From Manhattan to Baghdad: One enemy, one war, one outcome.

The National Review ^ | February 21, 2003 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Their demands are non-negotiable.

[Cicero]

Excellent article by a distinguished historian, of whom there are very few today.

[Paradox]

Awesome essay, I truly appreciate the historial perspective. We tend to view things within our own limited scope of, say, a lifetime..

[RightWhale]

A good general orientation essay. At this point there isn't a decision of Europe First or Japan First. Hope it stays that way.

[mikenola]

Taking on all at once Germany, Japan, and Italy — diverse enemies all — did not require the weeding out of all the fascists and their supporters in Mexico, Argentina, Eastern Europe, and the Arab world. Instead, those in jackboots and armbands worldwide quietly stowed all their emblems away as organized fascism died on the vine once the roots were torn out in Berlin, Rome, and Tokyo. So too will the terrorists, once their sanctuaries and capital shrivel up — as is happening as we speak.

Vic Hanson -- intellectual ninja. One of his best yet.

[yonif]

Ping.

[noutopia]

All in time my pretty all in time.

[yonif]

I say Syria.

[Hugin]

Good essay. Complaining that there is no direct link between Iraq and 9/11 is like saying we shouldn't have fought Hitler because he had no direct role in Pearl Harbor. For too long America treated terrorism as though it was mere criminality, in which individuals, not organizations and the states that aid, abet and sponsor them were to be held accountable. About 20 years ago Col. Robert K. Brown pointed out this is the equivelent of indicting the pilots at Pearl Harbor and sending a formal request for extradition to the Japanese Government. Fortunately Bush is now treating terrorism as what is always was, warfare. Too bad it took 3,000+ dead Americans to make it happen.

[McGavin999]

After Iraq, Iran will fall on it's own. We will have to do very little there. The students are ready and willing to make that country free right now. As to Syria, I have a feeling that Bassar will be hinding under his bed after next week.

Our president knows what he's doing. Iraq is the keystone and removing that keystone will cause the entire structure to change. Radical Islam will be gone within 10 years and you'll find a happy and prosperous people inhabiting the middle east.

[FirstTomato]

I would point out that the author of this article is wrong when he speaks of Hitler as right-wing. He was not. Nationalism alone does not mean that he was right wing. Nazism was a leftist socialist movement, although his particular brand of socialism highlighted anti-semitism/racism and nationalism; anti-semitism, because that was in the roots of socialism/Marxism, and nationalism, because he thought that his brand of nationalism would bind the Germanic people together against the patriotism of the bourgois capitalists, whom he hated, and replace their Christianity, which he also despised.

[First_Salute]

What the heck is going on?

Says the author:

"Taking on all at once Germany, Japan, and Italy &emdash; diverse enemies all &emdash; did not require the weeding out of all the fascists and their supporters in Mexico, Argentina, Eastern Europe, and the Arab world."

Misrepresentation --- the author's use of "the weeding out of all the fascsists" --- he submits as an allegedly impractical task that would have been wasteful of our resources. He submits that, given the relatively more ominous military size of the major opponents, that to "weed out" the lesser forces of fascism at the same time, would have been questionably productive. Thereupon, he believes that now, we must not fuss over what to do with the "backwater" areas.

He's got it wrong; in fact, the Allies did operate against fascists in all the listed regions, and did try to weed them out by "direct action."

We know all too well, that the Soviets were entirely ruthless against the fascists, exterminating them and their supporters in Eastern Europe.

Elsewhere, the United States was operating against fascists in Central and South America as early as 1938. The United States was operating against the Japanese upon Japan's invasion of Chinese territory in the early 1930s. U.S. Naval and U.S. Army intelligence missions began in earnest, then, and the discoveries, as well as the threats to our operatives, were much more than what has been seen at the movies.

The British secret services operated in the Western Hemisphere against fascists in both North and South American, prior to World War II, not to mention practically everywhere else.

In the current state of world affairs, the primary, belligerent fascists of the Axis, are: North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Saudi Arabia, with Pakistan and Red China being "undecided." None of them have small cells which pose lesser threats to the United States, and thereby may "enjoy" lesser rank as "backwater" theatres of operations "unworthy" of our immediate "attention."

The money behind the attacks on the United States, came from Saudi Arabia. The major weapons support comes from Red China, Cuba, and North Korea. The primary training grounds for terrorists, are: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya and portions of Central Africa, Syria, Indonesia, the Philippines, southern Mexico, Cuba, and North Korea.

Teams from the current Allies, including the French Foreign Legion, fought against Libyan troops and Cuban "advisors" in areas south and west of Egypt in 1988, in an attempt to stem the expansion of the Cuban, Red Chinese, and Libyan Axis then spreading southward.

The modern generation of JSTARS was used there, and by the way, it was not "first used" in the Gulf War. JSTARS is not new technology; it is quite old.

Do not be so surprised to find that American and Cuban relations suddenly develop a chill. Fidel is entirely responsible for the exploding, communist revolutionary action in Venezuala. The reason Mexico is giving us so much grief, is because it is trying to appease Fidel, who has decided to go out in a blaze of glory, instead of just fading away in the humidity.

The Philippines, and not Taiwan, are at the top of the list of targets relished by Red China. And because of this (and there, it does have to do with oil), there are "Muslim terrorists" now on the offensive "over there."

The largest bodies of non-African armed forces in all of Africa, are from Red China, North Korea, and Cuba.

The Red Chinese are conducting military exercises in the Caribbean Sea, south and southeast of Florida.

From the perspective of our enemies, we appear to have our hands full. They certainly percieve themselves to be a serious threat, and from all directions.

So I am not all that comfortable with the self-assurances that we are going to be picking and choosing our fights.

[enough]

Thanks for your reply. I read the "Hitler was right wing" part of the article and I knew Nazism came from the LEFT but couldn't formulate exactly why.

You did so most excellently!

[BellStar]

This is a test, can you pick the right answer?
In the 1973 Olympics in Munich, 11 Israeli Athletes were massacred by:

(a) Fonzie & Potsy
(b) Martin & Lewis
(c) Ozzie & Harriet
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by:
(a) Norwegians from Oslo
(b) Ronald Reagan
(c) A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:
(a) A pizza delivery boy
(b) Crazed feminists complaining that being
able to throw a grenade beyond its own burst radius
was an unfair and sexist requirement in basic training
(c) Geraldo Rivera making up for a slow news day
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

In 1985, the Italian cruise ship, Achilles Lauro, was hijacked by:

(a) The religious Right
(b) Bill O'Reilly
(c) White Anglo-Saxon Protestants
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:

(a) Luca Bratze, for not being given a part in "Godfather 2;"
(b) Republican National Chairman
(c) Butch and Sundance who had a few sticks of dynamite
left over from the train mission;
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

In Feb. 1993, 6 people were killed, and 1000+ injured when the World Trade
Center in NY was bombed by:

(a) Richard Nixon
(b) Mayor Koch
(c) Disgruntld AARP Menbers
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:

(a) Bob Dornan
(b) Mr. Rogers
(c) Hillary, trying to distract attention from Wild Bill's women
problems
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

In Oct. 2000, 17 innocent sailors were killed when the USS Cole was attacked
by:
(a) The Pope
(b) The World Wrestling Federation promoting its next villain: "Mustapha the
Merciless"
(c) Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, and Elmer Fudd.
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

---

On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked and over 3,000 innocent killed
people by:
(a) Newt Gingrich
(b) The Florida Supreme Court trying to out-do their attempted hijacking of
the 2000 Presidential election
(c) Mr. Bean
(d) Male Muslim extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

Nope...............No patterns anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!

Somehow pressure needs to be put on government and officials to crack down
on those who wish to destroy us, our freedoms and everything we stand for.
These people have no other job, life means nothing to them and dying for
their cause is an honor. These fanatically extremists spend every waking
hour contemplating how to ruin America and bring her to her knees.
Their dedication and obsession is unprecidented in history.
Our immigration laws must be tightened and monitored. Now that the FBI and
other agencies vow to revamp in order to combat terrorism - this is the time
to actively voice our opinions as free Americans

This is not a time to be too politically correct ....
Your life may depend on it. This is not meant to preach but rather to
outline the undisputable series of events that clearly emphasize what course
we must take before the second 9/11 hits our shores.

[WaterDragon]

Victor Davis Hanson is one smart fella! I so much enjoy all his books and every article he writes.

[Jabba the Nutt]

I may be wrong, but I believe the first attack by the American Army on the enemy in WWII was on the French in North Africa. What the blazes did Africa have to do with Pearl Harbor, much less the French? The French surrender to Gen Mark Clark (again, from memory).