It wasn’t so much a Lamont victory as a Lieberman loss. I’m sure the political blogosphere will have a lot of post-game analysis about why Lieberman lost. Much of it will no doubt suggest that Lamont won only because of the blogs (even the mainstream media has reported that angle). The "bloggers did it" meme is silly. They may have … Read More
Bush Needs A Civics Lesson
Today he said: "Which gives me confidence about the future in Iraq, by the way. You know, I hear people say, Well, civil war this, civil war that. The Iraqi people decided against civil war when they went to the ballot box." What does "going to the ballat box" have to do with whether or not there is a civil … Read More
The Conyers Report Is Out
Available here for free. Conyers writes: The report, which is some 350 pages in length and is supported by more than 1,400 footnotes, compiles the accumulated evidence that the Bush Administration has thumbed its nose at our nation’s laws, and the Constitution itself.
Tom “Six Months” Friedman Gives Up
New York Times columnist Tom Friedman earned the nickname "Six Months" because of his repeated prognostications about the War in Iraq, which all sounded really similar. "The next six months in Iraq—which will determine the prospects for democracy-building there—are the most important six months in U.S. foreign policy in a long, long time."[New York Times, 11/30/03] “What we’re gonna find … Read More
Fries Are French Again
Remember that bit of ridiculousness in March 2003, when a couple of Republican Congressmen, angry that France wasn’t supporting the U.S. efforts in Iraq, decided to "protest" by having the Congressional cafeteria serve "freedom fries" instead of "French fries"? It was a bold culinary symbolic statement which raised congressional silliness to new heights. Three years later, those two Congressmen (Bob … Read More
The Best Defense
A lot of lawyers will tell you that sometimes, the best strategy when you are being accused, is to sue your accuser in order to intimidate him. (In fact, people often do this in daily life — in order to avoid guilt, they lay accusations at others). That’s exactly what is going on here: A Marine Corps staff sergeant who … Read More
Rebuilding In Iraq
You would almost think FEMA is in charge: NASIRIYAH, Iraq, Aug. 1 — A flailing Iraq reconstruction effort that has been dominated for more than three years by U.S. dollars and companies is being transferred to Iraqis, leaving them the challenge of completing a long list of projects left unfinished by the Americans. While the handover is occurring gradually, it … Read More
Key Neocon Acknowledges Iraq Debacle
David Frum was a former Bush speechwriter, best known for coming up with the "axis of evil" term. Both in and out of the White House, he has been an ardent supporter of Bush’s foreign policy and the invasion of Iraq. But today, he’s being candid, writing that Iraq is essentially a lost cause no matter what we do: Hands … Read More
Bush Has A Better Plan
The scariest five words in the English language: WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush said Tuesday that a U.S. military program to bolster Iraqi security forces in Baghdad will better address the violence there as he pledged to stand by Iraq’s new democratic government. "Obviously the violence in Baghdad is still terrible," Bush said during a joint White House news conference … Read More
“Bring ‘Em On” — Three Years Later
"There are some who feel like — that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring ’em on. We’ve got the force necessary to deal with the security situation." George W. BushPress ConferenceJuly 2, 2003 More than 14,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq in the first half of this year, an ominous figure … Read More
Baghdad Falling
From The London Times – Baghdad Starts To Collapse: A local [Baghdad] journalist told me bitterly this week that Iraqis find it ironic that Saddam Hussein is on trial for killing 148 people 24 years ago, while militias loyal to political parties now in government kill that many people every few days. But it is not an irony that anyone … Read More
Iraqi Brutality [Update: And Afghanistan]
Even to those who are aware of how bad things are in Iraq, this report totally shocks and disgusts: One international official told me of reports among his staff that a 15-year-old girl had been beheaded and a dog’s head sewn on her body in its place; and of a young child who had had his hands drilled and bolted … Read More
Quagmired
Today: Iraq’s government is studying a request from some local insurgent leaders to supply them with weapons so they can turn on the heavily armed foreign fighters who were once their allies, according to two Iraqi lawmakers. Leaders claiming to represent about 11 insurgent groups asked for weapons to fight foreign al-Qaeda elements in Iraq, said Haider al-Ibadi, a Shiite … Read More
Bad Apples
Good lord: BEIJI, Iraq – Five U.S. Army soldiers are being investigated for allegedly raping a young woman, then killing her and three members of her family in Iraq, a U.S. military official told The Associated Press on Friday. The soldiers also allegedly burned the body of the woman they are accused of raping. *** There is no indication what … Read More
Snow’s Snow
Let’s see. The Democrats are calling for a plan to withdraw from Iraq by the end of the year, or soon thereafter. Our commander in Iraq has put forth a plan for just that thing. The GOP has villified Democrats’ plan as displaying "cut and run" cowardice, being reckless and unworkable and blah blah blah. But how is any different … Read More