MSM Reporter's Seven-Month Captivity in the Hands of the Taliban Opens His Eyes to an Incredible Revelation

If anything is the special report of the week, if not of the month, for the New York Times, then it can only David Rohde's multi-part series on his seven-month captivity by the Taliban.

But the money quote from this mainstream media reporter came in part one:

Over those months [of captivity], I came to a simple realization. After seven years of reporting in the region, I did not fully understand how extreme many of the Taliban had become.

How extreme many of the Taliban had become. Are you kidding?! Hello! This is what American conservatives have been saying for years! I know we are all clueless and beyond the reach of help, but maybe the (remote) possibilty exists that now and then, we have something (remotely) wise to say…

In a similar vein, now that Barack Obama's foreign policy (or lack thereof) has been criticized not by American conservatives, but by Václav Havel (namely BHO's refusal to meet with nothing less than a modern-day Gandhi), suddenly Maureen Dowd drops all the scorn and the irony, and jumps (somewhat) on the bandwagon. Apparently, a fellow American (any fellow American) who criticizes the Apologizer-in-Chief is nothing but a racist dreg of society, but a member of the European élite who does so — and noone is saying that Vaclav Havel should not be listened to (au contraire) — is the source of all wisdom. In Dowd's words:

The tyro American president got the Nobel for the mere anticipation that he would provide bold moral leadership for the world at the very moment he was caving to Chinese dictators. Awkward.

Well, Maureen, you know what? That is, basically, the exact same type of message that we conservatives have been voicing (or trying to voice, when you deign listen to us without snorts, snickers, or eye rolls) for months… But it is only when a member of the European élite jumps in that she is ready for a bold suggestion:

Our president would be well advised to listen.

But American conservatives? Listening to them doesn't make sense (in fact, the quicker we can shut them up — Fox News, talk radio — the better). So why, specifically, is it that listening to the former Czech president makes sense?

Havel is looking at this not only as a moral champion but as a playwright.

"Not only… but also…" Oh, but of course — that explains everything…