The narcissism of the neo-cons, Egypt edition
“It seems that a democratic revolution is sweeping the Middle East — spurred, I am sure, by American and allied actions in Iraq. (Our chattering classes will never admit this.)
– Jay Nordlinger, National Review
At last count, at least 50 Egyptians have been killed, more than a thousand injured and probably thousands arrested and imprisoned under what must be extremely frightening conditions. They have made those sacrifices and taken those risks for reasons that are very much their own, reasons born out of decades, centuries, even millenia of cruel repression and corruption.
To claim that they are instead taking such risks because they were inspired by the U.S. invasion of Iraq nine years ago is to attempt to rob them of credit for their own bravery. It is an act of theft by people who sit thousands of miles away in perfect safety, trying to boost their own self-regard by wrapping themselves in the courage of others.
– Jay Bookman
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677 comments Add your comment
Dusty
January 29th, 2011
8:31 pm
Common Sense isnt….8:21
I’d match your can of beefaroni with my pound of baloney but my can opener isn’t working. Who’s the beefaroni? I must know before the shots are fired.
AmVet
January 29th, 2011
8:31 pm
Brother B, and I respect your opinion, and treasure your friendship.
Those contrived wars are the one thing that make my blood boil. And as I’ve noted, even as a failed and small man myself, I can never forgive those that sent those boys to their needless deaths. All in the name of some red, white and blue concept, that doesn’t have a damn thing to do with redemption or liberty.
And yes, I use it as an excuse to be a lout. For which I apologize to those who I have offended.
Thanks for the Neil. It helps my heart to hear Tell Me Why.
And for my lovely Joanna, who just rang me up…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9ICCCfK5Rk
@@
January 29th, 2011
8:32 pm
Were Tut’s treasures damaged?–CNBC
Is that like family jewels? I would have thought those shriveled up long ago.
Define damaged.
schnirt
Del
January 29th, 2011
8:33 pm
With the level of unrest going on now in Egypt, anything can happen, including the MB, Hezbollah and El Baradei. They’re linked.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
8:36 pm
Bruno:
Good words !
…………… and then there is this:
“When civilized man can no longer stand the horror of war and refuses to fight, then he will surely be killed or enslaved by the uncivilized who can.”
Dr. Feel
January 29th, 2011
8:41 pm
This commercial came on during one of the playoff games. I can’t remember which one. I really liked it. I hope you do to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha8_QIoB4Ow
Good night.
@@
January 29th, 2011
8:42 pm
I’m waiting for Mubarak to step down. He’d best do it before things get more out of hand. Right now the protesters have placed their confidence in the army.
Everything is in place behind the scenes. A silent coup. He needs to step down NOW.
The army can’t hold things together forever.
AmVet
January 29th, 2011
8:44 pm
What a day!
Filled with the sublime joy of family, brotherhood and sweet friendship. And with the mundane sameness of paying bills.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ZXM5aaPLk&feature=related
Scout
January 29th, 2011
8:46 pm
BADA BING:
Headline: “Egyptians Defy Curfew”
I can identify with that. I used to do the same thing with my parents.
Del
January 29th, 2011
8:47 pm
Dr. Feel, Thank you for sharing.
Larry of Arabia
January 29th, 2011
8:50 pm
“At last count … more than a thousand injured”
Some no doubt will require the services of a Cairopractor.
@@
January 29th, 2011
8:53 pm
Dr. Feel:
The video offered solace in a world gone mad. Was reassuring. Thanks.
Del
January 29th, 2011
8:53 pm
It’s likely that differences exist within Egypt’s military and should that cause discipline to break down, which faction will prevail? A reformed secular government or an Islamic theocracy with the imposition of harsh Sharia law?
Scout
January 29th, 2011
8:53 pm
HEADLINE (CBS) NEW YORK – “There are more than 180 million credit card holders in the United States, according to the Census Bureau, and the concept of credit isn’t going anywhere.
But changes in technology could one day make all that plastic a thing of the past, or at least an alternative payment method, as opposed to one of first resort, observed AOL Consumer Adviser LaToya Drake on “The Early Show on Saturday Morning”:
Apple is rumored to be adding a new level of technology to the next versions of iPhones and iPads that would enable you to make purchases in stores by simply swiping the phone near a reader. The technology is called a Near Field Communication chip, or an NFC chip. It’s a chip inside a smart phone that can be waved in front of a reader and used to pay for things in stores. The thinking is Apple would have direct access to your banking info. It would work the same way you can use your debit card. It would draw the money from your bank account.”
Revelation 13:16-17
“16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.”
Scout
January 29th, 2011
8:55 pm
Del:
………… and what about the Suez Canal.
Islamic government shuts it down ???
That’s stuff you go to war about …………………..
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
8:56 pm
Mubarack is in DeNile. The whole food crisis is a secret pyramid scheme being carried out on the population.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
8:57 pm
BADA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKm2L79Xbyg&playnext=1&list=PL6F9C6BFB25BA155B
TaxPayer
January 29th, 2011
8:58 pm
Scout,
You can have a tax cut OR war. Not both.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
8:59 pm
BADA:
Help me! I’m on the floor laughing so hard !
Scout
January 29th, 2011
8:59 pm
TaxPayer :
True. Priorities.
Del
January 29th, 2011
9:03 pm
Scout, as I understand it, 7% of world commerce passes through the Suez Canal. Should Suez passage be disrupted, which nation or nations would act with military intervention or asked another way, what countries possess rapid deployment capability.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:03 pm
Save the Sphinx, and the relics of a great culture. Where is Indiana Jones when we need him?
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:05 pm
THE 1956 SUEZ CANAL CRISIS:
I predict big trouble ahead …………..
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression was a war fought by Britain, France, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956.
The attack followed Egypt’s decision of 26 July 1956 to nationalize the Suez Canal, after the withdrawal of an offer by Britain and the United States to fund the building of the Aswan Dam, which was partly in response to Egypt recognizing the People’s Republic of China during the height of tensions between China and Taiwan. Britain and France were also strongly opposed to Nasser’s plan to annex the Sudan.
The three allies, especially Israel, were mainly successful in attaining their immediate military objectives, but pressure from the United States and the USSR at the United Nations and elsewhere forced them to withdraw. Britain and France completely failed in their political and strategic aim of controlling the canal. Israel fulfilled some of its objectives, attaining the freedom of navigation through the Straits of Tiran and the pacification of the Egyptian-Israeli border through UNEF.”
Taxpayer:
Like I said, this is the kind of things that nations go to war over.
@@
January 29th, 2011
9:06 pm
Del:
There are some Islamist sympathizers within the military ranks. Mostly junior officers but they’re not actively engaged or vocal. The generals are aware of their presence. If they viewed them as a threat, they would have been ousted by now.
It’s dicey.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:08 pm
BADA:
I’ll bet Mubarack’s “sphinxster” muscle is puckering right now !
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:09 pm
Del:
Probably the same coalition that was put together for Iraq with us leading the way of course.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:10 pm
Internet service is blocked, no Blackberries, and no twittering. Mubarack….”Let My People Text”!
Del
January 29th, 2011
9:11 pm
@@, I’ll admit that I don’t anymore have the Intel clearance to confirm or rebut. I would hope that the administration has deployed intelligence gathering assets in country to make those determinations.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:13 pm
Scout… about your ealier mention Of WTF. I say there will be no WTF (winning the future) while we are LTP (losing the present).
AmVet
January 29th, 2011
9:14 pm
Now our oil prices spike. Of course.
And either way, our petro-chemical based planet spins on.
Though I once believed that HE was the only way, Jesus, for me now, is but one way to peace and understanding. I’ve read the Bible extensively, and I know a great deal of the other related teachings and dogma. And I’ve also read many other great books.
Ah, it’s tough out there, a good muse is hard to find
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F82Q_o3YFA
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:14 pm
BADA:
Let’s all sing together now ……………..
“We shall text agaaaiinnn”
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:18 pm
“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.”
“Except you believe in Me, you are dead in your sins.”
“He that believeth on Me is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already.”
“There is no other other Name under heaven, whereby we must be saved.”
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:18 pm
The Islamic extremists are watching and waiting to see what happens. They are anxious to take advantage of the situation. I guess you could say they are licking their Cheops.
@@
January 29th, 2011
9:22 pm
AmVet:
Though I once believed that HE was the only way, Jesus, for me now, is but one way to peace and understanding.
And ‘ya know what….I and many like me are just fine with that!!!!!! No ridicule…no attacks against who or what YOU choose to follow. Call yourself enlightened. Call yourself superior in knowledge and understanding.
I DON’T CARE!
Del
January 29th, 2011
9:27 pm
Scout@9:18, you and I believe that but we also understand that many do not share that belief and we disavow violence to force anyone to share our belief. Therein lies the difference between Christianity and Islam. Many in this country need to understand that distinct difference.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:28 pm
“A group of tourists was watching the re-enactment of an ancient Egyptian religious ritual. One turned to a nearby local, pointed to the statue that was being praised and asked, “Pardon me, but what was the name of that god?” “Why do you ask?” the man replied. The tourist shrugged. “Oh, just idol curiosity!”
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:28 pm
Del:
Precisely !
godless heathen
January 29th, 2011
9:28 pm
200 posts before someone brought up the strategic implications of an Egyptian meltdown. The Suez Canal. The “West” will not allow the control of the Suez fall into Islamofascist hands.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:30 pm
BADA:
“How does King Tut’s secretary answer his calls? “He can’t talk right now, he’s all wrapped up.”
“What do you get if you cross an Egyptian mummy and a car mechanic? Toot and Car Man.”
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:31 pm
godless heathen :
…………. and who was it ?
@@
January 29th, 2011
9:31 pm
Boy! There is, however, a huge contrast between Scout and I. Scout does what he’s called to do.
I give up.
When our church members were asked to take a test to see wherein our talents lay, mine revealed that I was an exhorter. I never agreed with the outcome. Everyone seemed to think I was wrong in my disagreement.
Let’s just say I lack patience when it comes to people like AmVet. They’ve never encountered the guy.
AmVet
January 29th, 2011
9:32 pm
I hear ya, Scout. I hear ya…
Born a Jew. Born again. Backslider. Post-modern, quasi-Buddhist heathen.
You dug that Kenny Chesney, didn’t ya?
There troubled with snow covered peaks
Till the end of time
We know you’re a daughter of eve
And a friend of mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9jEcfHq6v4
Kamchak
January 29th, 2011
9:33 pm
Dropped in over at Cynthia’s place…
Yep, I knew you would.
In fact, I predicted your behavior about 10 hours ago.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:34 pm
Scout…do you know what Caesar liked the most about Cleopatra? Her nice Nefertitis.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:34 pm
Hummmmmmmmm ………………
HEADLINE: “Egypt blames U.S. for fomenting uprising”
The plot thickens !
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:37 pm
Scout… if I wanted to take a ship through the Suez canal, would I have to go through the proper channels?
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:38 pm
AmVet:
The Bible teaches that if you were truly “born again”, that no matter how bad things get there is no power in the universe (including satan himself) that can undo it. You are SEALED by the Holy Spirit.
Remember the prodigal son? He got himself into a big mess ……….. but he was always a “son”.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:38 pm
BADA:
You’re killing me !
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:40 pm
King Tut’s favorite movie……”Mummy Dearest”
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:41 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeBChzlZYbE
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:42 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLB15kBvn_c&playnext=1&list=PL02D3B993B3C6FBB6
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:44 pm
BADA:
HA ! HA ! HA !
This one is halarious !!
شش لقي كنز قال: كويس فاضل الخريطة !!
@@
January 29th, 2011
9:45 pm
D:
I’m shortening your name ’cause I’m tired of reaching for the asterisk.
What were you doing at Cynthia’s when you said this?
The trolls here are the same ones that are a JB’s, they are merely using more sock-puppets Most, if not all of the troll comments here are made by 3-5 different individual.
Pot meet “saucier”.
Paulo977
January 29th, 2011
9:46 pm
@@ …”No one knew wherein his interests lay.
He was either inept or unreliable…neither of which were good.” Oh I guess you knew! Come on be objective for once!
@@
January 29th, 2011
9:46 pm
I’m out.
Kamchak
January 29th, 2011
9:50 pm
I’m out.
Toodles.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:50 pm
Scout….My ancient language skills are kind of rusty. Just exactly why did a camel and Cleopara walk into a bar?
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:52 pm
BADA:
What type of music do mummies prefer?
Wrap music !
Del
January 29th, 2011
9:53 pm
Off to a Red Box movie. For a buck per copy I don’t see Blockbuster hanging around much longer. Y’all sleep well this evening.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:53 pm
I’m not clear on the punch line. Is it “and Cleopatra replied, One Hump or two”?
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:54 pm
BADA:
If a QT clerk in Cairo gives you less change than what you are owed, what has he done?
Egypted you !
Scout
January 29th, 2011
9:55 pm
BADA :
Yes, that was the joke in Arabic writing !
How coincidental.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:57 pm
Scout…that was a terrible joke. King Tut is rolling over in his tomb!
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
9:58 pm
Scout…I thought mummies preferred sheet music.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
10:04 pm
Scout… your Arabic writing was not a joke, it was a recipe for hummis.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
10:05 pm
NEWS ALERT ………… NEWS ALERT …………… NEWS ALERT ……………… NEWS ALERT ……..
Riots have broken out in Cairo, Georgia !
Scout
January 29th, 2011
10:06 pm
BADA BING:
Oh ……………. nevermind.
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
10:07 pm
What about Memphis, Tennesee Scout?
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
10:07 pm
Scout…save our syrup!
BADA BING
January 29th, 2011
10:10 pm
continued tomorrow, time for the news.
Lil' Barry Bailout
January 29th, 2011
10:59 pm
Sorry Jay and other Bush haters, but this is PRECISELY what our President Bush had in mind when he insisted on staying in Iraq. A large stable democracy in the heart of the middle east was going to have an echo. This is it. I doubt that President Bush gives a damn how hard you haters try to deny his legacy. Some things are not about you.
Losers.
Scout
January 29th, 2011
11:10 pm
BADA BING:
…………… and Alexandria, Virginia !
Bush's Iraq legacy
January 29th, 2011
11:25 pm
Bush’s Iraq legacy resides in the cemetaries
Fred
January 29th, 2011
11:33 pm
Scout throwing down with the jocularity tonight. Sweet.
Scout
January 30th, 2011
12:03 am
Thanks Fred.
At least someone other than BADA appreciates my hard work ……………..
Scout
January 30th, 2011
12:04 am
josef:
This is right down your alley:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/shoot-him-on-the-spot/
BADA BING
January 30th, 2011
12:07 am
Scout, fun ain’t work
BADA BING
January 30th, 2011
12:07 am
out
Scout
January 30th, 2011
12:55 am
A few minutes ago I watched Saturday Night Live with horror as a cast member portrayed President Mubarak and mimicked his Arabic/English speech. Surely the Arabic community and the Liberal press will demand an apology from the actor, SNL and the Network.
Rush – are you listening? Let’s see if there is a tumult here like there was over your mimicking of the Chinese or will the old double standard prevail ?
MiltonMan
January 30th, 2011
7:45 am
Jay, the November elections still gnawing at you?
TaxPayer
January 30th, 2011
8:12 am
Kingston gets a lesson in science. He’s living proof that Georgia’s education system has failed him.
stands for decibels
January 30th, 2011
8:43 am
from TP’s link:
During an appearance on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Mahr” on Friday night, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) stated clearly that he does not believe in the process of evolution.
“I believe I came from God, not from a monkey so the answer is no,” he said, laughing, when asked if he subscribes to the theory. Later in the segment he added, “I don’t believe that a creature crawled out of the sea and became a human being one day.”
According to a Gallup poll released last month, 40 percent of Americans believe God is responsible for creating human life in its current form roughly 10,000 years ago.
Another one for the “oy, we are so well and truly [bleep]ed…” file.
stands for decibels
January 30th, 2011
8:46 am
It’s not so much that people chose to believe that God made us peeps 10,000 years ago. You want to believe that, fine.
It’s that next step–to allow yourself to flat-out lie about what modern science says, to characterize it as “evolving from monkeys” and that absurd straw-man about how we “crawled out of the sea and became a human being in one day.”
Nobody is that stupid. It’s just lying, and last I checked,most every belief system, including Kingston’s, supposedly frowns upon that.
stands for decibels
January 30th, 2011
8:47 am
back to the topic at hand–is Al Jazeera still considered wholly evil by the American right?
if so I guess they’ll be ok with this…
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201113085252994161.html
Michael H. Smith
January 30th, 2011
8:49 am
Georgia’s Constitution that only provides funding for a public school monopoly education is living proof of why it has failed and continues to fail so far too many.
Do wonder though if Comrade Jay knows the definition of a Neo-Con according to the founder of the Neo-Conservative movement, Irving Kristol?
Suffice it to say, in the case of Neo-Cons the muggers haven’t finished the job of mugging those Liberals.
deegee
January 30th, 2011
9:00 am
Remember how the neocons celebrated the purple finger salute after the first Iraqi elections? They had no idea that the purple finger was a vengeful Shia call to arms for the purpose of ridding the country of the Sunni minority. Ain’t middle east democracy great?
@@
January 30th, 2011
9:09 am
Paulo:
@@ …”No one knew wherein his interests lay.
He was either inept or unreliable…neither of which were good.” Oh I guess you knew! Come on be objective for once!
Does Iran promote world peace? No!
Is Iran closer to developing nuclear weapons? Yes!
The prosecution rests.
Now shhhhh, don’t breathe. I do believe the situation in Egypt have reached a turning point.
@@
January 30th, 2011
9:10 am
“has” instead of “have”.
Michael H. Smith
January 30th, 2011
9:10 am
Ain’t middle east democracy great?
Only if you consider a Sheria(Religious) Republic great.
That is why the founders of this country gave the “middle finger” of the 1st amendment to any establishment of a Religious Democracy or Republic.
Southern Comfort (E.O.I.)
January 30th, 2011
9:13 am
Remember how the neocons celebrated the purple finger salute after the first Iraqi elections?
Yeah, that was vengeful… Kinda like Mike Vick’s middle finger salute in the GA Dome.
Southern Comfort (E.O.I.)
January 30th, 2011
9:14 am
That is why the founders of this country gave the “middle finger” of the 1st amendment to any establishment of a Religious Democracy or Republic.
You may want to explain that to the select group that appears intent on resetting this country to a theocracy.
Michael H. Smith
January 30th, 2011
9:25 am
Oh I have and continue to do so, though, it is actually the “select groups” (plural) mono and polytheist whether divine or humanist. Notwithstanding, the “inalienable rights” of every individual – et al the Declaration of Independence.
The people in the middle east as any other people collectively, have the inalienable right to choose the form of government that they are willing to live under and have serve them in determine their destiny. However, it doesn’t mean I’d embrace it.
Michael H. Smith
January 30th, 2011
9:35 am
BTW, per my last comment, for this reason(despite my faith) I’d never vote to elect someone like Mike Huckabee to office. Those who serve the call of filling a “church pulpit” should not fill the “bully pulpit”.
Scout
January 30th, 2011
9:39 am
deegee:
And remember the new Iraqi Constitution says, “Nothing in this Constitution shall violate the tenets of Islam” and after winning that war we let them put that in.
Basically, because of that phrase there IS NO Constitution !
Scout
January 30th, 2011
9:44 am
Michael H. Smith :
Just for the record, President Garfield was also a minister.
Michael H. Smith
January 30th, 2011
9:57 am
the tenets of Islam we let them put that in?
What other choice did or do we have when our Declaration of Independence has clearly established the inalienable right of the individual in self-determination to collectively choose their form of governance and to grant that government whatever powers they deem fit, as to live under?
How dare we declare before the eyes of a candid world our rights to then only deny the witnesses thereof these same Declared Rights endowed upon all of humanity by the authority of the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God unto their creator?
No government, person or persons can revoke these Rights for no government or person(s) gave them to us.
Paulo977
January 30th, 2011
9:59 am
@@ ….Does Iran promote world peace? No!
“Is Iran closer to developing nuclear weapons? Yes”…Guess you are so much more qualified than Dr.ElBaradei on these matters that the UN really ought to appoint you to bring about World Peace !!!!
Michael H. Smith
January 30th, 2011
9:59 am
Scout, he would not have received my vote either.
Southern Comfort (E.O.I.)
January 30th, 2011
10:00 am
Scout
I don’t think that one phrase means that THEIR Constitution is not a Constitution. It does not have to mirror ours to be designated a Constitution. If that’s how they want their government set up and run, then that’s the way they want it. We can’t decide what’s best for them, it’s incumbent upon them to figure that out.
@@
January 30th, 2011
10:06 am
If, as it’s being reported, the looters have been allowed to escape from prisons…
With an almost non-existent police presence, an air of lawlessness has fallen upon the country with gangs and thieves raiding homes and stores, making off with TVs, bottles of alcohol, and sofas and tables from casinos.
where are they gonna plug up those TVs? Where are they gonna put those sofas and tables? I know where the alcohol’s going. Some of those doing the looting are plain clothes security personnel and police. I’m assuming they have homes where they can park their booty. But the convicts?