The Blood Bath Appeal to Pity
Time and time again we hear the pundits on the right warn that if we pullout of Iraq there will be a “blood bath”. This fallacious argument has successfully percolated into the social mind of America. Often these same pundits who come from the American Enterprise Institute, PNAC, and other right wing think thanks are the very same ones who are demanding the U.S. attack Iran.
Apparently right wing pundits haven’t considered the human toll of bombing Iran or else they would have realized that bombing Iran would also be a “blood bath”. How many innocent Iranians will be killed?
The pundits don’t care about how much “collateral damage” would occur after a bombing campaign on Iran just like they don’t care about the supposed ensuing “blood bath” that might occur if we pull out of Iraq.
These very same pundits had no concern for the Iraqis when we first bombed and invaded their country. To this day, those in the right wing circle are still calling for the military to nuke Iraq and for our soldiers to keep killing “towel heads”. Yet when confronted, these wingnuts quickly turn misty eyed about the potential “blood bath” and sectarian violence in Iraq if we leave.
The argument the right uses is one of the many informal fallacies politicians use, particularly Republicans. It’s called the Appeal To Pity:
Arguer attempts to get an audience to accept a conclusion by evoking pity or sympathy
I hope that one day Americans won’t be duped by such simplistic arguments. One should always be leery when a group of people that feigns concern about human bloodshed is the very same group of people that lobbies to cause human blood shed.
If bloodshed were the litmus test for invading and maintaining a military presence then the United States would be in Darfur and Rwanda right now.
For once I would love it if on the news when a rightwing pundit starts crying about the potential blood bath in Iraq if we leave, I would love it if the anchor would ask the right wing tool:
Anchor: "Do you support a bombing campaign against Iran?"
Right Wing Tool: "yes ofcourse! I think we should hit them and hit'em hard...hit'em with everything we got...we gots to take out their nuclear capabilities before they hit us!"
Anchor: "Wouldn't bombing Iran cause a bloodbath?
Right Wing Tool: "Well, umm, no doubt there will be some collateral damage...but they will mostly be military targets...
Anchor: "So you're saying there'll be no civilian casualties?"
Right Wing Tool: "No, I didn't say that...you're putting words in my mouth. I said there will be some collateral damage"
Anchor: "Civilian deaths?"
Right Wing Tool: "possibly, yes"
Anchor: "Ok, so on the one hand you're concerned about the deaths of innocent Iraqis if we pullout of that country but you're willing to accept some civilian casualties if we bomb Iran. Something about that doesn't jibe".
Comments
You've got 'em dialed. If the wingnuts want to do something, it "might" result in some "collateral damage." If it's something they don't want, it "will" result in a "bloodbath." OK, I've got it now.
Posted by: Tom Harper | September 7, 2007 11:59 AM
Hi Tom,
I think the only way we can make any political headway in this country is to continue deconstructing the right's fallacious arguments. The problem is that only a few people are gonig to read our blogs. This message needs to get out into the mainstream.
I have been heartened by Olbermann's willingness to take on Bush. I'm sure he'll continue to do great work. We need to attack the right wing propaganda head on. The problem is that lowly bloggers like myself can't make a dent in the bullshit when all over the TV the media keeps propagating the right's fallacies.
Posted by: PoliShifter | September 7, 2007 12:55 PM
This Administration will not be happy until they have finally started WWIII and we all get blown away. Who will pick up the pieces and go home?
Posted by: Carol | September 7, 2007 01:39 PM
PoliShifter, I'm so angry right now. I just don't get it, how Republicans can be so dumb and let the neocons and the spinners spin their minds.
This President has already told them that he's going to leave this war in the next President's lap. He stated that he's going to walk away and make millions as his Father and Clinton has done.
The Iran problems are starting because, Bush knows that if he doesn't start the bombing. Israel will, and that will cause a lot of mess in the Middle East.
This man is playing President, he has no ideal about what he's doing to run this country properly. He's in it for the money, and the money he can help the rich, the corporations, the oil companies, and pharmaceuticals make.
We sit around waving flags and calling one another patriot or coward, why this guy and his friends rack up the money from our foolish reactions. We cannot stop this with our small Blog sites and our House and Senate, which does nothing in fear of missing their money or losing their next election.
It's as you said in another post. War is about these jokers making money on the backs of the average Americans and we are to dumb to see it or just don't care. Sorry for getting off post and ranting to long.
Posted by: Let's Talk | September 7, 2007 06:31 PM
How can the neocons be worried about pulling out will cause massive deaths, but they paid no lipservice to the million who have already died.
Posted by: Larry | September 7, 2007 07:03 PM
Hi Let's Talk, no worries. You're still on target and I feel your anger. We live in frustrating times.
Hi Larry, let alone their desire to bomb Iran and kill innocent civilians.
Posted by: PoliShifter | September 7, 2007 07:11 PM
It isn't emphasized nearly enough that the cowardly scum bags also don't give a flying fuck how many Americans get killed because of their policies. Nor do they care if the American economy collapses.
Posted by: JollyRoger | September 7, 2007 07:39 PM
Great Point Jolly Roger and one I should have mentioned throughout this post as well.
No, they don't give a fuck how many Americans die or get wounded. In fact, they play on a Soldier's desire to serve his or her country and sense of duty in order to get them to continue to follow orders.
They've got the military convinced that if we leave Iraq now somehow they would be dishonored. And Bush has stated in the past that we basically need to stay in Iraq and have more soldiers killed in order to honor those that died before them.
I still don't get what there is to lose or win in Iraq. It makes no sense. Yet still people will talk about that if we leave Iraq it will signal a "loss" and weakness to the rest of the world.
You know what signales weakness to the rest of the world? Not being able to catch or kill Bin Laden and eliminate Al Qaeda.
Posted by: PoliShifter | September 7, 2007 07:50 PM
Sorry for getting off post in the last comment.
You mention how they have our service members convinced that if we leave Iraq now somehow they would be dishonored and need to stay in Iraq and have more soldiers killed to honor those that died before them.
This President is unbelievable and those that believe that crap, has got their heads screwed on backwards.
There has to be some sense of type of intellectual convincing of the American people that this got is playing get rich quick while you can, for him and his friends.
Posted by: Let's Talk | September 7, 2007 08:04 PM