Tea at Trianon: Consequences of American Weakness: Wars, Terrorism, and a World on Edge

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Consequences of American Weakness: Wars, Terrorism, and a World on Edge

From America's Voice:

Weakness, specifically American weakness, has led to a pair of major wars, the root of which is Joe Biden and his incompetence. Look, we can debate what Russia would or would not do, but make no mistake, Vladimir Putin’s first major incursion, the invasion and annexation of Crimea, came when Barack Obama was in the White House. Then he rolled into Ukraine when Joe Biden was sleeping in the Oval Office or under his bed in Delaware.

Hamas launched its unprecedented attacks on unarmed civilians—slaughtering Israelis and anyone else in their way under this, the weakest presidency in modern American history. Neither Jimmy Carter nor Gerald Ford would have allowed this on their watch. Reagan, Clinton, and both Bushes go without saying. They would have all stood up for America. During Donald Trump’s time in office, they simply didn’t dare because none of them had any idea what he might do. None of them were willing to the chance—but he’s not in charge, and the wars rage on with a high price for people on all sides.

Reflecting on the events in Israel and the reaction of thousands of people in the streets of London, Sidney, Paris, and even Dearborn, Michigan makes you wonder, what next? FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Americans that terrorists—many of whom, whether they admit it or not, walked into this country illegally—may begin Hamas-type attacks here on American soil. The question of how this happened is persistent now—with plenty of people questioning who dropped the ball.

And it is a fair question. Between the United States, our European allies, and Israel itself, we have about the best intelligence in the world. But somehow the low-tech assault using hang gliders, pick-up trucks, and inflatable boats went undetected in its planning and its execution for possibly two years or more according to several sources now. And yet—nobody can accept responsibility.

We live in a world where those in charge are always standing around pointing fingers and trying to fix the blame somewhere, acting like little kids who got caught with a box full of crayons coloring the walls. From the moment we first heard of the hideous and grotesque attacks on a music festival—where hundreds of unarmed civilians were slaughtered—and the killing of children and the elderly in their homes, we moved to the brink of a much wider regional war, where the casualties will mount quickly, and the hair-trigger of a world war could be put to the biggest test of our lifetimes.

Iran says it will not stand on the sidelines—and the usual warmongers are thrilled with the idea of going back to the sandbox, whether they say so or not. Lindsey Graham is already beating the drums, advocating for the use of American military force against Iran if they take an active role in the ongoing conflict. But honestly, if Iran enters the war in a more open fashion, what choice would we have? There is no question that Iran has been working with and funding Hamas and Hezbollah for decades. Now, they are making noise about not being able to sit idly by. Well, that would create a much more critical situation as the war is set to expand in the coming days.

The IDF is carrying out strikes in Gaza against Hamas militants and leaders, targeting the architects behind the massacre in southern Israel. The language of Israeli political and military leaders is more definitive than in the past. They are sick and tired of Hamas’ terror and seem motivated to end this mess once and for all. Again, this is all predicated by weakness in the White House and the American public. Too many are far more willing to bury their heads in the sand than make a stand for America and the future of our kids and grandkids. We do not have the luxury of sitting idly by and waiting to see what happens. If we do, this war may well come to us, and it may anyway because of our reckless and failed border policies and the obtuse notion that if we are just tolerant enough, then everyone will just get along. (Read more.)