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re: At least now we have something to work with
Davin L. — (archived)

tom wrote: "The only problem with #1 and #2 is that by the time such a plot was discovered and established as a certainty, it might not be possible to do anything about it until it's too late. Given the time required to mount a military attack on a nation, the attack would have to be stopped by some other means first.
"

But if the only answer is that we attack nations on spurious grounds because they might, potentially attack us- well... Thats neither reasonable, ethical or moral. We could eliminate crime today if we found some genes that predispose folks to criminal behavior, and killed everyone with those genes. Or we could save billions in future crimes by marching everyone in jain into the gas chamber- but that utilitarian argument does not 'leap' the moral bar of even the hitlerites or stalinists. What we did in Iraq was not excusable. Arguments of possibility and plausibility can NOT be used to ground a pre-emptive war.

And, of course, this does not even meet the fact that IRAQ had not only no intentions to attack the US, but no terrorist ties and no WMD.

tom wrote: "And the level of proof is tricky. "

No, thats just you wiggling around the fact that you endorsed a mass, er, 'unjustified killing' in Iraq. Proof is Proof. Empirical fact is empirical fact. There is nothing relative here, since we are talking about truth. In fact, moral relativism does not even apply here. We were factually AND ethically wrong to do what we did.

tom wrote: "A similar written plan by a national leader, like Saddam, or the leader of Afghanistan, or by people directly under them, would be a much more compelling reason for military action, of course. Naturally, this is why leaders like Saddam, Arafat, and many others prefer to support outside groups very quietly rather than taking front line positions in terrorism themselves."

And your evidence for Saddam supporting terrorists? Any at all? I am waiting. Please do be forthcoming.

Davin L.

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