I have lifted and edited this from “Petronius” on another site:
http://www.jerrypournelle.com/mail/2011/Q1/mail668.html
Last night (28 March 2011), the President addressed the nation on the Libyan action. Imagine if this parallel conversation had happened in London in July of 1864…
“Gentlemen, it is a Humanitarian Catastrophe that we face. This madman has unleashed his army upon his own people. Even now, as we deliberate, our agents report that a rampaging legion of his blue clad devils, under command of a man once certified insane, descends upon the largest city of the rebel-held region. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians, huddled within the ramparts of Atlanta, know that their doom swiftly approaches, Their brave but ill-equipped rag-tag defenders have no hope of stopping, of even slowing, the inevitable doom that is only days from their doorsteps.
I have had discussions with representatives of other powers, including the French, who are Supremely Anxious to act in a Humanitarian Fashion to prevent this looming massacre. They lack only the leadership which we alone might provide to such a disparate coalition, and the conveying powers of our great Royal Navy, able to sweep aside all opposition on the High Seas.
The question before this House, is whether we shall dither until Sherman razes Atlanta to the ground, to then descend upon further innocent civilians in the hinterland of Georgia, or shall we, in concert with the other Great Powers, in cognizance of our Responsibility to Mankind and our Christian Faith, shall not act swiftly to put a stop to this crime?!”
Disraeli and Gladstone weren’t as Progressive as we are!
