Fareed Zakaria is a complex cat. American - by choice - his "Future of Freedom" is actually quite good, fully crunk with facts and examples that religion alone isn't what ails the ME. Tribalism and mohammedism mixed together is about as attractive as an unpopular mixed drink called a Dr. No - Vodka, Cherry Coke and Pepto Bismol. Anywhere this Arabic mix is imbibed or imported - the misery, intolerance and general suck factor becomes unbearable to any one in weapons range.
Fareed's TV show GPS or Global Public Square on some cable news outlet is not as good, though it does have it's moments. His last book "Post American World" is a non starter and about as exciting as being stuck in traffic.
It's cool. Even Marilyn Manson released a dud every now and then.
Fareed tries his hand at painting Great Satan's actions since 911 are lot like Great Satan's history.
Always freaking out and always over reacting.
Fareed calls it reality. It's more like projecting.
"The Iraq War, for Obama, is a prime example of an alarmist
overreaction, one that had the United States launch an unprovoked invasion of a country and rack up huge costs.
If America can keep its cool and provide the help that countries
really seek—in development, modernization and democracy-building—then we will gain in both security and legitimacy."
Au contraire mon frer!
Of all the things that could be listed about Iraq and Senator Obama - keeping cool and providing help - especially before Surge - were nowhere on the list.
Indeed, The big O's primary campaigned on a Baghdad Bug Out - complete with choppers flying out of the Green Zone ala Saigon's fall way back in the last millennium could be described as controlled panic or simply in heat with defeat - so anxious to prove his pre war caveats were totally correct.
Fareed does provide some cool stuff though in his article.
"We live in remarkably peaceful times. A University of Maryland
study shows that deaths from wars of all kinds have been dropping
dramatically for 20 years and are lower now than at any point in the last half century. A study from Simon Fraser University finds that casualties from terrorism have been steadily declining since 9/11.
It is increasingly clear—look at their voting from Indonesia to
Iraq to Pakistan—that very few Muslims anywhere support Islamic fundamentalists. More countries than ever before now embrace capitalism and democracy."
Fareed's finish trys to down play any wild rhetotrical flourishes about 911 or harbinging surprise attacks in the future.
"Rhetoric about transcendent threats and mortal dangers grips the
imagination of the American people. But it also twists U.S. foreign policy in ways that can prove to be extremely costly to the country and the
world."
Fareed is a complex cat. With a complex projection
The average Muslim voter in their nation doesn't want the Taliban. They want good government, not a theocracy.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of the title of his book, "The Post American World", nor the general premise. Yea, the rise of the rest is a real thing, it's already happening but the U.S. is far from passé ... Fareed seems to assume that while the rest rise, America will either regress or simply remain idle, he is wrong on both counts. We shall soon witness a plethora of books covering the same theme...Yawn!
ReplyDeleteAmerica is not going to become a has been nation any time soon, think entertainment industry, think education ... world's best universities.. I could go on but my train is a cumin. Still though, books like Zakaria's will find flavor every couple of decades, just to keep us on our toes...
"Of all the things that could be listed about Iraq and Senator Obama - keeping cool and providing help - especially before Surge - were nowhere on the list. " That's an excellent point on The Big "O" as you call him (I like it).
ReplyDeleteHave you read "A Better Country - Why America Was Right To Confront Iraq?" It's a very short paperback written by a Democrat (big surprise). Very informative. Only 80 something pages, but chocked full of quotes and sources.
The author says:
-quote- "If the President breaks faith with us, or if we beak faith with the President, we become defenseless in a dangerously uncertain world. When the Democrats attacked the President's credibility, they aimed to deprive him of the powers of his office. They choose instead to believe in the U.N. [snip]
This is the essential lesson of Iraq, well beyond recrimination. If we hope to preserve the nation, we must learn to trust one another again. And it must be soon. If we do not believe in our own government, supposing it to be somehow other than ourselves, we shall have no real defense, against Iran or any other danger on the horizon." -end quote-
The Left appears to hate America, but when called on it they say no, they hate the 'government', they don't trust the 'government'.
I have to ask myself, could I trust the government with Obama in charge? The answer is no.
Debbie Hamilton
Right Truth
Terrific post, Courtney. I heard Fareed once on the radio and while I almost like some of what he said, he lost me with his 'progressive' let's all be friends nonsense.
ReplyDelete