Rather craven? How about completely craven?



While I believe in both individual and societal free will, it is possible to step back and detect repeats.



France sacrifices millions of Africans to protect its border in 1935. France sacrifices millions of Africans to protect its internal security last week.



I have referred to it before, but Antony Flew said everything he needed to say about the Dowds of the world when he replied to complaints about Reagan's "evil empire" slogan: "Are you saying it's not evil, or that it's not an empire."

Harry:



But that doesn't diminish the strength of the argument that the fight over whether the Soviets would dominate Europe wasn't worth the bones of a single American. And since few of us are willing to sally forth to fight every evil in the world, it's not an argument to dismiss out of hand. The case for maintaining our own safety at any cost to others is really quite compelling. But you do have to state your willingness to see others die rather than put yourself at risk.

Yes, if anyone ever made that argument, it would at least be consistent and honest. But there's a reason that, rather than make that argument, the peaceniks feel compelled to minimize evil and demonize America.

Well, I don't think that a U.S. without Europe would have been viable in the mid-20th century, economically speaking. Could we have built capitalism in one country?



It turned out Russia without Europe wasn't viable either.



It might not still be true. I have commented before on the commoditization of resources. The world no longer needs the coal of England nor the oil of Arabia.



I have, of course, made the case for maintaining our safety v. Islam at any cost to Islam.



Morally, I think the same argument works with, say, Tibet, but slippage acquits us of any duty to take steps with regard to Tibet.



If we don't rescue Tibet, the Tibetans aren't going to try to kill us.

So if the Tibetans would start blowing up buildings you'd support liberating them? It's like some strange variation on the Mouse That Roared.

Now, the honest answer for much of the Left is that there's no such thing as evil, but few pundettes would acknowledge that.




Just a claification on that, Orrin. The honest answer for much of the Left is that there's no such thing as non-American, non-Israeli
evil. All other acts are merely a justifiable reaction to the U.S. or Israeli imperialist/facistic/militaristic/name your buzzword-type actions.

Orrin, I support liberating Tibet now. I don't

see it as duty, just a nice gesture, like

eliminating guinea worm for the benefit of the

Moslems.



If the Tibetans were more like Moslems, the

equation might change.

If the Tibetans were like the Moslems, there wouldn't be any of them left.