Imagine this: a country, let us say Turkey, experiences an attempt by elements within the country, let us assume military commanders, to overthrow the government. The government quickly puts down the attempted coup and cleans up house really thoroughly thereafter. It locks up tens of thousands and we don’t know what exactly it does to exactly how many of those. Never mind.
But then, the triumphant and resurgent Turkish government points to a man, an Islamist, resident in another country far away, and names him as the mastermind of the failed plot against it.
The Turkish government then makes contact with the government of the country in which this Islamist – who is not just an Islamist but is also a cleric to boot – resides and says that it must hand the cleric over. The men and women in Washington to whom this message is delivered have a good chuckle.
The Turkish government repeats that the US government whose officials have allowed this man to reside in the Homeland must hand him over to Turkey. The US officials chuckle some more then respond to the Turks that this man has broken no laws in their land of exceptionalism.
The Turks say, we don’t care whether he has broken any laws in your country or not, he just tried to rip our country apart so please hand him over.
Now just who da ya think yuh’re talkin’ tuh, Boyh?, the US government responds.
This is a matter of international law, respond the Turks.
The ladies and gentlemen of the US government suppress a guffaw.
A pinko journo at that commie website Counterpunch gets hold of this and tries to dig a bit deeper.
Sir, he asks at the next State Department press Q&A, are we going to consider the Turkish government request to hand over the cleric?
I’m glad you asked that question, son, the State Department spokesman responds. But the cleric as you call him has not, to our knowledge, violated any U.S. law.
A fellow journalist leans over to him and says, that’s what the Taliban government in Afghanistan tried to say about OBL.
I heard that says another member of the press corps. But we went to the innernational kuhmewnity and they said it was okay for us to kick ass in Af-gan-iss-tan.
Yeah, says another, besides, those raghead bastards attacked the Homeland.
I get that, says the commie journo, but don’t the Turks have a point if they say this guy was responsible for the attempted coup in Turkey?
They haven’t proved anything interjects another member of the press corps.
Yeah, but neither did anyone prove that Osama did 9/11 says the commie. I mean, the Taliban did say they were willing to have him stand trial and we just said we wanted his head.
Are you seriously saying those frickin’ mountain people could think about tellin’ us, the USA, how it works, said another veteran journalist present. We’re da Man and we da Man who tells these guys who don’t know what freedom and democracy are how it is.
But Turkey’s a democracy isn’t it, asks the commie. And we believe in democracy and human rights. And if someone tries to overthrow a democratically elected government, don’t we support that democratically elected government and help it get the guy(s) who tried to bring it down, especially if they’re Islamic cleric types? Aren’t we the ones who chase the bad guys to the end of the earth and make it clear to all the world: the bad guys can run but they can’t hide?
You don’t get it do you, replies another member of the press corps. We’re the ones who decide who’s a democracy and who isn’t. And we’re the one’s who decide who’s the good guy and who’s the bad guy.
But isn’t it about principle, asks the pinko journo. Isn’t it about rule of law and human rights and fair play and making the world safe for democracy?
Principle, chuckle some of the older men and women present who have more experience of these things. Hey, somebody take this kid out and buy him an ice cream.
A couple of the veteran members of the press corps volunteer to do this. They take him to a nearby ice cream parlour and order him two scoops of vanilla ice cream with a hot chocolate sauce and a cherry on top. They each have a slice of Apple pie.
Son, the senior press corps member says to the young journo, there’s some things you gotta understand. In innernational affairs it’s all about doin’ the right thang. And there’s some really bad people in the world with some really bad ideas. And the worst idea of all is that anybody other than the USA has any idea of what the right thang is. The good news, though, is that no one’s got the power we do, both the bang and the buck. And we use these, benevolently of course, to make sure the crazies in the world who have whacko ideas about doin’ thangs their own way don’t go off the reservation – and since all that we do is in their best interest it’s a win win for everyone.
Oh, I think I get it now, says the young pinko journo, his eyes widening in appreciation of the truth that has just been revealed to him: anything that brute unstoppable power can do is right!
You got it, Kid. And next time you hear anyone say, It’s the economy, stupid, just remember, first you get the power, then you get the economy, then you get the woman. So the bottom line, Kid, is this: it’s the power, stupid.
Now go back and make sure the whingeing fantasist editors and contributors at that silly rag you write for understand this. Hope you enjoyed your ice cream.