Jacksonians and the War
This letter posted at National Review Online seems to be right on.
Jonah -
I understand that to you and many other Cornerites, Webb bombed last night and sounded bitter. But let me tell you something: he was a huge
hit in my extended lower-middle-class Los Angeles-based family. We ignore the Jacksonians at our peril. They have turned against the war
something fierce.A lot of people think the American people turned against the Vietnam War due to all the student movement and the protests. Nope, not even close.
They—ordinary, middle-class Americans—turned against it when it was clear that overwhelming force would not be used purely for political reasons. Not seeing any will to win the only way a war can be won, they wanted out. Same deal here, same result.Webb’s threat is very real. Forget the “surge”. It may happen, but it’s happening in a political vacuum. If the President doesn’t get us out of
Iraq by year’s end, the electorate will go searching for whoever will.
The extent to my support of the war is that we will do whatever it takes to win. If this means bombing Iran so be it. The current president seems to have been bogged down in making sure nobodies feelings are hurt in Iraq.
I really feel like Iraq is like teaching 4th graders. When you first start teaching you automaticaly get the respect of the class. However, failure to immediately discipline those that step out of line early on will lead to an out of control class. When we first invaded Iraq we had their respect but when elements began to act out of line we failed to discipline immediately. Losing control of Iraq started when people began to loot. Our military should have been shooting looters.
The problem with the hardline is that its political unpallatable. This is rather unfortunate since a hardline can be quite effective.
January 24th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
LOL, yeah, the hard line worked remarkably well for Saddam for decades.
January 24th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
In point of fact the hard line was incredibly effective for Saddam. Besides I’m not advocating for perpetual sternness but just long enough to settle the state down and allow a nascent government to development.
January 25th, 2007 at 6:33 am
Oh, I wasn’t being sarcastis, I was actually saying that it was extremely effective for him, and many other dictators throughout history. I’m just not sure how you’re reconciling your position of ‘Iraq was justified as a humanitarian mission to spread freedom” with your new position of “intimidation and death sentences for all.”
I don’t think just saying these will be temporary measures is enough to reconcile it.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:12 am
I agree that people like you would be the biggest problem with using this method.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Ahhh, yes, logical debate does seem to undermine the rationale behind this method. Damn that’s gotta suck for you.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:43 am
I didnt mean to be insulting. Simply making the observation that people like you would form a strong political oposition to this method making it very diffficult to employ.
Its a shame because its seems like a very reasonable solution. One might think its more unreasonable to dismiss it simply because of it’s harshness.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
How do I join the KILLING FOR DEMOCRACY group in my area.
I don’t know any PLO or clansmen.
Is that the same group as “Democracy for the few, the proud” club.
I just love it when we get to Kill everyone and everything because we’re the good guys.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
I love being a good guy.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Yeah… I was gonna try to avoid hyperbole on this one, but yeah, that sums it up pretty well.