May 27, 2003
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Interesting things in the news regarding Israel – yesterday, Sharon referred to the occupation of Palestine an occupation. Sounds like no big deal, but the Israeli right has been avoiding the term occupation for a long LONG time (since occupation isn’t really legal and all that), so it shook some things up. Not sure what this portends – could be just a game luring the peace process into a cul-de-sac where it can be beaten senseless once again. Worth watching though.
Afghanistan is in trouble – not enough peace keepers, warlords on the rise, taliban back on the rise. What exactly was that war for?
Iraq is getting nastier too – we may not be facing an army any more, but we sure haven’t won the “hearts and minds of the people” yet.
On the Minnesota front, my biggest complaints with the new conceal-carry law seem to be bugging other people as well – even some in the Republican administration are saying these aspects of the law may need to be reviewed. Neat.
I don’t know, some times I feel I’m as close to being a Republican as being a Democrat. Not that that’s saying much as I’ve gotten pretty far from being a Democrat – although, that Howard Dean guy sounds pretty cool which probably means his own party will crucify him.
I don’t know though. If the Republicans got rid of the religous right and the rest of the bigots and swung back to their pre neo-con ideas, who knows, I might almost consider becoming one. Unfortunately, it looks like mainstream conservatism is now neo-conservatism which is pretty much 180 degrees from anything I want. Wikipedia has a nice write up on neo-conservatism at http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_(United_States).
To get a really interesting tweak, scroll down and check out Jeane Kirkpatrick and the Kirkpatrick doctrine. Seriously, thinking about the implications of what she hand people like her have done to the world makes me hope there is a hell so they can burn in it.
Granted, she may not be as directly responsible as, say, Kissinger, but considering all the suffering that can be laid at the feet of the post WWII imperialistic conservative leadership makes me physically ill. Seriously, I feel my gorge rise and want to puke. Then I want to hit someone.
So, no. As long as the Republican party hangs on to these groups and these ideals (which recently, they seem to be embracing tighter than ever), there’s not a chance. And no, Democrats, the opponent of my opponent is NOT necessarily my ally.
