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As Marshall Wittmann of the Democratic Leadership Council observed last week, “We are in the midst of a jihadist offensive. The bombing of [Iraq’s] Askariya Shiite Shrine is another indication of the world-wide jihadist offensive against the West. ~William Kristol, The Weekly Standard I’m not the greatest geography buff. In fifth grade, I didn’t advance […]

As Marshall Wittmann of the Democratic Leadership Council observed last week, “We are in the midst of a jihadist offensive. The bombing of [Iraq’s] Askariya Shiite Shrine is another indication of the world-wide jihadist offensive against the West. ~William Kristol, The Weekly Standard

I’m not the greatest geography buff. In fifth grade, I didn’t advance in the National Geography Bee beyond taking first at my elementary school, so my qualifications may be limited here. But how dense do you have to be to cite the sectarian bombing of a shrine in Iraq as proof of an offensive, jihadist or otherwise, against the West? How dense do you have to be to quote someone saying that as if it were an obvious endorsement of your argument?

Shi’ite mosques and Christian churches are shot up in Pakistan with alarming frequency, and no one imagines that these represent parts of an anti-Western offensive. Kristol’s geographical genius reminds me of Stephen Fry’s depiction of Wellington: “We plan to take Boney completely by surprise via the North Pole.” To listen to Kristol the hysterical tell it, jihad is on the march everywhere. There are serious problems in Europe, but most of Kristol’s obsessions involve undermining American security and starting a war with Iran–both of which aid the jihadists and makes a further mockery of his dwindling movement.

What are Kristol’s proposals for the administration? Only one makes any sense at all: solidarity with Denmark. Otherwise, Kristol openly calls for the approval of the ludicrous Dubai-American ports deal and subverting the government of Iran (plus getting ever deeper into the Iraqi mess)–how this will prevent more destruction of the kind that took place in Samara is anybody’s guess. I suppose inflaming Shi’ites to bomb Sunni mosques will be taken as proof that Kristol’s plan is “working” and the West is back in fighting form?

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