The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Testy Times

9.9.03 @ 12:01AM

BONUS QUESTION
Re: W. James Antle III's The Giuliani Test:

While I agree with W. James Antle's analysis, I think Arnold is going in the right direction by being against issuing driver's licenses to illegal aliens. If he is forthright enough to continue to speak out against Democrats on the illegal immigration issue, he will surely attract enough votes. However, he is being hammered by various media on racial issues, and he may not have the courage to seize this critical issue.
-- D. Stewart
Palo Alto, CA

SURPRISES
Re: Jed Babbin's Two Burning Fuses:

Jed Babbin's article is a refreshing change from the excessive caution I read so often. I suggest two important changes however. When the time comes to destroy North Korea's nuclear facilities, it should be without any warning. This is precisely the mistake we made over and over and over in Iraq. A warning is what you give someone who is out of line but basically decent. You assume they will respond to the warning like a civilized adult.

And it should not be done "as soon as we determine that the North Koreans are preparing for an atmospheric test." Intelligence is never perfect. What if we find out too late? The best time for the disposal operation is when our operational folk determine that the time is right to destroy the most and lose the least. We should already know what continued negotiations will lead to, since we have already seen where negotiations have led to. Kimmy Boy already broke his agreement with us, shame on him. When he does it again, shame on us.

How would we benefit from the issuing of a warning? Is Kim The Tiny likely to disband his programs if we give him a warning? Or is he more likely to use the time to hide and protect as much of his technology as possible? Or would he, assuming it is now or never, perform unpleasant preemptive action?

A warning would drag us back into the court of World Opinion, where we would get many warnings from the pro-monster regime lobby (UN). Since we are going to take the heat for a justified action, why not get it over with in one brief moment. It will also send a powerful message to the Iranian dictators.

This would work if the order of the removals is reversed, that is, if Iran is first. The best message to send to maniacal despots is one of awesome power. There is no evidence they understand any other language.
-- Jim Kratoska
Brookfield, WI

Mr. Babbin displays all the skills of a true propagandist. Claims of a North Korean atmospheric nuclear test are preposterous. It would be conducted underground or at sea if at all. Warmongers always try to scare people to their side. Another point that he tried to make is that North Korea would sell nukes to Islamist terror groups. Kim is the only true "red" leader of the last true "red" country in the world. Commies don't support religion and it's obvious how much disdain commies have for Islam. Case in point: China which to this day persecutes the tiny Muslim minority it does have. Are we to guess then that China will sell its nukes too? Absolutely not. Silence Mr. Babbin, otherwise I am sure he will find some sucker to listen to him.
-- Mike B.

NAME, SCREAM, AND MATCH
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s John Pierre Kerry's Offensive Diatribe:

I always find it interesting that liberals first battle cry in any debate about Iraq is "Bush lied to us about Saddam's WMD." My reaction battle cry is, "If Bush lied to us, did Bill Clinton lie back in 1998 when he started Operation Desert Fox? After all, he bombed Saddam's chemical and nuclear plants because he did cooperate with the U.N. Plus, the U.N. also wanted to see if Saddam did get rid of his WMD, which is why they agreed to go back to Iraq in January of this year."

Yes, it's a long reply, but sadly, I still haven't gotten an answer to it. Well, not an intelligent one anyway. Usually, I get called a "neo-con" and believe the gospel that is George W. Bush. What really drives liberals and Democrats nuts is, is that I usually back up my opinions with facts, which they have a hard time arguing with. It seems the art of debate in the past few years is more like finger pointing. Instead of giving rebuttals with substance, it's become a screaming and name-calling match.

Either way, I enjoyed your column and keep up the good work.
-- A. Leone

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR BOB
Re: Jeremy Lott's Jesus Christ Tax Collector?

Riley has convinced me to vote NO on Tuesday. Sorry, but the guy has gone over the cliff and into the river. He's now sounding like one of those snake-handling primitives to me. Or a snake-oil salesman -- hard to say which is more off-putting. I was prepared to hold my nose and give him my confidence and my vote. But the more he runs his mouth, the more I want to distance myself from giving him my first vote, last November. I can't even begin to imagine what we'll hear from him after his referendum loses. Maybe Armageddon will commence -- mercifully -- sparing us all from Riley's next act. Ugh.
-- SallyVee
Birmingham, AL

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Bill Clinton, Religion, Islam, Iraq, Iran, NATO, North Korea, Immigration, Oil