“For decades now the U.S. would rather throw good money after bad on military adventures in the Middle East and elsewhere when in fact with a fraction of what we have spent in the last decade on war the entire country of Haiti could have been rebuilt and given decent housing!!”
http://blog.beliefnet.com/bibleandculture/2010/01/haiti---a-case-study-for-theodicy.html
Keep in mind that Witherington is a pacifist. So his objection isn’t limited to the wisdom of this or that “military adventure.”
According to his philosophy, we shouldn’t have a military at all. We ought to unilaterally disarm. No armed forces. Or police force. Or handguns.
Consider, for a moment, the practical consequences of that position.
Suppose the US rebuilt Haiti. Suppose we remade Haiti in the image of Monaco.
How long would that last? If the Haitians did nothing to defend their now affluent nation, and if the US did nothing to defend their now affluent nation, don’t you suppose some avaricious nation would be only too willing to invade this upscale version of Haiti and claim it for themselves?
Witherington complains about “indigenous poverty,” but isn’t unilateral disarmament a prescription for poverty?
Property rights without the corresponding right and the might to defend your possessions are an open invitation to be robbed of anything worth having.
BW said:
ReplyDelete“For decades now the U.S. would rather throw good money after bad on military adventures in the Middle East and elsewhere when in fact with a fraction of what we have spent in the last decade on war the entire country of Haiti could have been rebuilt and given decent housing!!”
Me:
Except for the fact that government social welfare programs have done more to perpetuate poverty than end it.
I wrote two posts last month on some related issues. For those who are interested, see here and here. The second is especially relevant.
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