Fervent wishes for 2024
Quin Hillyer
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At the risk of sounding hopelessly idealistic, on the verge of saccharine and Panglossian, here is a list of things the world really needs to happen in 2024. Some of these things may be unlikely to happen, but each is individually within bounds of the legitimately possible, although for all to happen would be virtually impossible.
Ukraine needs to “win” its war against Russia’s evil, unprovoked aggression. Much more is at stake there than a mere territorial dispute. (For a fuller explanation of the stakes, please follow this link to a recent Washington Examiner editorial.) What “winning” looks like is Ukraine’s complete and undisputed recapture of jurisdiction over at least 90% of the territory Russia brutally and illegally seized since invading in 2022, plus freedom of Black Sea shipping lanes. The U.S. and Europe both should be willing to move figurative mountains to make this happen.
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Hamas must be replaced permanently and irretrievably as a significant player, much less as governing authority, in Gaza and everywhere else. Gaza and perhaps the West Bank too must for some years be governed by a third-party protectorate, with Israel’s very public humanitarian assistance, which restores a semblance of civil society and inculcates a spirit of peace and co-existence with Israel while making clear that Israel rightfully will always be a state and home for the Jewish people.
The entire free and semi-free world should ally militarily and economically to start making clear to China that its path to greater prosperity lies not in conquest, aggression, or trickery, but in mutual cooperation. China can thrive without attacking Taiwan, exerting dominion over the South China Sea, or stealing intellectual property. It is big enough, it is prosperous enough, and darn it, people can like it if it stops trying to act like a bully.
Iran’s mullahs must be isolated and denied nuclear weapons. Every one of its proxies must be destroyed. In the long run, such an isolation and destruction is in the interests even of Iran’s international supporters such as Russia and China, and of course of the feckless European nations that fretfully try to appease it.
Turning homeward, both major political parties must jettison their front runners, or else viable alternative parties must emerge. Neither the nomination of Joe Biden or of Donald Trump is inevitable. The replacement of both is essential for this nation’s civic good. Election of either one for four more years would be … whatever word means “worse than disastrous.”
The administration must start enforcing real discipline at the border. This means using every non-lethal means available, and it means turning illegal immigrants away and sending them home. Even with Biden in office, this is not as unlikely a development as it might seem. Democratic mayors and governors are pushing for Biden to close the border, and Democratic campaign operatives know the border crisis is hurting Democratic chances up and down the ballot.
The backlash against all forms of “wokeness” must not just continue but pick up steam and effectiveness. This means parents should gain more rights against school bureaucracies and unions. It means a massive return of free speech to college campuses, and active steps to reduce the “diversity-equity-inclusion” regimes. It means that girls and women get protected nationwide from biological men in their bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic competitions. And much more.
Through the free market, “journalistic” outlets that push progressivism bordering on Maoism – see the radicals at the New York Times who forced the ouster of opinion editor James Bennett, for example – must be hobbled or destroyed. There also should be a massive public turn away from right-wing outfits that push conspiratorial nonsense, near-lunatic anger, and lies.
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The public needs to start electing decent people who actually are willing to converse with and work with “the other side” rather than having a default position of demonizing anyone of a differing philosophy. Hatred, lies, exaggeration of small differences, and extremism must be replaced by a Reaganesque willingness to engage in tough political battle with reasonable degrees of respect and grace.
Leaders from all decent political parties and all civic realms must reinstitute better understanding of and love for this great nation, the United States. The Semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence is less than three years away. It must inspire near-universal gratitude and joy.