On Fri, 22 Feb 2002, Aimee Farr wrote:

Great bloodshedding that "never happened" -- due to diplomacy and deception. War is the means, not the ends.

No, it's diplomacy by other means. War is only one means, not 'the' means as this would indicate.

Americans seem to confuse the two -- a Code Duello Culture.

Well their political leaders do anyway. Not sure if it's consistent to equate the American people with their leaders.

The objective is to get the enemy to do our will.

There is usually no single objective. Further, if your goal is anything other than peaceful co-existance any distinction between you and the enemy is specious.

"The enemy" is just an antagonistic interest, not "a country," as we have been conditioned to think.

Specious distinction. The agent pursuing the 'antagonistic interest' is a country in most cases (at least at the scale you are speaking of).

That embodies a range of choices, but perception management, even if it involves deception, should be preferred to battle.

Yeah, it's called politics. Stating the obvious again. -- ____________________________________________________________________ When I die, I would like to be born again as me. Hugh Hefner ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com jchoate@open-forge.org www.open-forge.org --------------------------------------------------------------------