Until I moved in and began manning this outpost, I had never heard of Victor Davis Hanson. But I knew a good writer when I came across one-- Cormac McCarthy and Ray Bradbury come quickly to mind. I've quoted Mr. Hanson more than once here, and it's always been his exceptional insight that's compelled me to do so. Today is no different.

Slogging through Mr. Hanson's careful re-examination of all the particulars that brought us to last Friday will bring you to the following excerpt where Mr. Hanson nails it on the head, as usual.

"Yet as [Democrats] hedge -- on television praising Congressmen Murtha who advocates withdrawal, but making sure they vote overwhelmingly on the record to reject his advice -- they should consider some critical questions.

"First, are the metrics of this war in the terrorists' or our favor? Are the Iraqi security forces growing or shrinking? Are elections postponed or on schedule? Are Europe, Jordan, Lebanon, and others more or less sympathetic to a war against Islamic terrorism in Iraq? Are bin Laden, Zawahiri, and Zarqawi more or less popular or secure after we removed Saddam? Is al Qaeda in a strengthened or weakened position? Is the Arab world more or less receptive to democracy in the Gulf, Egypt, Lebanon, and the West Bank? And is the United States more or less vulnerable to a terrorist attack as we go into our fifth year since September 11?"


November 23, 2005
The Crying Game
So near in Iraq, so far at home.
by Victor Davis Hanson
National Review Online