Confused History Teacher Calls for “Revolution”

[Modern School]

With protests breaking out against repressive regimes throughout the Arab world, it is not surprising that people here would feel inspired. However, the activities in the Middle East are not revolutions, at least not yet. People are not calling for new forms of government or economic systems. They are simply asking for the bad guys to get out. Perhaps inspired by the Tunisians and Egyptians, Carl Herman, a history and economics teacher, is calling for a revolution in the U.S. However, like the protests in Tunisia and Egypt, what Herman actually wants is for the bad guys to go away, or least to stop doing bad things.

One of his justifications for “revolution” is that the U.S. government is engaged in unlawful wars. Of course this begs the question of what a “lawful” war is, or whether war is ever justified. The argument that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are unacceptable because they are illegal implies that they would be legitimate if congress had declared war or if the U.N. had given their consent. Yet the consequences would be the same: thousands of dead and millions displaced, starved and terrorized. And the same people would still reap the spoils

To read the entire article, please go to http://modeducation.blogspot.com/2011/01/confused-history-teacher-calls-for.html

[Ozymanithrax]

1. The wars have been fought in accordance with U.S. Law.

The President sought an Authorization to use force against Terrorists (2001), which made his actions in Afghanistan legal under U.S. Law. The Iraq Resolution (2002) made that war legal under U.S. law.

It is shaky under international law.