from which is gleaned these words of Hitch:
Two beautiful fall seasons ago, this society was living in a fool's paradise while so far from being "in search of enemies" that its governing establishment barely knew how to tell an enemy from a friend. If there is anything to mark or commemorate, it is the day when that realm of illusion was dispelled—the date that will one day be acknowledged as the one on which our enemies made their most truly "suicidal" mistake.
********************
Now this reminds of me of something.
When I was a kid, about 12, I watched every episode of the old BBC World War Two documentary series 'The World At War" narrated by Sir Lawrence Olivier.
It was a long series and much of it has melted over time into a jumble of black and white footage of Stalingrad, death camps, Panzers racing across the North African sand and astoundingly lengthy lines of Wermacht POWs at war's end.
But a few episodes stand out. There was one during which the Nazification of Germany was examined. It is, perhaps 1938 or so and Joseph Goebbels is giving a speech to a crowd of loyal civilians, soldiers, SS and Gestapo personnel.
At one point, he bangs his fist on the podium; "are you ready for total war?!"
The crowd shouts its approval.
Goebbels repeats. "Are you ready for total war?!" (totalen kriegen).
The crowd rises to its feet in applause.
.........
I'm not fond of overwrought comparisons; I do not believe Hitch to be a new Goebbels. But let's spend a few more minutes with the final line of his essay. I think it offers a wealth of information in a small space.
"If there is anything to mark or commemorate, it is the day when that realm of illusion was dispelled—the date that will one day be acknowledged as the one on which our enemies made their most truly "suicidal" mistake."
.........
* The time of illusion is over.
* Our enemies have made their final, suicidal mistake.
* Commemorate nothing until ultimate victory
.......
I believe Hitch is ready for totalen kriegen.
DRM
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