Mark Steyn: Iraq is now the home of the brave – and soon the free

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 02/01/05 | Mark Steyn

[arbee4bush]

Steyn is to be worshipped

Oh, No kidding. And two Steyn columns in one day almost made me shortcircuit with his shock and awe prose.

This guy is just amazing.

[Steve0113]

awkward prosody and melisma-clogged penultimate line

Could someone translate this for me?

That was two trips to the dictionary for me in one sentence.

[lawgirl]

Loving Mark Steyn bump

[maica]

Steyn even helps us improve our vocabulary.

I love the melisma of the penultimate line!

And consider - the people of Baltimore had seen the red sky of Washington burning earlier in the summer, knew that the British would be coming for them, made the best preparations that they could, and then had to watch the bombardment of the fort on a Saturday night.

Francis Scott Key's poem just put into words the thoughts of every single Baltimorean that night.

[metesky]

Steyn always swings for the fences and he usually connects.

Thanks, Pokey.

[MeekOneGOP]

Bump to come back tomorrow .....

Thanks. :^)

[Rummyfan]

Woo Hoo! Steyn bump!

[Tall_Texan]

I want purple ink for all American voters. Can you *imagine* the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth the libs would have over that? No more busloads of wandering bands of Democrat voters going from poll to poll. No more dead voters channeling their votes to Democrat election workers. The libs would start yelling about disenfranchisement and racism and thisism and thatism because then they would know the jig was up.

Heck, if disco clubs can stamp your hand, why not polling places?

[aculeus]

One of his best.

[Chu Gary]

I love every one of Steyn's editorials, but this is one of the best I've ever read. Brilliant discussion of points and an exquisite conclusion. Bravo!!!!

[Valin]

Think about that. If you're an Iraqi in Syria, you can vote for the political party of your choice. If you're a Syrian in Syria, you have no choice at all. Which of those arrangements is the one with a future?


Bingo! We have a winner.

[Valin]

I'm not the one marching in the streets against Muslim democracy and insisting that Arabs much prefer the "security" of dictatorship.


Maybe we can put to rest the Muslims can't understand democracy line that seems to have been so popular here on certain threads.

[Soul Seeker]

Given the fact that the voters of Baghdad and Basra and Kirkuk showed the cojones the Spaniards failed to last March, you'd think those protesters would have been less careless about reminding us that the terrorists got a much better election result out of the Spanish electorate than they did from the Iraqis

This makes me laugh. LOL I do wish to note Aznar, the troops, and the sum that didn't vote with the terrorists still have my respect and sympathy. I can only hope the rest of the electorate can summon half the courage of these iraqi's to correct their course. 1) Iraq's leaders are truly representative of their people. When attending ARAB conferences this is going to rattle many cages.

2) Iraqi's were allowed to vote in oppressive middle eastern countries, like Syria, where their own citizens cannot vote. That's the first break in the wall. For Syria to even allow a free vote, even if it's not their own, is incredible. Many Arabs would have made note of that proud ink stanined finger and longer for their own.

I will have to admit I disagree on our anthem. I love it. :-)

[Caesar Soze]

Kind of agree with Steyn on the anthem, but did FSK intend (as Steyn suggests) that it be sung to the tune of To Anacreon in Heaven?

[ichabod1]

Oer the La-and of the FRE-EEEEEEE!

That's the melisma clogged penultimate (i.e. second to last) line. A melisma is a passage of several notes sung to one syllable of text.

[ichabod1]

Nice analysis of the song. Mostly people don't even think about the lyrics, they just mouth the syllables.

[Max Combined]

Steyn is on a roll, writing article after article. I am sure glad that he is over whatever health problem kept him sidelined after the election.

[America's Resolve]

if Robert Mugabe turned up at an Arab League meeting he'd be the most democratically legitimate leader in the room.

Is this a scary thought or what???

BINGO MARK!

Godspeed

[goldstategop]

Europe is a civilization in its death throes. Iraqis look for inspiration for freedom to America, not Europe. They well remember how France and Germany sat out the chance to get on the right side of history. And while we're at it, let's remember post-Christian Spaniards surrendered to Al Qaeda. Devout Muslim Iraqis turned their backs on Bin Laden & Co. Who will defend freedom a century from now? It may well be the very people sophisticated Leftists in Europe have long patronizingly disparaged as backward savages. As Mark Steyn would say, Europe is no longer the arbiter of all things great.

Denny Crane: "I want two things. First God and then Fox News."

[lainde]

The peerless Steyn nails it again...Thanks Pokey!