Mixed messages
Jed Babbin argues that the war against terrorists is essentially an ideological war and that "just as we defeated communism by defeating the communists’ ideology, we need to attack and destroy that of the radical Islamists." Babbin therefore calls for President Bush to "fight[] this ideological battle with all the energy and relentlessness of a Marine sergeant assaulting a bunch of terrorists holed up in a cave."
In my view Bush, gets high marks, for a politician at least, for recognizing the ideological nature of the present struggle. However, he has sent mixed ideological messages at times, and the frequency of such messages seems to be increasing under Secretary of State Rice.
SCOTT adds: Michael Ledeen writes to comment on Babbin's argument: "Actually it was the other way ‘round. Communism was destroyed as a credible ideology when we brought down the Soviet empire, just as fascism was destroyed when Hitler and Mussolini were defeated. And so...win the war, islamofascism will wither and die."
