MikeR on Sep 14 2008 | Filed under: Around the Web, MikeR's Page
Commentary“More complacency will only feed Russia’s ambitions.”
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Lee on Sep 11 2008 | Filed under: Around the Web
Seth Weinberger picks up Foreign Policy’s “10 Worst Policy Ideas” for Obama and McCain and adds some commentary. What’s immediately striking to me is how few objections FP offers to McCain’s foreign policy proposals. A peculiar thing, if you’re familiar with the doctrinal tilt of the pub. There’s really only one they single out against [...]
Lee on Sep 10 2008 | Filed under: Around the Web
Joe Biden says Hillary Clinton would have been a better pick than himself. A little amusing naturally, but I’m impressed by the candor and humility of it. Fine characteristics for a serving vice president who is expected to exert substantial influence on foreign policy.
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MikeR on Sep 07 2008 | Filed under: Around the Web, Foreign affairs, MikeR's Page
Westhawk“Ukraine is the big prize and thus a dangerous flash point between Russia and the West. For the West, a firm alliance with Ukraine would anchor the containment of Russia. But for Russia, such an alliance would be a step too far. For Russia, winning Ukraine is vital. For the West, winning Ukraine would largely [...]
Lee on Sep 02 2008 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lee's Page
Extremely interesting post from Seth Weinberger on the opportunity for pulling China in the pro-Georgia camp, after the SCO failed to endorse Russian actions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Seth is as mystified as I am that the Russian foreign ministry could possibly have believed it would persuade China to endorse ethnic separatism and provincial secession. [...]
Lee on Aug 31 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Lee's Page, Media
photo: Michael Levesque
It seems the international media is crawling all over the tiny town Sarah Palin began her political career in. Being fond of leaders for whom membership in the general public is a recent memory, I think it’s great to see.
Although, how strange it must be for the residents of Wasilla to suddenly have [...]
MikeR on Aug 30 2008 | Filed under: Around the Web, MikeR's Page
NRO“Critics are already trying to damn Sarah Palin for her perceived lack of foreign-policy experience, but what they are not allowing for is something more important — that she has the right basic attitudes and sense of priorities. She understands that aggression has to be resisted and commitments have to be honored.”
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MikeR on Aug 17 2008 | Filed under: Around the Web
Powerline“In yesterday’s radio address, John McCain talked about how the energy issue unites foreign and domestic policy”.
Exactly right. Energy is more than a Green issue or a Carbon Footprint issue. It is intrinsically linked to our survival.
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Lee on Aug 11 2008 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lee's Page
Russia wants Saakashvili gone and then categorically rejects the French ceasefire agreement Saakashvili signed. Even while the increasingly uncomfortable Medvedev says they’re all but finished with military operations. The humiliating exposure of Medvedev’s “presidency” is one of the more comical aspects of this episode.
Putin, the master of I’m-not-you-are school of geopolitical disputation, accuses the US [...]
Lee on Aug 05 2008 | Filed under: Election 2008, Foreign affairs, Lee's Page
(Photo: Alice E. Backer | blog)
Andrew Galasetti at Lyved is an extremely devoted admirer of Obama. While fanatical devotion can blind — Galasetti thinks for instance that the McCain celebrity charge backfired, when the polls suggest a different picture (last week Ras had +6 Obama, now it’s +1 McCain) — it can also be a [...]
Lee on Jul 31 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Lee's Page
(photo: dgeuzen)
John Riley at Newsday is criticizing John McCain’s “Celeb” ad on the grounds that “anyone knows” Britney Spears and Paris Hilton just aren’t celebrity enough. Points for novelty at least.
To reinforce his argument, he cites the Forbes Celebrity 100 as proof positive of this. Where are they in the list Mr. McCain? Not there! [...]
Lee on Jul 30 2008 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lee's Page
Sober, secular and educated new residents to New Mexico can often be found painting the frames of their doors and windows a vivid bright blue. Having seen the habit practiced on the homes of locals, the newcomers invariably assume it’s a quaint regional decorative touch. They’re unaware of course that the locals have painted their [...]
Lance on Jul 27 2008 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Humor, Lance's Page
Obama makes his first effort at diplomacy with the Palestinians. The response:
F- - - Washington, f- - - Obama and f- - - you.
I feel encouraged, how about you?
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Joshua Foust on May 27 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs
I’m no fan of Obama—his social programs are enough to make him a no-go in my book—but much of the hoopla over things like his foreign policy are ludicrous. Take the “negotiate without preconditions” bit. Is that really so outrageous? Many people here have argued quite vociferously that it is tantamount to retreat, surrender, appeasement, [...]
MichaelW on Apr 17 2008 | Filed under: Blogs, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war, Philosophy
There seems to be some confusion on the part of some as to exactly what sort of place ASHC is:
I was rather surprised to read this dubious and scornful appraisal of Michael Yon’s Wallstreet Journal editorial at A Second Hand Conjecture, a heretofore conservative site.
The post Mick Stockinger is referring to was created by Joshua [...]
Joshua Foust on Apr 14 2008 | Filed under: Foreign affairs
Neither George Snuffalufagus nor National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley seemed capable of distinguishing between Tibet and Nepal this weekend. Given that one is a Buddhist monarchy democratizing in fits and starts with a Maoist insurgency gaining a permanent foothold, and another one is a formerly Buddhist monarchy overrun five decades ago by Maoist foot soldiers… [...]
Lee on Feb 12 2008 | Filed under: Election 2008, Foreign affairs, Lee's Page
photo: Chris Dunn
Spiegel has a typically aggressive (and aggressively European) interview with John McCain today. In many ways it’s an interesting yet disappointing exercise, due to its focus on the perceived past sins of the Bush administration. While much ground is covered, a little too often Spiegel essentially asks “Bush did XYZ, which is bad. [...]
Lee on Jan 13 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Lee's Page, Uncategorized
It seems Daniel Hannan has been getting some email of the “what the heck is wrong with you?” variety over his support for Barack Obama. Today he argues that he’s thrown his support behind the rather vague candidate because of his policy vacuity and favoritism for style over substance:
Isn’t it possible to argue that we [...]
Lance on Jan 12 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Libertarianism, Media, Society
One of my favorite bloggers has resurfaced, and I am hurt, hurt, hurt that D. A. Ridgely didn’t let his fans (okay, me) know to where he had disappeared. He is now blogging at Positive Liberty, and the blogosphere has now gone from diminished by his absence to a place where civil, insightful cultural and [...]
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