That is the headline from some news analysis in tomorrow (Tuesday Mar 1) morning’s The Daily Star of Lebanon. How could you express this moment in history better? And how about this from the Star’s article:
Where do we go from here? Who will fill the political vacuum yesterday’s events have left? Hariri’s sister, MP Bahia Hariri, who spoke both eloquently and movingly in the stormy parliamentary session that preceded the government’s resignation, is being talked about as a possible candidate for the premiership.
If Lebanon is ready for a female prime minister she must surely be the first choice.
Whoever it is will have the trust of the people in a way that few politicians can ever enjoy. Let us hope this optimism, this trust and this moment is not betrayed. To paraphrase Karami’s last words as prime minister, May God preserve what the people of Lebanon have achieved.
I don’t want to sound self-satisfied, because that’s always dangerous and I’m really not anyway (self-satisfied, that is). But I’m beginning to feel sorry for all my friends and former friends who thought I’d gone crazy when I supported the war in Iraq. They must be feeling left out, although I am sure many of them block the news out or make sure it is sufficiently leavened with bad news not to disrupt their world views. After all, we’ll all be dead relatively soon in the grand scheme of things and it doesn’t matter much what any of us think anyway. But isn’t it nice to be on the optimistic side of things, rooting for human freedom?
Yes.
Roger,
Do any of your so-called friends participate in the Democratic Underground? I followed a link there and according to them the Iraq War had absolutely nothing to do with Lebanon. This is ONLY due to the Lebanese people.
Amazing that they could miss Wllid Jumblats take on this.
Oh, there is one alternative, the Jews and Neocons were responsible for all this as part of there PNAC (?) plan to conquer the world.
Funny if it wasn’t so pathetic.
Is this evidence of that elusive ‘domino effect’ they spoke of so many years ago when we were in Viet Nam? If so, it makes me wish we had stayed the course.
No, AlanC, as far as I know, no friends of mine post at the Democratic Underground. But I can’t be absolutely sure, because I have to confess that I have never read it.
Roger:
You are magnaminous.
My feelings toward my friends and relatives who thought I had turned into Eva Braun or whatever is: just remember when yu see those people demand freedom and risk their lives to get it you can say to yourself, not in my name.
And btw, I work with a lot of people on medicaid or medicare or whatever and many of them still think it is a mistake. To them it is all about competition for resources and the government aka the taxpayer should be spending that money on them.
It was the same way back in in the 90′s when Clinton cut medicare and we went after the Serbs.
Screw em they say, I want free medicine. I know what I am talking about here.
With these types of transformations it’s the military stance that is really important since they are the ultimate power. If the militaries allow the protests without killing everyone and ingnore the government orders, then bloodless revolutions could be successful. Has anybody heard anything from military spokesmen in Lebanon, Syria, or Egypt?
“Isn’t it nice to be on the optomistic side of things, rooting for human freedom?”
–Yes, and when human freedom wins it is ambrosia.
Terrye,
I’ve often wondered if there is no level of violence, oppression, and human suffering the left wouldn’t gladly accept for the sake of “free” “health care” and “education”. There is, apparently, no price too high to be guaranteed to ever receive a bill for medical treatement or tuition.n
knucklehead:
Some of these folks aren’t even liberal really, they just want to be taken care of. They can not see beyond their own needs.
Roger ó Remember, these are the same people who believed the Soviet Union was here to stay in the 80′s and beat Reagan over the head with that when he was in office, and then said, it was inevitable that the Soviet Union would collapse and drummed that on his casket after he died.
Give them a few days to work up a theme and we’ll hear how it was a mere accident of history that this happened on Bush’s watch and his billy-jingo cowboy act had nothing to do with it.
Of course, their arguments will be good mostly for comedy, but they’ll make them anyway…
“After all, we’ll all be dead relatively soon in the grand scheme of things and it doesn’t matter much what any of us think anyway. But isn’t it nice to be on the optimistic side of things, rooting for human freedom?”
That’s deep Roger (sorry, flashback), and, I feel, a sign of a man at peace with himself. I think age (maturity, wisdom?) has something to do with that viewpoint.
But I will respectfully disagree with the notion that what we think doesn’t matter. Of course it matters, and it most especially matters with those who are articulate and learned enough to put things into words. Powerful potion. That’s you Roger.
And, yes, it is nice to be optimistic about the positive changes that are occurring in the world. The next 10, 15 years are going to be extremely interesting, perhaps more so that the last 10 or so. From a lifelong democrat, I am just so thankful that GWB was in the right place at the right time. Freedom will win out, in the end.
It’s too bad I can’t gloat to my friends since most of them are no longer my friends, I couldn’t stand their stupidity, even when I explained the war to them! Can you imagine that?
And I couldn’t stand their so superior, patronising attitude.
I’m better off without them.
[Even so, I do gloat a bit, I mean they must see the news, mustn't they?]
Careful all. This is just an opening act, not the conclusion.
There is still plenty that may go wrong.
Syria has to fight. If they give up Lebanon, they will not be able to hold their own population. I would expect the loyalists within Lebanon to act as Syria’s front in this fight. I would expect the backlash to start soon.
God help all on the right side of this fight, and may it be brief.
I hope I’m wrong.
Well I spent last night at an Oscar party at a firend’s house and many of her friends were yukking it up over Chris Rock’s quite lame GAP jokes as if it were deep humor. I didn’t go there to get into fights and believe me many in this crowd weren’t worth the trouble. But I did feel sorry for them, that they could be so well educated and still so clueless. Some of these people are going to wake up and find that their world has changed. Perhaps they’ll be lucky enough to get their heads together beofre they’re on Medicare. But that’s their problem.
January 30th made it clear that friendships wrecked over the war in Iraq can begin to be salvaged if the anti-warriors admit to themselves their error. A very few already have. Some never will.
A good many will come around eventually. Some of those who do come around will reach out to former friends.
Any former friend who walks up to me with his head screwed on straight offering his hand will get a handshake from me.
Hasn’t happened yet. But I’m hopeful. These things take time.
Luther:”From a lifelong democrat, I am just so thankful that GWB was in the right place at the right time. Freedom will win out, in the end.”
I hear ya!! I feel the same!
I have a dream
Tomorrow three or four hundred thousand Lebanese will be in the streets of the main cities. They will have their flags waving, as they have done, and they will all have a purple finger raised as the shout for the Syrians to leave and new elections to be held.
And then in Teheran, the Iranians will gather and they too will have purple fingers raised as they demand free elections and a new governing system without the Ayatollahs.
Tonight is a only a dream.
So many excellent comments already–to Luther MacLeod: Thank you sir: a simple observation that bespeaks volumes–alas the “great man” historiographical approach to history is no longer in vogue–but indeed, where would be at this point without the presidents vision. To John Lynch: yes the battle is not yet won but look how far the middle east has come in two years–these are indeed momentous times in which we live; to Barry Dauphin: indeed–is Chris Rock the BEST the academy can put on screen to represent the–ahem–acaemdy? what a crass travesty–totally devoid of (1) humor and (2) intelligence–his performance I would assume is an embarassment to all black Americans–he degrades an entire ethnic group with his sad performance–
but most important is the triumph of freedom–the winds are blowing and the spirit is catching–the President and is supporters on both the right and the (reformed) left are correct: Freedom is an extraordinary palliave–and the arab regimes are feeling the winds of freedom.
Having been brought to heal more often by women in my life than men….I say bravo if they can elect a strong willed female for the job!
Or maybe I’m just getting more in touch with my feminine side as I gracefully age.
Roger;
You may have been right but at what price! Remember the torture. And of course there is the always reliable, “But innocent women and children died.” Or there is “But what have you done about Saudi Arabia” Or there is “But what about the deficit?” Or there is “But your rights have been destroyed by the patriot act” Or “But what about the gay hooker in the white house press room.” “Voter suppression in Ohio.” “Pinochet”. ‘florida 2000′ The list goes on forever and they will never admit that you or Bush were right.
Roger,
“… we’ll all be dead relatively soon …”
Great minds think alike
http://vietpundit.blogspot.com/2005/02/silence-of-lambs-part-two.html
YESTERDAY, LIBS SAID:
Nothing good can possibly come of Bush’s policies. We’re all doomed.
TODAY, LIBS SAY:
A lot of good has come to pass recently in the ME, but Bush had nothing to do with it; it must be a coincidence.
It’s a step, eh? At least they are no longer quite so able to deny the reality on the ground and are acknowledging that improvement has indeed occurred, even if they still can’t admit why. Gotta start somewhere.
BTW, I tried making the above point on a Leftie site recently, in their comments section. I was polite and to the point.
They deleted all my comments. Apparently, the denial still runs deeper in some than in others.
But isn’t it nice to be on the optimistic side of things, rooting for human freedom?
Absolutely. From your house in Hollywood.
It will all come right in the final reel!
“… we’ll all be dead relatively soon …”
It’s none of my business, particularly, but I can’t help but thinking Roger’s recent surgery might be partially behind this statement. An event like that in one’s life can really serve to focus the mind on the bigger picture. In one sense, we are like mayflies – here and gone in no time, no matter how long we live. But while we’re here, it’s nice to see good things happening and people’s lives improving.
I always used to feel that Neville Chamberlain got we he deserved. He died in late 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, when things were at their absolute darkest for England. For all he knew, going to his grave, he had helped to throw away the freedom of the English people for the next 1000 years. It seemed somehow fitting. Now, I have to say I feel sorry for him. It’s too bad he couldn’t have lived long enough to see a better day. A day like some of those we’ve had recently.
Oooh, I dunno… taunting seems ok to me. Somebody needs to register the “Still_Sorry_Ya_Dumbass?.org” domain so we can touch off another round of posing with signs.
The soothsayer’s warning to Julius Caesar, “Beware the Ides of March,” has forever imbued that date with a sense of foreboding.–
March might be coming in like a lion in some ways.
The end of the month will be very, very interesting.
W meets w/Martin and Fox in Mexico on the 23rd(?), the Mexicans are in a tizzy about American citizens patrolling the border and have hired legal representation, AND
Condi’s not going to Canada for the F/U meeting in April.
U.S. secretary of state delays trip to Ottawa
CTV.ca News Staff
The ripple effect created when Canada said ‘no’ to signing on to U.S. missile defence seems to have penetrated deeper south of the border than first believed.
CTV News has learned that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was so displeased by Canada’s decision to opt out of the program that she’s postponed a planned visit to Ottawa in mid-April.
This contradicts Ottawa’s official line that U.S.-Canada relations are proceeding smoothly after Prime Minister Paul Martin announced last week that Canada won’t be a part of the controversial ballistic missile defence (BMD) program.
A senior U.S. State Department official, who was on board a London-bound flight with Rice, confirmed to CTV News that the cancellation of the Canadian visit was a direct consequence of Martin’s decision….
Just want everyone to be aware….
Let Bush speak in his own words (from the SOTU):
“America will stand with the allies of freedom to support democratic movements in the Middle East and beyond, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.”
…
“And the victory of freedom in Iraq will strengthen a new ally in the war on terror, inspire democratic reformers from Damascus to Tehran, bring more hope and progress to a troubled region, and thereby lift a terrible threat from the lives of our children and grandchildren.”
Nah, it’s all just a coincidence.
Heh.
As a foreign policy “realist,” I thought regime change in Iraq and positioning US forces there would be important. I hoped Democracy would help, but wasn’t holding my breath.
I could have held my breath and been fine. We are seeing the power of good ideas, transmitted by modern technology and ancient rumor systems, defeating bad ideas.
I should have been a neocon, but what do you call a paleocon realist who becomes a neocon, anyway?
I think we can expect Hezbollah to raise hell somewhere, possibly in the US. That’s the dark lining on the silver cloud. But we knew that was a price we would have to pay. We will deal with it.
Who would have thought the next breakthrough would be in, of all places, Lebanon! If they can pull their factions back into an operational democracy (and they had one before), then the factionalism excuse goes bye bye.
Finally, totally OT -
Roger, have you gotten my emails? I think I have been spam-listed (lots is vanishing). I’m coming to LA and hope to see you (change your bedpan or something
Harry ó No, you prig.
It will come right in Iraq, and Afghanistan, and Beirut… and Damascus and Tehran when their time comes.
It will come right, belatedly, in Europe where even the press that mocked Bush has begun to worry that he may have been right, while their own governments attend arms shows for dictatorships and arrange to help the mullahs acquire nukes.
It will come right in North Korea, which has given up its posturing to slouch back to the negotiating table.
It will come right in Britain, Australia and America where arrogant, insular journalists are being held to account for their pompous bloviating and outright lies.
It will come right on the campuses of Colorado and Alabama and New York where the students are standing up to their fossilized, deceitful, self-righteous faculties.
It will come right in Hollywood where they are suffering the worst punishment of all: we’re not listening to them anymore.
It will come (further) right in the Congress in 2006.
Lucky you. You get to live through it. Enjoy the show.
ìI don’t want to sound self-satisfied, because that’s always dangerous and I’m really not anyway (self-satisfied, that is). But I’m beginning to feel sorry for all my friends and former friends who thought I’d gone crazy when I supported the war in Iraq.
We deserve to take a bow. The recent events have validated our predictions. Folks like us were right—and our opponents were wrong. Should we rub it in? Oh gosh, I admit that it sure is tempting. However, we should remain humble. If nothing else, the war on terror is not over. There are many more battles to be fought.
It’s always been a gross exaggeration to say liberals are pro-Communist. But… that said, one Communist inheritance the Left is addicted to is rewriting history. Soon, their official story will be, like the Cold War’s, all about how “we” stood united in the war for civilization.
The good news, though, is that the Left no longer controls all the printing presses….
ahem,
Is this evidence of that elusive ‘domino effect’ they spoke of so many years ago when we were in Viet Nam? If so, it makes me wish we had stayed the course.
The domino effect is not all elusive. It is very real and has manifested itself in many situations.
First and foremost, we witnessed the domino effect in action after our withdawal from Vietnam as Cambodia and Laos both fell to Communist regimes – just as the theorists of the domino effect predicted. And the slaughter that occurred happened just as predicted too.
Furthermore, the dominos kept falling beyond Southeast Asia. One of those dominos was Afghanistan. And we know how that turned out now, don’t we? No Afghanistan domino, no Bin Laden, no 9/11.
We should have stayed the course in Vietnam. Our failure to finish the job there after we had already won the war ON THE GROUND was a monumental tragedy. I’m not saying that the anti-war movement was wrong. The situation was obviously extremely complicated because the Vietnamese people had legitimate nationalist aspirations. I’m just saying that the triumphalists in the anti-war movement have never acknowledged the ACTUAL OUTCOMES that happened because of their actions.
The 60′s triumphalists look back and all they see sex and love. They have no idea that their actions lead to the deaths of millions and the enslavement of tens of millions.
Ah, yes…The Reagan years.
Where protests greeted President Reagan for his policies towards the USSR, and his anti-Communist stance.
Where liberal scientists were repositioning the hands of the ‘clock’ which symbolized the oncoming nuclear war; letting the ‘world’ know that Reagan was dangerous.
The naysayers and revisionists could never give Reagan credit for the spread of freedom, and the fall of the Berlin wall.
The same people will never give Bush credit for the spread of freedom in the Middle East. They will instead, wait for the first instance of violence in Lebanon and then say ‘Ha! This is all Bush’s fault!’.
VietPundit,
Well said. We’ll be gone, but our grandkids won’t.
‘I am sure many of them block the news out or make sure it is sufficiently leavened with bad news not to disrupt their world views.’
Look at this OP_ED from the Boston Globe as a case in point. Do a quick page search for ‘Bush’ and it will return no results. It attributes the change to Kofi Annan.
Aaarrrrrghhhh! How the NYT digusts me. Its such a small thing but I am so happy I stopped sending them money. I made the mistake of forking over a buck for their lame product a couple weeks ago in an airport. I won’t make that mistake again anytime soon.
From their editorial board (link at InstaPundit):
Gee, thanks, how bitchinly magnanimous of you, you forkin fatalistic freaks.
“…few in the west…”? Earth to Moonbat One… comein Moonbat One… Whether “the cause of Middle East democracy” had no chance, little chance, a slim chance, a fat chance, or every chance, making one last ditch effort to push it in right direction, toward something tolerably close to peaceful co-existance with the 21st century world was the only chance – the last chance. ‘mocracy no workie, middle easty no survivey, journodudes. They either get democracy or some civilized approximation or they get nuked till they glow and then we hunt them in the dark. There are no more ideas or chances, you idjits.
Half the country may live in JesusLand but the NYT lives in JesusAreTheyStupidLand. Hail Mary, Mother of… somebody please save us from these flaming fools even if they can’t be saved from themselves.
Can we at least enumerate some of these negative consequences so that they might be compared and contrasted with the negative consequences that flowed, like an Indian Ocean tsunami, from leaving that vile scumbag in power.
Petty on my part, but notice that once something they might be willing to describe as “success” or “good” might be within reach, the NYT cleverly switches from “the Bush Administration” to “Washington”. During the Bubba Years whenever the NYT vented their spleen on the military it was always “the Pentagon” or the “Joint Chiefs”, never the “Clinton Administration”. The day Dubya took office it was always the “Bush Administration” and never the “Pentagon” or the “Joint Chiefs”. Oh well.
But back to the real point. The Bush administration (aka Washington) managed to make what looks like a crackling good little democratic brushfire from the sparse kindling available in the ME. And they’ve managed to “nurture and encourage” the flames despite every attempt by the NYT to “smother them” in oceans of pessimisms and great heaping mountains of obfuscation and negativity. I think the Washington (aka the Bush Administration) will manage to keep the “triumphalist embrace” within reason.
We Flying Monkeys of the VWRC, on the other hand, will do whatever we can to wrap a triumphalist embrace right around the throat of the foolish philippricks of the NYT.
What will be the next insidious campaign of the MSM? Most likely, it will be the exaggerated importance of the murders in Chicago. Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkowís mother and husband were probably murdered by white power extremists. Such an incident, however, is the exception—and not the norm. The MSM, needless to add, is going to do everything to make everyone believe that the white supremacists are more troublesome than the nihilist Muslims living among us. Am I overly cynical? We will find out soon enough.
Jack Tanner,
From your Boston Globe link:
Holy Tortured Avoidance, Batman! Brave Syrian Intellectuals?!?! How about some props to the Brave Lebanese Nationals, Brave Iraqi Citiznes, and maybe, just maybe, the slightest of all hattips to the Warmongering Neocon Cabal. Nope, the events in Lebanon are the work of Syrian intellectuals, Hosni, Abdullah, the UNSC. There’s more miles of drapery in this Globe editorial than there are in The Gates.
I thought, fersure, Tanner must be off his meds. Not even The Globe would have the audacity to credit the developments in Lebanon to Kofi. I had to wait for it, but you were correct, Jack.
Kofi warned Assad, “The Security Council would take measures…”. Talk about leaving a dictator quacking in abject terror and fear!
“We will be very angry with you, and we will write you a letter telling you how angry we are…”
BOY ASSAD: “Awwwww, nooooooo… Kofi Anan!”
David Thomson ó Take a bow? For what? On KTLA here in LA this morning, not one mention of Lebanon, but OMIGOD, BIN LADEN MADE A PHONE CALL!
Still no mention of Lebanon on the front page of CNN.com
This is all encouraging, but I’m afraid we’re not nearly into the end game yet. As John Moore noted, Hezbollah and its fellow travelers are not about to go quietly into the night. Not to mention that the governments of Syria, Iran, Egypt etc. are not known for their niceties. I fear we’ll see at least one Mideast version of Tiananmen Square before this is all over.
You may recall the words of Harvey Keitel in Pulp Fiction, as he cautioned Jules and Vincent about getting too excited (I’ll spare the actual, graphic quote). I think it’s probably good advice in the current situation.
That said: damn, this is encouraging!
An aside:
Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow’s mother and husband were probably murdered by white power extremists.
That’s what all the local (Chicago) media are speculating. Considering how inaccurate media first guesses are, I’d bet on a simple home invasion/burglary gone wrong rather than targeted assassination.
Does anyone know if she wears a burqua? A female prime minister, even if just for an interim government, who wears western dress would really send a message to those women who meekly allow themselves to be treated like baggage.
Richard,
Harry – No, you prig.
You need to work on your spelling.
The peaceful toppling of the government in Lebanon will reverberate through the region.
Here are our thoughts…
http://www.rightviews.com/article.php?id=287
http://www.RightViews.com
–We should have stayed the course in Vietnam. Our failure to finish the job there after we had already won the war ON THE GROUND was a monumental tragedy.–
And Korea and GW1.
No coincidence all are biting US in the rear at the same time.
Finish them win or lose, but finish them then, not 50 years later. Someone wrote an article on that last year(?).
–A female prime minister, even if just for an interim government, who wears western dress would really send a message to those women who meekly allow themselves to be treated like baggage.–
Iranian women are wearing pink this year, last year was red. They also wear “transparent” scarves, and the religious thugs are going nutso.
–Kofi warned Assad, “The Security Council would take measures…”. Talk about leaving a dictator quacking in abject terror and fear!–
Well, the last time the UN was told to take measures, they didn’t, now Kofi’s more willing to have US at his disposal since he thinks it’ll help him keep his job.
Ahhh, the sounds of spring, tornado sirens going off and the beeping of the radio test signal.
No, she doesn’t wear a burqa. I’m not sure what is the point. Indira Gandhi would cover hear head with the sari pallav when in situations that demanded respectful attire.
If I know I’m going to a parish where wearing scarves is strongly encouraged and a basket of spare scarves is kept for those who don’t have their own is kept, I would wear a scarf.
That doesn’t make me a doormat, though. Believe me, I can be outspoken at home and in public.
–It boldly proclaimed the cause of Middle East democracy at a time when few in the West thought it had any realistic chance.–
And they worked very hard to make sure it didn’t have a chance.
Lola – no different than a fancy resteraunt asking you to where a coat and tie. Except that some of the people wanting you to wear the burka will stone you to death if you don’t wear it.
Regarding bin Ladens “call” to Zarqawi, how do we interpret that.
1) al Queda is on the run and needs the resources elsewhere
2) bin Laden realizes the momentum in Iraq is away from terrorism, and towards democracy. So why fight a lost cause in Iraq.
3) bin Laden realizes the tactics of Z are causing more harm to al Quedas cause than helping it.
All of these?
Anyone remember in what document this was said and when…
Finally, the United States will use this moment of opportunity to extend the benefits of freedom
across the globe.We will actively work to bring the hope of democracy, development, free
markets, and free trade to every corner of the world.
The United States will stand beside any nation determined to build a better future by seeking
the rewards of liberty for its people. Free trade and free markets have proven their ability to lift whole societies out of povertyóso the United States will work with individual nations, entire regions, and the entire global trading community to build a world that trades in freedom and therefore grows in prosperity.
Freedom is the non-negotiable demand of human dignity; the birthright of every personóin
every civilization. Throughout history, freedom has been threatened by war and terror; it has
been challenged by the clashing wills of powerful states and the evil designs of tyrants; and it has been tested by widespread poverty and disease. Today, humanity holds in its hands the
opportunity to further freedomís triumph over all these foes. The United States welcomes our
responsibility to lead in this great mission.
**************
Couldn’t have anything to do with where we are now can it??
Somebody probably already called everyone’s attention to this, and if so, I apologize (I’m too busy today to read all the comments), but anyway, Mark Steyn has a typically hilarious take on gloating about the good news:
Three years ago – April 6 2002, if you want to rummage through the old Spectators in the attic – I wrote: “The stability junkies in the EU, UN and elsewhere have, as usual, missed the point. The Middle East is too stable. So, if you had to pick only one regime to topple, why not Iraq? Once you’ve got rid of the ruling gang, it’s the West’s best shot at incubating a reasonably non-insane polity. That’s why the unravelling of the Middle East has to start not in the West Bank but in Baghdad.”
I don’t like to say I told you so. But, actually, I do like to say I told you so. What I don’t like to do is the obligatory false self-deprecatory thing to mitigate against the insufferableness of my saying I told you so. But nevertheless I did.
Jamie Irons
Jamie,
That’s vintage Steyn. I can’t say how the cracks stand up to Chris Rock’s work at the Oscars (I didnt’ watch), but you gotta like:
OK, that last part didn’t exactly tilt the Laffometer but I left it in ’cause it brings up a point that needs to be made. The Esteemed Steyn has never, to my knowledge, mentioned Roger in any of his columns. Please post suggestions for repairing that unfortunate tear in the fabric of the blogosphere.
Why is all this happening? Answer: January 30. Don’t take my word for it, listen to Walid Jumblatt, big-time Lebanese Druze leader and a man of impeccable anti-American credentials: “I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, eight million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world. The Berlin Wall has fallen.”
hmmm… while I fully believe the old adage that “intelligent people create, geniuses steal” I wish it know than I fat fingered some blockquoting and did not mean to present yet more Steyn Commentary as my own.
Knucklehead
That’s OK…I still think you’re a genius.
Jamie Irons
Why is all this happening?
Go a little farther back than Jan 30th. That event didn’t spring from nothingness.
It happened because we have a leader, and a visionary.
And for anyone who doubt that the leg work for this was set before Iraq was invaded, take a look back to the National Security Strategy of 2002. Remember, that’s the one that the MSM couldn’t get past saying “pre-emptive” a few million times. If you read the whole document you’ll see a much more complex and comprehensive strategy. The fruits of which we are now seeing.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss.html
“Our Nation’s cause has always been larger than our Nation’s defense. We fight, as we always fight, for a just peaceóa peace that favors liberty. We will defend the peace against the threats from terrorists and tyrants. We will preserve the peace by building good relations among the great powers. And we will extend the peace by encouraging free and open societies on every continent.” President Bush – West Point, New York – June 1, 2002
KI -
Dead on – it goes back to whenever Bush decided to forsake the terror collaborators and sympathizers and change the world. If he had listened to the ‘Not in our name’ fools and ‘traditional allies’ excuse makers then Jan 30th never would have happened.
I think for many of us, it was the same moment.
Sept 11 2001
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010911-16.html
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices; secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers; moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.
The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong.
A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.
America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.
…
The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I’ve directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.
…
America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism. Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.”
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.
Two points.
One: Roger and many of his contributors should be proud to have come out on the better side of the four possibilities presented by Churchill’s famous quote. Young liberals with heart that have grown wiser with age …not necessarily “conservative”, but at least “neo-so”. You’ve done Winston proud; there is no better model than he for a worlds leader who saw what must be done, painful though it may be.
Within in this analogy I see the MSM as middle-aged… it has the opportunity to grow wiser, but it must choose to do so. Many of the die-hard liberals simply have too much time and effort invested in their invalidated world view to go softly into their good night, but at least we will benefit from the entertainment of watching them fight it tooth[less] and nail.
Two: Anyone else catch the brief news piece yesterday that OBL has been suggesting that Zarqawi focus on attacks in the U.S.? To me that sounds like Zarqawi just lost a no confidence vote from his pappy and is being told in essence to “break it down, pack it up and get the hell out of there….you have failed us.”
Any other possible thoughts (assuming Zarqawi really doesn’t have the logistical capacity to switch sides of the globe at the drop of a hat, whhich I believe (and pray) is true?
Bruce W – yep, my thoughts exactly…
as posted above.
Regarding bin Ladens “call” to Zarqawi, how do we interpret that.
1) al Queda is on the run and needs the resources elsewhere
2) bin Laden realizes the momentum in Iraq is away from terrorism, and towards democracy. So why fight a lost cause in Iraq.
3) bin Laden realizes the tactics of Z are causing more harm to al Quedas cause than helping it.
All of these?
“Regarding bin Ladens “call” to Zarqawi, how do we interpret that.”
Well, my first thought was ‘Zarqawi’s a bit busy right now, doesn’t bin laden have anybody else?”
My second thought was that there is so much going on in the region now, that they can’t figure out where to go next, what to do and they’re mad as heck ’cause they’re losing. So inside America is their choice. It will be their last gasp. They are a strong horse no longer.
Which brings me back to my first thought. Seems Zarqawi is all old Osama has left.
Oh, btw, Knuck…you were on a roll up there. Loved your fisking rants!!
Knucklehead quoted Walid Jumblatt: “I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, eight million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world. The Berlin Wall has fallen.”
I saw MOST of the same quote repeated in a post on the Democratic Underground. The poster, however, omitted the final sentence. I guess that part was TOO TOO HARD TO SAY.
Bosonian,
It was not I who quoted Jumblatt! You give me more credit than I deserve. I barely know who the guy is and I had to recently go discover what little I do know.
It has been called to my attention (by some ol’ grump with gall problems) that I have falsely accused Mr. Steyn of failing to pay appropriate homage to our esteemed host, Mr. Simon. I was mistaken and Mr. Steyn has apparently paid appropriate homage (what’s he done for Roger lately?). I hope Mr. Steyn accepts my apology and that none of y’all have caused him any inconvenience due to my ignorance.
Can I go out and play again now? I hate sittin’ in this corner with the cat’s stoopid litter box.