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The Quisling Effect
June 23, 2006 | Hal Lindsey

Posted on 06/25/2006 6:15:44 PM PDT by seanmerc

In April, 1940, Norwegian politician Vidkun J. Quisling became the first politician in history to use the radio airwaves to announce a coup d'etat, declaring the formation of an ad-hoc government during the confusion brought on by the Nazi invasion of Norway.

Quisling hoped his action would result in Nazi recognition of Quisling as head of state. Instead, his treasonous action earned him a different kind of recognition.

Today, the name "Quisling" stands beside that of Benedict Arnold as a synonym for "traitor." Quisling's treacherous efforts to use his country's peril to advance his own personal political fortunes also earned him the place of honor before a firing squad in 1945.

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate rehabilitated Vikdun Quisling's historical legacy somewhat, with at least a third of the Senate suggesting by their own vote that Quisling was really a patriot.

After all, all he did was betray the best interests of his nation, his military and his countrymen to further his own personal political ambitions.

I believe this is what 39 senators did when they voted in favor of the Feingold-Levy amendment demanding a withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Iraqi battlefield.

There is not a single member of the Senate who is incapable of grasping what such a vote means to the enemy. Here is how it translates to our enemies: "We are only 12 Senate votes away from winning the war with the Great Satan."

It is more than disingenuous; it is deliberately dishonest to say that such an action does not give aid and comfort to the enemy. Indeed, the practice of granting aid and comfort to the enemy in order to disgrace the sitting administration is so prevalent that it even has an acronym - ACE.

The politicians who voted to advance their party's interests not only knew they were voting against the bests interests of America's war effort, they also knew they were increasing the risks our soldiers in the field face. Why? Because their vote encourages the enemy to fight harder since they believe victory is in sight.

They have to know. They don't live in a bubble. They have access to history books. They have access to intelligence reports. They have access to the news broadcasts. And they are also surrounded by advisers who have equal access to the same material. Even if they didn't, they aren't stupid.

And even if they are stupid, they still can't argue they don't know they are encouraging the enemy by expressing a no-win policy.

The only logical explanation is this: Having weighed the damage their vote against the Iraq war would caused the nation versus the damage their vote would cause their own political careers, they chose what was best for their political careers.

This was the same kind of reasoning Vidkun Quisling used 66 years before them.

No such choice is offered the tens of thousands of U.S. military forces. When given the same choice, they chose what was best for the country over what was best for them personally, irrespective of their politics.

Politics is supposed to end at the water's edge, not insinuate itself into managing foreign battlefields according to political expediency. Once politicians decide to send our military personnel into war, they deserve the best leadership our military leaders can provide. They do not deserve to have their risks increased by politicians seeking to better their careers.

As the Senate was voting whether or not to rescind America's promise to the Iraqi people, the U.S. government was trying to convince North Korea's resident Head Maniac not to test fire a new missile capable of hitting the United States. The U.S. is promising to "take grave action" and "stay the course" and all the other stuff that the Senate was currently voting to undercut in Iraq.

In between Iraq and North Korea are the Iranians, whom the United States is trying to get to abandon its nuclear ambitions or "face the consequences." Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is reading the threat of "consequences" the same way Kim Jong-Il and Osama bin Laden do. Or the way an al-Qaida fighter feels when he is about to launch an ambush on a U.S. patrol.

Our terrorist enemies know that victory depends on attacking until the U.S. Congress votes to cut and run. They know they can grab headlines in the mainstream media to further their cause. They know the more barbaric atrocities committed against our soldiers, the more their cause is furthered. They know that the politicians who value their careers above country will do the rest. Then the "Quisling Effect" will win them the victory they couldn't win on the battlefield.

© 2006


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: ahmadinejad; alqaida; binladen; feingold; feingoldlevy; iran; iraq; kimjongil; levy; nazi; northkorea; norway; quisling; quislingdean; quislingkerry; quislingmurtha; senate; terrorist
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Great commentary!
1 posted on 06/25/2006 6:15:48 PM PDT by seanmerc
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To: seanmerc

And now as I lie here my body all holes,
I think of those traitors who bargained and sold.
I wish that my rifle could yet do the same
To the Quislings who sold out the Patriot Game!


2 posted on 06/25/2006 6:19:06 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3rd Bn. 5th Marines, RVN 1969. - St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!)
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To: seanmerc

"Today, the name "Quisling" stands beside that of Benedict Arnold as a synonym for "traitor."

Or big sissy, coward, sell out, traitor, wuss, etc.

In other words short hand for the left and the "liberals".

Chicken poop.


3 posted on 06/25/2006 6:22:38 PM PDT by garyhope
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To: seanmerc

I thought this was about The New York Times.


4 posted on 06/25/2006 6:23:09 PM PDT by JingoJim
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To: seanmerc

A resolution by senate does not mean squat, unless congress undeclares the "war" or debudgets it.


5 posted on 06/25/2006 6:26:51 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: seanmerc
Excellent commentary!

9.5

6 posted on 06/25/2006 6:29:38 PM PDT by Graymatter
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To: seanmerc
The thing about "Quisling" that I'll always remember is how Daffy agreed to sell out Tom Turk (who was hiding in the snow man) while he was loudly protesting "It was the YAMS!! The yams made me do it!"

How suitable an illustration for the DNC ... a party that is formed from the proverbial collection of side dish fanatics.

Abortion rights, gay rights, animal rights, tree/plant rights ....
7 posted on 06/25/2006 6:31:01 PM PDT by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: seanmerc

It's interesting that the Dems are using the same talking points as Petain and Laval when they sold out France to the Germans. According to their talking points, it was patriotic to surrender to the Germans as this would "save" France; and De Gaulle was branded as a traitor.


8 posted on 06/25/2006 6:33:48 PM PDT by RAldrich
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To: RAldrich

Reference ping.


9 posted on 06/25/2006 6:37:34 PM PDT by OKSooner (It wasn't the black guy after all - the dutch boy did it.)
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To: seanmerc
A vile race of quislings - to use the new word which will carry the scorn of mankind down the centuries. Vidkun Quisling, head of the Nasjonal Samling party in Norway, who cooperated and collaborated with Nazis when Germany invaded Norway on April 9, 1940. Quisling was executed on October 23, 1945.
10 posted on 06/25/2006 6:38:13 PM PDT by HuntsvilleTxVeteran ("Remember the Alamo, Goliad and WACO, It is Time for a new San Jacinto")
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To: seanmerc

11 posted on 06/25/2006 6:42:43 PM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s...you weren't really there.)
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To: seanmerc

So lets mail each of them a white feather.


12 posted on 06/25/2006 6:43:39 PM PDT by Pikachu_Dad
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To: JingoJim
I thought this was about The New York Times.

I thought it was about Murha.

Murtha says U.S. poses top threat to world peace

"MIAMI — American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said to an audience of more than 200 in North Miami Saturday afternoon."

13 posted on 06/25/2006 7:16:09 PM PDT by lowbridge (I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming, like his passengers.)
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To: JingoJim
I thought this was about The New York Times.

I thought it was about Murha.

Murtha says U.S. poses top threat to world peace

"MIAMI — American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said to an audience of more than 200 in North Miami Saturday afternoon."

14 posted on 06/25/2006 7:16:25 PM PDT by lowbridge (I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming, like his passengers.)
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To: seanmerc

bump for later


15 posted on 06/25/2006 7:16:50 PM PDT by true_blue_texican
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To: seanmerc
Benedict Arnold as a synonym for "traitor."

At least Benedict Arnold did it for a "bit of leg over" from the British Generals Daughter. These Senators are Quislings, and doing it for raw power despite the damage to the country they have sworn allegiance to. Benedict Arnold was a traitor and scoundrel that sold his country out for his lover, the daughter. These Senators are worse by several measures of scale.

The demonicrats know if the Iraq war ends in success they will be destroyed in the next two elections. Everything they now do is an attempt for it to end in failure. They are not ignorant of what their actions are doing. They know their actions give the enemy aid and succor. They know it will cause the deaths of our brave soldiers. They know that if they support the war their base will abandon them. This is treason.

16 posted on 06/25/2006 7:19:31 PM PDT by cpdiii (Socialism is popular with the ruling class. It gives legitimacy to tyranny and despotism.)
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To: lowbridge
I thought it was about Murha.

Whoops. Murha = Murtha.

17 posted on 06/25/2006 7:22:00 PM PDT by lowbridge (I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming, like his passengers.)
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To: OKSooner

You can read about it in a book, "The patriotic traitors: The history of collaboration in German-occupied Europe, 1940-45" by David Littlejohn


18 posted on 06/25/2006 7:28:45 PM PDT by RAldrich
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To: seanmerc
Dems poster boy


19 posted on 06/25/2006 8:54:28 PM PDT by M. Espinola (Freedom is never free)
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To: seanmerc
Even a blind squirrel who fell for the Y2K scare can find a nut every once in a while.
20 posted on 06/26/2006 1:02:19 AM PDT by L.N. Smithee (New popular baby names for daughters of liberals: Fallujah, Haditha, Murtha)
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