News Brief, Running Away Edition
Posted by Joshua Foust on 11 Jun 2007 at 9:59 pm | Tagged as: Notes on the war, Military Matters, Foreign affairs, Domestic Politics
Cross-posted at The Conjecturer.
Defense
- I sure wish our generals would stop wishing defeat upon us by supporting the enemy through their criticizing of the Iraqis.
- I had a weird flashback to my early childhood (the 80’s, mind you) upon hearing that we’re now basically arming both sides of a sectarian war between Sunnis and Shiites on the plains of Babylon.
- Meanwhile, we’re dependent on spies… from Sudan, the same Sudan we condemn for genocide, the same Sudan which threatened to starve the world of Coca-Cola if we don’t stop calling them murdering fascist pigs. BFF FOREVS!
- Naturally, Pace was replaced at JCS because the Democrats hate Marines. Where the hell does NRO dig up these sycophants? General Pace, while a fine Marine, was a mediocre at best Chairman, and he carried a massive stink from his close association with Donald Rumsfeld and his involvement in the invasion and wrecked occupation of Iraq (something about which he seemed to deeply deny). The language SecDef Gates used in picking Admiral Mullen (”the vision, strategic insight and integrity to lead America’s armed forces”) indicates he had lost all confidence in Pace’s leadership. But of course, please blame the Democrats, who are a much better target than the man who helped to botch the war (yes, I’m aware Gates consulted both parties and concluded a confirmation fight wasn’t worth it; but that should say something, too, that Pace did so much to destroy confidence in his leadership).
Around the World
- It’s almost like we couldn’t see it coming: the Kurds get uppity and demand they no longer be treated as animals by resisting Turkish persecution, and Turkey responds by teaming up with Iran to quash them. I hope those who advocate a three-state solution for Iraq take note of this: creating an independent Kurdistan, however much they deserve it, will result in a far wider war than we could handle. The inimitable Michael Totten has more.
- Jaap de Hoof Scheffer wins the “No Duh” award today. In his comments on the proposed Russian missile shield, he said, “I am not a technician but I do think that the geographic location of Azerbaijan is different from other choices that the United States has made.” ORLY. Azerbaijan is a different location from Poland? Who can tell those people apart anyway? Meanwhile, a look at a map shows by the original placement—in Eastern Europe, not Azerbaijan—is the only defensible option if the goal is actually useful missile defense. And, to revisit an older topic, why Putin’s counter-plan is both so ingenious and so dangerous.
- Azerbaijan, meanwhile, looks eager to accept the prestige and money it would naturally get while serving as a Russo-American defense bridge.
- The CIS recently held a meeting, but English-language media didn’t stoop to cover it. So we have to guess what was discussed, which almost certainly should be of strategic interest to the U.S. Oh well. I suppose weeping gash jail bait Paris Hilton was far more deserving of coverage.
- In the latest Atlantic Monthly, James Fallows poo-poos people who accuse of China running slave labor camps. The BBC politely disagrees.
- Meanwhile, the five innocent Uyghurs trapped in Guantanamo are on their way to enthusiastically pro-America Albania. Why? Even though the men committed no crime beyond being in the wrong place at the wrong time, they could not be returned to China for quite legitimate fears of their mistreatment at the hands of the Chinese authorities (remember the sad case of human rights activist Rebiya Kadeer, whose children are in prison for the crime of her request to not be tortured). No one really knows why the Uyghur Five weren’t allowed to settle in the U.S., though I suspect it is because the 20 innocent men (15 of whom remain in prison, even though they are certified to have committed no crime) would be a visible and inescapable reminder of the fundamental injustice of not just Guantanamo, but much of the War on Terror. And Bush can’t have that. So dozens of innocent men continue to suffer our neglect and apathy.
- Why does Russia hate teh gays? You’d think they’d love what we did with Halloween.
- The melting glaciers of Tajikistan. And, for narcissism’s sake, I take a peek at the Napoleonic tendencies of our dear friend, good old Uncle Nazzy.
Back At Home
- This is probably indicative of the Bush Administration’s priorities: allow AT&T to reform its horrible monopoly that was once broken up, but freak out when Whole Foods tries to buy a competitor. Because nothing says “competition” like redundant luxury food suppliers and monopoly telecoms.
- Cops break into wrong house, steal $2000, apologize without returning money. All in the war on drugs. Consider this in context of a recent ruling allowing cops to steal cars and lie to victims when conducting warrantless searches. All in the name of liberty, natch.
- It should surprise no one that Michael Medved cannot distinguish between love and rape.
- Ms. Boyd hits it out of the park on our disastrous farm subsidies.
- Quote of the Day definitely comes from this Alan Vanneman review of The Devil Wears Prada: “We Americans seem to have a longing for a bitchy fairy who will make us look in a mirror, turn us into something fabulous, and then get the f*ck out of our lives.” Amen to that, gurl.
2 Responses to “News Brief, Running Away Edition”
Trackback URI | Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed
LOL
No surprise here.
Medved’s money quote:
…Gay conjugal visits should cause the public to look past platitudes about love to focus on the raw actuality of male-male eroticism.
Michael Medved must have something like a stack of books or a television stashed away in his closet… given as much time as he spends in there.
Cheers.
Michael Medved Haggard.