The Liberia Trap

Posted on July 27, 2003 in Campaign 2004 War

Howard Dean and other Democratic candidates are raising the “If it was good enough to go to war in Iraq, why not Liberia?” question. This is the same kind of logic that led to our involvement in Somalia and similar to the the kind of slippery rhetoric that I described back in April where in order to pander to the jingo belles on the Right we suggest that a just war is called for.

The dangers of promoting such a cause are elephantine. First, the chickenhawks will pick up “If it was good enough to go to war in Iraq” clause as an endorsement of that vampiric debacle.

Second, it will give them a chance to wrap themselves in the flag and declare themselves pacifists. “Why, we don’t support sending our troops off just anywhere,” I can hear them simper. “Our boys lives shouldn’t be squandered by sending them off on one military adventure after another.”

Third, this will come back to haunt us when the chickenhawks become interested enough to invade a different part of the world, preferably one where they can either drill for oil or build a pipeline through. They will gather records of atrocity, repressive customs, and draconian laws. They will say “This war is for human rights: liberals follow!” And like ducklings imprinting on Konrad Lorenz’s shoes, the wishy washy middle will waddle after. Quack! Quack!

Every time this happens, we point back to Vietnam. We pull our hair and moan about how we let that happen. But haven’t we learned from the first Iraq War, from Somalia, from Yugoslavia, or the second Iraq War? Haven’t we learned that our words can be turned against us?

Think, Democrats. Think! Don’t wimp out on opposing war!