This column, by JB’s Sanctuary entitled “It’s time to leave Afghanistan” (ht Jawareport) is a good read, but here’s the comment of the day that I mention because it relates to my post on war.
Casey Says:
April 2, 2011 at 4:58 pm
You, sir, have provided me with an epiphany when you said “To [properly do nation-building] you must over-take the nation completely and rebuild from scratch.”I’m not sure about the “from scratch” part, but certainly deep surgery is required. While I was reading your post it occurred to me that Great Britain managed to civilize India quite nicely. But then, back then General Sir Charles Napier could say things like
“You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.”
Jawa reports on the killings at the UN by civilians in Afghanistan also. I would not have burned Korans, and I don’t approve of it, BUT if I were Jones, and if these riotous murders were the result and if no one is going to get prosecuted, I would probably announce that for every person murdered due to my burning of a Koran, I’ll just replicate the behavior 10 fold. So if they really cared about the book, then there is only one solution.
In reality that would probably escalate the killings, not stop them. Why? Because it isn’t about the Koran. It’s about wanting an excuse to kill the infidel. We are that and we are hated. Whatever is going on over there has caused these folks in this town with the UN to go on a tear. I’m not ready to leave them to it, but maybe a new plan is needed.
Tera Dahl is suggesting screw the government over there. They are corrupt. Give it up. Go directly to the people. That sounds like some good reasoning to me.
