Traveling blogger/journalist Michael Totten has a column in the New York Daily News: While American politicians bicker among themselves from eight time zones away about whether the surge led by Gen. David Petraeus is working or not, I returned to Iraq to see for myself. This trip - from which I returned this month - was my fourth reporting stint in the country since the … [Read more...] about He Went To See If The Surge In Iraq Was Working
Guest Voice: Oil Shale to the Rescue?
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 Guest Voice is by J. Thomas Andrews, who lives in the … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: Oil Shale to the Rescue?
What do the Sunni insurgents think?
Are the Sunni insurgents who turned on Al Qaeda in Iraq willing to cooperate with a Shi'ite-run majority government? Are they beginning a long, locally-driven process of reconciliation with the Shi'ite population? Or are they merely waiting to finish off Al Qaeda before they use their new weapons against the Shi'ite-led government - and the US again? Or, worse, are they making … [Read more...] about What do the Sunni insurgents think?
Reform in Pakistan?
Did General Musharraf agree to step down as head of the Pakistani military? Kevin Sullivan looks at the situation in Pakistan and offers some thoughts of his own. … [Read more...] about Reform in Pakistan?
Straight out of the Closet
It should bring me pleasure to watch the GOP convulse over this Larry Craig thing, but it doesn't. It doesn't because the behavioral patterns of all the actors in the sorry tale are symbolic or contributory of a larger pattern of destructiveness that ruins countless lives. Craig's may or may not be one of them. But even one is too many. … [Read more...] about Straight out of the Closet
The Moderator’s Voice
When I joined this blog (middle of 2005) I was significantly more "moderate", in the usual sense of the term, than I am now. I freely admit that since then, I have drifted distinctly off to the left. It actually probably looks worse from your vantage point, because on the issue I most care about (race relations), "drifted" probably is less accurate than "ran with reckless … [Read more...] about The Moderator’s Voice
Israel Willing to Compromise
The Jerusalem Post reports: The teams of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met in Jerusalem Tuesday, ahead of a private meeting between the two leaders. Israel Radio reported that during the extended meeting the Israelis gave their Palestinian counterparts general offers on core issues. An unnamed official was quoted as saying that … [Read more...] about Israel Willing to Compromise
Darn Those Needles
Providing drug addicts with clean needles: a good or a bad idea? What do you all think? On the one hand it seems to me that this way the government may be able to prevent certain people from getting HIV, on the other hand I also worry that it may make it more easy for people to do drugs. … [Read more...] about Darn Those Needles
Gül Elected President
Please say hello to Turkey's new President, Abdullah Gül: Beaming as the votes were counted, a veteran government figure with roots in political Islam won a parliamentary vote to become Turkey's president Tuesday, in defiance of the country's strongly secular military. Abdullah Gul's triumph presented Turkey's generals with a choice: overthrow Gul in what would be a deeply … [Read more...] about Gül Elected President
Can We Have Too Much Democracy?
Michael van der Galien stirred the pot last week in his August 25 post, "Progressives Unite!," criticizing the efforts of Matt Stoller, et. al., to un-elect Democrats with whom they disagree. Subsequently, 73 comments were attached to Michael's post, and the resulting dust cloud was significant enough to earn some extra and much-deserved attention at Real Clear … [Read more...] about Can We Have Too Much Democracy?
Can Sadr reign in his “rogue” Mahdi Army elements?
Today comes a report that Sadr is suspending his Mahdi Army militia for six months to "rehabilitate it in a way that will safeguard its ideological image." This follows up on the utter chaos surrounding the Shi'ite pilgrimage to Karbala. The violence between Sadrist Mahdi militiamen and the Supreme Islamic Iraq Council (SIIC)'s Badr Corps in Karbala reflects similar … [Read more...] about Can Sadr reign in his “rogue” Mahdi Army elements?
The Future
and Jason Steck (edited to add as co-signatory) Some people seem to think that we may be considering resigning at TMV and simply to continue work at The Gazette. Just to make sure that these rumors will not spread we decided to publish this post as to say that we are not considering doing such a thing. We are proud to be on staff at TMV and plan to contribute here for a … [Read more...] about The Future
Diana and the Culture of Death & America’s Sinking Economic Ship
Pieter Dorsman wrote a fascinating post at my own blog about - what he calls - culture of death. It is Pieter's first post for The Gazette (my blog) and, when you read it, I am sure you will understand why I asked him to co-blog (again at my blog not at TMV). A small excerpt in an attempt to persuade you to read the post: Diana’s death accelerated the emergence of a new and … [Read more...] about Diana and the Culture of Death & America’s Sinking Economic Ship
Bush Stepping Up the Rhetoric: Iran Puts Region under Shadow of Nuclear Holocaust
US President George W. Bush is stepping up the rhetoric (directed towards Iran). He said that Iran is playing a destabilizing role in the region and that a nuclear holocaust could be the result of Iran's nuclear program. Obviously, the US is determined to prevent such a nuclear holocaust from happening. Meanwhile, Raw Story has a fascinating article up: it seems that the US … [Read more...] about Bush Stepping Up the Rhetoric: Iran Puts Region under Shadow of Nuclear Holocaust
Iraq & The Forever War: To Everything There Is a Season: Burn, Burn, Burn
Conservatives, as absent minded as their president when it comes to the lessons of history, are forgetting a significant cyclical aspect of the history of the Iraq war in their hearty hosannas over the "success" of the surge. In each of the first four years of the war, there has been a spike in violence as temperatures cool down, summer wanes and Ramadan approaches. I … [Read more...] about Iraq & The Forever War: To Everything There Is a Season: Burn, Burn, Burn
Republicans Put Wide Stance Between Themselves And Craig
Republicans were distancing themselves yesterday from Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) faster than if Craig had been screaming "We need a stronger inheritance tax!!!" A monitoring of conservative talk radio shows yesterday found that some hosts were in the ironic position of telling irate listeners defending Craig -- who pleaded guilty after being arrested for allegedly making … [Read more...] about Republicans Put Wide Stance Between Themselves And Craig
MSNBC Duped By Blog Parody Site
What does a major news organization do on a big story when it looks for a lively quote? Reporters will interview people, or, in this day and age, do an internet search. And then you can strike GOLD: that great QUOTE on a website that fits a story perfectly. But there are danger signs on the cyberspace highway. That's because there are parody sites...and some of them … [Read more...] about MSNBC Duped By Blog Parody Site
So How COULD The Press Miss Craig’s Arrest For Three Months?
Editor & Publisher finally asks the question that is on the tip of the tongue of anyone who has ever worked in the news media (and this site has several people who have): how COULD news outlets miss for some three months the news that Senator Larry Craig had been arrested for making lewd advances in a men's restroom? The revelation late Monday that Sen. Larry Craig … [Read more...] about So How COULD The Press Miss Craig’s Arrest For Three Months?
Vice Admiral John Scott Redd: “We’re Going to Get Hit Againâ€
Newsweek published an highly interesting article today. Retired Vice Admiral John Scott Redd, head of the National Counterterrorism Center explains that the US is going to get hit again by terrorists in the (near) future (no matter what the US does) and he explains what the nature of the war against terrorism is. He also talks about Osama Bin Laden. It is remarkable to … [Read more...] about Vice Admiral John Scott Redd: “We’re Going to Get Hit Againâ€
“I Have a Dream”
Forty four years ago today, more than 250,000 black and white Americans gathered peacefully at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to bear witness to the desire for a new civil rights bill that would give equal protection under the law for all. At a time when race in America is reflected in a range of truths from the neglect of African-American victims of hurricane Katrina to … [Read more...] about “I Have a Dream”