> I think this way of thinking is symptomatic, in a certain way, of the
> "kicking the dog" mindset of large portions of the Left in this
> country.
> They are so marginalized and so removed from having any real political
> influence whatsoever that they settle for attacking those targets that
> are within their minimal reach- like kicking the family dog to "get
> even" with the boss at work. Never mind that these targets are those
> somewhat sympathetic for their cause. If the real enemy is well
> outside
> the reach - let's find an 'enemy within' and destroy him, since nothing
> boost the morale of the defeated troops like kicking ass, any ass.
> That
> is indeed a sure sign of weakness.
I think you have somewhat of a point, but I would soften it a bit by pointing out that we all "kick the dog" now and then; it's a natural human tendency. Also, the Left is not really so marginalized and without political influence as all that.
When the wind is blowing from the right quarter, as it is now on the subject of Iraq, we can see that the Left has a not inconsiderable effect on certain subjects. Rather that flagellating ourselves constantly for being so weak, we should pause now and then to pat ourselves on the back. Most Americans don't want to admit any "left" or "liberal" influence on their thinking, but when the shit hits the fan the way it is now in Iraq (and did long ago in Vietnam), they begin to come around.
What we need to do now is press our advantage -- raise the question "Why not pull out immediately?" very loudly, especially with our liberal-centrist friends to our right, stressing the parallel with Vietnam, where the patriotic centrists were so reluctant to admit the obvious, until the U.S. troops were ignominiously forced out. Better to leave when you know you're beaten than to wait until you're *really* beaten.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org __________________________________ A gentleman haranguing on the perfection of our law, and that it was equally open to the poor and the rich, was answered by another, 'So is the London Tavern.' -- "Tom Paine's Jests..." (1794); also attr. to John Horne Tooke (1736-1812) by Hazlitt