Laura Rozen talks about how the Bush administration has softened its stance on the Sudanese government in regards to Darfur, preferring political expediency over human rights concerns. One thing thats left out of the analysis, however, is the impact of oil. China has been cozying up to Bashir’s regime for awhile now, primarily because Sudan is teeming with underdeveloped oil stores. It’s one reason why a Security Council resolution on Darfur, even if the US or EU wanted it, would never...

This past weekend’s anti-American demonstrations in Baghdad speak to the growing influence of Muqtada al-Sadr as the Iraqi people become less tolerant of US occupation and influence. I will admit, the size of the protests was surprising. Of course, there’s disagreement on the exact number of protesters ranging from “tens of thousands” to “>300,000, but, regardless, it shows that Sadr has retained influence and can call upon his supporters to stage events at whatever...

From my hometown paper, Peter A. Brown has it right: Hillary is being set up (free registration required, but here are the important portions): Some Washington pundits are rethinking their conventional wisdom. The result is an emerging belief inside the Beltway that she has successfully moderated her political image. In their view, Clinton has convinced bumpkins in The Great Beyond that she’s no longer a loony liberal, but has remade herself into a centrist Democrat. … Centrist Democrats,...

Not so much, or so I argue.