Kudos to Ron Paul for infusing the presidential race with a very unexpected twist. From this week's dust-up at the Republican debate, Paul and Rudy Giuliani locked horns on the notion of "Blowback," a term coined by the CIA back in the 1950's which postulates negative repercussions as a result of United States foreign policy. First, have a look at the issue from the perspective of Mr. Paul's camp:
There's a lot here that I agree with. For a while now, Giuliani has been guilty of politicizing 9/11. As much as I admired the mayor's humanity and steadfastness in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack, I have recoiled from his absurd insistence that America won't be as safe if we elect a Democratic president. This from the man who nominated mob-linked Bernard Kerik as the head of Homeland Security?
But the debate on how much credence we should pay to the idea of blowback is an interesting one. While our elected officials often proudly declare that we will never cede to the demands of terrorists, it is a fact, as Mr. Paul has pointed out, that the 1983 attack on the Marine compound in Beirut was enough for Ronald Reagan to exit that troubled nation. Ditto that for Bill Clinton in Somalia. The message seemed to be, You don't want us there, we're gone. Indeed, no one would argue that we should ignore local customs and use our diplomatic clout to open a chain of bikini shops in downtown Riyadh. Never mind that our culture says that women have a right to wear a bikini in public, or that our system of free-market economics dictates that "Bikinis-R-Us" at least be given a chance to prosper. Opening such a store would offend religious sensibilities. So what about basing soldiers in Saudi Arabia?
The slopes are slippery in every direction on this issue. Certainly, the 9/11 commission is right that there are reasons for the poor opinion of Americans throughout the Middle East. The biggest is a perceived indifference to solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Could the Bush administration have done more to try and broker peace between the parties? Absolutely.
On the other hand, the intolerance fostered by the likes of al-Qaeda (Danish cartoons, anyone?) is completely unacceptable. Their vision of how the world should be governed in no way comports with our own, whether you're a Republican or Democrat. So the notion of entering into serious dialog with these people, as both Pakistan and Afghanistan are currently doing, is a tad hard to swallow.
I guess I'm somewhere in between Ron Paul and Rudy Giuliani on this question. I'm not thumping my chest and demanding Ron Paul retract any suggestion that blowback is real, then again, I'm not an isolationist, either.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. We fail to realize that they are never going to love us: (we are infidels)
Unfortunately they no longer fear us either. That has to change. Rome was never loved, but it was always feared.
Joe at 10:45AM on May 18th 2007
2. Yeah, that really worked out great for Rome in the end. Personally, I'd like to explore a different option than the Roman Empire model. One would hope that civilization has evolved a bit since then.
Mike at 11:54AM on May 18th 2007
3. What part of "THEY WANT YOU DEAD BECAUSE YOU DISAGREE WITH THEM" is everyone having such difficulty with? Those on the "Hate Bush, Blame America First" train, better go to the conductor and ask for a transfer, because your foolishness is buying you an express ticket to Xanadu, The other side or fornication with your fourty virgins. The only thing that is going to stop this war is when the Educated, Politically Empowered, Civilized few of us with sound reason, strike back at these savage, hate filled, monsters with the full fury of our Rightousness "YES, That's right! RIGHTOUSNESS! That is the most powerful weapon we have and we sit like morons debating how we must somehow be less deserving of peace than those who would rather Kill you, and every person you love rather than sit down, and try to get to understand why you are the way you are. I understand completely, who americans are. And as disgusted as I have become with the left end of this country blindly steering the whole of us into oblivion or at the very least subjugated, second-class humans, I would, to this day, give my life to defend your absolutely absurd and self-serving behavior rather than to apologize to those who know nothing other than blaming others for why the world isn't flat enough for them.
This is a time to Lead the world and each of us seems content to watch each other die, rather than take the wheel and cry out in one loud voice: "IF YOU WANT AMERICA TO DRIVE THE CAR, SIT DOWN AND SHUT THE HELL UP... WE KNOW THE WAY"
The days of: FEED THE WORLD, APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GETTING EVERYBODY EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED THEN COMPLAINING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUNISHED FOR IT. should have gone the way of the Do-Do a long time ago, and sadly, things aren't going to get better unless we do just that.
James at 5:46PM on May 18th 2007
4. There is no righteousness here!! James. General reason dictates that you cannot get something from nothing. If there is no water in the pot, don't expect to get a drink from it. America must first evaluate our own level worth. Sure, we are a land of opportunity, but we are also a land of greed, corruption and deceit.
We need self evaluation. How about a Federal Ombudsman? One who, without fear or favor, overseas compalints of greed, corruption and deceit. And I don't mean any of the nine justices, who have been handpicked for political reasons. these men are gullible and partisan as any other man/woman of high office.
Dewton at 10:46PM on May 18th 2007
5. umm...actually RON PAUL is NOT and isolationist... supports free trade with the world. Educate yourself, sir.
CAKochenash at 3:39AM on May 19th 2007
6. Ron Paul was right and he has history to back him up. He is a learned and well read man. Already I have seen criticisms of Guliani saying that maybe next time before he decides to jump out and criticize Paul that he should read the reports. And anyway he did Ron Paul a favor, it's gotten him so much media attention. Aren't we tired of the same old political rhetoric? For once, let's just try something new. Vote Ron Paul!
carla8478 at 4:02AM on May 19th 2007
7. Paul or Ghouli-antee? Like choosing a Lab or Golden Retriever over a Poodle or St. Bernard to bang pheasants in So. Dak. What the hell is the big choice after the other nights so-called debate? Paul has brains, skill, honest determination and Guts. Roving Rudy has none of these traits. His own kids who know him better than you and I -hate him. Does that tell you pro Roody (as in Robbing Hood)idiots anything? Rudy is a combo of Slick (Clinton) and Dum-dum)(Bush-lite). You think Bush picked some losers starting with Halliburton, side mouth Cheney, (Rummy,the short memoried Mexican-Gonzales, Condaleezah, and Wolfie, the Sweetheart dealing one.)RG would even out do Bush in that category.
Eagleman4 at 7:59AM on May 19th 2007
8. i say we should dump the united nations and all their socialist and communistic ideas being they want control of the united states and get rid of the billionaires from the cfr. who want nothing but control of our government anyway. alot of people have lost their lives in 911 for these people who hate the u.s. and we should show them that we are the #1 country and thats the way it is because if they are dumb enough to let their government take them over they deserve it.AMERICANS DONT NEED LIBERAL SOCIALISTS AND COMMUNISTS TAKING THEIR FREEDOMS AWAY EITHER LETS FACE THE FACTS A N.Y. SENATOR WHO BELIEVED THAT HITLER WAS THE GREATEST MAN SHOULD NOT RUN FOR OUR PRESIDENT IN 2008.
dave litwin at 8:29AM on May 20th 2007
9. Ohhhh, Unhhh Me Again . Forgot to Query James over his "I would, ... give my life to defend ...rather than to apologize to those who know nothing other dah dah dah..
Sure James- and I wonder if you have ever served our country? Often those kind of comments come from right wingers who stand on the sidelines cheering the troops but make sure they stay home. Ohhh- me? Korea and Nam both- USMC at that. Volunteered for both tours and all in my record book. Called puttig your money where your mouth is at. Like Ron Paul does and not Roving Roody.
Eagleman4 at 8:15AM on May 19th 2007
10. This man Ron Paul impressed me very much, We need to hear more from him, I have totally agree with his remarks, I will vote for him 2008
Texmac at 11:39AM on May 19th 2007
11. Yeah, that really worked out great for Rome in the end. Personally, I'd like to explore a different option than the Roman Empire model. One would hope that civilization has evolved a bit since then.
Joe at 8:03PM on May 20th 2007
12. >
The Roman Empire lasted over 1,000 years, so I'd say it worked out pretty well. The fact of the matter is our enemies don't fear us, because we pulled out of Veitnam, Beruit, Somolia when the going got a little tough.
When a Russian was kidnapped in Beruit in the 80's at the same time as all our hostages were being held. The Russians took a relative of the Religous leader of the sect that kidnapped their guy. Cut off his D#@k, shoved it in his mouth and sent him back.
They got the message. The Russian was released the next day. It is the only message that is understood in the Arab World whose mentality is that if they aren't killed, they won.
While civilization may have evolved, their are still some basic truths to war. And the sooner everyone realizes that, the better. Because our enemies do.
Joe at 10:34PM on May 20th 2007
13. IF YOU WANT AMERICA TO DRIVE THE CAR, SIT DOWN AND SHUT THE HELL UP... WE KNOW THE WAY"
James
James: What happens when you let a coke head alcholic drive "George Bush".
He's going to wreck your car and most likey kill alot of people.
langx at 4:55AM on May 21st 2007
14. James: You have been listening to the Right wing nuts to long.
Bin laden has already stated why he hates us.
I expect you not to know it but Giulanni.
Let me educate you. Bin Laden.
Notice the links so you may educate yourself.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/terrorism/international/fatwa_1998.html
Form his Fatwa 1998.
For over seven years now the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors and turning its bases in the peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples.
Here is what Bin laden stated about Iraq.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/11/01/binladen.tape/
"We are continuing this policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy. Allah willing, and nothing is too great for Allah," bin Laden said in the transcript.
He said the mujahedeen fighters did the same thing to the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s, "using guerrilla warfare and the war of attrition to fight tyrannical superpowers."
"We, alongside the mujahedeen, bled Russia for 10 years until it went bankrupt and was forced to withdraw in defeat," bin Laden said.
He also said al Qaeda has found it "easy for us to provoke and bait this administration."
"All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al Qaeda, in order to make generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic and political losses without their achieving anything of note other than some benefits for their private corporations," bin Laden said.
Al-Jazeera executives said they decided to post the entire speech because rumors were circulating that the network omitted parts that "had direct threats toward specific states, which was totally untrue."
"We chose the most newsworthy parts of the address and aired them. The rest was used in lower thirds in graphics format," said one official.
U.S. intelligence officials Monday confirmed that the transcript made public Monday by Al-Jazeera was a complete one.
As part of the "bleed-until-bankruptcy plan," bin Laden cited a British estimate that it cost al Qaeda about $500,000 to carry out the attacks of September 11, 2001, an amount that he said paled in comparison with the costs incurred by the United States.
"Every dollar of al Qaeda defeated a million dollars, by the permission of Allah, besides the loss of a huge number of jobs," he said. "As for the economic deficit, it has reached record astronomical numbers estimated to total more than a trillion dollars.
The total U.S. national debt is more than $7 trillion. The U.S. federal deficit was $413 billion in 2004, according to the Treasury Department.
"It is true that this shows that al Qaeda has gained, but on the other hand it shows that the Bush administration has also gained, something that anyone who looks at the size of the contracts acquired by the shady Bush administration-linked mega-corporations, like Halliburton and its kind, will be convinced.
"And it all shows that the real loser is you," he said. "It is the American people and their economy."
As for President Bush's Iraq policy, Bin Laden said, "the darkness of black gold blurred his vision and insight, and he gave priority to private interests over the public interests of America.
"So the war went ahead, the death toll rose, the American economy bled, and Bush became embroiled in the swamps of Iraq that threaten his future," bin Laden said.
U.S. government officials said Friday that the tape appeared to be authentic and recently made. It was the first videotaped message from the al Qaeda leader in nearly three years.
The Scary part in this is that Bin laden is obviuosly smarter than the Alcholic we have driving our car.
Bush has been played like a sucker. You to James.
langx at 4:56AM on May 21st 2007
15. Ron Paul can't say that, can he?
Politicians still fail to talk frankly about how this war came about, says ROD DREHER
08:53 AM CDT on Sunday, May 20, 2007
Rudy Giuliani (R-9/11) "won" – insofar as a game-show charade like that produces any winners – the Republican presidential debate last week, thanks to Texas Rep. Ron Paul. When Mr. Paul said that prior U.S. military involvement in the Middle East was partly responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, Mr. Giuliani's eyes blazed, smoke curled from his nostrils, and he briefly cut loose on the libertarian gadfly for supposedly blaming America for the attacks.
Though Mr. Paul courageously stood his ground, the Giuliani bristle became the debate's most talked-about moment. Advantage: Giuliani.
In the heat of the moment, this former New Yorker wanted Mayor Giuliani to stalk across the stage and slap Mr. Paul silly. But on reflection, I grudgingly concede that Mr. Paul did us all a favor. He had the guts to suggest before a hostile audience that America needs to think harder about how projecting military power around the world in our customary manner creates blowback. As emotionally satisfying as Mr. Giuliani's response was, indignation is not an argument, and "How dare you!" is not a response. Mr. Paul was substantially correct and deserved better.
langx at 5:19AM on May 21st 2007