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Originally Posted by filtherton
What robertson is advocating is embracing a foreign policy that allows for the assassination of democratically elected foreign leaders. You think that's okay? You think that's a good representation of christianity?
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I think it's a form of terrorism, really. That kind of policy tells other people that "we can destabilize your government, and, therefore, your country and your lives, anytime we feel like it." Which is really the position that OBL has taken.
Switching gears, I read some analysis today that asserted Robertson's statements also contained a thinly-veiled attack on the war in Iraq. It's an interesting idea.
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Originally Posted by http://www.prospect.org/weblog/archives/2005/08/index.html#007492
Is it just me, or was Pat Robertson's call to break out the hit squad something of a subtle dig at the Bush Iraq policy?
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Originally Posted by Pat Robertson
We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with.
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As you may recall, Robertson claims he was assured by the president before the Iraq War that the invasion wouldn't cause any casualties, a prediction that didn't turn out so well. Clearly that experience has caused Robertson to rethink his views somewhat on the general desirability of invading and occupying medium-sized, oil-rich nations, something I can only wish more people would do. Of course, it's hard to see what actually assassinating Hugo Chavez would accomplish. Nor does it seem wise for the United States to be engaged in removing democratically elected leaders from power, even when they turn out to be apostles of the dread "illiberal democracy." And Robertson's loose talk is going to be a boon to Chavez and, therefore, a fiasco for American interests in South America. Besides which, advising people to kill other people is an odd thing for a Christian to be doing.
--Matthew Yglesias |