Sunday, April 30, 2006

Closed Circuit to RonB

Ron, I don't know if you get HBO in Korea, but if not, you need to find a video of last night's Bill Maher. One of his satellite interviews was the estimable V.D. Hanson. He was treated...skeptically. I'm not here to question Hanson's Hellenic scholarship, as I'm nowhere near qualified. I am here to question the applicability of the lessons he delivers to modern times. Salutory platitudes about Freedom and Democracy (did they have Ponies in ancient Greece? Freedom, Democracy & a Chariot!) are well and good, but the facts on the ground have to, you know, enter in to the analysis.

"If A, then B" requires proof of A before B can be declared. Too often, the VDH's of the world see "Not A" as equally good proof of B.

Back to Maher's interview, the most trenchant response came from panelists Barney Frank on Ian MacKellan, who noted that the causus belli in Iraq has, er, shifted over time.

Anyway, just wanted to point Ronnie to his methadone fix, since he's probably jonesing (especially after I agreed with Krauthammer the other day.)

No comments: