Cross-posted at The Conjecturer.
Defense
- Declassified documents reveal one of the CIA’s biggest fears during the Cold War was the illicit wiretapping of American citizens—precisely what has happened under Bush’s war rules. All for freedom!
- An absolutely fascinating look at the insurgent media machine. It’s not as efficient or as effective as you’d think… yet remarkably, it still helps them to dance circles around our troops.
- The whole Flickr set is amazing, but look at this guy’s smile. I don’t even know what seems so special about it; maybe it just seems familiar somehow—joyous, even?
- Given the shrinking sub fleets around the world (even “rising” China is seeing a major long-term decline), I’m not so sure “only 40” attack subs is the major weakness it’s being spun as—especially considering that, even considering Russia and to miniscule extent China, no one else has the blue water submarine capability we would. So while we won’t have as much flexibility to sink other subs in dispersed locations simultaneously, we won’t exactly be helpless.
- Some scary things about intelligence: given how truly ineffective it is in the wars we’re fighting (as opposed to the wars we’d like to fight, against China and Russia), just how much are we actually spending? And more importantly, how much are we spending on revolving door private spies?
Around the World
- Tom Cruise being denied filming rights in Deutschland = LOL.
- Oh, to be an in-demand stock analyst in India. Fans of Nassim Taleb take note: even if the practice is a crock of sh*t, you can still make a ton of money at it. India’s caste system, on the other hand, isn’t as universally successful.
- Murderous Tyrant chi—a subject near and dear to my heart—just recently bit Cameron Diaz in the pooper. At least she’s not smearing poo on the walls anymore.
- Stomatologbashi went and made things marginally better in Turkmenistan, the creep.
- Oh, what WTF is China trying to do in Central Asia? I offer an answer, over at Registan.net.
- Michael J. Totten takes an axe to the journalists covering the Middle East. He is a very effective communicator.
- Foreign Policy seems to misunderstand why the U.S. doesn’t ratify some treaties—when the Senate ratifies something, it takes on the full force of U.S. law. If some of these treaties—for example, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, include provisions that run counter to American law or tradition (such as the statements conferring legal protection to children before birth, the “right” to know one’s parents regardless of adoptive state, its allowance of coercive religious and ethical teachings “if local customs allow”, and requirement that the state “encourage” mass media to edutainment), why should we support them? Even (or perhaps especially) if they are deceptively warm and fuzzy in most other regards?
Back at Home
- Boy, farm subsidies must really suck.
- Though I like Vonage, I’m not sure they’ll be able to be strung along, since a judge allowed Verizon to patent the fracking Internet.
- Those unaccountable judges sure don’t like shredding the Bill of Rights, those liberal weenies. What that judge seems to miss is that the Bill of Rights isn’t very well respected anymore—especially if it might defend Bong Hits 4 Jesus.
- LOLZ0R over right wing cruises and drinking habits. Strangely, THE HITCH went unmentioned, perhaps because he’s never not-drunk (note: for me, this is much of his appeal).
I thought the hitch was left wing? Isn’t he a trostkyist(sp?)
As for Hitch, well, I am not sure what he is anymore. he is certainly not right wing, or conservative, but he seems to have made, at least an uneasy one, peace with capitalism. His focus just isn’t on the economic arrangements of our society any longer. Thus, it is tough figuring out where he stands on such matters for me. That may be my failing, not his.
Lance – I don’t think it’s your failing. After 9/11, the Hitch famously rejected all of his friends on the Left as being apologists for terror. He similarly embraced the use of capitalist structures in Iraq and Afghanistan… while maintaining his distrust of large corporations.
On human rights, I think his principles have remained unchanged, but the political scene has reoriented itself so he’s more on the right than the left. On economics, not as much, but I think he’s moderated his views since the days of his rapturous Trotskyism.
So he’s a tough cookie — not really left, not really right. Kind of like most of us here.
Probably why he doesn’t get as much air time and attention as he should outside of some of the blogosphere. Can’t peg him, can’t promote him.
Joshua,
I think you have it right, though I will say I don’t think he rejected his friends on the left. They rejected him and his views. He pointed out that, and the incongruence with their oft stated claims of the past. Nor was he the only one (though I know you are aware of that.) If you are being told that the reason for supporting what one supports implies being a certain thing, and you revolt against that characterization, I don’t think it amounts to you rejecting them, they have rejected you. That is how I see it with Hitch, Geras, and many others.
I should also point out that Hitch quite a while back pointed out his reasons for drifting from socialism, I am just not aware of exactly where he is now. I think this is a good starting point for understanding him.
Okay, I can’t drop this. Re-reading this interview, I love this sentiment. It is so human and honest about the irrational aspects of our politics:
I’ll admit to having a lesser feeling about voting Democratic, even when I prefer them. Hence, as in Hitchens’ support of Nader, I have tended to vote Libertarian or some other such tilt at a windmill candidate, or even people who I would never actually want to win, just to avoid doing so. That being said, the last major party candidate I voted for was quite recent, and he is a black Democrat. He won, and is now the mayor of Baton Rouge. I am also pretty sure I will finally vote for a Republican for major office, Bobby Jindal for governor.
Such things really shouldn’t matter, but I will take pride that I live in a city and state with dark skinned leaders. In Louisiana’s case I think that is important. I would have supported Jindal anyway, but in speaking with the head of our chamber of commerce I see that my belief that a black Mayor would be good for a racially segregated city such as Baton Rouge would help unite us is bearing fruit.
A bit off topic, but I think it is great that Hitch can see his own prejudices so clearly, and the usefulness of us all, including myself, being willing to do so.