MORE WISDOM FROM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
From the people that cast the world in terms of good and evil we have a new quote. In addressing the pullout of Phillipino troops from Iraq, and the subsequent taking of 6 new hostages from other countries, Donald Rumsfeld said yesterday, " If you want more of something you reward it. If you want less of something you penalize it."
The message here is that countries should not give into the demands of terrorists, even if it means innocent people get beheaded. But if there is no good reason for being there in the first place, why stand your ground? This is, I believe, the basis for the Phillipine withdrawal as well as the Spanish reaction to the bombings in Madrid. People around the world are saying: "We understand if you want to stand your ground because you are defending something you believe in strongly - American imperialism, American hegemony, and American financial superiority. But we don't care about that, so we have no reason to stand our ground. Go to hell Rumsfeld."
It seems like a lot of these beheaders are related to, or inspired by, Al Qaeda and other Islamic extremists. What is clear is that they would not be emboldened or have the power they have in the region right now had we not invaded, killed thousands of innocent civilians and maimed thousands of others. None of these countries now facing threats would have to deal with this. So, they should take Rumsfeld's logic and not reward American terrorism by helping to establish its hold on the region. They should penalize American terrorism by leaving Iraq and proclaiming they want nothing to do with it.
3 comments:
More to the point, I think, is that Rumsfeld is applying the wrong rule. "If you want more of something you reward it; If you want less of something you penalize it" is a good rule for certain situations. I think, however, that the situation in Iraq calls not for the Rule of Rewards, but the First Rule of Holes.
Plus, hasn't rumsfeld ever heard of reverse psychology? His rule is good if you are dealing with children or dogs - and it doesn't even work that well with my dog. He's crazy - no matter how much I punish him he keeps doing bad stuff. I reward him for the good stuff, but that only means he will occasionally sit if I ask him to, usually just cause he wants a bone.
That brings up something. Who is getting rewarded in Iraq? Rumsfeld's comment implies that people doing good would get rewarded. But who, besides big business and the CIA's puppet Allawi is being rewarded? Seems like even the nicest people in Iraq are still being punished because of the U.S.'s stupid war and occupation.
We sure as hell fed the beast of terrorism by making Iraq the media and the armed troops' home away from home.
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