None of the neo-cons are religious or believe in any way. Their Xtians posturings (eg. Bush who became a Texan! and a believer who renounced his sins…err?) were first designed to gather votes. They thought giving some spots of power or prominence to what they consider to be backward kooks would do them no harm. After all the Xtian agenda is pathetic, purely local, heh, better, parochial, and unrelated to the economy or foreign policy. Fundie Xtians don’t mutter about the World Bank or Pooty Poot’s gas policy or Maliki in Iraq, nor even about agricultural subsidies or schooling (they are on the take, it is understood.) They are dopes, and will be satisfied with moves towards the banning of condoms, abortions, etc. which Bush and Cheney and all the rest care nothing about, just as they don’t care whether people eat broccoli or wash their hands twice a day. So they seemed easy to satisfy, and fool, as their demands could be hypocritically met but would never have any impact anyway. Their allegiance and blind subservience (to Bush as the new idol, …) was calculated as representing a guaranteed solid voting block, cheaply bought. It cost – nothing.
Either right from the start, or gradually (my speculation) it was understood that this community of impoverished losers, people out of the ‘blue’ economy, those who do not benefit from globalisation or the various ‘new’ economies (flakey as those were and are) had an unrealised potential of future control. When the world falls apart, in some places, people will refer – to GOD! They will bow down to their local preacher, don the burka, or the new car-sticker, or shave their heads, wear the uniform, etc. and pour their hope into higher authority. The opportunities for control and sadism are irresistible and in turn they will follow their master – an earthly, and not immaterial one.

Posted by: Noirette | Oct 21 2006 16:06 utc | 3