Today's Nuze: December 15, 2003

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2003

OUT OF HIS HOLE ... AND OUT OF IRAQ

The last time I returned to Atlanta from a long weekend in Las Vegas was on September 9th, 2001. Two days later the world changed. Yesterday I was awakened by my cell phone at about 4:30 Vegas time. Saddam Hussein had been captured ... did I want to rush to the station and do a special Sunday morning show? No ... I wanted to get up, get breakfast, and head to the airport for my already-scheduled AirTran flight home.

We can rejoice in America at Saddam's capture, or at least some of us can. As you'll see below some Democrats and other assorted leftists are having a bit of a problem getting into the spirit. More on that in a bit. No matter how happy we may be at this news, there is no real way we can understand what is in the hearts and minds of the Iraqi citizens who suffered under this despot. We simply cannot identify with the fear that the Iraqi people had of this man. How many mass graves have we found now in Iraq? What is the Hussein death toll? Surely hundreds of thousands. Here is a man who used chemicals and poisons to kill thousands of his own. Across Iraq there are families missing fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who know in their hearts that their loved ones were taken from them by this man found yesterday hiding in a hole.

Here's an idea for Saddam's eventual punishment. After the interrogation is completed, after Saddam has had his day in court, take him back to that hole, stuff him inside and seal the opening. Let him spend those final days in darkness with just a taste of the fear felt by those he killed.

The Bush Administration was smart to point out that this will not mean an end to attacks on coalition troops. Last week Saddam's opponents were reluctant to talk to the media for fear of retaliation should Saddam ever return to power. Today it is Saddam supporters who won't give their last names to the media. They know the game is up ... and they now fear the people they have betrayed over the past year. Saddam's henchmen know now that Iraqis will be far more willing, even eager, to turn in those who are still conducting attacks against coalition forces.

The civilized treatment Hussein receives at the hands of American troops will fuel in Saddam a newfound courage. Judging from the way he meekly surrendered you might think that he would have spilled his guts if the proper pressure were brought to bear. He plays the game that way, we don't. I wonder if he will have any conscious awareness of the fact that he is getting much better treatment at the hands of the United States than his opponents got when he ruled Iraq.

In the short term ... look for an increase in attacks against coalition forces. These attacks will be the last, desperate acts of fanatics who know that all reasonable hope is gone. In the long run ... A boot has been lifted off the necks of the Iraqi people. They need no longer fear the retributions that would come with a return of Saddam Hussein. Rank and file Iraqis will want to see the a new Iraq grow out of peace and stability, and to that end they will become more and more willing to turn in their countrymen who seek to promote chaos and disorder.

Today should be interesting ... stay tuned.

AND WHAT ARE RANK AND FILE DEMOCRATS SAYING?

A listener visited Democraticunderground.com yesterday and copied down some of the comments being made. I thank him for providing them, and present them here for your "enjoyment" and disgust:

To me, it's obvious that Bush is far more dangerous than Saddam Hussein, especially if he has another four years to destroy my country by trying to transform the republic into an empire.
The benefits of capturing Saddam seem vastly outweighed by the increased danger posed by Bush insofar as Bush's reelection chances are enhanced by the capture.
In my view, what is good for GW Bush politically is almost necessarily bad for America and the world.
I also think that it is absurd to allow one's feelings for the troops -- who voluntarily chose to join America's hyper-aggressive war-machine -- to determine one's analysis of policy.
The timing of this thing just seems way too convenient. Bush, down in the polls - having to face questions not just about the war but also about the economy and our international standing. Dean, riding high, starting to attract the NASCAR dads the media thinks are the key to this election. Even Bush's media events are torn to pieces as the shams they are.
Then suddenly, we *find* Sadaam Hussein. Trot him out as a spectacle for the Roman masses, throw his generals to the lions and look into the corner to see if Emperor Georgie gives him a thumbs up or thumbs down....
If you have any respect for international law, you'd be against Saddam's capture. He may be an evil man but he should be allowed to run his country the way he wishes to run it.
If you're happy about his capture...you are pretty much happy that we had the war (we wouldn't have captured him otherwise).
There is NO good from this war...only suffering.
Bush could cure cancer and I'd still hate him.
The Iraqi people had to live under Husseine and now they are worse off with Bush. I'm sorry for the American people who have to live under Bush. I'm pissed.

Thoughts from Democrats, my friends. Hard to believe, I know, but you can enjoy these wonderful Americans at your own leisure simply by visiting Democraticunderground.com on the Internet.

OK .. THIS IS TACKY, BUT FUNNY

Sorry, folks. I just can't resist this. I got an email this morning from someone named Jeff containing this message:

Saddam Hussein's identity has been confirmed using a DNA test which showed a match to a sample obtained from a stain on a dress that Senator Hillary Clinton wore on her recent trip to Iraq.

Now this is Monday, so Jeff couldn't have swiped this from Jay Leno or David Letterman. I'm suspicious, though. This deliciously insensitive line is just too good to have come from someone not trained in the comic arts. Damn .. wish I had thought of it.

BEING TAKEN TO TASK BY A LISTENER

The following email was waiting for me this morning:

Neal:

You really pissed me off with your ignorant, backwards spewing about "ADHD" the other day. Fortunately, I am smart enough to know that my strong, negative emotional reaction to what you said meant that I needed to reexamine my own opinions.

I have had my daughter evaluated and was on the verge of (reluctantly) allowing her to be medicated. Thanks to your narrow-minded, insensitive, uneducated rant, I have realized that I knew all along that my daughter is not sick, and that medicating her would take away part of her amazing mind and personality. Just so that she can be assimilated into a classroom. You know, like a good communist. I fought tooth and nail in Illinois against uniforms in public schools, and refused to send my daughter there. How tragic (and ironic) if I allowed her mind to be made "uniform".

She is a burden on the teachers, who have to redirect her constantly. She has tried very hard to make herself be what every one wanted. And is beginning to hate herself because she keeps failing. I will not allow my daughter to be handicapped so that she can function (sort of) in school without making waves.

I will see that my daughter gets the best education, the one that makes the most of her gifts, if I have to homeschool her or hire tutors.

So, thanks, you ornery hardhead, you.

Pamela

PS, I'm ADHD, too, according to the criteria. I like it. I'm thinking of getting a t-shirt: ADHD and non-medicated. Try to keep up.

You gotta love that T-shirt. "ADHD and non-medicated. Try to keep up." It's clear the listeners are far more creative than I am today. I guess I'll be relying on the telephones a good bit.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Saddam's Capture: Saddam has left the country -- Peggy Noonan -- Reaction in the Arab world -- Upset Palestinians -- Tony Blair -- A diagram of Saddam's hiding place -- George Will -- Wall Street Journal editorial -- Washington Times -- Saddam answering questions with rhetoric -- War crimes tribunal --

An editorial from the London Telegraph: It's payback time for the axis of weasels.

Now that you've had a few days to think about it .. have you come to realize what a sneaky back-stabber Al Gore is? Aren't you more happy than ever this man couldn't even carry his home county, let alone his home state. These Tennesseans knew him a lot better than we did three years ago ... now everybody is on notice. Two columns to read on the treachery of Al Gore. Diana West and Kathleen Parker.

John Leo writes that the hard left decided long ago that George Bush is really Adolf Hitler. This is the way the left argues public policy .. take your ideological opponent and time him to an evil character from our history. Understandable, though, in light of the fact that liberals have so much trouble thinking logically.

You would think that the news about the capture of Saddam Hussein would be the best possible news Bush could receive this weekend .. at least insofar as reelection efforts go. Could there actually be better news out there? Perhaps so. Socialist Ralph Nader is thinking about running for president again.

It's going to be a bit tougher now for the media to downplay America's accomplishments in Iraq.

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