The Machinery of Night

Posted 9:11 AM by Angie Schultz

Sober Gay Debate

From born-again conserative Tim Blair comes word of this article from the Sydney Morning Herald's woman in the US---whoopsie, apparently former woman in the US---Gay Alcorn, sister to Margo Kingston. (Alcorn was the proximate cause of my personal boycott of the SMH, though Lord knows overall it was a group effort on their part.)

This column is about the war. Alcorn says it's set for March, so those of you who had Feb 2 marked in red ink on your calendars should be feeling mighty foolish about now. She says that she "remains to be convinced one way or the other" about the necessity of war, which for an SMH writer, especially her, is actually quite open-minded.

Most of her column is only interesting if you're an Australian (and if you are, you go and read it and blog about it). The part that interests me is right here:

A Washington Post poll this week found that nine out of 10 Americans believe there will be war with Iraq, and that six out of 10 would support a nuclear attack on Baghdad if Saddam unleashes his chemical or biological weapons in response to an American attack. This was reported in the sober American style,

I don't think she's joking here. The American style is sober compared to the tone of an Australian paper.

but at least in the US the President has made his case that Saddam must "disarm or be disarmed", even if his arguments for deposing Saddam have jumped around.

Made his case. Heavens to Betsy. Someone inform the sober American press, because I don't think some of them got the memo. They were probably out getting drunk.

But here's the real kicker:

War may be the right thing, even if Bush says so. There is a vigorous debate in the US about this, particularly among some liberals normally hostile to American foreign policy.

A "vigorous debate"! Well! I keep hearing that we've not had a debate. Next time someone tells you that, hit them over the head with a Gay Alcorn.

(Christmas Eve is discount joke day here at the Machinery of Night. Set-ups are half price, you supply your own punchline.)