A Strange Contrast
If one can endure the creepy, multifarious Hamas recruiting videos of Gazan children with suicide belts, camouflage uniforms, and toy AK-47s shouting to “kill the Jews”, and then collates all that with the images of young Hamas males with hoods and masks, RPGs and rocket launchers, screaming about the death to come to Israel with the now boilerplate “Day of Death” and “Day of Punishment”—with all the bizarre use of the vocative (“O Israel, you will see your rivers of blood” or “O Olmert, we will cut your head off!”)—then it is hard to comprehend the switch to a sudden victimization mode, in which weeping Hamas operatives appeal to Europeans, the news agencies, and other Arabs for relief from the suddenly militarily competent and fierce Jews.
Tribal War
This is all very tribal—the radical turn-about from the praising the law of the jungle and fighting to the death to appealing to the guilt of the stronger power for exemption. It reminds me of Bernal Diaz Del Castillo’s description of the Spanish-Aztec confrontation. The Japanese, as I mentioned, never in extremis asked for quarter on Iwo or appealed to the League of Nations, whose laws they violated.
Fair and Balanced
It is also terribly depressing to see the coverage. Each time I watch the melodramatic dispatches of a CNN reporter or read a Reuters dispatch, I ask, “Where were you when the Russians blew apart 40,000 plus Muslims from the center of Grozny? Are you upset about the Turkish Muslim occupation of Cyprus now in its fourth decade? Didn’t Israel give more up of southern Lebanon and Gaza and the West Bank than China ever did in occupied Tibet? And were there more Palestinians lost in Gaza or recently in Zimbabwe, Congo —or fill in the blanks in Africa? Is Russia now occupying parts of Georgia?
What Was Israel Thinking?
For all the talk of Israeli failure, they are doing to Hamas what they did to Hezbollah in 2006 and Fatah in 2002. And in each of these respective cases there was a cessation in offensive attacks following an incredible degree of material damage. Israeli goals? Risks? (1) They are gambling that the IDF can show Hamas to be weak, isolated, and largely a costly puppet of Iran without a lot of sympathy from, or indeed covert support from, either the Arab capitals or Fatah/PA or both; (2) They are gambling that they can establish another quid-pro-quid protocol in which a Hamas or Hezbollah understands that every time they wish to start another round of killing and fighting, they will kill only a few Israelis at a cost of hundreds of their own and billions in material losses; (3) They are gambling that they can so discredit and humiliate Hamas that the Palestinian Authority gains in stature and shows a greater willingness to negotiate; (4) They are gambling that they can kill enough Hamas leadership and blow up enough caches to reduce the rocket attacks, or at least convince the Egyptians to shut down the tunnel accesses; (5) They are gambling that if the world and the UN and the EU all choose to side with a terrorist entity like Hamas, then they have lost all leverage with the Israelis, and, thereby, are shown to be bankrupt and impotent in their ability to change conditions on the ground.
Unconventional Wisdom
We were told for 7 years that Iran was in the driver’s seat and we had only empowered it by invading Iraq, but consider. Oil prices have crashed, depriving it of tens of billions of dollars. Iraq looks like it made it, and its free media will prove more destabilizing to a censored society in Iran than Iranian agents were to democratic Iraq. The tab to clean up for Hezbollah after 2006 was reported in the billions. Replacing the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza won’t be cheap. All of Iran’s surrogates “win” only by getting pounded and requiring billions in terrorist replacement subsidies. The Arab world is in near lockstep against Iran. So why the conventional wisdom that it is ascendant? (And why talk to a foul murderous regime when it is tottering?)
Advice to Obama:
If you do cut back on the Bush anti-terrorism policies (and, rhetoric aside, I doubt you will to any great degree [see below]), and we suffer any sort of 9/11 attack, in the national clamor afterwards, expect those aides who lobbied you the hardest for repeal, will be just those sure to court the press and explain why and how their insightful advice about keeping the Bush era statutes was ignored—by you.
The Other Foot
A year from now, say January 2010, will we read an AP headline like “Obama wrestles with Guantanamo”? It will be followed by a lede-in like, “In yet another pernicious legacy from the Bush administration, President Obama is perplexed by the problems of closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center, given that some deadly terrorists still reside there, and yet there is as no adequate solution in either trying them or releasing detainees to their parent countries.”
But wait, why imagine a year from now?—Obama has already done that! Cf. the latest in which we suddenly learn that Bush the Law Shredder was, well, facing tough choices. Here’s the most recent ABC interview transcript:
“It is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize,” the President-elect explained. “Part of the challenge that you have is that you have a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom who may be very dangerous who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication. And some of the evidence against them may be tainted even though it’s true. And so how to balance creating a process that adheres to rule of law, habeas corpus, basic principles of Anglo American legal system, by doing it in a way that doesn’t result in releasing people who are intent on blowing us up.”
Was That Bush or Obama?
Yes, that was Barack Obama you just heard—not George Bush circa 2002.(Perhaps his only escape line will be that he has to keep Gitmo open since Bush “tortured” three terrorists by waterboarding, and ensured that they will get off on a technicality in a court trial. So they have to stay there for now. [But most others were not water-boarded, so why not just let the vast majority go?] And are we to believe that the campaign rhetoric of Bush “trampling over habeas corpus” is now inoperative given “people who are intent on blowing us up?”)
VDH, as an Australian humanities academic, now painfully familiar and disabused regarding most of the affirmative-action problems you describe, I confess to not understanding this paragraph:
[quote follows]
But two observations: why do privileged white elites in the NY-DC axis always give soap box lectures about the beauty of diversity while never (?) stepping aside themselves to jump-start the up and coming careers of the other? (For 21 years I watched senior white male professors lecture their departments on affirmative action, then hire by race and gender, and turn away white males by rote who usually were far stronger than these diversity prophets who were mostly hired by old boy networks in the 1960s and 1970s.)
You’ve taken President Bush down a notch in my eyes. Did he really only come up with one swear word for the oily (or should we say gaseous) Herr Schroeder? I expect better from Texans.
BTW, have you read the oily letter from Gerd’s buddy Steinmeier at the Spiegel Online English site? I can only advise not reading it on an empty stomach unless you are trying to simulate bulemia. Interestingly, Steinmeier did not say how many Guantanamo detainees he is willing to take. Nor did he indicate the level of German support for providing forces to monitor the Rafah border crossing. I think he has been giving advice to the Egyptians, though. He obviously thinks the youthful Barry should be equally receptive to his sage counsel.
Twist your hands, wring them until it really hurts! For what good? Here comes another team to run things; sure they have used energies from the left, spare me the pain of reality. Some arguments are never meant to be solved, nor go away, they are those conflicts that only get resolved in a temporary manner, a partial movement one way or another.
This lawyer boy, who dreams of Lincoln but more like Alexander the Great with words in his quiver, is more than thrilled at becoming a leader like those old African chiefs, the Zulus! Enter the ghost of dear old daddy from afar…
Americans are obese, in more ways than just body mass! Even Jack Bauer running from crisis to crisis will not bring about a truth which will motivate our masses to real change.
Channel Heinz Kohut for a week or two.
Mommy ain’t coming to rescue your sorry ass today!
Your “wake up call” is on its way!
Indeed. Ironies and inconsistencies abound. The much ballyhooed notion of diversity has been preached more than practiced, with the loudest sermonizers being those least likely to adhere to their own teachings. Politically correct speech “promotes harmonious campus environments”, while outside the hallowed gates of university students are free to engage in demonstrations calling for the extermination of a whole people. A primary rationale for the United Nations is to improve child welfare throughout the Third World, while in their own protectorate in Gaza blatant child abuse is condoned… etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum.
“And for some reason, something is not right about this, odd, weird, troubling…” VDH, that describes most of what you write about. I’m sure in some alternative universe it all makes sense. But not in this one.
At to General Powell and how he bothers some:
Back in those jungles, over there, in that far off place where America’s Honor and Will were tested and for many…lost.
There are stories, told in hushed voices, of how this great American General, as a younger officer of the Army, had special work to do.
My Lai needed his attention, quietly.
It is said he did some things to help others in this mess.
If these stories are true, as those few who have heard them say it is so, then what bothers our good professor of classics, has roots going back there.
This may be what some say is “inside” Washington politics.
It’s a really special club, a quiet club perhaps.
Fantastic bit here. The section on the way in which Vanity Fair constructs their “penetrating” exposes is dead on. In the case of Vanity Fair though, it should come as know surprise as Editor Graydon Carter pontificates every month on how the Bush Administration/Right is destroying America/the world/anything else he can think of. With all of these publications (Vanity Fair, Time, Newsweek, New Yorker, NY Times, etc)they begin with their conclusion – Bush is Satan – and construct their arguments and sources around this rock solid and trendy premise.
What we have here is a lot of easy pronouncement and very little actual diversity in practice.
In the cosmology of today’s Left, you can make a lifetime out of talking about diversity, inclusion et al. and etc. while, effectively, doing little or nothing.
It’s “the religion of human kindness” and, like many precepts of the Left, all it demands is a constant stream of words thrown at it.
It’s all hat and no cattle.
As the basic assumption is that they need your help, it is also extremely condescending towards your fellow man.
As a corollary, if you are a minority who has made it on your own merits, you might expect to be scorned and ridiculed by many in this this same crowd of Leftist pontificators.
“Caring” about the guys incarcerated at Guantanamo is another aspect of the empty religion of human kindness, mainly useful as a way to needle and pick at those in power, aka your political enemy.
(am I joining Islam every time I hit the “submit” button ? :) )
Obama cannot dither forever!
He cannot vacillate ad aeternum!
He cannot hang fire till the 12th of Never!
Sooner or later this Hamlet will have to act, or better, take action to try to better his rotten republic, and then we will see if Mr. Hopeychangey just hopes that change gonna come or whether he is willing to do something to bring it about.
Remember, Hamlet too hoped for change, but, until his hand was forced, danced and pranced and beat around the BUSH until every one of his loved ones was dead, and the only redolence in Denmark was that of the decaying bodies of once-beautiful people.
“Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.”
Obama will not founder on the rocky ambitions and actions of others: he will become grounded on the shallow banks of his own uncertainties!
Citing Israeli willingness to give up territory for peace is laudatory. But it should also be recognized that the territory being given was handed to the Israelis by the UN, the US, and indeed the world, from holdings that once were those of resident Palestinians. After 50 odd years, it does seem impractical for these powers to become “indian givers” and return that what which may not have been theirs to give away, thus planing the seeds of the enduring conflict. But it may be time for world powers to impose a peace, be it by an economic blockade of the parties, military imposition, or temporary occupation, hopefully benign, somewhat like that which worked in Japan and seems to be evolving in Iraq.
1. Recently at Mass, we prayed for “peace in the Middle East.”
We’ve been praying for peace in the Middle East for 40 years.
Enough already.
Just stop it.
The rest of the world is sick of all this fighting.
Leave Israel alone.
Does Hamas take the rest of the world for idiots? They are the victims and they are the same ones firing 3000 plus rockets into Israel?
2. The new “24″ episodes will turn the popular culture against all this concern about extreme interrogation.
Terrorist to FBI: “You can’t do that. You’re FBI.”
And then the FBI goes ahead and does it.
Cherry Jones plays Barack/Hillary as President.
Loved your discussion of “privileged, entrenched white elites” never stepping aside to help diversity. Reminded me of the sad saga of PHIL DONAHUE. Donahue is a media figure so old and broken, your readership may not even remember him.
He was a middle-aged Chicago Irishman with a “issues” talk show in the seventies. Phil constantly informed us that somewhere, “THERE WAS A BLACK WOMAN WHO NEVER GOT A CHANCE, NEVER GOT AN OPPORTUNITY ‘CAUSE THE OLD WHITE BOYS NETWORK NEVER GAVE HER A SHOT, KEPT HER DOWN…” then he would mutter about this for thirty more seconds until he got to his commercial break.
But suddenly, somehow, in the early eighties, a black woman got her shot. Her name was OPRAH WINFREY and what she wanted was PHIL DONAHUE’S JOB. So she went to Chicago and ate Phil’s lunch, right in front of him.
Years later, Vanity Fair wanted a picture of Phil and Oprah together. Because, you know, he paved the way for her. Donahue, now a bitter old Irishman with no talk show, refused.
SPEAKING OF THE OTHER FOOT
The Democrat Party destroyed the “Waters Edge” concept and will have to live with the results now that they are in control.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/war-in-iraq-lest-we-forget.html
The Obama administration is about to take ownership of the war on terror. Past Demoratic rhetoric denouncing the Bush administration for being beastly will result in the public holding the Obama administration responsible for any successful attacks in the U.S. by foreign terrorists, for being too nice to them.
While I doubt the Obama administration will do much different from the Bush administration in terms of domestic security measures or interrogation of captive terrorists, that won’t save it when we’re hit again at home. They have to be perfect, and I don’t see them being perfect.
Brilliant. I am a new follower to your Blog Professor and let me say, I am extremely impressed. I will openly admit that I have not had a chance to go through your Blog completely but thus far, I am a HUGE fan. Keep up the good work. I will comment more as I go through the site
I have nothing special to say tonight on your subjects, Mr Hanson, but for some reason it seemed like a good time for me to write and say how much I appreciate your steady display of calm and rational common sense in a world which seems increasingly filled with bloggers and commenters who are seriously challenged not only in their ability to reason but also in their vocabulary and ability to craft a coherent sentence, not to mention emotional stability.
Before you take this too much to heart, however, please let me add my caveat: I agree with perhaps 95% of what you write, but I also have a number of good friends who consider me somewhere between a loon and lunar, raising the possibility that I might not be the world’s best character witness.
I was born in Los Angeles in 1934 and spent quite a large part of my life living in various parts of California, from San Diego to Mt Shasta and parts in between: Camp Pendleton (3 years in the Marine Corps), Santa Monica, Barstow/Daggett/Newberry Springs for 8 years, La Habra and Whittier, Bakersfield/Oildale, Walnut Creek, and, finally, Jackson the final 20 years. One of my bigger regrets is that I did not know who you were before I moved away from the litigation nation in early 2000 and did not impose myself on you for a visit. I probably drove very close to your family ranch many times.
I don’t really have a point here except to say that I know where you are coming from in part because I’m from the same place; I think you are doing a fine job and make quite excellent sense; and this often seems to be a world where you hear more often from those who think you are a nut than from any supporters.
It could be that we two are anachronisms fading from the scene, but since a few years ago I adopted a little Costa Rican boy who will be 6 in a bit more than a month, I’m committed to lasting longer than I otherwise might have as well as educating another young mind as best I can. Since you are an up-and-coming young writer, I hope to be getting the benefit of your insight during all that time.
Sincerely, Gregg Calkins
Exactly when and how did Cyprus become “Greek” after the disintegration of the Otto?man Empire following WW I?
Was there not a British Mandate over Cyprus? What occurred during that mandate period the now makes the Turkish military presence a “Turkish Muslim occupation?”
And what circumstance generated that Turkish Military presence?
This writer has “no dog in the fight,” but is vastly surprised at such a characterization eminating from one so well versed in the facts of history particularly of that region. Why not say that the Turks from the High Altai are occupying Greek Anatolia? And, how did the Turks become Muslim? Unlike so many of an earlier period, not by the sword.
A few years ago my youngest brought home a school drawing she made in crayon showing daddy holding a supposed “handgun” upright, elbow bent, getting ready to aim. The teacher’s note stated drawing pictures of implements of violence in school was not allowed. The “handgun”, of course, was a cordless drill.
Contrast that attitude, which prevails in American schools, with what you see from Gaza: a whole generation of kids schooled in violence and death. All with a wink and a nod from UNRWA. If Hamas’ treatment of Palestinian children is criminal, UNRWA is complicit as well. What court of law should I send the charges (war crimes and child abuse) to for this UN agency?
I am always amazed at why so many highly educated individuals in the West chose to enter into the framework of a Western suicide pact regardless of what the other side does. We learned very quickly how to deal with the Japanese method of fighting during WWII and it did not include much in the way of PC tactics; proportionality during war was not in our vocabulary. But it seems today that regardless of the atrocities that the Islamists commit, there is a mighty cry as to why we made them do it from those who should know better. The Left seemly forgets that, as happened after the Iranian revolution, they will become the victims, since no one respects or needs useful idiots post-revolution.
Another great blog Doc. Please keep them coming.
I guess I’m a bit cynical. I anticipate that in the near future the IDF will be withdrawn. This will be followed by a couple of peace conferences and perhaps direct talks at Camp David, hosted by President Obama. Noble prizes will follow the announcement of a peace agreement. A few months later rockets will begin falling on Israel and CNN will tell us it’s Israel’s fault.
It’s deja vu all over again.
Sometimes I wonder where Obama was born. It may always be a mystery. That’s what makes it exciting and inviting. It should be a cloud on his presidency.
Imagine an eighteen year old girl from Kansas being wheeled into the maternity ward at the hospital in Kenya. Phillip Berg says that her mother-in-law was there. I wonder if Barak Senior was there?
Maybe Barak Senior was living with his 18 year old wife in Hawaii. They went to one of the hospitals in Hawaii although which one continues to be a mystery. I wonder which hospital in Hawaii is going to put up a sign saying, ‘President Barak Obama Was Born Here’. That hospital’s PR department must be sleeping on the job.
And I’m ridiculed for my interest. Why should it be hidden?
Besides that, It was nice to hear positive stories about American cars on the previous thread.
Two cliches in Journalism: ‘Jews is news.’ and ‘If it bleeds it leads.’ These wars with Israel are perfect for them. PJTV is the best alternative for at least $10.00 a month.
I heard about Krauthammer and Kristol but Obama will be sorely lacking until he invites VDH for a one on one. And soon.
I am and I’m not worried about Israel. Israel is really different as far as countries go. You can say it’s blessed. If the Allies had fought the Palistinians in WWII, the war wouldn’t have gone on for long. Nevertheless, life is lost and it’s tragic.
Saying that, I hope the IDF inflicts enough injury on the enemy that it stops firing missiles. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. It’s one of those things you should only have to ask once.
Essential vdh
Looking for rational cause and effect in all the wrong places. Whatever the subject there is no there today and so you state.
It is confusing only if you think that our current situation demands rational thought.
The keystone to being a liberal left wing Obama supporter or affirmative action supporter is that there be no accountability or memory. Rational thought?
Short term memory lapses are required that are so short that it is impossible to make the connections to cause and effect. There can be no guilt. Just self righteousness.
“We can’t feel guilty about saving the world–can we” “After all it just takes a little talk by the right people saying all the right things”.
Hope and change brings it all into being. Positive results are not required when “positive Utopian” thoughts can replace reality.
It is ironic that the American bashers like Obama and his wife can get elected and then when elected think that America can save the world, the lions will lay down with the lambs concept. Soothing words only needed.
In today’s world we should be destroying some of it and helping some of it if we were rational. Bush tried somewhat to do this. Who were his biggest critics? By now it is silly to state the obvious.
In times gone by it used to and still does in some cases become literally a matter of life and death to see and know reality. An American foot Soldier is still in one such profession. A bullet looks at nothing except hits whatever is in its path.
In the past knowing Cause and effect allowed us to prosper. It hasn’t been that way in the US since the 60′s were kicked off by the “Great Society”.
It is now possible in the US to make a good living just showing your race and skin color card—except when you need to vote, no Id’s needed–it is discriminatory. Huh?
No real talent needed just a piece of meat occupying space spending resources. Producing nothing.
People have forgot that the liberal left wing ideology in America is a residue of the in-roads of communism in American academic life (life?). They were trying to take Capitalist America down. They may yet succeed.
It appears to now be politically incorrect to say that you are a communist. This probably has to do with funding of grants. It has been replaced by simplistic ideas that are communist. The assumption is that no one knows the difference.
Ignorance and a psychotic Utopian complex reducing the world to simple untruths stops the realization that we are reconstructing failed communist ideas and that we have just jumped off the building—but so far so good. We must give this dive a chance to succeed.
Good advice would be to make sure that all who care, are involved in business areas where knowledge of cause and effect is an absolute necessity. Hard skills only need apply. No studies group here.
When the feel good vibes creating disasters crashes due to idiot voters and ignorant and power hungry politicians we must be able to pick up the pieces and start over again with some rational level of an integrated society. Either that or strap on your guns.
The thin veneer of American society has already broken down in the inner cities due to generations of welfare recipients started on and never weaned from the Great Society ideas. No character or individual responsibility there. Greed, envy, criminality and stealing are an accepted way of life: The Street Life.
What are family values? Don’t walk anywhere in the inner cities to found out about this mystery subject.
We have seen the additional cracks in the wall within the banking industry.
The Banking industry destroyed due to politicians telling bankers where they had to lend money over the last 15 years. Loans based on race and skin color. No “red lining” allowed—what ever that meant.
Politician created entities like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac buying up the results of non qualified lenders and borrowers and then reselling the results to the Securities industry as mortgages on homes.Mortgage backed securities packed with a lot of worthless paper—how good can you get? Madoff could not have created a better scam.
Having a business that feeds at the government trough is OK if it is not your core strength and your only line of work. It, as all yellow brick roads, comes to an end. It should not be your end–that is one thing we can all agree on.
The world’s folly in condemning Israel for civilian deaths is difficult to fathom. On one hand, Israel seems to have accomplished much in minimizing civilian losses considering the difficulty of separating combatant from pathetic standers by.
On the other hand, Hamas has cynically, amorally, and disgustingly hidden themselves behind their children, grandparents, and neighbors….an indirect execution of their own people as a propaganda and tactical ploy. Surprizing that Israel takes better care of their families than they do. Yet they are victims…as if the world has no expectations for them to be civilized– any inhumanity of their is given a pass. Ironically, they give new meaning to the term “noble savage”. Their criminality and so much of the gulled world’s stupidity turns one’s stomach.
Two points regarding a couple of comments: First, the British administration of Cyprus began in 1878, it was formally annexed in 1914, it became independent in 1960, and 3/4 of it population was (and is) Greek. Second, the location of an American’s birth is irrelevant if his mother is an American.
Jack Marcotte:
Cause and effect? How passe. Launching thousands of missiles at your neighbor doesn’t cause wars. Evil Jews cause wars. They should be exterminated, the sons of apes and dogs as the hadith says. Qassam rockets launched at Israeli civilians are just like fireworks on the 4th of July, a political expression formulated by freedom fighters, democratically elected ones no less who love to show their firm grasp of the moral dimension of government of the people, by the people blah blah blah, by executing their political adversaries. That, and perennial war with the Jews, is a cause they can believe in. And the effect on the conscience of the West? Nil, at best.
Odd that most military conflicts in the past 50 years lacked a clear dichotomy between the opposing sides, yet when now presented with such a situation so many Americans are having a hard time discerning the good guys from the bad. Regardless anyone’s feelings towards Israel (and mine are not based on religion), we could apply the hostage scenario approach to figuring out who to support in this war. We don’t usually recommend acceding to the demands of terrorists who take hostages, for fear of perpetuating this violent and criminal behavior. Hamas holds their own civilian population hostage to their war aims (i.e., their PR campaign). Why would anyone suggest Israel agree to their demands? My humble advice to the Israelis: Free the Palestinians. Destroy Hamas.
“Day of Death” and “Day of Punishment”—with all the bizarre use of the vocative (“O Israel, you will see your rivers of blood” or “O Olmert, we will cut your head off!”
If anyone is truly interested in learning about the Palestinian “catastrophe” (“Nakba”) of 1948-1949, all they have to do is notice that Arabs were shouting basically the same things then as now. “Drown the Jews in the sea!” “Palestine from the River to the Sea!” “We will slaughter them!” Etc.
Or if one wants to learn about what really happened in May-June 1967.
Essentially: the perfidy of the Jews is that they fight back when they’re not supposed to.
Essentially: when Arabs try to slaughter you, you’re not supposed to defend yourself (then as now); and if you do, you’re a bestial aggressor deserving to be slaughtered. You’ve brought it upon yourself.
And if the result is a Palestinian Nakba, or a Egyptian-Syrian-Jordanian drubbing, it must be the fault of the aggressive, demonic Jews.
And if there’s no peace, it’s the Jews fault because the Jews haven’t tried hard enough to live with their neighbors, or haven’t given back enough territory, or don’t trust (for some reason) their Arab partners in peace.
Same now as it ever was.
23. Sullihan
Is that a fact?
Wait, wait, wait a minute – Barack Obama said that there are “People who are intent on blowing us up”???
Pardon my disbelief drenched in sarcasm, but how can this be? We have been told, ad infinitum, by our intellectual and media betters, that there is no terrorism threat, it’s just a conspiracy by Bush/Cheney to steer military contracts to Halliburton, Islam is a religion of peace, the rioters in France and elsewhere share no common trait except “Youth” and “Disenfranchisement” – you get the idea.
What does the Left have to say about this rather amazing admission of Obama’s? I can’t get over it! Where’s Michael Moore, and what’s his take?
(I could do more sarcasm, but it’s rather depressing.)
Essential vdh
ET,
The irony is that B. Hussein Obama’s ideas are a regurgitation of failed social policies that have already eliminated millions and millions of human beings from this earth.
Evidently they don’t teach history at Harvard. Only History Studies that allow you to pick and chose what you want to study or conclude.
A “share the wealth” government in the past (real history) ment stealing from and killing those that had the “wealth”.
When people believe you can get something for nothing and they can vote for it including ballet box stuffing within the inner cities and develop governmental policy based on it to centralize power using fear and ignorance—you got to know it is the beginning of the end game.
Of course this is not new starting with the largest failures within the Iron Curtain countries run by communists. Nazism was of course socialist and anti capital.
Communist and Nazi socialism translated into murdering population classes, in Russia, land owners and small farmers, in Germany Jews and others classified as less than humans. I won’t mention Cambodia/Indochina it didn’t happen after all it was not reported in the MSM.(I need to drop my own sarcasm).
Lose the sarcasm and just strap it on. If you don’t have any hard skills you had better develop them. It is no longer funny.
It’s time to check your rear end when a President of the US tells you that you are a victim and big brother government will take care of you wither you like it or not.
I see Israel has declared a cease fire despite rockets still being fired from Gaza. Isn’t that more like a surrender?
What’s next, a meeting at Camp David with President Obama? Will Noble Prizes follow for Hamas leaders and the Benedict Arnolds who govern Israel?
Here’s what I just received from a fellow correspondent. I’m still working on my response.
” I use phraseology like “savage Jewish invasion” in reaction to the overwhelming pro-Zionist bias in American news media. I realize that the bias goes far deeper that just the media; it’s cultural. This nation was founded on a Judeo-Christian ethic. We are predominantly Christian. The bedrock of the Christian faith is the Bible, both Old and New Testament. If one accepts the Old Testament as truth, one accepts that the Jews are God’s chosen people. As such, the actions of the Jewish nation, i.e. Israel, are favored by God and not to be questioned. The Old Testament advances the view that when Jewish military aggression was successful, God was with them. When they were defeated, God was punishing them. The right of other peoples to exist, have possessions and live in peace is never considered. Remember the “Promised Land?” When they got there, it was occupied.
Please spare me invective about my being an anti-Semite. I have nothing against Jews or the Jewish religion, per se. After all, Christianity is fundamentally a Jewish denomination. What I object to is any group of people who think their prerogatives supersede the rights of others.”
The saleman told me from whom I bought the shredder. All office shredders roll on casters for convenient sharing among offices. Every shredder model has a 10-year warranty on cutting heads and can take staples and paper clips which saves office stationary too.
Living in Florida there was an urgent need of shredder in the office so I called up the saleman who told me there was No sales tax on purchases delivered out of California! 10 year warranty on cutting heads & 1 year warranty on mechanical parts (parts only)!