DP Not a Neo-con

Submitted by GW (United States), Mar 19, 2005 at 21:13

Dr. Pipes -- Don't drape the Neo-Con mantle so fast! Traditionalists like Senator Schumer have given you a boost and they are much like you in their views, and yet they (and you, I thought) have very little in common with this Administration's more radical elements.

You have a fine military connection, and you know many military officers who thought that General Shinseki was right when he counselled that an occupation army had to be significantly large to achieve its mission. You (I presume) had enough military education and knowledge to know that General Shinseki's advice was on target, whereas the neo-cons were the very ones in this Administration to belittle the good general.

So, here's your difference from the neo-cons. You may agree with the aims of defending Israel and the right of Jews (and perhaps Christians and other non-believers) to live peacefully and freely in the Middle East, and you may be cautionary in your advice to the West about the intolerance of some Muslims who seek the primacy of their views, but you knew more about the military and its use and capabilities than the vast majority of these DOD officials and Bush speechwriters who barely if ever served in uniform.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".