The American Spectator

Reader Mail

The War Continues

8.7.06 @ 12:01AM

(Page 5 of 5)

On balance and regardless of when Fidel Castro finally assumes room temperature, Americans are damned lucky to have survived Kennedy.
-- Thomas E. Stuart
(Vietnam veteran)
Kapa'au, Hawaii

PILLARS OF WISDOM
Re: Neal B. Freeman's NR Goes to War and Quin Hillyer's Europe's Duty:

These are personally compelling articles, on a number of levels.

The other night I revisited Casablanca as I am wont to do every few years. The scenes in Rick's Cafe of European refugees of many nationalities and all walks of life resisting the Nazis and the infamous Major Strasser, the singing of the French anthem by all to drown out the German, still stirs the heart and mind. Old Europe. Old ideas. Old sentiments. Old unity. Good versus evil, defeat evil. Yes Hollywood, but at a time when they got it right and understood the threat of fascism as did my parents' generation. Rick and the French Capt. walking off to join together in the fight. How the world has truly changed. How has Europe sunk to such a morass of defeatism, relativism and ultimately, looming capitulation to Islamofascism?

WFB still gives me pause for intense thought after being introduced to him through hand me down copies of NR in the early seventies. This thought process holds true today and applies to many NR writers through the subsequent years. Suffice to say, without NR and WFB I would not be conservative of thought; admitting a little libertarian streak. This esteemed gentleman has been kind to me in signing a couple of first editions. I would have loved to sail with him and partake of his wit and knowledge.

Mr. Freeman's article gives a little insight into the interior of NR. Interesting. He speaks of WMDs. I would ask his thoughts on the recent revelation of over 500 chemical artillery shells found in Iraq. I would ask his thoughts on reports of truck convoys out of Iraq into Syria prior to our second invasion.

Mr. Freeman mentions T.E. Lawrence a.k.a. Lawrence of Arabia and his comments on the creation of Iraq after WW I. Again, back to Hollywood. Lawrence of Arabia is still a pretty good depiction of WW I in the Middle East against the Ottoman Empire and the aftermath. After seeing it in my teens when it first came out it led me to Seven Pillars of Wisdom, given to me by my paternal grandmother. A very difficult and plodding read for a late teen. I go back to it occasionally and from it I glean Lawrence's thoughts on what Europe was going to do and did with the Middle East. Let's say he was not in total agreement.

After WW I this area became a European responsibility, they drew the borders, they created the countries. After WW II it was still their responsibility but being drained economically and in manpower they let it all slide in our direction. I suggest we call upon them to clean up the mess they created.
-- Jim Woodward
Fruitland, Maryland

SOBRIETY TEST
Re: Clinton Taylor's Braveheart's Tequila Sunrise:

After all his "Passion" protestations, for Gibson to go on a full-blown anti-Semitic tirade whilst sitting handcuffed in a cop car is both hilarious and revealing. And Gibson's statement, "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world" is pure anti-Semitic gold.

I doubt that alcohol turns someone into a multiple personality (or in Gibson's case, a paranoid schizophrenic). What Gibson actually said probably crossed his mind long before it went out his mouth. Most likely numerous times even, given that he seemed obsessed on the subject.
-- Patty E.
California
P.S. The station sheriffs have said (unofficially) that Gibson wasn't all that drunk when he was hauled in, so it seems Gibson's rant was indeed just a case (pun intended!) of "in vino veritas!" (It's certainly true that a 0.12 alcohol reading isn't high. Not long ago the legal limit in California was 0.10.) This tends to mitigate against your article's forgiving theories.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Foreign Policy, Business, Earmarks, Islam, Environment, Hollywood, Law, Military, Iraq, Iran, Israel, NATO, Fascism, Conservatism, Immigration