So a couple of thoughts on the nature of the threat that we as Americans face from…what do we call them? radical islamists…islamic fundamentalists…terrorists of the islamic global supremacy (TIGS)?
I read a blog entry somewhere, but don’t have the link at hand. The essence of the argument, with which I agree naturally, is that the folx on the right believe there is a realistic danger of us being taken over, conquered or some other such nonsense because the TIGS would like nothing better than to establish a worldwide islamic caliphate. Hogwash! Really? Take us over? Conquer us? I might accept that there is some danger from terrorist bombings in the states. But physically conquer us. Please. As far as existential threats go, the existences that are threatened are the potential victims of such attacks. But that’s not really the idea that comes to my mind when someone uses the term existential threat. That sounds like the end of American society and all its people. Or the subjugation of Americans to another way of life. I don’t see that ever happening. There’s like no chance.
And this whole, fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them here. It seems pretty likely that these TIGS aren’t all of sudden forgetting about us over here just because we’re stuck in a civil war in Iraq. I’d argue they’re more likely to be mad at us and want to come here. Even if it’s the same, we could be using that 10 billion dollars a month we’re spending over there in other ways to make this country bigger, better, stronger and faster (not to mention safer).
But then, what if it is a huge, ginormous ™ existential threat to our very existence, or even something somewhat approximating that? Folx on the right want to pull out the WWII analogy when it suits them. Well how about, if it truly is such a dire situation for our country, instead of urging people to shop and trying to get yet another tax cut for the rich, maybe we should work to get a sense of shared sacrifice in the country to defend ourselves against this threat. Maybe this is a critical time in the lives of Americans, but shouldn’t we also recognize that such times cost, not only in lives but also dollars. It’s costing 10 billion dollars a month to have that war. It’ll cost a lot more to the American people over the years and decades if we don’t start paying as we go, rather than putting that on credit.
It might also be nice if more of the people who declare this such a dire situation and existential threat were willing to give themselves and their children to fight this war to end all bumper sticker wars.