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Consider Your Reaction
10/27/2003

Well, it's happened; in the comments of a post on John Cole's Balloon Juice, an anti-Bush person has pointed to the most-recent attacks in Iraq as evidence of a "quagmire."

For my part, I read a report about suicide bombers attacking the Red Cross (for cryin' out loud!) on the first day of Ramadan (no less!), and I can't help but wonder why the response of Bush's enemies isn't more along the lines of this: "Well, even though we shouldn't be there in the first place, this situation clearly isn't acceptable. So, let's put aside our arguments and concentrate on presenting a unified front until an end has been made to the efforts of those who would pull Iraq into a quagmire."

Well, I can dream...

Posted by Justin Katz @ 11:11 AM EST

5 comments

I responded here

Steve @ 10/27/2003 12:50 PM EST

And I've responded.

Frankly, I think we're reaching a point at which intellectual discussion is no longer of any use. Those of us who support the President and his national security policies are just going to have to consider the domestic battle to be a political front to the larger war on terror.

Justin Katz @ 10/27/2003 01:02 PM EST

Civil war coming up?

I don't like to generalize (generally) but it seems to me that the Bush-loyal Right is under the impression (much like in the communist fearing 60s) that a huge percentage of the country hates America, freedom, and maybe even apple pie.

I mean, even if Bush wins the next election in a 60-40 landslide, that's still FORTY percent of the country that thinks Bush is not doing right by the people. That's a lot of pro-terrorist sympathizers, don't you think?

Those of you who support Bush's national security policies are just going to have to be seen as promoting a battle to divide the country in the name of the war on terror. It's obvious to me that you hate the current America, full of 40% treasonous people. Why can't you all just put up a united front until we can solve America's problems?

Well, I can dream.

Bil @ 10/27/2003 03:19 PM EST

Touché. Although, I should note that you're the second person online to tell me, almost verbatim, that "you hate the current America" because so many are Democrats. Is that the latest talking point for y'all?

Unfortunately, it's not applicable here. The players in the "political battle" to which I refer are those who actively debate and seek to persuade. The broader public is the playing field. Only a limited number of the people who make up the hypothetical 40% are actively, intentionally, and vehemently supporting the insane policies of the Left.

Many of those who vote don't pay much attention to the specifics of the issues. In their case, it is the mainstream media and vocal Leftists who are at fault. Others among the 40% will, for some reason, assume a baseline intention in a candidate to do the right thing and to do so with objective consideration of the circumstances.

With respect to the election, the Democrats don't have to put forward a candidate who takes a stance that is either naive or insane, but they look likely to do so. My comment above put just suggested that the advocates and activists are not available for honest debate, so the focus must be on convincing enough of the rest of the nation to vote intelligently — i.e., in opposition to those activists.

Justin Katz @ 10/27/2003 03:34 PM EST

Hahhaha, I didn't get the memo, but maybe someone should put one out...

Seriously, though, you made me feel a little better reminding me that fundamentalist rightwingers with their insane policies don't make up a full 40% of the nation.

I don't know how familiar you are with the Dem candidates (not that I would expect you to know their policies in depth, since there's no way you would vote for one) but outside of fringe candidate Dennis Kucinich and maybe Mosely-Braun and Sharpton, none of them have naive or insane foreign policies. That's just ridiculous. If you want to make a litmus test of Iraq, well you can, but I think that simplistic and wrongheaded.

Bil @ 10/28/2003 10:22 AM EST