In Reply to: Re: Thomas Jefferson said... posted by anovagrrl on September 24, 2003 at 05:59:06:
The revolution of 1776 was founded on the principal of aquiring justice in the face of tyranny with the war initiated by the then legal subjects of a sovereign nation. There is a vast difference between the founding state of democracy in 1776 and the manifested self-interest of modern age of the American super-power. Ironically, Confederate General S.A Johnston, killed at Shiloh in 1862, said the prosecution of war is about nothing except death and how to make it happen to the enemy.
It is interesting to consider that America became the first complete experiment in democracy. In spite of the admirable context of the constitution and the following amendments to the original declaration the insititution of slavery, and its residual legacy, continues to be a grevious wound deeply affecting the republic to this day.
Contrary to popular revisionist opinion it was never Lincoln's primary motive to enter into war with the south to eradicate slavery. The major reason for the war that Lincoln cited was to "preserve the union" and the "rule of the majority". The south's move to leave the union was, in Lincoln's mind, rebellion and a threat to democracy and the heart of the republic itself.
Lincoln's original idea for eradicating slavery was limiting its growth and finding a negotiated end to slavery based on long term planning and economic compensation to slave owners. Lincoln's act to declare emancipation was driven by political expediancy. In spite of the politics involved Lincoln truly was opposed to slavery and saw how damaging it was to the nation.
I suppose that pre-emptive war, like all things in this world, is a mix of contrary values. I wish that someone had of pre-empted Hitler. Taking action pre-emtively would have saved the world a lot of grief.