Dog Bites Man

Four posts after the long work-induced hiatus comes the short vacation-induced hiatus. Things should return to "normal" here on Monday or soon thereafter, though I may try to post from the road.

I hope any readers have a great week and weekend.

Also, please join me in wishing my rarely-seen co-blogger, Maureen, a very happy birthday.

Friday VDH

On NRO, Victor Davis Hanson writes about the "conventional ignorance" on, and our real difficulty in succeeding in, Iraq. Excerpt:

Partisanship about the war earlier on established the present sad paradox of election-year politicking: Good news from Iraq is seen as bad news for John Kerry, and vice versa. If that seems too harsh a judgment, we should ask whether Terry McAuliffe would prefer, as would the American people, Osama bin Laden captured in June, more sarin-laced artillery shells found in July, al-Zarqawi killed in August, al-Sadr tried and convicted by Iraqi courts in September, an October sense of security and calm in Baghdad, and Syria pulling a Libya in November.

These depressing times really are much like the late 1960s, when only a few dared to plead that Hue and Tet were not abject defeats, but rare examples of American courage and skill. But now as then, the louder voice of defeatism smothers all reason, all perspective, all sense of balance — and so the war is not assessed in terms of five years but rather by the last five hours of ignorant punditry. Shame on us all.

It's recommended reading.

"A Sovereign Iraq"

David Warren has a nice essay up prasing both the Bush administration and the Iraqis for the recent developments in Iraq. Excerpt:

On the ground in Iraq, it is obvious from the range of sources the Western media do not bother with, that things are still going exceedingly well. There are more than 8,000 municipalities in Iraq, and serious violence in only five or six. Free elections for local governments have taken place or probably will in most of the others. The foreign troops are already out of sight and out of mind in much of the country, where crops are growing, generators are humming, and people are going about their lives.

My philosophy is, we do not know what tomorrow will bring, so let us celebrate today. Iraqis, Americans, allies, and all men of goodwill have reason to be happy about what has been accomplished in Iraq. Pray, pray, it continues.

It's recommended reading.

"Alive and Unpopular"

On OpinionJournal, L. Gordon Crovitz recalls an earlier preemptiveunilateral attack in the Middle East which raised the ire of most of the world, the "United Nations," the American media and many in the Republican Executive branch. A couple of small excerpts:

Prime Minister Menachem Begin and his Likud allies, such as Ariel Sharon, had to stiffen the spines of Labor Party and intelligence officials who feared the repercussions of such a raid. "If I have a choice of being popular and dead or unpopular and alive," Mr. Sharon told fellow cabinet members, "I choose being alive and unpopular."

If the administration's official reaction was to condemn, the president's private reaction was to admire: "What a terrific piece of bombing," Mr. Reagan said upon seeing photos of the reactor site.

I think it is likely that, again, in the passage of time, griping will be replaced with gratitude.

Blogosphere News (to Me)

I know this site has been dormant for the better part of the last three months, but did I really miss the fact that The Last Page (version 2.0, no less) is back? Well, back on the blogroll she goes.

(via CGHill.)

Hey, maybe that Protein Wisdom guy will finally return from his long hiatus, too!

What else have I missed these last few months?

Anyway, I think things should be a little more lively around here, at least until the vacation next week.