Letting the Left Off the Hook

Townhall Daily ^ | 2/12/2007 | Dinesh D'Souza

[wildbill]

Good argument that conservatives are ignoring the fact that the policies of the Left and Clinton caused 9/11 and the worldwide jihad against the West.

[Chgogal]

"It’s time for conservatives to reject such attempts to cling to a collapsing orthodoxy. My book shows that there are two clashes of civilizations, one within the West and the other within the Muslim world. While the left in America is working in tandem with the radical Muslims to defeat Bush in Iraq, the right should ally with the traditional Muslims to thwart this “war against the war on terror.” The traditional Muslims are the one group that can help us defeat radical Islam, and we would see this if we stopped looking for allies in all the wrong places."

He is playing the numbers game which may make sense.

[EndWelfareToday]

...the right should ally with the traditional Muslims to thwart this “war against the war on terror.”

D'Souza? What a moron. "traditional Muslims" are who we're fighting against. Anyone that knows history knows that Islam and it's "Muslim" followers are kooks. The world is in the midst of a "THIRD" Holy War and that war is against "traditional Muslims." To ignore the enemy and to not utterly destroy said enemy in no way stops the enemy but instead gives victory to the enemy (Islam.)

How many people have overcome the enemy of cancer by ignoring it? The same principle applies with Islam. "Traditional Muslims" understand that their enemies must be totally destroyed. Why can't American Jews and Christians understand the concept?

There is NO PEACE so long as your enemy is alive.

[Alia]

Dinesh is not, whatsoever, a stupid man nor a moron. If you read what he writes, he is asserting that the liberal left in this country has enabled America's enemies. And been incrementally doing so for the past 30 years. He is correct.

[Alia]

From article: It’s time for conservatives to reject such attempts to cling to a collapsing orthodoxy. My book shows that there are two clashes of civilizations, one within the West and the other within the Muslim world. While the left in America is working in tandem with the radical Muslims to defeat Bush in Iraq, the right should ally with the traditional Muslims to thwart this “war against the war on terror.” The traditional Muslims are the one group that can help us defeat radical Islam, and we would see this if we stopped looking for allies in all the wrong places.

I don't think Dinesh is plying a "compassionate conservatism". Nonetheless, there are elements on the right which do have me concerned. Trading off islamofascism for a different type of right-wing fascim is no positive trade-off, as far as I'm concernd.

But pilloringing all "Muslims" as America's enemies, we are then, no different from the left which posits all conservatives as America's enemy.

However, I appreciate the conversations which are ensuing between the two viewpoints. And I hope to see American Democrats sitting horribly right smack dab in the middle, pinched harshly between these two perspectives - which is exactly where the left belogs -- culpably aiding and abetting the murder of 3,000+ at the WTC and in the WOT. There is no decent way to depict or defend Democrat policies in re domestic and abroad transactions and promotions.

[Scarchin]

I've been surprised at the conservative anger directed towards this book.

I saw him interviewed on CSPAN and he presents compelling arguments that are quite critical of the left.

I think his thesis deserves consideration and I intend to read the book before reaching any further conclusions.

[headsonpikes]

I say let them off the hook - it'll make it easier to pike them!

[Unam Sanctam]

It seems to me that the ones who caused 9/11 are the Islamist terrorists. Assign responsibility where it is due, not George Bush, not American liberals.

[JayAr36]

I agree. When are people going to recognize that Islam has been at war with the WORLD for almost 1400 years. Their cult has been spread by force not missionaries. I've found an interesting history of this in a Joan Peters book, (From Time Immemorial)that documents the terror that is part and parcel of the Islamic cult. Their ultimate goal is the domination of the world.

[BlazingArizona]

for the past five years Hanson and some other conservatives have been invested in a strategy to attack Islam an intolerant and illiberal, and in this way to recruit liberals over to the conservative side. It’s the old clash of civilizations thesis. The only problem is that this strategy has failed miserably.

Liberals not buying this argument does not make Hanson any less right, nor D'Souza any less wrong. Even in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Bush explicitly reached out to those "traditional Muslims" and invited them to turn on the radicals. If there is a silent Muslim majority, it has so far remained silent.

Talibanizing American society may make D'Souza and the Rev. Phelps happy, but it's not going to change Muslim attitudes toward us.

[Hoof Hearted]

" D'Souza? What a moron."

Whether you agree with the man or not, any person calling Mr. D'Souza a moron is a moron.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

The reason is that for the past five years Hanson and some other conservatives have been invested in a strategy to attack Islam an intolerant and illiberal, and in this way to recruit liberals over to the conservative side. It’s the old clash of civilizations thesis. The only problem is that this strategy has failed miserably. How many liberals have responded positively to conservative articles showing that Muslims are all a bunch of socially repressive, women-hating, gay-stoning fanatics? How many from the left have jumped aboard the Bush bandwagon? I count not a single convert to our cause.

As a lifelong conservative from Goldwater to Bush, I believe Dinesh D'Souza is right. I'm increasingly getting tired of invoking the shibboleths of "freedom" "free speech" "constitutional right to .....etc" when they are so casually abused.

This garbage needs to be made impossible. Falwell was right.

[EndWelfareToday]

Whether you agree with the man or not, any person calling Mr. D'Souza a moron is a moron.

Ok... Then let's state it like this.... ANY PERSON that believes a "traditional Muslim" is anything less than a fanatical follower of the pedophile and mass-murdering prophet of Allah (Muhammad) and enemy of all Jews and Christians, is either a propagandist for the hate-filled homicide bombers and their kind or an ignorant buffoon.

There! Is that better?

[wildbill]

D'Souza doesn't diminish the responsiblity for 9/11 for the Islamist fanatics. His argument is that the weakness of liberals in response to the Islamists--whether in direct confrontation of terror attacks like Khobar Towers or the attack on our shipping--encouraged and enabled the fanatics.

Liberals like Chomsky talking about their civil rights and the oppression of colonialism as a reason why they attack us simply told them we were weak and could be attacked with impunity.

As it turned out, American and George Bush responded forcefully--for a time. Then with the constant drumbeat of the liberal left broadcast over the MSM daily, the American people have lost heart for a long and difficult struggle. Once again, proving to the Islamists that they can win because we have no heart for the long war against them.

[Oct1967]

Some people here want a war against everyone who isnt a born again christian, the poster you are responding to actually posted a long rant on how God told him that GHW Bush was unGodly, when confronted about it, he just rambled how raising taxes and losing to Clinton makes one unGodly....incompetent, foolish and unGodly arent the same thing

[Oct1967]

I suspect this poster is actually a DU or Daily Kos subscriber who comes here and posts outragously right wing nonsense in order to make conservatives look bad.

[Alia]

... and then some people pretend they are born again christians just so they could avoid remembering who and what they were by dumping on others to make himself feel superior; or, poseurs.

Thanks for the info.

[steve-b]

The reason is that for the past five years Hanson and some other conservatives have been invested in a strategy to attack Islam an intolerant and illiberal, and in this way to recruit liberals over to the conservative side.

No, D'Idiot, they are telling the truth. Whether or not the truth happens to have the effect of recruiting liberals, or anyone else, is secondary.

[steve-b]

If you reject American values of freedom, then GET YOUR SORRY ASS OUT OF MY COUNTRY.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

If you reject American values of honor and decency then GET YOUR SORRY ASS OUT OF MY COUNTRY!