UPDATE II: Arkin adds. It's actually a rational and even at times conciliatory post. And it differs so markedly from the rest of his writings that I sincerely question its provenance.
UPDATE: Arkin responds--"The Arrogant and Intolerant Speak Out." The phrase "unanimity of thought" in regard to soldiers' thinking appears several times (oddly, that link works, but the post doesn't exist on the homepage of his blog).
William Arkin's vile column has created a blogstorm. Michelle Malkin, Blue Crab Boulevard and Bill Faith have roundups, but I'd like to highlight some things myself...
First up, retired soldier Uncle Jimbo delivers a stompin' in his classic style. He says what I wish I'd written (except for the unladylike profanity, of course. Haha!)
Wow, William Arkin has just dropped a stellar entry in the biggest a**hole in America contest. I was stunned by the incredible amount of disgusting, deranged, disrespectful drivel the wanker was able to cobble together in one hearty F U to the troops. Well Mr. Arkin in true blogospheric fashion F U right back atcha'.
He goes on to thoroughly fisk the column. Well worth a read.
At Op-For, USAF officer John has a powerful reaction to reading Arkin:
And with that piece, every frustration that I've felt over America's new fifith column, every insult that smug anti-war pundits have hurled at the silent stoics in our armed forces, all the false pity, all the overused meaningless cliches ("we support the troops but not the war") that we in the military have endured, every bit of anger that I've suppressed in the name of good manners and honorable debate, reaches a fist-clenching apex.
He then introduces us to some of the great people he works with.
And over at Powerline, John Hinderaker has a brilliant opening line:
The Peril of Newspaper Blogs is that a reporter might say what he actually thinks before an editor catches up with him and makes him stop.
Keep in mind that William Arkin isn't just some random opinion columnist; he is the "venerable" Washington Post's national security reporter. So for those so inclined, the contact page of the WaPo Ombudsman...
And finally, Dan Riehl thinks he's found the common denominator to this week: "It's official: the press has gone to war."
UPDATE: Cassandra replies ...with a calm, rational, and total evisceration. Armed Liberal has more about Arkin's background (posted when he started at the WaPo).
