Let's Make a Deal

I'll concede to my good friend Jonah Goldberg and Peter Beinart and everyone else that "all serious liberals [and people]" supported, at least in principle, the war in Afghaistan as proper response to the events of 9/11 and a necessary step in combatting terrorism if they all concede one little thing to me:

ALL SERIOUS PEOPLE OPPOSED THE WAR IN IRAQ FOR EXACTLY THE SAME REASON


That is, they opposed the war on Iraq because they considered stopping that war a necessary step in combatting terrorism. Sure, there were lots of other reasons to oppose that war, but that one was good enough and one which was embraced by plenty of "serious" people.


Or, at least, take the issue up with noted Afghanistan war opposition leader Donald Rumsfeld.

(yes, the whole conservatarian "serious people believe..." construction is one of their most annoying little rhetorical tricks)