The most powerful weapon in the struggle against extremism is not bullets or bombs – it is the universal appeal of freedom. Freedom is the design of our Maker, and the longing of every soul. Freedom is the best way to unleash the creativity and economic potential of a nation. Freedom is the only ordering of a society that leads to justice. And human freedom is the only way to achieve human rights.
40 years ago Tuesday, a decisive victory. Today, conventional wisdom clouds the benefits to Israel. Bret Stephens at the WSJ: No Pyrrhic Victory.
Over at the NRO' 'The Tank', W. Thomas Smith Jr. provides analysis of the AP headline "U.S. troop drive said faltering in Iraq" in his article, Destructively Misleading.
James Taranto at Opinion Journal discusses the Liberal Suicide Pact, as presented by the NYT. Dismissing the JFK plot while calling for the closing of Gitmo. James brings out the flaws in this logic.
By overreacting to imagined civil liberties threats today, American liberals may be setting the stage for future overreactions in the other direction.
Ushankas off to Victor Davis Hanson for his Friday article at NRO, G-8 Precipice. Some highlights:
One of the great transmogrifications of our era has been the Russian 20-year metamorphosis from crumbling Soviet totalitarian into a chaotic oligarchy into a confident neo-czarist petro-power.
Or was it ever really that much of a transformation in attitude at all? Now emboldened by $60-plus-barrel oil instead of the old Red Army, Russia suddenly bullies like the old Soviet Union without all the hassles of multiethnic subjects and the burdens of empire.
Mad at Estonia? Wage an Internet war against the tiny democracy.
Mad that a cobbled-together missile-defense system might save the West from an errant Iranian nuke or two? Boast that you could nuke it into smithereens — and maybe a European capital in the bargain.
Mad at dissidents abroad? Kill ’em.
Mad at foreign oil companies in Russia? Squeeze them until they leave.
Mad at sermons about human rights? Threaten to cut off half of Europe’s natural gas.
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Just as both Europeans and liberals here at home despise George Bush’s not so much for what he does as for what they allege he represents, so too when he’s gone they really won’t suddenly expect the United Nations to deal with Mr. Ahmadinejad or Darfur, or bin Laden to grow scared that we can now “turn our eye” to Afghanistan after fleeing Iraq, or Mr. Putin to grow cooperative once we relent on missile defense. In truth, only a militarily strong, traditional, and capitalist United States can keep its critics, here and abroad, safe and well off enough to allow them their rage over knowing that the utopian world they prefer won’t work.
Or was it ever really that much of a transformation in attitude at all? Now emboldened by $60-plus-barrel oil instead of the old Red Army, Russia suddenly bullies like the old Soviet Union without all the hassles of multiethnic subjects and the burdens of empire.
Mad at Estonia? Wage an Internet war against the tiny democracy.
Mad that a cobbled-together missile-defense system might save the West from an errant Iranian nuke or two? Boast that you could nuke it into smithereens — and maybe a European capital in the bargain.
Mad at dissidents abroad? Kill ’em.
Mad at foreign oil companies in Russia? Squeeze them until they leave.
Mad at sermons about human rights? Threaten to cut off half of Europe’s natural gas.
---
Just as both Europeans and liberals here at home despise George Bush’s not so much for what he does as for what they allege he represents, so too when he’s gone they really won’t suddenly expect the United Nations to deal with Mr. Ahmadinejad or Darfur, or bin Laden to grow scared that we can now “turn our eye” to Afghanistan after fleeing Iraq, or Mr. Putin to grow cooperative once we relent on missile defense. In truth, only a militarily strong, traditional, and capitalist United States can keep its critics, here and abroad, safe and well off enough to allow them their rage over knowing that the utopian world they prefer won’t work.
Last, a blog entry from Dean Barnett at Hugh Hewitt's blog, The Bill Sleeps with the Fishes. A little post-idiotic-immigration-bill analysis...
I have never seen the Republican Party more united than in its hatred for this bill. On one side you have George Bush, Lindsey Graham, Trent Lott and John McCain. On the other side, you have virtually every other Republican in America save the Wall Street Journal editorial board. 30 million people united against roughly 13 individuals - when you think about it, that’s pretty good unity.
And there’s even better news. The Democratic nominee for president will likely be a Senator who hasn’t done a blessed thing to secure the border during her/his time in office. And best of all, the Republican nominee will definitely not be a Senator.
And there’s even better news. The Democratic nominee for president will likely be a Senator who hasn’t done a blessed thing to secure the border during her/his time in office. And best of all, the Republican nominee will definitely not be a Senator.
Our $0.02? We have been beyond disappointed with the Wall Street Journal's editorial board with regards to this immigration bill. Did they even accept NRO's invitation to a debate?? America won with this bill's defeat. Those immigrants that came to the US legally and played the bureaucratic games to earn citizenship deserved this defeat. Lets build the darn wall and move on to the next problem.
