Victor Davis Hanson: The Mind of Our Enemies, Sorting out all the agendas in Iraq.

NRO ^ | January 30, 2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[theFIRMbss]

>"Success in Iraq cannot be measured by how much it resembles the Connecticut countryside next month, but instead by whether — in two or three years — it is a country that no longer invades others, promotes terrorists, kills its own citizens, and uses petrol dollars to acquire a strategic arsenal to threaten the West."

Yes, this is true, but
it's much more interesting
-- to me -- to wonder

about this wider
issue of "democracy"
where the citizens

just believe odd things ...
I mean, we saw it right here
in the Civil War.

Southerners acted
"democratically" to leave
the United States.

But the North used force --
abandoned democracy --
to lock in the South...

I think we see this
with the PLO. If we
get them their own state,

and their leaders act
"democratically" -- they do
their citizens' will --

we will make a state
dedicated to crushing
Israel. I think

we should stop saying
this or that political
system is our foe,

and just bluntly say
people -- individuals
who believe weird things --

are our enemies.
I think that makes our "problems"
easier to see.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Belated thanks for the post and the ping!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Things in the Middle East are hard precisely because the stakes there are gargantuan. But so are the rewards: The sanctuaries and patrons of murderers, suicide bombers, and terrorists are shrinking with the destruction of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein.

Meanwhile millions — from Libya and Pakistan to North Korea and Iran — watch intently. They wonder whether this new United States is about to run out of gas and return to the old appeasement of the last twenty years, when crafting nukes on the sly, blowing up Americans, and terrorizing innocents earned (at the worst) a televised remonstration expressing "concern" and "disappointment." On the other hand, wonder the world's opportunists, is this new — and often unpredictable — United States going to completely change the rules of engagement, to prevent the conditions that would lead to another September 11?

From our end, if we examine the situation in Iraq rationally, we can see that much is going well for us, and we have a variety of cards yet to play. The enemy die-hards count on killing enough Americans and causing enough disruptions that everyday Iraqis will rejoice upon seeing at least some Arabs defeat the new Crusaders. What they don't count on is that once the Americans have left, everyday Iraqis don't want them — the terrorists — to take over and recreate the Bekka Valley.

....Our efforts in Iraq to remove a genocidal murderer and inaugurate democracy are not a "quagmire," but one of the brightest moments in recent American history — and we need not be ashamed to say that, again and again and again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Victor Davis Hansen, perspective, ping!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This little essay also convicts our enemies:

  Proud to Have Liberated Iraq ~ Barry Farber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you want on or off the Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me, Calpernia or xzins. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[blackie]

"....Our efforts in Iraq to remove a genocidal murderer and inaugurate democracy are not a "quagmire," but one of the brightest moments in recent American history — and we need not be ashamed to say that, again and again and again."

Yes, yes, yes!!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Valin]

Bump for later.

[onedoug]

Our efforts in Iraq to remove a genocidal murderer and inaugurate democracy are not a "quagmire," but one of the brightest moments in recent American history — and we need not be ashamed to say that, again and again and again.

I'm displaying my flag at home today because of this sentance.

[windchime]

Bump!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Please add me to your Victor Davis Hansen PING list!

I don't think I've ever read a more impressive journalist in my life.

[Tolik]

Maybe because he is not a journalist, but a classical historian with a vast knowledge in military history since ancient times. He is able to see the forest, not just the trees.

You are welcome to his ping list.

[redrock]

"Meanwhile millions — from Libya and Pakistan to North Korea and Iran — watch intently. They wonder whether this new United States is about to run out of gas and return to the old appeasement of the last twenty years, when crafting nukes on the sly, blowing up Americans, and terrorizing innocents earned (at the worst) a televised remonstration expressing "concern" and "disappointment."

Needed repeating....

redrock