Infinite Monkeys

Broken Windows and the Nuisance of Terrorism

‘’We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists are not the focus of our lives, but they’re a nuisance,'’ Kerry said. ‘’As a former law-enforcement person, I know we’re never going to end prostitution. We’re never going to end illegal gambling. But we’re going to reduce it, organized crime, to a level where it isn’t on the rise. It isn’t threatening people’s lives every day, and fundamentally, it’s something that you continue to fight, but it’s not threatening the fabric of your life.'’ John Kerry, New York Times Magazine, October 10, 2004.

I’ve always been of the view that the worst possible approach to terrorism was the failed approach adopted by the Clinton Administration though the 1990’s. Investigations, subpoenas, warrants, and criminal prosecutions. And an occasional missile lobbed into an empty tent. Declare success, and “move on.” A short time later, more people die. Another lobbed missile. An investigation. Then “move on.” Ah, the good old days, when terror was just a “nuisance.”

Then 9/11, and fortunately George Bush was President, and things changed. We finally recognized that terrorism was not just a nuisance, and we went after those murdering bastards and killed them. And we still are.

But 9/11 did not change Kerry and many Democrats. They still want to go back to the good ol’ days when the murder of Americans and innocents abroad was a mere “nuisance” and not something to get too upset about.

Even Kerry’s law enforcement approach is deeply flawed. Remember pre-Giuliani New York City? Prostitutes, muggers, taggers, drug dealers, filthy, unsafe subways, etc.? Remember that? Then Giuliani adopts the “broken window” approach to law enforcement and cleans up the city. Get rid of the “nuisance” of prostitution, drug dealing, and gambling on the street corner. What happens? Crime drops, and a City becomes livable. (And if you want to complain about the Disney-fication of Times Square, well, screw you.)

Kerry wants to go back to the days when we tolerated the murder of Americans as a mere “nuisance”. Kerry wants to stick his head in the sand and ignore the growing threat of Islamist Terror.

Osama bin Laden learned a lesson from years of inaction during the Clinton Administration. Apparently, Senator Kerry and Ambassador Holbrooke didn’t.

UPDATE: Powerline reports on Mayor Giulian's comments iin respoinse to Kerry's terrorism as nuisance.

Posted by JamesPh. at October 11, 2004 10:04 AM