#War

non-ideally realistic is the ideal realism and real idealism etc.

Realistically, a merely more rather than ideally realistic policy may be as much as is really achievable, and for any realist president will remain the ideal.

Posted in International Relations, Politics, War Tagged with: , , , ,

Chris Hayes and American Heroism

The word “hero” in contemporary usage is an unambiguously affirmative, but anodyne, secular-sounding term for the conversion of the “fallen” from tragic victims into celebrated martyrs within a long tradition, indeed within a trans-generational chain of sacrifices all the way back to the founding of the nation in revolutionary war. To deny access to this form of transcendence, as Hayes and many like him seem to want to do – are in a sense ideologically compelled to do – is to reduce whatever act of war into killing and mayhem merely, the conduct of a state possibly unworthy of allegiance at all, much less of even one individual’s life, liberty, and happiness. It is to convert the martyr symbolically into the pitiful dupe at best, the murderer or war criminal at worst.

Posted in Featured, Internet, Philosophy, Politics, TV, War Tagged with: , , , ,

Call of Post-Modern Warfare – Video Games as Propaganda

Despite the game’s macho bluster, Call of Duty speaks to us as a culture of fear: fear of terrorism, fear of foreign invasion, fear of duplicity and deceit on the part of our leaders. It helps accustom us to a post-9/11 view of war that is perpetual and global, a conspiratorial view of world events, and an apocalyptic outlook that views collapse and catastrophe as ever imminent.

Posted in Miscellany Tagged with: , ,

Whatever its causes…

Pax Americana?

Posted in History, International Relations, US History Tagged with: , ,

Toward a Society of the Anti-Spectacle

Jonathan Bernstein asked for suggestions on 9/11 Reading/Viewing/Listening.  I suggested: Gillespie THE THEOLOGICAL ORIGINS OF MODERNITY Wright THE EVOLUTION OF GOD Lilla THE STILLBORN GOD Ansary DESTINY DISRUPTED (A History of the World through Islamic Eyes) Van Creveld THE TRANSFORMATION

Posted in Future History, Movies, Religion, US History, War Tagged with: , , ,

On Scorpions and Frogs

Says bob, sarcastically, regarding the Scorpion and the Frog: As long as anthropomorthized animals deliver the message, I guess it’s OK. The first time I ever ran across the parable, it was in a book about the Middle East by

Posted in War Tagged with: , , , , ,

Libyan Quagbump?

The British press has been reporting on Libya more extensively than American outlets, which makes sense considering the greater ongoing involvement of the U.K. in the NATO-led operation.  Two articles suggest that we may, but then again may not, soon

Posted in War Tagged with: , ,

Long day’s blogging into evening – pre-game festivities

Am about to disappear into Lakerdom – either a further descent into tedious misery, a temporary revival on the way to even deeper misery, or the Turning Point we’ve been waiting for and falsely identifying this whole desperately non-compelling season

Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Religion, Sports, War Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Like I said, we’re no angels

A further observation on the rather tired “celebration of the death of OBL” question. I sometimes pride myself on an unusual ability to happen actually now and then to manage to notice the obvious, but it’s false pride, I know.

Posted in Philosophy, Religion, War Tagged with: , , , ,

Brought us the head of Osama Bin Laden

Though I felt the need to correct Scott’s quote – he fell victim to a widespread quotation mangling – I don’t want to trivialize his perspective.  As I’ve noted, I sympathize with it.  I just feel it’s incomplete.  When some

Posted in International Relations, US History, War Tagged with: , ,