No posts for quite a while. One tires of yelling into a void, more tired of trying to educate people who would rather pull the covers over their heads. How people like Melanie Phillips can keep her sanity is beyong my understanding. I do it by ignoring politics for a time. But there's a war on and many people don't only not know which side they're on, they don't even know which side is even in their best interest to support.
I've argued to friends all the way through this Iraq quandary, the invasion of Iraq was to get Iran outflanked. Now they have them east and west. You can't move a quarter million troops on aircraft carriers and you can't attack a country as large as Iran from the Persian Gulf. I've never believed Iraq was about Iraq. It is only the second stage in a very long war against Islamic imperialism.
Oh, I know: it's only imperialism when the West pushes back, not when Islam attacks. That's just natural. That's immigration. Well, that's true enough and so long as you can live with amputations for minor theft, you can just say bring it on. If you don't even like ten years for a loaf of bread, amputation should tell you which side you're on. If you don't think it's fair to keep gays from marrying each other you're not likely to agree to their being stoned to death. Same for adulteresses and abortions. Clearly the left and right need to unite against a common enemy and that means not only compromises but a solid agreement on basic principles. There aren't enough on the left though it's improving. Hitchens understands the war, as do a couple of bloggers like neoneocon, a lifelong liberal Democrat who woke up on 9/11. Many prefer to sleep.
It looks like the kidnapping of the British sailors is the first shot. My crystal ball goes blank here. Mr. Blair does not have Ms. Thatcher's backbone or there would be hell to pay already. James Lyons, former commander-in-cheif for the US Pacific fleet suggests the British take Kargh Island, a major shipping port for oil according to James Taranto's March 30 column. His point that Iran has indirectly attacked America by attacking her ally is true but clever on Iran's part. The pressure is put on Blair and not Bush this way. I have no doubt what President Bush's course would be.
I'd sure love to read the diplomatic mail between Washington, London, Canberra and Ottawa these days.
But I predict allied troops in Iran before the 1st day of summer. That will put the Democrats on a veritable spit.
Update August 2, 2008: I was wrong and I'm going to stop predicting now. But I'll post from time to time.
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2 comments:
Well, an initial effect of the kidnapping is that Britain will be out of any forthcoming action against Iran. If, having humbled our armed forces, our diplomats and our politicians, the Iranians do finally release their hostages, it will nonetheless have been a great victory for them. Our pathetic efforts to release our people have emboldened Iran, put Britain on the margin of international affairs and left America in the lurch.
No doubt. But many, like you and me, have had a belly full of it. I pray that will translate into determined action and better soon than late. Check out Melanie Phillips's dark analysis to see more supporting voices. For a more encouraging sign, see here.
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