The American Spectator

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The Willingness to Fight

2.13.03 @ 12:01AM

NO GETTING USED TO IT
Re: The Washington Prowler's Classic Clinton:

We will have the former Governor of Arkansas with us for many years. It is now clear that Clinton's only objective will be to try to erase the stain of the filth and corruption of his time in Washington. Nothing he ever says will be truthful and will always be self-serving. He will take the credit for everything and the blame for nothing and both will be lies.
-- unsigned

A PRO-ESTRADA ARMADA
Re: The Washington Prowler's GOP Filibuster Fright:

"I don't think we should lower ourselves to the Democrats' level on these issues, " says the Justice Department aide regarding the Estrada nomination. Which is why the Democrats win so often and the Republicans do not; the Democrats never waste time worrying about going down and dirty, they just do it, instinctively. By contrast, the Republicans insist on taking "the high road"; they disdain the fray. I doubt that their approach to politics would sit well with the Founders, who never hesitated to engage in robust debate. The Republicans had better go out on the street and get in the fight, or they are going to lose another one, an important one.
-- John G. Hubbell
Minneapolis, MN

I have always felt that the Republicans are too timid in the way they confront the Democrats on a lot of issues. The way they are handling the Estrada appointment is a good example. They need to hammer away at the Democrats for trying to block Estrada and not be concerned that they will be sinking to the same levels as the Democrats. As long as they stick to the facts and the truth there is nothing to fear. In fact they will be doing everyone a big favor by revealing the Democrats for what they are for trying to block Estrada's appointment.
-- Dick Melville
Ozone Park, NY

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my daughter how the "fetus" was. She inferred I was suggesting there was something less than human about her wonderful three-month-old little boy and told me she didn't appreciate my weak attempt at humor. I protested I just thought he slept a lot. I doubt that Senators Biden, Clinton, Edwards, Kennedy, Kerry and Leahy would see any humor in my gaffe -- because of their fervent belief that a fetus is human only when they, in their supreme ignorance, are willing to say it is, i.e. after an abortionist has eschewed the opportunity to drag it, fully formed, from the womb and crush its skull.

Isn't it a sorry commentary that all Miguel Estrada need do to secure his nomination, with nigh unanimity, would be to deny the humanity of the millions of fetus's being murdered around the world -- the N.Y. Times, Washington Post, The Networks, Time and Newsweek, and PBS would declare him a role model and perhaps he would earn a place in future public monuments. At some point, Senator Frist, if the GOP is to preserve its soul, it has to say enough is enough -- even if it means debating through the rest of the year. Nothing would become the Grand Old Party more.
-- J. R. Wheatley

HOW APPEASEMENT WORKS
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s The Entente Non Cordiale:

Just read your article on The American Prowler and found it excellent, as usual. I'm glad you focused on the role of Belgium because you would think that "doormat" would have figured it out by now. I am in the midst of rereading Churchill's superb history of WWII (which seems so apropos at this moment) and he discusses how Belgium refused to allow French and British forces to establish defensive positions in Belgium for fear of antagonizing der Führer.

This naïveté occurred during the "Phony War" period from October 1939 to the spring of 1940, after the French and English declared war on Germany as a result of the invasion of Poland. The Brits sent a 300,000 man expeditionary force to France and the French mobilized troops along their border with Germany, but did little else in way of waging a ground war. They asked the Belgians for permission to deploy troops into Belgium proper to establish defensive positions against a German invasion through the Low Countries, but were refused permission to do so for fear of antagonizing Herr Hitler. And that is where the situation remained for months while Hitler redeployed all of his crack troops from Poland to his western frontiers in preparation for the Blitzkrieg that befell the Netherlands, Belgium, and France on May 10, 1940 (after similar quick excursions into Norway and Denmark in April 1940).

The stupidity of standing idly by whilst your antagonistic neighbor cocks his fist is breathtaking. These morons actually believe appeasement works -- at least Chamberlain eventually figured it out and stood ably by Sir Winston in his finest hour. There was even a contingent of "useful idiots" in France and Britain in 1939-40 who were convinced that if their countries actually disarmed rather than mobilize they would be left alone. The mind reels...as our President says, "9/11 changed all that." I am fully confident that we will suffer many fewer casualties when we disarm Iraq than we suffered on 9/11, but I hold out no hope that we will bask in the glow of a grateful world. Sigh, it's lonely at the top, isn't it?
-- Ed McManus

I must admit that I don't like the French for obvious reasons, namely, I have found them to be crude, rude and sickeningly self-centered. Nevertheless, I and my wife and our dear friends, the Hills, booked a river cruise on the Seine for April. The trip begins in Normandy, traverses the river to Paris and ends with a 3-day stay in gay (meaning happy) Paree. (What the heck, April in Paris, romantic, you know.) When they threw a sabot into our machinery, I looked into canceling the trip. The penalty was $2,500. So, I decided we'd go and just eat a huge breakfast (included) and dine at McDonald's in defiance. (This is a real sacrifice for me 'cause I don't like fast food and am un-American enough to dislike Pizza already.) Then, we learned our 12-year old grandson has Hodgkins. So, we stopped teetering and canceled the damn trip. The Hills had wisely bought the insurance and are only out $400. Now, I don't recommend everyone go to that extreme. But, send those cards and letters, don't go to France while letting them know how much it is costing them and give up escargot and truffles. Let those [so and so's] know we just ain't gonna take it. I doubt if they can take the extreme pain in their wallets.
-- Dick Lambert
Eagle Rock, VA

"The Entente Non Cordiale" stated that "Turkish fast food is unheard of and no threat to the eating habits of Europe." This isn't true. I have eaten Turkish fast food both in Norway and Germany, and it seems to be popular.
-- Steve Koch

RET replies: Okay, it was popular, but was it tasty and what did it include?

WHAT CONSEQUENCES?
Re: Bill Harrison's A Game With Serious Consequences:

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Abortion, Law, Iraq, Iran, Russia, NATO