Donald Rumsfeld has just been fired. I say it’s about damned time. You can’t discount the fact that there is a growing chorus of military leaders who think he’s done a horrible job.
And I’m not all that upset about the change in midterm elections. W. wasn’t paying attention to any of his critics. He stuck with his same course, no matter what. And it isn’t working.
I’m still trying to fathom how not a single manager was ever fired over 9/11. There were failures at every level in every intelligence organization, and all we got was a reorganization that put them into an even bigger bureaucracy, and the Patriot Act.
Maybe now W. will pay some attention to his critics, and maybe we can start seeing some positive news from Iraq.
Meryl, as you know, I’m not an American, so this is really none of my business. However,for what it’s worth, here’s my opinion.
My fear is that Israel will begin to look back at the decisions of Secretary Rice, as child’s play. I think the Democrats owe too much to the extreme left wing, which won’t be satisfied until Israel is destroyed.
The really strange thing, from my point of view, is that huge numbers of American Jews consistently throw their support to a party that is certain to weaken Israel.
Of course, Kadima, in general, and Olmert, specifically, seem to be shooting themselves in the foot. Then again, I’m not an Israeli either, so it’s, again, not my right to prescribe for them.
As a representative of the extreme left wing, I can assure you that we have no interest in seeing Israel destroyed.
I believe you are sincere James; but I’m pretty sure that not all members of the extreme left wing are on the same page as you. On the other hand, I do not think that those who wish Israel to be destroyed will have as much power as Hugh fears, though.
Well I guess the real question is “What’s your definition of ‘The Extreme Left Wing’?”
I’m sure there are groups that want the destruction of Israel. I imagine that they could be considered “Left wing” & “Extreme”.
However, the Democratic party does not owe anything to them.
Rumsfeld’s critics among the retired generals are mostly like the cavalry officers complaining bitterly just before WWII about all those damned tanks and airplanes some people wanted to equip the army with.
Rumsfeld’s course over the past six years has been to transform the armed forces to fit them for a post-Cold War world, the kind which they find themselves in now. That the forces are operating with joint efficiency and adapting to the new threats of the terrorists as they emerge is due to Rummy’s leadership. Listen to Instapundit’s Glenn and Helen Show interviewing Jim Dunnigan and Austin Bay on this matter. They are guys who know what they are talking about.
The problem is not Rummy. It’s us. We have not the will to fight and win a war. We should never have gone in to Iraq. We ain’t got what it takes. Bush is a fool. This is Somalia times 1000 …. or 10,000. The Terrorists won. They shall now redouble their efforts. Look for a nuke in a harbour near you soon.
Saying a Democratic victory puts the extreme left in power with an agenda for Israeli destruction is like saying a Republican victory puts the extreme right in power with an agenda for removal of civil rights, installation of an Evangelical Christian theocracy, and a plan for conversion of the Jews.
It’s an exaggeration. But isn’t that what talk-radio is all about?
While the majority of Democrats may support the continued existence of Israel, the Democratic Party has strong ties to circles–particularly academia–which are quite hostile to Israel.
The Democratic Party also contains significant numbers of people who–although they are not anti-Israel or anti-American–are extremely naive and unwilling to believe that Palestinian terrorists and the Iranian regime are really as bad as they appear to be.
While the majority of Republicans may support the continued tolerance of Jews and of pluralistic religious rights in America, the Republican Party has strong ties to circles-particularly evangelicals-which are quite hostile to Jews and other non-Christians in America.
The Republican Party also contains significant numbers of people who-although they are not anti-semitic-are extremely naive and unwilling to believe that evangelicals and far-right religious conservatives are really as bad as they appear to be.
Actually the evangelicals tend to be pro-Jewish and pro-Israel, much more so than the general run of Democratic pols. People who think the evangelicals are a bunch of antisemitic and racist mouth-breathers tend to do so from arrogant snobbishness. There is also the presence of overt antisemites among prominent people in the Democratic Party. In particular Al Sharpton is a kingmaker in New York politics. Even Lieberman had to lick his shoes in 2000 to be accepted as VP nominee. To paraphrase Sir Thomas More’s comment to Richard Rich in “A Man For All Seasons”: It profiteth a man not to sell his soul for the world, Joseph, but for the Vice Presidency?
By contrast Pat Buchanan is out of the GOP and when David Duke ran for governor of Louisiana as an ostensible Republican the national party rold Packs there to vote for the Dem: Vote for the crook not the fascist was their advice.
And let us not forget the strong influence International ANSWER seems to have among lefties, since they are sooo helpful about organizing the anti-American demonstrations everybody wants to go to. All the antisemitic signs that show up at such things are just a modest price to pay for having a bunch of totalitarian wannabes doing all the work.
Actually a concern about the evangelicals comes less from arrogant snobbishness and more from direct experience. Having been told that “this is a Christian country,” “not electing a Christian is the same as voting for sin,” and “God does not hear the prayers of Jews” I believe that the arrogent snobbishness is to insist that support for Israel [so all the Jews can get there in time for Jaysus to come back and we either convert or burn in hell] outweighs the truly scary agenda of the evangelical right; and to ignore all attempts to impose by force Christianity [see “USAF Academy” and read the report written by Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff USN (retired)regarding the situation there and the response by the evangelical lobbyists]on non-Christian Americans.
There’s an old saying: Once you pay the Danegeld, it’s hard to get rid of the Danes. Modern translation: be careful whom you take support from lest you wind up being betrayed in the long run…