Morning Links
Okay, so it isn’t morning—however, if you’re a Taki-con, like me—defined as someone who parties ‘til dawn, and then goes to morning confession—there is no morning. In any case, there’s plenty of news and views flying about like detritus in a strong wind:
By Their Enemies Shall Ye Know Them—that probably isn’t a Biblical injunction, but it ought to be—and speaking of enemies: The Lobby is busily setting up Obama for a bout of “he’s-the-black-David Duke.” The Wright-Farrakhan brouhaha was just the first wave: the second is coming in the form of a campaign to demonize Obama advisor on military affairs Merrill “Tony” McPeak, formerly chief of staff of the Air Force, as—what else?—an “anti-Semite.”
McPeak’s rendition of Mein Kampf and the Protocols supposedly was revealed in an interview in which he said what everyone knows: that a substantially powerful Israel lobby, in alliance with a bunch of whackjob dispensationalist “born again” Christians, puts Israeli interests over American interests every time:
“Let’s say that one of your abiding concerns is the security of Israel as opposed to a purely American self-interest, then it would make sense to build a dozen or so bases in Iraq. Let’s say you are a born-again Christian and you think that Armageddon and the rapture are about to happen any minute and what you want to do is retrace steps you think are laid out in Revelations, then it makes sense. So there are a number of scenarios here that could lead you in this direction. This is radical....The secret of the neoconservative movement is that it’s not conservative, it’s radical. Guys like me, who are conservatives, are upset about these neocons calling themselves conservative when they’re so radical.”
What does Robert Goldberg, of the American Spectator, conclude from this? “Guys like McPeak are upset because they think Jews have too much influence.” These Johnnie-one-notes are getting increasingly tiresome with their constant theme of Jew-baiting: clearly McPeak is saying that the “born again"-pro-Israel alliance—an alliance made up, in its overhwhelming majority, of Christians—is a major problem in formulating a rational, pro-American foreign policy. Which is, as Goldberg points out, exactly what professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen said in their pathbreaking book on the Lobby and its pernicious effect on the policymaking process. Oh, but they’re “anti-Semites,” too! How could I have possibly forgotten?! By the Lobby’s standards, of course—equating anyone who opposes their narrow and dubious agenda with Senor Duke—the overwhelming majority of Americans are goose-stepping neo-Nazis.
I’m Sorry, But Not That Sorry—Our quote of the day comes from Glenn Greenwald, my favorite left-liberal pundit, on the subject of Iraq war mea culpas from the so-called liberal “hawks”:
“Some claim—like the job interviewee who cites “excess diligence” when asked to name their worst fault—that they were simply too starry-eyed in their Goodness and purity … But virtually every line of rationale is purely utilitarian in its reasoning. The most unadorned admissions of error amount to little more than a concession that they simply assessed the costs and benefits inaccurately. And even with that extremely narrow concession, none of them—either in Slate or elsewhere—even reference in passing the fact that the war they cheered on ended the lives of hundreds of thousands (at least) of innocent Iraqi citizens and caused the internal and external displacement of millions more.”
In Japan, leaders who are disgraced by the utter and abolute failure of their policies do everyone the favor of committing suicide. Oh well, I guess there’s no chance of that—otherwise people LIke Michael O’Hanlon and Richard Perle wouldn’t be able to talk to reporters about their latest puerile prognostications.
One more reason to root for Barack Obama—Christopher Hitchens, Trotskyiste-turned-chickenhawk, hates his guts. That’s good enough for me ...
Speaking of evil, more evidence that the lesser evil is still not good—According to Spencer Ackerman, formerly of The New Republic, Obama’s foreign policy is going to be all about “dignity promotion.” Uh huh—sounds like a hard sell. Much harder than promoting “democracy.” It’s hard to tell, but I think that means buying the buggers off, rather than bombing them. Less evil, but equally futile.
Speaking of good—Looks like Bob Barr is running for President on the Libertarian ticket—and you heard about it on Antiwar.com Radio! Look out, McCain—Bob is gonna bomb bomb bomb your presidential prospects, such as they are....
Oh, and it looks like the Ron Paul Republicans are taking over the Missouri GOP. Of course, after the party implodes at the polls this November, taking it over might not be that hard.
Comments
Justin,
I read almost everything you write on Antiwar.com, TakiMag, and Lew Rockwell. I actually agree with a lot of it and I definitely enjoy your sarcastic (or is it cynical) sense of humor. I would like, however, to make a slight exception. I am a born again Christian. I do not believe that what we are doing in, with, and to Israel is right.The numerous versions of the Bible that I have read all say that Israel is to look to God for everything. He is to be their protector and fight with them and for them. This may sound a bit out there, but I can assure you that there are times when I was in way over my head with no way out. I can only believe that divine intervention got me through. I also know that we are told to be peacemakers, love our enemies, and pray for them. What the government of this country is doing to the innocents in Iraq, Afghanistan, and so many other places is in direct conflict with what Jesus said we are to do. We are intervening in purely evil and diabolical ways at the behest of radical Christians and a radical group of Israelis. I can’t help but believe that God is definitely not happy with us.
So then the queston becomes, “So why isn’t He doing something?” He may be. We are not necessarily privy to His thoughts and motives. My point is that just as not all Muslims are bad or all Jewish people are bad, or any other group, not all Christians feel that we have to “save” Israel. Israel and Christians are supposed to let God do His work, but we have a very difficult time allowing him to do it without our input and interference. I guess that makes me anti-Semitic too.
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Hey Justin: I did read Obama is a decendent of Jefferson Davis.By the time the neocons are done with him, we will think, he is Nathan Bedford Forest.
Laurie your theology is wrong,"there are no more Jews or gentiles we are all one in Jesus Christ” St.Paul.Rabbi Haggee is no Christian.Read about more traditional Jews who have no brook with the idea of Israel, which was founded by a bunch of atheists and communists,google Neturei Karta.they have a different slant on things.
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‘Guys like McPeak are upset because they think Jews have too much influence.’
Well… uh… no, Mr. Goldberg, that’s not entirely accurate. If Mr. McPeak is at all like me he is upset because some Jews used their influence to help trap this country in a strategic cesspool from which there is no easy escape.
Hey...next time… why don’t you use your influence to, say, help convert the phone system to a fiber-optic connection? Maybe… help cure Lou Gehrig’s Disease?
But no more Zionist buffoonery. We’ve had enough of that.
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It is unfortunate that the good Gen. McPeak identifies himself as a ‘conservative’. Once Obama is firmly labeled as anti-white, real conservatives (and paleos) will be accused of supporting a racist for president. Clearly the general has picked his poison by choosing a discredited socialist over
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...neocon warmongers. Both sides are equaly lethal.
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Is there actually any difference
between Israeli socialism and the
new American brand of socialism?
Excluding the fact that Israel
has NO constitution (which was
a requirement of the U.N. mandate)
and NO Bill of Rights, I’d say
that Israeli and American
interests are identical.
In fact, the Arabs now call our
American troops the “Jews.”
Either we reinstate that good
‘ol Philadelphia freedom or we
stop moaning about kibutzing with
Israel.
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Justin it is just too funny that Obama’s foreign advisor thinks that America’s foreign policy should have something to do with benefiting .....(dramatic pause)..Americans.
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What if you are defending the Anti-Christ? He certainly is loyal to his false prophet.
He scares me.
carmen
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The AIPACers and Christian Zionists might do well to reflect on the one I heard the other day. The good news is that Jesus is returning now. The bad news is that He’s really pissed off.
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***Comments Deleted***
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Since when did you start going to Confession, Justin?
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Justin,
i read all your stuff - your SPOT ON in most all of your writings (some disagreement but i enjoy all of it!) Thank you
@Laurie J
a theological point with sincere respect for your views (and appreciation for your post)
“Israel and Christians are supposed to let God do His work, but we have a very difficult time *allowing* him to do it without our input and interference.”
people of all faiths need to be in touch with the golden rule of humanity: do unto others as you would have them do unto you - no other rule can supersede that and worshiping the Lord is manifested thru that
the Lord Almighty’s Will will be done - it manifests thru human beings’ good works unto others, and the natural laws observed in science and the beauty of nature—so those that commit evil do so against the innate guidance of God (if they listened to it in themselves)
peace
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The hysterical reaction to Mr. McPeak’s candid comments are so typical. Anyone who suggests that the Israel lobby is powerful and subordinates American interests to that of Israel is accused of anti-Semitism The accusation is used to intimidate and silence. As Joseph Sobran remarked,”
The full story of [Pat Buchanan’s 1996 presidential] campaign is impossible to tell as long as it’s taboo to discuss Jewish interests as freely as we discuss those of the Christian Right. . . . Not that the Jews are all-powerful, let alone all bad. But they are successful, and therefore powerful enough: and their power is unique in being off-limits to normal criticism even when it’s highly visible. They themselves behave as if their success were a guilty secret, and they panic, and resort to accusations, as soon as the subject is raised. Jewish control of the major media in the media age makes the enforced silence both paradoxical and paralyzing. Survival in public life requires that you know all about it, but never refer to it. A hypocritical etiquette forces us to pretend that the Jews are powerless victims; and if you don’t respect their victimhood, they’ll destroy you. It’s a phenomenal display not of wickedness, really, but of fierce ethnocentrism, a sort of furtive racial superpatriotism.
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Justin,
You quite simply rock. Based upon your acerbity alone, I would guess that the “occupied” light stays on for a long time when once you are inside the confessional.
Here, then, is a bit of satire, not meant to offend my fellow Christians. It is a rough draft of my new agitprop prayer –call it, rather, an agitprayer for war- which I am spreading across the Net and one which is, using the word very loosely, sort of “inspired” by recent pronouncements from the podiums of two of the USA’s national Imams and powerful opinion-makers, Norman Podhoretz and John Hagee. Consider it a sort of (no doubt lame and definitely under-funded) artistic impression of an inverted Pater noster.
The PodHageeHoretz Prayer
Our petroleum-anointed one
Which art usually in the Oval Office
President whatever be thy name
Our kingdom come
Our will be done,
On Earth as it should be done in Heaven.
Give us this day
Our war with Iran and Syria
And excuse Jonathan Pollard
As we excoriate Mordechai Vanunu.
And lead us not into Tehran
But let others die there for us
For ours is the kingdom, the power and the glory
For ever and ever. Amen.
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At time it seems absurd to figure how and when we are going to leave Iraq.
With $1 Million yearly spent to build bases (permanent) in Iraq, having buildt 14 enduring bases and 45 to 59 “uneduring” bases. These bases were buildt by Kellog, under the directions of Halliburton.
We will be there a long long time, that’s for sure.
The game is up, we all know the dice are loaded and have been for 40 years. And if the econony continues to do it’s fiscal acqabats...Whoo to us all..
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Laurie J,
I’m not a Christian, and, when the mood strikes me (not here), I’m happy to have a fierce debate with Christians about their theological beliefs.
But I think I can safely say that most people here recognize the very real difference between Christians such as yourself and those bloodthirsty hypocrites who call themselves “Christians” but who seem to have forgotten everything Jesus taught.
Your note brings to mind the Christians virtues of humility, peace, and love for humanity. And, in the context of this horribly pointless war, there are certainly many Christians, not only you, who have exhibited those virtues – e.g., Joe Sobran, Lew Rockwell, and, indeed, Benedict XVI.
So, please, when any of us condemn the bloodthirsty “Christian” madmen who have created this nightmare, do realize that we are not condemning you or any of the other Christians who truly try to remember the authentic message of the Prince of Peace.
No, it is not those truly motivated by Christ but rather those who are madly taking his name in vain who have created this catastrophe. And, even most of us who are not Christians really do understand this.
All the best,
Dave Miller in Sacramento
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Regarding the Libertarian presidential candidacy,
I dont think that Bob Barr will make nearly as
strong a candidate as Ron Paul would. Moreover,
if Barr is the candidate, the “Orange Line mafia” of
beltway psuedolibertarians will
be able to dig up much more solid allegations of
Barr’s associations with racialist groups than the
dubious data that they used to sink the Paul candidacy.
Indeed, we would be best off with a Black or a woman as
the libertarian standard bearer. What about an
Alan Keys/Karen Kitakowski ticket? Perhaps that would
be enough to ween even Justin Raimondo from his Obamamania!
Lesser evil though he may be, Obama is ultimately just another
sock puppet of the establishment. Surely there are some
real electable libertarians out there...besides johnny-come-lately Barr!
the establishment.
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