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Another Day Flies; Another Norm Dies
I must get accustomed to defending the status quo.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’VE BEEN A PRACTICING PUNDIT ALL MY ADULT LIFE AND IT’S MY PRACTICE TO OWN MY ERRORS, WHETHER POINTED OUT BY OTHERS OR DISCOVERED ON MY OWN.
IN THIS PIECE, I EXPRESS THE OPINION THAT PRESIDENT DONALD JOHN TRUMP DID NOT INTEND TO EXPLICITLY THREATEN A WAR CRIME. WHILE I ASSERTED TWO REASONS FOR THINKING SO, MR. TRUMP SPOKE TO REPORTERS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF MY WRITING AND REMOVED ALL DOUBT. HE DOES INTEND TO THREATEN IRANIAN CULTURAL SITES.
HE POINTED OUT THAT IRANIANS KILL AMERICANS AND SAID OF PUTTING ANCIENT CULTURAL SITES OFF LIMITS FOR DESTRUCTION, “IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY.”
AMONG CIVILIZED NATIONS, IT DOES WORK THAT WAY.
HE APPEARS INNOCENT OF THE CONTROVERSIES FROM WWII. HITLER WAS A RUTHLESS OUTLAW, BUT ANCIENT CULTURAL SITES — WHETHER ON LAND CONTROLLED BY THE ALLIES OR BY THE AXIS — BELONG TO HUMANITY, NOT AN INDIVIDUAL NATION. BOTH SIDES VIOLATED THAT NORM BUT IT IS THE INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS THAT OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE IS OFF LIMITS. REMEMBER THE REACTION WHEN THE TALIBAN BLEW UP ANCIENT BUDDHIST STATUTES? WE HAVE NOW PLACED THE USA ON A MORAL PLANE WITH THE TALIBAN.
I DID NOT THINK THIS WOULD EVER HAPPEN, BUT I WAS WRONG, GRAVELY WRONG, AND I…
