William F. Buckley, Jr.: U.S. Should Admit Defeat in Iraq

I am not suprised. George Will and William F.Buckley were once highly esteemed, but go against Bush and your name is mud.Funny how that works out that way.

 

The Bush sycophant mentality

 

Dude, where's my civil war??

(id boominator@gmail.com, password "boomboom")

 

Rocko

I am not suprised. George Will and William F.Buckley were once highly esteemed, but go against Bush and your name is mud.Funny how that works out that way.

That is ridiculous. Will and Buckley are both still solidly conservative writers and no one is questioning that who didn't question it before. Will's conservatism has been questioned for a long time, before Bush even entered public office, for being a little soft on the welfare state. Even Buckley has been questioned, mostly by those on the John Birch Society Right, who say he is part of "the conspiracy". Fine for some on the Right to question them but not others? Personally I think, as I said, they're both solid conservatives but I disagree with them on a few things, I did before the war and I disagree with them about the war. Can you or Ken name anyone who doubts either of them who did not doubt them before? Ken posted an earlier thread/link making this accusation about people being written off as conservatives and I've already called him on it.

 

Buckley's conservatism was an old-fashioned, American sort, suspicious of government, but pragmatic it.

He was opposed to racism and the kind of mindless ideology that pervades the GOP today.

He's on record as not being very happy about it.

 

Galatian,

Exactly how is he on record about "not being very happy" about it, and what do you/he mean about "mindless ideology"? Any links, references?

 

What I was trying to allude to FTR was those who become a roadblock to George Bush and what he wants to achieve usually pay a heavy price. I remember when Pat Buchanan opposed Bush in the 2000 primaries he could not get the support from any of his GOP friends in fact he was painted as being a Nazi, and this was coming from the mouths of conservative talk show hosts. Richard Clarke served under 4 Presidents beginning with Reagan but paid a heavy price for his criticism of George Bush:
From March 24,2004 from and MSNBC report:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4568982/
A senior White House aide told NBC News on condition of anonymity this week that Bush personally ordered his aides to launch the counteroffensive against the book, which the aide said Bush saw as a political assault.
___________________________________________
So all I am saying FTR is I am not suprised that an attack on the crediblity of Conservative writers like Will,Buckly and Bennet could not be forthcoming just judging by the past actions of our administration.

 

Is this a photo of your fish tank?

 

Is this a photo of your fish tank? </font>[/QUOTE]I always wondered what an ASLANSPAL was.

 

Buckley's take on the decline of conservatism:
"Conservatism today, he says, is adrift, no longer in control of public opinion, lacking in leadership, internally divided (traditional conservatives don't like neoconservatives who don't like New Rightists), and altogether in parlous straits.."
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/Summaries/V85I6P33-1.htm

 

Traditional conservatives?
Neoconservatives?
New Rightests?

Anybody know what the galatian is talking about?

 

Uh- just for the record, how do you figure this "sycophant mentality" limited to only one individual or even one party? Just askin'.
Ed

 

If you're really desperate, you could go to the link and read the article.

 

Wow what a revelation Galatian! Why didn't we think of that?

 

Hey, glad to help out, poncho.

 

Galatian,

The quote you provided (I could not access the link as I am not a subscriber) makes no reference to Buckley being "not very happy" about "mindless ideology" pervading the GOP but rather to unhappiness generally at divisions within conservatism. They are not new divisions but, as I have said, long preceded Bush's entry into politics. Your statement is misleading, at best, based on the info you have provided.


Thanks, Rocko, but I still haven't seen any administration criticism of either Will or Buckley. I doubt it will happen. The President recently appeared at a dinner at the White House honoring National Review's 50th birthday. Interestingly, much of the criticism of Buchanan as anti-Semitic was fueled by Buckley in a collection of essays in National Review several years ago.


OR,

The divisions Buckley referred to in the quote by Galatian are in fact longstanding differences within the conservative movement. IMO, the best single reference on the history of those splits and the conservative movment in general is The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945 by George Nash.

 

Sorry about not being able to read what he said. If you're really desperate, you could read old National Review editorials, or (gasp) write him.

 

Galatian,

If you have access to it, please copy the portion which confirms your contention of Buckley's views.

 

I no longer have access. However, I will see if I can find a cite you can see.

 

Thanks.