The Middle East will not be at peace even if Israel were to suddenly withdraw to the pre-1967 borders, dismantle its settlements, return the Golan Heights and do everything else its enemies desire. All of those things might buy safety from rockets, but peace requires much more than that. Israeli generosity in peace will be a very powerful contribution but not sufficient. The … [Read more...] about Placing people’s needs above avidity

The controversy continues. … [Read more...] about Mexico Judges And The Recount

Our periodic linkfest offering you links from sites of VARYING opinions. Posts linked do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Moderate Voice or the co-bloggers. A Debate Over Faith-Based Politics (have faith in GWB, Cheney and Rumsfeld no matter what) is at the root of a heated debate between Andrew Sullivan and Hugh Hewitt. And we agree with Sullivan: American politics … [Read more...] about Around The Sphere August 6, 2006

When Herbert Buckingham Khaury died in 1996 it was a big news story. And who in 1968 would have ever thought that when he made his major TV debut on the hit show Laugh In using his stage name Tiny Tim that he would have been more than a one-shot novelty act? After all, he sang the 1920s song "Tip Toe Through The Tulips" in a falsetto voice heavily laced with vibrato (his real … [Read more...] about Classic Unusual Entertainers: Tiny Tim

Surprise, surprise. Iran is behind Hezbollah. Haaretz reports: A senior Iranian official admitted for the first time Friday that Tehran did indeed supply long-range Zelzal-2 missiles to Hezbollah. Of course, we also know that Iranian President Ahmadinejad thinks that the only way to achieve a lasting piece in the Middle East is to destroy Israel — although a cease-fire … [Read more...] about The Iranian Connection

Don't like the heat? Blame global warming, says The Washington Post: Heat waves like those that have scorched Europe and the United States in recent weeks are becoming more frequent because of global warming, say scientists who have studied decades of weather records and computer models of past, present and future climate. While it is impossible to attribute any one weather … [Read more...] about From global warming to heat waves

For instance, being a weatherman (someone hide the coffee from this guy): … [Read more...] about Some People Love Their Jobs

Michael G. must be out doing something, so: AP via Washington Post:PARIS — Floyd Landis was fired by his team and the Tour de France no longer considered him its champion Saturday after his second doping sample tested positive for higher-than-allowed levels of testosterone. The head of France's anti-doping commission said the samples contained synthetic testosterone, … [Read more...] about Landis Tests Positive Again – Faces Loss of Tour Title

Unity08's plans are starting to materialize. Even if you don't believe in voting for third parties, Unity's idea to try and decrease polarized politics is an interesting one. Some say it is a noble one; others argue that given the choices and what's at stake if one side or the other prevails there can't be any ideological nuances or fudging, that people have to choose sides … [Read more...] about The First Online Presidential Convention

The RNC is urging GOP candidates not to try and defend President George Bush (subtext: "Or else..."). And Charlie Cook says the GOP is likely to lose the House and there's an even chance it could lose the Senate. … [Read more...] about More Bad News For Republicans

Our periodic linkfest offering you links from sites of VARYING opinions. Posts linked do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Moderate Voice or the co-bloggers. So What Is The Israeli Army Really Up To? Donald Sensing (a former military man) gives his analysis here. A tiny part 4 U: I was talking to a former Marine a couple of days ago who thought that Israel would wind … [Read more...] about Around The Sphere August 5, 2006

Dire warnings about a wider regional war or a war of civilizations between the West and Islam are overblown. That would be the third World War. No Islamic state has the means to choose such an apocalyptic path. However, long insurgency and guerrilla warfare are feasible and probable in the region that Israel inhabits and in Iraq. The cause of this bloody and destabilizing … [Read more...] about A wider war?

TMV thanks The 3rd World View for the tip. … [Read more...] about Front Page Graphic Editorial On Middle East

A new poll conducted by CNN has good news for President George Bush, mediocre news for President George Bush — and good news for Mel Gibson:Respondents to a CNN poll released Friday were nearly evenly split on President Bush's handling of the current conflict in the Middle East. Forty-six percent of 1,047 Americans participating in the telephone poll, conducted by … [Read more...] about Poll Shows Split Public On Bush Middle East As His Job Approval Rises

Too tired to post? It's round up time! Get 'em while they're hot. … [Read more...] about Round ’em Up

Speaking of my Reaction co-blogger Creature, which I did earlier today (see below), he has a new post on Bush's shortened vacation schedule -- yet more "image over substance" coming from this White House, which wants us all to believe that Bush is "on top of the job". For more, see here. … [Read more...] about Bush on vacation

As many of you know, the Senate has voted down a bill which would have both raised the minimum wage and slashed the Estate Tax. The Carpetbagger Report gives its award for dumbest argument in favor of the bill to Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R), who claimed: "[W]e are turning our back on the middle-class and poor people in this country who depend on the minimum wage and … [Read more...] about Poor Poor People

As I reported on Sunday, DR Congo has held its first free elections in 40 years. Violence during the campaign and allegations of voting irregularities cast doubt on the legitimacy of those elections, and now there is an accusation that there was "massive fraud": One of Congo's four vice presidents said Tuesday that a historic national election on Sunday was marred by "massive … [Read more...] about Allegations of fraud taint DR Congo’s elections

Over at State of the Day, the home blog for Reaction co-blogger Creature, Ted has written a great post on the situation in the Middle East, arguing that there won't be a lasting peace until Israel's right to exist is recognized by its neighbours (and enemies). It's a view I share. You can find the post here. … [Read more...] about How can there be peace in the Middle East?

Can he be more blunt than this?Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday the solution to the Middle East crisis was to destroy Israel, Iranian state media reported. In a speech during an emergency meeting of Muslim leaders in Malaysia, Ahmadinejad also called for an immediate cease-fire to end the fighting between Israel and the Iranian-back group … [Read more...] about Ahmadinejad’s Call For A Final Solution On Israel