

Either the government has force available to it, or it doesn't.  The
Libertarian position is that the government can use force only when someone
else uses force first -- even when that first force is not directed
against the government, but one of its citizens.  That all being true, 
what safeguards do we have against the government CLAIMING that some
initiation of force on its part is really a response?  (Like the burning
of the Maine, the Tonkin Gulf incident, or the assault on Waco?)

I ask this not to argue, but to understand.

(Followups to alt.politics.libertarian only.)
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