Posted on 02/13/2011 5:34:24 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
Q. Can a Harvard Phi Beta Kappa and Rhodes Scholar, who has traveled to 150 countries and speaks Arabic, Chinese and Japanese, be hopelessly naive about foreign policy?
A. Ever read one of Nicholas Kristof's columns?
For the trendy liberals of the New York Times, most any big event becomes fodder for that favorite progressive parlor game: putting America down. Take Egypt. Yesterday, we noted how Bob Herbert compared American democracy unfavorably with that supposedly flourishing on the banks of the Nile.
Today brings us Kristof's "What Egypt Can Teach America." Naturally, we have a lot to learn, starting with Kristof's ukase that America must "stop treating Islamic fundamentalism as a bogyman and allowing it to drive American foreign policy." Kristof accuses Americans of "paranoia about Islamism." Excellent point, Mr. K. I mean, it's not as if a bunch of lunatic Islamists hijacked planes and flew them into . . . oh, wait.
Kristof wasn't finished criticizing his compatriots . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
“It’s their upbringing; it makes them stupid.”- All Quiet on the Western Front
Our elites, for all their education, are fools. Been to lots of countries? Well, you don’t learn much about them when you are going to the best bars and restaurants. Speak lots of languages? Just enough to order the most expensive things on the menu. This is sort of like someone assuming they understand Latin America thoroughly because they have been to Cancun.
Fact: to understand foreign policy and how it works, one must must know and understand history. Not social history; taking a course in 18th century proto-feminism is useless. Not “culture”- whatever music someone listened to 100 years ago is nice to know, but useless to the purpose. No, study wars and politics, understand jockeying for wealth, power, position, and then one might have a clue. Guys like Kristof assume they know something; in fact, they know little or nothing.
“They stood where they stood by the power of the sword.”- Thucydides
Could have been written by Ron Paul.
One sect of the murderous cult if Islam believe their
next prophet will be born by a male.
They check their feces by hand to check if any lump
is their new prophet.
“Aisha! Look! I found an Obama!”
Yes, that possibility occured to me. One assumes these are fundamentally “smart” people and they can forsee the long term consequences of their actions. But perhaps not. I think its far more likely they’ll get eaten by the Tiger they think they’re trying to ride. Of course, by then, the current crop of Elites will likely be dead. Maybe they just care about holding power in the here and now and not the fate of their descendants?
There are days I really wish I could understand the Liberal mindset. Unfortunately, its like a program that just won’t compute.
Kristof--another ivy league einstein. sheesh.
He’s married to a babe from China - he knows the real scoop. But it’s not easy keeping a job these days at the New York Times.
Or can over half of the electorate be naive and stupid?
I must of been seeing things on 9/11/01 when I saw those two towers come crashing to the ground with 3,000 people inside. I didn’t see it on TV, I saw it live from across the river.
Paranoia produces hallucinations, you know ;-)
That sums it up rather well.
Thanks!
I truly believe that one can be book smart, yet not have a clue when it comes to common sense.
An amendment to my previous post. President Zero has been to all fifty-seven states. Beat that if you can, Mr. Kristof!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.