Posted on 03/10/2005 3:36:52 AM PST by RobFromGa
Freedom may be on the march, but America is still vulnerable to attack.
Thursday, March 10, 2005 12:01 a.m.
There are two predominant journalistic memes since the Arab spring began. The first, from the left: What if Bush was right? This was most famously and appropriately grappled with on Comedy Central, when Democratic foreign-policy thinker Nancy Soderberg consoled Jon Stewart with the hopefully facetious, but either way revealing, advice to hang on, things can still turn bad with North Korea or Iran. The other, from the middle and the right: As I wrote in this space two years ago, the invasion of Iraq will likely give rise to a surge of democratic feeling that will inspire the entire Mideast. This is known as making it clear to one's fans and foes that you were on the right side of history.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
I continue to think the president's inaugural address, suggesting as it did that he was on a mission to expunge all political tyranny from the globe, and asserting that our nation's survival depended on this utopian project, was a rather crazy speech, weirdly Wilsonian and at odds with conservatism's ancestral knowledge of the imperfectability of this world and the inability of politics to heal all that wounds us. (Take it away, FreeRepublic.)
The ball's back in our court.
There ya go again, Peggy! Just didn't seem to get enough of a beating the first time, so you come back for more!
I've always enjoyed her writings and musings, but lately, I feel ole Peggy has gone the way of Dan Rather. Hard to take!
No thanks, Peggy. I'm taking a small break from discussing what you think.
I disagree with the esteemed Ms. Noonan. We are on a crusade for the survival of our civilisation - and that means not utopianism, but neutralising countries that wish us ill - the most effective means of neutralisation is to spread liberty, either through pressure or by the point of the sword.
There's nothing Wilsonian about it - it is not spreading liberty for the sake of merely spreading liberty, but for our own safety's sake.
Regards, Ivan
I actually thought the reference was added by the poster but if Peggy put that in the article you can bet she'll be lurking to read our response. So, what's our first comment right off the bat? Peggy's hormones are out of balance because she's not getting laid! How moronic and childish is that? I'm sure it will confirm her opinion of FR.
I think she's got a good point about the President's newfound mission if you concede that he plans to accomplish all that he set out in that speech the same way he accomplished his goal in Iraq. I think events are proving that he's much more flexible than that. The Syrians are being pressured on all sides, not just the US and we may soon see them out of Lebanon. I'm not convinced that a peaceful democracy will ensue there but it's progress. I'm betting we'll see more or less peaceful change in Iran soon. N Korea is another matter.
I think if Peggy were to re-evaluate her opinion of Bush's goals given the means he appears to be using she might change her mind. Meanwhile, let's stay out of her personal life.
Peggy!
I'm shocked. So, Peggy - why DON'T YUOUOUOU! that's right - YOU - post to FR?
Just like signing up for a web board. Sign up, Peggy. Tell us what you think. Or don't you believe in that sort of thing?
Stay the course, gal. Don't fall down the slope, now, not after all you've seen, and all you've been through. Not now.
And now everyone, including Peggy, is reading it.
So what should one say in a major speech...we want to expunge some political tyranny from the globe and we have chosen the following tyrannys as our demonstration project? We will carefully consider which tyrannies a really bad and those that are just kind of bad. I don't think that works well for a speech.
Peggy Noonan is over-rated. Her writing is herky-jerky and rather florid but still to be preferred over her gratingly-affected voice.
...to the refuse receptacle or recycling bin nearest you.
I find Peggy Noonan some foxy lady! I attributed her Inaugural column simply a result of spending too much time with liberals in a liberal city. I thought that the Dole's were becoming so, also; having spent so much time in Washington, D. C. Perhaps it is a Machiavellian phenomenon.
...looks like FreeRepublic is being read by the left and right.
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