By Carl S. Milsted, Jr.

At the Republican presidential debate in South Carolina, we had a bit of high drama. Outsider candidate Ron Paul had the temerity to suggest that the U.S. was attacked on 9/11 not because we are rich and free but “because we are there.” He then dared to cite Osama bin Laden for the cause of 9/11!

This spawned a show of outrage on the part of Rudolph Giuliani, who declared “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before” and asked that Paul retract his comment.
For this, the audience cheered. Giuliani had demonstrated his potential for “strong leadership” – as in, “Ignorance is strength.”

Know thy enemy is Military Science 101. I think you can find it in the diplomatic curriculum as well. The President of the United States is both Commander in Chief of the armed forces and Head of State. With his “shining moment,” Rudolph Giuliani declared himself unfit for the job on two counts.

Note that neither Ron Paul nor I have stated that the 9/11 attacks were justified by U.S. interventions in the Middle East, only that the attacks were triggered by such interventions. Not all reasons are excuses.

For example, if you walk alone and unarmed at night through a bad neighborhood carrying transparent bags of money, don’t be surprised if you get mugged. The muggers may be wrong in attacking, but I can still say you triggered the mugging.

Likewise, if you send infidel troops into the Moslem holy land, including liberated women soldiers with naked faces, don’t be surprised if you experience terrorist attacks. If you are, you are not fit to be President of the U.S.
Also note that I have said nothing to justify Ron Paul’s call for non intervention in the Middle East. Maybe it is unacceptable that a people resort to terrorism when foreign troops get near their holy cities. Maybe such intolerance and uncoolness is intolerable in the Nuclear Age. Maybe we should take over the rest of the Middle East and straighten them out. Put some liberal feminists in charge. How about Jane Fonda? Or maybe we should send in Spuds Mackenzie and the Budweiser Bikini Squad and teach these people how to chill out and party.

But don’t be surprised if millions of Moslems get very, very angry.

Message to neocons: if you want to play World Policeman, know what you’re doing. Read some books. Learn something besides your own talking points. If you find this too hard – or too demeaning – listen to Ron Paul and bring the troops home.

Carl Milsted is a senior editor for The Free Liberal.