Friday, July 15, 2005
Two Links
Not much time to write today (or yesterday, apparently)... so let me copy in two links, courtesy of The Professor of Instapundit:
The Washington Post: "Support for Bin Laden, Violence Down Among Muslims":
Osama bin Laden's standing has dropped significantly in some pivotal Muslim countries, while support for suicide bombings and other acts of violence has "declined dramatically," according to a new survey released yesterday...Very good news indeed, if true -- and if the trends continue. Let's hope so.
The new poll also found that growing majorities or pluralities of Muslims now say that democracy can work in their countries and is not just a Western ideology. Support for democracy was in the 80 percent range in Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco. It was selected by 43 percent in Pakistan and 48 percent in Turkey -- the largest blocks of respondents in both countries because significant numbers were unsure.
"They are not just paying lip service. They are saying they specifically want a fair judiciary, freedom of expression and more than one party in elections. It wasn't just a vague concept," Kohut said. "U.S. and Western ideas about democracy have been globalized and are in the Muslim world."
And, as Glenn says, bravo for John Howard:
MAXINE McKEW: Prime Minister, if as you say you can't rule out that possibility that we could have potential bombers right here in Australia, what if today's announcement, this redeployment to Afghanistan and our continued presence in Iraq is all the provocation they need?There's a lot more; by all means, read the whole thing.
JOHN HOWARD: Maxine, these people are opposed to what we believe in and what we stand for, far more than what we do. If you imagine that you can buy immunity from fanatics by curling yourself in a ball, apologising for the world - to the world - for who you are and what you stand for and what you believe in, not only is that morally bankrupt, but it's also ineffective. Because fanatics despise a lot of things and the things they despise most is weakness and timidity. There has been plenty of evidence through history that fanatics attack weakness and retreating people even more savagely than they do defiant people.
Oh, and one more for the road. This was written a year ago, but I think is still timely (if not newsworthy). It describes the alarming tendency of the Democratic Party to cater to its own least common denominator, the frothing-at-the-mouth anybody-but-Bush crowd. Yes, there are loonies on the Republican side too, certainly... but the Republican party doesn't kowtow to them the way the Democrats do to theirs.
This bothers me greatly, and not just because I used to consider myself a Democrat. This country needs two vibrant, healthy parties, brimming with ideas to improve our country and the lot of its citizens. Right now we don't have that. And I sure don't believe that the Republicans have all the answers.
Democrats, please wake up. The inmates are taking over the asylum... and they must be stopped. Your country needs you.
