It's a compliment, I swear!!!
If imitation is the sincerest form of appreciation, than what is plagiarism? I don't know for sure, but I do know that I am clearly stealing a "story" from another blogger as the topic of this post. And I do mean it as a sincere compliment!
Over at the Kerry Spot, a daily stop (and then some), Mr. Jim Geraghty posted an article earlier today dealing with the newest Swift Boat Vets ad. After describing the ad, which deals with Kerry's "visit" with the diplomatic leader of the communist party in South Vietnam DURING the Vietnam war, Geraghty mentions a quote from John O'Neill, leader of the Swiftee Vets group, given in an interview today (source unknown): "It would be like an American today meeting with the heads of al Qaeda."
I had a strong reaction to this quote. The following is an e-mail that I sent to the Kerry Spot today:
"While I know that you simply reported what John O'Neill said, I think that his statement relating Kerry's speaking to the head of the PRG delegation in Paris in "today" terms as someone speaking to the heads of Al Qaeda was wrong--but not for the reason you may think.
Many historians have commented at length that the strategy of the communists in VietNam was to attack the United States' will to fight. In Clausewitzian terms, the will of the masses back here in the States was what the enemies identified as the U.S. "center of gravity". To that end, every time they got a public figure--outside of diplomatic circles--to listen to their spiel, it was a victory for them. Enter Kerry, a decorated war-hero without any real government-derived authority. What he was doing at that meeting in Paris we might never know, but it isn't really important. The fact that he was any form of a public figure that sought to speak to the PRG added another level of legitimacy to the "movement" sponsoring war against an ally of the United States government. Looked at in that vein, at the very least the Paris "conference" was a small, "tactical" engagement that furthered the communist's ability to achieve strategic plans.
I do not believe that an equal wrong would be accomplished by any single person simply "meeting" with the heads of Al Qaeda. If they conspired to commit treason, that would be one thing--but simply having an uneventful "sit-down" probably would not further the strategic goals of Al Qaeda.
No, I believe a better parallel is to be drawn when speaking of Iran. IF an "agent" of the U.S. would willingly provide and/or allow the Iranians the material support they need to further their nuclear program, THAT would be an episode that greatly furthered our enemies' ability to achieve their strategic plans. Fortunately, NOBODY in the U.S. could be so insensitive to the political landscape of the world as to permit such an occurence. . .
Could they?"
Yes, that was sarcasm. Go here to read about the worst "great bargain" in the history of diplomacy. I thought good diplomacy involved something good for both sides. . .how, exactly, does the U.S. make out in this proposition?
Thank goodness these guys aren't in charge--and heaven help us if they win!
Over at the Kerry Spot, a daily stop (and then some), Mr. Jim Geraghty posted an article earlier today dealing with the newest Swift Boat Vets ad. After describing the ad, which deals with Kerry's "visit" with the diplomatic leader of the communist party in South Vietnam DURING the Vietnam war, Geraghty mentions a quote from John O'Neill, leader of the Swiftee Vets group, given in an interview today (source unknown): "It would be like an American today meeting with the heads of al Qaeda."
I had a strong reaction to this quote. The following is an e-mail that I sent to the Kerry Spot today:
"While I know that you simply reported what John O'Neill said, I think that his statement relating Kerry's speaking to the head of the PRG delegation in Paris in "today" terms as someone speaking to the heads of Al Qaeda was wrong--but not for the reason you may think.
Many historians have commented at length that the strategy of the communists in VietNam was to attack the United States' will to fight. In Clausewitzian terms, the will of the masses back here in the States was what the enemies identified as the U.S. "center of gravity". To that end, every time they got a public figure--outside of diplomatic circles--to listen to their spiel, it was a victory for them. Enter Kerry, a decorated war-hero without any real government-derived authority. What he was doing at that meeting in Paris we might never know, but it isn't really important. The fact that he was any form of a public figure that sought to speak to the PRG added another level of legitimacy to the "movement" sponsoring war against an ally of the United States government. Looked at in that vein, at the very least the Paris "conference" was a small, "tactical" engagement that furthered the communist's ability to achieve strategic plans.
I do not believe that an equal wrong would be accomplished by any single person simply "meeting" with the heads of Al Qaeda. If they conspired to commit treason, that would be one thing--but simply having an uneventful "sit-down" probably would not further the strategic goals of Al Qaeda.
No, I believe a better parallel is to be drawn when speaking of Iran. IF an "agent" of the U.S. would willingly provide and/or allow the Iranians the material support they need to further their nuclear program, THAT would be an episode that greatly furthered our enemies' ability to achieve their strategic plans. Fortunately, NOBODY in the U.S. could be so insensitive to the political landscape of the world as to permit such an occurence. . .
Could they?"
Yes, that was sarcasm. Go here to read about the worst "great bargain" in the history of diplomacy. I thought good diplomacy involved something good for both sides. . .how, exactly, does the U.S. make out in this proposition?
Thank goodness these guys aren't in charge--and heaven help us if they win!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home