August 11, 2003

You notice that no one on the left actually states, “We were wrong to go into Iraq.”

All they say is, “The reason Bush gave for going to Iraq was a lie.” They don’t say we were wrong to do it. How could they dare to say it was wrong to depose the most brutal mass-murdering dictator of modern times? How could they even pretend that the world isn’t safer for the U.S. without him?

Of course they can’t, and they don’t.

Check out the recent speech by Al Gore in this light. (By the way, I was searching Google for the text of the speech. It was already hard to find. Know who had it? Al Jazeerah. That’s where the link goes to.)

Here’s how Gore introduced the topic of Iraq (emphasis added):

...you might assume that my purpose today is to revisit the manner in which we were led into war. To some extent, that will be the case – but only as part of a larger theme that I feel should now be explored on an urgent basis. ...The way we went to war in Iraq illustrates this larger problem.

Notice that he doesn’t dare say the war itself was wrong? He’s just going to criticize the way we went to war. He’s ‘deeply troubled’ about that.

Read the rest of the speech. Did Gore say we were wrong to free the Iraqi people? Did he say the war didn’t serve U.S. interests? Did he say the world isn’t safer for the U.S. with Hussein out of power? No.

Instead he trotted out a few easily-debunked canards and then went on to other, “larger” subjects.

The Left knows the liberation of Iraq was a good thing—and they won’t admit it.

SEA CHANGE AT THE LA TIMES?

Not likely, but they did print an article by Rush Limbaugh, which I don’t recall them doing before. It’s an excellent analysis of the reasons for the California recall.

Art Torres, California’s Democrat Party chairman, complains that the recall “just exacerbates the impression that we’re a bunch of wackos out here.”

Sorry, Art, but that impression exists because of what you and your party have done to California, not because the people, through lawful, civil and democratic means, have decided to reclaim their state.

...Californians are also voting with their feet. They are leaving the state in bigger numbers than citizens of other states are arriving. California’s population growth is because of the influx of immigrants many of them illegal. Davis’ answer is to increase taxes and cut basic services to the citizens, while increasing benefits for illegal immigrants including driver’s licenses, in-state college tuition benefits, etc.

Moreover, between 1998 and 2001, state spending increased more than 35%. California’s $38-billion shortfall was larger than the budgets of most states. California’s bond rating has been slashed, increasing the cost of its enormous debt. And during this time, Davis added more than 25,000 state employees to the public payroll.

Davis was slow to react to his state’s energy crisis for fear of offending the radical environmentalists. The infrastructure for energy production was incapable of meeting growing demand. He then purchased long-term energy contracts at top dollar, and spot market contracts during market peaks. The result: The public paid more for energy, yet faced rolling gray-outs.

The California recall effort is a legitimate, albeit extraordinary, public reaction to a complete deterioration in political leadership. It’s difficult to see how Governor (Fill in the Blank) could do much worse.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE-WINNER ELIE WIESEL SUPPORTS BUSH ON IRAQ.

From the latest Parade Magazine (no link):

“I’m worrying about terrorism, especially in the Middle East,” Wiesel, 74, tells us. “I was in favor of America’s military intervention in Iraq, because Saddam’s violations of human rights had to be stopped. Iraq must reform. It must become a democracy.”