Saturday, November 08, 2003

Force Works

The New York Times reminds us today how important its story was yesterday about alleged last minute back channel peace entreaties from the fascist Hussein regime.

Apparently the pressure of US forces massed on the borders and President unwilling to play the appeasement game was too much for Saddam.

One of his "intelligence" officials even broke down and begged that the US agree to a peaceful resolution. Iraq was willing to do anything . . . anything at all . . . to avoid being routed by the Marines.

To the Times this is some sort of scandal. Peace was at hand George Bush ignored it. Assuming the story is true it seems more a vindication than a scandal.

After all, if under a credible threat of military action even the hardcore sadists in Baghdad will buckle to our every demand, then the US should apply that same pressure to Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea for good measure. In fact, the quick and merciless dispatch of the Saddam Administration only makes this threat more credible and more potent.

Conservatives have been saying "Peace Through Strength" for years. It's nice to see the Times is finally coming around.


Prince Charles Denies the Unmentionable

Prince Charles issued a strong denial of something that cannot even be reported in Britain, according to the BBC -- BBC NEWS | UK | Prince Charles denies 'ludicrous' claims

The libel laws are so strong in the UK that every major news outlet is reporting today that they cannot report on the big news that happened somewhere that might have to do with the Prince.

"This allegation is untrue," says the Prince even though no one knows what the allegation is. Prince Charles issued his statement from Oman where people may or not know what he's talking about.

According to his official statement:

"In recent days, there have been media reports concerning an allegation that a former Royal Household employee witnessed an incident some years ago involving a senior member of the Royal Family . . . The speculation needs to be brought to an end."


Yeah, right. That's going to end all speculation. Hell, I didn't even know there was anything to speculate about until I read this!

Now I'm wasting hours trolling the blogosphere to learn what the untrue allegation could possibly be.

Just goes to show the First Amendment is good for something.



Dean and Dixie

Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean offended the offended-American community this week for suggesting that Democrats should include those who they are loath to include in their gorgeous tapestry of love.

Dean's toxic idea was that the Dems should go after the NASCAR vote. These of course are the people New England Democrats vilify as rednecks and racists and therein lies a bit of problem. Dean has clearly never met one of these people and has no vocabulary for talking with them.

Calling them guys with "pickup trucks and Confederate Flags"is sort of like saying your outreach campaign to gays and lesbians will target "hairdressers and Smith College alums."

But the real beauty of this "gaffe" (from the French word meaning "to utter the regrettable") it is that the most vocal criticism of Dean came from the race-obsessed left. This is the part of the Democratic Party that is so finely attuned to racial disrespect that it can detect insolence at the molecular level.

Of course Dean's reference to the Rebel flag must betray deep-seated racist views.

Now there are a lot of things I don't like about Howard Dean, but I seriously doubt he is a racist and if he is he's certainly compensating for it by being a liberal Vermont politician.

But what of these valuable goober voters that Dean wants to attract? What does the typical deep-fried corn dog eating, evangelical tongue-speaking, darkie-dragging, neo-Nazi, unilateral-isolationist, gun-owning, Dale Earnhardt Jr-loving, butt crack flashing, homo-hating, uneducated militia member think of all this? You know, what does the average Dwayne have to say?

The serious answer would be that the Republicans have connected with the voters Dean is talking about because the GOP is not afraid to talk in terms of honor, duty, loyalty, and faith. Indeed, these things appeal to many people outside the South. What does not appeal to them is hypersensitivity and weakness in the face of adversity.

These voters believe in the Jacksonian tradition. A good overview of this deep and encompassing theme of American history and how it still guides much of what passes for incomprehensible American attitudes in the rest of the world, read this National Interest essay by Walter Russell Mead.

The pickup/confederate flag episode only serves to remind Jacksonians that liberal northeastern Democrats are feckless and fearful and can only see the world as disparate greivence groups. The idea that there are individuals who don't see themselves as part of any affinity group seems to escape Democratic politicians.

The irony is, Jacksonians are an affinity group, perhaps the largest and most influential in the country today.

The trouble is, the only thing they can truly agree on is who they are not. And right now they sure as hell are not Democrats.