An Ignorant Bastard
Everybody else is taking a well-warranted dump on the Washington Post blogger —and an almost incredible asshole— William Arkin, so I thought I, too, should point to one of the kernels of his caprolytic thoughts (emphases mine):
I can imagine some post-9/11 moment, when the American people say enough already with the wars against terrorism and those in the national security establishment feel these same frustrations. In my little parable, those in leadership positions shake their heads that the people don’t get it, that they don’t understand that the threat from terrorism, while difficult to defeat, demands commitment and sacrifice and is very real because it is so shadowy, that the very survival of the United States is at stake. Those Hoover’s and Nixon’s will use these kids in uniform as their soldiers. If I weren’t the United States, I’d say the story end with a military coup where those in the know, and those with fire in their bellies, save the nation from the people.
I’m not sure what Arkin thinks he means, but it’s probably got something to do with his best try at referencing two unsuccessful Republican Presidents.
Or maybe Arkin intended to come up with two chickenhawk Republican Presidents! Hmm. That would be just a delicious twist! But, that wouldn’t work, either, see. Nixon served his country honorably in the Second World War as a first lieutenant in the United States Navy, serving in the Pacific Theater. He also spent the next half-century fighting Communism, having shaken hands with Mao, reached detente with the Soviets, and ended America’s involvement in the Viet Nam War.
And what about poor old Herbert Hoover? It’s as easy as falling down to demonize Richard Nixon —Watergate being the only thing that a dolt like Arkin knows of our 37th President— but what did Hoover do to earn Arkin’s notice? Oh! It must have been the Great Depression that did him in (and, of course, the thing about him never serving in uniform, which is always bad and which always disqualifies people from advocating war).
Well, Hoover was a Republican (that’s bad), but he was also one of the great humanitarians of his age (that’s good). Do ignorant people know this about Hoover, or is it simply enough to reference him as synonymous with the Great Depression or whatever it is?
Both during and after the First World War, Herbert Hoover worked tirelessly to save much of Europe from starvation, including our enemies and even the Russians. While the vindictive British and French politicians busily worked to starve the German people in the post-war period, Hoover helped keep them alive. During the war itself, Hoover’s power was so great in Europe that his German passport read:
“This man is not to be stopped anywhere under any circumstances.”
As I say, I don’t know if Arkin was alluding to their common Republicanism or Quakerism or what, but it was an ignorant remark to make about two of the most important figures of the Twentieth Century.
And, let me assure you, what I have just quoted to you from Arkin’s remarks is the least assholish part of them. Don’t read what he wrote unless you’re ready to get angry.
