Giving up on the left

[Bingo]

I've been in Toronto for a week so this may be old ... but an interesting read.

Moving Right

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Confusing read anyways. Maybe I'm just tired but it didn't seem like he expoused his point very effectively.

Sounds like he feels that if the end result of the war is good (elections, freedom, etc) then that justifies the whole thing.

Plenty on the "left" are quite happy about the positive side effects while judging the manipulation and lying that led to the war.

Now if you feel that the US should be liberating 3rd world countries in oppressive regimes then the US has a lot of work cut out for them. Those who believe that might ask themselves why they chose Iraq first. Iif Bin Laden attacked America why is it that liberating Iraq should be the obvious retort?

Perhaps I didn't "get" what he had to say, someone can re-phrase it for me if you'd like but it sounds to me like he still has a lot of ideals that those associated with the "left" have but doesn't like the fact that a lot of them aren't all pro-war now after seeing the Iraqi elections.

What did you get out of it Bingo?

[Five-hole]

I have no problem acknowledging that the Left in America is hopelessly misguided, confused, and in disarray, and the pathetic Democratic party is really the sole reason for that. They're evidently content to be the mini-Republicans, a platform of reaction and a "but...but..." sort of ideology. Like in Chess, when you're doing nothing but responding to your opponents moves you will never win.

So I certainly will hand him the point that the American left is nothing to be proud about.

I agree with FDW's point: to support the Iraq invasion as a "liberating of an oppressed people", one has to blindly ignore so many more facts that it just smacks of disingenuity and stubborn pride. How many other brutal regimes are there around the world who are being completely ignored by the Light of God's Eye of American Justice? Let's not talk about why that is (because they don't have oil), because it's neither here nor there (but it is so Georgie can finish his father's war). Let's ignore the fact that the proclaimed causes for the war (WMD) were proven to be complete balogna and horse pucky. Let's ignore the fact that the post-invasion stage of the war effort has been so poorly planned as to be a complete embarassment. Shock and awe indeed.

Let's ignore the fact that "if you don't support the war, you don't support our troops" is the most heinous of propaganda. It is equivalent to sending a troupe of 2nd graders into a burning building, and then when the inevitable outcries crop up, proclaiming bitterly that "you don't support our 2nd graders". It's ludicrous.

But hey, we're a whole 4 months since Iraq's "election". I'm amazed that people see evidence of one election -- practically held at gunpoint -- as being a complete and total victory for democracy. I think it's ludicrous to suggest that Iraq is now "democratic". Let's ignore the fact that, hey, maybe, just maybe, democracy CANNOT WORK in certain regions of the world. Let's ignore the bigotry of suggesting that because we love freedom, everyone else must love our Walmart Brand of Freedom also. Let's ignore the fact that we came about our political systems and ideologies through hundreds of years of revolutions, elections, legislation, and truly exceptional people like Martin Luther King pointing us in the right direction, and to assume that you can just thrust this same system upon a wholly different culture, with a wholly different past and a wholly different set of values, seems a tad presumptuous.

It seems that the author has, in fact, moved to the right. He's abandoned the ability to look at the entire picture rather than a simple cost/benefit analysis and wonderful Fox Talking Points to gauge whether international affairs are good or bad. He's abandoned the ability to see grey areas, nuances, and intricacies for the ease of casting your lot with the ultimate black or white side of any given issue. He's a true blue conservative now.

[Five-hole]

To add to that, I think before America continues to champion the cause of freedom, or whatever it is they claim to be doing now, they should take a look within their own borders and address the ridiculous amount of censorship that takes place there.