Conservative Donnybrook

…our newest contributor: Doughboy.

Born and raised along the coasts, but now happily residing in the Heartland, Doughboy is a former teacher who now freelance writes and works full-time as a military historian.

In his first election, he voted for Bob Dole, then made the biggest political mistake of his life by voting for Al Gore. On 9-11, he woke up and made national security his priority, leading to his admiration for Pres. Bush and his current career.

A fervent Zionist and Patriot who works with the military daily, he therefore considers himself a 9-11 conservative or “neo con,” though he disagrees with some tenets of the latter.

Aside from national security funding, he concurs with much of libertarianism.

I think most of readers will recognized that Doughboy brings a fresh voice to the Donnybrook. While he is likely aligned with the neoconservative contigent, his approach will almost certainly depart from the neoconservatives that currently contribute. He should add to a hearty and robust debate, offering a new persepctive that heretofore was missing on the Donnybrook.

To Doughboy, let us all welcome you to the brawl with the advice: keep your chin in, your hands up, and come out fighting!

I received an email from a buddy of mine this morning and did not immediately respond. My buddy describes himself as a “9/11″ conservative. Though he always leaned right on most issues, brainwashed by the media and just out of college (also brainwashed), he voted for Al Gore in 2000. (He now despises Gore) On 9-11, he woke up, realizing which party took the terror threat seriously and acknowledged George W Bush was the right man to be the first post 9/11 president. Following is the exchange between him and me:

Doughboy writes:

“Obama celebrates Iraqi sovereignty”

George W. Bush will be a top 12 president. Many of you owe him, and those of us who stood by our country the past few years, a big apology. We won the War in Iraq. Time to admit it. Just like Mr. Obama finally did last night.

He was wrong on the war every step of the way. But here was one of those rare occurrences where, as the US president, he comes to grips with facts, and for PR purposes, praises our nation rather than bashes it. Thank you Dick Cheney, George W Bush, John McCain, David Petreaus.

Good day,
Doughboy

As I mentioned, I did not immediately respond – partly out of concern for alienating my new friend, but also because I am not comfortable in the position in which I now find myself. Many of our readers will discern a change in my stance, as I have written previously about my support for the War on Terror. In my defense, I will simply say that anyone who is honestly seeking the truth and approaches a debate with that level of honesty will find, from time to time, that his mind is changed. I have drifted over time to the position in which I now find myself. The exchange was as follows:

Doughboy writes: