Faith-based View of the World? I spit on your faith-based view of the world! Look at mine! Look at mine!

As the Defeatists were cyber-plotting yesterday, Commandante mused that he's getting tired of the "reality based community" stuff. I'm not, although a lot of those who say they're firmly in it are, at best, in the altered reality community. But, every now and then something real breaks through to show that while we reality based types may not have all the answers, the faith-based types are bloody idiots. Bloody, both minded and hands... 

You know, I’m not so sanctimonious as to be able to pretend shock and dismay that the president of the United Statesswore with the microphone on. Seem to recall that he did that once before; it would have been a moment of verity if Kerry had sworn a couple of times. I don’t have much trouble imagining Jack and Bobby Kennedy having a reasoned discussion about this in the Rose Gahhhden. Harry Truman would be painting the air blue. Jimmy Carter would be throwing things. Ronald Reagan would be sleeping; but Bush I would be highly agitated. Clinton would be cursing up a storm and sending in the Cruise Missiles. Nixon would have nuked China. Just because…craziness is a real help to a statesman. In the case of the “ Syria needs to tell these guys to knock this shit off!” I’m actually kind of glad Dubya said it. It shows he’s stayed awake, and is paying attention, and even kind of thinking about it. He even knows who the Syriacans are.  We have wondered about this sort of thing in the past with him…Well, now we know. Truculent, whiney and now cursing, the Cowboy President is a …hobbit. A dumb Hobbit. A Sam Hobbit. Not sure who his Frodo is?

 However, he’s fucked. Metaphysically, he’s had it rammed up the old ass. He's managing to make his father look real good and Bill Clinton like FDR. And here’s why: the faith-based foreign policy of the
United States,based on the expansion of democracy and the blood of American soldiers – and collateral damage – is running into the reality of the faith-based world view of the Arab extremists, based on the Koran, blood debt and slaughter of the infidel. While many thinking people think the phrase “God’s on our side” is a tag line from a Dylan 60s protest song and that “Deus Vult!” is a book about the Crusades, we’re wrong. People believe that God is on there side. People believe that, God willing, next year in Jerusalem. Or Mecca. Or Rome. Being a born-again fundamentalist radical rightist Christian isn’t all that different than being a xenophobic, Talmudic Jewish settler in the best tradition of the Stern Gang, or being a member of the Islamic Brotherhood. You drink the kool-aid, sharpen your gutting knife, and move out smartly.

 Crusader AXE is almost sympathetic to the poor, truculent and somewhat fearful dweeb. He’s facing what others have faced in him, only carried out to the ultimate absurdity. We invaded two countries to avenge about 4000; the Isrealis invade two countries to avenge six soldiers and recover three. Hezbollah and Hamas flip rockets over the border because they can; Syria is vaguely gleeful about it all; Iransends money and cookies; and Iraq festers. Meanwhile, in Afghanistanthe Taliban (remember them?) is resurgent. It’s enough to put a guy off his milk and cookies, and keep him from his jog and nap.

 The Brits have experience with this. “The Americans need to tell these guys in the Provisional IRA to knock this shit off.” Normally didn’t work. Quite the contrary; the US president would make some noises, everybody would tich, tich; and, the collection jars with Bobby Sands picture on it would go up in South Boston and the Bronx. And, get filled. And, a new order of M16s would end up in Derry.…

That’s the problem with true believers. Just because you are one, doesn’t mean that there isn’t someone on the other side. If you think they’re crazy and irrational, well, they are. So what? They are what they are…So, where’s Orc Cheney when he’s needed?

Oh yeah...wear 'em down? The Irish started in 1218. Lots of wars, rebellions and stuff, most of which we lost. Until terror.

Kris Kristofferson wrote a song in the 70s called "Blame it on the Stones..." Blame it on Eamonn De Valera. Regardless, Dubya is working on making James Buchanan look good -- all he said was that "Taney needs to tell those abolitionists to knock the shit off..."