| Jon Stewart, the sage of Comedy Central, is one of the few to be honest about it. "What if Bush … has been right about this all along? I feel like my world view will not sustain itself and I may … implode."
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Posted on 03/06/2005 4:34:35 PM PST by quidnunc
Jon Stewart, the sage of Comedy Central, is one of the few to be honest about it. "What if Bush … has been right about this all along? I feel like my world view will not sustain itself and I may … implode." Daniel Schorr, another critic of the Bush foreign policy, ventured, a bit more grudgingly, that Bush "may have had it right."
Right on what? That America, using power harnessed to democratic ideals, could begin a transformation of the Arab world from endless tyranny and intolerance to decent governance and democratization. Two years ago, shortly before the invasion of Iraq, I argued in these pages that forcefully deposing Saddam Hussein was, more than anything, about America "coming ashore" to effect a "pan-Arab reformation" — a dangerous, "risky and, yes, arrogant" but necessary attempt to change the very culture of the Middle East, to open its doors to democracy and modernity.
The Administration went ahead with this great project knowing it would be hostage to history. History has begun to speak. Elections in Afghanistan, a historic first. Elections in Iraq, a historic first. Free Palestinian elections producing a moderate leadership, two historic firsts. Municipal elections in Saudi Arabia, men only, but still a first. In Egypt, demonstrations for democracy — unheard of in decades — prompting the dictator to announce free contested presidential elections, a historic first.
-snip-
Hammered.
Charles Krauthammer, gets my vote for News Person of the Year
Don't I recall CK saying bad things about Bush's policy in regards to democracy in the Middle East?
The brilliant Krauthammer nails the left, and Jon Stewart.
History has yet to yield a verdict on the final outcome. But it has yielded one unmistakable verdict thus far: the idea that Arabs are not fit for or inclined toward freedom--the underlying assumption of those who denounced, ridiculed and otherwise opposed the democracy project--is wrong. Embarrassingly, scandalously, blessedly wrong.
The embarrassment of the presumed experts, the scandal of self-dealers (political, financial, or diplomatic self-dealing) trying to torpedo success, the blessings of liberty advanced because it was right.
mine too
I don't.
Schorr has a thousand times more credibility than Stewart.
But people power does not always prevail. Indeed, it rarely prevails. It was crushed in Hungary 1956, Czechoslovakia 1968, Tiananmen Square 1989--and Iraq 1991. Matched against tyranny at its point of maximum cruelty, people power is useless.
This one goes out to the email list, with highlighted text.
This was the critical event because Arabs have had good reason to doubt American sincerity: six decades of U.S. support for Arab dictators, a cynical "realism" that began with F.D.R.'s deal with Ibn Saud and reached its apogee with the 1991 betrayal of the anti-Saddam uprising that Bush 41 had encouraged in Iraq. Today, however, they see a different Bush and a different doctrine. What changed the climate in the Middle East was not just the U.S. invasion and show of arms. It was U.S. determination and staying power, and the refusal of its people last November to turn out a President who rejected an "exit strategy" but pledged instead to remain until Iraqi self-governance was secure. It took this marriage of power, will and principle to produce the astonishing developments in the Middle East today.
He put the nail in the coffin of the "people power" crowd and those like Senator kerry and Kennedy that called for withdrawal from the start.
Besides, they're a bunch of twits.
So9
Charles Krauthammer in 08
"They were right that Bush doesn't have a deep grounding in history"
President Bush majored in history at Yale. He knows more history than his detractors put together.
Please write Special Report with Brit Hume & thank Fox everytime he is a guest panelist !!!
| Jon Stewart, the sage of Comedy Central, is one of the few to be honest about it. "What if Bush … has been right about this all along? I feel like my world view will not sustain itself and I may … implode."
|
Krauthammer = pure genius. He's very pessimistic on Iran nukes, says only hope is regime change.
Dynamite.
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Not good enough. I want to hear the lamentations of his women.