I think that may be an improvement to sitting on our arses and posting to mailing lists (which is what I do and what at least some on this list are probably also doing). But seriously: Chomsky wrote something about the responsibility of intellectuals. I think the points raised by him are applicable to all Americans, especially those professing a liberal or progressive motivation.
> You know, like Keynes said, "When the facts change, I change my mind.
> What do you do, sir?"
Didn't Einstein say something along the lines that one must not oscillate between theories based on the latest "fact"? ;-)
Again, seriously: IIRC it wasn't immediately after the war, but for quite a bit of time, that the Iraqis expressed a preference for American troops to stay. As a guy on the Leonard Lopate show (was it Reickoff?) pointed out the other day, the Iraqis are stuck between a rock and a hard place. To adopt the Bush camp's phraseology: "Bring the troops back", "Pull out now", sound to me more like slogans than a real plan (why not instead "Blue helmets now"?). I find appalling the response I have heard from the left, to the question of the danger of outright civil war or chaos, that the Iraqis will figure it out for themselves.
I guess that Carrol, if he hasn't tired of it, is going to respond with a thundering flame, which is always great reading, but doesn't quite IMHO speak to the pragmatic/thorny issues.
--ravi
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