Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 14:15:51 -0500
From: Aaron Micheau <amaarchy-AT-compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: The Anarchist Attitude To War


Message text written by Unka Bart

>Look, compadre, this goes beyond motive.  That the serbs
>are engaging in genocide is beyond reasonable dispute.
>The question to be addressed is "Do we stand by and let
>it happen, or do we take action against the perpetrator?"

<snip>
>
>Here, we have a measure of agreement.  Yet my point is
>that *any* action against the perp is preferable to *NO*
>action against him.  I fully agree with the things you
>say about the ineffectual nature of the action taken thus
>far (merely bombing, no troops on the ground), I have made
>all those criticisms myself.  That said, I still prefer
>action.  This is a "Do something, even if it is wrong"
>situation, in my book, if ever there was one.
<

This makes absolutely no sense to me.  Is the word 'counterproductive' in
your lexicon? 
Any action is worse than no action precisely when the action taken is
counterproductive.  And if the bombing campaign is not counterproductive,
then what is? By all accounts Milosevic is more popular now than before the
bombing, the Russians are making noises about supporting Serbia, the
cleansing has accelerated... and you say any action is better than none. 
This calls for a bit of explanation, i think.

At this rate, after the action is over, there won't be any Albanians left
in Kosovo to protect.  Is that what you mean?

i think it's a mistake to think that there are ready military solutions to
these sorts of political problems. and  i don't think for a second that the
'problem' (that being protecting the Kosovar Albanians) that we have all
identified is the problem our rulers are out to solve - because i don't
think our rulers are such complete and utter idiots as that. After the
astounding failure of a similar approach in Iraq to meet its purported
objective - noone who achieves and maintains power is that stupid.

Unfortunately, this does not go beyond motive.  It is all about motive. 
But the motives of the public and the motives of the rulers are entirely
different.  And when the public throws its support behind the bombing
campaigns, well, whose objectives do you think will be met in the end?

-apm