"A Guiding Hand Is Needed" for the Poor, Backward Peoples of the World

Madeleine Albright figured prominently in "The Truth Shall Drive You Mad: The Wise Men and Women of the Empire of Death," a discussion of Obama's foreign policy brain trust.

In "All We Are Saying Is, Make Smarter War" -- and isn't that accurate summary of the Democratic Establishment's views a stirring slogan for the allegedly peace-loving Dems -- Matt Welch reports on the puzzling/contradictory/unintelligible/unresponsive/meretricious/nauseating doings of various foreign policy luminaries at the Denver poobah gathering. With stars like these, you would be better advised to let the heavens fall and live in perpetual darkness. Leave it to these Dems, and perpetual darkness may be what you get in any case.

Welch notes that Albright "is at the center of rebuilding the Democratic foreign-policy messaging and approach," and ponders the implications: "You'd think that such a disconnect between anti-war base and pro-interventionist leadership would cause a few brains to explode, but the only people who seem to be hearing the dissonance in Denver are journalists." Of course, we must not forget that, for Democratic Party loyalists, Democrats are good, and Democratic wars are good wars and Democratic murders are good murders. Dissonance begone!

It appears these Democratic foreign policy experts said quite a lot, but never quite managed to answer some critical questions. Well, actually nothing that important, just minor queries such as: "When do you go to war, and why?"

Albright is truly a piece of work:

[O]n the question of America's unipolar role, today Albright gave a luncheon speech that:

A) fretted that the "economic center of gravity" continues to move away from the U.S.;

B) stressed that we need to "enhance America's ability to lead," because even though "the world may not be clamoring for American leadership" right now, "there is no doubt that a guiding hand is needed," in part to provide "a more effective response" to "violent extremism" in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Sudan and Congo; and

C) pointed out that it will "take time" to convince people that "we're not imperialists."

But Ms. Albright, we are imperialists, we are (note the Christopher Layne excerpts there).

"A guiding hand is needed..." Words fail. Perhaps not: this is, after all, the woman who dubbed the U.S. the "indispensable nation" and said the U.S. sees farther than anyone else because we "stand taller." Now be fair: it's difficult, if not impossible, to imagine why such a humble and self-effacing perspective might lead to resentment and even hatred on the part of others. And what is needed is an "effective response" to "violent extremism." Oh my, yes! Too bad none of that was available in the first few months of 2003. Win some none, lose some 'em all.

This game's rigged, folks. The ruling class always wins, and you -- oh, who the hell cares about you.

Wakey wakey, people!