The International Kumbaya Festival And Things Worth Fighting For

Surprisingly, the CBS News website has reprinted a stunningly moronic editorial, US And Israel Make Major Mistakes, originally published by left leaning publication, The Nation.

In what passes what passes for reasoned critique, editorial grasps:

Would the situation in Gaza have gotten so out of hand if Israel, the United States, and the European Union had tried to work with the democratically elected Hamas government from the outset?

Once again, the idea that a democratic election alone bestows credibility on a regime is proffered. In fact, in democratic states, elections are nothing more than the Church bell ringing in the steeple. Elections are the symbols of democracy- they do not define democracy.Freedom and democracy are defined byinstitutions that guarantee and protect the rights of the individual citizen.

As has been noted many times, Adolph Hitler came to power in a free and fair election. Even as western powers dealt, negotiated and appeased Hitler, Germany would go on to bring run and destruction on a continent and be the reason 50 million souls were lost.

If Germany, a European nation, ostensibly a nation with European values, were to ignore the pleadings of the civilized world, why on earth would anyone believe that negotiating with Hamas and Hizbollah would be useful?. Those organizations are comprised of radical extremists with a religious ideology that declares death and destruction are legitimate aims, and demanded by God. Despite our best efforts here, there are elements in western society that remain racist and bigoted. If we cannot eliminate racism and bigotry from within our midst, why on earth would anyone believe that we would succeed in doing just that with people who openly embrace hate and proudly proclaim themselves as Hitler's legacy? The civilized world (and those 50 million lost souls) would have been far better offer dealing with Germany and Hitler upfront, isolating him diplomatically, economically and if necessary, confronting him militarily before he armed his country with the most advanced weaponry of the time and before Europe spiralled into the abyss.

Naturally, the left leaning The Nation, finds a reason to excoriate Mr Bush. This time, they do it with a flourish, blaming the fledgling democracy movement supported by the west:

The whole thrust of American policy of the last two years has been to reduce unconditionally Syria's influence in Lebanon so as to leave Lebanon to the Lebanese. By what logic does the Administration now seek to hold Syria accountable for the reckless action of Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon?

Right. According that logic, it was good think that the vicious and murderous Syrian occupation of Lebanon was a good thing. The American foreign policy that supports freedom and self rule is a bad thing. No word from the great minds at The Nation as to why even the UN thought it was a good thing for Syria to leave Lebanon.

It appears as if the only ones who believes Syria ought to have remain Lebanese occupiers, are the Syrians and the editorial staff at The Nation.

Finally, the editors at The Nation appear to be entering the International Kumbaya Festival. Here is their dreamy entry:

The big beneficiaries of American policy have been the more radical wings of and Hezbollah and the Iranians, who more and more look like the champions of the Palestinian people. The big losers are the so-called moderate Arab regimes, which again look helpless in the face of what is seen as Israeli aggression, and the moderate Israelis, Palestinians, and Lebanese who hoped for some normalcy of life with the prospect of peace, especially when the HamasHamas leadership appeared to be moving toward recognition of Israel. The United States and the larger world, too, are losers, for no one benefits from this mindless escalation of violence, particularly at a time of growing sectarian violence in Iraq and rising oil prices.

Never mind that the vast majority of Lebanese are sick and tired of Hizbollah and they have done to their country. Never mind that Lebanon, once the storied and fabled paradise of the region, has been ripped apart since the Ayatollah Khomeni's Iran made a determined to undermine that nation and never mind that Yasser Arafat was the catalyst that caused the civil war and destruction that reached every corner of Lebanon. According to the great minds at The Nation, seeking the resurrection of a free and democratic Lebanon is a bad thing.

The idea that the Palestinians were, under Hamas leadership 'appeared to be moving toward recognition of Israel,' is absurd. The Palestinians went on record to deny that. It would seem that to the editors at The Nation, the calls of 'ITBACH AL YAHUDI!'- Slaughter the Jews, is an acceptable political and religious ideology.

Here's a bit of reality: Sometimes, it takes violence and conflict to bring about change. In fact, conflict has brought about more human freedom, than any other expression. It is also true that violence and conflict have been the tools of great repression.

There are some things worth fighting for.