[Peace] The mistake has been made

[Warren Pollock]

I found this quote from Teddy Roosevelt, on December 6, 1904,  that sums up the mistake made with the Axis of Evil speech;

"It is not merely unwise, it is contemptible, for a nation, as for an individual, to use high-sounding language to proclaim its purposes, or to take positions which are ridiculous if unsupported by potential force, and then to refuse to provide this force. If there is no intention of providing and keeping the force necessary to back up a strong attitude, then it is far better not to assume such an attitude." 

We in the United States are in this very position Roosevelt stated that we as a nation must avoid. 

We have used high sounding language to take positions to our purposes either;

---The application of force will determine that the statements are credible
or
---The lack of force will render the positions ridiculous

Either choice has results which are either against the interests of peace or are against the continuity of our nation.   In effect the mistake has been made and cannot be undone by good intent. 

It boils down to this quote also by Roosevelt;

"Therefore it follows that a self-respecting, just, and far-seeing nation should on the one hand endeavor by every means to aid in the development of the various movements which tend to provide substitutes for war, which tend to render nations in their actions toward one another, and indeed toward their own peoples, more responsive to the general sentiment of humane and civilized mankind; and on the other hand that it should keep prepared, while scrupulously avoiding wrongdoing itself, to repel any wrong, and in exceptional cases to take action which in a more advanced stage of international relations would come under the head of the exercise of the international police. A great free people owes it to itself and to all mankind not to sink into helplessness before the powers of evil."

Yours
Warren

http://www.geocities.com/wepollock 





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