Charles Krauthammer: Aftershocks of war

TownHall.com ^ | Friday, December 26, 2003 | Charles Krauthammer

[JohnHuang2]

``Libya Vows to Give Up Banned Weapons; Two Decades of Sanctions, Isolation Wore Down Gaddafi''
-- Washington Post headline, front-page news analysis, Dec. 20.

WASHINGTON -- Yeah, sure. After 18 years of American sanctions, Gaddafi randomly picks Dec. 19, 2003, as the day for his surrender. By amazing coincidence, Gaddafi's first message to Britain -- principal U.S. war ally and conduit to White House war councils -- occurs just days before the invasion of Iraq. And his final capitulation to U.S.-British terms occurs just five days after Saddam is fished out of a rat hole.

As Jay Leno would say, what are the odds? The nine months of negotiations with Libya perfectly frame the war on Iraq and the fall of Saddam. How is it possible to ignore the most blindingly obvious collateral benefits?

Imagine this kind of thinking 50 years ago: ``Japan Surrenders --Years of War Deprivation Proved Too Much.''

[JohnHuang2]

Friday, December 26, 2003

Quote of the Day by NutCrackerBoy

[samtheman]

These are not triumphs of diplomacy. These are the aftershocks of war.

Only pathological liars or mental retards would deny the triumphs of our war in Iraq.

[goldstategop]

The Democrats have been subjected this year to the Mother of all Awe And Shock and they haven't recovered yet.

[Feckless]

As he is cursed with his "uglier than a mud fence in a wind storm" Deputy Dawg face he is blessed with one of the great political minds in all of journalism. I love seeing him destroy Juan and Mara on Fox..... they scatter like chickens. I'd love to see him disassemble Elanor Rodham Clift.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

Oh, but what about when Fred gets his dander up?
I swear, times like that I wish I had a Fred Barnes t-shirt.
Best 15 minutes of TV every weekday.

[Miss Marple]

How interesting...I find Krauthammer to be an attractive man. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say.

[Feckless]

I would pay money (post bail?) if someone would bitch slap Clift. Tony Blankley has come close a time or two. I like Fred, too. Brit herds his liberals around like a disapproving school master, exasperated that they are just to dumb to "get it".

[Feckless]

If you think he is attractive I may have hope, also. Does your seeing eye dog bite? :->

[Miss Marple]

Cheer up. Think about this: Johnny Depp was named People Magazine's most beautiful person of the year. Myself, I can think of about a bazillion people who should have beaten him.

[Quilla]

I believe you can see his heart, Miss Marple.

[Paul_B]

I see nothing ugly about him either, though I've never seen him on TV, only in stills. IAC he's a great political mind, one of our best and most reliable.

One male's perspective.

[Paul_B]

Look at this from his bio:

"In 1978, he quit medical practice, came to Washington to direct planning in psychiatric research for the Carter administration, and began contributing articles to The New Republic. During the presidential campaign of 1980, he served as a speech writer to Vice President Walter Mondale. He joined The New Republic as a writer and editor in 1980. He also writes essays for Time and the Weekly Standard. In 1997, the Washingtonian magazine named him among the top 50 most influential journalists in the national press corps"

Never would have suspected that. Must have been quite a metamorphosis.

[PGalt]

Thanks for this post JohnHuang2. Outstanding article! I sent Mr. Krauthammer an email.

[Maria S]

It’s my understanding that Charles Krauthammer is a quadriplegic. If you’ll notice when he’s on Fox, he never moves his arms (they’re usually either on the desk in front of him) and he barely moves except for his head. I think I heard Michael Medved or Sean Hannity discussing his situation…only briefly once. Can’t remember for sure. At any rate, he IS a brilliant man and very articulate.

[Gritty]

Diplomacy is fine. But we are dealing not with Canada but with gangster regimes. In rogue states, the only diplomacy that ever works is diplomacy at the point of a bayonet.

Some Democrats don't get it and some pretend not to get it. Either way, they are a disaster in the making if they ever get in power again.

[maica]

Elsewhere in the Middle East, Hezbollah has been quiet since the war. Syria has made its first peace overture in years. Libya has now confessed and capitulated on WMDs.

While Mr Krauthammer is writing about the effects of the Bush Doctrine on the Middle East, I would like to add, for the record, how quiet the 30 year long conflict in Northern Ireland has become since GWB and Tony started giving joint press conferences.

[Rummyfan]

Krauthammer bump.

I believe Dr Kraythammer suffers from multiple sclerosis. His mind remains razor-sharp however.

[mel]

I sent one also