Good News From Iraq
Quick, when you saw that headline, what was your reaction? Was it hopeful? Skeptical? Maybe disappointed? Admit it. Did part of you wish for complete chaos last week after the mosque bombing? Is it more important for you emotionally for Bush to be wrong, than for your country to succeed?
Just askin'...
Follow this link: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/64677.htm for a great story. The Civil War that wasn't. To all my comrades on the left--don't you get tired of being wrong all the time?
What is truly tragic about all this is that somehow we've gotten to the point where at least half the country is emotionally and intellectually invested in our country's failure.
If there is one valid criticism of the Bush presidency, it is this: How did we get here? How could they have lost control of the message so badly?
I imagine critics will say that it was the choices they made. Policy. "We had the whole world behind us after 9/11, and this President squandered it." But, I wonder, were they really so behind us then, or were they secretly enjoying seeing America laid low. Suddenly, their own shortcomings didn't seem so bad. It's like watching the king and queen of the prom tripping and falling into the mud. You feel sorry for them, sure, but secretly you're enjoying that they suddenly don't look so superior.
Ever notice how everybody always hates the Boss? I've had lots of bosses in my life, some were great guys, some were SOB's, but it really didn't matter. For most people, just the fact that they were the boss was enough to make them hate them.
I think there's a little bit of that dynamic going on in the rest of the world's relationship with America. We're the biggest kid on the block, the king and queen of the prom and the Boss all rolled up into one, and I've got news for you--they hate us.
After 9/11, I suspect much of the world thought, "Well, this will bring them to their senses. Now they'll finally see the error of their ways." Instead, here comes George Bush, unapologetic, unbowed, saying effectively, "We're not changing. Instead, we're going to effect change elsewhere." And may I add, God Bless him for that. Let me state for myself that I'm not changing anything. I'm a free man and I will never yield to terror. I'm not interested in going back to the sixth century, and I'm not surrendering one iota of my hard-earned lifestyle.
I love America, and I love her for what she really is, not for what I wish she was. I love NFL Football, SUV's, eating meat, rock'n roll, NASCAR (ok, maybe not NASCAR), the Star Spangled Banner (NOT America the Beautiful), Wal-Mart and McDonalds. I like talking on the phone while I'm driving my big German automobile and I love Marlboro cigarettes. I think Global Warming is probably bullshit, just like Global Cooling was bullshit in the '70's. I love American abundance and I make no apologies for it. Somebody give me a cheeseburger!
So to anyone who thinks they're going to impose their lifestyle on me, forgetaboutit. Not going to happen. In fact, if there's any lifestyle imposing going on, let me suggest to the rest of the world that we'll be the ones doing the imposing.
So I think that's what's going on here. I think much of the rest of the world, and maybe about a third of Americans think that America should have just bent over and taken her medicine after 9/11 and retreated from the rest of the world, and start driving those pathetic little shitboxes they drive around in Europe.
Ha!
Some of you no doubt are thinking, "See, that's exactly why they hate us." Wrong. They hate us anyway. We're the Boss. They hate the nice bosses, too. In fact, they're the ones that usually get eaten alive.
Quick, when you saw that headline, what was your reaction? Was it hopeful? Skeptical? Maybe disappointed? Admit it. Did part of you wish for complete chaos last week after the mosque bombing? Is it more important for you emotionally for Bush to be wrong, than for your country to succeed?
Just askin'...
Follow this link: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/64677.htm for a great story. The Civil War that wasn't. To all my comrades on the left--don't you get tired of being wrong all the time?
What is truly tragic about all this is that somehow we've gotten to the point where at least half the country is emotionally and intellectually invested in our country's failure.
If there is one valid criticism of the Bush presidency, it is this: How did we get here? How could they have lost control of the message so badly?
I imagine critics will say that it was the choices they made. Policy. "We had the whole world behind us after 9/11, and this President squandered it." But, I wonder, were they really so behind us then, or were they secretly enjoying seeing America laid low. Suddenly, their own shortcomings didn't seem so bad. It's like watching the king and queen of the prom tripping and falling into the mud. You feel sorry for them, sure, but secretly you're enjoying that they suddenly don't look so superior.
Ever notice how everybody always hates the Boss? I've had lots of bosses in my life, some were great guys, some were SOB's, but it really didn't matter. For most people, just the fact that they were the boss was enough to make them hate them.
I think there's a little bit of that dynamic going on in the rest of the world's relationship with America. We're the biggest kid on the block, the king and queen of the prom and the Boss all rolled up into one, and I've got news for you--they hate us.
After 9/11, I suspect much of the world thought, "Well, this will bring them to their senses. Now they'll finally see the error of their ways." Instead, here comes George Bush, unapologetic, unbowed, saying effectively, "We're not changing. Instead, we're going to effect change elsewhere." And may I add, God Bless him for that. Let me state for myself that I'm not changing anything. I'm a free man and I will never yield to terror. I'm not interested in going back to the sixth century, and I'm not surrendering one iota of my hard-earned lifestyle.
I love America, and I love her for what she really is, not for what I wish she was. I love NFL Football, SUV's, eating meat, rock'n roll, NASCAR (ok, maybe not NASCAR), the Star Spangled Banner (NOT America the Beautiful), Wal-Mart and McDonalds. I like talking on the phone while I'm driving my big German automobile and I love Marlboro cigarettes. I think Global Warming is probably bullshit, just like Global Cooling was bullshit in the '70's. I love American abundance and I make no apologies for it. Somebody give me a cheeseburger!
So to anyone who thinks they're going to impose their lifestyle on me, forgetaboutit. Not going to happen. In fact, if there's any lifestyle imposing going on, let me suggest to the rest of the world that we'll be the ones doing the imposing.
So I think that's what's going on here. I think much of the rest of the world, and maybe about a third of Americans think that America should have just bent over and taken her medicine after 9/11 and retreated from the rest of the world, and start driving those pathetic little shitboxes they drive around in Europe.
Ha!
Some of you no doubt are thinking, "See, that's exactly why they hate us." Wrong. They hate us anyway. We're the Boss. They hate the nice bosses, too. In fact, they're the ones that usually get eaten alive.
posted by alwaysright at
6:02 AM
1 Comments:
I'll name several. First and foremost, all but the most blinkered, partisan economists now agree that the tax cuts of '01 and particularly '03 saved the economy.
Second, Afghanistan. Toppled a medeival tyranny in a few weeks, helped establish a foundation for a moderate, democratic ally.
Third, the shutdown of the A.Q. Khan nuclear weapons bazaar.
Fourth, the surrender of Khaddafi's WMD program.
Fifth, Iraq. Yes, Iraq. We removed a horrible despot, liberated 30 million people, conclusively disarmed a perpetual threat to the US, denied (at least so far) another safe haven for Al Qaeda.
Sixth, no major terrist attacks since 9/11. If the Bush Doctrine is such a failure, why isn't shit blowing up all around us all the time?
Seventh, I agree with your characterization of Andrew Sullivan as a worm. But he's not MY worm.
Eighth, the appointment of two eminently qualified Supreme Court jurists.
Ninth, the ouster of Syria from Lebanon.
Actually, my lad, this Presidency is the most consequential in a generation. You don't realize it, but you've already lost the battle of ideas.
George Bush, in his eminently sensible fashion, has figured out that he's not running for anything anymore. He doesn't need high poll numbers. He just needs to keep getting things done.
Andrew Sullivan, by the way, is right about Iraq. He's just wrong about everything else.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home