How America Is Winning what Israel and Britain Lost
Today, in what can only be called a cliched stunning turn of events, the so claled 20th hijacker, Zacarias Moussaoui was sentenced to life in prison without parole. After a month of sentencing hearings, a jury of 12 American citizens decided that Mossaoui did not deserve to die for his "part" in the September 11th attacks. Granted, he was in prison when it happened, so he obviously didn't have that big a role in it all. But, he got life in prison for his role. This means he's gonna get sent to a federal super-maximum security hellhole in the middle of the Colorado Rockies with Ted Kaczynski, Eric Rudolph and Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman. Don't be embarassed you didn't know the last guy. It's a good sign.
Ideally, it is what will happen to Moussaoui. He will be locked away for the rest of his life and forgotten. The world will forget his name. He will not be a martyr, he will not be a hero, he will a living, forgotten testament to how much more merciful America is to its enemies than his native France or Morocco had gotten a hold of him. America is more merciful to those who MAY have actually had a hand in killing innocents than his people (by which I mean Al-Qaeda and their ilk) are to contractors who merely work in the Middle East. America has proved that the idea of a jury of peers, trial by jury and rule by secular law work, even for those who hate it. Today proved a great victory for those who believe in America over terrorism.
And this is the moment where the British Empire and Israel have failed in the past. It was at these moments in time when faced with the greatest of tragedies these governments chose the shedding of more blood to wash away previous blood than burying the past. This event and this reaction mark a break from the past decisions of previous governments. Even if so far America had been following what not to do, this could be the watershed moment that changes the course of the "War on Terror". When faced with the decision of anger or rationality, Americans have started to choose rationality. Not soldiers, yet, mind you, but give it time. Twelve average Americans, the ones must susceptible to government propaganda (for all you conspiracy buffs out there), have decided to spare the life of a terrorist. They decided that life in prison was a better punishment and response to terror.
Now, to point out where the British and Israelis failed, specifically, in terms of this. In April 24, 1916, the Irish committed the The Easter Rising, which was basically, a terrorist seige of a couple of government buildings in Dublin. This would be like if al-Qaeda took over the Pentagon crossed with very DMV bureau in your state. They took them over for about a week, then after two days the Brits started shelling with artillery and generally breaking the seige. As a military operation, it failed miserably. But, the part where Britain failed was when they had arrested the leaders of the Rising, they shot 16 of them in Kilmainham prison. This let the surviving 3 highest ranking members (Eamonn de Valera [who would have been shot if he weren't American by birth], Michael Collins [Michael O Coileain] and Cathal Burgha [nee Charles Burgess]) organize a rebellion and start the Irish War of Independence, which led to Ireland winning independence as a free, self-governing Republic (Eire, to you).
The Israelis failed after September 1972 when 11 Israeli athletes were executed by Palestinian terrorists after being held for days. After they executed, on television, innocent Israelis for doing nothing than being Israelis, the world was shocked. King Hussein of Jordan called it an atrocity, even though at that time, he didn't recognize Israel. Most other Middle Eastern nations stood silent, which was actually a step forward for them at the time. This was years before Anwar Sadat shook hands with Menachem Begin at the White House. But, Israel decided 11 dead gave them God's own permission to kill with Operation Wrath of God. While this was made into a great movie last year, it did forget the lesson that was taught. Yes, the world learned to fear Israeli anger. It also made every Palestinian terrorist shift from afraid to paranoid and every Arab shift from midly hatred, to justifiable paranoia and hatred. After all, when you are afraid of something, you cannot feel anything but hatred along with the fear.
America has done a smart thing in letting Moussaoui live in prison for the rest of his life. By the time he hits 51, the world will forget him. While we will never forget what happened on September 11th, America turned down the opportunity to make another fanatic terrorist a martyr. If America, and by that the average American, keeps making the decision to embrace rationality instead of fear, to embrace the rule of law rather than the weapon of law and to embrace mercy over inflicting terror, we will win the war on terror. There is no greater fuel for terror than martyrs.
And there is no better pesticide than mercy to one's enemies.
So it is written, so do I see it.
Ideally, it is what will happen to Moussaoui. He will be locked away for the rest of his life and forgotten. The world will forget his name. He will not be a martyr, he will not be a hero, he will a living, forgotten testament to how much more merciful America is to its enemies than his native France or Morocco had gotten a hold of him. America is more merciful to those who MAY have actually had a hand in killing innocents than his people (by which I mean Al-Qaeda and their ilk) are to contractors who merely work in the Middle East. America has proved that the idea of a jury of peers, trial by jury and rule by secular law work, even for those who hate it. Today proved a great victory for those who believe in America over terrorism.
And this is the moment where the British Empire and Israel have failed in the past. It was at these moments in time when faced with the greatest of tragedies these governments chose the shedding of more blood to wash away previous blood than burying the past. This event and this reaction mark a break from the past decisions of previous governments. Even if so far America had been following what not to do, this could be the watershed moment that changes the course of the "War on Terror". When faced with the decision of anger or rationality, Americans have started to choose rationality. Not soldiers, yet, mind you, but give it time. Twelve average Americans, the ones must susceptible to government propaganda (for all you conspiracy buffs out there), have decided to spare the life of a terrorist. They decided that life in prison was a better punishment and response to terror.
Now, to point out where the British and Israelis failed, specifically, in terms of this. In April 24, 1916, the Irish committed the The Easter Rising, which was basically, a terrorist seige of a couple of government buildings in Dublin. This would be like if al-Qaeda took over the Pentagon crossed with very DMV bureau in your state. They took them over for about a week, then after two days the Brits started shelling with artillery and generally breaking the seige. As a military operation, it failed miserably. But, the part where Britain failed was when they had arrested the leaders of the Rising, they shot 16 of them in Kilmainham prison. This let the surviving 3 highest ranking members (Eamonn de Valera [who would have been shot if he weren't American by birth], Michael Collins [Michael O Coileain] and Cathal Burgha [nee Charles Burgess]) organize a rebellion and start the Irish War of Independence, which led to Ireland winning independence as a free, self-governing Republic (Eire, to you).
The Israelis failed after September 1972 when 11 Israeli athletes were executed by Palestinian terrorists after being held for days. After they executed, on television, innocent Israelis for doing nothing than being Israelis, the world was shocked. King Hussein of Jordan called it an atrocity, even though at that time, he didn't recognize Israel. Most other Middle Eastern nations stood silent, which was actually a step forward for them at the time. This was years before Anwar Sadat shook hands with Menachem Begin at the White House. But, Israel decided 11 dead gave them God's own permission to kill with Operation Wrath of God. While this was made into a great movie last year, it did forget the lesson that was taught. Yes, the world learned to fear Israeli anger. It also made every Palestinian terrorist shift from afraid to paranoid and every Arab shift from midly hatred, to justifiable paranoia and hatred. After all, when you are afraid of something, you cannot feel anything but hatred along with the fear.
America has done a smart thing in letting Moussaoui live in prison for the rest of his life. By the time he hits 51, the world will forget him. While we will never forget what happened on September 11th, America turned down the opportunity to make another fanatic terrorist a martyr. If America, and by that the average American, keeps making the decision to embrace rationality instead of fear, to embrace the rule of law rather than the weapon of law and to embrace mercy over inflicting terror, we will win the war on terror. There is no greater fuel for terror than martyrs.
And there is no better pesticide than mercy to one's enemies.
So it is written, so do I see it.