Current EventsPolitics

What does a wall mean to you?

There’s a bit of a controversy going on in Baghdad concerning the building of a wall. The walls are going up between the Iraqi capital’s neighborhoods – what some journalists have apparently come to call “blast walls.” Answering criticism that the wall is a “sectarian or racist wall,” the Iraqi prime minister was apparently quoted as saying: “&#8230…
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Current Events

Lost

From the Washington Post: “… the assumption that the United States could create a liberal, constitutional democracy in Iraq defies just about everything known by professional students of the topic. Of the more than 40 democracies created since World War II, fewer than 10 can be considered truly “constitutional” — meaning that their domestic order is protected by a…
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Coffee

Don’t try to bring that weak (stuff) in my house!

It looks like today is the big day… the day James Baker and the Senior Singers release their album of Middle East greatest hits. After having the war up on the lift for a few months, it looks like Jimmy and the boys are going to recommend rotating the tires and driving home – eventually, at some time yet to be determined. Now that’s a bold move. Speaking of weak (and shifting…
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Current Events

What is in a name?

(Foreword: I’ve got unflattering things to say about folks from both political parties… so if you’re feeling unfairly picked on… have patience, keep reading. If you’ve read it all and you still feel unfairly picked on… please feel free post a comment and pick on me.) This morning on the radio a sound byte was played from the first American President in Estonia.
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Current Events

The President’s Advisors

One of my favorite pastimes these days is nit-picking public statements made by public servants. A fine candidate came up this morning. General George Casey, Commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq (the military wing of The Coalition of the Willing), was on the radio in an interview on NPR. General Casey says you can’t judge our success in Iraq by enemy action, or by statistics on…
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Current Events

Civil War?

The President’s words were heard on the radio this afternoon. Discussing the possibility that Iraq had fallen into “Civil War,” the President said (not his exact words, but as close as I recall), “I’ve talked to a lot of people… and the people I’ve talked to all want a united Iraqi government.” And you know what? I have no doubt that’s true.
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Current Events

Bring it… oh never mind

Dude! I totally forgot to publish this entry! (Here it is, as originally conceived and typed in the A.M. of 5/26) The news this morning reports that 43 regrets using phrases like “bring it on,” when addressing the insurgents in Iraq (albeit indirectly, via news conference). Apparently the leader of the free world believes he was misinterpreted. I can see how someone might misinterpret…
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Current Events

A date which has lived in infamy

This afternoon on my way home from work I was listening to Bush 43 give a speech about Iraq. It was the standard White House fare… Iraq is the most important front in the War on Terror… we remain firm in our commitment to supporting freedom in Iraq… blah, blah, blah. I was settling in for a nice bout of day dreaming when Bush switched metaphorical gears on me. In honor of Pearl…
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