Category Archives: War Commentary

Us And Them

Arnold Kling reminds those who have forgotten of the asymmetric difference between us and the real enemy (i.e., not the Bush administration, which seems to be the real enemy to much of the left, and too much of the Democrat Party):

  1. Many people have fled radical Muslim regimes to live in the U.S. Hardly anyone has fled the U.S. to live under radical Muslim regimes.
  2. In the United States, women are allowed to choose whether or not to wear modest clothing. Radical Muslims deny them that right, as well as others.
  3. Americans who abuse enemy prisoners cower in shame and are prosecuted. Radical Muslims celebrate war crimes, proudly display photos and videos of war crimes, and honor the criminals.
  4. More Iraqis would like to see the terrorists give up tomorrow than see the Americans leave tomorrow. (If there is any doubt about that, we can put the issue up for a vote in Iraq.)
  5. Americans see negotiations as a way to resolve differences. Radical Muslims see negotiations as a sign of weakness.
  6. When Muslims come to live in America, we provide them with safety, tolerance, and equal rights. Jews and Christians do not enjoy equal rights — or even safety — inside countries run by radical Muslim regimes.
  7. The American military is trained to try to minimize civilian casualties. For radical Muslims, civilian casualties are a measure of success.
  8. Americans go to war reluctantly, when other means fail. Radical Muslims accept cease-fires reluctantly, when other means fail.
  9. Americans desire the approval and support of the European people. Radical Muslims desire the intimidation and submission of the European people.
  10. If radical Muslims would renounce violence, then we would not disturb them. If we renounce violence, then we will be conquered and brutalized.

What, Me Worry?

Well this certainly inspires confidence in the ability of the federal government to protect me:

How much do you think Osama bin Laden would pay to know exactly when and where the President was traveling, and who was with him? Turns out, he wouldn’t have had to pay a dime. All he had to do was go through the trash early Tuesday morning.

It appears to be a White House staff schedule for the President’s trip to Florida Tuesday. And a sanitation worker was alarmed to find in the trash long hours before Mr. Bush left for his trip.

Well, it seems to be at least as effective as TSA at the airports.

Depressed

Al Qaeda knows, and admits, that they’re losing the war. They do think they’ve had some success on one front, though:

The policy followed by the brothers in Baghdad is a media oriented policy without a clear comprehensive plan to capture an area or an enemy center. Other word, the significance of the strategy of their work is to show in the media that the American and the government do not control the situation and there is resistance against them. This policy dragged us to the type of operations that are attracted to the media, and we go to the streets from time to time for more possible noisy operations which follow the same direction.

This direction has large positive effects; however, being preoccupied with it alone delays more important operations such as taking control of some areas, preserving it and assuming power in Baghdad (for example, taking control of a university, a hospital, or a Sunni religious site).

Don’t expect to read about this aspect in the New York Times.

The Blogwar

…between Juan Cole (who I hope goes to Yale soon, so he ceases damaging the reputation of my alma mater in Ann Arbor) and Christopher Hitchens continues. One of the Iranian readers at Winds of Change says that Professor Cole’s Farsi isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And Iowahawk has hacked Juan’s outbox, and found a first draft of one of his emails to Hitchens. As Joe points out, it’s difficult to parody the professor, since he does such a good job of it himself, but Mr. Burge manages it.