(no subject)

[winterbadger]

Of course, defeating terrorism is important, and no candidate will say otherwise. But the United States has a lot of work to do in the world. If we're thinking about the next two decades, not to mention the next 90 years, it's a mistake to see terrorism as a "transcendent challenge" that makes all our other interests secondary.

For conservatives, there is something peculiar about turning Islamic extremism into a mighty ideological force with the power to overrun the world. It's odd that so many take seriously Osama bin Laden's lunatic claims that he will build a new caliphate. (And, by the way, exactly what did the Iraq war contribute to the fight against terrorism?)

In his new book on neoconservatism, "They Knew They Were Right," Jacob Heilbrunn quotes Owen Harries, an early neoconservative whose realist bent has made him skeptical of the latest turn in the thinking of his erstwhile comrades. Harries argues that viewing terrorism as an ideological challenge akin to Nazism or Soviet communism is neither accurate nor prudent.

"I think it's to belittle the historical experiences of World War II," Harries says, "not to speak of the Cold War, to equate the terrorists of today and the damage they're capable of with the totalitarian regimes of the previous century." Underestimating our enemies is a mistake, but so, too, is endowing them with more power than they have.

EJ Dionne on McCain

I'm glad that someone is finally saying this.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it is good to see it being said.

I'm thinking of the 1908 election when the big issue facing America in the 20th century was seen to be whether or not we'd stay on the gold standard or adopt 'free silver.' Oh yeah, that one sure had Americans still talking in 1999.

[winterbadger]

Well, apparently the Ron Paul supporters still are. :-) One of the things that has convinced me he is a crackpot (apart from hearing his speech to the CPAC, which sounded like something Huey Long might have delivered) is the focus on how we need to go back to a precious-metal standard for our currency, as if that is some kind of magic (dare I say? silver?) bullet to solve our problems.