Beating a Dead Parrot

Reposted as history. Originally posted in February of 2005.


Why Iraq and Vietnam have nothing whatsoever in common.
By Christopher Hitchens - Monday, Jan. 31, 2005 - Slate.com

.... perhaps now is the moment to state the critical reasons why there is no reasonable parallel of any sort between Iraq and Vietnam.

There has been an interesting dialog going on between Christopher Hitchens and the rest of the left wing media for the last three plus years. It has resulted in Hitchens quiting his job at a liberal newspaper, an act that at least shows Hitchens has the courage of his convictions. More than that as far as I am concerned. Hitchens is the only reason I still talk to many of my friends on the left. I use him as an example of how leftists have lost their way, but liberals have not. Hitchens has definitely not. He is as sharp as ever. I do not agree with him on much, but I admire him deeply. The difference between liberals and leftists is that leftists are always anti-war, unless of course it is war against America.

I missed this article by Hitchens when it first came out. To some extent it is old news, being driven by the now rather dated elections in Iraq. However our dialog with the left, trying to differentiate between the Joe Lieberman and Christopher Hitchens patriots versus the John Kerry and Bill Moyer traitors, makes it important. It is important that we not lump everyone together. As Hitchens and Lieberman prove, there are good guys on the left.