A LIBERAL QUANDARY….John Derbyshire writes many, many words in National Review Online today in which he says, approximately, nothing. But he does express his opinion about human nature, American manliness, and Iraqi democracy:
Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is a simply terrible name, from every point of view. It is esthetically flat ? whatever happened to the principle of naming military operations with ballsy images of “storm,” “sword,” “thunder,” and so on?
Yes, God knows we need more ballsiness from this administration, the wimps. Derb then goes on to muse about what would happen if there were another major terrorist attack on U.S. soil:
My own guess is that a really big terrorist atrocity would steel us and harden us, discredit the vapid talk about “Iraqi freedom,” encourage a colder and crueler attitude to enemy civilian casualties, and bring the war to a speedier end. That’s my guess. I just wish I felt more sure about it.
Good ‘ol Derb, always good for a laugh. But where’s the quandary, you ask?
Right here: we liberals tend to have disdain for neocon wet dreams of a wave of democracy sweeping through the Middle East after the war is over. And Derb agrees: it’s just “vapid talk.” So does that mean we’re on the same side as Derb? Or is he still just a nutbag conservative to be mocked at will?
Decisions, decisions…..
