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Good piece. Lileks is a good writer.

McCain has been on my "absolutely not, not under any circumstance" list, all alone, I hadn't even included Hagel on that list as bad as he is because I simply didn't take him seriously.

I still don't take him seriously. But he's fought his way onto the list, right there next to McCain. So now there are two.

For the rest, my litmus tests are two:

#1, your name isn't "McCain" or "Hagel" and

#2, you understand we are at war, and are prepared to lead us through.

I've got a wish list that follows number two, but number two is basic. Its survival of the Republic.

You have a point. The GOP seems to have triangualted itself into a corner. Here's the choices, as I see 'em:

1. "We'll show 'em" by staying at home if the candidate doesn't follow my agendae strictly down the line." We tried that this year. Keep it up for another couple of elections and we'll all be facing Mecca.

2. The lamestream leaders, McCain, Rudy, and Rumknee. The media anointed 'em which makes them look suspect. But for the most part they say the right thing about terrorism. They may have personal baggage that makes them less palatable to the more religious.

3. The good old timey back of the pack which is wussing out on terrorism. That's Brownback, Hagel, and Huckelberry. Of this group, I don't care about your personal faith. None of that matters if you surrender to Islam.

If Mr. Giuliani can convince me that he is that no-nonsense guy who will nuke-em if necessary and who understands the existential nature of the Islamic War I would vote for him. So far he reminds me too much of Nixon who was a great international political chess player but couldn't see beyond the board. It would help if Giuliani shows he understands that this is, in fact, the Islamic War, and not some "war" on Terror or against AQ. Bush's problem is he named the war appropriately to his vision. He refuses to see that it is a war against resurgent Islam. He is history-deficient. No, we don't have to exterminate Mohammedans but they must be dealt a massive defeat such as was visited upon Germany and Japan. They must be made aware that Allah does not wish them to prevail in the world in this generation. Islam cannot be finally beaten. The Jihad can only be temporarily aborted and put off for a few generations short of conversion to Christianity or Scientology or something or economic development to affluence that seems to be precluded by Islam itself.