THE OTHER BLOWBACK

New York Post ^ | 10/16/01 | John Podhoretz

[kattracks]

MANHATTAN has now been attacked twice - once on Sept. 11 and once with the NBC anthrax. This choice of target may have been a gross miscalculation on the part of the al Qaeda terror network, because Osama bin Laden has turned a city with an anti-war tradition going back more than a century into a nest of bloodthirsty hawks.

[CWOJackson]

In some ways whoever sent the anthrax to the press has won a victory. They've taken a 'relatively insignificant' biological agent and made it the main headlines. Someone spills some coffee creamer and buildings are evacuated, planes are grounded, people are quarantined. BUT...they've also personally threatened the press community.

The war didn't come home to many members of the press on 9/11, it did come home when they themselves were attacked.

[Dan Day]

Being a hawk really doesn't come naturally to Daschle, even though he has been absolutely stellar since Sept. 11.

On average, maybe, but not "stellar" overall. Daschle recently scuttled a vote on drilling in ANWR which would have helped us reduce our dependency on foreign oil. That was a vote against America, and for the eco-whackos that help keep Dashcle in office.

[Vigilanteman]

Brokaw and Daschle were both raised as good South Dakota boys. They became flaming liberals when they went east and tasted power.

Here's hoping that their good heartland upbringing will shine through the character flaws of years of liberalism and enable them to lead others of their kind out of this wilderness.

[kattracks]

The war didn't come home to many members of the press on 9/11, it did come home when they themselves were attacked.

By being "clever" the terrorists have done harm to themselves by attacking the media.

Someone, on another thread, had mentioned that the media had given Bush a honeymoon since 9/11, but that would soon end. This might have been true, before the media found themselves the victims of the nuts. I don't think they'll be so quick to criticize anywhere in the near future.

[xm177e2]

Being a hawk really doesn't come naturally to Daschle, even though he has been absolutely stellar since Sept. 11.

There was some reason to believe that if the going got tough in the war on terrorism, Daschle might head for the hills.

Osama wants an all-out war, he wants to make our doves angry.

I think he'll get a LOT more than he bargained for, and a LOT less in terms of international Islamic support.

[Hugh Akston]

MANHATTAN has now been attacked twice - once on Sept. 11 and once with the NBC anthrax. This choice of target may have been a gross miscalculation on the part of the al Qaeda terror network, because Osama bin Laden has turned a city with an anti-war tradition going back more than a century into a nest of bloodthirsty hawks.

The same miscalculation may have been at work in the decision to send anthrax through the mails to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

This was no miscalculation. Bin Laden wants a war with us.

[Hugh Akston]

I should have read all the comments before replying. You said exactly what I did, only better and 2 hours earlier.

[LinnieBeth]

American .. Airlines
United .... Airlines
American .. Media
American .. Broadcasting Co
National ... Broadcasting Co

See any pattern here?

[Hugh Akston]

You, and he, may be right about the effect; that was not my point.

My point was specifically regarding the intent. He says that Bin Laden miscalculated because his targets would tend to be dovish, but now will be hawkish. I don't buy that. I think he chose dovish targets because he wants them to become hawkish.

I think his miscalculation comes in thinking that he will be able to win this war. But I believe he wants the war, full scale.

[wjeanw]

I disagree. After reading Yossef Bodansky's book on Bin Laden, I think they knew exactly what they were doing. Bin Laden's goal is to provoke a world-wide war between the West and Islam. Everybody with any ounce of sense knows the media are liberal and have traditionally stood against aggressive military action. The anthrax was meant to turn them into hawks. The same goes for the majority leader.

[ninonitti]

But I believe he wants the war, full scale.

It's what he'll get but only if we decide to take these people out. At a time and place of our choosing-this has been Bush's biggest tactical victory in this war. He's been able to lull or pay the leaders of the arab world into in sitting on their hands for this.

Can you think of anything that must enrage these fundalmentalist cockroaches more than knowing their leaders will sell them down the river to us? If we are able to have some faction in the taleban turn over Bin Laden for cash what can't we do? Bingo! No hope -Mr. Dispossessed Wog go back to your hole.

[Hugh Akston]

I think you are right.

[LibKill]

I had the same thought. If this keeps up the public will be screaming for the use of Nukes.

[austinite]

Are we over the "60's" yet?

[bimbo]

By being "clever" the terrorists have done harm to themselves by attacking the media.

Looks like the Muslims are much, MUCH dumber than the Communists in Vietnam and Berkeley.

[VMI70]

"When Tom Brokaw was interviewed on Friday night about the anthrax sent to him, he said the hardest thing about the incident was knowing that the infected woman only got sick because she worked for him."--What an incredibly stupid reaction/statement.

"There were tears in Brokaw's eyes - but they were tears of rage, not of grief." ---BS

Podhoretz ought to be pilloried for citing and believing Brokaw's reaction.

[driftless]

I believe Brokaw. I voted for Bush not Gore and am proud to call myself a conservative. Why doubt the motives of Brokaw? What he said in his response were honest and sincere comments. He said that the anthrax was meant for him and his underling only got affected because she worked for him. He knew he was the one who was supposed to get it. What should he have said?

Put down the ideology for a moment. This is the person who wrote a book honoring the people who fought WWII defeating the Nazis and saving the world. I'm sure Brokaw is quite aware that many Republicans died serving their country as well as Democrats. He may be a liberal, but he's not an ogre. I don't follow the rule of many posters on this forum of demonizing all my political opponents. Consider what many liberals are: severely misinformed people who need educating. That's what Rush does on his program counter to what many liberals say he does.

Now if you want to demonize people like Chomsky, Waters, and other assorted leftists who really do hate America, then I am with you. If I hated what Brokaw is, a run-of-the-mill liberal, I'd have to hate many people in my own family.