The American Spectator

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Total War

2.4.08 @ 12:01AM

McQUAGMIRE
Re: G. Tracy Mehan III's What "Other Wars?":

Regarding McCain's almost offhand remark about "other wars," I too have wondered about the specific coming wars he has in mind. What bothers me most about McCain is that there's a lot of unresolved conflict within him and it probably stems from his dark days in Vietnam. We have the "war hero" side, but I fear there's much more we don't know -- his instability and vicious streak give me the impression he's full of unleashed rage. If he's given a position of unchecked power, I personally question his ability to use it judiciously. His tendency to fight cantankerously against "right" and then turn stubbornly to align with "wrong" in order to gain the political points which give him power, is also disturbing. This trait began to show itself publicly during the Keating Five affair. Face it, McCain's an enigma, who we definitely can't trust and seriously wonder how he's gotten this far in the race earning the trust of others. It's as if people prefer to be blind about him and not ask the tough questions; such as, what makes Johnny run? Is he really as altruistic as his image is being portrayed, or is he out to get some sort of sick revenge on his "enemies"? Maybe these are the "wars" ahead to which he was referring. Whatever, I'm sick at heart knowing that McCain appears to have been "chosen" as the GOP standard bearer before I've even had a chance to vote. Very sad.
-- Barbara Haugen
Cedar City, Utah

G. Tracy Mehan was hitting every ball into the back rows of the center field bleachers until "does strategic success flow from tactical success, if what we want to do is win over Muslim and Arab cultures?"

A straight albeit unwanted answer to Mr. Mehan's question is absolutely positively "yes," and the more complete the tactical success, the more likely the strategic one. The dominant society that Mr. Mehan and the readers ofTAS call home is contemptuous and denigrating of the power that can effect tactical success on the battlefield, but worships the power that is a means to the ends of the all encompassing welfare state. That is not how most people of the world think, and is certainly not how the Muslim and Arab cultures think. They and their countrymen respect power. They even respect mercy, but because they understand that mercy is the decision to not apply power, it is necessary to first establish the irresistible nature of the power.

American irresistible power has not been asserted in sixty-three years. That is not living memory for most Americans or for the world. Patton's War As I Knew It or Eisenhower's Crusade In Europe or Bradley's A Soldier's Story might as well be Caesar's "Commentaries" are far as the NEA's schoolmarms are concerned and even less relevant. Even the Republican presidential candidates tiptoe when specific questions on the application of force are raised. Witness the debate some weeks ago, when the candidates were asked whether the incident in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian naval speedboats threatening U.S. Navy warships, was properly handled. Not one candidate was willing to state that either the ships were operating under rules of engagement that unreasonably endangered the vessels, or the commander failed to act under his rules of engagement. Either way, the jihadists were reassured that the potentially most power Navy in the history of the world was more afraid of the contempt and denigration of its own countrymen than the speedboats and the mines they pretended to lay.

The late Civil War historian Shelby Foote noted that only those who kept the memory of the Confederacy alive knew what it meant to be the vanquished in a total war. 9/11 momentarily inflicted a similar sense. But the very security that this totally demonized administration has affected has coincidentally empowered those who claim there is no threat that deserves violent suppression. Their mistaken conclusions will haunt them sooner than they know.
-- Frank Natoli
Newton, New Jersey

"What other wars are being contemplated by John McCain?" asks G. Tracy Mehan lll. Perhaps a better question would be, "does the United States want to be proactive or reactive with respect to Islamic terrorism?"

I guess the answer to that question would depend on how "sensitive" one is to having two of the largest buildings in the country blown to pieces with 3000 Americans trapped inside, and whether or not one
believes in giving mass murderers yet another "freebie" for the sake of moral "superiority."
-- Arnold Ahlert
Boca Raton, Florida

RUDY'S LAST STAND
Re: Philip Klein's Leadership Shrugged:

It is an axiom of politics that a winning campaign is guided by singular genius while a losing campaign is crawling with nincompoops. Count me as one of the nincompoops who tried to help Rudy in Florida and consider two things before the conventional wisdom hardens that he pursued a flawed strategy. First, given that Rudy was a pro-choice, pro-gay, anti-gun, thrice-married urban Italian, where exactly in GOP-ville should he have chosen to make his stand? You can debate that question for several months, as Rudy and his people did, and you will almost surely come up with the same answer he did. Yes, his was a flawed strategy, but it was somewhat less flawed than all of the alternative strategies. It is sad but still true that not every boy can grow up to be President. And second, once he took his long-shot swing at the nomination -- not a swing at being veep, or being tapped for the Cabinet, or smelling good for 2012 -- Rudy got out with speed and grace. As he taught us to say, what's not to like?
-- Neal B. Freeman

What makes you think Rudy actually wrote that book?
-- Ken Kalis

FREDUCATED GUESS
Re: The Prowler's A Clinton Goldmine:

McCain should certainly meet with Fred, but if he wants to solidify his campaign he needs Fred on board as VP. Fred on the ticket would bring along many Romney and Huckabee followers. In addition to his conservative credentials Fred brings likeability, pseudo star power and a connection to the Federalist Society. It is reasonable to assume that McCain would listen to Fred, not necessarily buy his ideas, but the right would be comforted that Fred is "looking over the man's shoulder."

Fred is credible to a substantial portion of the evangelical community, right to life community, and Southern-Western and border state constituencies.

If McCain and Thompson could reach a meeting of the minds, the conservative revolt would end overnight. Ongoing consultations should continue, however, no public statements should be made for a few weeks, after the "Rush" folks stew for a while over the reality that the nominee is going to be McCain and he will go up against either the #1 liberal democrat (Obama) or #12 democrat (Clinton) (from National Journal). Rush and Sean need to take their eyes off the microscopes and take a look at the big picture.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
John McCain, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Islam, Environment, Law, Iran, NATO, Africa, Energy