Friday, November 07, 2008

Some Restraint, Please!

We recognize that Mr. Obama is the President-Elect, and will become the new President in a few months. But that does not mean it's prudent nor tactful to establish a parallel government during the transition, complete with policy declarations. Yet, he has already done so, with pronouncements on issues that are not particularly supportive of the real United States Government.

The Parallel United States Government has articulated, in rather clear language, exactly what will transpire in Iraq in the first year: we will be skulking out, apparently without little realistic regard to the conditions on the ground:

...Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began. Under the Obama-Biden plan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel. They will not build permanent bases in Iraq, but will continue efforts to train and support the Iraqi security forces as long as Iraqi leaders move toward political reconciliation and away from sectarianism...

There is also planned for plenty of opportunity for Iran and Syria to provide their constructive inputs.

Yes, elections have consequences, one of which is inheriting the responsibility supporting the present government while you plan for the new government. The early behavior of the "shadow government" does not exhibit this responsibility.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Sound Recall.

The Conservative Corps has been shattered on the field of November 2008. The corps' generals and their camp followers have skee-daddled. It's time to sound recall - not retreat, but regroup, carry our dead from the field, find brave and brilliant new officers, and refit to fight another day.

The enigmatic General Obama has carried the day. We salute his brilliant victory, and to the extent that his interests in governance are harmonious with our visions for the welfare of our land, we can cooperate. We'll now see whether his mind is governed more by ambition than ideology. Ambition may to temper his socialism to "socialism-lite". But how he will proceed in the details of Iraq is a total mystery.

Required reading around the campfires: "Ten Conservative Principles", by the late Russell Kirk.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Triumph of the Brain Dead.

Jay Nordlinger comments on the spirit of mindless zealotry of Obama supporters; it has manifested itself in Ann Arbor with the harassment of McCain supporters. One guesses the change justifies the means.
The Bell Lap.

It's almost here, our national political orgasm is imminent. And whatever the result of Election Night, on Wednesday morning the Sun will rise, the geese will honk as they fly south, babies will gurgle "good morning" in their cribs, the toast will pop, coffee will be poured, and America will go on*.

Of course, for the pathological types, Wednesday morning will kickoff the campaign cycle for 2012: the planning for acquring power, retaining power, hoarding power, expanding power, or to ingratiate themselves with the newly powerful. Many will forget the reasons why they sought power in the first place. Some will be awake from the religous ecstasy, and ask "now what?"

In David Lean's magnificient film version of Doctor Zhivago (arguably the greatest film ever made), Red Army General "Strelinkov" proclaims to Yuri Zhivago that "the personal life is dead" - that human existance is reduced to service to the Communist Party - and derisively asks Yuri what he intends to do by traveling to the rural backwater of Varikino. "Just live", Zhivago replies.

Whether under the rapturous beneficience of Obamism or not, we can't wait to "just live".

*Inspired by Lou Rukeyser's post 1987 Crash Pep Talk.