The kind of thinking that left bin Laden loose to plot 9-11
Paul Campos makes a silly attack against Instapundit, Glenn Reynolds over the suggestion that targeting people plotting mass murder in Iran ought to be considered. Campos like many liberals ties himself in knots over taking preemptive action against those who have stated intentions of wanting to wipe us out.
It was this kind of thinking that made the Clinton administration not take out Osama bin Laden when they had opportunities to. Shrinking from eliminating an enemy that is making war against you is usually a mistake. In the case of Iran, that country has been at war with us since 1979. Why wait for them to kill us first? It might make Campos and liberals feel self righteous but they would be the first to point the finger for not doing enough after an attack.
It was this kind of thinking that made the Clinton administration not take out Osama bin Laden when they had opportunities to. Shrinking from eliminating an enemy that is making war against you is usually a mistake. In the case of Iran, that country has been at war with us since 1979. Why wait for them to kill us first? It might make Campos and liberals feel self righteous but they would be the first to point the finger for not doing enough after an attack.
*Every* military action is an attempt to "pre-empt" the enemy's next potential attack. Critics of "pre-emptive attacks" are really just advocating for self-abnegation.
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