The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Tuesday, September 10, 2002  

GETTING TO YES OR NO
The Professor Ducks the Question

Alan Dershowitz is in the paper again today, this time Canada's National Post, with an essay, "Is an Attack on Iraq Justified?"

Credit goes to the Post's headline writers for their dead-on deck: "In this exclusive essay, lawyer Alan Dershowitz examines the legality of pre-emptive strikes against rogue states."

And that, indeed, he does, but aside from a few hints that yes, or maybe, the U.S. probably has the right to preemptively strike Iraq, the question lies unanswered.

In fact, the entire essay builds up to this concluding sentence, which actually takes the form of a question:

"The real question is, would it be worse to err on the side of action that turns out to be unnecessary, or of inaction that exposes us to preventable devastation?"

Well, which is it, professor?

Perhaps Dershowitz is hoping to prod the Post into paying for a follow-up essay.

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