X-Message-Number: 18748
From: "George Smith" <>
References: <>
Subject: Pax Romana and Pax Americana
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 11:55:55 -0800

In Message #18739, Mark Plus wrote on the Subject: "Bush Administration
preparing to use nukes?" noting the recent "slip" that the use of tactical
nuclear weapons against China, Korea, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Lybia  and
Syria (Russia was named as well) was considered "thinkable", combined with
the ill-named "shadow government" sequestering of key government personnel
in hardened blast shelters indicated a possible shift in policy.

Rome maintained a civilized world for a thousand years called the "Pax
Romana" (The Roman Peace) through the ruthless use of superior force.  It
was certainly not a time of peace pre se, but it was unquestionably a period
of civilization.  The scornful barbarians who later stood upon the ruins of
the Roman Empire could not even read the words carved in marble under their
feet.

Nuclear weapons have already been used.  The United States dropped two
nuclear bombs on Japan in 1945 ending the war in a week (and disappointing
General Douglas MacArthur in aborting the greatest ground invasion in
history which would have killed untold numbers of people on both sides of
the conflict).

To imagine that nuclear weapons will never be used again requires a great
deal of faith but little perspective on human nature as revealed through
history.

If the United States should impose a "Pax Americana" upon the world through
a willingness to use nuclear weapons, as horrific and autocratic as that may
sound, the outcome would be a capping of the level of conflict in my
opinion.

We don't need a thousand years of continued civilization to see cryonics
succeed nor to find the tools to alter the darker side of human nature
permanently.  But we do need to be willing to have at least another 100
years and not see the end of civilization come as the new barbarians would
desire to return us to a preliterate condition.

Practically speaking, the Western world lacks the manpower to conduct a land
war in Asia and the use of tactical nukes levels the playing field (no pun
intended).

There are many popular myths in regard to the use of nuclear weapons.    The
populations of both the free world and the communist nations during the Cold
War were sold a bill of goods as propaganda to support the strategy of MAD
(Mutual Assured Destruction).  The facts never supported the "doomsday"
scenerios and still do not support them.

Let me be very clear about my own feelings.  I do NOT want to see nuclear
weapons unleashed and I do NOT underestimate their potential damage.
Neither am I deluded by the myths of the propaganda.  The serious studies
have long been published for any to read and study.  They may not be
"politically correct" and not popular, but the truth is plain.

What is increasingly clear is that the nature of "weapons of mass
destruction" will almost certainly cause them to be used sooner or later
AGAINST Western civilization (the world we live in) and ONLY by FORCING the
other nations of the world to engage in all necessary efforts to root out
and prevent the use of such "weapons of mass destruction" will civilization
continue.  We really do not have a choice here.

Political expediancy (and the short term perspective politics relies upon)
is again leading nations who should know better to ignore what radicals are
doing to wreck the world as we know it.  The Western nations are still
behaving overall like the Scottish clans in the time of Sir William Wallace
(as portrayed so graphically though somewhat inaccurately in Mel Gibson's
film "Braveheart").  We are not yet allied against a common enemy which
threatens to destroy us.  We are not yet willing to do what is necessary to
survive.

I am frankly pleased to see that there actually may be a recognition by the
United States government of the prices which must be paid to prevent the end
of civilization by these radical elements.

The threat of using nuclear weapons against those who lack the will to do
what is required may provide the only effective answer to move humanity from
its nearsighted, short life perspective to maintain a new "Pax Romana" long
enough for humanity to mature to adulthood.

At least I hope so.  We are getting so very close now.

Just my opinion,

George Smith

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