Guest post by Peter S. Henne Peter S. Henne is a Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project and a doctoral candidate at Georgetown University. This post was originally published at The Huffington Post. Entropy, I was taught in high school chemistry, is one of the several laws ruling the universe. Disorder increases, and energy dissipates; clarity disappears … [Read more...] about Ali al-Marri and the Entropy of the War on Terror
Kal Penn, Art, Life, Etc.
Entertainment Weekly broke the story more than 24 hours ago. Ben Smith picked up on it around 11 a.m. yesterday. I first saw it at OTB later in the day. In short, actor Kal Penn -- of the "Harold and Kumar" movies and the hit FOX series "House" (an Abel family favorite) -- has left the latter for a much different house: He'll be an associate director in the White House … [Read more...] about Kal Penn, Art, Life, Etc.
Why Obama Derangement Syndrome Has Stopped Being Funny
By SHAUN MULLEN GUEST VOICE The murder of three Pittsburgh police officers last week by a young man who bought into right-wing lunatic fringe fears that the president is going to outlaw guns is an extreme manifestation of Obama Derangement Syndrome. But to suggest, as one right-of-center commentator has, that people like myself who make such connections are irrational is … [Read more...] about Why Obama Derangement Syndrome Has Stopped Being Funny
Pirates Hijack Ship With 20 Americans Off Somalia
Vessel-seizing pirates have struck again -- this time hijacking a ship carrying 20 Americans, an event that will refocus international attention on this growing martime problem. A U.S.-flagged cargo ship that routinely works under contract to the Department of Defense and its all-American crew were hijacked today by pirates operating off the Horn of Africa. The crew of … [Read more...] about Pirates Hijack Ship With 20 Americans Off Somalia
Obama to host Passover seder in White House
Last night, I read about President Obama's letter wishing those individuals who celebrate Passover a good holiday. Now comes word that there will be a seder in the White House: US President Barack Obama will celebrate Passover Thursday night with staff and friends in what is believed to be the first White House Seder attended by an American president. The event was slipped … [Read more...] about Obama to host Passover seder in White House
Our Great Depression
Barry Eichengreen and Kevin H. O’Rourke say we're in one: [T]he world is currently undergoing an economic shock every bit as big as the Great Depression shock of 1929-30. Looking just at the US leads one to overlook how alarming the current situation is even in comparison with 1929-30. The good news, of course, is that the policy response is very different. The question now … [Read more...] about Our Great Depression
Anti-Americanism for Russian Public Consumption Only: Gazeta of Russia
Once again the Russian newspaper Gazeta does what many of us thought couldn't happen in the land of Putin: it excoriates the Kremlin leadership - not only for its false anti-Americanism, but for letting the nation's military go to hell in a hand basket while feeding the population a steady diet of jingoistic bromides. Pointing out that it was the Soviets who first called … [Read more...] about Anti-Americanism for Russian Public Consumption Only: Gazeta of Russia
Cyberspies Target Power Grid
In another of those 'Oh great' stories we now learn (again) that cyberspies have been targeting the US electrical grid with a possible eye to staging a new 9/11 attack, this time by shutting us down at the power plug. While they have not yet launched a major attack, experts suggest that if they did attack they could sabatoge power systems in a way that could keep the power … [Read more...] about Cyberspies Target Power Grid
Biden: Cheney “Dead Wrong” On U.S. Being Unsafe Under Obama
Vice President Joe Biden has answered in no certain terms former Vice President Dick Cheney's latest verbal brickbat -- the former, highly unpopular Vice President's claim that the United States is less safe under President Barack Obama. Watch Biden's response here. In fact, he brings together several strands of criticism about the Bush years -- arguing that a safe America … [Read more...] about Biden: Cheney “Dead Wrong” On U.S. Being Unsafe Under Obama
Hubble Images
For those interested in the amazing universe out there, NASA has released a new series of images from the Hubble telescope. These kinds of images make me wish I had followed my childhood ambition to be an astronomer They also make me wonder who could doubt the existence of an amazing God. … [Read more...] about Hubble Images
Four Important Defense Budget Decisions
Yesterday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates unveiled the much-awaited fiscal year 2010 defense budget proposal. In his announcement, Gates emphasized that he reached his final decisions after many hours of consultations with the military and civilian leadership of his department. That he also consulted closely with the president, but received no direction or guidance from … [Read more...] about Four Important Defense Budget Decisions
Misinformation and Overblown Rhetoric About Defense Budget
James Inhofe grandstands about the Gates defense budget without having any clue what he's talking about, and blames Obama instead of Gates (because, of course, how could he blame Gates when he and his fellow far right Republicans have spent the last eight years demonizing the Democrats for "not listening to our military leaders"?). Now, the man in charge of the entire defense … [Read more...] about Misinformation and Overblown Rhetoric About Defense Budget
Touch-All-the-Bases Presidency
After his surprise visit to Baghdad, Barack Obama is heading home to rising approval ratings after a week of showing all the symbolic talents he brings to the White House with both rhetoric and body language. On the weekend in Istanbul, he affirmed US-Muslim relations and wowed young Turks in a town hall but, to balance any adverse reaction by hardliners back home, stopped … [Read more...] about Touch-All-the-Bases Presidency
It Reminded Me Of Mr. Ed, The Talking Horse
For a guy in the broadcast industry for 30 years, one would expect Ed Schultz not to be conned by a politician. That's exactly what transpired in Monday's launching of "The Ed Show" on MSNBC. Politicians are notorious for not answering questions directly. President Barack Obama is the best of the best. His Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is in his boss's league. Mr. … [Read more...] about It Reminded Me Of Mr. Ed, The Talking Horse
Vermont Legalizes Gay Marriage
Reuters: Vermont lawmakers on Tuesday overrode a veto from the governor in passing a bill that would allow same-sex marriage, clearing the way for the state to become the fourth in the nation where gay marriage is legal. The Vermont House of Representatives passed the bill by a 100-49 vote after it cleared the state Senate 23-5 earlier in the day. In Vermont, a bill needs … [Read more...] about Vermont Legalizes Gay Marriage
BREAKING NOW: Obama Makes A Surprise Trip To Iraq
Fresh on the heels of his trip to Turkey, President Barack Obama made an unannounced trip to Iraq -- a country where the war has settled into a kind of un-normal normalcy enough that Obama has been able to put the focus when he talks about war on the war in Afghanistan: President Obama made an unannounced trip to Baghdad on Tuesday, punctuating his week-long overseas trip … [Read more...] about BREAKING NOW: Obama Makes A Surprise Trip To Iraq
Israeli Army Vindicated
This should get as much media and blog coverage as the scurrilous war crimes accusations it refutes but it probably won't.... Jerusalem Post: 'Isolated vandalism isn't a war crime' Operation Cast Lead was completely justified, isolated acts of vandalism do not make the IDF an army of war criminals, and religious graduates of the military preparatory programs add to the … [Read more...] about Israeli Army Vindicated
Seder with Brando & Dylan
Jerusalem Post: Louie Kemp: 'When Marlon Brando made me a Pessah offer I couldn't refuse A few weeks ago, as he began preparing material for our Pessah supplements, The Jerusalem Post's Managing Editor Steve Linde placed a small ad in the paper inviting readers to submit amazing but true Pessah stories. More than 100 flooded in, several of which appear in our April 8 … [Read more...] about Seder with Brando & Dylan
More On Italian Earthquake
I posted yesterday about the Italian Earthquake. Here is an update. BBC: Death toll rises in Italy quake At least 207 people have been killed by Monday's earthquake in central Italy, with 100 residents critically injured, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says. He said 150 people had been rescued alive so far, and the operation would continue for a further 48 hours … [Read more...] about More On Italian Earthquake
Full Video Of Obama’s Town Hall Meeting With Turkish Students In Istanbul
Can President Barack Obama's ability to hold an impressive town hall meeting in spots throughout the world become a valuable international-clout producing tool? It's far too early to judge that. But just as in the case of his town hall meetings in the United States, his huddle yesterday with Turkish students was again framed in an advantageous setting where he engaged those … [Read more...] about Full Video Of Obama’s Town Hall Meeting With Turkish Students In Istanbul