via tecum*

Monsignor Fukuyama administers last rites to neoconservatism. Of course, Fukuyama predicted the end of history. And, of course, in this article, he says he was misunderstood. But still, one of many harbingers. To date, I had wondered if, with a seemingly eternal war on terror, we'd be stuck with the fearmongering neocons forever. But it appears their Keystone Cop bungling has convinced even the average bugaboo that they can't even be trusted to perform even the most basic functions of government.

Exhibit A: 9/11
Exhibit B: Iraq
Exhibit C, and possibly the nail in the coffin, as it were: Katrina

We've got Iraq War veterans running for office as Democrats. And democracy abroad has brought us Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.

And the cartoon violence has somehow played into the hands of the left. I would have thought that the barbaric, childish behavior of radical Muslims would have played into the hands of the right. "See," the right could have said, "they need to be managed. They need to be invaded and pacified and given some democratic castor oil."

But Republican rhetoric rings hollow on this one, I'm afraid. The party of Christ cannot condemn a religion because, well, they derive their mandate from religious loonies. You can't wear a cross around your neck and say, "Your religion is wrong, your religion is all messed up." Religious nuts don't have a leg to stand on. Sorry, the "but we're not violent" card isn't going to work. See Hitchens and Mencken.

The only convincing rhetoric in this case is coming from the agnostic left and the editor who made the decision to run the cartoons.

Not that the left is inspiring me, mind you. Check out the latest Democratic plan to combat stateless terrorism.

*on the way with you