Hitch's ghost writer

[s-t-t at juno.com]

Kanan Makiya.  He was on NOW a moment ago, and I must have heard every
one of Hitch's recent tropes.  9/11 transformed US foreign policy, full
support for invasion and military presence carries no contradiction of
the cause of democracy, war is already on in Iraq, concern over
"stability" equals support for the House of Saud, etc.  With a slam
thrown against Chomsky and Said as "appeasers" of Arab tyranny.

"Always look to the language", was the injunction in Letters to a Young
Contrarian.  Looking at Hitch and Makiya's, one of them is cribbing the
others notes.

It wouldn't be so bad if Makiya weren't so willfully credulous, actually
refusing to name those in Washington he knows to be opponents of
democracy in Iraq, but claiming *Wolfowitz and Perle* as the two leading
advocates!  The US tells the opposition that the US will call the shots,
Makiya writes a lament in the Observer, but knows that on the "personal
level" Bush wants democracy.  For Makiya has looked into their eyes.

I had underestimated the depth of Bush's cynicism -- called idealism by
NOW -- in using Makiya, who has repeatedly meet with Bush, to equate the
occupation with democratization, and thus paint opponents of the war as
opponents of democracy.

Interestingly, Makiya squirmed and wriggled away from mentions of the
occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.

-- Shane

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