The Illiteracy of Right-Wing Bloggers

Technorati Tags: Top Ten Myths of Iraq war, citing sources, links to other Internet sources

A blog called "Strategy Page" presents us with the "Top Ten Myths of the Iraq War." They are:

1. No weapons of mass destruction.
2. The 2003 invasion was illegal.
3. Sanctions were working.
4. Overthrowing Saddam only helped Iran.
5. The invasion was a failure.
6. The invasion helped Al Qaeda.
7. Iraq is in a state of civil war.
8. Iraqis were better off under Saddam.
9. The Iraq war caused Islamic terrorism to increase in Europe.
10. The war in Iraq is lost.

Each of these "myths" gets a paragraph presumably intended to support, explain, or back up the notion that it IS a myth. What is notable about the list is not the fact that the items on it are presented as myths. What's notable is that the paragraphs meant to support each item do not contain any support at all -- as in, outside sources, other than your own opinion, that support your argument. Literally, there is not one single link, cite, or reference given in this entire list.

Furthermore, the arguments do not even begin to make sense or hang together on their own. They are muddy, illogical, unclear: it's difficult to understand what this guy is even trying to say, much less if it's true or credible.

Take Myth 4, for example -- "Overthrowing Saddam only helped Iran":

4-Overthrowing Saddam Only Helped Iran. Of course, and this was supposed to make Iran more approachable and open to negotiations. With the Iraqi "threat" gone, it was believed that Iran might lose its radical ways and behave. Iran got worse as a supporter of terrorism and developer of WMD. Irans clerical dictatorship did not want a democracy next door. The ancient struggle between the Iranians and Arabs was brought to the surface, and the UN became more active in dealing with problems caused by pro-terrorist government of Iran. As a result of this, the Iranian police state has faced more internal dissent. From inside Iran, Iraq does not look like an Iranian victory.

If anyone understands what the intended meaning is in this paragraph, you are more clever than I am, and please tell me what it is.

This pile of dreck is linked to approvingly by Jules Crittendon, city editor and columnist at the Boston Herald; and other fantasy-based bloggers, including one Dr. Sanity, who spends over 2,000 words developing a psychological analysis of the left's inability to face reality, apparently without the slightest inkling that she might herself be exemplifying the psychological phenomenon known as projection.

It really is astounding.