Bob's Place

U.S. can't 'redeploy' its way out of Iraq

June 25, 2006

BY MARK STEYN SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

Last week John Kerry revealed his plan to "redeploy" U.S. forces from Iraq. This plan is different from fellow Defeaticrat Jack Murtha's plan to "redeploy" U.S. forces from Iraq to Okinawa, which Congressman Murtha seems to think is in the general neighborhood of Iraq. Iraq's in the Middle East, Okinawa's in the Far East: C'mon, how far can it be to get from the Far to the Middle? After all, the distance between the farthest fringe of the kook left and the center of the Democratic Party seems to be closing up every week...............

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 8:26 AM |

In the 21st century, however, there is something that our society values more than our own lives — and more than the survival of civilization itself. That something may be described as the kind of moral superiority that comes from a good wallow in Abu Ghraib, Haditha, CIA interrogations or Guantanamo Bay. Morally superior people — Western elites — never "humiliate" prisoners, never kill civilians, never torture or incarcerate jihadists. Indeed, they would like to kill, I mean, prosecute, or at least tie the hands of, anyone who does. This, of course, only enhances their own moral superiority. But it doesn't win wars. And it won't save civilization.
Why not? Because such smugness masks a massive moral paralysis. The morally superior (read: paralyzed) don't really take sides, don't really believe one culture is qualitatively better or worse than the other. They don't even believe one culture is just plain different from the other. Only in this atmosphere of politically correct and perpetually adolescent non-judgmentalism could anyone believe, for example, that compelling, forcing or torturing a jihadist terrorist to get information to save a city undermines our "values" in any way. It undermines nothing — except the jihad.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 8:16 AM |

The central tenet of those who refer to the international community as if it were some holy communion of angels rather than a yammering maw of bureaucrats is that it is always better to do wrong in a big group than to do right alone. Sen. John Kerry, a high priest in the Church of Internationalism, always grounded his most passionate criticism of Bush in the fact that the president failed to form a “grand coalition” on Iraq like Bush’s father had. The upshot seemed to be that invading Iraq would have been a good idea if only Chad and Uruguay were on board.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 8:04 AM |

The Democrats have demagogued this debate for years, and they keep trying to extend their foolishness despite the damage it does to the nation and their own party. They have once again been exposed as either negligently uninformed, deliberately obtuse, or just flat-out dishonest about the plan for Iraqi security and the progress being made towards it. Watered-down resolutions calling for retreat and defeat only continue a political lemming march, whether it comes at a run or a jog, and expect the American people to continue their disappointment in the Democratic lack of spine in fighting terrorists and spreading freedom as a forward strategy against Islamofascism.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 8:31 AM |

The House approved a resolution Friday that promises "completion of the mission" in Iraq and rejects any "arbitrary" deadline for a U.S. troop withdrawal. But the vote, which followed a day of intense, often angry debate, reflected sharp partisan divisions over the war. The resolution, which says the U.S. action in Iraq is central to the "global war on terror," .......

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 8:17 AM |

Coulter's comments pale in comparison to the nastiness that routinely comes out of liberals' mouths about conservatives, as when Sen. Harry Reid called President Bush a liar and Alan Greenspan a hack. So please, spare us the indignation.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 7:51 AM |

Ann's criticism is legitimate - if liberals in America wish to truly have a
debate on the issues that we all have strong emotions about - then stand and
make the point, but don't hide behind those who are ineffective, unskilled, and
often wrong in their views, simply because they're a victim.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 9:55 AM |

Al Gore and a band of politically charged scientists have hijacked intellectual honesty and now seek to squash open, honest debate. Those of us who care about the planet and our economy have a responsibility to fight them before their severe views become public policy.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 5:30 PM |

Then there is the small matter of Al Gore’s relationship with Google. As an advisor to the company prior to its public offering of stock, speculation abounds that he has made a substantial fortune. Nothing wrong with cashing in on Wall Street, of course, except among some on the extreme left. But awkwardly, Google’s cave-in to the tyrants of Beijing on the little matter of internet censorship raises important questions about Gore’s ability to conduct the foreign policy of the United States, not to mention his commitment to freedom of speech. Would Google and Gore welcome a thorough examination of his relationship to the company? So far, Gore has been silent on his exact financial and business relationship.

In the old days, the drive-by media would simply omit these inconvenient issues from its coverage. But the New Media now makes such deception nearly impossible to cleanly execute. Because of that, knowledge of Gore’s wasteful personal energy policy and his involvement with Google will become widespread if his candidacy begins in earnest, and no amount of reverential, “comeback-kid” scripting will diminish the magnitude of the hypocrisy. Gore will fade quicker than post-scream Howard Dean.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 9:01 AM |