It seems like those who have so gleefully pointed to a perceived failure of American foreign policy in the Middle East have begun to spin themselves into rut. Regardless of the mainstream media’s unwillingness to paint a more accurate picture of the situation in Iraq, the long-term story of America’s involvement in the region will eventually be sorted out. Victor Davis Hanson brings some perspective:

In 24 months the United States defeated two of the most hideous regimes in modern memory. For all the sorrow involved, it has already made progress in the unthinkable: bringing consensual government into the heart of Middle Eastern autocracy, where there has been no political heritage other than tyranny, theocracy, and dictatorship.

In liberating 50 million people from both the Taliban and Saddam Hussein it has lost so far less than 500 soldiers — some of whom were killed precisely because they waged a war that sought to minimalize not just civilian casualties but even the killing of their enemies.

It’s been lite blogging this holiday season. We’ve been on the road and then back here hosting, so I haven’t had much time to write. Some quick thoughts …

The capture of Hussein is just as important as it seems. His specific demise, whether at the hands of the Iraqi people or an international judiciary, is not as imporant as the symbolism of his capture. Here was one of the most feared and powreful men in the Middle East who thought nothing of waging war with Iraq, Kuwait, and against his own people for decades. In the end, he was found cowering in a hole in the ground, too frightened and exhausted to put up a fight. We’ve already seen the effect in Libya and Iran. It’s only a matter of time before nations like Syria and the Palestinians will come to understand that America is serious when is talks about hunting down terrorists.

On the homefront, things look great for Bush. The economy has bounced back strong really ever since the summer. Third quarter numbers seemed to have spurred the markets at the end of the year. At the same time, the Democratic candidates are imploding, bickering amongst themselves and scrambling to find an issue for this campaign.

The most telling thing I’ve seen about Howard Dean’s complete misunderstanding of foreign policy was this quote about Osma bin Laden:

“I’ve resisted pronouncing a sentence before guilt is found. I will have this old-fashioned notion that even with people like Osama, who is very likely to be found guilty, we should do our best not to, in positions of executive power, not to prejudge jury trials.”

That sentiment alone should be enough to disqualify this man from running for president. Kerry, Gephardt, and Lieberman can’t jump on Dean fast enough for saying something as misinformed as that. Dean may win this nomination, but his chances of beating Bush look slimmer and slimmer every day.

Many have talked about the trickle down effect of the American liberation of Iraq. We have to look no further than Iran to see this effect:

Sporadic clashes rocked, today, several provincial cities, such as, Esfahan, Hamadan, Mashad, Ahwaz, Oroomiah (former Rezai-e) and Shiraz as students came out of the universities, despited the formal interdiction, and rallied to hundreds of supporters.

Islamic regime’s Special forces and vigilantes attacked the demonstrators who shouted slogans against the regime and its leaders while requesting Free Elections for Iran’s Self Determination.

Quick translation of some highlights from the Peykeiran piece on the slogans:

Deektator haya kon mamlekat ra raha kon= Have Shame you dictators and leave the nation alone

Death to dictator

Khamenei Pinoche, Iran will not be another Chille

Students are awake and they are sick of Sad Ali

Amel har jenayat e een regime Velayate= The cause of all crimes of position are the Velayat (Supreme Leader)

Jomhooreeye Eslami degar asr nadarad, rahbar bejoz khodkoshee rahe degar nadarad= The Islamic Republic has no more effect, the leader has no way out exept for suicide

This is your last chance/final warning, the students are ready for the uprising

Posters and tracts that were distributed had many slogans in favor of US intereference in Iran. A poster read “Establish democracy with American boots”, another one read “foreign oppression is preferable to domestic oppression” . The cover of a student magazine carried by everyone stated “Establishing democracy and freedom has the highest value even if its through occupation and foreign interference”.

A tract read: “Our main enemy is not the US, our main enemy is inside of our house”.

A huge anti-terrorism demonstration in Iraq today. It sounds like the silent majority is beginning to find its voice:

The rallies today proved to be a major success. I didn’t expect anything even close to this. It was probably the largest demonstration in Baghdad for months. It wasn’t just against terrorism. It was against Arab media, against the interference of neighbouring countries, against dictatorships, against Wahhabism, against oppression, and of course against the Ba’ath and Saddam.

Here’s some more … Sounds like democracy would flourish nicely in this country:

Today’s demo. was organized by anti terrorism popular committee(an independent organization).
Here are some snap shots from today’s rallies:
:: This time we were(according to the most pessimistic al-Jazeera)more than ten thousands.
:: All Iraqi ethnic and religious groups were there, Arab, Kurd, Sunni, shia, Turkomen, Assyrians. The demo. was well protected by IP and US army helicopters.
::each party had its own slogans, but every one agreed on condemning Saddam, terrorists, Ba’athists, the Arab media and the interference of Iraq neighbors in Iraq.
:: There were about 150 people (most of them were teenagers) condemning the American occupation, and considered Americans as the real terrorists.
:: People were carrying signs saying:
-No to terrorism, no to Saddam, yes to peace.
-No to the Ba’athists, no to the terrorists, yes to democracy.
-dictatorship will never return.
-Bribee Arab channels; shame on you to show terrorism as resistance.
-Sunni and shia are united to build Iraq.
-Stop using religion and nationalism to justify terrorism.
-Islam is against violence and terrorism.
-Al-Jazeera+al-Arabiya = terrorism.

No doubt that the major media outlets will completely gloss over this event in favor of more doom and gloom reporting.

Well, I guess that should just about do it. With Al Gore throwing his support behind Howard Dean, unless Bill or Hillary step up to endorse Clark or Lieberman, I think it’ll be hard for anyone to beat the governor from Vermont.

I guess, in theory, if the Clintons stepped up and backed someone, this might be a two-man race, between Clark and Dean, let’s say. The problem will come if Gephardt, Edwards, or Sharpton can garner enough delegates to keep this interesting.

I think we could very likely see a Dean/Clark ticket. It’s got a nice North/South balance. It’s got the pacifist Dean coupled with the general Clark. It’s got far left Dean and near left Clark. They’ll still lose to Bush, but it’s the best shot they’ve got, I guess.

Further signs that Jesse Jackson has become irrelevant, and blacks are beginning to realize it:

With roughly 100,000 Chicagoans between 16 and 24 out of work or not in school, Rainbow Push was hoping to call to action disenfranchised young people, but a group of people disenchanted with Jesse Jackson led a spirited protest that sometimes drowned out the message of more jobs …

However some of the speakers were quickly drowned out by boos, bullhorns, and verbal jabs from a group called VOTE, ex-offenders, community activists, church leaders, and Muslims, tired of what they call the rhetoric in the African-American community.

“We are tired of coming here to voice our opinion when we got African-American people sitting at the table and saying they represent our interests and playing this puppet game,” said one protester.

Afterwards ABC7’s Rob Johnson asked Reverend Jackson why he felt like so much verbal venom was aimed in his direction.

“They lashed out at Dr. King, they lashed out at Nelson Mandela, they lashed out at Jesus, so all of those who fight for change become the object of frustration,” said Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow-Push Coalition.

“What has he sacrificed for his beliefs? Us. We’ve been sacrificed. On the altar of his political ambition our people have been destroyed,” said John Johnson, VOTE.

Some interesting observations about the rise of evangelicalism on college campuses in Boston and throughout the Northeast:

At Harvard University, “there are probably more evangelicals than at any time since the 17th century,” says the Rev. Peter J. Gomes, religious historian and minister of the university’s Memorial Church, who arrived on campus in 1970. “And I don’t think I have ever seen a wider range of Christian fellowship activity.”

After lagging far behind the rest of the nation, where a June Gallup Poll found that 41 percent of Americans identified themselves as “evangelical” or “born-again,” New England is beginning to close the gap, with congregations sprouting in rented schools and office parks. Nowhere is that more true than at Boston’s elite, soaked-in-secularism colleges, although you have to leave campus to find the strongest evidence.

I had the chance to talk with Kelly Monroe earlier this year about her work among graduate students at Harvard, and she confirmed many of these observations. It seems like many campus ministries are beginning to connect with this generation of young people.