Asymmetrical Information

Quite right. I'm absolutely certain that our leaders neither consult nor consider the opinions of our allies. Since they apparently take actions contrary to allies' preferences, they obviously "aren't listening". No other explanation is possible.

"Is anyone asking what has sparked all this hostility from the Islamic world?" No, of course not. Not a soul in the nation has ever asked such a question: not the man on the street, not the writers of letters-to-the-editor, not any of our scholars, distinguished or otherwise. Not a breath of this issue has wafted onto the pages of our news and opinion journals. We simply don't care.

No debate over terrorism and its relation to our Israeli policy, oppressive Arab governments, or other conditions in the Islamic world has ever ruffled the serenity of our discourse. (Certainly these are matters of utter indifference to the blogosphere.)

There can be no other explanation for the fact that some of us do not find the truth of your correspondent's views glaringly obvious.

Speck of grit in the oyster, eh? Well, that beats "shitty little country" for style points, I suppose...

Moira says it nicely: this faux exasperation over our supposed indifference to the foreign policy suggestions of European intellectuals is tiresome. Tell your friend that we have indeed heard the complaints, but that we find them wanting.

Well everyone has to have one Guardian reading friend now don't they? I have been in London since right before 9/11 and heard none of the sentiments contained in this letter from anyone I know and respect. The Guardian and other left wing papers do not in fact speak for the British public. In fact if you wish to know who does try The Sun and The Telegraph, who have the highest ciculation rates in the respect genres (tabloid & broadsheet).

Will you in the US would quit lumping the UK in with the Europeans. In most senses of the word it is not a European nation (law, culture, tradition, allegiances, outlook etc) despite what people like Edward "Hello Sailor" Heath (ex-PM) and Leon Brittan-EU Commissioner say.

Think of how it urks people in the US when the left-wing elite in New York and Hollywood are seen as speaking for the nation.

Britain is getting a great deal of shit from its fellow EU colleagues for its support of the US. It is unfortunate when those in the country it's sticking it's neck out for stab them in the back (steel tariffs) or lump them in with the continentals.

Blair is right now at an EU conference where he is pushing for free trade and a more liberated market. His only ally is Berlusconi from Italy.

A good point, 'Mindles'. The U.K. cannot be linked with Europe. Nor should my correspondent lump them together("people on this side of the water", he says).

...Certainly don't want to disparage the fish-n'-potatoes Brits, Dodgeblogger. That's why I was careful to use the phrase "European intellectuals." As Mindles points out, the original correspondent set the conditions -- we just responded.

Fuck him and the horse he rode in on.

No, no, wait, that's a bit churlish, provincial, childish, simplistic and naive. My apologies. Try this, "Just received your input. Will waste no time in reviewing it. Cheers."

One question: Is this letter sincere, or is it just a troll?

I suppose it's barely possible for someone whose news sources are the Guardian, the New Statesman, and the BBC to believe that America's leaders fail to "take the slightest notice of anything said to them" or that no Americans are "asking what has sparked all this hostility from the Islamic world." But the writer has access to e-mail, and (therefore, one would suppose) the internet. And it beggars belief that such a person could have missed all of the dissent and discussion (and coverage of European and Arab views) carried by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and even such "right wing" sites as the Wall Street Journal and National Review.

No, I think this letter is just a provocation. This person's concern is not that Americans have paid no attention, but that Americans HAVE weighed European and Arab opinion and have found them wanting or irrelevant. And what the writer wants is for us to repudiate America's current position: Yes, we should pay more attention to what we're told. Yes, we should be trying to mollify the Arab street. Yes, we should be putting more pressure on Israel. But he comes to the party a bit late, because we debated these issues MONTHS AGO.

Give him the addresses of USS CLUELESS, ANDREW SULLIVAN, SGT.STRYKER, WAR LIBERAL, and INSTAPUNDIT. Tell him to go read the archives, back to 9/11. He should find plenty of discussion. But NOT agreement with (what appear to be) his positions. The message should be: We HAVE considered the evidence, and we HAVE made up our minds. If you disagree, fine. But that disagreement is insufficient reason for us to change our minds now. Get over it.

I think it's sincere. I have had some interesting correspondence with this fellow in the past. He is a retired anti-trust civil servant in London and a recognized expert on WWI.

I know. It does raise the question of who's living in a vacuum. I did, in fact, send him some LGF and USS Clueless links.

Next time leave a real email, eh Grouch?

I always wonder when anyone (everyone) says "The U.S. is the sole support of Israel" or "Israel gets all this defense money from America" why EGYPT gets left out of the mix. Isn't Egypt the Second-Largest-Recipient-of-Aid?

Actually, 'Mindles' must work at Conservative Central Office: the Sun is a rag, and the Telegraph speaks for a cadre of retired majors in Surrey who don't like darkies and just want to be able to hunt down foxes in peace. As for the Grouch's links: furtive testosterone-fuelled wargeeks are no substitute for intelligent commentary. That you regard Sgt Bloody Stryker as a fount of wisdom proves that there's no hope for you all.

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