these are the times when I love you: In November of last year, Friedman was again beating his little chest ....

Beautiful (and, as you can see, I'm easily pleased and amused). This cowardly "man" lacks even a scintilla of chutzpah to 'fess up, even a little. I wonder--really--whether guys like Friedman and Joe Klein even remember what they've written in the past. There's a strange miasma that seems to be part and parcel of punditry (which, by the way, is a creepy word in and of itself).

Oh, "Zoltan" (and whomever else along these lines), when I say "love," what I really mean is "love."

Then why are you deviant warmonger killers pushing more war in Afghanistan?

Who's saying that here (which means I don't include Obama and/or any weirdos who might show up here and advocate such a thing?)? Don't be so disreputable.

Gee Shooter, I dunno, maybe because people in Afghanistan, um, you know, ATTACKED US.

I question this phrasing. According to conventional wisdom, 19 guys (?) from Saudi Arabia were responsible. Even acknowledging bin Laden's role as strategerist, I think it's too much to paint with so broad a brush as to indict an entire nation--which is what we're currently doing, what with the bombings, etc.

Friedman's past blunders, while notable, do not negate the fact that something positive occasionally happens there.

What part of this don't you get? Friedman has behaved as a craven pundit (mutually inclusive terms, I think) and tries to skate from his role as cheerleader. What has that to do with your statement, regarding Iraq, "that something occasionally happens there"?

I find it noteworthy, by the way, that Friedman is using words like "progressive" in his columns.

Final add: Cocktailhag is right--like darkness follows daylight, one-hit wonder trolls appear to defend the illustrious Tom Friedman.

Tim, Hag . . . you guys are just too smart for me. Your arguments are just too perfect in every way. You've got all the facts right - and all the answers. You worked, perhaps, in the Bush White House?

About the first, I agree. About the second, yes, I worked there for eight years as a third to Karl Rove (Cocktailhag, being my supervisor, was his second). My credibility is completely shot and I'm sorry you're the one who found me out.

Got it. Just a matter if distinction.

"I worked there for eight years as a third to Karl Rove."

I knew it! That explains so much. I do have one question, though: Is Cheney really alive or are the clips we see of him computer-generated? P.S. Hope the Scottie didn't bite you.

That "dog" (or, "squirrel," as we call him) did bite me and Cheney laughed, just before he tried to shoot me in the face. As for whether he's real or computer-generated, he frequently mumbled stuff about being a "Sith Lord." I would shrug that off, laugh, and call him Jar Jar Binks. That's when he'd load his shotgun and point it at my face. Thank God Cocktailhag would intervene and announce, "You cannot shoot Timothy Skywalker! He is the Chosen One, by which I mean, hey, don't shoot that guy!" Her recognition of my role in this universe was appealing to me, even if it was--shall we say?--wrong.

Too Much! You guys are just so cool. I mean, like, I never met a bunch of more together people. All the facts. All the answers. All the time. A veritable Fox News for the cranial/anally inverted.

Come on, you know you're laughing. Apart from that, what does cranial/anally inverted mean? Kinda sounds like "My brain's an asshole," in which case, as a form of self-diagnosis, I'd agree that this is your problem.

Tiny Tim

I will never recover from this slur, sir.

Notice the bolds and italics? I learned that not so long ago. Tiny Tim is growing up (that's penis talk, friend).

I do believe we have, if not a winner, certainly a weiner. (of the two-inch flaccid variety, as Pedinska helpfully pointed out, putting herself in play to win Hurl Check...)

I'm even smaller than that.

I once thought I was ginormous, then I woke up and realized I was R2D2 (and isn't he a little fellow?). Wow, unreal (2r).

And, in anticipation, "you guys think you're so smart! Why don't you join menses, or something?!"

sorry.

Man, I think that error ruined my whole post. Like a sharply pointed spear blunted by the spelling-error-leather-jerkin. Lousy Romans. Thank God the Dark Ages (that is, before light bulbs were invented) beat 'em down.

Tim3, if our visitor is, indeed, of the male affectation, then joining "menses" will do him no good. It's not a club he can aspire to with his current equipment, however challenged it may be. ;-}

You know, I assumed "he" was "male" (shall we say?) given the attitude. But perhaps I'm wrong. If he's female (?), then what's "she" defending, apart from something-something size? I still believe that menses is her penultimate goal. After all, only the smartest in my school (oddly, they were all women) strove for that. And R2D2 is, I suspect, on the cusp of puberty and, thus, enlightment (although, as a father, which I'm not, that's probably too much to ask for).

Well, kids . . . Why don't you stop the group groping and get back on point. Friedman's putative revisionism aside.

Isn't that the point of Glenn Greenwald's post, that "putative revisionism"? I wouldn't call it "putative," since that suggests that Friedman consciously revised his position; I think he simply ignored what he wrote in the past and hoped no one would notice. You'd think he wasn't aware of Google (or Glenn Greenwald, for that matter).

P.S. I like to grope.