License to Kill
I see another Bay of Pigs unfolding. What shall we call this one? Operation Sucking Sound? That vast inhaling of human souls as the Grim Reaper knocks down wave after wave of infantry, airborne and cavalry soldiers trying to establish a beachhead on Iraqi soil. Kurds rushing into combat with revolvers and Springfield rifles against a toxic cloud of nerve agents and anthrax spores. Women with pitchforks and meat cleavers attacking armored columns. All so we can fail to establish our “New Shah” in Iraq. The “Military” option of removing a head of state that we cannot prevent by diplomacy, sanction or isolation.
Having failed to remove Castro by every conceivable means at the disposal of our covert and overt agents, we somehow think that Saddam is vulnerable. That “our” guy can be propped up and supported long enough to make the Iraqi people whole once again. That we would ultimately be doing the Iraqi people a favor by selecting their next leader with guns instead of medicine.
There is no end of otherwise intelligent people advising the Killing Machine that it is feasible to “take out” a head of state. Others, of course, contemplating such moves against our head of state are “assassins”. Is this the twenty first century version of what Civilized men do in the world? Allende all over again?
Containment is not effective against the Chinese Leadership. There are simply too many Chinese who are perfectly happy, thank you, with the social fabric of their culture. Having recognized this we developed a sane policy of exchanging scholars, goods and information to “nudge” them toward a more representative governing structure. A place and time where dissent is not a death wish. The difference is, of course, we don’t need the Iraqi market in the same way we need the Chinese market.
We tried to contain Iraq. The world would not cooperate. The net effect is a lot like waging war against the most vulnerable of the Iraqi people while their leadership eats caviar. We can prevent medicine and food from newborns and the ailing elderly. We can’t prevent oil and gas from our hungry fuel tanks.
We need a foreign policy. One that says we understand that Organized Criminals are running your country, but we shall not increase your burden by denying medicine to your sick babies.
Reasonable people, hoarding nuclear devices, threatening the world with economic and military might, need to be reminded that other cultures will allow leaders with mean streaks to rule for thirty years. Then those rulers will die of natural causes. Iron fisted rulers cause pain and suffering. Alleviating pain and suffering in spite of bad rulers will make us the hope of humanity.
We have options. We need to explore the options that foster trust, compassion and healing. Things you can’t do with guns, germs and steel.
Bob