Imagine the police surrounding a bank and telling the robber barricaded inside, “Just throw out your weapons; you can keep the money and the hostages!”
– Todd Skelton on Gadhafi’s “rehabilitation”.
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Samizdata quote of the dayImagine the police surrounding a bank and telling the robber barricaded inside, “Just throw out your weapons; you can keep the money and the hostages!” – Todd Skelton on Gadhafi’s “rehabilitation”. 3 comments to Samizdata quote of the day |
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Isn’t Gadhafi sort of throwing down the hostages by throwing down the weapons?
If he could have avoided war with the US, this deal could have cost him millions and maybe even billions in lost arms sales.
Considering the only thing that made him act was our invasion of Iraq (on worse evidence than that which was found against him), I’d say it’s a pretty good deal.
But the point is taken. We want to welcome cooperation, even if it means someone tolerating a terrorist when he supposedly gives up the act. Only time will tell if he isn’t lieing.
It’s sorta like the UN now, where the US probably doesn’t mind the UNSCAM coverup if the UN can give an out to the US heavy involvement in the region. That promise probably won’t happen though.
I always favor utopianism – except when it doesn’t work.
If you can’t get 100% of what is right the best thing to do is to bitch. All moves in the right direction are to be praised fainly at first and then loudly denounced for insufficient progress.
That is the #1 job of the progressives of the left right and middle. Bitching about the lack of progress.
I’m reminded of Woody Allen’s version of a hostage rescue:
The FBI surround the house, “Throw the kid out,”, they say, “give us your guns, and come out with your hands up.”
The kidnappers say “We’ll throw the kid out, but let us keep our guns, and get to our car.”
The FBI says “Throw the kid out, we’ll let you get to your car, but give us your guns.”
The kidnappers say “We’ll throw the kid out, but let us keep our guns – we don’t have to get to our car.”
The FBI says “Keep the kid.”