or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
February 24, 2006
Invading Countries Is Like A Box Of Chocolates
New Republic Senior Editor Lawrence Kaplan recently spent time in Iraq. Among the things he witnessed was this:
On the day the preliminary results of December's elections were announced, [Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim] Jafari invites the election commissioners for dinner. The liberal activist Mustafa Al Kadhimiy wrangles two invitations...As a television in the corner of the room conveys images of the carnage outside, Jafari admits to being partial to the works of Noam Chomsky. Why won't Chomsky come to Iraq? he asks.
I think it's safe to say that—of all the possible futures the Bush administration may have considered when they invaded Iraq—one thing they didn't anticipate was ending up with a Chomsky fan as prime minister.
Posted at February 24, 2006 06:43 PM | TrackBackwow-ee
i wonder what would happen if the freepers caught wind of this. you think this might finally pop their poor little heads?
Posted by: almostinfamous at February 24, 2006 08:21 PMPoetic Justice is Noam Chomsky being given advisory status in the new Iraqi Government as well as the real world authority inherent in such a position.
While I'm wishing I might as well ask for a pony too. :-)
Posted by: patience at February 25, 2006 02:08 AMalmostinfamous,
No, I don't think it would cause their heads to pop. The evidence at this point is clear: their heads are impervious to popping under any circumstances.
patience,
The thing about Mr. Chonky (as my friends and I refer to him, for reasons even we don't understand) is that he would refuse any real world authority.
Unless...unless he were offered a pony!
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at February 25, 2006 12:16 PMHugh Chavez said he was an admirer of Chomsky, too.
Posted by: anonymous at February 25, 2006 05:58 PMI wonder if Saddam Hussein or Uday and Qusay read Chomsky.
You can't read this any other way than at the expense of the so-called "anti-war" left.
Posted by: Peter K. at February 25, 2006 07:27 PMAs others have pointed out, Peter, Chomsky himself is largely responsible for war. To the extent that's true, I agree that this must be read badly.
Posted by: J. Alva Scruggs at February 25, 2006 07:57 PMPeter K.:
You can't read this any other way than at the expense of the so-called "anti-war" left.
Mr. Scruggs:
As others have pointed out, Peter, Chomsky himself is largely responsible for war.
No, no. The so-called "anti-war" left is responsible for war. Chomsky is responsible for death of all kinds, inclusive of war. Michael Moore is responsible for war, death, and the coming heat-death of the universe, and is also fat.
Finally, there's no way to read this comment except at the expense of all of them.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at February 26, 2006 10:00 AMA Tiny, today you are a man. Every comments thread will now be studded with snark from t'other side. And why not? I'm sure all Jon's regular readers had a moment of real self-doubt there.
I guess when all your opinions are impervious to reality, all it takes is a well-placed bon mot to flip you.
And by "you," I of course mean "me." Chomsky = genocide, dudes! T-shirts are already being printed--any takers?
Posted by: Mike of Rugoren at February 26, 2006 01:17 PMObviously the prime minister is refering to Chomsky's field-defining work in linguistics.
Posted by: Adam Kotsko at February 26, 2006 03:01 PMMike, make sure some of the tees are 2XL. Michael Moore, who remains fat in spite of all kind words and helpful admonitions he receives, will undoubtedly want a few.
Posted by: J. Alva Scruggs at February 26, 2006 03:02 PMyay, mr schwartz! you got some more trolls.
unfortunately their trolling needs some more polish which i;m sure mike will be able to whip up like them t-shirts from his northern mariana sweatshop.
Posted by: almostinfamous at February 27, 2006 03:30 AMPS: too bad on the head-popping, some of these new visitors could have used it.
Posted by: almostinfamous at February 27, 2006 03:32 AM
