The War on Terror

[beboplives]

Liberals have constantly been labeled as soft on crime and terror, and as being incapable of examining the world realistically. Karl Rove alluded to this most recently in remarks that rightfully brought much condemnation from politicians, and members of DU.
Despite Mr. Rove's, and I may add other wind baggy members of the RW talk show circuit's pronouncements, liberals are fully capable of mustering the necessary resolve, anger and actions necessary to meet the enemies of reason, justice and peace on their chosen battlefield, be it on foreign shores, or our streets. What we also, increasingly it seems, brings to this battle is the resolve brought about by reason, and the capacity to think of solutions to problems that involve more than slogans which fit neatly on bumper stickers, or that are one dimensional bridges to nowhere. The solutions of the RW are placebos, you only think they are working if you are constantly bombarded with a monotone message that it is, or if no one who has taken a true remedy is next to you.
Today's tragedy in London brings yet another stark reminder of the brutality that we as human beings are capable of, even after having been so called civilized as a species for thousands of years. The Cheney's, Roves, Limbaughs, and Hannity's of the world would have us believe that all of the people who would do us harm are on the streets of Iraqi cities. Remember fight them there rather than here was a rallying cry for them. Were we ever foolish enough to buy into this crazy vision? Were we ever foolish enough to believe that the individuals who are responsible for such barbaric acts cannot look at a map of the world and buy plane or bus tickets to where ever they choose. If you realize this fact, then you certainly do not continue to pin the foundation of your war on a shooting battle in Iraq.

TERRORISM IS NOT AN IDEOLOGY. IT IS A METHODOLOGY. THEREFORE, FINDING AND KILLING TERRORISTS IS NOT ENOUGH. Remember when John Kerry talked about law enforcement methodologies being brought into play, and was lampooned? Perhaps if we pursued more strongly, an approach which placed even greater emphasis on infiltrating the terroist groups, as law enforcement agencies did with the Mafia, and other criminal organizations, we could make even greater inroads in this war. Perhaps if the world truly pays more than lip service to the needs of the world's poor, and uses its tremendous resources to fight a "world war on poverty" we can eliminate many of the conditions which breed terrorism. Contented, prospering people seldom kill themselves, or others, any more than nations which enjoy prosperous relationships engage in war.

What the RW calls nuance, weakness, and hand holding, we progressives call the ability to multi-task, the capacity to see problems as multi-dimensional, and devise solutions which incorporate more than one remedy at a time.

It is not an approach which fits easily on a bumper sticker, but it is an approach that is increasingly needed in a world that is not as simple as the flat Earth inhabited by our critics.