Re: A few thoughts

[Jeffrey Goldberg <{$news}$@goldmark.org>]

On Sep 12, 2001 David Emrich <demrich@ihgtech.com.au> wrote
   in <9nmg0k$pah$1@yeppa.connect.com.au>:


> "Jeffrey Goldberg" <{$news}$@goldmark.org> wrote in message
> Pine.LNX.4.33.0109111415560.1241-100000@lehel.goldmark.private">news:Pine.LNX.4.33.0109111415560.1241-100000@lehel.goldmark.private...
> > On Sep 11, 2001 Matthew Miller <mattdm@mattdm.org> wrote
> >    in <slrn9psrdk.a8t.mattdm@jadzia.bu.edu>:
> >
> > > What good does [retaliation] do anyone?
> >
> > Deterrence.
>
> Deterrence?
>
> Please...
> a) you can't "deter" something that's already happened, and

Don't be obtuse.  You know exactly what is meant.

> b) it didn't work already, it hasn't worked yet,... what makes you think it
> will work now?

Are you sure that it hasn't reduced the number of terrorist attacks?  Do
you think that there aren't countries out there that would support
terrorist attacks but are deterred by fear of retaliation?  I don't think
that Syria supports terrorist attacks against the US, but I strongly
suspect it would if they thought that they could get away with it.

Just as with ordinary crime, deterrence doesn't eliminate all of it.  But
it does reduce it.

> > The difficulty is that many terrorists are suicidal, so you
> > can't really deter them.  But you can deter the governments and regimes
> > that knowingly support and enable terrorists.
>
> They've already been doing that... Look at Hussein et. al.

> Appears the plan didn't work, hmmm?

No, it didn't work there.  The Gulf allies tried an experiment there
(which I supported at the time).  That was to actually defeat a country in
a war, but leave its government in power.  It didn't work in the long run.
And we should be slow to try that one again.

If you want a solution that is one hundred percent effective, one hundred
percent perfect and one hundred precent guarenteed to hurt no innocent
parties, well I'd like to see such a solution too.  Until then we will
have to consider imperfect and messy deterrence, working on ways to make
it as clean and effective as possible.

-j


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Jeffrey Goldberg
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