A misunderstanding of the meaning of victory in asymmetrical wars is a main reason why the US remains stuck in the bloody quick sands of Afghanistan and Iraq. Since military power is unable to deliver a sustainable peace, alternative strategies deserve consideration. As President Barack Obama seeks world esteem for US leadership during top-level talks in New York and … [Read more...] about Obama’s bids for world esteem and victory in Afghanistan
After 9-11, Iraq was Punished for America’s Mistakes: Iraq of Tomorrow, Iraq
Iraqis ponder the impact of September 11 on them. So how were Iraqis feeling on September 11, 2009, eight years after the attacks that led - justifiably or not - to the invasion of their land? Judging by this op-ed from Iraqi magazine Iraq of Tomorrow, the people of the country are anything but grateful for the role America has played in their nation's recent history - … [Read more...] about After 9-11, Iraq was Punished for America’s Mistakes: Iraq of Tomorrow, Iraq
Mission Creep In Afghanistan
To the dismay of our military leaders, President Barack Obama is pulling a Brett Favre in deciding to send more troops to Afghanistan. While weighing a change in strategy by the president , Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal warns that unless he is provided more forces and a robust counterinsurgency strategy, the war in Afghanistan is most likely lost. Today I am filing a … [Read more...] about Mission Creep In Afghanistan
Why Obama is Right to Avoid/Ignore Fox News
Can you blame President Obama for "snubbing" Fox News yesterday? Steve Benen: "Fox News spent months promoting last weekend's right-wing protests in Washington, encouraging viewers to go register their outrage. And during the event itself, the Republican news network went a step further, encouraging the crowd to get louder once the cameras were on." (HuffPo has … [Read more...] about Why Obama is Right to Avoid/Ignore Fox News
Momentum Builds for National Security
Guest post by Frankie Sturm and Matt Rhoades Frankie Sturm is communications director at the Truman National Security Project and a free-lance journalist. Matt Rhoades works on Operation FREE for the Truman Project, where he is an intern. ********** Operation FREE, a coalition of national security experts and military veterans, has been a leading voice in arguing that … [Read more...] about Momentum Builds for National Security
Are Health Insurance Profits Really A Problem?
I often read that health insurance company profits are the major problem in the system and if only insurance was run by an entity without profit motive then things would be OK. This is uh, not the case at all. As NPR notes, insurance profits make up approximately 1% of total health expenditures. By contrast, health cost inflation is averaging 5-8% a year. This means that … [Read more...] about Are Health Insurance Profits Really A Problem?
A Most Unusual Look at the Bush “Self-Correcting” Presidency
This morning’s Op-Ed piece in the New York Times by Ross Douthat will certainly raise a lot of eyebrows, produce a lot of frowns, bring out a lot of smiles and everything in between---and beyond. For the article is a little bit about the good and a lot about the bad and the ugly of a person whom Americans either love, or love to hate. You guessed it; it is about George W. … [Read more...] about A Most Unusual Look at the Bush “Self-Correcting” Presidency
Irving Kristol (1920-2009)
Irving Kristol, father of Bill and one of the founders of neoconservatism, died on Friday at the age of 89. You can find obituaries, among other places, at the Times and the Post, as well as from Robert Kagan (a close friend of Bill and a leading neocon) and John Podhoretz (son of Norman, another founding neocon, at Commentary, one of the key neocon publications). I usually … [Read more...] about Irving Kristol (1920-2009)
Quote of the Day: Barack Obama on News and Blogs
Our political Quote of the Day comes from President Barack Obama on the direction of 21st century America's news media: I am concerned that if the direction of the news is all blogosphere, all opinions, with no serious fact-checking, no serious attempts to put stories in context, that what you will end up getting is people shouting at each other across the void but not a … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Barack Obama on News and Blogs
After the Missile Shield: It’s Time for Kremlin to Bring Itself to Reciprocate – Gazeta of Russia
So the long-rumored deed is done: American has decided that the anti-missile shield, parts of which were to be built in Poland and the Czech Republic - is best set aside for other considerations. When one get's past all the bravado and one-upmanship of foreign affairs, what impact will it have on Russian behavior? This editorial from Russia's Gazeta newspaper, notably owned … [Read more...] about After the Missile Shield: It’s Time for Kremlin to Bring Itself to Reciprocate – Gazeta of Russia
Did Barack Obama Read the Baucus Bill?
Yesterday I took some friendly fire from readers for my dubious response to President Obama's claims to George Stephanopoulos that charging people money if they don't have health insurance was not a tax increase. George broke out the dictionary definition of "tax," which the President blew off. In other areas, people like Steve Benen crowed about how Obama had "schooled" George … [Read more...] about Did Barack Obama Read the Baucus Bill?
More Tidbits From Upcoming Latimer Bush Book
The Huffington Post has some more tidbits from Speechwriter Matt Latimer's new book about his days working for George Bush -- and what went on at the White House. Here are a few tidbits. First the setup: Disclosure: Latimer's bookis officially embargoed until Tuesday. I read it in manuscript form months ago and blurbed it on the back of the book, saying good things … [Read more...] about More Tidbits From Upcoming Latimer Bush Book
Our Globalized Economy
Monte Wolverton, Cagle Cartoons This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Our Globalized Economy
Warping the Debate about Government (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- It's time to cast aside the political shorthand and ideological pigeonholing that distort our debates over health care in particular and government's role in American life more broadly. The way words such as "centrist" and "bipartisan" are now deployed turns the discussion away from useful arguments over how various proposals might work and toward arid … [Read more...] about Warping the Debate about Government (Guest Voice)
The Bush Eastern Europe Missile Defense Versus the Obama Eastern Europe Missile Defense
The controversy -- with people lined up along party and ideological lines -- rages on. But what is the real difference between the two plans? This makes it easier to understand... … [Read more...] about The Bush Eastern Europe Missile Defense Versus the Obama Eastern Europe Missile Defense
Glenn Beck
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Glenn Beck
Rumsfeld’s Army You Have and Gates’ Army You Want
I will never forget then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's answer to a question by Army specialist Thomas Wilson of the 278th Regimental Combat Team, back in December of 2004, nearly two years after the start of the Iraq war. The setting was a town-hall style meeting Rumsfeld was holding with over 2,000 Iraq-bound troops in a cavernous hangar at a remote desert camp … [Read more...] about Rumsfeld’s Army You Have and Gates’ Army You Want
Renewed Controversy Over Patriot Act
I have a blog post up at Comments from Left Field on the upcoming battle over reauthorization of three provisions of the Patriot Act. … [Read more...] about Renewed Controversy Over Patriot Act
International Talk Like a Pirate Day
This is a day late since International Talk Like a Pirate Day was yesterday, but it's worth putting up anyway. When I lived in France I visited Lyon and ran across this restaurant, the Resto Pirate, which offers "wild food": A little bit of silliness is good for the soul... --- Cross-posted between Random Fate and The Moderate Voice. --- Technorati : International Talk … [Read more...] about International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Economics By The Letters
The techniques that economists use to understand their specialized studies, and to decree the nostrums the rest of us must now follow, are so exotic, so elaborate, so far beyond the ken of ordinary mortals, they must be greatly simplified when transmitted to lesser minds. Thus, describing the future before us is today often reduced to single letters — V, U, W or L. In a V … [Read more...] about Economics By The Letters