[Population: One] <A HREF="http://popone.innocence.com/ar

[bryant]

The DoD kicked out a press release today about Iraq's oil. About what you'd expect no matter what you believe: promises to preserve the oil for Iraq, warnings that Saddam may intend to destroy the oil, ecological warnings, etc. I found this quote interesting, though:

"Oil is a natural resource of Iraq that provides commerce, income for education and other needs, and infrastructure. The department considers destruction of that resource as an act of terrorism."

That's bullshit. Destroying strategic reserves, even in a scorched earth strategy, is not an act of terrorism. It's a wartime strategy. It's saying "You can conquer this land, but you will not profit from it." It's the kind of thing that's considered noble resistance when it's your side doing it -- a last act of defiance. Terrorism? Hardly.

Comments

[eyelessgame.livejournal.com]

Terrorism (2003) == Communism (1953).

It's whatever we're opposed to and opposition to it justifies any action. Disagreement with our policies is being soft on terrorism. Anyone we dislike is a terrorist, anything they do is terrorism. Obviously there are limits to what you can claim within this meme ("paying teachers more money is being soft on terrorism") but anything you /can/ claim, you /will/. It's free political points and it instantly mutes the opposition.