What is it about socialism that attracts so many thugs, madmen, and murderers? Muammar Gaddafi is the latest in a long line of socialists to unleash the violence of the state upon his own people. As I write in my column @ Human Events, it's okay to call Gaddafi "crazy," "evil," "megalomaniacal." Just don't call him a "socialist."

Ironic that a progressive (a.k.a. socialist-lite) is trying to take out a socialist. Good example of leftist bunglers.

;)

Gaddafi is not enough of a radical muslim for our alleged President.

He'd rather see the Brotherhood running Libya.

The same way that they filled the void in Egypt, if they don't leave it alone, Libya will follow the same path.

Of course, Marxist turned dictator appeals to The One.

ASDF, that idea would better apply to what's going on in Ivory Coast (which is yet more proof that D'Souza was correct about the anti-colonialist ideas driving Obama).

What kind of a total dumbass would use the term "anti-colonialist" as an insult or criticism? The founding fathers were anti-colonialists for God's sake! Does anyone even know what colonialism is?

I was using it in the sense that Dinesh D'Souza uses it in his book "The Roots of Obama's Rage". While I suppose you can call him a lot of things, "dumbass" seems inappropriate. I don't really care what you call me.

If it weren't for colonialism, the United States would not exist as a nation.

I think Homer's talking about reflexive anti-colonialism...the idea that colonialism has done no good whatsoever.

In D'Sousa's case, he (D'Sousa) would argue that British colonialism is the reason that India is competitive in today's world rather than a social and economic backwater.

I haven't read the other book so maybe Homer can enlighten us.

That's a good point NR. And sometimes colonialism is not such a bad thing.

Case in point, look at South Africa then and now.

I've always loved the quote by Sir Charles Napier when the British were working to outlaw the practice of Sati in colonial India -

"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; [then] beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."

If not for colonialism, India would indeed still be a primitive backwater.

D'Souza does not claim that colonialism itself is a bad thing, merely that Obama thinks it is, generally; and, that he is generally reflexively anti-colonialist (as was suggested above). Given that we've taken the side of the Muslim north in Ivory Coast - as opposed to the French Catholic, Christian south - is in line with D'Souza's thesis.

Thanks Homer, that gives me a better perspective of D'Sousa's view.

Now, back to the progressive bungling:

"Hey guys, we're going to institute a no-fly zone for humanitarian reasons."

Okeydoke.

"We're not going to go in and oust the regime."

Gotcha.

"Gaddafi must step down!" (I'm paraphrasing)

Um?

"Oh, while we're at it, we're gonna destroy a few tanks...call it a kinetic military action."

?

"Uh,oh...seems that both sides of the aisle and the American public aren't cool with that idea and are wondering if we (well, I guess you...I'm Canadian) are getting embroiled in another war."

Cue backpedal.

"Um...so...I guess we're going to pull back and let NATO handle things...no, no, no, we're not cutting and running, absolutely not! Just...stepping back from the lead...you know, the 'nuanced' position."

Really?

And that, my friends, is a pretty good example of bungling.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if you guys kicked the crap out of Gaddafi and brought his head home on a pike (sorry, sometimes we Canadians bely how gentle we are) or intervened in Ivory Coast, but I understand that you must be tired of acting in lieu of the United Nations.

But man, the dude in charge of your country is indecisive. I see Guantanamo is still open...he's missed his deadlines for both Iraq and Afghanistan...helped oust Mubarek and install another dude that wants to go to war with Israel (granted, he's not in power yet, but the long peace with Egypt seems in dire distress).

It's like a bad episode of 24.