the allies it traditionally had. It is not a wise course of action.

Peace is not accomplished through killing the other guy first.

Entitlement Culture

I read the news of the consulate attacks in Benghazi and immediately felt a low-key outrage, if such a thing exists. I felt a superior frustration with the ignorance that would motivate such an act against people who are innocent of causing offense.

What we seem to know is that a guy in California made some YouTube video that was offensive to Muslims. In retaliation, Libyan hardliners attacked the US consulate and killed or injured a number of people who were definitely not YouTubers from California. My initial thought was: What a short memory they have. Didn't the U.S. and many countries in Europe just drop millions of dollars to topple their oppressive regime and assist in their happy little rebellion?

But, I stopped myself from getting all too high and mighty. What if these "activists" have a good point? What if we evil Americans are really doing long-term psychological damage to them by drawing cartoons or mocking their pedophile prophet? I bet you Allah's ability to smite the wicked is diminished every time I snicker at a funny post on r/atheism.

I don't have a problem with people taking offense. I'm offended by things all the time. People have that right. What you don't have is the right to rectify your offense through violence. That is not something you are entitled to, no matter what your sheep-herder-written book might say.

We are not, none of us, as entitled as we think we are. People will do things that we don't like. When we don't differentiate between those things that offend us and those things that actually harm us, we are making the world a less-safe place. Don't expect me to have respect for your "religion of peace" when you're acting like the bronze-age tribesmen you idolize.