fbpx
Politics Foreign Affairs Culture Fellows Program

Gingrich Asks Paul A Very Easy Question

Newt Gingrich showed off some of that dazzling intellect of his last night (via Keating): His [Paul’s] views on foreign policy, I think, are stunningly dangerous for survival of the United States [sic] and I think it’s a very simple question which I would be glad to ask Congressman Paul: if you have a terrorist […]

Newt Gingrich showed off some of that dazzling intellect of his last night (via Keating):

His [Paul’s] views on foreign policy, I think, are stunningly dangerous for survival of the United States [sic] and I think it’s a very simple question which I would be glad to ask Congressman Paul: if you have a terrorist who’s prepared to put on a bomb and wear it as a vest and walk into a grocery store or a mall or bus and blow themselves up as long as they can kill you, why would you think that if they can get access to a nuclear weapon they wouldn’t use it?

Notice that he couldn’t limit himself to saying that these views are dangerous, but that they are dangerous for the “survival” of the U.S. No one is ever just wrong in Gingrich’s estimation. A different policy view must represent impending doom for all of us. Remember that Gingrich is the “intellectual” in this group and Paul is the “crank.” I’m glad we sorted that out.

The second part is a very easy question to answer, and Gingrich reveals here that he doesn’t seem to have any grasp of the difference between a radicalized suicide bomber and a nuclear-armed state. Someone willing to blow himself up presumably would be willing to use a nuclear weapon if he could acquire one. Conventional deterrence wouldn’t work against someone like that. Fortunately, the governments that have the resources and know-how to make such weapons aren’t in the habit of sharing them with suicidal third parties. Why would they give up control of a supremely powerful weapon for which they would still be held responsible when it can be turned against them, used for blackmail, or set off without their consent? A nuclear-armed state isn’t about to engage in mass suicide by launching a nuclear first-strike on states that have nuclear arsenals of their own.

Advertisement

Comments

The American Conservative Memberships
Become a Member today for a growing stake in the conservative movement.
Join here!
Join here