Category: News

Why is Bin Laden still around to offer up this dribble? If our President is really so concerned about his Global War on Terror shouldn’t he have removed this guy already?

“We have no objection to responding to this with a long-term truce based on fair conditions,” the speaker said.

“We do not mind offering you a truce that is fair and long-term… so we can build Iraq and Afghanistan… there is no shame in this solution because it prevents wasting of billions of dollars.

“Your president is misinterpreting public opinion polls which show that the vast majority of you support the withdrawal of your forces from Iraq.”

So far as this stupidity goes, I don’t see this as a ploy targeted to “Western” audiences as the BBC indicates but instead targeted toward Muslims. After all, support for the jihad is predicated on a widespread sympathy that Bin Laden is standing up for the interests of the common adherent. By extending this “truce” he’s working to maintain that image by contrasting himself with the big, bad US who invades Islamic countries and harms their citizens. He’s playing up that “we’re only hurting you (Muslims) because we love you” angle. If the US would be reasonable and declare a truce we wouldn’t have to engage in such a violent way.

All the chatter on the Medicare Part D debable starting to circulate jives with what I heard at work – the law really screws things up.

Michael Brown indicates that he was against a competent FEMA before he was for it.

I’m a little behind on my NJ news, but Codey signing the smoking ban is a wonderful thing so far as I’m concerned.

Still think replacing Social Security with personal accounts is a good idea? Check out this article for more information on the vaunted model of privitization, Chile.

The CS Monitor finally begins catching up on the K-Street project, recognizing that this isn’t your daddy’s political corruption. While the make the key association, their “endorsment” of action at the end is weak.

The question around town now is what should be done to clean up lobbying? But the moment after it is asked there are a series of provisos about how Abramoff is a rare case and most lobbyists are honest and play by the rules. And since what Abramoff did was against the law already, what more can be done?

There’s something of a point there. Lobbying isn’t a dirty profession by definition, after all. It is an established part of the political process that helps groups and individuals get what they want from the system. But because of what they do, lobbyists naturally dance on a fine line, and it is guaranteed they will step over it from time to time.

That’s all true, of course. It’s just that they probably tend to go a lot further over the line when the political parties give them a push.

Come home safe.

Dubai was in the news earlier this week, as the 15 year leader of the city-state died Wednesday. What I found most curious when reading this article is how the city-state’s story was similar to that of another city-state, Singapore. Both surrounded by more powerful, resource rich countries, yet became relative beacons in their regions due to the relative economic prosperity, stability and security. And while both are known for relatively strong-handed governments (with Dubai’s not even elected, a reform that has been promised but not delivered), political and social liberalisation continues in both locales.

There’s finally some truly good news in Iraq, which may make the conflict “winnable” for the US in the long-term. The terrorist organization Al Qaeda in Iraq, run by Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, may have finally overplayed its hand. Recent attacks, including the Jordanian hotel bombing, may be shifting public sentiment against the Al Qaeda aspect of the insurgency. As the group loses its support, it also loses the war on the critical moral level, which is fundamental for sustaining a long-term asymmetrical war. If the US can, one way or another, exploit this division, there is the potential for the US to achieve the primary goal of not enabling Iraq to become a new hotbed of jihad.

It’s amazing how fast a year goes by.