Month: April 2004

Modest Proposal (Oh, I slay me)

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I have a set of related suggestions for changing the complexion of the national legislature. I am not wedded to any of them, but I think that they’d be interesting to discuss, so here goes: 1). Increase the number of Representatives in the House to 2,000. As someone’s pointed out in comments around here, our … Read more

Former UK Diplomats Slam Blair, Bush

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Via Kuro5hin
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In a letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair published in The Independent, an overwhelming host of former diplomats* argued that the effort in Iraq is doomed:

The conduct of the war in Iraq has made it clear that there was no effective plan for the post-Saddam settlement. All those with experience of the area predicted that the occupation of Iraq by the coalition forces would meet serious and stubborn resistance, as has proved to be the case. To describe the resistance as led by terrorists, fanatics and foreigners is neither convincing nor helpful. Policy must take account of the nature and history of Iraq, the most complex country in the region. However much Iraqis may yearn for a democratic society, the belief that one could now be created by the coalition is naive.

It’s time to acknowledge we’ve made some mistakes and move on, quickly, to Plan B here.

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Hope in Bishkek, Part II

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As clearly I’ve had to take it upon myself to serve as the US-Kyrgyzstan Tourism Director / Diplomacy Chief (Colin Powell rudely ignoring my suggestion that he do some high-profile PR for our Central Asian ally), and as it’s a beautiful spring day here in the North East, I thought I’d share these awesome photos … Read more

Timing, Mr. President

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Via a diary on Kos Bush Defends Declaring End to Iraq Combat A year ago I did give the speech from the carrier saying we had achieved an important objective, accomplished a mission, which was the removal of Saddam Hussein,” Bush said. “As a result, there are no longer torture chambers or mass graves or … Read more

Rumsfeld’s War, Powell’s Occupation

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This is so unbelievably idiotic that I can barely comment. (The usual suspects, of course, think it brilliant.) But, for the sake of argument, assume that every single word of it is true — indeed, I’ll allow that there is likely a germ of truth to it, albeit poorly thought-out and expressed. Exactly who decided … Read more

Can We Call it “Corruption” Yet?

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Hat tip to Constant Reader Wilfred for this item ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forget whether Bush siphoned off money set aside for the Afghanistan effort to start early planning for an Iraq invasion, forget that Bush is poised to request even more money for Iraq now (although some suspect he’ll wait until after the election), what the hell’s … Read more

Abu Ghraib

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Via the incomparable Gary Farber @ Amygdala

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As I noted before—when the photo of the soldier who had the Iraqi boy hold up a sign about killing his father and knocking up his sister was making the rounds—I can’t relate to the sort of stress doing the job our soldiers are doing must put them under. And, therefore, I tend to be very generous in my assessment of conduct unbecoming situations.

It’s a little tougher to be so evenhanded about the situation at Abu Ghraib though. And before anyone asks “Where’s the outrage from the Right on this?”: Here’s some.

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OK, this is not funny.

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The author of this doesn’t know me, or those like me. He or she has no idea what we go through, what it takes for us to get through the day. I’m not pushing it on anybody else; it’s nobody’s business but my own and my loved ones what I do or spend money on, … Read more

Hey, I forgot that I had this hobbyhorse…

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I was reading this post over at OTB…

(pause)

What? Oh. I just went to bed at a decent hour for a change. Sleep: it’s an amazing notion. I applaud whoever came up with it.

Anyhoo, James commented on (and later linked to, although I haven’t read it yet: it could be frothing) to this speech by outgoing Senator Zell Miller about the 17th Amendment – direct election of Senators – and why it should be repealed. This being something that I could reliably become exercised about in the past, I’d thought that I’d share.

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