A DEFENSE OF AMERICA — AND CONDEMNATION OF “AMERICA-HATING LIBERALS” in a rather surprising venue. Excerpt:

When the news of 9/11 broke on the West Bank, those freedom-loving Palestinians were dancing in the street. America watched all of that – and didn’t push the button. We should thank the stars that America is the most powerful nation in the world. I still find it incredible that 9/11 did not provoke all-out war. Not a “war on terrorism”. A real war.

The fundamentalist dudes are talking about “opening the gates of hell”, if America attacks Iraq. Well, America could have opened the gates of hell like you wouldn’t believe.

The US is the most militarily powerful nation that ever strode the face of the earth.

The campaign in Afghanistan may have been less than perfect and the planned war on Iraq may be misconceived.

But don’t blame America for not bringing peace and light to these wretched countries. How many democracies are there in the Middle East, or in the Muslim world? You can count them on the fingers of one hand – assuming you haven’t had any chopped off for minor shoplifting.

Hmm. Maybe there’s hope for The Mirror after all. Or maybe the fact that John Pilger’s anti-American screeds haven’t staunched its hemorrhaging circulation is finally convincing people that the market for such blather is limited.