THE “AXIS OF WEASELS” MEME IS SPREADING: A reader emails:
Just heard “axis of weasel” comment on MSNBC. This was in their top of the hour ‘straight news’ segment, not a commentator.
Heh. Fox is one thing, but this proves that it’s really spreading. Why, it’s even been picked up in France. And then, of course, there’s this headline from the New York Post. Heh.
Forget the “heh.” This is a full-scale “chortle!”
ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader John Mattehews emails:
Just before 9 AM EST CNN reported that a viewer had responded via e-mail to its Axes of Weasels story.
The viewer suggested Saddam be forced into exile in Germany; allowed to take it over; and then invade France.
Yeah, well, don’t call us when it happens, guys. That account is way overdrawn. . . .
ANOTHER UPDATE: Juan Gato links to this New York Times article on European attitudes and observes:
Notice, carefully there, what the US was supposed to learn from September 11th. Not that we were at war. Not that there are a bunch of toedick fuckwads who want to kill us. No, the US was supposed to learn humility. All that supposed European sympathy was a front for a smug, “That’ll learn ’em. Sad it had to be like that, but that’ll learn ’em.”
Well, we learned something, all right.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Paul Havemann emails:
It’s kind of amusing to see the French and the Germans go into high-dudgeon mode over the “insult” of being labelled as “old Europe.” The axis of weasels has never hesitated to malign the US as “cowboys” and worse — but boil with simulated outrage when *we* call ’em as we see ’em.
They can dish it out, but they can’t take it. Weasels *and* wimps.
Yes, and the “cowboy” thing is kind of old. What’s funny is, when you read the Times story you see a lot of nasty comments about Bush’s “culture” and “religion” that European leaders would be far too P.C. to make in talking about, say, radical Islamists.
STILL MORE: A reader emails:
You’re right. And the NY Times itself is too PC to make such references to Islamists.
Also, the Times treats all Bush bashing or America blaming from Germany or France as worthy of enshrinement at the National Archives.
Rand Simberg meanwhile, notes via email that when the French call us “cowboys,” most Americans (though, um, not those resident at the New York Times), respond “damn straight!” He suspects that the French won’t feel the same about the term “weasel.”