From: Michael M. Butler (mmb@spies.com)
Date: Sun Mar 30 2003 - 05:10:48 MST
On Sun, 30 Mar 2003 06:12:44 EST, <MaxPlumm@aol.com> wrote:
> Aside from the issue of whether or not "Evil" should be used by high-
> level government officials, I would ask in what sense you seriously
> believe Bush "aggravated" the situation in North Korea.
Step back for a second and it might become obvious. _I_ think what was
meant was that the announcement polarized public dialog and reduced some
hypothetical probability of some hypothetical more peaceful alternative to
the present state of affairs. What Merton called "the Kindle Coal effect."
"Fighting words", as the phrase has it.
Or consider Churchill's "Diplomacy is the art of saying 'nice doggie' until
you find a big enough rock." Churchill was no appeaser.
Doesn't mean that it *was* a botch job to come out and say it that way. But
I see that as the concern raised.
MMB
-- I am not here to have an argument. I am here as part of a civilization. Sometimes I forget.
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