Rattling Jelly-boned Intellectuals

By Con George-Kotzabasis

Paul Norheim says http://thewashingtonnote.com

…Who on earth, Mr Rediker, asked US to lead the planet?…This idee fixe, this “claim” to global leadership is stupid,
dangerous, and unfounded and should be weakened. To
support this claim in public at the end of a decade where
America has done it`s utmost to destabilize the world,
demonstrates a mentality that is completely out of touch with
realities.

I don`t want to sound anti-American here, but sometimes I am
stunned by the hubris of certain Americans — this time
Douglas Rediker, who even has lived in Europe for more than 16
years!

I repeat what I`ve often said: I like America. But I have to admit
that the phrase “US leadership”, used in a global context,
sometimes makes me want to puke.

Posted by Dan Kervick, May 21 2009, 1:16AM – Link

You know, I would have liked this essay much better if Douglas Rediker had just used the term “G-20″ in every place in the last paragraph where he chose to use “President Obama” or “the US” instead.

I agree the IMF needs to get the committed money. But why make this some off-putting “US leadership” thing? It’s the G-20 that made the commitment collectively, didn’t it?

Kotzabasis says

Those who revolt against, and get sea sick at, the phrase “U.S. leadership” should take note that powerful nations do not lead the world because they are asked or invited to do so but by the nature of the ‘beast.’ They should re-read Thucydides’ tour de force, the Melian Dialogue. And those who “want to puke” whenever they hear or see the “phrase,” puke as a result of their maladjusted intellectual constitution.

Posted by Paul Norheim, May 21 2009, 6:37AM – Link

It would be futile to speculate about whether Nietzsche – another
admirer of “power” and “beasts”, and a likely source of inspiration
for the prose above this comment – would have been delighted or
disgusted, if he had witnessed the bloodstained spectacle called
“US global leadership” during the last decade. But we`ve all
noticed that the intellectual constitution of Mr. Kotzabasis is
perfectly adjusted for the task of applauding his heroes from the
peanut gallery.