The New York Times reports that “an independent commission established by Congress to assess Iraq’s security forces will recommend remaking the 26,000-member national police force to purge it of corrupt officers and Shiite militants suspected of complicity in sectarian killings.†In fact, an administration official told the Times that the panel recommends that “we … [Read more...] about Panel Will Urge Broad Overhaul of Iraqi Police
Gonzales: Oops
Potentially bad news for Alberto Gonzales: The Justice Department's inspector general indicated yesterday that he is investigating whether departing Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales gave false or misleading testimony to Congress, including whether he lied under oath about warrantless surveillance and the firings of nine U.S. attorneys. The disclosure by Inspector … [Read more...] about Gonzales: Oops
Columnists Criticizing Each Other
At Turkish Daily News two columnists are currently debating each other. Mustafa Akyol first criticized fellow TDN columnist Burak Bekdil three days ago. Today, the latter responded to the criticism. Both columns are interesting reads, if for nothing else then to see how respectful both treat each other, while fervently disagreeing at the same time with one another. Of … [Read more...] about Columnists Criticizing Each Other
Month 53 of the War By the Numbers
As far as the war in Iraq is concerned, the trouble with September for the Bush administration is that August has to come first. This means the good news in the run-up to the anxiously awaited Petraeus-Crocker progress report gets upstaged by the bad news: Negligible decreases in U.S. and Iraqi casualties despite all of the spinning about how much better things … [Read more...] about Month 53 of the War By the Numbers
Is Secretary of Defense Gates Out Of The Iraq Policy-Making Loop?
President George Bush wants $50 billion more for the Iraq war and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates reportedly did not even know about it. This suggests some possibilities: (1) Policy is being made by Bush and a very small group of people. And the link above also notes that the military is NOT solidly backing the Bush administration on Iraq anymore -- because they fear … [Read more...] about Is Secretary of Defense Gates Out Of The Iraq Policy-Making Loop?
Guest Voice: Obama’s Opportunity
NOTE: The Moderate Voice runs Guest Voice posts from time to time by readers who don't have their own websites, or people who have websites but would like to post something for TMV's diverse and thoughtful readership. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Moderate Voice or its writers. This cross post is by the independent blog Walking Think Tank: … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: Obama’s Opportunity
Guest Poet: The Great Stock Plunge
Another poetic gem from TMV's favorite poet, Michael Silverstein, aka Wall Street Poet: A concerted effort featuring huge infusions of money supplied by the Fed, highly focused buying orchestrated by Treasury officials that gave a positive skew to key averages, abetted by buying opportunity calls to individual investors by every stock broker from Panama to the Yukon, kept … [Read more...] about Guest Poet: The Great Stock Plunge
This Just In!!!
THIS JUST IN from investigative reporter Andy Borowitz:NBC Launches ‘To Catch a Senator’ Chris Hansen to Stake Out Airport Bathrooms “Dateline,†the NBC newsmagazine which has scored big ratings for its “To Catch a Predator†investigations, announced today that it would introduce a new investigative series this fall, entitled “To Catch a Senator.†At a … [Read more...] about This Just In!!!
Important Notes For TMV Readers
This was posted early this morning and we've moved it up. NEWER POSTS are under this so keep scrolling. A few important notes for TMV readers: OUR SITE REDESIGN AND UPGRADE IS CONTINUING There will be some important and extensive upgrades to TMV starting early Saturday morning around 5 a.m. through 8 a.m. There could be some disruptions. We are doing a major server … [Read more...] about Important Notes For TMV Readers
Another Growing Muslim Firestorm Over A Cartoon?
It sounds as if this should be filed in your Here We Go Again Department File: Fears grew of a new confrontation over images deemed blasphemous by Muslims as Pakistan joined Iran in protest over a sketch by a Swedish artist portraying the prophet Mohammed as a dog. Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had summoned the Swedish charge d'affaires to condemn "in the … [Read more...] about Another Growing Muslim Firestorm Over A Cartoon?
The Analogy Game
Heterosexual getting propositioned by a gay man : "Lewd Conduct" criminal charge :: Heterosexual women getting propositioned by a straight man : Totally free and legal "Street Harassment"? Close. But not quite. Because what many women (especially urban women) have to endure is far, far more pervasive, persistent, and threatening than what Senator Craig is accused of having … [Read more...] about The Analogy Game
What’s Better Than Barack Obama?
Cross-Posted at The Debate Link I … [Read more...] about What’s Better Than Barack Obama?
Listen To Larry Craig’s Bathroom Arrest Police Interrogation
What do you think? LISTEN HERE. Yours truly? I hear an awful lot of "I don't recall." … [Read more...] about Listen To Larry Craig’s Bathroom Arrest Police Interrogation
Terrorism Policies Split Democrats
Jonathan Weisman reports for the Washington Post that there seems to be trouble in the Democratic camp. According to Weisman, the Democrats' failure to "halt President Bush's most controversial tactics in the fight against terrorism has exposed deep divisions within the party, with many Democrats angry that they cannot defeat even a weakened president on issues that they … [Read more...] about Terrorism Policies Split Democrats
The Turkish Military versus the US Supreme Court
A difference without a distinction? … [Read more...] about The Turkish Military versus the US Supreme Court
Castro for Clinton/Obama?
Cross-Posted at The Debate Link Jim Lindgren says he "endorsed" them. But a closer look at the linked article seems to indicate that Castro was only making a political prediction as to the likelihood and electability of such a ticket. Specifically, Castro says it would be "unbeatable"--though where Castro gets the expertise to know how one wins a contested democratic … [Read more...] about Castro for Clinton/Obama?
Middle-Class Health Crisis Gets Worse
The newest Census figures put a statistical face on the sickening truth about health care in America. Even as household incomes go up, some do the number of uninsured. The creeping crisis has moved beyond the poor into the middle class. A record high 47 million Americans were priced out of health care, even as the poverty rate went down and median household income rose to … [Read more...] about Middle-Class Health Crisis Gets Worse
The Etymology of @
William Safire recently wrote about a new book and briefly discusses what we in the US call the "AT symbol," namely @. A sidebar in their punchy little book, drawn from the Web site (that’s archaic Times style for what the world has compressed to website) Herodios.com, compares the word for @ with what English speakers call “at.†In Czech, it would be Zavinac, “a … [Read more...] about The Etymology of @
A New Kind of Secularism
It seems that Abdullah Gül has immediately created a debate (and set the tone of it) about what secularism exactly is or should be: President Abdullah Gül described secularism as the rule of social harmony and a model that underpins freedom for different life styles, in his first speech following his election Tuesday. Gül's statement was welcomed by many as a new … [Read more...] about A New Kind of Secularism
Center of Attention
A round up of recent posts by various bloggers who either attempt to strike a balanced note on heated debates and controversial issues, or improve our ability to find our own sense of balance by exposing us to new information and different points-of-view. -------------------------- Think Progress excerpts a bipartisan letter from Governors Spitzer and Schwarzenegger to … [Read more...] about Center of Attention