Conservative Donnybrook

“Betrayal!” screamed a Polish tabloid. A Czech newspaper moaned, “an ally we rely on has betrayed us, and exchanged us for its own, better relations with Russia, of which we are rightly afraid.” Woe is them. The mid-course missile defense system that all experts agree would have done nothing to protect Poland or Czechoslovakia, especially from a non-existent Iranian ICBM, is dead. Instead, the Obama administration, for reasons known but to itself, offered to provide a land-based version of the same anti-missile defense system, the RIM 161 SM3, with which Israel is looking to supplement its Arrow and Patriot systems. Yes, really. The abandonment of the Bush “promise” will in fact, contrary to the cap-and-trade supporting, massive-immigration-loving, McCain-Kennedy co-authoring, etc., John McCain, make Central and Eastern Europe safer and less likely to be bullied by Russia. And, also contrary to the neocons, the “deal” appears to be centered around Russian concessions of allowing more materiel to pass through in the impending Afghanistani build-up. And probably Iranian gas sanctions. Medvedev and Putin know where their growing collection of bread is buttered. So calm down, screeching neos. You’re getting your way, even if you’re too blind to see it.

The Obama administration has very little of the former, but displayed a decent measure of the latter this week. In reverse order, sensibility: a landmark decision to scrap the ill-conceived and ill-advised plan to position anti-missile missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic. (The Russian Federation quickly responded in kind with an announcement abandoning threatened missile placements in the Kalinin region and condemning the gelding Iranian figurehead Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s idiotic comments denying the WWII slaughter of Jews, Catholics, homosexuals, communists, and others by Hitler’s Nazi Germany, which was a welcome reduction in absolutely unnecessary tensions between the United States and the country which should ostensibly be a very useful stabilizing force in Eurasia, given their past and current troubles with radical Islamicists.)  Lack of sense, the latest round: jumping the shark by sending the POTUS to ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and Univision in a remarkable bit of overextension and overexposure to try to salvage the irretrievable. Doubling the idiocy, the Messiah (TM) snubbed Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace (and Fox News’ 5:1 outgunning of the ratings race) which more and more of the crucial so-called “independents” Obama needs to convince turn to for news! This is a mistake which could only be accomplished by an outfit characterized by hubris and infantile pettiness. Spite Glenn Beck by contributing to his ratings next week and skip over the very demographic you’re trying to reach? It’s borderline retardation.

Coming as it does amidst administration candor about shelving climate legislation (Harry Reid is losing by a landslide and essentially told the White House to pack it in their rear), putting off cap-and-trade, hand-wringing over troop commitments to Afghanistan, etc., it begins to look more and more like the one-term Carter administration every day. I have no doubt these cretins will continue to flail away in punch-drunk rage against decent Americans, capitalists of any stripe, and those who want to maintain some shred of their once-vibrant culture with accusations of incitement to Milk murders, rampant racism of everyone not a card-carrying ACLU or ACORN member, and the impending demise of trillions of Americans in all 57 states due to lack of a public option. Still, Rahm Emanuel has got to be looking for the exit as he grabs his seat-cushion flotation device and porta-chute he thoughtfully brought as carry-on. “Sorry about the ol’ ’shove-everything-down-their-throats-at-once’ gambit, see ya at the opening of your library in Chicago.”

About six weeks ago I wrote this post arguing that it is time to cut and run in Afghanistan. It was, one could probably predict, met with barely contained rage that I should insult our troops by daring to have the temerity to suggest that the military adventure in Afghanistan had run its course. Indeed, our boys did their part and deposed the Taliban and did it with alacrity and professionalism. They should be proud of their accomplishment. I was accused of being a shill for the left wing who “never has praise for our military, our Republican leaders, America etc. And there’s never any criticism twrd Obama, Pelosi, etc, only the military, Bush and peacekeeping.”

According to my critics one would expect me to be far out of the mainstream.

But then, two weeks ago, George Will, writing in the Washington Post, wrote this. I wonder if he has crossed over to the dark side, cozied up to the anti-war left. Certainly, I think it would be a tough sell to paint George Will as some sort of slavering extremist. I may have anticipated the movement among those who are more conservative-minded, but it does appear that sentiment within conservative circles may be turning. And that should be a welcome thing.

Rather than dedicate tomorrow’s anniversary to a day of service, as has been suggested at higher levels, I would invite all of our readers to spend September 11, 2009 in prayer and reflection on the horrific and senseless destruction foisted upon our fellow citizens. I urge you to pray for the repose of their souls, and for wisdom, prudence, and steadfastness on the part of our leaders and those who are in the service of our country. May God in His mercy bless us with true peace, and if not, in His wisdom, may He grant us discernment of the proper course of action and the resolute fortitude to bear every trial willingly. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

Having completed the race and finding that Achilles could indeed beat him to the finish line, the Tortoise handed over a check to cover his wager.

Tortoise: I trust you will take a check from me, my friend?

Achilles: Of course, Tortoise. You and I go way back. Into antiquity you might even say. In any case, I could really use the money.

Tortoise: Are you still looking for work?

Achilles: Yes. It seems there is very little call for heroic Greek warriors in today’s economy. If only we would declare war on Turkey. I could probably round up any number of Greek warrior heroes for that war.

Tortoise: Maybe you could get Norman Podhoretz to put a bug in Obama’s ear. Just remind him the Turks are Muslim. That should be reason enough for him to advocate for a war. And, at the same time, think of all the jobs that would be created for idled Hellenistic soldiers.

Achilles: I wish I knew what went wrong. I thought for sure the government stimulus would lead to prosperity. I kept hearing that every dollar of deficit spending would create $1.50 of expansion in the economy. Maybe we should have spent more.

Tortoise: That is one way. Or, we could learn from our failure and try something different. Can I ask you a question, Achilles?

Achilles: Of course.

Tortoise: Where does all of the money that the government spends come from?

Achilles: Why, it comes from taxpayers. You should know that.

Tortoise: And who does the government give the money to?

Achilles: Other taxpayers who will spend the money. That’s how jobs are created.

Tortoise: What you are saying then is that the government takes the money from one taxpayer and gives it to another to spend. This seems to be a recipe in spinning one’s wheels. Why would we do that?

Achilles: Well, Tortoise, the people from whom the government takes the money are those who are savers and the people who they give to are spenders. The government just wants to make sure that the money is being used. That way, new money is injected into the economy. It is really quite elementary, Tortoise. Continue Reading »