Thursday, October 26, 2006
The Cost of War and Peace, II
This article makes the point that
“This war will be fought, whether we choose to fight it or not. The
only thing that will change is the cost of the war. Our Ancestors said
that they fought so that “their children wouldn’t have to”.
http://varifrank.com/archives/2006/10/the_long_march.php
The question is not whether to choose peace or war. It is whether to fight now or later. Liberal Democracy generally prefers the later. It is thus the curse of liberal democracies to fight wars not at their own choosing, but at the choice of those opposing freedom and democracy. Iraq was a small exception. America more or less chose the time and place to fight. Neverthless it was a fight in a war America did not choose, and it was a fight that had to come sooner or later. For a while at least, it seemed, that a democracy for once had the initiative, instead of being on the defensive.
Will America retain that initiative? I do not know whether America, will "win" or loose the war in Iraq. However, I do know and predict that if America does not finish this war on its own terms, the next war will definitely be on the terms of the enemies of freedom. The price of that war in human and material terms will be far greater than Iraq can ever be.
Our children will have to fight for their freedom regardless, however, it is up to us to make that fight easier.
¶ 1:59 PM
This article makes the point that
“This war will be fought, whether we choose to fight it or not. The
only thing that will change is the cost of the war. Our Ancestors said
that they fought so that “their children wouldn’t have to”.
http://varifrank.com/archives/2006/10/the_long_march.php
The question is not whether to choose peace or war. It is whether to fight now or later. Liberal Democracy generally prefers the later. It is thus the curse of liberal democracies to fight wars not at their own choosing, but at the choice of those opposing freedom and democracy. Iraq was a small exception. America more or less chose the time and place to fight. Neverthless it was a fight in a war America did not choose, and it was a fight that had to come sooner or later. For a while at least, it seemed, that a democracy for once had the initiative, instead of being on the defensive.
Will America retain that initiative? I do not know whether America, will "win" or loose the war in Iraq. However, I do know and predict that if America does not finish this war on its own terms, the next war will definitely be on the terms of the enemies of freedom. The price of that war in human and material terms will be far greater than Iraq can ever be.
Our children will have to fight for their freedom regardless, however, it is up to us to make that fight easier.
¶ 1:59 PM
