Knobles and Knaves

The Washington Times ^ | 1-08-05 | Washington Times Op-Ed

[Seattle Conservative]

Nobles: The American people, for offering their money and their prayers to the tsunami victims.

Some world diplomats and pundits just couldn't help but turn the disaster in Southeast Asia and Africa into a moment to criticize the United States.

/snip

The Chronicle of Philanthropy has reported that by the end of the week private donations to American charities have totaled more than $300 million, or just $50 million less than the U.S. government and many times more than what individual European governments have pledged.

/snip

Charles Krauthammer: "We are six percent or less of the world's population, yet we give almost half [of all development aid] ... Secondly, we maintain a military structure that keeps the peace of the world ... Who is in the Indian Ocean with the aircraft carriers, helicopters, skilled personnel? No one has the infrastructure in the world, we spend almost half a trillion dollars a year on our military structure, which is essentially the fire department of the planet and it is always at the disposal of people hit in a national disaster."

/snip

For their "stinginess," the American people are the Nobles of the week.

Knaves: Sen. Ted Kennedy, for his petty pontificating against Alberto Gonzales.

2004's Knave of the year runner-up must have felt shortchanged after losing out to George Soros.

/snip

Mr. Kennedy: "Now, [The Washington] Post article states you [Mr. Gonzales] chaired several meetings at which various interrogation techniques were discussed. These techniques included the threat of live burial and water boarding, whereby the detainee is strapped to a board, forcibly pushed under water, wrapped in a wet towel and made to believe he might drown."

For failing to see the irony, Mr. Kennedy is the Knave of the week.

[Seattle Conservative]

It was discussed here and elsewhere about The Swimmer's use of water and drowning in his questioning of Judge Gonzales. The WA Times nailed it with: "For failing to see the irony, Mr. Kennedy is the Knave of the week."