Comments on: From Unclear To Ridiculous http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/03/01/from-unclear-to-ridiculous/ n. the principle of good order<br /><br /> "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:39:05 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: James_Nostack http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/03/01/from-unclear-to-ridiculous/comment-page-1/#comment-9270 James_Nostack Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:15:38 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/03/01/from-unclear-to-ridiculous/#comment-9270 The overuse of "existential threats" not only leads us to deplete our limited resources, but also distracts us from the TRUE existential threat: the giant, mutated zombie of Jean-Paul Sartre, against which we are woefully undefended. The overuse of “existential threats” not only leads us to deplete our limited resources, but also distracts us from the TRUE existential threat: the giant, mutated zombie of Jean-Paul Sartre, against which we are woefully undefended.

]]> By: John http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/03/01/from-unclear-to-ridiculous/comment-page-1/#comment-9269 John Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:05:18 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/03/01/from-unclear-to-ridiculous/#comment-9269 Seriously. Could Babbin's remark be /any less/ "unclear" w/r/t the questions of "what the war really is and [in particular!] what it will take to win it"? How exactly does one "succeed" in protecting America? How can there possibly be an /end/ to that process? Ugghhh ... Seriously. Could Babbin’s remark be /any less/ “unclear” w/r/t the questions of “what the war really is and [in particular!] what it will take to win it”? How exactly does one “succeed” in protecting America? How can there possibly be an /end/ to that process? Ugghhh …

]]> By: Brien http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/03/01/from-unclear-to-ridiculous/comment-page-1/#comment-9268 Brien Sat, 01 Mar 2008 13:35:38 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/03/01/from-unclear-to-ridiculous/#comment-9268 I don't think we'd use a "just in case" risk standard to judge whether to prolong a military deployment of this size and type. If we get the country through a next set of elections and the stabilization of relations with its neighbors, we will have met the responsibilities we incurred on invasion. If afterward it reverts to failed state status, it will become a genuine international responsibility, one we help meet but for which we are exclusively responsible. I think you raise an excellent point re characterizing threats and deciding on responses to them. Had the original strategy been successful in Iraq, we might have gotten by without a discussion of these. We clearly lost the ability to do this effectively in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. I don’t think we’d use a “just in case” risk standard to judge whether to prolong a military deployment of this size and type. If we get the country through a next set of elections and the stabilization of relations with its neighbors, we will have met the responsibilities we incurred on invasion. If afterward it reverts to failed state status, it will become a genuine international responsibility, one we help meet but for which we are exclusively responsible.

I think you raise an excellent point re characterizing threats and deciding on responses to them. Had the original strategy been successful in Iraq, we might have gotten by without a discussion of these. We clearly lost the ability to do this effectively in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

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