THE CURIOUS CASE OF CHRIS HITCHENS

I HAVE LONG ADMIRED HITCHENS' BRILLIANCE, WIT, AND PUGNACITY.

POLITICALLY HE IS NOT MOST ADMIRABLE - EXCEPT FOR SUPPORTING THE IRAQ WAR.

I MENTION THIS BECAUSE THERE IS - AMONG MANY CONSERVATIVES AND HAWKS AND MANY BLOGGERS - A TENDENCY TO TREAT HITCHENS AS A SAINT - MUCH LIKE THEY ONCE TREATED ANDREW SULLIVAN.

THEY SHOULDN'T DO THIS BECAUSE HITCHENS HOLDS A HOST OF AWFUL AND INCORRECT VIEWS:

1. HE LIKES RASHID KHALIDI AND THINKS HE'S A MODERATE.
2. HE THINKS WATER-BOARDING IS TORTURE, (AND TO PROVE IT VOLUNTEERED TO BE WATER-BOARDED. WELL, ER UM WHEN HE VOLUNTEERS TO HAVE HIS SKIN FLAYED OR HIS NAILS RIPPED OUT OR HIS LIMBS BROKEN - THEN I WILL BELIEVE HIM; IOW: NOBODY VOLUNTEERS FOR ANYTHING THEY REALLY THINK IS REAL TORTURE. BY VOLUNTEERING HE PROVED HIMSELF WRONG).
3. HE IS AN ATHEIST AND THEREFORE OPPOSED TO NATURAL LAW.
4. HE STILL ADMIRES MUCH OF MARX AND MARXISM.
5. HE IS PRO-GAY MARRIAGE.
6. HE IS AGNOSTIC ON AGW, BUT THINKS WE SHOULD ACT AS IF IT WERE PROVEN.
7. HE HATED PALIN.
8. HE LOVED EDWARD SAID.
9. HE THINKS ISRAEL IS AN OUTPOST OF COLONIALISM.
10. HE BLAMES THE WEST FOR SLAVERY.
    
11. HE SUPPPORTED OBAMA.
    
12. HE SUPPPORTED OBAMA.
13. HE SUPPPORTED OBAMA!

AND SO ON...

• HITCHENS HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE HIS MILITANT SOCIALIST DAYS AND HIS LONG STINT WITH "THE NATION".

• BUT HE HAS NOT COME AS FAR AS HIS BRILLIANT AND THOROUGHLY CONSERVATIVE BROTHER PETER.

• HE'S MORE ENTERTAINING THAN PETER, BUT NOT MORE RIGHT - IN ALL THE SENSES THAT WORD CARRIES.

CHRISTOPHER IS A POLEMICIST. PETER IS A CONSERVATIVE.

BITCH ABOUT CHRIS HITCH ACCORDINGLY.