Matthews then played a clip of both Liz Cheney and John Bolton trying to give more credit to the preceding administration, with Bolton saying that Obama’s biggest contribution to taking out bin Laden was “getting out of the way.” Katty Kay said that after a cursory reading of the Time piece, it’s fairly clear that Bolton is incorrect. She said that contrary to what Bolton said, Obama was “intimately involved” in carrying out the mission.
Matthews then shifted the discussion to Obama’s reelection campaign and whether or not the successful mission will inoculate Obama from criticism that he is weak on foreign policy. Cooper said that while Romney really wants to hit Obama for his foreign policy, it’s going to be a hard sell. Ignatius noted that the campaign may end up painting an “Obama v. Osama” narrative where both men were trying to kill each other but the president ended up being successful and cutting off the head of the snake, as it were.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Marco Rubio: The newest neocon
Among those mentioned as running mates for Mitt Romney, it is Rubio who generates the most excitement. That he is young, Hispanic and conservative, and his place on the ticket might secure Florida, are the cards he brings to the table.
So it was a surprise this week to see Rubio being chaperoned over to the Brookings Institution by Sen. Joe Lieberman to take final vows as the newest neoconservative.
So it was a surprise this week to see Rubio being chaperoned over to the Brookings Institution by Sen. Joe Lieberman to take final vows as the newest neoconservative.
An Airman’s Story of Changing From a Neocon to Libertarian Anarchist
I was inspired after reading Ssgt. Rodriguez’s story and would like to share my own. I am currently an Airman first class in the Air Force and am awaiting discharge from the military. I, like Ssgt. Rodriguez, am a libertarian anarchist and share many of the same beliefs that he does.
Growing up I was always interested in politics. I was a huge "Bush Republican". I thought Bush was the greatest president ever and I thought anyone who opposed the wars was just a stupid bleeding heart liberal. I never thought about joining the military until my senior year of high school. I often joke that if you told me junior year that I was going to be enlist in the Air Force I would have said you’re crazy! I originally was going to enlist in the Army and wanted to eventually join the green berets.
Growing up I was always interested in politics. I was a huge "Bush Republican". I thought Bush was the greatest president ever and I thought anyone who opposed the wars was just a stupid bleeding heart liberal. I never thought about joining the military until my senior year of high school. I often joke that if you told me junior year that I was going to be enlist in the Air Force I would have said you’re crazy! I originally was going to enlist in the Army and wanted to eventually join the green berets.
Marco Rubio and Our Wretched Destiny
The neocons are back. Indeed, they never really went away: instead, they just went to ground temporarily until the smoke cleared over Iraq, and now they’re right out front pushing war with Iran, "regime change" in Syria, and hailing Obama’s (and Mitt Romney’s) favorite foreign policy book as the Received Wisdom of the Moment. Sen. Joseph Lieberman may be on his way out of American public life – thank the gods! – but Sen. Marco Rubio is in the wings waiting to fill his shoes. In Lieberman’s introduction to Rubio’s foreign policy speech at the Brookings Institution, the tireless warmonger hailed the junior Senator from Florida as heir to the tradition of Reagan and Truman: he left out Scoop Jackson, but Rubio, in his opening remarks, was quick to fill the gap:
"In my brief time in the Senate, I’ve had the chance to get to know Joe, and learn from him. He represents a view of America’s role in the world in the tradition of Democratic leaders from Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman through John F. Kennedy and Scoop Jackson."
"In my brief time in the Senate, I’ve had the chance to get to know Joe, and learn from him. He represents a view of America’s role in the world in the tradition of Democratic leaders from Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman through John F. Kennedy and Scoop Jackson."
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Neocons’ new lie
The rulebook for conservative punditry is straightforward. Push for a policy. When it turns into a disaster, defend it. When the defense becomes untenable, ignore it. Finally, when something unrelated but positive occurs, take credit for it.
The newest conservative myth is that the upheavals in the Middle East — called the Arab Spring but occurring too in non-Arab countries like Iran — are a result of the Iraq War. The “freedom” that George W. Bush brought to Iraq had a domino effect on other countries in the region, the argument goes. Neocon Robert Kagan told Salon recently that “there were repeated free elections in Iraq and that undoubtedly had some effect on how neighboring people views their government.” Said Kagan: “I think Egyptians said. ‘If the Iraqis can have elections, why can’t we have elections?’”
The newest conservative myth is that the upheavals in the Middle East — called the Arab Spring but occurring too in non-Arab countries like Iran — are a result of the Iraq War. The “freedom” that George W. Bush brought to Iraq had a domino effect on other countries in the region, the argument goes. Neocon Robert Kagan told Salon recently that “there were repeated free elections in Iraq and that undoubtedly had some effect on how neighboring people views their government.” Said Kagan: “I think Egyptians said. ‘If the Iraqis can have elections, why can’t we have elections?’”
Accepting the Neocon Torch: Marco Rubio
In the end, the major foreign-policy pronouncement felt like a generational passing of the torch from a retiring senator and former vice presidential candidate to a newly minted colleague with apparent aspirations to second Mitt Romney on the Republican ticket. That the two senators came from different parties hardly seemed to matter. Both Sens. Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., clearly share a vision of a particularly robust brand of American global leadership, one that finds common cause with “freedom fighters” everywhere and is unafraid to confront “evil” anywhere.
Rubio’s foreign policy falls into the proud, bipartisan tradition of Ronald Reagan and Harry Truman, Lieberman said in introducing him at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Wednesday.
Rubio’s foreign policy falls into the proud, bipartisan tradition of Ronald Reagan and Harry Truman, Lieberman said in introducing him at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Wednesday.
Romney Going All Neocon
In looking at the federal budget, Governor Romney is favoring guns over butter in his fight to reduce the deficit. You know after he taxes the middle class and not his friends.
Romney also promises budget increases for the Pentagon, above those sought by some GOP defense hawks, meaning that the rest of the government would have to shrink even more. Nonmilitary programs would incur still larger cuts than those called for in the tightfisted GOP budget that the House passed last month.
With a military budget far far far far far larger than any other country, this is beyond ridiculous.
Romney also promises budget increases for the Pentagon, above those sought by some GOP defense hawks, meaning that the rest of the government would have to shrink even more. Nonmilitary programs would incur still larger cuts than those called for in the tightfisted GOP budget that the House passed last month.
With a military budget far far far far far larger than any other country, this is beyond ridiculous.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Alberta's Progressive Conservatives defeat Wildrose neocons
The country's most right-wing major political party fell far short of the mark in the Alberta election yesterday.
The neocon Wildrose party, led by former Fraser Institute intern Danielle Smith, took only 17 seats and just over 34 percent of the vote. That was way behind the 61 Progressive Conservative MLAs that were elected under the leadership of the more moderate Alison Redford.
The Liberals, headed by Raj Sherman, took five seats. The NDP, led by Brian Mason, won four constituencies.
The neocon Wildrose party, led by former Fraser Institute intern Danielle Smith, took only 17 seats and just over 34 percent of the vote. That was way behind the 61 Progressive Conservative MLAs that were elected under the leadership of the more moderate Alison Redford.
The Liberals, headed by Raj Sherman, took five seats. The NDP, led by Brian Mason, won four constituencies.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
NeoCon Kristol: It's Going to be President Romney
Writing at his flagship rag, Bill Kristol proclaims:
... if I had to put money down now, I’d bet that Mitt Romney will win an easy victory after a relatively predictable, issue-focused, and not-too-nasty campaign. Indeed, I’d bet Romney will win precisely if he runs such a campaign. But if he allows the race to degenerate into name-calling and gotcha gimmicks, he could lose. Democrats are better than Republicans at the small and nasty stuff... Romney can give serious speeches about the Constitution and the Supreme Court, the case for limited government and the threat of bankruptcy and penury, about undoing Obamacare and what will replace it
So when Romney-Ryan defeats Obama-Biden (or will it be Obama-Clinton?) by 53 to 46 percent on Election Day 2012—remember that you read it here first.
Actually, the only person who is running an issued-focused campaign and giving serious speeches about the Constitution is Ron Paul, and the crowds he is drawing prove that he is hitting a note with Americans. Kristol is signalling to Romney to use the Ron Paul method, so we get a phony move back to the Constitution, rather than the real thing with Ron Paul. A typical neo-con move, co-opt everything and anything to gain power for the real secret agenda that will result in a destruction of the liberties provided for in the Constitution and more foreign wars.
... if I had to put money down now, I’d bet that Mitt Romney will win an easy victory after a relatively predictable, issue-focused, and not-too-nasty campaign. Indeed, I’d bet Romney will win precisely if he runs such a campaign. But if he allows the race to degenerate into name-calling and gotcha gimmicks, he could lose. Democrats are better than Republicans at the small and nasty stuff... Romney can give serious speeches about the Constitution and the Supreme Court, the case for limited government and the threat of bankruptcy and penury, about undoing Obamacare and what will replace it
So when Romney-Ryan defeats Obama-Biden (or will it be Obama-Clinton?) by 53 to 46 percent on Election Day 2012—remember that you read it here first.
Actually, the only person who is running an issued-focused campaign and giving serious speeches about the Constitution is Ron Paul, and the crowds he is drawing prove that he is hitting a note with Americans. Kristol is signalling to Romney to use the Ron Paul method, so we get a phony move back to the Constitution, rather than the real thing with Ron Paul. A typical neo-con move, co-opt everything and anything to gain power for the real secret agenda that will result in a destruction of the liberties provided for in the Constitution and more foreign wars.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Boehlert vs. ‘Neocons’? (Nudge, Nudge)
Our precocious friend Ben Shapiro correctly says that Boehlert once offered a ”drumbeat” of commentary that “the press was too favorable to the Jewish State.” In this, Boehlert echoed a common theme of the anti-war Left during the Bush 43 era.
Anyone who paid attention to the Left’s rhetoric during the Bush years could see that they were routinely guilty of transgressions that no right-winger could commit without risking the kind of ostracism visited upon Joe Sobran and Pat Buchanan, among others. Russell Kirk was once able to make a sharp jab at neoconservatives (who at times, it seemed “mistook Tel Aviv for the capital of the United States,” he said) and survive, but Kirk was then an icon of long tenure so that he was arguably bulletproof. And Kirk did not make a habit of such remarks.
Anyone who paid attention to the Left’s rhetoric during the Bush years could see that they were routinely guilty of transgressions that no right-winger could commit without risking the kind of ostracism visited upon Joe Sobran and Pat Buchanan, among others. Russell Kirk was once able to make a sharp jab at neoconservatives (who at times, it seemed “mistook Tel Aviv for the capital of the United States,” he said) and survive, but Kirk was then an icon of long tenure so that he was arguably bulletproof. And Kirk did not make a habit of such remarks.
Friday, April 20, 2012
The Neocon Nightmare
For me, the key test is full IAEA access to all nuclear sites identified as potentially covert military programs. All of this could be done in confidence-building stages. The trouble, of course, is that the Netanyahu-Romney axis could try to derail this, as Fareed worries. Netanyahu is still grotesquely comparing the Iranian nuclear program to Auschwitz. And his disturbed and dangerous psyche could mesh with Romney's goal of running a Cheneyesque GOP campaign on defense: hulk go smash. But this paradoxically could help make a deal possible. Obama is Tehran's best hope for a suspension of threatened European sanctions this summer, and Netanyahu's crazed Holocaust obsession and Romney's foreign policy crudeness would be the alternative. That's the final leverage for the great powers to use to persuade the Iranians that it is now or never.
So we are reaching what is clearly a moment of truth for Obama's Iran policy. So far, I'd argue, it has all the ingredients of success, has been a real diplomatic feather in the cap for the administration and, if it reaches a serious deal, will represent a real coup for Obama abroad. He will have ended torture, finished the war in Iraq, destroyed al Qaeda, killed bin Laden and resolved the Iran question. An Iran deal would also show how exactly Obama's long game can work, if given time.
So we are reaching what is clearly a moment of truth for Obama's Iran policy. So far, I'd argue, it has all the ingredients of success, has been a real diplomatic feather in the cap for the administration and, if it reaches a serious deal, will represent a real coup for Obama abroad. He will have ended torture, finished the war in Iraq, destroyed al Qaeda, killed bin Laden and resolved the Iran question. An Iran deal would also show how exactly Obama's long game can work, if given time.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The Trotskyism allegation against Neocons
Critics of neo-conservatism have charged that neo-conservatism is descended from Trotskyism, and that Trotskyist traits continue to characterize ideologies and practices of neo-conservatism. During the Reagan Administration, the charge that the foreign policy of the Reagan administration was being run by Trotskyists: This claim was called a “myth” by Lipset (1988, p. 34). This “Trotskyist” charge has been repeated and even widened by journalist Michael Lind in 2003 to assert a takeover of the foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration by former Trotskyists; Lind’s “amalgamation of the defense intellectuals with the traditions and theories of ‘the largely Jewish-American Trotskyist movement’ [in Lind's words]” was criticized in 2003 by University of Michigan professor Alan M. Wald, who had discussed Trotskyism in his history of “the New York intellectuals”.
The charge that neoconservativism is related to Leninism has been raised, also. Francis Fukuyama identified neoconservatism with Leninism in 2006. He wrote that neoconservatives:
The charge that neoconservativism is related to Leninism has been raised, also. Francis Fukuyama identified neoconservatism with Leninism in 2006. He wrote that neoconservatives:
How Neocons Sank Iran Nuke Deal
Two years ago, Washington’s influential neoconservatives – both inside and outside government – shot down a possible resolution to the Iranian nuclear dispute because they wanted a confrontation with Tehran that some hoped would lead to their long-held dream of “regime change.”
In the ensuing two years, the cost of that confrontation has been high not just for Iranians, who have faced harsh sanctions, but for the world’s economy. For instance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent escalation of bomb-Iran rhetoric contributed to the spike in gasoline prices that seems to be choking off the US recovery, just as job growth was starting to accelerate.
In the ensuing two years, the cost of that confrontation has been high not just for Iranians, who have faced harsh sanctions, but for the world’s economy. For instance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent escalation of bomb-Iran rhetoric contributed to the spike in gasoline prices that seems to be choking off the US recovery, just as job growth was starting to accelerate.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Romney's Neocon Foreign Policy: Pure Politics?
As he locks down the Republican nomination for U.S. president, Mitt Romney is framing what looks to be a decidedly hawkish foreign policy. But should the former Massachusetts governor defeat Democratic President Barack Obama in November, it remains far from clear how he actually would tackle what his own website describes as a "bewildering array of threats and opportunities." More clear is the strategy that Romney plans to use to try to diminish Obama's record on foreign policy.
Obama, whose own foreign policy inexperience was widely viewed as a weakness four years ago, now generally gets high marks in polls on the topic - particularly since the killing of Osama bin Laden last year. The president's campaign cites the dismantling of al-Qaeda's leadership and the historic sanctions against Iran as evidence of his effectiveness. The Romney campaign, however, believes it can paint an alternate picture of Obama as naive, weak and perhaps secretly convinced that the world's most pre-eminent superpower has entered an era of unstoppable and terminal decline.
Obama, whose own foreign policy inexperience was widely viewed as a weakness four years ago, now generally gets high marks in polls on the topic - particularly since the killing of Osama bin Laden last year. The president's campaign cites the dismantling of al-Qaeda's leadership and the historic sanctions against Iran as evidence of his effectiveness. The Romney campaign, however, believes it can paint an alternate picture of Obama as naive, weak and perhaps secretly convinced that the world's most pre-eminent superpower has entered an era of unstoppable and terminal decline.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Neocon rag National Review purges John Derbyshire
It’s official, the neocon rag National Review has fired John Derbyshire for writing an entirely reasonable and realistic article. I only ever visited National Review Online to read Derbyshire’s posts at the The Corner, but now I suppose I’ll have no reason to visit NRO at all. They’ve already either purged all their other good writers (such as Peter Brimelow and Steve Sailer) or gagged the rest (such as John O’Sullivan).
If you haven’t been following the development, Derbyshire’s article at TakiMag, “The Talk: Nonblack Version,” is a play on the “talk” that black leaders tell blacks to have with their children: don’t trust whitey. Looking at mundane crime statistics, Derbyshire wrote a piece advising white parents to tell their kids not to visit black neighborhoods, etc. The leftist and neocon media went ballistic. Derb was first attacked by PC leftists, who were quickly joined by Trotskyite neocons like Jonah Goldberg and Ramesh Ponnuru.
If you haven’t been following the development, Derbyshire’s article at TakiMag, “The Talk: Nonblack Version,” is a play on the “talk” that black leaders tell blacks to have with their children: don’t trust whitey. Looking at mundane crime statistics, Derbyshire wrote a piece advising white parents to tell their kids not to visit black neighborhoods, etc. The leftist and neocon media went ballistic. Derb was first attacked by PC leftists, who were quickly joined by Trotskyite neocons like Jonah Goldberg and Ramesh Ponnuru.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Neocon Warmongers Fight To Replace Ron Paul in Congress
Which snake in the pit will triumph? Who cares? Indeed, because of the Texas GOP's gerrymandering to defeat Ron, a Democrat could well win. Again, who cares? It makes absolutely no difference.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
N.R. goes p.c.
The National Review long ago lost any credibility it had among conservatives.
If you doubt that, read this paean to Trotsky that ran in its pages almost a decade ago.
But now in addition to promoting the neocon heresy, the NR crowd have fallen victim to political correctness.
That moment came when they canceled John Derbyshire's columns because he ran a piece on the Takimag blog in which he said some politically incorrect things about black people.
You can read the piece here. Judge for yourself what you think of it.
If you doubt that, read this paean to Trotsky that ran in its pages almost a decade ago.
But now in addition to promoting the neocon heresy, the NR crowd have fallen victim to political correctness.
That moment came when they canceled John Derbyshire's columns because he ran a piece on the Takimag blog in which he said some politically incorrect things about black people.
You can read the piece here. Judge for yourself what you think of it.
Monday, April 09, 2012
Had enough war yet? The Neocons think not.
Here we go again. Their seems to be no end to the Neocon appetite for Middle Eastern wars fought by the United States. The rebels in Syria are fighting to set up a Sunni Islamic theocracy and they are of course backed in their aims by Al Qaeda, but pay no attention to that.
A rebel win in Syria will destabilise the Middle East, cause massive numbers of refugees as Alawites and Christians flee and probably give rise rise to another civil war in Lebanon. Pay no attention to that. None of that is in the interests of the West and certainly not in the interest of the people of The USA who will pay the consequences. (see above) Victory for the rebels will end the freedoms Syrians enjoy like rights for women and religious freedom. See Egypt and Libya. However the Neocon march moves on. Hey, they are not doing the fighting or paying for it.
This is a layup to an attack on Iran and is going to blowup in our faces.
A rebel win in Syria will destabilise the Middle East, cause massive numbers of refugees as Alawites and Christians flee and probably give rise rise to another civil war in Lebanon. Pay no attention to that. None of that is in the interests of the West and certainly not in the interest of the people of The USA who will pay the consequences. (see above) Victory for the rebels will end the freedoms Syrians enjoy like rights for women and religious freedom. See Egypt and Libya. However the Neocon march moves on. Hey, they are not doing the fighting or paying for it.
This is a layup to an attack on Iran and is going to blowup in our faces.
Sunday, April 08, 2012
Neocons need to admit the mess they made
As the old saying goes, denial is not just a river in Egypt.
That saying is proving itself true now that the "neo" conservative philosophy of univeral liberation and democracy has reached Egypt.
The newly freed Egyptians are employing their newfound freedom to fire missiles at Israel from the Sinai.
Nice work, neocons.
That saying is proving itself true now that the "neo" conservative philosophy of univeral liberation and democracy has reached Egypt.
The newly freed Egyptians are employing their newfound freedom to fire missiles at Israel from the Sinai.
Nice work, neocons.
Saturday, April 07, 2012
The path taken by the Republican Party
To achieve their goal of an American empire the neoconservatives need large amounts of money to fund their many wars. Thus, they make a coalition of their own with the corporate backers. The leader of such a coalition whether from the corporate world or a neocon will have to address the concerns of the other group on each and every matter. This opens up door of governmental access to corporate backers and frees up funds for the future wars planned by the neocons. This unholy coalition has led the Republican elite overtime to abandon the Kyoto protocol, start wars in Iraq and Libya, and give tax concessions to the super rich 1% of Americans, allowing shipping of jobs overseas, etc. It must be said that the neocons have taken over the Republican Party for the express purpose of availing the huge funds injected by the corporate backers. The funds were always there the damage has been caused by the neocons getting their hands on it. Thus, the Republican elite’s domestic policies are guided by their corporate interests and in return they are provided by the funds necessary for their illegitimate wars.
In the above arrangement the corporate will keep infusing funds to the neocons only if they continue to dictate Republican Party policy on issues affecting these corporate. For the neocons it was clear that to attract more funds for their wars they have to increase governmental intervention in various spheres of the life’s of their citizens. This meant increasing the role of the government.
In the above arrangement the corporate will keep infusing funds to the neocons only if they continue to dictate Republican Party policy on issues affecting these corporate. For the neocons it was clear that to attract more funds for their wars they have to increase governmental intervention in various spheres of the life’s of their citizens. This meant increasing the role of the government.
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
What About the Settlements?
I’ve been reading Peter Beinart’s excellent, loving and wise book about Israel, The Crisis of Zionism, and I’d normally wait until I finish to write about it, but I’ve become so distressed by the thuggish, half-crazed response that the book has received from neocon fringe elements, like this Commentary writer, that I felt I had to pitch in and defend Beinart’s eminently reasonable and profoundly pro-Israel work before the book is irrevocably stained by the lies being promulgated against it. (Indeed, I suspect that it’s Beinart’s sanity and obvious love of Israel that is driving the neocon nutters up the wall).
Beinart’s argument is simple:
Israel’s democracy is threatened by its continuing occupation of Palestinian lands. The millions of Palestinians living on the West Bank and Gaza can’t vote, and will never be able to, lest the Jewishness of the Jewish state be obliterated. A two-state solution is therefore necessary. And a two-state solution won’t be possible until (a) the expansion of Jewish settlements is stopped, (b) many of the settlers are relocated within the 1967 borders of Israel and (c) there are mutually agreed upon land swaps that change those borders to include a majority of the others. (As I’ve written before, the Washington Institute’s David Makovsky has come up with plausible land swaps that would allow the vast majority of settlements to become part of Israel in return for contiguous unoccupied lands along the green line ceded to the Palestinians.)
Beinart’s argument is simple:
Israel’s democracy is threatened by its continuing occupation of Palestinian lands. The millions of Palestinians living on the West Bank and Gaza can’t vote, and will never be able to, lest the Jewishness of the Jewish state be obliterated. A two-state solution is therefore necessary. And a two-state solution won’t be possible until (a) the expansion of Jewish settlements is stopped, (b) many of the settlers are relocated within the 1967 borders of Israel and (c) there are mutually agreed upon land swaps that change those borders to include a majority of the others. (As I’ve written before, the Washington Institute’s David Makovsky has come up with plausible land swaps that would allow the vast majority of settlements to become part of Israel in return for contiguous unoccupied lands along the green line ceded to the Palestinians.)
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
Devious Neocon Agenda In Trayvon Martin Lynch Mob Coverage
In its continuing luminous consideration of the Trayvon Martin Memorial Lynch Mob, Nicholas Stix Uncensored has identified an important truth:
Here Heather MacDonald criticizes the media and race hustlers for not being interested in black homicide victims…
For roughly 20 years, the neoconservative script has been to criticize affirmative action for the “harm” if supposedly causes black recipients (“stigma”), whereas said recipients are laughing all the way to the bank, while the real victims of AA are white, heterosexual men. I think this slant is because the older neoconservatives made it, and burned their bridges behind them, while the bratpackers who succeeded them have known nothing but nepotistic privilege.
When neocons now deal with crime and race, which is with ever less frequency, it is to bemoan the black victims of black crime, and ignore the white victims.
Here Heather MacDonald criticizes the media and race hustlers for not being interested in black homicide victims…
For roughly 20 years, the neoconservative script has been to criticize affirmative action for the “harm” if supposedly causes black recipients (“stigma”), whereas said recipients are laughing all the way to the bank, while the real victims of AA are white, heterosexual men. I think this slant is because the older neoconservatives made it, and burned their bridges behind them, while the bratpackers who succeeded them have known nothing but nepotistic privilege.
When neocons now deal with crime and race, which is with ever less frequency, it is to bemoan the black victims of black crime, and ignore the white victims.
Mitt Romney's Neocon Foreign Policy
Since when is Russia America's "No. 1" geopolitical foe? The Soviet Empire collapsed almost overnight in 1989, when the realist George H. W. Bush administration helped engineer a soft landing not by engaging in triumphalism but, rather, by engaging in diplomacy with the Kremlin. Soon after, Russia itself went under—or, to put it more precisely, the Bolshevik regime that had launched a coup d'etat in 1917 also disintegrated. The communist threat was over. Cold warriors couldn't believe it.
Ever since, a small and rather truculent neocon cohort has somewhat contradictorily been claiming credit for the collapse of the Soviet Union, on the one hand, and predicting dire threats from Russia on the other. They want both credit and saber rattling. They want the appearance of the threat without the substance. Sen. John McCain, for example, has been a stalwart member of this camp. He is what might be called a nostalgist. Nostalgists just can't let go.
Ever since, a small and rather truculent neocon cohort has somewhat contradictorily been claiming credit for the collapse of the Soviet Union, on the one hand, and predicting dire threats from Russia on the other. They want both credit and saber rattling. They want the appearance of the threat without the substance. Sen. John McCain, for example, has been a stalwart member of this camp. He is what might be called a nostalgist. Nostalgists just can't let go.
Monday, April 02, 2012
Zbigniew Brzezinski says he’s ‘very worried’ Romney shares George W. Bush’s neocon vision
In an interview on this week’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” which aired last night on Bloomberg TV anchor, the Democratic foreign policy veteran criticized the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s grasp of foreign policy. The ex-Jimmy Carter adviser also worried about Romney’s ties to the neoconservative foreign policy advisers of the Bush years.
“I have a sense he doesn’t really have a broad grasp of what is unique about this century, how it differs from the preceding one. He probably subscribes to the notions articulated by his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush,” Brzezinski told Bloomberg Washington editor Al Hunt. “He seems to have a lot of people around him from that administration who are generally described as neocons.”
“I have a sense he doesn’t really have a broad grasp of what is unique about this century, how it differs from the preceding one. He probably subscribes to the notions articulated by his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush,” Brzezinski told Bloomberg Washington editor Al Hunt. “He seems to have a lot of people around him from that administration who are generally described as neocons.”
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