YNet reports that Pope Benedict “denounced rocket attacks on Israeli border towns that provoked Israel’s armed retaliation, and appealed in God’s name for Jerusalem to use moderation and for Palestinian authorities to ‘neutralize’ violent forces.” He said, literally: “The clashes among Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip and the rocket attacks against inhabitants of the nearby Israeli cities, which prompted armed intervention, are provoking a bloody deterioration...

The Washington Post has an article up by Molly Moore, carrying the title: “New Leadership Trio Could Put Europe Back on Political Map.” Subtitle: “Merkel, Sarkozy and Brown Seen Reenergizing Region.” Indeed: very, very positive (almost overly positive in my humble opinion). One thing that has to be mentioned: Brown? Brown reenergizes the region? We are talking about Gordon Brown, right? Brown is quite unpopular. Both with Tories ánd with Labor voters. That being said,...

An interesting article at TIME.com about former US secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld: What’s next for Donald Rumsfeld? The former Defense Secretary, not surprisingly, has had talks with publishers about the possibility of writing a book. But a longtime adviser tells Time.com that Rumsfeld has other, even more ambitious, plans. Rumsfeld, who was Pentagon boss from 2001 to 2006 and oversaw the planning and execution of the Iraq war, is in the early stages of setting up an educational foundation...

Yesterday, Ed Morrissey talked with Nader Elguindi, author of My Decision to Live for Ed’s program at Blog Talk Radio. Ed explains at his blog: “Today on CQ Radio (2 pm CT), we’ll talk to Nader Elguindi, who has authored a book that details his experience in overcoming adversity and devastating physical injuries to requalify as a US Navy submariner. Titled My Decision to Live, Elguindi has directed all proceeds to benefit the Walter Reed Medical Center, where he now works as a peer...

For a great news round-up go to Jules Crittenden’s place.

PatHMV wrote an interesting post for Stubborn Facts about Fred Thompson (and Al Gore). Thompson wrote an article yesterday for Pajamas Media, in which he thanks the ‘online community’ for its support and in which he appeals for, yes, bipartisanship. In his post, PatHMV contrasts Thompson(‘s post) with Gore(‘s book). Those of you who know me from Centerfield know that I’ve long said that political centrists should focus on improving the tone and attitude of debates in...

The Gun Toting Liberal: “Bush Amnesty For Illegal Aliens Bill Passes Senate As President Lures Border Agents To Iraq With Six-Figure Salary Offers” Andrew Sullivan quotes a reader who describes todays republican right-wing as being fascist. Libby Spencer responds (and agrees with Andrew). Ali Eteraz on Islamic Existentialism: “A lot of Westerners do not understand Muslim poets like Ghalib (and even guys like Khayyam) because we do not understand the deeper existentialism that motivated...

“An IAF airstrike targeted a minivan belonging to a Hamas militant in northern Gaza City on Friday, killing three people and wounding 12, Palestinian hospital officials said.” The IDF said the aircraft struck the vehicle which was carrying weapons and Kassams, causing secondary explosions. Separately, Israeli tanks fired five shells near a housing project in the northern Gaza town of Jebaliya, slightly wounding five people, according to hospital officials. Officials said it fired tank...

It’s Gül vs. Sarkozy: Ankara refused on Thursday a proposal to set up a Mediterranean club, floated by new French President Nicolas Sarkozy as an alternative to full membership in the EU, and urged the conservative politician to respect membership agreements signed between Turkey and the bloc. Sarkozy, who took over office from Jacques Chirac on Wednesday, is a strong opponent of Turkey’s membership in the EU on the basis that much of Turkey’s territory lies in Asia, he has instead...

Good news for Mitt Romney: he’s currently leading in the polls in Iowa (and New Hampshire). A couple of months ago, he was still quite far behind, but everything has changed during the last couple of weeks. To read more, click here.

The Gun Toting Liberal: ‘President Bush’s SIXTH Choice For New “War Czar” Position Says “Yes”…’. Jim M. at The Impolitic on the following question Chris Wallace of Foxnews asked Ron Paul: “Are you running for the nomination of the wrong party?” Jim: “This is what any trailblazing scientist will be up against; if you find any free will in republicans then you will be accused of studying the wrong species.” Dennis Sanders on...

This won’t make conservatives happy: Senators negotiating a bipartisan immigration reform bill have settled on the details of a plan that would immediately grant legal status to all illegal immigrants currently in the United States. The deal on “Z visas” for illegal immigrants is one of several issues where Democrats and Republicans have reached broad agreement. [...] The plan to award legal status to all illegal immigrants who meet certain qualifications would occur only after...

The Populist (EDITED) on the reaction of some ‘progressives’ (bloggers and commenters) on Falwell’s death yesterday: I just want to say that I am disgusted by the vile hate and nastiness, that I have been reading on the Liberal Blogs. You idiots ought to be ashamed of yourselves! I didn’t care for Falwell either, because I am somewhat of a Fundamentalist, Albeit, a more progressive one, Christian, and Falwell walked away from Fundamentalism, and rejected the King James Version...

Toby Harnden wrote an article for the Telegraph, about Josh Bolton. Bolton said that Iran must be prevented from developing a nuclear bomb, even, if necessary, by the use of force and he also said that we’re running out of time (to act). “It’s been conclusively proven Iran is not going to be talked out of its nuclear programme. So to stop them from doing it, we have to massively increase the pressure. “If we can’t get enough other countries to come along with us to do...

The New York Times reports: On the night of March 10, 2004, a high-ranking Justice Department official rushed to a Washington hospital to prevent two White House aides from taking advantage of the critically ill Attorney General, John Ashcroft, the official testified today… “I was very upset,” said James B. Comey, who was deputy Attorney General at the time, in his testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I was angry. I thought I had just witnessed an effort...

A great article at Turkish Daily News about Turkey’s greatest author, Orhan Pamuk. Excerpt: One wonders what Orhan Pamuk felt yesterday morning when with childlike simplicity he walked on the stage at BoÄŸaziçi University’s Albert Hall to receive an honorary PhD in literature, in the same room where 40 years ago he passed his preparatory exam in English. One would think he was pleased, that scholars are finally splitting hairs over the depth and meaning of his work and recognizing...

Believe it or not: the US Congress gets lower approval ratings than president George W. Bush: 29% of those polled approve of how the US Congress is functioning, while 33% of those asked believe that Bush is doing a stellar job. Although it is normal for Congress to have quite low approval ratings, one cannot help but notice that the approval ratings of Congress have dropped quite significantly since, say, January this year. Remarkably enough, only 37% of Democratic voters approve of what the US Congress...

I posted the following comment in the comment section of my Three Turks planned to attack US Germany bases post. I agree completely with you when you say that this part of the war on terrorism is going well. Note, I am not saying, I never said, that the war against terrorism is lost. Far from it. We just started fighting that war: it will be a 20 year, probably even 50 year long war. This is something that ‘we’ need to explain to fellow Westerners: the global war against terrorism isn’t...

The NYT’s Bill Carter writes: The numbers are stark. Eight months into Katie Couric’s job as the first woman to anchor a network newscast on her own, her “CBS Evening News” has not only settled back into its long-held position of last among the evening news broadcasts, but also regularly falls short of the newscast that Ms. Couric replaced. In the latest week’s ratings, “CBS Evening News” had its worst performance since the Nielsen company installed its...

“Captain” Ed Morrissey live blogged a speech by Norm Coleman at the University of Minnesota about renewable energy (and more), at Heading Right. It’s an interesting topic, one, I am afraid to admit, I do not know that much about. All I ‘know’ is that the West has to become less dependent on countries in the Middle East: we have to find our own energy resources. The means / knowledge are / is out there, generally, it seems to me that we only truly have to dedicate ourselves...

Brad DeLong: The “Parthenon Sculptures should be returned, if anywhere, to… Turkey.” Marc Schulman: “Retired General Batiste Speaks Out.” Go check out Booker Rising’s Quote of the Day and while you’re at it, Central Sanity’s quote of the day as well. Andrew Sullivan has a video up of Mitt Romney on Iraq: “Brutal about the Bush record, still with the surge, but with an obvious out in September if a miracle doesn’t happen. What his Plan B...

These teachers should be ashamed of themselves and should be fired immediately. What a bunch of idiots. Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables. It was, according to the teachers, meant as a “learning experience.” Good, lets turn this into a learning experience for the teachers as well. The lesson they have to learn: doing stupid things like that results...

I have exciting but also sad news: Mick LaSalle published the last chapter of The Event. Exciting? Because I couldn’t wait to see how it would all end. Why, then, sad? Because The Event quickly became part of my weekly reading material. I am going to miss it, that’s for sure. So: be sure to read the last chapter: it’s a great ending, I won’t say too much, because I don’t want to spoil it for you. Let me just take the time to thank Mick for e-mailing me whenever he published...

The GTL that another Republican is about to bite the dust: Governor of Nevada Jim Gibbons. Libby Spencer has an interesting post up (with some good links) about (the situation in) Pakistan. It could messy. Ali Eteraz debates Umar Lee about feminism. QandO has an heart warming post up about a 10 year old boy, Justin Peterson, who “had endured three years of chemotherapy, and then his leukemia returned last fall.” Dave Schuler on “the religious question.

Required reading material for the course American Society II, subject Jazz (how it was received): Many people have wondered whence come the waves upon waves of musical slush that invade decent homes and set the young people of this generation imitating the drivel of morons. Popular music is a Jewish monopoly. Jazz is a Jewish creation. The mush, slush, the sly suggestion, the abandoned sensuousness of sliding notes, are of Jewish origin… Is it surprising that whichever way you turn to trace...