Setting the Table, with All the Options

[babylonsister]

http://consortiumnews.com/2007/050307a.html

Setting the Table, with All the Options

By Peter Dyer
May 3, 2007

Editor's Note: "Tough-guyism" is arguably the dominant ideology of Washington, crossing many other ideological fault lines. Republicans and Democrats alike play to the voters with tough talk without regard to how all that bellicosity might play abroad. One of the favorite tough-guy slogans is that "all options are on the table," which some nations might interpret as a nuclear threat or at least as saber-rattling from the world's preeminent military power.

In this guest essay, Peter Dyer argues that the tough talk harms U.S. national interests by cementing America's image as a lawless state:



There is a consensus among American foreign policy makers and major presidential candidates: “All options are on the table.” This phrase has been repeated so often by so many that it is now a cliche.

It seems reasonable enough. When faced with a problem, most of us would like to have at our disposal any and all tools available to remedy the problem.

But what do these words really mean when used by the most powerful people in the world’s most powerful country? The bland lanaguage of the cliche masks its implicit terror.

snip//

A nuclear first strike, chemical and biological attacks, mass slaughter of civilians and destruction of infrastructure are, apparently, on the table. Despite the consequences of the “conventional” war of aggression in Iraq, including the deaths of hundreds of thousands and the creation of four million refugees, these options are still on the table as well.

No crimes against peace, war crimes or crimes against humanity have yet been ruled out by a major American presidential candidate.

It would be refreshing to hear the next President display enough leadership to cross any one of these “options” off his or her list.

Unfortunately, nobody with a realistic chance of winning the next election has shown the minimal decency and courage needed to take an unequivocal stand against these horrors.

Shame on them.