"Without Protesters, There Wouldn't be a War"

A wonderful column today by Patrick R. Gibbons in The Digital Collegian:

Protesters are useful idiots for people who want an emotional mob to push public opinion in the direction of their own agenda. Today's protesters are useless idiots when it comes to the American well being.

They say protesting is the most patriotic act you can do. But when you disrupt the lives of your fellow citizens, block streets, interrupt classes, try to stop the government from running and prevent emergency medical vehicles from reaching the needy, you're not only unpatriotic, your unAmerican. That is not civil disobedience, it is terrorism and you should be arrested.

If the citizens of America and the world had solidarity in ousting Saddam Hussein's regime, there probably would be no war. Saddam held out hoping the protests and public opinion would save him. We have you to thank for the war: Thanks protesters; Thanks France, Germany and Russia. Saddam never would have stood against a unified Earth.

The protesters are in an uproar over civilian casualties. Saddam knows he can put civilians in his military installations and when struck by missiles he will claim America kills women and children. Saddam wants you to protest so the American government will stop hitting his military bases. Thanks protesters, for killing those civilians; Saddam wouldn't do it without you....

It continues for another 14 paragraphs: don't miss a one!

(Thanks, Bill.)

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 09:01:02 PM
Categorized as Political.

A Colonel's Address

The Battlefield Speech blogged here yesterday was published, at least in part, in today's New York Times.

We go to liberate, not to conquer. We will not fly our flags in their country. We are entering Iraq to free a people and the only flag which will be flown in that ancient land is their own. Show respect for them.

There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly. Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send. As for the others, I expect you to rock their world. Wipe them out if that is what they choose. But if you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory.

Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham. Tread lightly there. You will see things that no man could pay to see and you will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by their hospitality even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as refugees, for they are in their own country. Their children will be poor. In years to come they will know that the light of liberation in their lives was brought by you.

If there are casualties of war then remember that when they woke up and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day. Allow them dignity in death. Bury them properly and mark their graves.

It is my foremost intention to bring every single one of you out alive, but there may be people among us who will not see the end of this campaign. We will put them in their sleeping bags and send them back. There will be no time for sorrow.

The enemy should be in no doubt that we are his nemesis and that we are bringing about his rightful destruction. There are many regional commanders who have stains on their souls and they are stoking the fires of hell for Saddam. He and his forces will be destroyed by this coalition for what they have done. As they die they will know their deeds have brought them to this place. Show them no pity.

It is a big step to take another human life. It is not to be done lightly. I know of men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts. I can assure you they live with the mark of Cain upon them. If someone surrenders to you then remember they have that right in international law and ensure that one day they go home to their family.

The ones who wish to fight, well, we aim to please.

If you harm the regiment or its history by overenthusiasm in killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer. You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest for your deeds will follow you down through history. We will bring shame on neither our uniform or our nation.

(Thanks, Mark.)

P.S. The NYT's note that the address was "delivered on Saturday" (Mar. 22) is incorrect.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 08:35:49 PM
Categorized as Speeches and Suchlike & War.

Ralph Peters Barely Disguises His Contempt for the Armchair Generals

A great read at The New York Post today:

.... Despite the steady progress of our troops, we continue to hear dire warnings about an impending bloodbath in Baghdad, once Saddam lures us into the streets of his ultimate fortress, his "Stalingrad" on the Euphrates.

Just a minute there, Herr Professor. Calm down, Dr. Think Tank. I'm just a former career soldier, so I don't understand military operations the way academics and pundits do. Explain something to me, slowly and clearly:

Why on earth would Gen. Tommy Franks do exactly what Saddam wants, and send our forces charging into the streets of Baghdad?...

(Thanks, Charles.)

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 07:53:54 PM
Categorized as War.

Virgin Annunciate by Antonello da Messina

In honor of the feastday, allow me to direct you to a pretty good image of one of my very favorite paintings: Virgin Annunciate by Antonello da Messina.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 03:50:07 PM
Categorized as Religious.

"Paying the Price"

A mighty fine essay yesterday by Howard Owens — accompanied by a great photo.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 03:33:34 PM
Categorized as War.

Catholicism and Patriotism

An excellent treatment by Bill Cork today.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 03:01:04 PM
Categorized as Religious.

Molly Slams Lefty "Artistic" Types

And you really shouldn't miss it:

.... If they were truly for 'the underdogs' they would be for a people that have been oppressed for years and want to see Freedom, Justice and Morality prevail. These standards are so hard to attain, thereby making them the pinnacle 'underdog' ideals. But nooooo! They're too busy drinking their espressos, wringing their hands about the impoverished all the while lamenting that they can't get a good pedicure from their Vietnamese manicurist who left her country with only the clothes on her back to escape an oppressive regime....

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 01:33:17 PM
Categorized as Social/Cultural.

"Don't mistake micro for macro with news 'embeds'"

A good article in today's Christian Science Monitor:

.... It's long been said that football is a metaphor for war. Teams push through enemy territory, try to break through defensive lines, throw "the bomb." But ironically, in a postmodern age, football game coverage may be the best metaphor for war coverage.

Watching war coverage by simply watching embedded reporters is a bit like trying to figure out what's going on in a game by watching the action through a camera isolated on one player. It's like trying to understand a game by looking through the "helmet cam" of a linebacker. It's nearly impossible.

That's not to say embedding is bad, or worthless. It is valuable and useful. It is an important aspect of coverage because it helps get at the most difficult parts of war to see, the day-to-day life of the men and women who put their lives on the line, but it's only one aspect. To understand what's actually happening, one needs to step back to grasp the larger picture. And that's where things get tricky....

(Thanks, Jonathan.)

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 01:15:22 PM
Categorized as Media.

"Shields & Lances"

"The moral decline in the West has robbed many of clarity in the ethical questions raised by war."

David Warren serves up a typically well-written, insightful essay today:

.... There, about 20 obvious and significant targets remain untouched because of "human shields". The most effective of these shields is the Western news reporters, well over 100 of whom are exploited by what remains of Saddam's regime, often with their complicity in buying safety for themselves. These targets include even the Defence Ministry (which is used as a press briefing centre), Iraq TV (still broadcasting Saddam's propaganda stunts and messages, picked up by Al-Jazeera and distributed through the Arab and Muslim world to whip up anti-American sentiment), and the Rashid Hotel (under which the Iraqis have built their most secure bunker. There may be another under the more humble Palestine Hotel in which the lower-paid hacks are sleeping).

It is thus the last time we will be seeing journalists with protected status behind enemy lines; for the Pentagon is learning from some of these tactical errors. The acknowledgement of such human shields is a crucial mistake because -- like the GPS-jamming machinery and other weapons systems the Russians are now proved to have been shipping to Saddam while the U.S. was stalled at the United Nations -- they cost American lives. In future wars, I expect, journalists will be told the facts of life in a less ambiguous way.

The larger question of human shields is still under debate. My own view is the one I think will prevail: that allied armies should more-or-less ignore such people, in the selection of targets. For the use of such cover is itself among the illicit weapons of the terror regimes, who will abandon the weapon only when it ceases to work. Those who agree to be used as shields, can hold themselves to account for their fates; those who had no choice are tragically unlucky. Unfortunately, the moral decline in the West has robbed many of clarity in the ethical questions raised by war....

(Thanks, Peter.)

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 12:54:34 PM
Categorized as War.

Tony Blair's Speech to the House of Commons

Monday, March 24, 2003.

I happened to catch the prime minister's speech on C-SPAN yesterday:

.... We are now just four days into this conflict. It is worth restating our central objectives. They are to remove Saddam Hussein from power and ensure Iraq is disarmed of all chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programmes. But in achieving these objectives, we have also embraced other considerations. We want to do this campaign in a way that minimises the suffering of ordinary Iraqi people, brutalised by Saddam; to safeguard the wealth of the country for the future prosperity of the people; and to make this a war not of conquest but of liberation.

For this reason, we did not, as some expected, mount a heavy bombing campaign first, followed by a land campaign. Instead, land forces were immediately in action, securing oil installations, gaining strategic assets and retaining them, not destroying them. The air campaign has been precisely targeted. Of course there will have been civilian casualties. But we have done all we humanly can, to keep them to a minimum. Water and electricity supplies are being spared. The targets are the infrastructure, command and control of Saddam's regime not of the civilian population. And we are making massive efforts to clear lines of supply for humanitarian aid, though the presence of mines is hindering us.

By contrast, the nature of Saddam's regime is all too plainly expressed in its actions. The oil wealth was mined and deep-mined at that. Had we not struck quickly, Iraq's future wealth would even now be burning away. Prisoners are being paraded in defiance of all international conventions. Those who dare speak criticism of the regime are being executed....

I watched for a while afterwards. Questions were addressed to the PM, first from the leader of the Conservatives, and then from the leader of the Liberal Democrats. (Tony Blair, of course, heads the Labour Party.)

Two things struck me about the questions. First, they were tough and very much to the point. Second, they were not, as far as I could tell, the least bit hostile: it seemed to me that they were asked, not as political footballs, but for the purpose of trying to assure that the war effort will be successfully prosecuted.

It almost made me wish we could trade the Congress for the Parliament.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 12:41:44 PM
Categorized as International & Speeches and Suchlike.

Daffodil, and Crocus, and Coltsfoot

And "Spring's Colors".

I saw them all blooming this gorgeous spring morning on a brief walk around town. Even the trees are starting to bud. Which reminds me that one of my poems was written for this very time of year.

Spring's Colors

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 11:38:18 AM
Categorized as Literary.

"The Mother of God"

By W. B. Yeats.

The threefold terror of love; a fallen flare
Through the hollow of an ear;
Wings beating about the room;
The terror of all terrors that I bore
The Heavens in my womb.

Had I not found content among the shows
Every common woman knows,
Chimney corner, garden walk,
Or rocky cistern where we tread the clothes
And gather all the talk?

What is this flesh I purchased with my pains,
This fallen star my milk sustains,
This love that makes my heart's blood stop
Or strikes a sudden chill into my bones
And bids my hair stand up?

[Collected Works I # 261]

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 09:38:54 AM
Categorized as Literary & Religious.

Blog Stuff

I have made extensive changes to the Links column on the main page: added Notable Entries; added Sources of News & Opinion; removed "Classic" Archives section (though the files are still on the site); added Special Sites; added some blogs; and, rearranged order.

I am thinking about eliminating the monthly archives: because they are very large files, I don't think they are very useful, and they are, in a sense, redundant since each entry has an individual archive.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Tue. 03/25/03 07:34:47 AM
Categorized as Other.