The Hawks’ New Hero: Arthur Vandenberg

In the cartoon version of U.S. national security policy, Republicans are stalwart and tough-minded defenders of freedom. If you want to keep America safe—and if you love the troops—you’ll vote GOP.

Democrats, in contrast, are wimpy and given to isolationism. Liberals view the armed forces of the United States chiefly as venue for social engineering. Given half a chance, they will eviscerate the Pentagon budget and allow the forces of evil to run riot around the globe.

All of this is bunk, of course, a point made definitively clear by the incoherent policies of our most recent Republican president.   When it comes to national security, the actually existing GOP has become the party of whimsy.

Yet even if this cartoon version bears no resemblance to reality, it may retain some remnant of political utility. That appears to be what Elliott Abrams and the other founders of the just-created Vandenberg Coalition are counting on.

Read the full article in The American Conservative.