Blogospherics: Vapid political entries worse than silence
Sometimes the sheer vapidity of so much of what passes for serious discussion in the blogosphere is enough to make one wonder why those of us who read and research before we write bother. We can provide the mineral enriched water, but, a Right Wing blogger, Art Green, recently stated the likely response from too many: "I refuse to drink." The occassion was comments to an entry he wrote stating what he believes to be the situation in Iraq. He had cross posted it to Blogcritics. As occassionally happens to those with far Right views at that largely conservative group blog, Green was surprised when some informed people who disagree with his perspective pointed out the fallacies in his entry. This is the piece.
Kerry Advisor: Iraq Worse Than Vietnam
John Kerry's foreign policy advisor, Richard Holbrooke said on Fox News Sunday that "strategically and politically, the situation in Iraq is worse than it ever was in Vietnam. The situation is clearly getting worse ... and there is no strategy either for success or for victory or for exit."
"The current situation in Iraq is a tunnel without any light at the end of it."
Mr. Holbrooke. Don't you think that way over the top and divisive? Iraq is not near the level of the Vietnam war. There is not near as many dissidents. (75% of the Iraqis want us there until the job is done)
Sure, not everything is perfect in Iraq now. There are more than 1,000 people that will never walk on the earth again, but this is not even remotely close to Vietnam.
You divide the country with the your scare tactics and your lies. And half of the country is too blinded with bias to see through the lies and the scare tactics. It saddens me.
Let's take it from the top. Why would anyone believe that seventy-five percent of any population wants its country to be occupied? Since no source is offered for the statistic, I cannot refute it properly. However, it begs common sense to make such an unreasonable supposition. People everywhere want to run their own lives. They also want their countries to be autonomous. Why would the Iraqis be any different? The daily news of opposition to the occupation, including terrorist acts, suggests that many Iraqis are opposed to the occupation.
One thousand people have died in Iraq? I could swear thousands more have given up the ghost there. Omitting the Iraqis killed during the invasion and occupation is incredibly telling. If says their deaths don't matter.
Scare tactics and lies? Green has failed to cite a single underhanded tactic or bent interpretation. Holbrooke merely stated the opinion he has arrived at after analyzing the facts about the occupation. His credentials in foreign policy make his opinion expert. One would be hard put to find someone more capable of presenting an informed opinion.
Informed opinion. That is what it comes down to. Too much of what passes for information in the blogosphere is gibberish. Linkage means that very thin porridge such as this entry gets passed around, creating or encouraging greater ignorance as it circulates. Unless some legitimate support is offered for claiming an excellent source does not know what he is talking about, a blog entry attacking him serves no useful purpose.
Blogger Hal Pawluk, of 'Tude, an astute observer of politics, offered Green better porridge and a spoon to eat it with. He provided links to articles and blog entries describing how Holbrooke might have reached his conclusion that the United States risks becoming mired in Iraq. Green's response to the information? Not "More, please." He refused to read it. Too many bloggers and blog readers would have done the same.
On another channel
At Silver Rights, "In Memoriam," a farewell to blogger Aaron Hawkins of Uppity Negro.
