Reply #10: Re your questions... [View All]

I cannot really answer them fully as I am not American. However, I definitely do not agree that the main failing of the left has been 'demonizing and fighting Bush every inch of the way'. I think that almost all Bush's actions ARE evil and deserve to be demonized and fought every inch of the way! Whether it is a *wise electoral strategy* to do so, is another matter; and not one on which I can readily comment with regard to another country. But it's my impression that the main failing of the left in America, as in many places, is factionalism: spending too much time fighting one another, and too little time uniting against the real right wing.

I don't think that Pipes has any justification in 'wanting to stick it to us'; no. I think we represent something far better than Bush or Cheney or the right-wing in general ever could. Just as the liberal Arabs represent something far better than the RW fundies! And the left and the centre and even the moderate Conservatives in Britain and Europe represent something far better than the far-right! Whether the tactics of the left and liberals (I get the impression that there are VERY few people in mainstream American politics who are truly left-wing) are *maximally effective* in fighting Bush and his promoters - that could be another matter.

I doubt that Bush will make any breakthroughs in the Middle East peace process. Miracles can happen. Sometimes right-wingers act out of character; and when they do, they can sometimes push things through that would sadly not be accepted from a left-winger. "Only Nixon could go to China"; and perhaps only Begin and Sadat, both right-wing hawks, could go to Camp David. However, Bush is not only right-wing; he is stupid with it. And Abbas and Olmert are in very weak positions. But one can always hope for a miracle, as I said.