Hail Caesar

A must read from Digby. And not just some run of the mill must read, but a truly chilling one.

Digby is offering Conquering the Drawbacks of Democracy By Philip Atkinson. Atkinson is, of course, a winger.

The wisest course would have been for President Bush to use his nuclear weapons to slaughter Iraqis until they complied with his demands, or until they were all dead. Then there would be little risk or expense and no American army would be left exposed. But if he did this, his cowardly electorate would have instantly ended his term of office, if not his freedom or his life.

The simple truth that modern weapons now mean a nation must practice genocide or commit suicide. Israel provides the perfect example. If the Israelis do not raze Iran, the Iranians will fulfill their boast and wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Yet Israel is not popular, and so is denied permission to defend itself. In the same vein, President Bush cannot do what is necessary for the survival of Americans. He cannot use the nation's powerful weapons. All he can do is try and discover a result that will be popular with Americans.

Now we lefties do tend to be abrasive, profane, cynical, but we rarely (never?) suggest genocide as a solution to any problem.