There are certain Americans who amaze me by continuing to maintain that they’re right-wing or conservative, despite believing in most or all of the decent and good things that the modern day US conservative movement vehemently opposes. Examples include John Cole, Andrew Sullivan and especially Dan Drezner.
I was reminded of this odd group by a recent Dan Drezner post on suicide bombers. It’s interesting in itself – he links to a study pointing out that suicide bombing has little correlation with fundamentalist Islam, and a strong correlation with foreign occupation. Sure’ it’s obvious (suicide bombing is the ultimate example of an asymmetric warfare tactic, and the only militarily rational response to occupation by a far stronger power is to use the best asymmetric warfare tactics you can find), but it’s good to see specific evidence.
Almost more interesting is that a majority of the proper right-wingers who infest Mr Drezner’s comments (presumably because he adds a little vestigal decency to their cause by choosing to associate with them) immediately assume the study is lying, and that its author (and Mr Drezner) must Hate ‘Merka And The Joos.
Come, decent right-wingers! Abandon your fanatical coloured-person-hating, queer-bashing, death-loving cohorts, and join the Liberal Side! You have nothing to lose but your Cheney-ites!
"There are certain Americans who amaze me by continuing to maintain that they’re right-wing or conservative, despite believing in most or all of the decent and good things that the modern day US conservative movement vehemently opposes. "
Alas they are outnumbered by about 17,000 to 1 by the ones who maintain they’re left-wing, or liberal, despite…
>despite believing in most or all of the decent and good things that the modern day US conservative movement vehemently opposes.
And then you give the example of suicide bombing. I’m sure that’s not what you meant.
S2, you usually read to the end before you jump in with an opinion, what happened today? It’s like you came across the words "Suicide Bomber" and just wigged out. I think it is exactly what John meant. For the Little Green Feyadeen and friends, suicide bombers are only A-rabs and fanatics, and further investigation is redundant.
That Professor Drezner is able to consider evidence which may upset his world view is what makes him a liberal in John B’s definition.
I don’t know much about Cole and Drezner, but I’d say Andrew Sullivan is a liberal already, which doesn’t in itself mean he can’t be right-wing.