Comments on: Let’s not sully that narrative with anything as picayune as facts http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/ Tue, 22 May 2012 21:19:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Religion and the Presidency | NeoConstant http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-64950 Religion and the Presidency | NeoConstant Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:00:41 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-64950 [...] religious who have irrational beliefs, or who make decisions based on what we might call faith. No, that’s an equal-opportunity (and a human) [...] [...] religious who have irrational beliefs, or who make decisions based on what we might call faith. No, that’s an equal-opportunity (and a human) [...]

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39738 Ymarsakar Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:25:26 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39738 <b>How anyone can write this post and not mention Judith Miller is beyond me.</b> Because we care and you don't. At least not about the same things. How anyone can write this post and not mention Judith Miller is beyond me.

Because we care and you don’t. At least not about the same things.

]]> By: The Unknown Blogger http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39729 The Unknown Blogger Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:11:16 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39729 "The narrative was right, but the facts were wrong." How anyone can write this post and not mention <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Miller_(journalist)#New_York_Times_career:_2002-2005" rel="nofollow">Judith Miller</a> is beyond me. “The narrative was right, but the facts were wrong.”

How anyone can write this post and not mention Judith Miller is beyond me.

]]> By: neo-neocon http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39723 neo-neocon Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:46:16 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39723 Tom Grey: there is no exact number of casualties. It's the whole picture: the casualty <i>rate</i> vs. the importance of the fight. I take it for granted that most wars these days will be unlike the Gulf War (short and relatively easy) and more like the Iraq War (long and dirty). As for <i>Explaining Postmodernism</i>: yes, I have read it, and it's excellent. Especially the second half. Tom Grey: there is no exact number of casualties. It’s the whole picture: the casualty rate vs. the importance of the fight. I take it for granted that most wars these days will be unlike the Gulf War (short and relatively easy) and more like the Iraq War (long and dirty).

As for Explaining Postmodernism: yes, I have read it, and it’s excellent. Especially the second half.

]]> By: Richard Aubrey http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39721 Richard Aubrey Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:26:36 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39721 My father's division was known for getting the job done in the ETO with (relatively) few casualties. Correcting for the larger number, longer time, and presumed replacements, his division's KIA rate was fifteen times, being conservative, the KIA rate in Iraq. Obviously, a larger number of US casualties is desireable as a tool with which to change the policy. My father’s division was known for getting the job done in the ETO with (relatively) few casualties. Correcting for the larger number, longer time, and presumed replacements, his division’s KIA rate was fifteen times, being conservative, the KIA rate in Iraq.

Obviously, a larger number of US casualties is desireable as a tool with which to change the policy.

]]> By: armchair pessimist http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39720 armchair pessimist Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:26:01 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39720 Didn't Stalin's secret police have this motto? <i>Give us the man and we'll make the case</i> And credit where credit is due, the "narratives" they came up with and put into the mouths of the accused surpass in the scope of inventiveness anything the mediocrity Thomas could ever write-- not if he had a case of Scotch to inspire him. Didn’t Stalin’s secret police have this motto? Give us the man and we’ll make the case

And credit where credit is due, the “narratives” they came up with and put into the mouths of the accused surpass in the scope of inventiveness anything the mediocrity Thomas could ever write– not if he had a case of Scotch to inspire him.

]]> By: Tatterdemalian http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39717 Tatterdemalian Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:51:34 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39717 Dunno about her, but my judgement of a military strategy depends more on the number killed over a given period of time, instead of just a scorecard by itself. In OIF, we have a rate of about 3000 dead over a period of four years, which comes to about 750 dead per year. In peace time, the US has a violent death rate of around 16,000 per year, during the same period. When the losses among our troops reach 20,000 per year, then I'll start demanding a new strategy. Dunno about her, but my judgement of a military strategy depends more on the number killed over a given period of time, instead of just a scorecard by itself.

In OIF, we have a rate of about 3000 dead over a period of four years, which comes to about 750 dead per year. In peace time, the US has a violent death rate of around 16,000 per year, during the same period.

When the losses among our troops reach 20,000 per year, then I’ll start demanding a new strategy.

]]> By: Tom Grey - Liberty Dad http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39711 Tom Grey - Liberty Dad Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:24:45 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39711 ***Hmm, using the left / right arrows caused the comment truncation. My quantities: less than 2500 Americans killed, Bush gets an "A"; less than 5000, "B"; less than 10,000 a "C". Neo, I know you are an Iraqi Freedom supporter. Is there any number of US casualities which would lead you to say the war is not worth it? [The reviews of "Explaining Postmodernism" seem great! Have you read it?] ***Hmm, using the left / right arrows caused the comment truncation.

My quantities: less than 2500 Americans killed, Bush gets an “A”; less than 5000, “B”; less than 10,000 a “C”.

Neo, I know you are an Iraqi Freedom supporter. Is there any number of US casualities which would lead you to say the war is not worth it?

[The reviews of "Explaining Postmodernism" seem great! Have you read it?]

]]> By: Tom Grey - Liberty Dad http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39710 Tom Grey - Liberty Dad Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:19:36 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39710 "If one is not a Socialist when young, one has no heart; if not a Conservative when older, one has no brain" or something similar. The "get in touch with feelings" Left wants to stay young and heartful -- even if means giving up using brains. There is also the TV based Unreal Perfection, in relationships as well as policies, where it is assumed that some solution exists with no costs or negative aspects. On facts changing minds, there is the inherent issue about intentions. Bad results, but based on good intentions, are more highly valued by the Left than good results without the good intentions (e.g. free markets don't have the good intentions). On the Iraq war, how many people have given any quantity estimates for evaluation? Over many years I have ( “If one is not a Socialist when young, one has no heart; if not a Conservative when older, one has no brain” or something similar.

The “get in touch with feelings” Left wants to stay young and heartful — even if means giving up using brains.

There is also the TV based Unreal Perfection, in relationships as well as policies, where it is assumed that some solution exists with no costs or negative aspects.

On facts changing minds, there is the inherent issue about intentions. Bad results, but based on good intentions, are more highly valued by the Left than good results without the good intentions (e.g. free markets don’t have the good intentions).

On the Iraq war, how many people have given any quantity estimates for evaluation? Over many years I have (

]]> By: Grimmy http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39698 Grimmy Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:48:07 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/08/13/lets-not-sully-that-narrative-with-anything-as-picayune-as-facts/#comment-39698 That journalism is about truth and integrity driven objectivity is a modern fantasy that has never had any foundation in reality. That journalism is about truth and integrity driven objectivity is a modern fantasy that has never had any foundation in reality.

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