Consider the source...

I received this email from "Tallan":

BS! While you may disagree with DenBeste, he uses analysis with little invective. You use invective with a little analysis.

If you are so sure you are right, why all the personal attacts (sic). It is the meaness and the silliness of the European criticisms that are strengthening Bush at home.

Tallan

Sigh.

I'll type slowly so you will understand this. I pointed to a piece over at the Daily Kos written by a former serviceman about how the war might go. I compared that to the writings of Steven Den Beste, a telephone engineer, who fancies himself the Carl von Clausewitz of the blogospere. I find the fact that warbloggers and their loyal following of chickenhawks seek reassurance from these warhawk wannabes to be endlessly amusing.

Here's a life tip: Being a shut-in with a roomful of Tom Clancy novels doesn't make you a "serious war planner". It makes you a shut-in with a roomful of Tom Clancy novels.

As far as the "invective vs. analysis" conundrum. That's what I do. I don't pretend to be something I'm not, writing about things I don't know anything about. I leave that to the Michael Kellys and Andy Sullivans. I "do" invective because I like it, I'm good at it, and doggone it, people like me.