We have learned nothing...
We have learned nothing...we have learned nothing...
George Santananya wisely observed, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
The invasion of Iraq is now in its fourth year, nearly the entire length of the United States involement in World War II. In January, 1969, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger assured William Fulbright, head of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, about the war in Vietnam, "Just give us a year to end the war." We know how that turned out.
Now, we are told we must "stay the course," that leaving Iraq now would "destabilize" the region. (Yeah, the region is really stable now.) Nothing like appealing to our shallow and convenient macho hubris to sustain a path that history has taught us does not work.
Now, Israel, responding to the kidnap of two soldiers (let that digest a moment, two soldiers), is bombing Lebanon back to the stone age. Why? Will that yield the two soldiers? Will targeting Lebanese civilian targets (Proctor and Gamble receiving depot? Milk factory?) coerce Hezbollah to return the two soldiers? If Hezbollah initiated the attack without support by the Lebanese government, how will bombing Lebanon mercilessly coerce Hezbollah to capitulate to Israel's request?
And, the United States? Instead of condemning the Israeli response and urging them to cease, Bush and the singular neo-cons tacitly approved continued bombing, well, for at least a week. What, then we tell them to stop? Why then and not now? Why not condemn the Israeli response with the same fervor as we condemn the Hezbollah attack?
Why have we not learned from history?
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posted by dq @ 12:20 PM
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