For every moderate voice who has ever struggled with questions about the utility of moderation, I offer these thoughts on the doorstep of the new year. (Warning: The linked post is a rather lengthy read. For those who attempt it, I only hope it proves worthy of the time you invested.) … [Read more...] about Thoughts for the New Year
Should Hillary Clinton Be Jittery?
One of the "givens" of the non-ending Presidential campaigns, is the early annointing of a media "front-runner" who has the money OR the name power OR the organization OR the charisma. So look at Hillary Clinton. Oh, well: three out of four ain't bad... Times Online has a piece that utters the seemingly unutterable in some quarters: Hillary is often … [Read more...] about Should Hillary Clinton Be Jittery?
Rogue Senators Undermining American Interests
Several Senators have taken it upon themselves to travel the world, negotiating with radical states behind the Administration’s back because they think it’s the appropriate measures for one individual in one house of one branch of the U.S. government to take.In reality, their glamorous actions only threaten the effectiveness of American foreign policy: an effect that such … [Read more...] about Rogue Senators Undermining American Interests
Hillary Schillary
The Times of London on Hillary Clinton: Unfortunately for Senator Hillary Clinton, long the front-runner in the Democratic drive to retake the presidency, most of them are coming at her expense. A brace of Christmas opinion polls has left Clinton with a political hangover after a year that had appeared to cement her status as the Democrats’ best-organised, best-financed … [Read more...] about Hillary Schillary
Looking Back
Dahlia Litwick looks back at 2006 for Slate and compiles a "the 10 most outrageous civil liberties violations of 2006"-list. The numbers 3 -1: 3. Abuse of Jose Padilla First, he was, according to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, "exploring a plan to build and explode a radiological dispersion device, or 'dirty bomb,' in the United States." Then, he … [Read more...] about Looking Back
Edwards Appeals to Liberal Base
The Washington Post has an interesting article up about John Edwards. With overflow crowds and his populist economic message and his Internet-friendly campaign organization, John Edwards signaled this week that, if he has anything to say about it, the race for the Democratic presidential nomination will be about more than just Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Sen. … [Read more...] about Edwards Appeals to Liberal Base
Waiting For The Impact Of Saddam Hussein’s Death
And now the prevailing question becomes: what will be the impact of Saddam Hussein's hanging? Will the Iraqi populace's lingering images be of the guy in that photo with the seeming glint of fear in his eye as they put the noose around his neck? Will it be the dead-and-hung Saddam, lying on his side? Will it be the Saddam of the video (which will most assuredly show up in … [Read more...] about Waiting For The Impact Of Saddam Hussein’s Death
Withdrawal: Setting the Tone
This is a bit dated in blog terms, but awhile ago Ezra Klein had this to say on the Bush administration's reluctance to withdraw from Iraq: The question, of course, is why we don't [withdraw from Iraq]. What's the compelling national interest in occupying a country that deplores our presence? That murders our soldiers? That depletes our treasury? That shows no sign, hint, or … [Read more...] about Withdrawal: Setting the Tone
The Dialogue of the Civilizations Has Communication Issues
Ted Koppel has apparently joined up with the Discovery Channel and produced a documentary that tries to explain the decades of antecedents behind the latest US/Iran impasse by uncovering the average Iranian's view of the United States. It is an attempt at mutual understanding, an intriguing and needed project, to be certain. Unfortunately, it suffers from an expected … [Read more...] about The Dialogue of the Civilizations Has Communication Issues
Note (UPDATED)
Right now I can't figure out how to re-publish a publish post I've gone back and edited like the one below. Please have patience. I will post very little until I can figure this out and get an answer. It's allowing me to redit but there is no button I can see to republish. UPDATE: This is one of the few "housekeeping" posts you'll see on this site, only because it's our … [Read more...] about Note (UPDATED)
We’ve Moved And We’re STILL UNPACKING!
We've MOVED! TMV today completes the first step to revamping this site. As you may be aware, over the past few weeks we've added some "reader friendly" features such as categories. More things are in the works...and even a bit of an adjustment of design in 2007. But please bare with us. All of here at TMV are now learning how to use new software so things may look a bit … [Read more...] about We’ve Moved And We’re STILL UNPACKING!
Secret Asian Man
Secret Asian Man, an online comic strip by Tak Toyoshima. Â Â … [Read more...] about Secret Asian Man
Iraq…towards another Yugoslavia?
Saddam’s death is Mr. Maliki’s moment of truth, says Ned Parker in the London Times blog. He is the Baghdad Correspondent for The Times and has been based in the country since March 2003. He has also filed extensively from Israel and the Palestinian territories. "Maliki must take the political capital from executing Saddam to prove that the Shia have moved beyond their … [Read more...] about Iraq…towards another Yugoslavia?
Front Page Of The Day
(From co-blogger Shaun Mullen's alma mater..) … [Read more...] about Front Page Of The Day
Saddam Hussein and Iraq…What Next?
Saddam Hussein of Iraq...PAST. President George Bush of the USA...PRESENT. Now let us hear something more incisive and insightful about the FUTURE...!!! … [Read more...] about Saddam Hussein and Iraq…What Next?
A bit of post-execution malaise
We'd been anticipating Saddam Hussein's execution all day, but when the news finally came last night, I was a bit surprised at my lack of reaction. As I wrote this morning -- it seems so irrelevant somehow. … [Read more...] about A bit of post-execution malaise
ETA Claims Madrid Airport Blast
H/t commenter Lynx. CNN reports that a carbomb exploded earlier today at Barajas airport (Madrid, Spain). ETA claims to be responsible for it... ETA announced a "permanent" cease-fire last March, raising hopes for an end to nearly 40 years of separatist violence blamed for more than 800 deaths and thousands of injuries. In the autumn, so-called low-level street violence … [Read more...] about ETA Claims Madrid Airport Blast
Responsibility
The Archbishop of Canterbury came to Bethlehem where he would "address the issue of Muslim attacks on Mideast Christians and Arab Christian institutions..." In Bethlehem, you have heard reports of incidents in which Muslims have intimidated, shaken-down, beaten, and even killed Christian Palestinian residents of the city. Some Christians have reported that Muslims issued them … [Read more...] about Responsibility
Saddam Dead
Joe wrote a magnificent, long post on the death of Saddam Hussein, former dictator of Iraq. If you want to read more on it, you can read my take on it here. Excerpt: [T]here is also the danger of growing anger. I talked to a couple of Muslims about this and they all seem to believe that it is America who is 'behind' Saddam's death, instead of Iraq. They seem to consider the … [Read more...] about Saddam Dead
Ousted Iraq Dictator Saddam Hussein Is Executed (News And Blog Opinion Round Up)
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the importance of this story, we've kept this post at the top of this site out of order. There are NEWER POSTS underneath it, so when you're finished reading, please keep SCROLLING DOWN. Newer posts will now start appearing above this one.) Iraq's ousted dictator Saddam Hussein has been executed — dying on the gallows, according to MSNBC:BAGHDAD, … [Read more...] about Ousted Iraq Dictator Saddam Hussein Is Executed (News And Blog Opinion Round Up)