A simple explanation as to why the American people are not feeling war love

a Madison Avenue fable.

 Seeking to produce a new dog food, a big corporation set market researchers, food chemists and advertising agencies to work. The experts came up with a new product they were proud of. The dog food sold well, for a while. Then it slumped. Puzzled, the corporate executives commissioned a public opinion firm to see what was wrong. 

Soon, the answer came back: "The dogs don't like it."

The Neutralist is somewhat Menckenesque in attitude toward the electorate.  I am happily amazed that they find the flavor of the current sales pitch a bit off.

this is from Ben Wattenberg.  I have no idea how he feels about intervention, it is just that the story works. 

Anatoly Karlin dissects the stupid rhetoric on Syria

I can't say I know much about Mr. Karlin other than guessing he is a Russian living in the US.  Always interesting, but this time superb.  His dissection of the rhetoric could be a primer on the subject.  His introduction to the post Game of Homs is dead on,

What striking about Syria is how so many people insist on speaking about it in profoundly moralistic, Manichaean terms. This is complete nonsense, given that its civil war isn’t a showdown between democracy and dictatorship, but an ethnic and religious conflict.

His explanation of what the regime is doing is also worth reading.

The Assad regime 

The rhetoric: He kills his own people! He is the Evil Overlord (TM)! 

The reality: That’s kind of what happens in a civil war. Abraham Lincoln also “killed his own people,” you know. It is obvious why the “regime” fights on: That is what regimes do  – as a general rule of thumb, they’re fond of surviving. The rather more interesting and telling question is: Why do key elements of the population continue to back them?

As far as the Alawites and Christians are concerned, it’s pretty clear: The Sunnis have never been particularly well disposed to them, and the past few years haven’t made them any fonder. The last time the Sunnis revolted in Hama in 1982, one of the slogans of the Muslim Brotherhood was “Christians to Beirut, Alawites to the graveyard.” 

In the game of Homs, you win or you die – and the “you” is in its plural form. No wonder Assad has a solid support base. 

there is more to it and everyone should read it.  Unfortunately, the web being what it is, only folks who have heard of him will notice.  The vast sea of my incurious countrymen will never see it.

Fortunately, other than the Obamanots, few still buy the idea that another war is the ticket.

Report from the telescreen-Diane Sawyer introduces the women snipers of Syria

The Neutralist almost never watches network evening news.  In our so called adult life we have witnessed all to much propaganda masquerading as news that little shocks us.  Last night, we came close.  It was not that it was blatant.  The problem was there was no effort to not be stupid.

Diane Sawyer in "I am a serious newsreader" mode introduces us to the women snipers of Syria.  She hands off to Muhammad Lila on the ground who is with black clad teachers by day who are snipers by night.  Didn't answer the question as to when the lasses get sleep, but when it's life or death for the cause, you do what you have to do.

According to Muhammad, "they've been trained as rebel snipers, patrolling to keep their neighborhood safe."

Was it all contrived?  Snipers don't ususally patrol, they have a position to observe the enemy lines and pick a target of opportunity.

But, damn it all looked contrived, and the average American wouldn't know anyway.

It is getting harder and harder for the major media to propagandize effectively.Ten, fifteen years ago, the shilling for war would have been more effective.  They must be surprised that less and less people buy the line.  Of course, there is the internet and also, they've gone to the well a little too often.

Maybe folks have the felling, fool me once shame on you, fool me ten times.........

Mara Liasson and NPR your tax dollars at work

Listening to NPR after Sunday Baroque.  Mara is talking oh so seriously about how the president has a problemo with his war as the American public is "seriously conflicted" about the proposed debacle,  She said this not just once.

I googled and found a poll that said support is 50% up from 9 or something.  I am not sure that that means we are conflicted.  Most people I are not anguishing.  They have an opinion and others have a different one.

What it means is not enough people, even NPRbots have blindly accepted the pro-intervention line.  NPR, and the other media can't sell it even to some Obama loyalists.  NPR, Fox for the left.

The story after was even more vapid.  It was Jill Biden talking about her important work in education or something.  I am sure she is a nice lady, but if she were not Gaffer Joe's wife, she would not be on radio.

What got me was I think she said, "Just after we were elected."

Good luck Mr. President

Sir I wish you this sincerely.  I hope you were not really hot for the adventure and it seemed like you might have been hesitant.  Were the furies, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Samantha Power, Susan Rice, Hillary Clinton, pushing you?

Who knows your thoughts?  Certainly not the Neutralist.

But here is a chance to climb down.  Here are two options:

1. Let a vote happen and lose and blame the Republicans for every bad thing that happens in the ME.

2. Make a speech laying out why intervention would be a bad thing and you were for peace and unicorns or some twaddle.  Wait and collect another Nobel.

Understand, I hope you extricate yourself not because I love any politician, but because this is a bad idea.

Bonne Chance!