All of a sudden, Steven Vincent is a "journalist who wrote for the New York Times". Not only was he freelance journalist, but as Greyhawk points out, he most frequently sold his stuff to the National Review. And he was a blogger.
His death is a tragedy. And not just because he was murdered by insurgents, but also because he was in the habit of pointing out the increasing influence of jihadists in Basra. He was likely killed by these very same people.
Right under the noses of the British forces there.
I will recall that Britain suffered from two terrorist attacks perpetrated by individuals who lived right under the noses of the British. I recall the Mayor of London after the second attack blaming Britain for the criminal acts of others. And as time moves on, it becomes increasingly clear that the British, in their national desire to be multicultural, have actually been dubbed a terrorism-sponsoring state by some.
So the question is, are US and Iraqi forces pursuing and killing terrorist forces only to have them regroup and coalesce under the noses of the British in Basra?
Britain has been a good and strong ally of the US, of that there is no doubt. But they had better get a backbone and get tough with their problem at home and their problem in Basra.
As Stephen Vincent himself pointed out
The Left. Hopeless. Shameful. History will record that the U.S. could have saved tremendous loss of life and treasure had we liberated Iraqi with more troops and a proper "after-victory" plan. But the chronicles will also show that America could have saved time, money and--most especially, lives--had the Left contributed its valuable resources to the liberation effort as well. Imagine if feminists, labor leaders, environmentalists, civil rights activists, artists and the media had joined in the struggle instead of sitting on the sidelines--or worse, assisting the fascists? Imagine if the clarion cry of freedom and democracy had arisen from a unified progressive front consisting of conservatives and liberals? Just as we've learned how much succor the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong took from the anti-war protesters of the 1960s, we will someday learn how the parochial, small-minded, narrow-souled opposition to the establishment of democracy in Iraq stiffen the fascist backbone of the "insurgency." But of course, the Michael Moores, Robert Fisks, George Galloways, Ted Kennedys and innumerable Hollywood celebrities and academics of this world will not care--they will always find reporters, voters, fans and tenure committees willing to dull the sting of conscience.
Britain!
Step back from the edge...
