I agree with what you've said about the need for thinking in resolving the problems we face today. But this appears to be another example of you and I agreeing in principle, but being far, far apart in the details.

The war in Iraq: I don't think you'll find too many people who don't think we shouldn't do something in the middle east. But what our current administration is doing is an abomination of the worse order. There is no doubt in my mind that for a variety of reasons Iraq was clearly a target after 9-11. And you being such a student of history should have seen what many of the other historians/military tactians saw in looking at Iraq's history. The ego's of those present at the top at the time would not allow them to really analyze what was going on. You had rummy looking to increase the influence of the Pentagon at the expense of the CIA. You had cheney looking to create the office of the imperial president. And you had all looking at the constitution as a roadblock to their goals.

They headed down a road with many red flags and ignored all of them as they continued down a path that got us where we are today. This is what helps to get these left leaning groups that you find so abhorrent to spring up. 4,000 dead of our young with nothing to show for it. And countless Iraqi's dead.

Politics: We both agree that there is a need for some more thinkers in govt. So they can help get some real meat behind some of the policies that are created. But Newt is not the guy. He is one of the people who started the repubs heading down the path they fully embraced with bush. Do whatever it takes to get a repub president, pandering to whatever groups necessary to ensure victory.

>I'm not really talking about Gingrich as a politician. His style really is more that of an academic. He should be in a think tank, not government. i just appreciate the breadth of his thinking and the perspective he gives to problems. I think the problems of the right are mostly from having to pander to the social conservatives as the left must pander to the righteously politically correct. I don't have much interest in either of their agendas but I think intellectuals on both the right and left have to be able to frame ideas outside the mindless nastiness and demagoguery of politics.
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>>Interesting that you should have this point of view. Many, including other republicans site Gingrich as the root of many of the problems facing the repub party and the conservative movement today
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>>>Couldn't agree more. He was a lightning rod in the early nineties and vilified because he actually had ideas. A genuine intellectual who is well-versed in history and is a very big picture thinker. Don't agree with him on everything, but he's sitting right between Krauthammer and P.J.O'Rourke at my fantasy dinner party <s>
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>>>>I've said the same thing since I took his class in college. I've written his name in on multiple occasions.
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>>>>>Newt for Pres! :o)
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>>>>>>Newt Gingrich gave a speech on Thursday Mar 27th called "Answering the Obama Challenge".
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>>>>>>Video and transcript can be found at this link.
>>>>>>http://newt.org/MediaCenter/tabid/61/Default.aspx