My colleague Matt Continetti is doing a bang-up job at our new blog, The Campaign Standard, posting this afternoon on a recent essay by Joshua Muravchik that appeared in the pages of Commentary. Continetti points to this key graph:
As for the neoconservatives, they have taken their lumps over the war in Iraq. Nonetheless, the tenets of neoconservatism continue to offer the most cogent approach to the challenge that faces our country. To recapitulate those tenets one last time: (1) Our struggle is moral, against an evil enemy who revels in the destruction of innocents. Knowing this can help us assess our adversaries correctly and make appropriate strategic choices. Saying it convincingly will strengthen our side and weaken theirs. (2) The conflict is global, and outcomes in one theater will affect those in others. (3) While we should always prefer nonviolent methods, the use of force will continue to be part of the struggle. (4) The spread of democracy offers an important, peaceful way to weaken our foe and reduce the need for force.
Continetti writes:
There’s this widespread sense in Washington that neoconservatism is about to go into exile. Muravchik’s essay demonstrates that no such thing is about to occur.
Go read the whole thing. As it relates to the post below, I’m inclined to think that now more than ever neoconservatism can provide solutions to problems for which the left has no substantive alternative to offer.
