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Unpatriotic Conservatives
National Review Online ^ | 4/7/03 (advance) | David Frum

Posted on 03/19/2003 7:57:38 AM PST by Chancellor Palpatine

"I respect and admire the French, who have been a far greater nation than we shall ever be, that is, if greatness means anything loftier than money and bombs."
— THOMAS FLEMING, "HARD RIGHT," MARCH 13, 2003

rom the very beginning of the War on Terror, there has been dissent, and as the war has proceeded to Iraq, the dissent has grown more radical and more vociferous. Perhaps that was to be expected. But here is what never could have been: Some of the leading figures in this antiwar movement call themselves "conservatives."

These conservatives are relatively few in number, but their ambitions are large. They aspire to reinvent conservative ideology: to junk the 50-year-old conservative commitment to defend American interests and values throughout the world — the commitment that inspired the founding of this magazine — in favor of a fearful policy of ignoring threats and appeasing enemies.

And they are exerting influence. When Richard Perle appeared on Meet the Press on February 23 of this year, Tim Russert asked him, "Can you assure American viewers . . . that we're in this situation against Saddam Hussein and his removal for American security interests? And what would be the link in terms of Israel?" Perle rebutted the allegation. But what a grand victory for the antiwar conservatives that Russert felt he had to air it.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: davidfrum; frum; oldcons; paleocons; pitchforkpat
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To: wardaddy
From #133, heck I'd probably vote for you.
141 posted on 03/19/2003 11:10:23 AM PST by NeoCaveman (What do Pat Buchanan, Noam Chomsky, and Natalie Maines have in common?)
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To: amused
True enough. Strange how the right seems to becoming more mainstream more to the left and the left is drifting ever farther towards its extreme.

Sorry but the neocons and their arguments are not what conservatism would have been 30 years ago. Instead of arguing against prescription drug plans, they offer their own. Instead of arguing for school prayer, they rebuff the Christians and make sure Muslims have rooms to pray. Instead of limiting the size and scope of government, they create the largest agency ever in the history of the general government.

Conservative? No. Moderate to liberal? Beyond a shadow of a doubt

142 posted on 03/19/2003 11:12:36 AM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: EternalVigilance
Thanks.
143 posted on 03/19/2003 11:16:43 AM PST by wardaddy
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To: Poohbah
In other words, you sound reasonably sane.

My wife might argue that point.

144 posted on 03/19/2003 11:17:50 AM PST by wardaddy
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To: wardaddy
I think that's a pro forma thing, part of maintaining her wives' union membership :o)
145 posted on 03/19/2003 11:18:59 AM PST by Poohbah (Beware the fury of a patient man -- John Dryden)
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To: dubyaismypresident
First you imply that I'm a anti-semite by your unprovoked accusation that I believe that the Bush administration is beholdened to Ariel Sharon. Then when I call you on that point, you ask, "If not Sharon, then who?". When I respond by listing the contributors to "Rebuilding America's Defenses", the policy rag of the PROJECT FOR THE NEW AMERICAN CENTURY, you conveniently change the subject and basically accuse me of being an appeaser or pacifist. Can you be intellectually honest here for a moment and decide what it is you want to debate?
146 posted on 03/19/2003 11:19:33 AM PST by Sangamon Kid
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To: billbears
Sorry but the neocons and their arguments are not what conservatism would have been 30 years ago. Instead of arguing against prescription drug plans, they offer their own.

I agree that neo-cons do not have the loathing of big gov't as paleocons and libertarians do.

Instead of arguing for school prayer, they rebuff the Christians and make sure Muslims have rooms to pray.

Instead of arguing for mandated school prayer in the morning, the shift should be to protect the religious freedoms of one and all. That means non-disruptive praying and bible clubs are allowed. I don't see the point of mandating school prayer unless one is interested in foistering their view through the supposedly hated "indoctrination centers".

Instead of limiting the size and scope of government, they create the largest agency ever in the history of the general government.

This is something I also agree with.

147 posted on 03/19/2003 11:21:17 AM PST by amused (Republicans for Sharpton!)
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To: Poohbah
LOL
148 posted on 03/19/2003 11:22:57 AM PST by wardaddy
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To: Sangamon Kid
Can you be intellectually honest here for a moment and decide what it is you want to debate?

I was asking earlier where your tin foil "American empire" accusation came from but YOU insist that I am implying all kinds of things about YOU. This makes it very difficult to have a sane conversation.

149 posted on 03/19/2003 11:27:17 AM PST by NeoCaveman (What do Pat Buchanan, Noam Chomsky, and Natalie Maines have in common?)
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To: Joe Hadenuf
And you need to realize that we have been intentionally, secretly destabilizing nations for many years, supplied bad guys with mean weapons etc etc etc....Why do you think we did things like this? LOL!

Yes, that is realpolitic.
Neocon/paleocon and Liberal/Conservative are important distinctions and discussions about how we run our nation internally, but externally, they are meaningless. All that matters outside our borders is that which makes us most powerful and secure.

For the next few decades we have the oportunity to build the first true World Empire. An Empire that has no enemies, because there is nothing outside it. Other superpowers will arise in time if we fail in this and they will punish us for our failure.

So9

150 posted on 03/19/2003 11:34:46 AM PST by Servant of the Nine (We are the Hegemon. We can Do anything we damned well please.)
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To: dubyaismypresident
I was asking earlier where your tin foil "American empire" accusation came from but YOU insist that I am implying all kinds of things about YOU. This makes it very difficult to have a sane conversation.

I don't have to imply anything. Your "I'm innocent" veneer is very thin indeed. You couldn't wait to label me an anti-semite, hence your reference to your "Ariel Sharon and the Joos" comment in post #79.

151 posted on 03/19/2003 11:38:46 AM PST by Sangamon Kid
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To: Sangamon Kid
You see through me and all other uhem...conspiracies.

Have a good day.

152 posted on 03/19/2003 11:40:35 AM PST by NeoCaveman (What do Pat Buchanan, Noam Chomsky, and Natalie Maines have in common?)
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To: dubyaismypresident
Yeah, cut and run...coward.
153 posted on 03/19/2003 11:41:46 AM PST by Sangamon Kid
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To: wardaddy
LOL - You're not a paleo - you're one of us.
154 posted on 03/19/2003 11:43:05 AM PST by Chancellor Palpatine (the NCAA is the UN of college athletics - arrogant toward the good, toothless against the bad)
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To: Steve_Seattle
the West is decadent and no longer deserves Divine protection ...

I sure am glad God is always on our side.

155 posted on 03/19/2003 11:46:18 AM PST by berserker
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To: Sangamon Kid
Yeah, cut and run...coward.

Well it would be a better use of my time to get some actual work done than go around and around with you. I've asked several times about to explain your tin-foil "imperialist America" piffle and all I've gotten back is whining about my implications and now name calling. This is getting both tedious and boring.

156 posted on 03/19/2003 11:47:17 AM PST by NeoCaveman
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To: Servant of the Nine
For the next few decades we have the oportunity to build the first true World Empire. An Empire that has no enemies, because there is nothing outside it. Other superpowers will arise in time if we fail in this and they will punish us for our failure.

World empire with no enemies? LOL! No way bro......I mean, you really can't be serious....We can hardly control the enemies inside of our own country. How in hell are we going to have a "World Empire" without enemies?

157 posted on 03/19/2003 11:50:21 AM PST by Joe Hadenuf
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To: dubyaismypresident
Well it would be a better use of my time to get some actual work done...

You mean your boss has been paying you to argue with me? Nice touch.

158 posted on 03/19/2003 11:50:28 AM PST by Sangamon Kid
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To: Chancellor Palpatine
WOW! I finally waded through the whole thing. Well done by Frum.
159 posted on 03/19/2003 11:52:46 AM PST by dennisw ( http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/weblog.php)
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To: Sangamon Kid
I can multi-task. I still get more done than most. Although I suppose I could get even more done if I logged off.
160 posted on 03/19/2003 11:53:09 AM PST by NeoCaveman
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