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Saturday, April 13, 2002
posted by gbarto at 11:54 PM:
Quick headlines:Powell Renews Plans To Meet With Arafat But what will they say? And will it go anywhere? Steve Den Beste has been commenting on this, and I'm inclined to agree with him on a lot of his speculations. I've linked to a couple specific items further down, but for solid commentary as events unfold, he's the first place I've been going. Incidentally, the Prof was off today.
A Young Woman's Secret Rage tells about the latest suicide bomber. It also represents what I worried about below: too much fascination for the bombers, too little for their victims. The Washington Post is starting to get it though. Yesterday, they had their piece on riding the bus. Today, in sort of the same vein, they have a look at how the bombings have strained relations between a Palestinian and a Jewish community that used to get along. Some of this reporting was present before, but it seems to me it's getting more emphasis. Good. Because if we get too caught in understanding the Palestinians, we might forget that they're killing people, that the Israelis have reason to be upset by it, and that the path to peace lies in understanding on both sides.
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posted by gbarto at 8:30 PM:
Bjørn Stærk has the best term yet for the Al-Aqsa chappies: "suicide terrorists". This is better than homicide bomber - a redundancy - and suicide bomber - which puts the focus in the wrong place. To wit, in the past month we've learned all about the Palestinians who blew themselves up, have gotten commentator after commentator trying to explain what would drive them to such an act. But relatively little commentary is offered on the devastation suffered by families of the victims, little effort is made to explore what the suicide bombings do to efforts to form a democratic consensus for peace in Israel. The dirty little not-so-secret secret of the bombings is they make a Palestinian state less likely, because they erode the will of peace-minded Israelis to form a consensus for living in harmony with the Palestinians. Unless an increasingly hostile Israel ceases to exist - thus pose a threat. This makes clear that the bombings are either misguided, or a cynical ploy to kill the consensus for peace in Israel, in the hopes of provoking a war that will destroy it. Bjørn is right that bomber means bomber means bomber, thus means killing people - and a peace process. But sadly, some people needed reminding of this. So whether they're homicide bombers or suicide terrorists, the important thing to remember is that they aren't "suicide bombers," sacrificing themselves to make a point. They're killers using terror to wage a dirty war.* * *
posted by gbarto at 6:38 PM:
But if write down one penny wrong... While the rest of the country was debating slave reparations, certain folks made it happen, taking a fictional tax credits in compensation for the historical burdens caused by slavery. The IRS is now acknowledging that oops, it didn't catch this until now. But don't worry. Your government is still the most alert, most perspicacious, most trustworthy entity around. That's why they're the ones checking your bags at the airport. A question: what if somebody slip a knife inside their reparations certificate?* * *
posted by gbarto at 6:33 PM:
In America, though, if you want to walk for a cause, you can walk for a cause. A nice story from the Washington Post.* * *
posted by gbarto at 6:28 PM:
Go see Fredrik Norman. He's got a story about a guy who tried to do a 24-hour walk for Israel. A few minutes in, a 150 person Palestinian demonstration shut down his effort; police had to be brought in to get him safely out of the throng and better than a dozen of the demonstrators were taken in. Btw, there's a link to video so you can see for yourself.* * *
posted by gbarto at 5:57 PM:
Sorry for the cynicism in the post below. Of course the TurkeyBlog is forward looking, knows that Arafat wants nothing save peace and freedom for his people, and that the world would be a better place if we'd just take him at his word.I'll believe it when I see it.
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posted by gbarto at 5:55 PM:
A nice meditation from Den Beste but he already knows the answer to his closing question: Of course they know he's lying, as we know he's lying, as anybody who's given two seconds to this knows, which is why Powell is going to talk to Arafat: talk for talk is a fair trade.I would not be surprised to see a suicide bombing soon, which Arafat will greet with a shrug of the shoulders and the mouthed words, "I tried" (though only in English). The question is, when Israel reacts, will the U.S. stupidly intervene, or will we remember that indeed, talk is a fair trade for talk alone, and mouth back "us, too."
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posted by gbarto at 5:40 PM:
Little Green Footballs notes that Palestinians holed up in the Nativity Church are now calling on the international community to save them. A couple notes: First, where's the heroism, boys? Young Palestinian women strap on bombs and march into the heart of enemy lands, yet these guys, loaded up with guns, grenades and the rest are calling out like stranded girls: Save us, Colin! Save us! I would think they'd want to blow themselves up, taking the church and showing the world the committment of the Palestinians to smiting the enemy. Of course there is a distinction. These are soldiers. And it is increasingly clear that Palestine saves death for its civilians, little boys and young women. This is why Arafat lives and Ayat Akhras is dead. Because Arafat values himself above all others, but Palestinian society cared not a whit for Akhras. A Muslim leader from distant times declared that his men loved death more than the enemy loved life. The Palestinians love dead women more than live ones; their "political system" can't provide food for young living boys but can procure a mass of flowers for dead ones. And as for the Arab world? Saddam and the Saudis have tens of thousands for the homicide bombers. Perhaps they could send some of that largesse for food and clothing? Except that they do not care what happens to the living Palestinians, only that enough of them become dead to distract attention from their own corrupt regimes.The Church of the Nativity standoff casts in sharp relief, however, that not all Palestinian lives are expendable. Only the lives of the weak, the poor, the destitute and downtrodden. These are left to die, and hailed in death, in a manner too crude for even a Dickens to dramatize. But if your job is to fight for the Palestinian cause, you stand down from the fight, you call on the international community to save your life, even as Al-Aqsa straps bombs to your sister, and you wonder why lonely little Israel flourishes amid a mess of human rubble.
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posted by gbarto at 3:50 PM:
Martin Devon has some nice thoughts on the Palestinian cause, spurred by a WSJ article.Most notable among these thoughts is that the Palestinians need better leaders. At the same time, the leaders need better followers - followers who are not so easily brainwashed by hateful propositions, but will hold their leaders accountable. Alas, when the leaders have guns and you don't, these things aren't easy. The mess we see in Palestine is the responsibility first of the Palestinians and the Arab world, who had many years before Arafat established dominance to nudge the Palestinian society in a different direction. That said, we in the West bear a measure of responsibility for propping up Arafat for convenience, and for arming the PA, a move that was supposed to lead to a crackdown on terrorism but really led to a crackdown on defense (what were they thinking at Oslo?). The question now, though, is what to do about it, and the Palestinians have paid a high price indeed for having Arafat as leader, regardless of the amount of responsibility they have for the situation. We could say the same of ourselves, as our efforts to create a safer, more civilized world are bogged down by the mess that ensued when we ignored these concerns regarding others.
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posted by gbarto at 3:24 PM:
Bjørn Stærk has a good piece on Norway's role, or lack of same, in the Middle East "Peace" Process. His sharpest comment:If Israel still had some respect left for us after the peace process died, it is all gone by now. You can't pretend neutrality when everybody knows which side you're on. Norway now speaks on behalf of the Palestinians, and Israel knows it.This is also the reason that the EU's offers to mediate were meaningless. But that's their problem. If they wanted a reputation as fair and honest brokers, all they had to do was offer fairness and honesty. Instead, they let their collective unease about the Jews, coupled with guilt about the slaughter of Bosnian Muslims, set them squarely on the side of the Palestinians. At which point, asking the Israelis to accept them as mediators would be like asking the Palestinians to accept the Anti-Defamation League as host to the talks.
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posted by gbarto at 2:18 PM:
Donna Brazile, Gore's 2000 campaign manager, predicted that Gore will "lay out a strong case why Democrats should take on the president on a host of issues" on Saturday. "No one else knows [better than Gore] the daunting challenges of taking on Bush," she said.It's true that Bush has had several mis-steps, but aside from cloning, are there many of these where Gore wouldn't have to run to Bush's right to pick up points?
from WaPo story by Dan Balz
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posted by gbarto at 2:14 PM:
Here's the statement. I notice that it calls for an investigation of Israeli acts in Jenin, but does not mention investigations as to why Arafat's signature appears on documents that seem to indicate the dispersal of funds to homicide bombers for materials and supplies. Nor does it call for an inquiry into what that Iranian arms stash was for. But fair enough, the Israelis will mention these as the Palestinians mention their own gripes. Let's just make sure the world remembers that Israel, as well as Palestine, has a right to raise questions.I would also note that the statement says just about the bare minimum necessary to satisfy a SecState who really wanted a meeting; let's hope Arafat shows a little more openness of spirit in the coming days. And that with goodwill comes solid action against terrorists. If this is the case, even I will be calling for Israel to pull back - but not disarm. In the meantime, the TurkeyBlog is very much in wait-and-see mode.
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posted by gbarto at 2:06 PM:
So now Powell and Arafat will meet, says WaPo. Apparently Arafat did issue a statement, in Arabic, that condemned the recent bombings, as well as Israel's actions. And the statement did run on Palestinian television. The next question is, will Arafat shut down the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades (don't these people realize they make themselves sound like bad Monty Python skits), but we have seen something of a first. Now if Arafat matches deed to action, there may even be cause for Israel to withdraw. But only when Arafat shows that he is indeed cracking down on terrorism, since the raison d'être of the Israeli incursions was to do what Arafat was supposed to be doing anyway.* * *
posted by gbarto at 2:00 AM:
Headlines from the WaPo:Claims of Atrocities in Jenin Debated. Horrible, there are some things no one deserves to suffer. Kind of like the Israelis... Riding on the Bus With Fear (which is why their soldiers feel - at times wrongly - that even the worst treatment of the Palestinians is okay. Unfortunately, it's hard to find sympathy when you know that the Saudis raise $85 million for Palestinians, and despite denials, everyone knows that it's not just Saddam who's paying the families of homicide bombers. And in spite of this, we know that headlines like U.S. to Arafat: Stop 'Murder' will not even motivate the Chairman to denounce the killings in Arabic, much less crack down on the homicide bomber groups.
On a more positive note, McAuliffe's Backup Will Go to Space.
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posted by gbarto at 1:41 AM:
I don't know how long they've been doing it, but I just noticed the Fox News crawl is referring to homicide bombers, not suicide bombers. Wonder whether any other news organizations will get on board with the President.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:24 AM:
I'm King Arthur, who are you? (a Holy Grail quiz)* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:07 AM:
Enter Stage Right doesn't have links to individual posts, so I'm just going to give the whole thing here:BRING BACK THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE -- Talk about a conservative thought ... my mind reeling from the human suffering going on in Israel & Palestine, it occurs to me that not all progress is positive. Had Europe known what might transpire, perhaps they would have worked together to prop up the Ottoman Empire so that from the Bosphorous to Suez, Moslem, Jew, and Christian alike would be slightly overtaxed, mildly oppressed, inefficiently governed, and living at peace under a charmingly backwards and corrupt government.
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posted by gbarto at 1:03 AM:
Ha! I just saw the re-run of the Fox program, and the newsreader said the Bushes reported a taxable income of just over $710,000, with over $82,000 in charitable contributions. The TurkeyBlog will not resolve the question but simply note that his two sources disagree. I report, you decide.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:01 AM:
Whew. The Amazon tip jars are back.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:30 AM:
Uh oh. I don't know if it's my connection or the whole net, but no one's Amazon pay button is coming up right. A problem at Amazon? Or something more sinister, like a nefarious scheme by the anti-warbloggers? We'll see if they're up again soon. In the meantime, how am I supposed to make my fortune war profiteering?* * *
Friday, April 12, 2002
posted by gbarto at 9:43 PM:
TurkeyBlog misreports Bush tax numbers
Either Fox commentators need better notes or TurkeyBlog needs to check his hearing. Both? Anyway, I was sure I heard $711K for income and $82K for charity, but it was said as an aside and I couldn't find a link on FNC. However, I've found one on the Washington Post. I bring this up because Dr. Weevil was wondering if the Bushes tithe. His hypothesis looks even more likely with the right numbers, roughly 811K in income, but still $82K+ for charitable contributions. Apologies for the error. But he's still a compassionate conservative.
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posted by gbarto at 9:30 PM:
Asparagirl has some thoughts on being Jewish in America and the openness and tolerance of her society. By and large, she's right. In the U.S., anti-Semites - but also anti-Muslims, anti-homosexuals, et cetera - are generally assumed to be from the lower orders in society. In France, they're in the cabinet. Living in France, about ten years back, I was surprised at some of the things that got said without comment. In the U.S., even those who hold unfavorable opinions of religions, ethnic groups, et cetera, know their opinions are suspect and keep their lips buttonned. So while there have been random attacks here in the U.S. (hélas), there's been a difference in response. I haven't heard anyone trying to "explain" them or call for understanding. Instead, right-thinking people presume that one ought to know better.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:20 PM:
The other day, I was wondering why TurkeyBlog didn't have a link to Kausfiles since he's one of the first bloggers I read and I'm always clicking the link on other pages. He's to the left now.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:05 PM:
Hmm. Hadn't heard about that one: Apparently today a Palestinian man opened fire and tossed grenades at a checkpoint, killing an Israeli soldier and a Palestinian civilian before he was shot. (via FNC)* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:02 PM:
A compassionate conservative. The President's tax returns released today; he had income of $710K and gave $82,000 to charity, mostly churches and 9/11 funds.Update: it was $811K; see above.
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posted by gbarto at 2:56 PM:
Btw: Just reminded by John Gibson on FNC of something Dennis Ross noted yesterday: The final peace plan Arafat walked away from was recommended for acceptance by his assistance. He then lied to the Palestinians about what had been offered when he called on them to show Israel what they thought of the insult. Gibson, incidentally, had been arguing that Sharon should stay his hand so the US could move in both our interests. He changed his mind today.* * *
posted by gbarto at 2:49 PM:
For the record: Powell canceled the meeting and announced he expects Arafat to condemn the latest bombing. (via FNC)* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:31 PM:
Why are the Israelis so vulgar as to turn away ambulances? Maybe because they're being used to transport bombs. And yep, it's a Red Cross/Red Crescent unit. (via Joanne Jacobs)* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:24 PM:
Reynolds is asking about French anti-Semitism. I just sent him some preliminary info, but am still looking around. Check this out (note the graph and the list of linked stories. If you read French, check it out; if not, try the google translator.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:15 AM:
And there it is again, yet another "expert" saying that after all, Arafat is the legitimate, elected leader of the Palestinian people. If Arafat really is their leader, they ought to remove him. And if they don't, they can take the consequences for his actions as his partners in crime. The world has to decide: Is Arafat a tyrant from whom the Palestinians need to be rescued? Or is he the leader of a hateful people? I hope it's the first, and that with his removal democracy can come to Palestine. But the French, the Germans, the Arabs, can't have it both ways, pleading the Palestinian people's innocence to divorce them from Arafat's murdering thugs, then arguing they and Arafat are one so since they're innocent Arafat has to be honored as their leader.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:11 AM:
Here's Fox News on the f***ers. And Powell is still deciding whether to meet with Arafat. Arafat can go straight to hell. We're hearing about Israelis potentially committing abuses. At this point, I don't care. How long has Arafat been sanctioning murder? How long has Arafat been releasing Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad members before the ink is dry on the press releases about their arrests? We keep hearing about Palestinian suicide bombers acting out of hopelessness. Well, when damn near 30 of your fellows are murdered for the crime of thinking they should be able to join together for their holiest holiday, you might just find that as an Israeli soldier you're a little bit hopeless, a little bit frustrated. Bottom line: The blood for this is on Hitler's hands first, Europe's second - for launching and abiding the Holocaust that led to Israel's creation - the Arab attackers of '48 and '67 third, and Arafat fourth. Sorry to be a little too stridently pro-Israel, but for God's sake, 6 million - that's million - of the Jewish people were slaughtered, Israel was created because the self-righteous, sanctimonious Europeans couldn't be entrusted with their safety, and now the pricks support Arabs who chant death to Israel at every turn.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:03 AM:
Ari Fleischer referring to murder bombers - instead of suicide bombers. Good. I think Bush's gut is going the right direction and I think Fleischer's words were carefully chosen to convey this. Now to keep the Baker-style pols from whispering in his ear. There are too many who think that policy should be made by finding out what the enemy wants, accomodating, and making your friends come along. B.S. There's no point in being the most powerful nation in the world so that toothless tyrants can make our policy. It's not as though we couldn't take over Saudi Arabia in short order - their guest workers - the only ones who really do anything anymore - aren't going to go to the front lines to defend them. And as we saw ten years ago, they sure as hell aren't. By the way, another female bomber. At least this is consistent with the Arab Muslims - no value or regard for female life. But here's a thought: building on what Jonah Goldberg said last week (click on the NRO link to find it), don't female Arabs have the ultimate justification for feeling hopeless? And doesn't this hopelessness have nothing to do with Israel and everything to do with living in a society where they are second-class citizens?* * *
posted by gbarto at 10:56 AM:
So now we've got another suicide bomber, and Fox News is talking about a Saudi telethon for suicide bombers - only innocent victims, they insist. It's time for a new regime in Saudi Arabia. They've now shown, through the Arab News and through their actions, that in attempting to co-opt them, we have only succeeded in emboldening them to the point where they'll spit directly in our face. The least they could do is at least make a pretense of playing on our team. It's plain they've chosen the other side.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:40 AM:
Good quip. Go read it.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:25 AM:
I've just read Tom Tomorrow's post and can diagnose the problem: He wants to fight on both sides and neither until they all decide to line up their approaches with his conscience. Welcome to the club. If Tom can negotiate this, I hope he lets me know how he did it. Because all I see, right now, is a choice between encouraging life and freedom, or watching them get whittled away while we wring our hands that the mean terrorists won't lay down their arms and play nice so no one gets hurt. Will there be blood on all hands? All save Tom's. But like the Europeans watching satisfied as Jews get murdered indiscriminately, the lack of blood won't indicate a lack of culpability. Sometimes it's more damning.How can the warbloggers be optimistic? Because we have no choice. If you're prepared to throw in the towel on humanity, move to the woods and make an idealized little world for yourself. But if you want something better, something more - if you want justice - you have to be willing to take a stand on what justice is, what justice means. The warbloggers, like everyone else, are appalled by what's going on, distraught that in thinking the unthinkable, we may be working for a better world. Mr. Perkins (the real name) can sit at his computer and fret about the unfairness of it all, but the other day, a group of Israeli soldiers was rushed by a teenager wired up with explosives. They didn't get to fret about what it meant. They had to decide: shoot? or not? They held to their humanity - they didn't shoot the child. They're dead. And instead of saluting them for their sacrifice, instead of hailing them for instinctively leaving the child unharmed and losing their lives in the process, Mr. Perkins sits and frets about what the Israelis must have done to drive a child to do that. At this point, the Israelis might as well nuke the West Bank; ten years from now, Arab history books will say they did anyway. But they won't. Even though Iran and Iraq have both expressed the sentiment that the day they have the a-bomb is the day Israel ceases to exist. The Israelis do have the bomb, yet Bagdhad still is, Tehran still is. That counts for a lot in my book. Israel, like those soldiers, could destroy those who threaten it. It even goes house to house, jeopardizing the lives of its sons, to minimize the number of Palestinians who die as Israel works to contain those who would remove it from history. Why? Because the Israelis stand for life and freedom. Forgive me my certitude, but I'm damn sure that's the side I want to be on. And I'm just as damn sure that the stakes are too high to not play to win.
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Thursday, April 11, 2002
posted by gbarto at 9:16 PM:
Layne and Tom Tomorrow are dialoguing. Haven't read Mr. Perkins yet, but do have to note that Ken keeps coming back to one point, and it's an important one:The problem is world stability. We show too much concern, then we're the Jackass Superpower. We show too little, and Kofi Annan starts whining. Either way, there's always a mob ready to chant "Death to America!"So we can take it for granted that the U.S. will be criticized, regardless of what we do. The question is, where do we go with that information? The answer is simple: We do what's right (as we understand it) and realize that whatever criticism we get, we have to weigh logically - not automatically dismiss, but as important, not automatically accept - in order to continue setting what we consider to be the right course.
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posted by gbarto at 8:57 PM:
New government in Venezuela. You read it first on Instapundit (probably).* * *
posted by gbarto at 2:41 PM:
Arafat must go. On Fox News, a certain Mr. Kent (lost the first name) just asserted that Arafat is (a) sort of a terrorist, since he encourages acts of terror and (b) the legitimate elected leader of the Palestinian people. If Arafat is the legitimate leader of the Palestinians, this does not make him innocent; it makes them guilty. And they should bear the consequences, just as Israelis bear the consequences of electing Sharon (and Peres before).Now, Hitler won an election or two, and when he committed his nation to a foul and evil plan, his nation suffered the consequences. Worse, the Afghan people bore the consequences of being ruled by the Taliban. Given that they suffered both Taliban rule, then war, and with little say in the matter, how can we in the US now weep that the Palestinians suffer for what the government they chose does? Yet we are constantly told on the one hand that the Palestinian people are innocent of the acts even of Al-Aqsa, funded by their elected leader, on the other that said leader can't be touched because he's a legitimate elected leader. Either the Palestinian people are complicit in terror, or they are ruled by a tyrant. Either way, Arafat must go. The only question is whether his expulsion will constitute the liberation of the Palestinian people, or their just rebuke for not taking responsibility for their government.
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posted by gbarto at 12:34 PM:
From the JPost today (link found at LGF)(19:00) Hizbullah attacks northern border, IDF responds
(12:10) Two gunmen killed in IDF ambush
(11:40) 28th Pessah bombing victim dies
(09:30) Female suicide bomber arrested in Tulkarm
(09:15) Three Palestinians villagers killed by IDF
(08:45) Bomb kills Palestinian in Hebron
These are just the ones that involve fighting. Go to the Jerusalem Post to see just how busy things are over there. And thank God if you're not there to experience it.
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posted by gbarto at 12:03 PM:
PLO evicted from DC office. Something about having to pay the rent. The PLO is convinced it's political - they hadn't been thrown out before when they didn't pay.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:55 AM:
While I generally feel that America's business is best left to America, there are times when commentators outside the country warrant a hearing. Especially commentators like Fredrik Norman.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:31 AM:
CNBC had a nice interview earlier today with Arthur Martinez, former Chairman and CEO of Sears. Martinez was discussing the retail sector, what works and what doesn't. The most important point: Don't get ahead of your customer. Martinez hails Wal-Mart for being Wal-Mart. When K-Mart brought in Jaclyn Smith and Martha Stewart in an effort to go upscale, they alienated their market - people didn't go to K-Mart for the latest trends, and they weren't likely to. Wal-Mart, on the other hand, is unabashedly Wal-Mart. If it's your kind of thing - and for a lot of people it is - there's no worry that you'll go in and discover that everything's been changed. If it's not, don't shop there; Wal-Mart serves its customers and they're not going to turn them off for the privilege of surprising you. Sears also gets pretty high marks in this category - it's a brand suited to its market that sticks to its market. Other stores - K-Mart, already mentioned, but also the Gap (with its Old Navy unit) and others, often make the mistake of trying to appeal to a new demographic that would never shop there anyway - wrong market. They pay the price.Martinez' advice about retail also applies to life: For the greatest success, don't try to be something you know you're not; be true to yourself, build on what you naturally have to offer, and you may go far.
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posted by gbarto at 11:29 AM:
Nuclear materials kept from Taliban. Talk about nerve. Fox News is reporting that two Afghan nuclear scientists led British troops to basements in a mental hospital and a university building in Kabul - in order to show them a stash of radioactive material. Apparently the Taliban had asked them if they could assist in building either nuclear weapons or dirty bombs (bombs coated in nuclear material in order to contaminate targets). They declined, then gathered up all the radioactive material they had (for their work I presume) and secreted it around Kabul in order to assure it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. And because of the nature of what they were doing, they did this without protective gear, etc. A big risk, on their part, and a potentially very big contribution to the safety of us all they made.* * *
posted by gbarto at 7:42 AM:
Too cool: Den Beste explains how CDMA works.* * *
posted by gbarto at 6:56 AM:
But fear not, soon the Arab League will be demanding the international community provide funds for more stable explosives so that such young men need not die in vain. And Europe will soon thereafter chide America for not giving the oppressed Palestinians the support they need. (see two posts below)* * *
posted by gbarto at 6:54 AM:
And here's Fox News:On Thursday, a Palestinian man was killed when explosives he was carrying went off prematurely, near a taxi stand in the West Bank town of Hebron. Several bystanders were injured.
Apparently there aren't even special stories anymore unless the missions are "successful" on a sufficiently horrible scale.
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posted by gbarto at 6:49 AM:
On Thursday, a Palestinian man was killed when explosives he was carrying went off prematurely, near a taxi stand in the West Bank town of Hebron. Several bystanders were injured.From MSNBC
In the article, Peres sees no end to violence. But again, we're told all over the place that Sharon's in trouble for not withdrawing faster.
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posted by gbarto at 12:54 AM:
Layne says his responses are muddled, but he's got a pretty useful ramble here. Most importantly:But there's a straight line from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution to Women's Suffrage to the Civil Rights Act to the Moon Landing to the EPA (thanks Nixon!) to the Internet to the Space Station to Moscow and Washington dropping two-thirds of their nuclear weapons (that happened a couple months ago) to Robot Dogs to the End of Cancer to Space Colonies all over this filthy galaxy.
Especially the Robot Dogs.
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Wednesday, April 10, 2002
posted by gbarto at 11:38 PM:
Magister Curculio raedam "Millenia" asinam dicit.* * *
posted by gbarto at 10:53 PM:
What's the matter? That's what astronomers are trying to figure out, as they've located two stars that aren't behaving the way they're supposed to.* * *
posted by gbarto at 10:46 PM:
From the people who brought you federalized airport security:FAA Mails Sept. 11 Hijacker
Regional pilots newsletter sent to terrorist's old address
What's with these government agencies, anyway?
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posted by gbarto at 10:43 PM:
38 Arrests by Va. Trooper Tossed Out... after he solicits sex from females in exchange for no charges or reduced charges. But remember, we need strict gun laws because only the cops can be trusted with that kind of power.* * *
posted by gbarto at 10:38 PM:
In WaPo:U.S. Losing Faith in Sharon
The Israeli's defiance has Bush aides doubting his effectiveness as an ally.
But half the article deals with Israel's strong support in Congress. The TurkeyBlog, btw, thinks abandonning Sharon would be a mistake. Some in the White House worry about losing credibility if Israel stands up to the US; I think we'd lose a lot more credibility by dumping a friend for a mid-term political objective.
Hezbollah Hits Israeli Outposts But it's all Israel's fault there's conflict.
Israel 'Still in the Middle' Of Mission, Sharon Says
On the eve of Powell's visit, the prime minister wants the U.S. to back off.
But if we tell Israel its missions are less important, Israel will be ticked and our enemies will snicker.
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posted by gbarto at 9:08 PM:
Oh! No! We're gonna get jailed! A hundred years or so ago, Letterman used to make outrageous comments about people, whereupon the band would sing, "Oh, no! We're gonna get sued." Now Letterman is ragging on the Attorney General for not singing last night, including offering the top ten reasons why Ashcroft wouldn't sing. One of these was: "He thought we'd make fun of him," which is a likely guess. At the same time, Letterman is wondering what happens with people who push the AG around. Ah well, all in good fun, and it was a pretty good interview. And getting the AG to play for you like he's in a piano bar ain't bad.* * *
posted by gbarto at 5:45 PM:
Here's Netanyahu's speech from earlier today. Wouldn't you know Fredrik Norman would have the link? It's too bad other Norwegians aren't as insightful as he and Bjørn.* * *
posted by gbarto at 5:36 PM:
Will Warren on the strength of weakness and other crap peddled by the igNobel. (via everybody's favorite Bjørn)* * *
posted by gbarto at 5:10 PM:
They were so efficient, we put them in charge of air security too. 48 years after the filing, the gov't finally approved the patent for a chemical process that you'd best just read about at A Dog's Life.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:52 PM:
Another call for Palestinian democracy, from Asparagirl.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:20 PM:
Curious. On FNC, we see Schumer defending his committee's snail's pace in getting judicial nominees through. He says while there have been delays, he's sure everyone will get their hearing this year. Only oops, an aide shakes his head no and Schumer corrects himself: the committee will not get hearings for all judicial nominees. It's good to know the Senator is on top of things. And that lest anybody get the idea someone on Capitol Hill might actually do something, there are aides to burst that bubble before anyone gets any foolish expectations.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:12 PM:
Ken Layne picks up my thoughts on Ashcroft on Letterman. Which reminds, I tried, but failed to find this last night: Layne's comments on Letterman vs. Koppel.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:16 PM:
Fox News has an exclusive interview with Sharon here.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:29 AM:
Okay, this really is the last one. This, from Charles Murtaugh, is what we need more of. I don't necessarily agree with everything in the post, but it acknowledges that there are real questions here, and that one must draw distinctions in coming to one's view on the matter. And it shows that Bush and Murtaugh agree on a lot, but have one fundamental disagreement that puts them on opposite sides of this one small part of the debate.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:20 AM:
Rand Simberg has a less understanding view of Bush. I'm not sure he's right about preferring Gore though; I'd have to know how many government proposals and guidelines Gore wanted to give in order to make sure that he invented therapeutic cloning, since the internet thing washed out. Again - and for the last time, I hope - I'll note that I'm not in agreement with Bush; I also signed the petition Rand links. But I think that those of us who support this need to do more than roll our eyes at Luddism. We need to acknowledge that there are real moral issues at stake here, that a line between good and bad uses of this technology exists, and that it is possible to disagree with us in good faith (surely we can be more mature in this than Kass, can't we people?).* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:10 AM:
One final note on the Bush speech: Unlike Kass, Bush does not have the anti-humanist view that human beings are supposed to suffer whatever misery comes on earth, and that alleviating that suffering or extending life is an act against God. Surely the experience of watching his little sister succumb to leukemia exposed him to the moral idiocy of the view that life is supposed to be painful and tenuous (a view rebuked in fact by Christ's healing the sick, making the lame to walk and making the blind to see). Why he picked Kass is beyond my comprehension, but Bush spoke very affirmatively of genetic research curing disease, and even of the value of adult stem-cell research, reminding that his opposition to cloning is not rooted in opposition to medical progress, but in the belief that human life is present even in an embryo, so that doing such research requires taking some lives to save others. I disagree, but believe that the President's view is held in good faith.* * *
posted by gbarto at 10:49 AM:
Pres. Bush just spoke on human cloning. For more on the issue, check out Virginia Postrel's site.Bush disagrees with Postrel on the subject of therapeutic cloning, arguing that science must be directed not merely by the possible, but by conscience and ethics. I agree, but do not believe that the government is the place for making such ethical decisions. An informed scientific community - in concert with those most immediately affected by research underway - is. But this requires the scientific community - and especially those scientists working directly on the issue - to come together to present to the public what they are doing and why the government shouldn't be in charge. I know they don't have a platform like the White House, but hopefully we'll hear more from them soon.
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posted by gbarto at 9:12 AM:
FNC reports that in an effort to go along to get along, Powell has shied away from classifying everything Hamas does as terrorism. Comes the question: Who elected Hamas? What civilian authority oversees it? What laws was it enforcing when it took violent action? Thought so. They're terrorists, and it's time for Powell to come home before the Europeans render his thinking as mushy as their own.* * *
posted by gbarto at 8:57 AM:
A very sharp speech by Netanyahu just delivered to U.S. Senators. In the speech, Netanyahu called for the expulsion of Arafat from Israel, the dismantling of terror networks, and physical separation of the Israeli and Palestinian populations. And Netanyahu emphasized that Israel has shown restraint time and again, with the end result that the best offer Arafat was ever offered drew an intifadah in response.Netanyahu also responded to the holier than thou idiots in Europe who are so impressed with themselves, noting that they stood by and watched the slaughter of 6 million Jews sixty years ago, and are fundamentally untrustworthy in these matters.
The apologists are already out; a Palestinian official on CNN scorned Netanyahu as a man voted out of office. He didn't note that Arafat canceled elections in '99, rather than facing his people for a second vote. On FNC, Richard Murphy, a former Asst. Sec. of State was also equivocating, trying like many, to show that the U.S.'s war of terror is more pristine. But Netanyahu is right on target: Europe cares not what happens to the Jews; they're just glad that Arabs are slaughtering Jews so that they can see their latent anti-Semitic will enforced without getting their hands dirty - which doesn't mean there isn't blood on their hands. There is.
The Palestinians have a right to a state. Unfortunately, all they have now is life under a ruthless dicatorship, in which holding a viewpoint other than the Chairman's is a) potentially grounds for a death sentence and b) unlikely for a generation that has received for the entirety of its schooling hatred, lies, and visions of death as life's only glory. Arafat should know that glory; his people should know freedom. And as I've said before, sad but true, the only hope for Palestinians truly having a voice is for, irony of ironies, the Jews to give it to them. Netanyahu called for this, noting that when Arafat is gone and terror uprooted, Israel will bring democracy to Palestine so that this sad people would have enough control over its own destiny that it could seek a higher aspiration than death.
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posted by gbarto at 6:45 AM:
Fredrik's back. Go read it all.* * *
posted by gbarto at 6:33 AM:
Our friends, the Saudis. FNC says Saudi Arabia is allowing people to "vent their frustrations" at the US and Israel over the Palestinian question.Some mosques have been making invocations at the end of the dawn and evening prayers for the destruction of the United States, something very few mosques could do during the U.S. war in Afghanistan.So while they helped with oil, yesterday, it's clear that they're not going to help with the culture war in the Middle East. I'll bet Turkey would sell us oil too. I'll bet they'd allow protesters against more than just the U.S. and Israel too.
"We're amazed at what's going on," said Mohsen al-Awajy, a conservative Islamist jailed four years in the 1990s for pushing for reforms. "We never dreamed anything like this could happen."
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posted by gbarto at 6:30 AM:
Germany halts arms sales to Israel to protest West Bank operation. No word on whether Iran will stop arms shipments to the Palestinians.* * *
posted by gbarto at 6:28 AM:
The death toll from the bus bombing now stands at 8. And the horror seems to be spreading again. Here's the WaPo story.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:35 AM:
This post is brought to you by Anti-Semitism, the official advocacy of the Norwegian government.Apparently a visitor to the Norwegian parliament was told he'd have to remove his Star of David, it was inciting people. Those with pro-Palestinian emblems were, of course, welcomed. Sullivan has the story.
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Tuesday, April 09, 2002
posted by gbarto at 11:56 PM:
Virginia's rightly upset about the way the debate on therapeutic cloning is going, with a supposedly Democratic Senate likely to approve restrictive measures already passed by the House. However, I don't think the President's signing on to score political points; I think he's just as genuinely worried about opening this can of worms as those who disagree are distraught at potential advances lost. The two sides need to sit down and talk, for this isn't simply about amoral scientists versus backward Neanderthals. There are genuine issues of conscience here, and the scientific and libertarian communities won't do themselves any favors by rolling their eyes at those who are nervous about this. They've made a great argument that government shouldn't be deciding these matters, but they should be working a little more to show why the scientific community should.I myself think we should proceed - carefully - mindful that on one side of the line we're playing God, but on the other side, we're doing His work in helping our fellow man to live a better, fuller life. I believe the scientific community knows that line is there, and is acting to stay on the right side of it. But if we'd heard fewer dismissals of Leon Kass and more explanations of how scientists involved in this research think through the meaning of what they're doing, we'd have a better informed public less ready to let the politicians sort it out.
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posted by gbarto at 11:08 PM:
Sharon is also building barriers to keep Palestinians out by creating a buffer zone. This may be the only way to achieve "peace". The task is complicated by Israeli settlements deep within the West Bank. Some have called for relocating the settlements; Sharon calls this unacceptable. While the TurkeyBlog is pretty unabashed pro-Israel, he thinks Sharon may have to rethink this position, not on grounds of justice, but on grounds of practicality. If his main goal is Israeli security, he has to keep his actions congruent with that goal. And he has to remove the possibility that hardliners (of the sort that killed Rabin) might drag him into new conflicts by relocating to inconvenient places.* * *
posted by gbarto at 10:55 PM:
Theeeeeeeeeeeeey're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. Five civilians and possibly a suicide bomber died today in a bus explosion near Haifa Wednesday morning. Here's the WaPo. There have also been several Palestinian civilians, allegedly unarmed, and a couple policeman killed in recent fighting. And a French cameraman was shot; no one's sure by who. So the mess returns. God save the whole region. Lord knows no one else will.Incidentally, while the withdrawal from the two West Bank cities was ongoing, last I heard, Sharon has (rightly) vowed to press more firmly in rooting out terror in response to the latest.
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posted by gbarto at 9:41 PM:
Lennon and McCartney/Letterman and Ashcroft? John Ashcroft appeared on Letterman tonight to discuss the domestic war on terror. On the FBI, he made one important point (made right here earlier today): One can reduce the likelihood of spies, but there's no such thing as a guarantee and danger lurks the second you think you've made something failsafe.Ashcroft did relatively well in his appearance, coming across as a slightly goofy but well-meaning guy. He played along (for the most part) with Letterman's endless banter about wiretapping, getting traffic tickets fixed, etc.
This reminds, again, that it's no longer Koppel, not Russert, not Donaldson: For a good, thorough interview with a pol, Letterman's the way to go.
Remarkably, the Ashcroft interview filled the entire second half of the program. There were some amusements, notably Letterman and Ashcroft very poorly singing "Let the Eagles Soar" at one another. And Ashcroft went over and joined the band for a one-part Muzak, one part easy-listening jazz rendition of Can't Buy Me Love.
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posted by gbarto at 4:44 PM:
Heh heh. Native Americans want a school. On old tribal grounds. Now part of federal land. Environmentalists are opposed. The land should be free from human despoiling. Hmmm. Remember when we read Black Elk speaks and all that sort of thing, to learn to live in harmony with nature like the Indians?I'm given to understand that Greenpeace is housed in buildings. Ditto the Sierra Club. Nobody knows about EarthFirst, but I'll bet they clutter the land with a human presence, at least, if not actual structures. Maybe it's time we returned that territory to nature as a trade-off so that Native American kids can get an education and have a shot at a decent life - even if it offends the sensibilities of limousine liberals with a checkbook and a belief that no new houses should be built now that they've got theirs.
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posted by gbarto at 4:36 PM:
A must-read on Instapundit (for the one of you who hasn't been there already) about the coming US/Europe split.* * *
posted by gbarto at 4:23 PM:
Fox News just a bit wide-eyed: Shepard Smith (and assorted others) is shocked that the FBI director can't rule out the possibility there are spies in the FBI. Ummmm... If we knew who they were, they wouldn't be very good spies, now, would they?So long as human beings with human foibles are in charge, the possibility for mistakes exists. To demand the FBI be 100% spy-free is like demanding 100% security from terrorist attacks. It's a fine wish, and a goal toward which we should work - but only with the understanding that it's a goal that can only be met with luck, if at all. Instead, we should be grown up about it, compartmentalizing info, keeping an eye on big risks, and steeling ourselves for when something goes wrong. It probably will, and when it does, we should be thoughtful enough to focus on figuring out what went wrong and how to fix it, not who to blame while pretending that human error is necessarily malicious, rather than just human.
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posted by gbarto at 4:08 PM:
Guess the Vicente Fox story is old news. Here's the Yahoo news link.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:57 PM:
A minute ago, the Fox crawl said Vicente Fox had been forbidden from travelling abroad by the Mexican parliament(?). Not sure what's up, and no one (including their site) seems to have it, but it may bode ill. More to come, hopefully.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:33 PM:
Another brave effort from the INS. Two INS agents recently asserted that there were serious holes in policing of the US-Canada border. The INS, in a swift move to assure that our citizenry would be safe, suspended and demoted the agents and ordered them to keep quiet. Thanks to the involvement of Sens. Carl Levin (usually an idiot, but fair) and Charles Grassley, it's now the INS management that is taking heat. Doctors have the Hippocratic oath, including the proviso: First do no harm. Bureaucrats have the Hypocritic oath: First harm no bureaucrats.(The Detroit Free Press has the story)
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posted by gbarto at 3:21 PM:
Another Catholic priest problem. A priest came back to Detroit from St. Louis today to face rape charges. Fair enough, priests are people too and problems may arise. But this priest was in Detroit because he'd been removed from a Florida church - for sexually harassing female parishioners. Here's the story, and here's an updated story, both from the Detroit Free Press.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:47 PM:
Ooh. Den Beste is slamming the Catholic church too.Down below, I noted the localization of the Catholic church - and that it's incompatible with a good part of what the Catholic church is about. I'd note, however, that I've never had a problem with the local Catholic church, and admired the priest from about ten years ago. Alas, though men of the cloth, they don't seem to be all cut from the same cloth, and the ones running the show have their work cut out for them.
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posted by gbarto at 1:34 PM:
Speaking of the Catholic church... Here's MSNBC again, this time on a priest who was a speaker at a meeting that led to the founding of the North American Man-Boy Love Association.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:29 PM:
MSNBC has a broader report on the Israel situation, which again reminds that the Catholic church is blaming Israel for the standoff at the Church of the Nativity. So first it's child molesters, now this. It seems the Catholic church will give sanctuary to just about anyone these days.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:24 PM:
On the WSJ editorial page, Lou Dobbs responds to his critics with regard to Arthur Andersen. I'm not sold on the idea that Andersen is an innocent victim of a few rogue accountants. It wouldn't have fallen so quickly if there weren't already lingering questions about the firm, and while the number of restatements by Andersen clients are smaller than at other big 5 firms, some of those restatements have been real doozies - and of a nature that (it's widely held) a careful auditor should have noticed.On the other hand, Dobbs raises some valid points, though less about Andersen's credibility than problems with the way that investigations of accounting firms are handled. The most important of these is that accounting firms under indictment can't work for the government, which takes a major bite out of the income stream of a firm convicted of nothing that might ultimately be judged innocent of wrongdoing. How much would that verdict be worth if Andersen goes broke waiting for the litigation to be settled? (And what happens to those suing Andersen if the firm disappears financially before settlements are collected?)
The main point of Dobbs' piece is that he has the right to his opinion, and there's no reason he shouldn't share it on his TV show. Provided that his employers don't object, he's absolutely right. Critics say Dobbs should show the objectivity of the traditional anchor, but the last time I checked, this merely meant spewing the liberal orthodoxy. Some of us prefer Lou Dobbs' opinions to Walter Cronkite's. CNN knows this. The show is called Lou Dobbs Moneyline, because when it was CNN's Moneyline (with the worthy Stuart Varney and the less impressive Willow Bay), it got clobbered in the ratings by CNBC's Business Center. CNN would be shooting itself in the foot to have paid such a high premium for Lou Dobbs and his audience, if he was supposed to be something other than Lou Dobbs after he took the job. (CNN could hire, say, me, to say what they wanted for half the money, though it wouldn't carry much weight.)
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posted by gbarto at 1:24 PM:
A new Journal. The redesigned Wall Street Journal is out today, and while others have criticized, I'm reasonably content with the new format. The What's News box is slightly larger and on a colored backdrop, but otherwise as before - the best quick read on the news available. The editorial page is not so distinctive, but it's still plainly the WSJ editorial page (though they have, alas, moved the Pepper... and Salt cartoon. On the whole, it looks like a perfectly good, slightly updated Journal, and not nearly so awful as I'd feared it could be. I wouldn't be astonished if over time one or two things migrated back to where they'd been before. I also wouldn't be surprised if they didn't. The redesign does not look to be like New Coke, as Virginia Postrel had feared. It is a simple and modest overhaul of a sort that is bold and venturesome for the Journal but would go unmentioned at less established newspapers.Update: Virginia approves of the redesign.
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posted by gbarto at 1:22 PM:
Btw: 13 Israeli soldiers killed, nine injured, in an ambush in which Palestinians fired on some from rooftops and blew up a building which collapsed on others. Here's FNC on the story.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:17 PM:
Our friends, the Saudis. For real, this time. They have assured that notwithstanding Saddam's oil shutoff, net oil flows will continue as before. Oil dropped 72 cents a barrel on the news.* * *
posted by gbarto at 1:15 PM:
Bibi Netanyahu just on FNC, reiterating the worthiness of Sharon's plans, and calling for Israeli and Palestinian zones with a good DMZ between them.And after, Lawrence Eagleburger, who argues there is a double standard - the US can fight terrorism but censures Israel for doing so. Eagleburger also notes that Powell will probably come home empty-handed - what can you do? - but that bargaining with the Arab states probably won't get us anywhere for quite a while, regardless of how much pressure we put on Israel.
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posted by gbarto at 12:59 AM:
Sept. 11 Dominates PulitzersThe New York Times gets 7 awards
In other news, Arafat once won a Nobel Peace Prize. We're proud of all of them. Really.
You'll note the link is from the WaPo. The NYT still has its fans, but in my view, the WaPo has become the new liberal standard-bearer since the feeble Old Gray Lady lost her standards.
Btw, the Post got two, a mild black mark, but one I think they'll get over.
Update: The WSJ got one too, for its reporting on the day after 9/11, a well-deserved award.
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posted by gbarto at 12:54 AM:
Confinement Raises Arafat's Standing. WaPo headline. I like Arafat better in captivity too, and think it's time to raise a lot of Palestinians' standing over there - like the leaders and operatives of Hamas and Hezbollah.Anyway, it's funny how they'll rally to him when he's boxed in, but when he's free to roam, none of them hear his condemnations of suicide bombings. Maybe if he gave them in Arabic.
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posted by gbarto at 12:49 AM:
How sad. Apparently, the Moroccan king doesn't get to decide U.S. foreign policy. He thinks Powell should be in Israel instead of touring the Middle East. Rumor has it, some of us (Layne) think Arafat should be in Morocco, but you don't see us crying in our beer over it.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:21 AM:
Sullivan got an e-mail about whether the Catholic church was dying. The e-mail said people were frustrated with the hierarchy but if contented with their own church, would keep going.1) This sounds like "I hate Congress; I'm glad our rep's a good guy."
2) The hierarchy is a fundamental part of the Catholic church; it's the hierarchy that allowed a molester to go to another church instead of jail. And the guy at the top gets the last word on what God thinks about current events.
The e-mail all but makes Andrew's point from elsewhere: sustaining the church may require splintering it. I'm not a Catholic; I'm a former Congregationalist turned Lutheran not for doctrine, but because of the tenor of the local church. And wherever I might find myself, longer term, my church will be the one I like best in town. The shop-around-protestantism may be rejected by hardline protestants, but it's accepted in a lot of circles these days. On the other hand, you usually get one Catholic church in town. Will it hold its congregants' faith, in spite of the hierarchy? And more importantly, in our mobile society will it be the logical first place to go for someone new in town?
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Monday, April 08, 2002
posted by gbarto at 5:18 PM:
Late posting it here, but Vodkapundit was late posting it too, so why not? Here's Mark Steyn.* * *
posted by gbarto at 4:04 PM:
Incidentally, for those wondering about all-Israel, all-the-time, we're aware that Israel is pulling out of two West Bank locations. They're not pulling out elsewhere, and it looks like if anything, Ariel Sharon just slightly altered a plan already in place for political convenience. Further commentary to come as events warrant.* * *
posted by gbarto at 4:02 PM:
Everybody's for clean air, right? But the costs can be high. In Michigan, it's expected that 20 of 88 counties are out of compliance with EPA standards coming into effect soon, and the price tag for fixing it ranges from $10 to $46billion depending on whether you're talking to the EPA or business leaders. One thing the standards don't address is pollution on Michigan's west coast that actually comes from Chicago. Should cities and counties face added cleanup costs in addition to the toll exacted by pollution itself on the basis of which way the wind blows? The Detroit News has an article here.* * *
posted by gbarto at 2:43 PM:
This afternoon, Bush spoke with great passion about the importance of... the insurance industry. Really. Across the country, especially in big cities, construction projects providing as many as tens of thousands of jobs are on hold. The problem? The banks want the businesses to carry anti-terrorism insurance, but the rules governing such insurance haven't been finalized, post 9/11. The House has passed a bill, and a version of it might pass in the Senate. But the Democratic leadership has it on hold because the trial lawyers oppose capping damages at $10billion.* * *
posted by gbarto at 2:37 PM:
Good deed almost dooms man Interesting headline from the Detroit Free Press. A man, who helps repair damaged water lines for those who can't afford a contractor, got trapped when the hole he had dug collapsed around him. He was rescued after nine hours.The man is to be commended for his efforts; at the same time, this reminds that volunteers don't just need skills, they also need the resources to do their jobs right and to deal with potential problems. Something for the Bushies, too, to think on when pushing volunteer initiatives.
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posted by gbarto at 12:57 PM:
By the way, also read Joanne's notes on English for parents. It's good to see at least a few parents take an interest in joining our culture.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:55 PM:
Ooh. According to Joanne Jacobs, an anonymous individual has created a Yahoo group to document the crimes of the warbloggers. Not very brave, though. Or consistent. Holding individuals accountable without giving a name so that he or she (or it?) won't be accountable.When the smoke clears and the dust settles, what's likely is not that we'll have a record of the crimes of Glenn and Joanne, but that this site will disappear as its creator shuffles off into anonymity.
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posted by gbarto at 12:33 PM:
Hmm. Blogger Pro refusing to publish again. We'll see if this goes.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:14 PM:
They live to die (From the WSJ editorial page; most links on the pay side, you can find the rest at OpinionJournal) Reuel Marc Gerecht, from the American Enterprise Institute, looks at the evolution of suicide culture in the Middle East. Among his more interesting points:- Suicide is an Islamic tactic; Christian Palestinian nationalists have yet to produce a suicide bomber.
- Suicide crosses breaks down factional barriers: Sunni Muslims, traditionally scornful of the Shiites, have come to admire the impact of suicide bombers on the Shiite side.
- A dark and ugly side of modern equality has shown itself in the Middle East: Women, though oppressed in life, are equally heralded for choosing death over life, a profound refutation of the traditional Muslim view of women as mothers above all.
- The suicide bombings make it impossible for Arafat to offer peace: We in the West still think of this as a political dispute, but if Arafat settles for less than the destruction of Israel, he has to explain to the families of suicide bombers that their children died to advance negotiations with an Israel he had demonized.
The above reminds again that the Middle East will need more than a "peace process" to be settled. The last item also makes it clear, again, that Arafat needs to be replaced before we can progress.
Also in the WSJ:
Bob Bartley asks the question: Will Bill Clinton find peace? Bill Clinton doesn't want peace. The eight years in the public eye - whether before adoring Dems or in the sights of the right-wing doesn't matter - were the most glorious of Clinton's life. A man who subscribed first to the principle that there's no such thing as bad publicity, Clinton still doesn't really appreciate the meaning of all the attention he got. Bartley wonders if Clinton will ever get over what he perceives we've done to him, but this presumes that he was as upset by the affront to his honor as by the clouding of the spotlight. I fear it's the latter, and for that reason, Clinton isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
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posted by gbarto at 10:45 AM:
A little frivolity from Layman's Logic (link below):
I Am A: Neutral Good Halfling Bard Ranger
Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.
Race:
Halflings are short and fat, like minuature people. (Think 'Hobbits') They enjoy the easy life, but aren't averse to the idea of an adventure from time to time. They get along with all races, and are known for their senses of humor. Halflings also tend to be light of foot, and can move quietly when necessary.
Primary Class:
Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.
Secondary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.
Deity:
Oghma is the Neutral Good god of knowledge and invention. He is also known as the Binder of What is Known, and is the Patron of Bards. His followers believe that knowledge reigns supreme, and is the basis for everything else that is done. They wear white shirts and pants, with a black and gold braided vest, and a small, box-like hat. All priests of Oghma are known as Loremasters. Oghma's symbol is a scroll.
Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy of
NeppyMan (e-mail)
Ben Sheriff says all the bloggers who have taken this have been rangers. I guess I'm another one.
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posted by gbarto at 10:24 AM:
Vive l'Israel! (via le prof)* * *
posted by gbarto at 10:03 AM:
Martin Peretz, owner of the New Republic, has a scathing - and incisive - editorial on the nature of Chairman Arafat. Once a terrorist, always a terrorist. (via Layne)* * *
posted by gbarto at 9:47 AM:
From the WaPo:In Vatican City, Pope John Paul said violence in the Holy Land had escalated to "unimaginable and intolerable levels."
Perhaps if he read about the sack of Constantinople, or the silliest fits of the Crusades in the Holy Land proper, the Pope wouldn't find his imagination so tested. True, it was long ago, but the Catholic Church had best exercise caution when condemning others for their actions in that section of the world.
The article, incidentally, is about Sharon pressing forward, notwithstanding the administration's calls to retreat (which was mentioned in the Washington insiders column I referenced last night). In the article, Sharon's distrust of Arafat is again mentioned, along with this interesting item:
Sharon said he was ready to meet "moderate and responsible" Arab leaders for talks on peace. Arab commentators said the offer was unlikely to win any takers while the Israeli offensive continued.
When Islamic militants were committing daily suicide bombings and exchanging fire with Israeli troops, I don't recall any "moderate" Arabs expressing sympathy for Israel's frustrations with negotiations. So Israel is again being held to a double standard: Negotiate while we murder, but we will only talk when we are content with the situation on the ground. If moderate Arabs are not forthcoming, perhaps the reason is more simple: There aren't any.
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Sunday, April 07, 2002
posted by gbarto at 11:52 PM:
A great Jim Hoagland column at the WaPo, with a stark reminder: Four years ago, Arafat and friends were partners in peace. Four years ago, we, through the CIA, began training Arafat's people - people now letting terrorism pass if not outright encouraging it. This we did in good faith. And we did it with the blessing of Bibi Netanyahu (!), a man who took a great leap of faith himself in arguing that if Arafat was to root out terrorists, he needed more intelligence and more firepower. We, both Americans and Israelis, gave Arafat the means to act. He turned them against us, against peace. So as the next round of whinging about the plight of the Palestinians and the good intentions of Arafat starts, remember: This is a man who played Bill Clinton, Benjamin Netanyahu, and all who desire peace for fools. Let's not get fooled again.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:37 PM:
Powell's not sure he'll even get a cease-fire next week. Sharon has told Bush Israel will pull out of Palestinian areas when he's finished cleaning out terrorists, and not before. But Blair has made it clear that the UK is on board for Iraq, reminding again that Britain is not just an ally at its convenience. Of course, the strife in the Middle East could lessen if, say, someone noticed that the Arab populations were taking violent measures too, and told them to stop (see item below). In the meantime, it's good that Israel's got a solid defender of its principles in charge; better that his only real political competition is even firmer about Israel's right to defend itself. I think Rice gets this, which is why she hedged her answers about Israel on TV today. You can read about it all at the WaPo, just like the NYT but with a little sanity.* * *
posted by gbarto at 11:29 PM:
From Monday's WaPo:Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon stepped up efforts to open a second front on Israel's northern border. Israel said several border positions came under attack by mortars and antitank missiles, wounding eight Israelis in two separate incidents. Israel responded by firing artillery and later launching airstrikes at Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.Thought I'd put it up front since the Post buried it. In case anyone missed, the EU is contemplating sanctions against Israel if it doesn't withdraw immediately. As for the Palestians - and now Hezzbollah - the EU remains a no-show, as the continent that felt a little too close to Hitler, even as he ravaged it, allows old attitudes to take hold again.
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posted by gbarto at 4:38 PM:
The below in response to this David Brooks piece, flagged by Den Beste.* * *
posted by gbarto at 4:37 PM:
Back in the 17th century, Molière wrote a delightful little play called the Bourgeois Gentleman. The play mocked the up-and-comers of France's emerging commercial class. But while elitist French did and do laugh at the simplistic M. Jourdain, a proper bourgeois could not fail to note the effete and ultimately purposeless trivialities Jourdain was trying to master in order to fit in with the nobility.A century later, a vulgar trader named Beaumarchais took a shot at writing plays. The first of these plays, the Barber of Seville, showed that while the nobility had favors to grant, others were needed to do the actual work. Around this time, Beaumarchais put up the money for a major arms shipment for the American revolutionaries - because the king didn't have it. When the king didn't repay the loan, Beaumarchais wrote the Marriage of Figaro, in which the Barber of Seville was honored for his services to Almaviva by becoming butler of the household (bitter? Beaumarchais?). What's more, the Count wanted to sleep with Figaro's bride - completing the picture of a nobility living off of those below them. The count's designs were foiled, as were the king's - an attempt to ban the play led to mass demonstrations in Paris that only ended when the play was performed. About a year before the French Revolution.
Beaumarchais funded the American Revolution; he helped incite the French Revolution. Both Beaumarchais and his protagonist were expressions of the Enlightenment, mimicking the capitalist virtues Voltaire brought back from England. Figaro is more American than French; so is the Bourgeois Gentilhomme, whose striving an American might understand while France merely mocks. And the Middle East reviles. No matter. For the strivers are not only mocked; they're also triumphant. Europe can resent. The Middle East can resent. Such is the response of those who, eclipsed by history, wallow in it.
For those worried about the animosity expressed against the US, fear not, the capitalist heroes will triumph in the end. Again.
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posted by gbarto at 4:11 PM:
Why the knocks on Israel don't really stick:If Zionism was like Nazism, and Israelis hated Palestinians as deeply as they seem to think, there would be no Palestinian conflict. There would be no Palestinians.
- Bjørn Stærk
Only a fool could fail to note that the Israeli civilization, far from exterminating the Palestinians, has been doing its best to keep them alive in spite of themselves. We commend them for their humanity, if not their judgment. And we again wonder: When will the PA return the favor and stop holding that their first purpose is the destruction of Israel?
I know, I know. It's one thing to expect civility from all those urbane Jews. Calling for it from those heathen barbarians is too much.
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posted by gbarto at 3:57 PM:
Be sure to visit Doctor Weevil at his new home.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:35 PM:
Joanne Jacobs has word that the Auckland Opera has censored its Carmen posters and others are making light. I thought Carmen was supposed to be a bit slatternly. So how do you take the warning about the consequences of depravity if none of the characters appears depraved?Next she'll be singing "L'amour fournit la belle occasion / Pour homme et femme de s'unir / Devant Dieu avec les Sacrements / En renoncant à tout plaisir..."
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posted by gbarto at 3:12 PM:
Benjamin Kepple has a nice rant about the deaf lesbian couple that wants to make sure their child is deaf, so they'll share the same worldview. He's right; this is the height of selfishness. Suffering from ulcerative colitis, I'd love to see genetic engineering get to the point where I could be sure my kids wouldn't. Then along comes a couple like this and I wonder if humanity can even be trusted to pick out their kids' dinner, never mind make fundamental decisions about how the kids will be and grow. Here's my compromise: I will be unabashedly for genetic engineering when they can screen for and correct this mindset.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:55 PM:
From the WaPo homepage:Attacks Keep Israelis in FearOf course it's ok for Palestinians to slaughter Palestinians, as the attacks on "collaborators" the past few days shows. At least they had trials for a few of them (see item below). Nonetheless, there remains a Palestinian mindset which views the suffering and even death of its people not as a tragedy, but as an opportunity for scoring political points in the international community.
Dreams of living in peace are slipping away even as citizens support army.
• Palestinians Decry Treatment
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posted by gbarto at 12:08 PM:
But they're just Arabs, so it's ok: LGF reports Palestinians are executing alleged collaborators, but the French haven't protested.* * *
posted by gbarto at 12:01 PM:
Oops.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:08 AM:
Shit. Just read the update and you'll know what I mean.* * *
posted by gbarto at 3:02 AM:
Instapundit is writing about the possibility of internment camps for Arab-Americans in the wake of injudicious comments by a foolish teenager and ensuing silence on the part of too many from her community.One would like to say that such things can't happen here, but of course they have in the past. However, the greater danger to the Arab-American community lies in public goodwill, not government policy. The American right was quite proud of itself for the rapidity with which it dispatched Falwell, Robertson and Coulter when they went overboard, post 9/11. The left has found itself in the doghouse for not doing more about its own extremists; though Welch and others have been plenty vocal, the NYT just hasn't found the same nerve, and the American left has paid the price in popular perception.
The Arab-American community likewise risks not so much internment camps as general ostracization. We know what happened to Berkeley when they passed their resolutions. We also know that a handful of Arab-American owned establishments have suffered serious boycotts, some apparently unjustly. If the community fails to speak out, such boycotts could spread.
Still, this is not about finance; it's about accepting the culture you're in or changing it from within the system. Alas, with the Sharptons and the Jacksons of the world, professed disenfranchisement has become the means to power within the system. The difference is, this time it won't work; the dynamics are all wrong. So the next time you meet an Arab-American, greet him with open arms. And give him a chance to return the gesture. You might just be helping another American remember where his true home lies.
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