The American Spectator

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Mormonism Spelled Out

12.19.05 @ 12:01AM

FAUX-ROCKETS
Re: P. David Hornik's Qassams for Breakfast:

P. David Hornik's excursus on Sharon and Qassams is beside the point. Right now the strategic threat to Israel is not these firecracker oh-look-we're-rocket-scientists' pipebombs with fins but real IBCM's developed by Iran, aimed at Israel, and soon to be nuclear capable.
-- Paul Freedman
Falls Church, Virginia

KENNEDY-CASTRO
Re: James R. Whelan's Consolidating Castro:

I have read Mr. Bohning's Herald articles for many years and have always felt he wrote rich in facts though i often dissented from the conclusions he reached. I just finished your review of his book which I also will read. Your review made me pause and wonder. Is this the time the Democrat party became anti-American and so timid as to accomplish quite literally nothing in forty years?

Could it be that the Father and Son (figuratively), to whom the present day cowards and liars who comprise the leadership of this once great party look for inspiration were the catalyst that shut down both critical thought and any action whatsoever? Could these two men have become God to their party and killed it in one stroke?

If we accept the author's premise, a basic law of physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, what the Kennedy's did actually helped the dictator consolidate and keep power. My Dad who was a WWII Marine always told me "timidity is often worse than doing nothing." It appears that the Kennedy's caught the Harry Truman disease and acted without much conviction or force. To that my Dad would have said "If you're going to put your boot on a man's neck, you'd better break it because if you don't he's going to come looking for you one day." Look at us now with North Korea.

But I digress. My guess is that the Democrats are the perfect opposition party. They stand for nothing. They attempt nothing. They accomplish nothing. They merely disagree, though in a virulent, hate-filled manner.
-- Jay W. Molyneaux

Am I crazy to wonder about the reaction of Democrats to the attempted ouster of Castro in light of the current furor over the successful dispossession of Saddam?

At the time, did Republicans rail against this attempt on Castro? How about the attitude of the MSM? I don't clearly recall since I was busy raising my family at the time.

We have a saying in our house concerning the ways of the world: "There's one rule for Democrats; there's another for Republicans." The book review of The Castro Obsession makes me wonder if Kennedy was denounced by his opponents as Bush now is.
-- A. Robinson
Lowell, Michigan

There is, I believe, a coda to the Castro caper.

JFK, unable to fight the communists in Cuba, cast round for another venue and found it ...in Vietnam. The need for "action" against the communists -- thwarted in Cuba after the missile crisis -- as much as anything energized the Vietnam caper, which then metastasized.
-- Greg Richards

INDURAIN PAINS
Re: Lawrence J. Henry's Time Capsules:

Fantastic article, Mr. Henry! To the naysayers who spout off negatively about watching reruns of classic sporting events by saying "but you already know how it turned out," I can only roll my eyes and take pity at their lack of appreciation for such things. Already knowing the results of the event is part of the appeal. Mr. Henry doesn't mention it, but I think any golf fan, and some non-fans, could watch the final 9 of the 1986 Masters and still be blown away at the drama of Jack Nicklaus's thrilling come-from-behind victory at the age of 46. Even though you already know the outcome! Mr. Henry does mention Muhammad Ali. Who wouldn't thrill to see the "Thrilla In Manila," watching two giants of the ring throw haymakers at each other for 14 rounds, until Smokin' Joe just couldn't drag himself out of his corner anymore? Or Ali's masterful rope-a-dope strategy in Zaire, knocking out the "invincible" George Foreman in the 8th round? I have Dale Earnhardt's last Winston Cup race win on tape, the October 2000 race at Talladega, Alabama. Knowing that the Intimidator is going to blast his way from 18th place to the lead in just four laps, then hold off the field for the final lap of the race to take the checkered flag, INCREASES the pleasure of it. I could go on and on, but I won't. (You're welcome, by the way!)
-- Scott Warren
Hohenfels, Germany

Regarding this otherwise fine article, I need to rectify certain facts about the 1995 Tour De France.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Foreign Policy, Education, Harry Reid, Business, Religion, Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism, Abortion, Law, Iran, Israel, Africa, North Korea