Friday, October 08, 2004
 
Truer Words Were Never Spoken

Lileks, from his Newhouse News column yesterday:
    The next time America is attacked, people will not want someone who can calculate pi to the 48th digit while reciting Latin maxims on the nature of war. They will want someone who says, "Hulk smash." Inelegant as the sentiment might be, Hulk-thought works better than Captain Nuance striding into the United Nations waving resolutions and chastening editorials from Le Monde.
I feel clever in likening the purpose of a robust military in foreign policy as the same for criminal punishment:
  • Deterrence. Opposing states are afraid to attack, because if they do, they will suffer consequences.

  • Retribution. Oh, yes, Hulk smash.

  • Rehabilitation. After Hulk smash, Hulk elevate people's standard of living in the defeated country and leave behind something akin to a republic.
Perhaps I am too simplistic; after all, we're talking about nation states and not individuals. But one would have to argue that nations are more than the sum of their rulers, and some rulers would disagree, even though Louis XIV's time has passed. Some rulers just don't know it yet.


- posted by Brian J. @ 10:15 AM
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To say Noggle, one first must be able to say the "Nah."