A Proportional Response

I’ve seen the argument in recent days — as an intended message to Israel — that the problem with America’s response to 9/11 is that it was guided by rage. 

Wrong.

The problem with Afghanistan and Iraq, and all subsequent regime change missions, was that these ideological crusades — pouring out American blood and treasure to build neoliberal western democracies in the Middle East — had nothing to do with punishing those responsible for 9/11. These were ludicrous Wilsonian neocon fantasies wholly divorced from our national interest.

Indeed, America’s response to 9/11 was paralyzed by liberal pieties: the attack was carried out by foreign jihadists on visas and yet we substantially *increased* jihadist migration after 9/11 — especially from Afghanistan. 

Had America been guided its authentic emotions, and not corrupting ideology, we would have suspended jihadist migration and deported all visa violators.

A nation-state must act with righteous fury when its citizens are murdered. Otherwise, civilization will fall to savagery — to the whims of brute force and barbarism.

Over-intellectualizing can be as big a mistake as under-intellectualizing.

Israel, to survive in a such a savage world, must show Hamas, and all watching, the rage it feels on behalf of its tortured and murdered families.

The lesson it should learn from America’s response to 9/11 is that force works as force: not to build democracies or change hearts or remake cultures. Use force for its deepest purpose: to make your enemies tremble.