Politics and Culture

The Asymmetric policy is to assume that people with whom I disagree are sincere in their desire to see a better world and America-despite evidence, in some cases, to the contrary. So, I'm going about reading Hugh Hewitt's blog when he brings the following Fox poll to my attention:

Thursday, January 18, 2007
The Most Depressing Poll Ever
Posted by Dean Barnett | 4:02 PM

In the latest Fox News poll, just out today, the pollsters asked the following question:

Do you personally want the Iraq plan President Bush announced last week to succeed?

Here are the results:

Overall: 63% Yes 22% No 15% Don’t Know

Democrats: 51% Yes 34% No 15% Don’t Know

Republicans: 79% Yes 11% No 10% Don’t Know

Independents 63% Yes 19% No 17% Don’t Know

Hugh Hewitt didn't know what to make of it. But guess what? I do.

First, let's define success. Success of Bush's plan would mean that Iraqi and American forces would quell the violence caused by insurgents enough to allow democracy to flourish. Success would further mean defeating or at least suppressing the following people: terrorists who target children for the purpose of causing civil disruption; Pre-nuclear, Jihadist, Jew/America/West-hating Iran; Assassinating, dictatorial, Syria; former supporters of mass-murdering dictator Saddam Hussein; and people who wish for democracy to fail. Finally, success would mean securing an ally in the Middle East against future problems in the region.

Failure in Iraq would mean a bloodbath between religious groups-at least. Failure may also result in a Sunni-Shia regional war, a much larger and more influential Iran, and a base of operation for Al Qaida-type terrorists. I won't even discuss the damage to the American reputation and to our own psychological well-being.

I'll assume that the 15 per cent who don't know whether they want victory to be people who don't pay attention to politics (happy people).

So, 22% want the United States to fail despite the seemingly obvious disadvantage to Iraqis, this country, and the world. Why might that be? Well, these Americans, whom I will henceforth call anti-hegemonists for their belief that the greatest problem with the world is American power, would see a free and prosperous Iraq as a vindication of hegemonist policies. On the other hand, an Iraq in chaos would be a delicious "I told you so" moment, a repudiation, if you will, of hegemony. I prefer to think that nobody could be so mendacious, but for some people, the triumph of their ideology takes precedence over human beings. Practically, an improvement in Iraq would lessen the credibility, electoral success, or influence for some Democrats and all of the Left. In a way, I feel sorry for them; it must be difficult to root for the other side. Yet, they placed themselves in that position and deserve the buzzing dissonance that must torment them.

Stop the war... before we win!