Michael,
In cases where a government is sending military forces on a
peacekeeping mission to help end a conflict or keep a conflict from
restarting, being "anti-war" would tend to mean supporting the
operation. And the LP has generally had little to say about wars in
general, typically only opposing United States government involvement
in them. So it is more accurate to say that the Libertarian Party is
against the use of American military force except when the United
States is attacked than to say that the LP is anti-war.
The Green Party also shares this bias to a large degree. However I
suspect they would be somewhat willing to make exceptions and support
U.S. involvement in a war if that war appeared to advance a left-wing
cause overseas. By contrast, the current Libertarian platform language
dictates that no exceptions be made, no matter how much a U.S. military
intervention would help the cause of freedom elsewhere in the world.
Arguably some of our platform language would seem to apply equally to
military interventions or rights violations by other governments, but
current sentiment within the party seems to favor attempting to hold
only the U.S. government to the language of our platform, even when
other governments are clearly engaged in worse violations of human
rights.
So in conclusion I would agree that unconditionally holding the United
States government to one standard and other national governments to a
different standard with regard to military action is a key position
differentiating the LP from other political parties in the United
States.
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>
Mike,
I appreciate your informative reply. Thanks.
I look forward to the opinions of the rest of the candidates.
Please note that I have modified Question #1 as follows:
1. Do you agree with me that a key position differentiating us from
the SF Republicans, Democrats, and Greens is we are unconditionally
anti-war, when the war violates the rights of taxpayers forced to fund
it (whether they support it or not) of the warring country and
violates the rights of the innocents killed in the attacked country?
Please elaborate.Best, Michael
From: "Mike Denny" <mike@drinksusa.com>
To: <lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 5:22 PM
Subject: RE: [lpsf-activists] Questions for the Candidates for Chair
and Vice-ChairThank you Michael....
1) I agree that an "anti-war" position differentiates
Libertarians
from Dems and Republicans. The Greens think they are anti-war but
personally I find them, like all "progressives", very pro-war when
it's
about something important to their socialistic objectives just like
the
Dems and Republicans. After all, the "Progressive Era" was death for
millions. The Greens are always campaigning as "True Progressives".
That
shouldn't be considered a compliment.In my view, the Libertarian position isn't "anti-war" because wars
fought in self-defense are just. In a just war, we would only use the
force needed to protect and defend ourselves. Those wars would be
fought
with the utmost care towards civilians. If the war was of a nature
that
makes it difficult to determine the enemy combatant, then the best
military strategy would be to withdraw to a position of less risk for
civilians. To do otherwise only increases the power of the enemy to
recruit from the civilians.These goals are more likely to be effective if the states themselves
were responsible for their own protection including the staffing and
funding of any military force their citizens feel is needed. States
are
free to organize and coordinate their defense efforts with other
states.Federal government should not be asked to protect any foreign state,
private persons or enterprises outside US borders even if owned by US
citizens. State governments and private protection agencies should be
able to do so if they staff and fund the effort themselves. States and
agencies that demonstrate aggressive policies will have to deal with
the
costs of "blowback" themselves. States and agencies that don't will
experience considerably less risk and cost.2) I support the idea that we make an activity part of every meeting
provided that an Activities Chair is selected to organize and plan for
the activity. The process of deciding on and organizing the activity
shouldn't consume more meeting time than the time allocated for the
activity itself.Michael Denny
Libertarian Party of San Francisco
(415) 986-7677 x123
mike@MichaelDenny.net <mailto:mike@MichaelDenny.net>
www.MichaelDenny.net <http://www.MichaelDenny.net>
www.LPSF.org <http://www.LPSF.org>
________________________________
From: Dr. Michael R. Edelstein
[mailto:dredelstein@threeminutetherapy.com]
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 9:22 AM
To: lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [lpsf-activists] Questions for the Candidates for Chair and
Vice-ChairI would encourage our members to begin asking any questions of the
candidates for party office now.
~ChrisQuestions for the candidates for Chair and Vice-Chair:
1. Do you agree with me that a key position differentiating us from
the
SF Republicans, Democrats, and Greens is we are unconditionally
anti-war, since war violates the rights of taxpayers forced to fund it
(whether they support it or not) of the warring country and violates
the rights of the innocents killed in the attacked country? Please
elaborate.
2. Do you support having an activity as part of every monthly meeting,
e.g., writing letters to the editor, calling elected representatives,
calling registered libertarians, etc.? Please elaborate.Thank you for your participation.
Best, Michael
________________________________
Yahoo! Groups Links
* To visit your group on the web, go to:
Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos* To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
lpsf-activists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:lpsf-activists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>* Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service <Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos; .Yahoo! Groups Links
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
lpsf-activists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos