Peggy Noonan: Way Too Much God (Freepers let's tell her our thoughts)

WSJ ^ | 1/21/05 | Peggy Noonan

[ArGee]

Of course not. Strenghtening the DHS and improving border and harbor security IS doing something for the United States, and is much more sensible than playing the World's baby sitter and spanking every tinhorn despot who displeases us.

And then there is the reality of the vision laid out by President Bush (I presume he continued the same theme yesterday although I have not heard nor read the text of the speech). Strengthen our security at home while doing what we can, diplomatically, economically, and militarily when necessary, to reduce despotism abroad.

You can tighten border security all you want. Someone will get through. The only real security is to get rid of the people who want to get through.

Shalom.

[syriacus]

What do a couple of political hacks--whose names won't even be remembered in a generation--have to do with the immutable laws of history?

My point, exactly.

By the way, how long do timid empires last?

[valkyrieanne]

Trying to democratize people who FOR CULTURAL REASONS cannot be democratized is not breathtaking, it is pointless.

The culture in question has to be seriously broken - literally and figuratively - before it can be put together again in a "democratic shape."

That's why analogies to post WW II Japan and Germany are meaningless here. We firebombed Germany (including many attacks on civilians.) We *nuked* Japan. Both countries were subject to intense military operations that involved elaborate psychological occupation techniques as well.

We also deliberately set out to change some of the religious beliefs in those countries. In Germany the "Nazi churches" were disbanded. In Japan we forced the emperor to concede in the new constitution that he was no longer a god (although that had been an unbroken Japanese religious belief for several thousand years.) (Can you imagine us forcing militant Islamic terrorists to deny the interpretation of their religion that permits them to wage jihad?)

Further, we did these things in an era when our country believed in the *cultural superiority* of the "American way." But is this really what we want, or are capable of carrying out now?

[iconoclast]

Your screen name says it all, NJ.

BTW, I'll be a big enough man to congratulate you on the high-jacking of the Republican party.

I still have hope that the American people will wake up to the radicalism of Bread, circuses, tent revivals, and flag draped coffins.

[Earthdweller]

"I think Peggy just got scared, lost her nerve and the whole war thing just scares people. Or women anyway. They are like cats in a roomful of rockers."
---
Hey now..I resemble that remark! Watch yourself though the feminist will be looking up your address! Tee Hee.

[beyond the sea]

Peggy even called the speech "grating" on Hannity and Goon. She couldn't get that Parmesan cheese in the green room out of her cute little head!

[hobson]

Ok Andy, let me try to explain it to you. During first half of the 20th Century US foreign policy was focused on security of the US. The last half of the 20th century foreign policy focused on spreading democracy, defeating communism. Bush has married the two policies. US security DEPENDS on spreading freedom. Get it?

[syriacus]

Such societies are fertile ground for democracy.

Experience with Japan indicates that even nations noted for their religious zeal can grow into democracies.

Japanese are an ancient, civilized--and homogeneous--people

Is the US homogeneous?

[PISANO]

Inspiration for something EASILY attainable is naive and wasted. Inspiration for the seemingly impossible is visionary and TRUE LEADERSHIP.

Those that go for the "BRONZE" end up with nothing!

[Just mythoughts]

"Peggy even called the speech "grating" on Hannity and Goon. She couldn't get that Parmesan cheese in the green room out of her cute little head!"

Poor, poor, pitiful Peggy, is peeing in the wind.

[Earthdweller]

"BTW--Ireland is a fully functioning democracy."
---
Ok..so you are saying that they have no brain unless they were raised in a Democracy or they had it beat into them through slavery..I see. I still get the same impression..you think they are subhuman.

[beyond the sea]

I gotta say, it sounds like Mr. Baker knows how to dress for an evacuation!

LOL!

"James Baker was in trench coat and throat scarf" -- and I'll bet it was a dapper scarf!

[iconoclast]

Trying to teach democracy to an Arab or an African is like trying to teach a rooster to sing like a canary.

Such unabashed bigotry is refreshing.

Wait a minute. No, it's not.

Perhaps you'll like my characterization better .. it's like giving a Swiss watch to a Ubangi.

[beyond the sea]

James Baker is part of the old school that supported the foreign policy that GWB cast aside in his speech.

LOL! If it weren't for James Baker, G.W. would never have been elected after that 'Seven Weeks of Hell in Floriduh'!

[Mikmur]

God created all people the same. Historically people have not had the opportunity to enjoy true freedom, so they took to prosperity in whatever form it came (monarchy, dictatorship, etc). However, since God gave the world the USA and it's constitution, the rest of the world actively covets our freedom. We are in a unique position to export that freedom. We have a responsibility to spread our God given freedom to those who are oppressed. God never gives one something for them to hoard, but for them to pass on and share. We should do the same. Had we been doing that the last 40-50 years instead of building our 'Great Society' perhaps we would not have experienced both the tragedy of 9/11 and the hatred of much of the world. It seems that we have jealously guarded our freedoms to the exclusion of others and that covetousness has fomented a very real hatred.

I know I wrote this before but I think it is a pertinent response. It is not our job to force anything on anyone, but it is our responsibility to share what we have both in our personal lives (which is why Americans are the most generous people ever) and in our political ones.

[atlaw]

Indeed. What ever happened to the narrow "national interests" that were going to replace the Clinton/Gore "globalist aspirations"? Republicans today are becoming the mirror image of Wilsonian democrats, and those of us who dare to notice are chastised by the new global chest thumpers.

[beyond the sea]

I suspect that Peggy had a few drinks with them and came up with this critique.

Hmmmm, you may have something there. She's not great with her liquor, I hear.

More practice may be needed. ;-)