Greatest tool?
Remember when, in the days and weeks following 9/11, poverty was called the greatest recruiting tool for terrorism? Those were the days. Now there seems to be no end to the number of things vying for the distinction of being the greatest recruiting tool for terrorism.
Consider:
"[With the Iraq war we] have created the greatest recruiting tool possible for bin Laden and his ilk." - Bob Boorstin, as quoted by Bob Herbert in The New York Times.
"[President George Bush is] the best recruiting sergeant ever for al-Qaida" - British Ambassador to Italy, Sir Ivor Roberts, quoted in The Guardian
"A more insulting, inflammatory message to the world's Muslims and Arabs--and a more effective recruiting tool for groups like Al Qaeda--can scarcely be imagined." - The Nation, editorializing on The Horror of Abu Ghraib
And now the latest:
"[Guantanamo] has become the greatest propaganda tool that exists for recruiting of terrorists around the world..." - Joe Biden, suggesting that he has a better imagination than The Nation
Like the term Nazi, it seems that "terrorist recruiting tool" has come to mean little more than "something I don't like." Your disapproval, along with your lack of originality, is noted, Mr. Biden.
Consider:
"[With the Iraq war we] have created the greatest recruiting tool possible for bin Laden and his ilk." - Bob Boorstin, as quoted by Bob Herbert in The New York Times.
"[President George Bush is] the best recruiting sergeant ever for al-Qaida" - British Ambassador to Italy, Sir Ivor Roberts, quoted in The Guardian
"A more insulting, inflammatory message to the world's Muslims and Arabs--and a more effective recruiting tool for groups like Al Qaeda--can scarcely be imagined." - The Nation, editorializing on The Horror of Abu Ghraib
And now the latest:
"[Guantanamo] has become the greatest propaganda tool that exists for recruiting of terrorists around the world..." - Joe Biden, suggesting that he has a better imagination than The Nation
Like the term Nazi, it seems that "terrorist recruiting tool" has come to mean little more than "something I don't like." Your disapproval, along with your lack of originality, is noted, Mr. Biden.
1 Comments:
Good analysis. Another slam that liberals have often used is so-and-so "failed to show leadership" on a pet issue of theirs. It's good sleight of hand. It doesn't make them sound like a pouter who's not getting their way, or that they're being too demanding. They make it sound like it's a blemish on the character, the strength, of the person or organization they're criticizing, to not handle their pet issue.
In this case, what they're communicating is that any time we screw up, even if they are isolated incidents that are likely to happen in a force of a few million people, that it makes the enemy stronger and harder to defeat. They're trying to embarrasse the Administration into using the military less. Really the approach they'd rather take is one that is more "realist" in their view, and makes more diplomatic moves, rather than military.
I swear, ever since 9/11 happened, I've heard from many leftists who basically think that we should adopt the model of Ghandi vis-a-vis the terrorists. They are so out of touch with American culture, it's amazing. Our culture would never tolerate that style of resistance.
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