The horror of Japan has had me riveted to CNN and online news since Saturday morning. I have nothing to add but my sadness for a country I’ve been fortunate to visit twice.
James Brinton writes on Facebook a very interesting proposal on how the United States can turn swords into plowshares and adapt a soon-to-be mothballed naval fleet into a humanitarian “Great White Fleet”
“The original Great White Fleet of sixteen battleships sailed on a two-year around-the-world goodwill mission in 1907 at the direction of President Theodore Roosevelt. Its goal was to demonstrate than while the United States had become a nation with global reach, and that while its sea power might be a warning to others, its intentions were peaceful. Its white color scheme symbolized not surrender, but purity of purpose in an idealistic time.
The United States has several inactive super-carriers which could – should – be converted to disaster-relief ships. We should do this because we are America, and American would rather be a savior of nations, because The Fleet would demonstrate American compassion in the wake of disaster, and because — at least for now — we are the only nation that can.”
The notion of a flotilla of immense white-painted, red-crossed nuclear aircraft carriers heaving into sight of some ravaged land — and there will alway be some ravaged land to aid — is oddly compelling
