Off Topic — HabitableZone

Off Topic » in reply to 3 to 4 years would have meant death for thousands of Iraqis

Hell now, hell later.... depends on which circle of hell you prefer
Mary Anne — (archived)

It rather depends on whether you prefer a longer psychological terror with occasional physical danger in a familiar setting or a shorter psychological terror accompanied by extreme physical danger in a place that used to be a familiar setting.

The analogy I think of here is forcible rape, with Saddam as the rapist, especially when Tom starts in with his "better Red than dead" theology. We tell women that, from a victim's point of view, survival is better than being murdered, because a survivor can recover. In this case, we are trying to convince ourselves that, from the victim's point of view (i.e., not us), being killed is better than surviving. I hear it already: "Would you stand by and watch a rape?" And of course, no I wouldn't. But I could also not stand by while the police took out both perp and victim with a bazooka in order to stop the crime. Perhaps this viewpoint is principally where we differ.

I can agree with your last paragraph, though. This has, unfortunately, been a pattern of American foreign policy since I was a baby, when Hungary tried to shake off its occupier in 1956. "Yeah, sure, go ahead and start the rebellion, I'll be right there.... Oh, gee, I'm sorry I didn't make it. I had a call on the other line..."

Regards--
Mary Anne

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