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2005-01-11 Home Front: Culture Wars
The Disenchanted American: Are we growing world-weary? by VDH
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Posted by trailing wife 2005-01-11 11:36:17 AM|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 The democrats have become the de facto party of isolationism. A great irony, in that they consider themselves internationalist; it is because they have no grasp of foreign, economic or military policy in international affairs. A good example of this are those chosen as cabinet officers in these areas. The "empty suit", William Christopher; Madeline Albright, whose foreign policy was to send small contingents of unsupported soldiers to every country on the planet; draft-dodging Harold Brown as SecDef, etc.
These are not wise choices--even leftist academicians could be expected to perform better. Instead, they show an indifference, perhaps the idea that "they do it better", or "they have their own way, and we shouldn't interfere". It is as if the democrats try to obey the Star Fleet Prime Directive with other nations, but not so as to not influence the development of their culture, but on the assumption that their culture is somehow better than ours.
Posted by Anonymoose 2005-01-11 12:08:12 PM||   2005-01-11 12:08:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Too bad you don't include the last paragraph. It's what I've been telling my foreign friends for the past year.
Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-11 1:48:35 PM||   2005-01-11 1:48:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Americans...grasp that their own vigilance and military sacrifices have earned them spite rather than gratitude. And they are ever so slowly learning not much to care anymore.

VDH is just the best. Every time I read what he has written it gives me some new angle to think about. Still, I don't think it's that Americans don't care that the rest of the world is spiteful and ungrateful--rather, Americans have had it with being used like the host for a league of life-destroying parasites and, in increasing numbers, are openly contemptuous of helping those who work to harm us.
Posted by Dr. Jules 2005-01-11 2:29:03 PM||   2005-01-11 2:29:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Ask, and ye shall receive, DB:

All this hypocrisy has desensitized Americans, left and right, liberal and conservative. We will finish the job in Iraq, nursemaid democratic Afghanistan through its birthpangs, and continue to ensure that bandits and criminal states stay off the world's streets. But what is new is that the disenchanted American is becoming savvy and developing a long memory — and so we all fear the day is coming when he casts aside the badge, rides the buckboard out of town, and leaves such sanctimonious folk to themselves.
Posted by trailing wife 2005-01-11 2:39:47 PM||   2005-01-11 2:39:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Thanks, trailing wife! I shoulda done that myself! ;)
Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-11 8:36:36 PM||   2005-01-11 8:36:36 PM|| Front Page Top

00:25 screw the brick
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