The Neocon War on Peace and Freedom, Part 1

Future of Freedom Foundation ^ | 18 Feb. 04 | James Bovard

[u-89]

from Part II:

Conclusion

The authors cheerfully conclude, “This is a scenario for a long war, but it is not a scenario for endless war. No lie lasts forever, and militant Islam is a lie.”

Nowhere in the book do Frum and Perle even attempt to estimate how many Americans will need to die to fulfill their vision of victory over Islam. This may be tactical on their part, as such numbers would not spur converts to their cause. Or perhaps the authors don’t consider American casualties relevant in the grand scheme of things.

Frum and Perle offer nothing to justify the book’s basic thesis that the United States must choose between “victory or holocaust.” There is no evidence that Islamic governments or movements threaten the survival of America. America’s survival is far more likely to be threatened by launching an endless series of religiously motivated unnecessary wars.

Frum and Perle repeatedly urge the U.S. government to intervene to suppress anti-Israeli or anti-Semitic incitements at home or around the world. Yet, if someone wrote about Zionism the way The End of Evil writes about Islam, Frum and Perle would be first in line to accuse the writer of anti-Semitism — and rightly so.

Frum and Perle boast, “Now that the U.S. has become the greatest of all great powers in world history, its triumph has shown that freedom is irresistible.” But the more aggressive the U.S. government has become, the less its military triumphs have anything to do with freedom. For Frum and Perle to portray their war on terrorism as a crusade for freedom is a joke — especially since freedom to make money is the only freedom for which they demonstrate consistent enthusiasm. (The authors, perhaps inspired by the ghost of Richard Nixon, ominously warn, “We may be so eager to protect the right to dissent that we lose sight of the difference between dissent and subversion.”)

The End of Evil would have American policymakers always err on the side of inflicting carnage. If this book becomes “conventional wisdom” for the Bush administration, the president will very likely have far more military funerals to avoid.

The Middle East is a quagmire and no amount of U.S. bombing will turn it into a Garden of Eden. We are far more likely to reduce terrorist attacks on the United States by exiting the quagmire than by tripling or quadrupling military assaults in that region. It is a delusion to assume that the more wars America starts, the more peace and liberty Americans will eventually enjoy.

[aynrandfreak]

F- the FFF.

[RebelBanker]

To paraphrase the entire article:

"If only those nasty Jews would just up and die quietly, all our troubles would be over."

[steve50]

bump

[Dalan]

And so, the entire thesis of Leftist criticisms of and hand-wringing over Bush's foreign policy can be summed up in one word: Denial.

At the end of day, even the most vituperative Leftists cannot deny or refute a few basic truths:

• Islam has become increasingly radicalized, intolerant, and unassimilable, worldwide.
• There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever of any substantial effort on the part of supposed "moderate" Muslims to counter this trend.
• The highest leaders of Islam have labelled us the "great satan", and have openly declared war on us.
• Acting on behalf of and in the name of their "faith", Islamists launched the most devasting attack in history upon our country.

The Quislings, Neville Chamberlains, and secular demagogues in this country are trying to lead us to ruin. If they can't deliver us into the hands of our self-declared mortal enemies, they're tear us apart from the inside.

[tbpiper]

militant Islam is a lie

Obiously the guy's TV is broken. Simply incredible stupidity.

[u-89]

To paraphrase your remarks:

"I can not defend the neocon philosophy of police surveillance state at home and foreign policy of perpetual war to remake the world according to their dreams so I'll pull a modified Jesse Jackson. Instead of crying racism I'll cry antisemitism."

It's so edifying to debate the issues with you, pal.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Yet, if someone wrote about Zionism the way The End of Evil writes about Islam, Frum and Perle would be first in line to accuse the writer of anti-Semitism — and rightly so.

Probably because Jews aren't attempting to kill us, and Islamofascists are. Duh.

[roses of sharon]

Is this a UN position paper, or George Soros platform plank for the Dems?

Or maybe a Chrissy Matthews conspirazoid?

Probably Saddam and Sons defense counsel musings.

[u-89]

Leftist critique? You might look smarter in public if you knew what you were talking about before you typed. Bovard is as opposite of a leftist one could be. I also noticed you skipped the domestic surveillance bit and went right to foreign policy part where it would be a safe bet more freepers would agree with you.

[agitator]

People arguing for their own enslavement would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.

[Piranha]

Frum and Perle repeatedly urge the U.S. government to intervene to suppress anti-Israeli or anti-Semitic incitements at home or around the world. Yet, if someone wrote about Zionism the way The End of Evil writes about Islam, Frum and Perle would be first in line to accuse the writer of anti-Semitism — and rightly so.

If there were Jewish terrorists crashing airplanes into the World Trade Center or taking over countries in order to run terrorist operations, the US government would be fully justified in suppressing them.

To find a pre-9/11 analysis in which the best thing we can do is to love everyone, because we're all the same, is almost ... quaint.

[Piranha]

You said it better than I.

[u-89]

Yet, if someone wrote about Zionism the way The End of Evil writes about Islam, Frum and Perle would be first in line to accuse the writer of anti-Semitism — and rightly so.

Probably because Jews aren't attempting to kill us, and Islamofascists are. Duh.

--------------------------------

Then try this one. If someone talked about blacks or jews the way we talked about the French......

It's all the same - agitation and propaganda. Get people emotionally riled up so they won't think logically. Read Orwell's 1984. Two minute hate rallies throughout the day.

[Piranha]

If we talked about the Jews the way the French talk about the Jews (and their sh**ty little country -- remember that one?)

The fact is that the French Foreign Minister travelled the world actively trying to create a coalition against US interests. Fortunately, their arrogance ("The Polish Foreign Minister missed a good opportunity to shut up" -- remember that one?) probably contributed a great deal to their failure.

This is September 12. Wake up!

[u-89]

>People arguing for their own enslavement would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.

Yeah. Conservatives long fought the ideas of national ID cards, DNA samples, etc. They cried over Clinton's FBI file scandal. Now they can't get all that and more fast enough because someone with an "R" after their name said - boo!

[Piranha]

Sorry -- it was Chirac himself who said this, not de Villepin.

[freeeee]

"To be a conservative, above all else, is to believe in the founding ideals of America. It is more of a way of life than an ideology. It is based on the idea that America's purpose is to provide an evironment for the american people to live their lives, raise their children, worship God, and practice their culture....with as little interference from distant centers of authority as is possible. Neoconservativism, which is not really conservative at all, sees every bit of this as antisocial and immoral. They harbor a megalomaniacal ideology that demands that individual americans sacrifice themselves on the altar of world empire. "Who cares about the constitutional limitations on our federal govt? Who cares about fiscal responsibility? Who cares about the warnings of our founders that we avoid foreign entanglements?
The peasants job is to pay outrageous taxes, give away our freedom, and fight their wars....they are the philosopher kings of Plato's cave, and we are ignorant peasants. These neocons are not really that different from the marxists from which they so recently sprang. We are now entering a conflict for the very soul of our nation."
posted on 08/20/2003 1:58 PM PDT by quebecois

[u-89]

>The fact is that the French Foreign Minister travelled the world actively trying to create a coalition against US interests

Well you could say the US was trying to create a coalition against French interests now couldn't you? Welcome to "how the world works."

My critique of the French bashing stands - it was flat out racist and all of it would have been deleted from this forum super quick if the same remarks were against any other group. Not only that some of it was down right childish - Freedom Fries, please. And from government officials no less.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

1.) Irrelevant analogy. The article's focus is on the author's snit that The Religion of Peace was (in his estimation) rudely defamed in the book in the Frum/Perle volume; not on how we are now (apparently) treading brutishly upon the feelings of the poor, put-upon French.

2.) Read 1984 for the first time in the fourth grade, thank you; and several times again, since. Nothing therein credibly gainsays the demonstrable and ongoing threat of radical Islamofascism, to this country; its citizens; and those of our closest allies.