Ben Stein Hit's a Homerun With His Assessment of Present Times

I saw this editorial linked to on Little Green Footballs Sunday, and like Charles Johnson said in his preamble to the post basically "How this made it past the New York Times Censoring Panel" cannot be said any better. As you read it you will see what he meant and like myself will think the same thing.

It's such a shame that an American institution like the NYT's is falling apart at the seams as it's ownership and management attempt to thrust their unwanted liberal European style agenda on Americans at a time in history when it couldn't be more obvious to anyone with their eyes open that the majority of us, even alot of liberals say it's not for us. Ben Stein ouitlines beautifully what and who made America great in such a short time and what is at risk for us right now if we don't all come together and fight our asses off for this country and what it still stands for.

Looking for the Will Beyond the Battlefield - New York Times: "Mighty Israel, the redeemer of faith in what free men and women can do with arid desert if they are motivated, redeemer of faith that maybe there is a place for the Jews as a sovereign people and technological superpower, has been fought to a standstill by Hezbollah.

Can it possibly be that Hezbollah is better motivated, better led, better dug in and better armed than the Israeli army, which is supposed to be the best army, pound for pound, in the world? Can it be that Israel, which used to beat whole armies of countries like Egypt and Syria, has been humbled by a few thousand very well-motivated and well-armed men firing from between apartment buildings?

Or could it be that what’s different this time is the trumpet and, specifically, its uncertain sound? Israel geared up for a huge offensive, then called it off, then huffed and puffed, then called it off again, then said, “Watch out, this time we’re really going to blow your house down,” and then called it off again.

Now, Israel’s very survival is on the line, and it is a tiny state, about the size of New Jersey. If Israel cannot get it together to fight a serious war against a group, Hezbollah, that the State department identifies as a terrorist organization, who will?"

So, Israel, which was supposed to be the shining light of how peace is won, is not shining as bright — despite President Bush’s extreme support for a good long time.

Terrorists are still hatching plots against the air traffic system of the West, and this time bigger and worse than before. Obviously, Al Qaeda is far from dead. We have much to fear from it still. The fact that the suspects were almost all home-grown Britons makes the situation that much more frightening and unpredictable. How long will it be until American-born terrorists strike against American targets? We are a big country and we have a lot of unhappy people. How long until they organize themselves to kill? Not long, I am afraid.

While we’re at it, yes, it’s miraculous and wonderful that the plot was foiled, if it was. But now the whole Western world will be seriously inconvenienced in its travel for years, maybe decades. Isn’t this already a victory for our enemies? Isn’t this already a blow against world business? Might it be enough to push our already slowed growth into a recession? full editorial

---