An interesting view from the outside of the war debates now raging in D.C. and elsewhere from Ian Buruma. He captures one dimension of the debate very ably, I think:
My point is that the neo-conservatives today, as far as Iraq is concerned, are the idealists, and if their revolutionary ideals have any chance of succeeding, they will have to prevail over the realists, the oil men and the country-club Republicans, who will surely stand in their way. The irony here is that what is left of the left, on the whole, shares the views of the old right. Few believe in a democratic revolution in the Middle East, and even fewer think it is up to America to enforce it.
That is, indeed, what is left of the left: a kind of passive reactionaryism, buoyed by resentment and bitterness.
LETTERS:“If the President doesn’t move on Iraq, as looks increasingly likely, I won’t vote for him. I know many who feel the same way. And, as today’s news suggests, if Lieberman runs to the right of Bush on the war, I’ll hold my nose and vote for him. Mark my words, as I marked yours months ago: Saddam will be in Baghdad in 2004, and Lieberman will be in the White House, and still the oh-so-intelligent conservative crowd won’t have a clue.” – more on the Letters Page.
The Dish 