Here we are again, watching a tragedy in Paris. Again, innocent citizens of a broadly liberal, secular West, die at the hands of those who self-identify as Islamic purists, but are rejected by most of the rest of their faith. Meanwhile, innocent citizens of other parts of the world – including the Muslim Middle East – die at the hands of those same “purists” - but also … [Read more...] about “Live and Let Live” Has Two Parts
Defeating A Death Cult
The massacre of innocent civilians in Paris by suicide bombers from ISIS reinforces the problems involved in defeating radical Islamic terrorists who want to die for their cause. Convincing them the path they have chosen is erroneous will not work, as their fundamentalist religious beliefs are deeply inculcated and reasoning with them to change is an impossible task. They … [Read more...] about Defeating A Death Cult
Call to do more against Islamic State doesn’t settle discord over strategy
WASHINGTON — The Paris terror attacks yielded fresh urgency in Washington over the need to defeat the Islamic State, but no clear strategy emerged Monday amid warnings from both the government and the militant group that the United States could face similar assaults on the homeland. During a day filled with second-guessing, competing ideas and bipartisan… … [Read more...] about Call to do more against Islamic State doesn’t settle discord over strategy
Is Hillary Ready for ISIS (Guest Voice)
Is Hillary Ready for ISIS? By Dick Polman If Hillary Clinton hopes to sell herself as a foreign policy whiz and credible commander-in-chief, she'll need to perform better than she did this weekend in response to the Paris attacks. What we wanted to hear from Hillary, in Saturday night's debate, was a substantive strategy for stopping ISIS. We know what the Obama … [Read more...] about Is Hillary Ready for ISIS (Guest Voice)
Republicans’ xenophobic bidding war
WASHINGTON -- The attacks in Paris have inspired a xenophobic bidding war among Republican presidential candidates. Gov. Bobby Jindal on Monday signed an order trying to get his state of Louisiana to block the settlement of any Syrian refugee, while Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, proposed we "wake up and smell the falafel" and said House Speaker Paul Ryan … [Read more...] about Republicans’ xenophobic bidding war
10 Years Of Disturbing The Narrative At Kiko’s House
It occurred to me . . . that it had not been by accident that the people with whom I had preferred to spend time in high school had, on the whole, hung out in gas stations. ~ JOAN DIDION I've struggled -- okay, not a lot, but enough -- to find a common theme in the 10 blog posts I have selected as representative of the breadth and depth of Kiko's House over the past … [Read more...] about 10 Years Of Disturbing The Narrative At Kiko’s House
The Thinker
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/the-thinker/ Copyright 2015 David Donar. All rights reserved.Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about The Thinker
Sanders and O’Malley Challenge Clinton On Foreign Policy And Economics In Second Democratic Debate
After failing to challenge Hillary Clinton in the first Democratic Debate, both Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley put Clinton on the defensive in the second (transcript here). The added focus placed on the terrorist attacks might have played to the candidate who tries to sound the toughest on terrorism, but instead highlighted how (as I discussed prior to the debate) it was … [Read more...] about Sanders and O’Malley Challenge Clinton On Foreign Policy And Economics In Second Democratic Debate
Josh Mashall on Syria and ISIS
Josh Marshall analyzes the Syria/ISIS conundrum on Talking Points Memo. I wanted to share a few thoughts on Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris and where this leaves the United States in terms of Syria, Iraq and the entirety of the Middle East where, with all our withdrawals, we still remain involved and at war in various ways. I do not believe we can properly assess what … [Read more...] about Josh Mashall on Syria and ISIS
SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who; Jessica Jones; Supergirl; Limitless; Star Wars; Blindspot; Childhood’s End
I don't want to spend too much time on an episode of Doctor Who which I really did not like very much. Sleep No More did not have the usual intro sequence to the show but did start with a character giving this warning: “You must not watch this! I’m warning you. You can never unsee it.” Viewers should take his advice and apply it to the episode. It is hard to say exactly what … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who; Jessica Jones; Supergirl; Limitless; Star Wars; Blindspot; Childhood’s End
Should India get its cows off the streets?
NEW DELHI, India — Animals hold a lot of social and political significance in India. Hindus consider the cow sacred, Muslims find the pig impure, and Parsis are put on towers of silence after death to be eaten by vultures. For most Indians, though, these creatures aren’t just religious symbols — they’re neighbors. The country’s biggest… … [Read more...] about Should India get its cows off the streets?
Republicans and Climate Change
Republicans shouldn't be letting Democrats control the conversation about climate change, but that is what the former have been doing. The current election season gives opportunity for Republicans to reverse course. With that in mind, this writer suggests the following commentary that GOP candidates can give during … [Read more...] about Republicans and Climate Change
Supreme Court To Decide On Texas Anti-Abortion Law–Updated
Republican efforts in recent years to restrict access to abortion have generally been at the state level (along with debunked attacks on Planned Parenthood), but now the Texas law will have national significance with the Supreme Court deciding to hear the case. The New York Times reports: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear its first major abortion case since 2007, one … [Read more...] about Supreme Court To Decide On Texas Anti-Abortion Law–Updated
The Logic of Violence
Kevin Drum attempts to distinguish between political posturing and real foreign policy in response to the Paris attacks on Mother Jones. On Sunday night, France launched a series of airstrikes against ISIS in retaliation for the Paris attacks. The Washington Post called it a "furious assault." The New York Times called it "aggressive," CNN said it was a "major bombardment," … [Read more...] about The Logic of Violence
UPDATES: France Launches ‘Massive Airstrikes’ Against ISIL in Syria.
Update: Not many details or damage assessment reports are available after the French airstrikes on ISIL targets in Raqqa over the weekend, except for reports that the strikes were launched from bases in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, and were conducted “in coordination with U.S. forces, which have compiled an extensive target list in Raqqa.” Reuters reports that … [Read more...] about UPDATES: France Launches ‘Massive Airstrikes’ Against ISIL in Syria.
Politix Update: Bernie Sanders’ Revolution Is Unrealistic, But You Gotta Love The Guy
Revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall. ~ CHE GUEVARA Bernie Sanders has been on the defensive and seems more like the also-ran many pundits predicted that he would be since the first Democratic presidential debate a month ago, and that didn't change in the debate on Saturday night. Overall, his poll numbers are receding, which … [Read more...] about Politix Update: Bernie Sanders’ Revolution Is Unrealistic, But You Gotta Love The Guy
A Paris moment for American politics?
WASHINGTON -- The 2016 presidential campaign has been peculiarly disconnected from the real world of problems, crises and governing. It took the catastrophe in Paris to narrow the gap -- and even a monstrous terrorist attack may not shake the trajectory of a contest that operates within a logic of its own. The inevitable distance between politicking and the business of … [Read more...] about A Paris moment for American politics?
Donald Trump seems like a Nazi in a suit
It actually takes your breath away—this noxious proclamation by Donald Trump, a front-running candidate for the Republican presidential nomination: he’s glibly committed to creating a “deportation force” that will systemically expel some eleven million alleged illegal immigrants from the United States. In the tone of a kind of brown-shirted television host, he also breezily … [Read more...] about Donald Trump seems like a Nazi in a suit
Time to ground Congress (Guest Voice)
Time to ground Congress by Dana Milbank Washington Post Columnist WASHINGTON -- House Republican leaders recently did something that should outrage Americans of all parties and creeds: They declared that the people's representatives will be working an average of only two days a week next year. The House will be in session just 111 days in 2016. This means the … [Read more...] about Time to ground Congress (Guest Voice)
Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro Talk About ‘The 33’ Movie
Back in 2010 the whole world was paralyzed as we all watched in amazement the rescue of 33 Chilean miners who had been buried alive by the catastrophic collapse of a 100-year-old gold and copper mine. The men spent 69 days trapped, as an international team worked night and day in a desperate attempt to get… … [Read more...] about Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro Talk About ‘The 33’ Movie