Blogoland

Bernard Lewis just may be hearing voices in his head:

Now, we in the Western world, and particularly in the United States, don't seem to attach much importance to history. And even what happened three years ago has become ancient history. I find, for example, people seriously arguing that 9/11 was the result of our invasion of Iraq. This kind of reversal cause and effect is quite common.

Unhelpfully, Prof. Lewis fails to provide a single example of anyone, anywhere "seriously arguing" this rather insane point. Has anyone of any consequence even wandered down this path? A little help?

Even better, Prof. Lewis later offers up a very good reason for crushing dissent in America. Because while Americans see an open exchange of ideas in the questioning our leaders' policies, the lunatic Muslims think that debate makes us look weak! And that's bad.

I think that the way that Ahmadinejad is talking now shows quite clearly his contempt for the Western world in general and the United States in particular. They feel they are dealing with, as Osama bin Laden put it, an effete, degenerate, pampered enemy incapable of real resistance. And they are proceeding on that assumption. Remember that they have no understanding or experience of the free debate of an open society. Where we see free debate and criticism, they see fear, weakness and division; they proceed accordingly, and every day brings new evidence of that from Iran.

I think it is a dangerous situation. And my only hope is that they are not right in their interpretation of the Western world.

He walks right up to the line there. [via Hugh Hewitt]