Hewitt on NYTrogate

Hugh Hewitt has some interesting thoughts and links on the bogus NYT "missing explosives" story. At the end of his post, he quotes Belmont Club who says:

"[T]he RDX explosive was already gone by the time US forces arrived. Although one may retrospectively find some fault with OIF order of battle, most of the damage had already been inflicted by the dilatory tactics of America's allies which allowed Saddam the time and space -- nearly half a year and undisturbed access to Syria -- necessary to prepare his resistance, transfer money abroad and disperse explosives (as confirmed first hand by reporters ). Although it is both desirable and necessary to criticize the mistakes attendant to OIF, much of the really "criminal" neglect may be laid on the diplomatic failure which gave the wily enemy this invaluable opportunity. The price of passing the "Global Test" was very high; and having been gypped once, there are some who are still eager to be taken to the cleaners again."

Hewitt then observes:

"The price of passing the 'Global Test' was very high." I nominate this for best blog line of 2004 because it perfectly sums up the perils of a Kerry-led American foreign policy. Throughout the run-up tot he war, Frank Gaffney would again and again warn on my radio show that the most telegraphed punch in history was having consequences we could not calculate. All because of a "food-for-oil" suckling international bureaucracy of Saddam enablers which Kerry wants to expand and strengthen as a check on American unilateralism.

Spin all you want, Josh, but whatever was spirited away by the very bad guys was spirited away because the French/German-led old Europe blocked us from moving quickly. The coalition of the bribed and circumscribed delayed the coalition of the willing, and now the would be leader of the former is campaigning for office on the platform of even more delay and denial. I don't think the American voter is going to do the sums the way Josh and the Kerry-NYTimes ticket hope they will.