When media celebrities talk about the bombing of Iran, most people instinctively sort it into one of two boxes: “necessary self-defense” or “reckless aggression.” But there is another way of thinking about war that is not focused on political partisanship.
Thank you for your elucidation on the Just War Theory which I was not familiar with. You said “If bombing Iran moves the world closer to peace and eliminates a nuclear threat, that’s a good thing, but if the gamble fails, it will almost certainly move it closer to the abyss.” If the goal is to move the world closer peace, then we already have the example (not one I personally thought of, but cited by quite a few experienced commentators) of North Korea. The US President met the North Korean leader during his first term, and they seemed to be friendly enough. It seems that the threat of North Korea has been kept at bay because they possess a nuclear weapon, making it seem a similarly good idea for Iran to have one. Certainly it would create a balance of power in the region since Israel already has one (despite any denials – I actually watched a Japanese documentary decades ago about the Israeli whistle-blower who was ultimately jailed).
Thanks for a thoughtful piece on this very difficult subject. There will continue to be disagreement , and rightly so, but hopefully this comes with a considered view of the big picture rather than the usual razor focus on our pet concerns and narratives.
Let’s not grant unearned wiggle room to persons by passive voice impersonalizing:
Every warmonger claims to be just.
But most of them are just warmongers.
Empire America is guilty on all six counts in this Iran iteration.
It is also guilty in all the other iterations stretching back to the future.
The future that does not budge because “fallen man” does not nearly often enough knock down, & out, the most fallen among them, but instead, lifts them up onto shoulders & carries them.
Pacts with the devils known.
War Is The Force That Gives Us Meaning (Chris Hedges) & the medium’s message is “Whatever you do, don’t call it what it is.”
Murder, & suicide, is what it is.
“Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts, is the numb stance of the technological idiot. For the ‘content’ of a medium is like the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind.”
The purpose of this piece is (apparently) to encourage thoughtful consideration of all the factors involved. You jump straight to the verdict without bothering with a trial.
I'm nothing if not thoughtful & considerations that attend that personality trait have accumulated right along with the thoughtless muscle memory of eyes-hands-feet that have rope-danced for decades.
The people I reference here are long since no longer on trial.
It's the jury which is on trial.
And very unfortunately for justice, too many jurors are incompetent to stand trial.
But, POSIWID has got positraction, & voir dire keeps them seated, breaded, & yahooing the circus.
I'm not saying that describes you.
But I will say I know, & have known, a lot of people who pretend to be reasonable — among other “socially” accepted ruses.
And I've also seen people misplace-drop that pretend into cornered altercations with force & fraud … but I’ve never seen it work, seen justice served.
In fact, that which is subsidized increases.
At various times/timings & removes it can be humorous.
"Mixing comick and tragick scenes . . . is a practice contrary to the rules of criticism . . but there is always an appeal open from criticism to nature. . . . When
Shakespeare's plan is understood, most
of the criticisms of Rhymer and Voltaire vanish away.
The character of Polonius is seasonable and useful, and the Grave-diggers themselves may be heard with applause. " ~ Samuel Johnson, 1765
But tragedy leavened with comedy is still just “free lunch wonder bread,” not nutritious food, & no charge for the glyphosate* — or liability protection from all that free poison.
*I hear glyphosate is the new salt. Cropland in “greater Israel to be” is being drenched with the stuff after arson to cover the famine base.
Thank you for your elucidation on the Just War Theory which I was not familiar with. You said “If bombing Iran moves the world closer to peace and eliminates a nuclear threat, that’s a good thing, but if the gamble fails, it will almost certainly move it closer to the abyss.” If the goal is to move the world closer peace, then we already have the example (not one I personally thought of, but cited by quite a few experienced commentators) of North Korea. The US President met the North Korean leader during his first term, and they seemed to be friendly enough. It seems that the threat of North Korea has been kept at bay because they possess a nuclear weapon, making it seem a similarly good idea for Iran to have one. Certainly it would create a balance of power in the region since Israel already has one (despite any denials – I actually watched a Japanese documentary decades ago about the Israeli whistle-blower who was ultimately jailed).
Thanks for a thoughtful piece on this very difficult subject. There will continue to be disagreement , and rightly so, but hopefully this comes with a considered view of the big picture rather than the usual razor focus on our pet concerns and narratives.
More firma terra neath an unstable bottom line:
Let’s not grant unearned wiggle room to persons by passive voice impersonalizing:
Every warmonger claims to be just.
But most of them are just warmongers.
Empire America is guilty on all six counts in this Iran iteration.
It is also guilty in all the other iterations stretching back to the future.
The future that does not budge because “fallen man” does not nearly often enough knock down, & out, the most fallen among them, but instead, lifts them up onto shoulders & carries them.
Pacts with the devils known.
War Is The Force That Gives Us Meaning (Chris Hedges) & the medium’s message is “Whatever you do, don’t call it what it is.”
Murder, & suicide, is what it is.
“Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts, is the numb stance of the technological idiot. For the ‘content’ of a medium is like the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind.”
— Marshall McLuhan
The purpose of this piece is (apparently) to encourage thoughtful consideration of all the factors involved. You jump straight to the verdict without bothering with a trial.
I, & you, just got here.
But I didn't just start skipping this rope.
I'm nothing if not thoughtful & considerations that attend that personality trait have accumulated right along with the thoughtless muscle memory of eyes-hands-feet that have rope-danced for decades.
The people I reference here are long since no longer on trial.
It's the jury which is on trial.
And very unfortunately for justice, too many jurors are incompetent to stand trial.
But, POSIWID has got positraction, & voir dire keeps them seated, breaded, & yahooing the circus.
I'm not saying that describes you.
But I will say I know, & have known, a lot of people who pretend to be reasonable — among other “socially” accepted ruses.
And I've also seen people misplace-drop that pretend into cornered altercations with force & fraud … but I’ve never seen it work, seen justice served.
In fact, that which is subsidized increases.
At various times/timings & removes it can be humorous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QrTzTe90QA
"Mixing comick and tragick scenes . . . is a practice contrary to the rules of criticism . . but there is always an appeal open from criticism to nature. . . . When
Shakespeare's plan is understood, most
of the criticisms of Rhymer and Voltaire vanish away.
The character of Polonius is seasonable and useful, and the Grave-diggers themselves may be heard with applause. " ~ Samuel Johnson, 1765
But tragedy leavened with comedy is still just “free lunch wonder bread,” not nutritious food, & no charge for the glyphosate* — or liability protection from all that free poison.
*I hear glyphosate is the new salt. Cropland in “greater Israel to be” is being drenched with the stuff after arson to cover the famine base.