The speculating is over, Harry Prince of Wales will be deployed to Iraq. More here. … [Read more...] about Update: Prince Harry Is Headed to Iraq
Beauty Pageant: Saudi Arabia Style
During my brief stint as a journalist with the Saudi Gazette at Riyadh in the late 1970s, my favourite question to the Saudis from different walks of life was: "What would you do if, suppose, your country runs out of oil?" The general refrain then was something like this: "We are not prisoners to our present lifestyle. God has been kind. If He wishes otherwise...we would … [Read more...] about Beauty Pageant: Saudi Arabia Style
Bush Photoshopped Into Baseball Card?
You may have heard about this, but if not it's worth a click. … [Read more...] about Bush Photoshopped Into Baseball Card?
Over 80 Free Men Held At Guantanamo Indefinitely
We kidnap them, "interrogate" them and then find out they did nothing wrong. But then their countries don't want them anymore. From the Wash Post:LONDON -- More than a fifth of the approximately 385 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been cleared for release but may have to wait months or years for their freedom because U.S. officials are finding it increasingly … [Read more...] about Over 80 Free Men Held At Guantanamo Indefinitely
War On Drugs: Cocaine Purer, Cheaper
Yet another sign that we need some new ideas about how to address the issue of drugs in America. From the AP:(AP) Cocaine prices in the United States have dropped and the drug's purity increased, despite years of effort and nearly $5 billion spent by the U.S. government to combat Colombia's drug industry, the White House drug czar acknowledged in a letter to a key senator. … [Read more...] about War On Drugs: Cocaine Purer, Cheaper
Rice Says Bush Won’t Accept Benchmarks In Iraq War Funding Bill (UPDATED)
Over the past few days there have been some press reports that suggested that in the end the Bush administration and Congress will come up with some kind of compromise on Iraq war funding. These reports suggest a likely compromise would be no withdrawal timetable but some benchmarks that the Iraq government would be required to follow. But now Secretary of State Condoleezza … [Read more...] about Rice Says Bush Won’t Accept Benchmarks In Iraq War Funding Bill (UPDATED)
Turkey and Europe
Yaakov Kirschen, The Jerusalem Post, Dry Bones … [Read more...] about Turkey and Europe
Putting George Bush on the Couch
Tim F. posed an interesting question the other day: What the heck is wrong with George Bush? That question may be answered in the future when psycho-historians plumb the depths of a man whose personal flaws, combined with the myriad blunders of his hubristic neocon brain trust, resulted in a train wreck of a presidency. But it’s worth taking a crack at the question now … [Read more...] about Putting George Bush on the Couch
Gun Toting Europeans
Yes they do exist: Evening rush hour at the train station: men in suits, a woman carrying a cello, kids lugging snowboards. Markus Marschall, a university engineering student, walked through the bustle wearing an orange T-shirt, leather jacket and aviator sunglasses -- and a Sturmgewehr 90 automatic assault rifle slung over his shoulder. "It's perfectly normal," said … [Read more...] about Gun Toting Europeans
Iraq: US & Iran Opt For ‘Face-Saving’ Approach
(Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki) It is official. The US and Iranian top officials would meet this week to discuss Iraq and the ongoing violence there. The New York Times reports: "The government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran announced Sunday that it would attend a regional conference on Iraq later this week, setting the stage for the first … [Read more...] about Iraq: US & Iran Opt For ‘Face-Saving’ Approach
World Observes ‘Darfur Day’: What Next?
Celebrities including Elton John, Mick Jagger, Bob Geldof, George Clooney and Mia Farrow have appealed to the international community to do more to protect the civilians of Darfur, the province of Sudan where 200,000 have died in four years of war, and millions have lost their homes. This appeal comes from these celebrities to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the … [Read more...] about World Observes ‘Darfur Day’: What Next?
Guest Voice: Democratic Political Genius
The Moderate Voice occasionally runs special Guest Voice posts written by readers who don't have weblogs or others who simply have something they would like to raise with TMV's diverse readership. This is by Matthew Pearl, a second year student at the University of Georgia. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TMV. Democratic Political Genius By … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: Democratic Political Genius
This Just In!!!
THIS JUST IN from investigative reporter Andy Borowitz:Bush Postpones Thinking about Iraq Until 2009 Says Thinking Would Send ‘Wrong Message’ to Enemy Saying that it was too early to assess whether the surge of additional troops into Baghdad was improving the security situation in the capital city, President George W. Bush said today he would postpone thinking about … [Read more...] about This Just In!!!
Georgie Off His Meds
Monte Wolverton, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about Georgie Off His Meds
Comment Registration Is Again Required
If you tried to comment on TMV you probably have seen that we are back to comment registration and will stay with it permanently. The reason is an increase in either over the line or close to over the line comments. While we try to encourage vigorous debate, this will allow us to ensure that if someone has been banned they stay banned and can't return to comment on the site. We … [Read more...] about Comment Registration Is Again Required
Gere & India: To Kiss Or Not To Kiss
(File photo. Richard Gere, left, prepares to hug actress Shilpa Shetty during an event for HIV-AIDS awareness in New Delhi. AP Photo/Gurinder Osan) Here's more on the Hollywood movie star Richard Gere and Indian film star Shilpa Shetty who are embroiled in a controversy for kissing in public in India. India is a nation struggling to come to terms with its own views on … [Read more...] about Gere & India: To Kiss Or Not To Kiss
The Event – Chapter 17
Since Michael vdG is currently traveling and therefore on a reduced posting schedule, I thought I'd let you all know that Chapter 17 of Mick LaSalle's novel The Event is now posted. … [Read more...] about The Event – Chapter 17
The Missing Indians
They don't get the same attention as Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Native Americans, or (East) Asians. In fact, they seem to be absent from contemporary racial classification altogether. What Indians tell us about racial discourse in America. … [Read more...] about The Missing Indians
Ego Shot
Randy Barnett, a co-blogger at The Volokh Conspiracy and noted law professor, is an excellent scholar (albeit one I don't necessarily agree with). He currently has a book out exploring the meaning and implications of the ever-elusive 9th Amendment. Unfortunately for him, he just received a message from Amazon.com about his customers' profile: We've noticed that customers who … [Read more...] about Ego Shot
Money Talks
It seems that Saudi Arabia has learned one important lesson the last couple of years: money talks. The Saudi daily Al-Watan reported, citing an anonymous security source, that the Saudi interior ministry has spent over 115 million riyals over the last three years in financial aid for eligible prisoners and their families. The source stated that the aid given to the prisoners … [Read more...] about Money Talks