fagin@ucbvax.ARPA (Barry Steven Fagin) (07/05/85)
(note: in this posting, I'm going to try using the generic pronoun 'ke' and its various derivatives. If this works, I may make a habit of it. I'd be interested in criticism from fellow netfolk.) Regarding things to do about terrorism against Americans: To effectively combat terrorism against Americans abroad, we should adopt a policy consistent with the real world in which we live: Americans, once they leave the borders of the U.S, cannot expect *any* protection from the U.S. military. They are on their own, and must rely on the law enforcement facilities of whatever country they happen to be in. Thus we should repeal whatever laws currently on the books that guarantee the protection of American citizens travelling abroad, and issue a public statement to all Americans saying something like "If you travel abroad, you are on your own. In the event of a terrorist incident, no military action will be taken to rescue you, and no negotiations will be made with your abductors." Why I like this idea: 1) It accurately describes the current situation: in actuality, Americans cannot and are not effectively protected by the U.S. military when they travel abroad. 2) It dispenses with the absurd assumption that once a person leaves the country, ke can expect other people to risk their lives to save ke from any unfortunate circumstance in which ke finds keself. 3) It would encourage travel to safe countries. Americans would only travel to places where they believed the safety measures taken justified the risk of travel abroad. Countries that wanted American tourists would have to make sure that their airlines, airports, bus sations, etc. were safe. 4) It would eliminate political terrorist acts against Americans. Such acts would be fruitless since the U.S. government would be powerless to negotiate. An unpopular idea, perhaps, but I believe the only effective one. --Barry -- Barry Fagin @ University of California, Berkeley