September 13, 2003
EMBARGO LIFTED
Returning to Margo Kingston’s Webdiary (donations to end the Margo Embargo raised more than the cost of my first car) is just like going home. Well, more like a home, to visit an institutionalised cousin:
Webdiarist Clem Coleman felt compelled to write about where Iraq's at two years after S11. It had nothing to do with S11, of course - the Saudis were the closet to blame there - but now it's the "central front" in the War on Terror. The long-suffering Iraqi people have been abused by stupid white men for hundreds of years and there's no sign anything will change.
Saddam Hussein: stupid white man. Where’s Iraq at? Where it always was. And the Saudis are a “closet”, which must be blamed for some reason. More next week; somehow I don’t think I’ll lack for material.
Posted by Tim Blair at September 13, 2003 10:08 AMIt is very difficult to read anything written by someone that removed from reality. She really, really, really .... doesn't get it. Never will.
(I realize she isn't alone in her delusions.)
People like Margo and Clem can see no difference in living conditions for the Iraqis today?! We're abusing them just like Saddam did?!
I don't think any argument will penetrate their fog. Hope it's nice in whatever reality they inhabit.
Posted by: Chris Josephson at September 13, 2003 at 10:17 AMCloset is an entirely appropriate choice of word. They claim to be opposed to terrorism yet an awful lot of Saudi money is thought to finance Al Qaeada.
Posted by: Andjam at September 13, 2003 at 12:13 PMHistory 101, Margo: Iraq was ruled by the TURKS for hundreds of years. Now, unless the Turkish suddenly turned white, the only "pale faces" to rule it were the Brits and they owned it for what, 50 years?
Posted by: madne0 at September 13, 2003 at 01:52 PM"People like Margo and Clem can see no difference in living conditions for the Iraqis today?!"
I think it's more like wishful thinking. If she tells herself it enough, maybe she'll be able to convince herself and others that opposing the removal of a brutal dictator was somehow the right thing to do. Not gonna work.
Posted by: mo skrilla at September 13, 2003 at 01:57 PMI'm in California. Never been to Australia. Never heard of Margo. Don't know half of what you're talking about, but when it comes to Margo and you, it's as though it's LA or SanFran. We've got plenty like her and not enough like you. I've been cracking up over your commentary for a long time. Thank God the embargo is lifted.
Funny how small the world is these days.
Posted by: Don at September 13, 2003 at 02:42 PMYou mentioned that Tex has his favourite chew toy - well it appears that you have gone back to yours Tim. I have to say that although I wasn't too keen on the lifting of the embargo I am looking forward to your future postings on her. Game on!!!
Posted by: Rob at September 13, 2003 at 07:26 PMTim:
I didn't donate any money, can I still post? Who's Margo? Is she related Maureen Dowd? They have to be related...
Posted by: Jack at September 13, 2003 at 11:56 PM...been abused by stupid white men ...
Her vocabulary must be VERY different from yours or mine...they are out from under the worst abuse they could have ever suffered !!
Posted by: MommaBear at September 14, 2003 at 05:21 AMWhat is the "S11?" Oh, Margo means September 11. Silly me--it sounded like the name of a car model. Here's hoping Tim's flush with enough funds to buy intellectually stimulating books, and thus offset the brain drain sustained by Webdiary dissections.
Posted by: Anne at September 14, 2003 at 06:21 AMMadneO wrote: "the only "pale faces" to rule it were the Brits and they owned it for what, 50 years?"
Yup. Although actually it was much shorter than 50 years. The Brits and French were awarded custody after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire by the...wait for it..."International Community (tm)" through the League of Nations. So actually, it was a International Community scam from the 1920's through the 1940's. Now the UN (read: France/Germany) would love to get their grubby paws on it and milk it but the Coalition won't let 'em.
Posted by: JDB at September 14, 2003 at 06:23 AMIt's great to be back in Margostan, where the weather is always bad and getting worse. For the person who was asking if she's related to Maureen Dowd: She's a sort of spiritual cousin and a whole lot funnier.
Posted by: RR Ryan at September 14, 2003 at 06:48 AMJust keep telling yourself the Margo's of the world live in some alternative reality not inhabited by the rest of us...
Posted by: RKD at September 14, 2003 at 11:56 AMHi folks
I followed all the links & found one worth looking at---for anyone interested click the first link "institutionalised cousins" then go to "Reid Group", then to "Launch Of The Reid Group Address".
It's refreshingly honest synoptic analysis of what's wrong in Australian politics.
Whatever your political conviction might be, it's not going to offend you.
For the record, I had never before heard of the Reid Group so I'm not peddling any personal affiliation.
What do others think?
GADFLY BITING THE BUM OF THE UNTHINKING