One Cosmos Uses His Trusty Occam's Razor

Here’s the old one-two knockout punch(es), from Iraq the Model and One Cosmos, respectively. First, ITM reminds us why Iraq needs no 9/11 remembrance:

We in Iraq need no special occasions to remind us of that; the front is still on fire and the daily confrontation leaves no place for doubt in our minds about the aggressive nature of terrorism against everything that opposes its ideology…

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This aggressive ideology does not aim at achieving limited tactical objectives like many conventional wars are but it presents its goals as an attempt to impose one doctrine on the entire world as it considers everyone who does not abide by this doctrine an infidel who deserves no less than death as punishment.

What concerns me here while we are amid this continuous confrontation on the first front of war on terror is the world’s position from this war. When I say Iraq is the first front in this war, I mean… it’s what the leaders of al-Qaeda have said and it’s what the acts and intentions of terror-supporting regimes have proven through rejecting the democratic change in Iraq and siding with al-Qaeda to make Iraq fail by all means they have…

[…]

Looking at how many free countries deal with this war disappoints me, their failure to form a united front to deal with the challenge and hesitation in addressing the magnitude of the threat has reflected negatively on us who have chosen freedom and pluralism and rejected totalitarianism and extremism.

This failure to agree on a common policy is one of the main pretexts used by the enemy…

This gives the terrorists the advantage as they watch our differences grow and countries break away from the alliance or act reluctantly; the terrorists view each of these as a sign for victory and an indication that it’s a matter of time until the global alliance against them collapses.

What we need now is a united world vision in this regard, a vision that can be implemented through a road map that we all approve and agree…

On the other hand lack of coordination and consensus in looking at and dealing with terror and terror-supporters can only lead to more losses and more victims on our side…

I wonder what’s stopping many countries in Europe from doing what they have to do despite the clear intentions of the enemy and the fact that this enemy made clear its hostility to everything and everyone different…

Terrorism did not target governments or armies as much as it targeted civilian life in the form of markets, trains, hospitals, worship places and even crowds of children and old crippled people.

Then why is the delay and why is the reluctance in taking a firm position and standing united to face the threat?

I think the short-sightedness of some countries, especially in Europe, comes from the following points:

The world in general thinks the threat is currently directed at the United States only for political reasons related to America’s stance regarding the issues of the Arab and Muslim world especially the Arab-Israeli conflict. This in my opinion is utterly shallow, such politicians who reiterate this theory are like parrots imitating the totalitarian regimes in the region that use conspiracy theories and feed hatred to their people trying to convince the people that the problem lays within the west and use this to repress aspirations for reform.[my emphasis — Dymphna].

It also looks clear that many countries think they can stay away from harm by running away from the confrontation but lessons from history, near history that is, prove that this strategy carries no cure for the disease.

He’s right, of course. But Europe has on its track shoes and is puffing down the road as fast as it can. The general theory seems to be: “don’t look back, they may be gaining on us.” (Hint to The Continent: you’re almost right. Look ahead, because they passed you a looong time ago. See that cloud of dust? It’s Death. Might as well run though. What else ya gonna do with what’s left of your lives?)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, One Cosmos opines on the problem - in this specific case, the Palestinian terrorists - and comes up with a solution that Occam would appreciate:

Liberals will typically say that Israeli policies somehow have something to do with Palestinian terror, while I believe that Palestinian terror is caused by their psychotic death cult theology. After all, there are no Christian Palestinian terrorists. They are just as “occupied” as Palestinian Muslims, and yet, it doesn’t occur to the Christians to strap on bombs with pieces of twisted metal and rat poison in order to kill and maim as many women and children as possible.

You and I are not even able to entertain thoughts so evil. We cannot even go there. Under no circumstances whatsoever can we imagine decapitating an innocent journalist or murdering a baby. But could I waterboard a terrorist to stop a terror attack? In a hearbeat. I literally cannot understand the mind of the person who wouldn’t (or the truly “pro-torture” mind of someone who makes excuses for Palestinian terror, which is to essentially say that they would not rule out engaging in it themselves). Different values. Different world. If fighting Islamo-nazis means that more of them are willing to fight for the cause of evil, that’s okay. There is a ready solution: kill them faster.

Or, as Iraq the Model puts it:

The other thing I see in some countries’ attitudes is frankly a form of parasitism, cowardice and irresponsible dependence by trying to through the entire load on the shoulders of America in a mean, yet stupid, policy to avoid paying the price on the short term. They forget that by doing so they are not really saving lives and treasure but only delaying the payment for some time but the price then will be much bigger.

Sadly, what they’re trying to do is save their own skins, and the public be damned. Such are the values of “parasitism, cowardice, and irresponsible dependence.” Hello? France? Anyone home?

Palestine is a wasteland. Europe is headed there. If the transnationals and the UN can help it, Iraq is going to end up in the same bloody dustbin.

One Cosmos, being of the “whatever-doesn’t-kill-me-makes-me-stronger” school, hopes the illiberal and ill-informed left stay in their fairyland:

…we should not be surprised when liberals take things out of context and distort reality to fit their perceptions. For them to say “the war on terror causes terrorists” is simply a cherished assumption dressed up as a conclusion. If you give it a moment’s thought, their whole world view is just so stupid. Would they ever report that terrorists are the cause of the American military that liberals so despise, and that if terrorists would only appease America, our military would stop trying to harm them? Or that Islamo-nazis have to stop their unwinnable war on the west, because it will only create more George Bushes and Tony Blairs and John Howards?

Or that they themselves must stop mindlessly attacking conservatives, because it will just make us stronger?

Personally, I hope they never figure out that last one.

I wouldn’t worry about it, Doctor. This is a case where faith trumps reason, as it has done for the last, oh, sixty years or so. None of these people are going to wake up anytime soon.

The only thing they hear is echoes: Iraq is Vietnam. The only thing they say is slogans: diplomacy trumps muscle. The only thing they see is disaster everywhere. Disasters caused by the rich, the polluters, the evil Wal-Marts, and, of course, Donald Rumsfeld. Especially him. He caused Katrina, you know.

Maybe the problem in the Middle East can be resolved by your elegant Occam’s Razor solution: simply kill the terrorists faster.

I'll be darned...so that’s what Michael Ledeen means when he says, “faster please.”