How Do I Liberate Thee? Let Me Count the Ways

[Radar]

How Do I Liberate Thee?
Let Me Count the Ways

by Harry Browne

December 15, 2003

Sunday's capture of Saddam Hussein made it a great day — a great day for empty rhetoric and meaningless posturing by politicians and journalists.

Somehow it was assumed by politicians and the press, without explanation, that Hussein's capture has vindicated the Bush administration's attack on Iraq. But from September 2002 to March 2003, George Bush said nothing about capturing Saddam Hussein. Instead, Bush talked incessantly about weapons of mass destruction and Iraq's ability to attack the U.S. with them — as well as Al Qaeda camps in the Iraqi desert. How does finding Saddam Hussein make Bush's claims any more true than they were last week?

We're told that that the Iraqis can see now that Saddam Hussein isn't coming back to power — as though they couldn't figure that out for themselves with 130,000 foreign troops occupying their country.

But in the wonderland occupied by politicians and journalists, the capture of Hussein must mean that all the resisters — also known as "loyalists of the old regime" — would have no more reason to resist.

Some politicians said that if anti-war protesters had their gotten way, Hussein would be in his palace today, instead of in jail. Yes, and if the anti-war protesters had gotten their way, several hundred Americans and thousands of Iraqis would be alive today, instead of dead.

The press played its part in the celebration. Wolf Blitzer of CNN said that Hussein's capture proves to the world that "the President of the United States means business" — whatever that means.

In fact, we've known all along that George Bush means business — the business of getting reelected.

There were plenty of TV pictures of Iraqis firing AK-47s into the air. But no inquiring minds bothered to ask how everyday Iraqis could be carrying AK-47s out in the open, when the American occupiers have imposed strict gun-control edicts and are at war with resisters.

What if Saddam Hussein says that all the dreaded Weapons of Mass Destruction were destroyed years ago? Well, we know that George Bush believes in preemptive strikes, and he's already made one on this front. On Monday, he said of Hussein:

• He’s a liar. He’s a torturer. He’s a murderer. . . . He’s a — he’s just — he is what he is: He’s a person that was willing to destroy his country and to kill a lot of his fellow citizens. He’s a person who used weapons of mass destruction against citizens in his own country. And so it’s — he is the kind of person that is untrustworthy and I’d be very cautious about relying upon his word in any way, shape or form.

In other words, "Believe him only if he confirms what I've been telling you for the past year."

Liberation

Donald Rumsfeld said that Hussein's capture means that the Iraqis can now be free in spirit, as well as in fact.

Ah yes, liberated Iraq. It is now a free country. George Bush has liberated it.

How has Iraq been liberated? Let me count the ways . . .

• 1. The country is occupied by a foreign power.
  
  2. Its officials are appointed by that foreign power.
  
  3. Its citizens must carry ID cards.
  
  4. They must submit to searches of their persons and cars at checkpoints and roadblocks.
  
  5. They must be in their homes by curfew time.
  
  6. Many towns are ringed with barbed wire.
  
  7. The occupiers have imposed strict gun-control laws, preventing ordinary citizens from defending themselves — making robberies, rapes, and assaults quite common.
  
  8. Trade with some countries is banned by the occupying authorities.
  
  9. The occupiers have decreed that certain electoral outcomes won't be permitted.
  
  10. Families are held hostage until they reveal the whereabouts of wanted resisters — much like the Nazis held innocent French people hostage during World War II.
  
  11. Protests are outlawed.
  
  12. Private homes are raided or demolished — with no warning and with no due process of law.
  
  13. The occupiers have created a fiat currency and imposed it on the populace.
  
  14. Newspapers, radio stations, and TV are all supervised by the occupiers.

This is liberation in the NewSpeak language of politics.

Words like freedom just don't seem to mean what they used to, do they?

[Undertoad]

Once again Harry shows his contempt for history and complete lack of understanding of foreign affairs. This is the process of installing rule of law. It is temporarily and purposefully and distinctly not Democratic. The purpose of this period is to ensure that the power vacuum is not quickly replaced with another tyranny.

This is how freedom was born in Germany and Japan, similarly militaristic/collectivist countries who are now generally free and peaceful and export their productivity to the world instead of keeping it for their war machines.

By the way, why didn't that widespread AK-47 ownership -- which applied throughout Hussein's reign -- prevent tyranny in Iraq? Could it be that the standard gun argument is a little more complex than you thought?

[Radar]

Once again Harry shows his contempt for history and complete lack of understanding of foreign affairs.

Once again, you show your complete ignorance of history, and a desire to re-write it to suit your own agenda. Harry was absolutely historically accurate in this and the other article I posted regarding WWI & WWII. You and your ilk prove your so-called foreign affairs are nothing but war mongering and the same type of imperialistic tyrrany America was created to escape from.

The purpose of this period is to ensure that the power vacuum is not quickly replaced with another tyranny

Too Late. As we've all seen in Iraq.

And I'd hardly call the democratic socialistic country of Germany a free one, and neither of those countries is able to defend themselves thanks to our military interventionism and the American people are left paying the bill for it.

By the way, why didn't that widespread AK-47 ownership -- which applied throughout Hussein's reign -- prevent tyranny in Iraq?

It most likely could have, but it didn't because the people CHOSE to follow Hussein and supported his leadership much like those who support Bush in America are supporting tyrrany.

Could it be that the standard gun argument is a little more complex than you thought?

No, it couldn't.

It's become painfully clear that you need to read a few history books, some political science books, and try to develop some common sense.

Iraq is no better off now, than they were with Saddam and America's illegal attack against Iraq wasn't to "Liberate" the Iraqi people.

[Undertoad]

So are there any countries in the world that you would regard as free?



And what lesson do you draw from that answer?

[Radar]

The USA used to be free but Republicans and Democrats have been attacking that freedom for decades. Even socialistic Holland and Canada are more free than America these days.

[Undertoad]

So, none?

And what lesson do you draw from that answer?

[Radar]

The lesson is that when you allow imperialistic military interventionism to occur because someone tells you it's for "freedom" or to "liberate" another country, there can't be freedom anywhere on earth. In order to secure freedom we must clamp down on government and ensure it never steps beyond the bounds of the Constitution and never interferes in the affairs of other nations with "foreign aid" or military interventionism.

[Undertoad]

Noting that the use of force between countries to spread one particular notion of "Freedom" is wrong,...

How would you clamp down on government?

[Radar]

First I'd get rid of every single part of government that isn't specifically listed in the Constitution. Some incredibly ignorant people stupidly think phrases like "general welfare" or "common defense" are vague and give the government unlimited power. Once unconstitutional things like the "homeland security" department, foreign aid, FBI, FDA, FCC, DEA, BATF, IRS, Welfare, Social Security, Federally funded education, Medicare, etc. were eliminated, our country would be safer, more prosperous, and free.

After that I'd propose a few amendments to make sure there are no further attempts to circumvent the Constitution...

ARTICLE.

All people have the right to do ANYTHING they want as long as their actions do not PHYSICALLY harm or endanger a non-consenting other or their property or prevent the equal exercise of another person's rights.


ARTICLE.

ALL people shall be treated equally under the law regardless of their age, gender, social status, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or country of origin.


ARTICLE.

NO LAWS SHALL BE WRITTEN against any consensual activity between two adults in any of the states, territories, or by the federal government.


ARTICLE.

Under no circumstances is the federal government to construe the terms "general welfare" or "common defense" to give them cart blanche to make any laws they wish or do anything they want. The Federal government may not take part in, or legislate anything that is not specifically listed in the Constitution.


ARTICLE.

Rights are natural and inalienable and the role of government does not include defining those rights or limiting them.


ARTICLE.

Gun ownership is an individual right and applies to all guns without limits on the number of guns, the type of guns, the amount or type of ammunition. Guns will no longer have serial numbers or have any oversight of the government. Nobody may keep track of who owns guns or require registration or waiting periods to get guns. Anything that prevents a person from walking into a gun store, buying a gun from someone willing to sell a gun to them, and walking out with it like he would with any other product is an infringement on the right of gun ownership.

ARTICLE.

The government may not possess any weapons that individuals may not also be able to buy.


ARTICLE.

The states entered into the union on a voluntary basis and they may leave the union if they choose without retaliation from those remaining in the union.


ARTICLE.

The United States has no authority beyond our own borders and as such is not the police of the world.


ARTICLE.

The military of the United States will only be used for the DEFENSE of America and not any foreign nation. DEFENSE will never be construed to mean America will launch a pre-emptive attack. DEFENSE will never be construed to mean OFFENSE. The military of the United States will only be large enough to defend American soil from eminent attack and will not be stationed all over the world in a show of imperialistic force and will not be used for humanitarian aid missions, to overthrow the leadership of nations that haven't attacked America, to violate the sovereignty of foreign nations, to settle disputes among other nations, or to take part in any conflict other than an attack directly against America.


ARTICLE.

ONLY Congress may declare war, and then only when America is under an immediate threat of danger. Congress may only declare war when they have disclosed indisputable proof to the American public that America is about to be attacked or is currently being attacked. War may be declared only against another nation, not against an activity or an idea (See the war on drugs, war on poverty, war on terror).


ARTICLE.

All forms of income-based taxation are slavery and will be abolished immediately in all states and the federal government. (Social Security, income tax, etc)


ARTICLE.

The laws of the states and the federal government bind all people who live within the borders of the United States or any of its territories unless those laws are in direct contradiction with the Constitution. If someone does not like these laws, they can vote to change them or move to another country, but if they stay, they are giving their implied consent to be governed by these laws and by the government.


ARTICLE.

The Electoral College is arcane and flawed and will henceforth be eliminated. The citizens of the United States will vote directly for their leader and a simple majority will decide the winner without going through an intermediary (middle-man).


ARTICLE.

All Military Service is forever voluntary in the United States of America and is open to all citizens regardless of their sexual preference, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or social status providing they can pass the same minimal physical standards already required of other candidates. And all people who join the military will have the same chances of being exposed to danger regardless of their sexual preference, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or social status.


ARTICLE.

Immigrants from all over the world built the United States of America and non-dangerous immigrants will always be welcomed to America without limitations.

[Undertoad]

First I'd get rid of every single part of government that isn't specifically listed in the Constitution. ...
After that I'd propose a few amendments to make sure there are no further attempts to circumvent the Constitution...

OK, but you can't do that alone, and the masses seem pretty content with the current interpretation, so what then?

[Radar]

First, I don't "interpret" the Constitution. It means what it says and "the masses" are mostly stupid people who are content to get handouts because they don't realize that they are the masters of government (not the other way around), that they are entitled to keep everything they earn, and that they can make a difference.

I intend to change things peacefully within the system until it can't be done that way anymore (which is quickly approaching), and when it can't be done that way anymore, I will take up arms to defend my country against the government and forcefully return America back to the Constitutional republic we started with (althought with the new amendments in tact....at least those that were legally ratified so the income tax amendment would be toast)

Libertarians don't believe in the initiation of force, but have no problem in using force to defend our rights, property, or persons against attack and that's been happening for the last 100 years.

If goverment doesn't start abiding by the rules, we have THE RIGHT to overthrow it and replace it with one that does. Those who fought in the first revolution only amounted to about 5% of the population and those in the military would hardly fire on other Americans even if ordered to do so.

[Undertoad]

OK, but since the moment you take up arms against the government, you'll be killed or jailed for the rest of your life, your own personal attitude has no bearing; as long as you don't wield enough power to actually bring about revolution, it's pretty irrelevant what you do, right?

You really have no bearing, and can cause no change, until you have enough people who agree with you that the tipping point is reached. Yes?

[Radar]

Enough people already do. The number of people being victimized by the US Government within our own borders is staggering and it's only getting higher. And if I take up arms against the government I'm within my rights if that government stops defending me and my rights and starts infringing upon them or attempting to limit them or define them. There are well over 5% of the population that would take part in an actual revolt against those who have usurped power from the people and are violating our rights.

Government is the servant and I, along with other citizens, are its master. We don't live in a democracy, we live in a democratic republic where the rights of individuals supercede the powers of government. It's monumentally stupid to think that the apathy of many who see going against the government as futile or impossible to be people who are satisfied with the status quo.

The vast majority of Americans are not happy with what our government is doing right now in one way or another. People like me are the majority, not the other way around.

[Undertoad]

Of course, there is the other 95% to consider. They would certainly take up arms against you, eh?

[Elspode]

If any free country such as Radar posits ever existed, it would be assailed constantly on all sides by every radical faction on the planet, seeking to overturn it for either appearing weak or being too open and liberal.

Oh...wait...that's what is already happening to the US, isn't it? Nevermind.