Terrorism Failing

This is the third posting about the Boston Marathon bombings.

The 9/11 attack was a masterpiece of terrorism. If you think about it as an organizer, it’s difficult to imagine greater success for such modest inputs. The 9/11 horror demonstrated resourcefulness, imagination, and a fine understanding of the delicateness of the springs of American society.

In spite of its brilliance, the attack also failed eventually because no one- not even Americans – fathoms the deep-seated resiliency of this society. In particular, young people reared in chronically sick, often barely functioning national societies – that I won’t name – where privilege and family connections reign supreme, cannot begin to understand the strength inherent in democratic capitalism. Because their countries’ institutions would collapse from a single-finger push, they have trouble imagining that ours will rebound from a full blow to the face. (Not enough has been written to explain to the world the idea of American exceptionalism. Americans are not arrogant; they suffer from misplaced humility.)

The Boston Marathon bomb assassinations suggest that our war on terrorism is succeeding. The only successful attack on American soil in thirteen years did pathetically little damage to this society. Even for the most optimistic terrorists, bagging an eight-year old, a young Chinese student, and a lady restaurant manager must not give much cause for celebration. I don’t make light of the many others who were wounded, many atrociously. I just think that in the bloody arithmetic of terrorism it’s only the body count that matters ultimately. To gain face with your fellow-terrorists, to earn respect, you have to kill large numbers of kuffars; And you get more points the more important they are. Or you have to cripple the country, or part of it, economically.

The Boston bombs achieved none of this. The city shut down for a day. Peace officers logged thousands of extra-hours. The Republic will survive just fine. And, I know how callous this sounds but the death toll in the Boston massacre, including its aftermath, was on the level of a bad weekend on the road in the Monterey-Santa Cruz area.

The alleged terrorists looked almost pathetic. Pressure-cookers make only poor man’s bombs. (Compare with the panache of high-jacked, fuel-laden airliners.). The alleged terrorists did not even have the kind of competence needed to construct an escape plan two-bit bank robbers routinely pick up from movies. It seems almost incredible that they did not even have a getaway car ready, that they had to highjack one, a really good way to get caught. The younger suspect apparently even ran over his brother’s body – dead or alive- in his bumbling haste to flee from the police. This is the kind of event of which black comedy is made!

Note that the alleged terrorists were intent on escaping. They did their best although it was not good enough. This contrasts badly with the eighteen “martyrs” from 9/11 some of whom, at least, knew they were going to their deaths. The prospect of Paradise has lost its luster apparently. (Incidentally, I was one of the first, years ago, to affirm that the Muslim world did not have an inexhaustible supply of suicide bombers. I argued at the time the simple position that Muslims, by and large, just want what we all want: a chance to live their lives in peace and to raise their children.)

This act of terrorism at the Boston Marathon looked almost silly. It suggests to me that jhadists have run out of breath, that they inspire few capable people. (Or perhaps, the fact finally got around that the seventy-two virgins waiting impatiently in Paradise is just a mistranslation, that it’s really one seventy-two year old virgin.) Yes, terrorism against American must look like a discouraging prospect.

We have become vigilant except when the terrorists live inside one of our most cherished institutions such as the armed forces. There was the shoe-bomber, the panty-bomber, and the Time Square bomber, all miserable failures. There were countless others dreamers-for-glory who are now rotting in federal and state prisons without having ever lifted a finger against this great nation except in their sickly imaginations. And there was also one Major Hasan who succeeded beyond all hopes because those who should have stopped him closed their eyes with great determination. We have found the terrorists’ accomplices; they are us, or the criminally silly among us.

Boston revealed what many of us already suspected to be true. Terrorism does not succeed against this society when we don’t cooperate with it. It has stopped capturing our imaginations. It’s on its way to becoming just one of those things, like ammonia leaks from a gas plant in Texas.

Two more things:

This posting and my two preceding postings on the Boston Marathon bombings assume that the suspect brothers did it. I am confident in believing that they did although I don’t trust the Obama administration to tell the truth because of the Benghazi massacre mystery. I don’t trust the Department of Justice, and I don’t trust the FBI all that much either. I just think conspiracies involving potential hundreds of individuals and several different organizations (police organizations) are so unlikely, they are not worth worrying about.

On Monday 04/22/13, the Department of Justice announced that the surviving brother would be tried in a civilian (federal) court. This comes as a relief because he is clearly a terrorist and President Obama has claimed the right to execute such people on his say-so. Legally, I am not sure even a drone assassination of that American citizen was out of the question. I would have given him a wide berth, for sure.

Liblogic

Again (AGAIN) the Midwest is trying to operate in spite of a major snowfall. Its’ a snowfall of extraordinary magnitude for the season according to many of those who know.  And, I have not heard or read any meteorologist arguing that, on the contrary, it’s a normal snowfall for the first week of Spring.

Snow is cold. This cold wave is yet another proof of the reality of a global warming trend that threatens civilization and, beyond it, Earth itself. Of course, this trend is the result of noxious human activities. It’s a done deal that there cannot be any other cause.

If you don’t see that the more industry and cars, the more cold, and the more cold, the more  warming, you are just uneducated or stubborn, or both.

By the same reasoning, the unseasonal cold makes fuels, including natural gas, less essential to human happiness. The president, served by the supine press, must see the current snow storm in the Midwest  as a signal to  redouble its efforts to prevent the rational utilization of America’s abundant fuel resources.

Got it?

There is a pleasant-looking guy in his forties  who often suns himself close to my coffee shop at the beach. He admires my grand-daughter. Of course, I took this to imply that he is a man of taste and discernment. We fell into casual conversation recently about a book I was holding. The conversation quickly turned casually political.

He is an Obama supporter. This being the People Socialist Green Republic of Santa Cruz, it would be surprising if he were not. So, I pried a little.

It took my beach acquaintance a few minutes to fold to the default option that President Obama at least looked presidential. He couldn’t name a single Obama achievement of which he was proud or satisfied. (I had unfairly deprived him of the opportunity to mention Obamacare by designating it  a Pelosi victory.) This is not the fist time I hear Obamites refer to the president’s looks. It’s not clear how you turn such people around. Update: I don’t mean that I hope to turn all, or many around, just a small percentage would do, pehraps 3%..

Suntan Joe was seething with hatred of President Bush. This is remarkable five years later. Curiously, it did not seem to be about the Iraq War. I sense that the antipathy runs deeper, that it’s akin to what some chimps feel about a designated other chimp with an unusual facial expression perhaps. That is also hard to beat.

Since the Republican defeat last November, I have been perplexed by the post-mortem analyses of people I usually trust. I feel that they are off the mark because they are too obvious perhaps, too logical. I am not doing better myself.

Bush’s War – 2

The primary reason given by the Bush administration for the attack on Hussein’s Iraq was to search there for weapons of mass destruction. We now know there were no such weapons on any significant scale. I keep arguing on this blog that: 1 There were many other reasons to destroy the Hussein regime and, 2 There were very good reasons for any reasonable person to be misled about the existence of such weapons in Iraq. Mostly, it was that the Hussein regime sabotaged the inspection process to which it had agreed as a condition of peace following the first Gulf War. It would be hard to understand the high risks taken to hide things by one who had in fact nothing to hide! (Read this sentence again.)

The important persons and organization who were fooled into believing in the existence of the non-existent Iraqi weapons of mass destruction were numerous and varied. They included several western intelligence services and many important politicians.

In 1998, a prominent member of one of the two main American political parties (prominent then and prominent now) said the following,

“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.”

I am not faulting the politician who said this for blindness then but for irresponsible, dishonest amnesia now.

The politician in question is __________________________

(Answer below as a “Comment.”)

The quote is lifted from the Wall Street Journal editorial on 3/20/13.

Bush’s War

“Since March 1996, Iraq has  systematically sought to deny weapons inspectors from the United Nations Special on Iraq Commission (UNSCOM) access to key facilities and documents, has on several occasions endangered the safe operation of UNSCOM helicopters transporting UNSCOM personnel in Iraq, and has persisted in a pattern of deception and concealment  regarding the history of its weapons of mass destruction programs….”

On August 14 — the President signed Public Law 105-235, which declared that “the  Government of Iraq  is in material and unacceptable breach  of its international obligations” and urged the President to take appropriate action, in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws of the United States, to bring Iraq into compliance with its international obligation….

It should be he policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of  a democratic government to replace that regime.”

The first paragraph is from the Iraq Liberation Act of ___  .

The second and third paragraphs are from  Public-Law 105-235.

The president who signed both items was ___________?

This is lifted from the Wall Street Journal of 3/19/13. The bolding is mine.

Both pieces of legislation were enacted in 1998.

Le régime de l’homme des cavernes

Je me trouve aujourd’hui moralement obligé d’expliquer à un Français qui ne connait pas l’Anglais l’idée générale du “régime paléolithique,” le régime de l’homme des cavernes, si on veut. Je m’efforce ci-dessous de faire passer les principes de base de ce régime alimentaire tel qu’il est exprimé dans le livre de The Paleo Diet par Loren Cordain.

Ce qui suit n’est ni autorisé par l’auteur ni par son éditeur en language anglaise. Je ne sais pas s’il existe en éditeur en français. Je crois que non. Il me faut aussi souligner que je ne possède pas de formation médicale et que je ne suis pas nutritioniste. Je suis bien titulaire d’un doctorat d’une bonne université americiane mais dans une discipline qui n’est liée ni à la santé ni à la nutrition. (Il y a un lien a mon C.V. sur ce blog.) Il s’ensuit de ce manque de qualification autant que de mon horreur des cultes, que je n’éprouve aucune envie de discuter des régimes alimentaires en général, et surtout pas avec des inconnus. Je vis depusi longtemps, à Santa Cruz, Californie, l’une des capitales mondiales de la superstition alimentaire. (On trouvera ma discussion critique – en Anglais – des aliments dits “organiques” sur ce blog.) Je ne censurerai probablement pas les commentaires qu’on pourra faire à cet exposé sur ce blog mais je n’y répondrai surement pas. Je ne recherche donc nullement le dialogue, dans ce cas précis. Par contre, j’accepterai tous les remerciements!

Le court exposé ci-dessous ne préconise, ni ne conseille, ni même ne défend. Je n’escompte en tirer aucun bénéfice pécuniaire. Il ‘agit donc d’une entreprise purement altruiste. J’essaie seulement de partager mon expérience d’utilisateur en espérant que cela servira à quelqu’un d’autre.

Mon adoption pendant six mois du régime paléolithique a correspondu dans le temps à une amélioration importante de mes symptômes diabétiques (type II) et d’une légère amélioration de mon indice de tension artérielle. Mes chiffres de cholesterol eux n’ont pas changé. Peu de temps après que je me sois mis à ce régime, certaine difficultés intestinales dont j’étais affligé depuis vingt ans ou plus ont disparu. Initialement, en surpoids modéré, j’ai maigri modestement mais sans aucun effort a raison d’à peu pres 6% de mon poids de départ. Durant cette période rien n’a été modifié en ce qui concerne mes médicaments, ni mes habitudes d’exercice physique, du moins, autant que je sache. Je ne sais pas non plus avoir acquis des troubles de santé nouveaux pendant cette période. Pourtant, je ne peux pas en être certain, en fait; Peut-être suis-je en train de mourir sans le savoir des effets cette alimentation.

Le livre de Cordain m’a fait impression pour deux raisons:

1 L’auteur s’efforce scrupuleusement de lier ses diverses affirmations à de vraies études, à des études véritablement scientifiques. Il me semble que c’est un fait assez rare pour un livre prônant un régime.

Note technique: Si on me demande ce que j’entends par “étude scientifique” je répondrai ici-même.

2 Le livre repose sur une idée générale qui correspond à ce que je crois savoir sur la sélection naturelle. Voici cette idée, en guise d’introduction:

Nous somme tous les descendants de créatures qui se nourissaiente exclusivement des produits de la chasse/ pêche/cueillete. Je répète d’une autre manière: Ceux qui étaient allergiques au cuissot de mamouth ne sont pas nos ancêtres. On a laissé au bord la route de la reproduction ces oncles et tantes malchanceux. Nos organisme aujourd’hui sont donc principalement, peut-etre exclusivement, le résultat d’une sélection naturelle par la nourriture opérant sur 200,000 ans au moins.

Par contraste, la nourriture provenant de l’agriculture et de l’élevage ne nous forme que depuis 9,000 ans maximum. C’est seulement 6,000 ans au plus pour ceux dont les ancêtres résident depuis lontemps au bord de l’océan atlantique.

Nos corps sont donc avant tout des machines à transformer, la viande, le poisson, les oeufs, les noix, les fruits et les végétaux fibreux verts et rouges.

Une alimentation composee principalement de produits céréliers et laitiers envoient à l’organisme de faux signaux qui mènent à plusieurs pathologie et surtout, celles qui sont lièes au surpoids. D’aprèes Cordain, manger des céréales sous toutes leurs formes – pain compris, nouilles comprises – donne faim.

Voici le résumé très simplifié de l’alimentation paléolithique:

Pas de céeréeales, sous aucune forme; pas de légumeuses, (lentilles, pois chiches, pois cassés, fèves). Pas de lait ou de produits laitiers (donc, pas de beurre et pas de fromage).

Pas de produit fermentés (ni vin, ni bière, ni fromage encore). Pas de café. Pas d’autres produits cafféineés. Certaines noix ne sont pas recommandées; les amandes, les noix ordinaires (de noyer) et les noisettes le sont. Pas de sucre.

A volontée: poisson, viandes plutôt maigres mais consommer des abats est recommandé; oeufs, légumes verts ou rouges; salses, etc. Tous les fruits, bananes comprises; certaines noix. Huile d’olive

Comme c’est une manière complète et permanente de s’alimenter à vie, l’auteur nous donne plus ou moins la permission de tricher de temps à autre. Moi-même, je triche sans arrêt sur deux plans: je bois du café tous les matins et un peu de vin presque tous les soirs. Les argument du livre contre le café m’ont en effet parus peu convainquant a l’encontre de ce qui est surement l’une des substances les plus étudiées au monde. Les vertus du vin ne sont plus à démontrer et j’en bois peu, de toute facons. De plus, je m’octroie un petit morceau de pain de temps à autre, sans justification.

Cette méthode est donc très simple. Je l’ai adoptée, (sauf exceptions ci-dessus) sans effort majeur. Le petit effort déployé les premiers jours n’a pas du durer. Je n’ai pas l’impression de manquer, d’être privé. Il m’arrive d’avoir un peu faim très tôt le matin. Le principal inconvénient c’est que nous ne sommes pas des hommes (et surtout des femmes) des cavernes: Nous achetons presque tout. Le régime paléo coute plutôt cher et il demande pas mal de temps en préparation des aliments.

Alive and Kicking

No need to forsake me, yet. I am much alive and kicking (and suffering silently).  I don’t do as much on this blog as I would like because I am spending much time  proofing the manuscript of my memoirs. It’s simply an intrinsically time-consuming task.

There are new excerpts of the same memoirs, “I Used to Be French….” up on this blog, courtesy of Brandon Christensen,, Editor of cousin blog Notes On Liberty.

Liberal Scum’s Response to “Telling the Truth and Tarentino…”

The friend of mine described in my piece ”Telling the Truth and Tarantino…” decided to respond formally . We agreed that his pseudonym should be “Liberal Scum.” Here it is: (JD)

I believe I may have either failed to communicate or you (conveniently?) misunderstood some of my stances First I do not offer a defense of everyone of Obama’s actions, and I believe he is as prone to mistakes as any other leader… however I believe he is a wise leader and is guided by an ideology of liberty and peace both of which resonate well with my own personal values.. Also I laud his and Hillary Clinton’s ability to transform America’s narrative in the international community to that of a restrained peacemaker despite 6 times the drone strikes than his predecessor. There is something to be said about diplomacy and image management. Sometimes these can be more potent weapons for peace than all the war machinery in the world.

Second I do not believe that random killings of Americans should ever be condoned, but in the interest of peace if we through covert means were to facilitate the removal of a destabilizing leader versus invading a country resulting in thousands of deaths including american soldiers, I prefer the former any day. To me, the sneaky strategic removal of a “Hitler” like leader is far far more moral than a righteous war that kills millions.

Three I do not agree with the concept of big Government or redistribution (irrespective of Obama or the liberal stand on this), I believe in free enterprise and that the role of government is to promote it. However I do believe that taxes are a necessary evil and that it is the moral obligation on a people that can afford it to not see their lowest strata of society die “involuntarily” of hunger or lack of medical care (basic human needs). I have seen too much of that in the third world and believe it is immoral and makes us less of a civilization.

Also I do respect your extensive experience, scholarship and reading , which is why I pay attention to what you say even if it sometimes makes no sense to me I typically have faith that what you tell me is rooted deeply in your beliefs and your scholarly background, versus the propaganda one hears from right wing TV shows.

Frankly I was also a little disappointed as well that Obama’s inaugural speech was a bit too much to the left and did not focus as much on the economic agenda. I believe or hope he may have in some respects been pandering to some of his more staunch constituents as his inaugural victory lap, and will take a more pragmatic approach to resolving our economic challenges once the rhetoric is done. So my support for Obama is driven not so much by his rhetoric or political affiliation but my faith in him as a wise leader who believes in doing the right thing.

The Story of My Life (Concise Version)

           By Jacques Delacroix,

          Santa Cruz, California

        jdelacroixliberty@gmail.com

At first, I was a small child with a big head (literally). I was the second born and therefore, pleasantly neglected. But I could really swim (in the cold sea).

Then, I became a tough guy, in Paris, France.

Then, I came to America. I went to a good school.

I was a university professor for a long time.

Now, I am getting old and I am retired and my years as a professor are falling away in my memory like a semi-nightmare.

I feel myself becoming a tough hombre again.

This is the short version and that’s why it’s not much fun or very informative. Ask for the long version which is practically ready:

I Used to Be French: An Immature Autobiography

It has 128,000 words, or about 240 pages.

I am looking for publishing opportunities. I am not sure I know what this means because the world of publishing is moving faster than my ability to understand it.

Devoir de lecture anarchiste/ Reading for Anarchists

Voici in un petie texte lumineux que tous mes camarades anarchistes devraient essayer de lire, a mon avis:

Is the Free Market Ethical?

Anyone interested in understanding freedom further should read the text linked below, I think. (There will be no test.)

Is the Free Market Ethical?

Update

I am not writing much that’s new, these days. It does not necessarily mean that I am dead. What happens is that I am happily sitting in front of an advanced draft of my manuscript: I Used to Be French: An Immature Autobiography. I am proofing. It’s not boring. It’s fairly exciting. I am reading my manuscript on real paper instead of on-screen. It’s in good shape. It’s almost all grown up.

Writing is very time consuming and proof reading is slow work. The closer the draft is to a final draft, the more carefully one has to chase typos and spellos, and missing phrases, and whatever one wrote after one glass too many of something or other and that makes no damned sense under the crude daytime light.

I hope an agent or a publisher will materialize out of nowhere. It’s happened before but it was no a very good match. If you are interested, send me an email at:  jdelacroixliberty@gmail.com

I have also discovered a new avocation whose products do not find their place on this blog, or at least, not right away. I am trying my hand a writing micro-stories of light porn for females. It’s a big challenge, of course, since I know little about women and almost nothing about sex.

I keep hoping that my good friend Brandon, founder and editor of Notes On Liberty will fill this interval in my blog writing by pulling something relevant and still fresh-smelling out of my archives. He does that very well.

Right, now is Martin Luther King Junior ‘s Day. It leaves me indifferent because the celebration is so damned pious. It almost makes me forget what an extremely brave man he was. And what a giant orator. I wonder if he would approve of the boring, uninspired celebrations in his name. I doubt it.