There's a story in the on-line edition of Locus today about Ursula K. Le Guin and the SF peace movement.

Says Le Guin: "This is the only thing you can do. It's what you've got to do. People ask how the Nazis could have happened, how the German people could have let it happen. Well... we just have to look around to see the answer."

Yes, we're just like the Nazis.

She also reiterated Douglas Lain's thought, "Science Fiction writers have a special interest in the future and the US policy on Iraq is putting our future at risk."

Is it possible for a science fiction writer to think exactly the opposite? And is it possible they might be right?

What exactly is this group of people proposing? Douglas says basically let's let the inspectors do their job (all the while seeming oblivious to the fact that the only reason they're doing their job at all is because of the threat of force).

They seem determined that the high ground is taken by refusing to use force in any way, shape, or form. What then, do they propose should Iraq stonewall the inspectors yet again? Blame it on the U.S. again?

Let's say that Iraq refuses access to a site today, and then another tomorrow. What exactly should the response be? Should we go back to the U.N. and debate the meaning of the word "serious", and then the meaning of the word "consequences"?

Let's see...we haven't really thoroughly exhausted diplomacy yet. Let's have another, oh, ten years of resolutions and just leave poor, battered Saddam alone for a while. Let's lift those sanctions while we're at it. After all, why should we try to place restrictions or punishment on someone who's just flaunting international will exactly like the Jews and the U.S.?

You think Saddam really wants to build a nuke? Hah! No way, dude. Scott Ritter says they don't have the capability, and presumably won't be able to any time in the future. Hell, that's good enough for me. We don't need to do anything to insure that they don't develop nuclear weapons. We'll just suggest to them that they shouldn't. I'm sure they'll listen.

And even if they are really working on a nuke, they just want it for defense from the big, bad United Hegemony. They'd never use it to blackmail or threaten their neighbors, much less any other country in the world. I'm sure their intentions are purely benign, and purely defensive.

Yes, yes...I think I'm finally coming around...