tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56356002011-07-15T15:13:03.159-04:00Politics and Policy is open season on any kind of weak political thinking. We debate policy issues and political stances, we critique and we advise. We take sides all the time, but we take no side as an institution save this: the truth is worth arguing over. We seek to discern the truth, whereever it may be found. And we seek to have a good time doing it.Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comBlogger1581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1086979812366349842004-06-11T14:48:00.000-04:002004-07-02T00:00:32.493-04:00

OK so this blog hasn't been updated in almost a month. We're going on indefinite hiatus until the bloggers decide to put more time into this little here project. UN Notebook archive will however continue to be updated. (7/1/04: new link here) So, goodbye for now.                    

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1084912966972961212004-05-18T16:42:00.000-04:002004-05-18T16:42:46.973-04:00

Whatever happened to the Iraq Stabilization Group that was supposed to run the reconstruction from the White House?

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1083612651224198232004-05-03T15:30:00.000-04:002004-05-03T15:33:48.403-04:00

This was just too intriguing to pass up. It's a mosaic made of pictures of casualties (US and Coalition) from Iraq. "War President" by American Leftist As the author says: I'd also like to point out that 'War President' is an image. It is not a textual statement or rhetorical argument. An image is like an empty room and any message that one reads in that room necessarily came in the baggage

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1083445924510822432004-05-01T17:12:00.000-04:002004-05-01T17:15:12.936-04:00

From last night's Nightline: US Casualties, March - May, 2003 US Casualties, June - August, 2003 US Casualties, September - December, 2003 US Casualties, January - April, 2004

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1082669127777879642004-04-22T17:25:00.000-04:002004-04-24T01:02:30.060-04:00

AP photo from 2002 of a US casualty coming home The picture that got a defense contractor employee fired Fallen GIs return unseen, Newsday, 4/19/04 Images of war dead a sensitive subject, Seattle Times, 4/22/04 Woman loses her job over coffins photo, Seattle Times, 4/22/04 Powerful photograph offered chance to tell an important story, Seattle Times, 4/22/04 The somber task of honoring the

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1081233885146287032004-04-06T02:44:00.000-04:002004-04-06T02:47:27.593-04:00

Remember last year when I began to archive Barbara Crossette's UN Notebook columns from UN Wire? I'm still doin' it. Now go read, dammit.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1080849001184883572004-04-01T14:50:00.000-05:002004-04-01T14:52:38.903-05:00

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/history.html

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471525029221554115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1080848698044737862004-04-01T14:44:00.000-05:002004-04-22T17:30:01.796-04:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3587931.stm

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471525029221554115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1079158793452342552004-03-13T00:18:00.000-05:002004-03-13T01:22:58.590-05:00

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1079022315790615352004-03-11T11:25:00.000-05:002004-03-11T11:27:32.746-05:00

Good for drinking dialogue: WHAT IF..... Nader and Dean became running mates? Sure it looks like Kerry and Dean are already collaborating with smiles and handshakes, but really, what if? The speculations are amusing and frightening.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471525029221554115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1079021828935257122004-03-11T11:17:00.000-05:002004-03-11T11:19:26.030-05:00

So the U.S. is holding onto Saddam at an undisclosed location in Iraq until a tribunal can be set-up, evidence gathered and trials of less prominent officials held and won... so I am guessing it might be a while. Under Geneva Conventions he qualifies as a prisioner of war, but I keep expecting him to pop up in a Fox 47-sponsored circus cart for poking and proding like Krusty's smoking monkey on

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471525029221554115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1075912855550132202004-02-03T22:37:00.000-05:002004-02-04T11:42:36.360-05:00

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the deaths of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson, in a plane crash in Texas. Otherwise known as "the day the music died," and immortalized in Don McLean's classic ode to old school rock.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1075605062275982922004-01-31T22:11:00.000-05:002004-01-31T22:17:53.466-05:00

When you're watching the big game tomorrow night, remember this: CBS still refuses to run this ad for Moveon.org. Even though it's been paid for. Even though it doesn't tell us anything we don't already know. Even though it won the Bush in 30 Seconds video contest. You can do something about it here. And more from MoveOn.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1074232306034166702004-01-15T23:16:00.000-05:002004-01-16T00:53:07.186-05:00

How the other half lives. Far away from the "gold-rush" markets of Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangdong, China's northeast rustbelt is sagging under the weight of its own Communist legacy. China's government will soon launch a major investment drive to pump capital into the region, which has the country's highest unemployment rate. How? Fuzzy "creative accounting" from the big 4 state-owned banks, as

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1073773815206672812004-01-10T17:30:00.000-05:002004-01-10T17:31:31.543-05:00

Kids! Here's another cartoon from the Center for American Progress!

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1071597674950600312003-12-16T13:01:00.000-05:002003-12-16T13:02:06.640-05:00

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1071430780393452202003-12-14T14:39:00.000-05:002003-12-15T22:09:59.750-05:00

Saddam has definitely seen better days. More from the NY Times. And, William Rivers Pitt wants to give you a grain of salt.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1071355599058355002003-12-13T17:46:00.000-05:002003-12-13T17:47:27.360-05:00

Here's a guest submission from PolPol reader Vince Mareino: I offer this article for the enjoyment of you and the PolPol Blog readers. http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/6357-9.cfm It's a NY Times article on the fate of Kaliningrad. That's good enough, but you'll especially enjoy Putin's bid for the Foot In Mouth award at the end of the article.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1071152182889999722003-12-11T09:16:00.000-05:002003-12-11T09:20:24.170-05:00

The Pentagon apparently jumped the gun on a memo blacklisting France, Germany, and Russia from Iraqi reconstruction contracts, hours before Bush was supposed to call Chirac, Schroder, and Putin. This comes just days after Rummy was given Britain's Foot in Mouth award. Bush did sign off on the idea of a blacklist though. This is no way to run an occupation.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1070679989769474092003-12-05T23:06:00.000-05:002003-12-05T23:14:35.403-05:00

...it's Al Sharpton!!!

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1070508635304782972003-12-03T22:30:00.000-05:002003-12-06T17:37:08.763-05:00

Viceroy in boots? I just can't resist this pic of ol' L. Paul: America's Vulnerable Imperialism, YaleGlobal Online

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1070425548640543922003-12-02T23:14:00.000-05:002003-12-02T23:26:26.610-05:00

So I'm cruisin' for doughnuts with Official GWU Politics And Policy Bureau Chief Ashley Liebre this evening, and we're discussing Henry Kissinger. And so, as often happens with discussions on the former Secretary of State, we got on the topic of whether or not he is a war criminal. Now, mind you, I have yet to see the documentary (I've been planning on it for over a year, never got around to it

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1070382902975544062003-12-02T11:42:00.000-05:002003-12-02T11:46:09.326-05:00

Fun with Google: type miserable failure into Google's search box and see what you get. Better yet, hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button! =)

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1070383208258238472003-12-02T11:40:00.000-05:002003-12-02T12:54:10.700-05:00

Ok.. Suppose the Steel Workers want the tariffs to stay? Well why on earth would they annouce their backing for Gephardt when Bush is on his way campaigning through Pennsylvania? Bush obviously wants support through votes and they go and blow their bartering power by saying regardless of what Bush does, Gephardt's won them. We all want the steel tariffs to drop, a trade war to be averted and it

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471525029221554115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1069960252505884782003-11-27T14:09:00.000-05:002003-11-27T14:11:25.356-05:00

From all of us here at Politics and Policy, happy Thanksgiving. Hope you're enjoying... ...and don't think we weren't going to post something. In case you didn't hear about this - President Bush secretly flew to Iraq to surprise the troops for Turkey Day. Damn. That's so cool it sounds like Aaron Sorkin wrote it.

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1069364429998744002003-11-20T16:40:00.000-05:002003-11-20T16:41:26.483-05:00

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1068651573501703312003-11-12T10:39:00.000-05:002003-11-12T10:39:30.730-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 5, 2003 The Fab Five Assume Responsibility for Iraq’s Reconstruction Lansing, MI - President Bush relinquished control over Iraq today and placed five fabulous gay men in charge of drafting a blueprint to the Reconstruction. “Metrosexuals are just what the United States needs to change the culture of the Middle East,” said President Bush. “I don’t think there is

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471525029221554115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1068651277229830622003-11-12T10:34:00.000-05:002003-11-12T10:34:34.500-05:00

From the Mouths of Witnesses Recently I attended a seminar put on by the Michigan State University College of Journalism. The spectrum of journalists had covered nearly every war and skirmish since Vietnam, as well as many of the tumultuous refugee situations. These were the reporters drawn by the desire to break the story, to record history and to witness the war and its crimes. These were the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09471525029221554115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1068481683347312742003-11-10T11:28:00.000-05:002003-11-10T11:28:43.856-05:00

Dear Anheuser-Busch, On the site http://www.alcoholstats.com/Main.asp, you prominently feature a graphic that purports to show data from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Now I took a look at the data, and let me say that your table is THE very thing they use as warning for statisticians in college classes! The very model of misrepresentation of data! First of all, the label

Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09454073618412568633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1068406701680492282003-11-09T14:38:00.000-05:002003-11-09T14:38:19.176-05:00

Most of you out there are probably obsessive Simpsons fans, just like the rest of us. But this is a little too much. WIRED is reporting that this guy managed to grow tomacco. If you don't know what tomacco is, well, it tastes like grandma, and the goats love it. And so I did a little poking around, and I found this: SKITTLEBRAU! Which raises an important philosophical question - who do you

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067986298528153532003-11-04T17:51:00.000-05:002003-11-04T17:51:37.276-05:00

Policy Review is one of my favorite long-article journals. It's put out by the Hoover Institution at Stanford, and there's usually a lot of good stuff in there. In fact, the article which was fleshed out into Robert Kagan's Of Paradise and Power was in there. So you can imagine the kind of credibility this journal has in this Administration. It's with this in mind that I saw the new piece by

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067985777747178572003-11-04T17:42:00.000-05:002003-11-04T17:42:55.986-05:00

In case you haven't seen it, Jack Beatty has an interesting short piece up at The Atlantic Monthly. He asserts that Friedman's belief in a democratized Middle East is this generation's domino theory. See, I think he's a little bit off base, but there is some merit to investigating this. To me, Tom Friedman's arguments, when coupled with those believers in the democratic peace theory, the

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067979174735892262003-11-04T15:49:00.000-05:002003-11-04T15:52:52.696-05:00

First, anyone who's looking to post feedback on the pieces up here, it looks like our feedback site is down at the moment. Hopefully it'll be back online soon. Any writers who want to feed back, just post a separate post on the board. Second, I want to welcome the two newest writers here at PolPol, Ed Stautberg and Elizabeth Hedstrom. Both bring great points of view and trenchant analysis to

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067978945341099472003-11-04T15:39:00.000-05:002003-11-04T15:49:03.353-05:00

I don't know if anyone else is following the Mikhail Khodorkovsky case in Russia. Maybe I'm especially interested because I'm taking Russian language classes right now, but I'm also finding this fascinating because it's going to be a benchmark for the future of Russia. Khodorkovsky and Russian President Vladimir Putin really represent the first generation of "New Russia." They're baby boomers,

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067964632083972372003-11-04T11:39:00.000-05:002003-11-04T11:50:30.070-05:00

I just got home from voting. There's something strangely enobling about casting your vote, fundamentally American. We don't get harassed. No one knows who we vote for - in Virginia, you can't even know what party you belong to. And it is relevant. Even this year. If you live in New York City, the City Council races are up for grabs this year. That's a big deal - that's basically the

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067542283060898922003-10-30T14:31:00.000-05:002003-10-31T02:17:37.213-05:00

Why haven't I heard more about this from the mainstream press? Earlier this month, left-wing Israeli politicians and various Palestinian intellectuals unveiled the Geneva Accord, which could prove to be a landmark peace plan for the Middle East. UPDATE: Somebody at the NY Times is paying attention.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067146977689273032003-10-26T01:42:00.000-04:002003-10-26T01:42:56.973-04:00

...about moving NATO out of Brussels. The fact is, we need NATO. They're not entirely American, but they do America's work. It gives us wiggle room both in terms of military capabilities and diplomatic cover. It may be "US out of Iraq" at the DC protests yesterday, but I haven't seen anybody saying "NATO out of Iraq". Tom Friedman has an interesting idea on NATO's next expansion.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067126770028527182003-10-25T20:00:00.000-04:002003-10-25T20:12:56.133-04:00

Again, trying to avoid Russian adjective declension... A prospect to throw out there to the readers and PolPol writers. Come up with a list of ten books that you think best fit your political and philosophical "bent." These can be the writers who have inspired you most, best fit your political state of mind (domestic or international), or which you just think are the best books to read,

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1067121017861152342003-10-25T18:10:00.000-04:002003-10-25T18:30:17.366-04:00

I don't feel like doing my Russian homework right now, so I decided to put together a quick spreadsheet with a couple of variables. I punched in all 42 presidents (Cleveland double-counts), party affiliations (Whigs and Federalists were classed as Republicans) and the previous position held by each candidate before elected or succeeding to the Presidency. I don't know the sort of predictive

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1066861928865799812003-10-22T18:31:00.000-04:002003-10-22T18:32:08.686-04:00

On the other hand, it's far more satisfying to rip this doll's head and limbs off than with a regular Barbie.

Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04028285340821326418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1065986515231515042003-10-12T15:21:00.000-04:002003-10-12T15:21:55.070-04:00

Live, from Abu Dhabi, it's the return of Comical Ali!!! =)

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1065934628745121682003-10-12T00:57:00.000-04:002003-10-12T00:57:08.930-04:00

Straight off of Israel's bitch slap on Syria last week comes this nugget: Israel is getting overt help to arm nuclear tipped Harpoon missiles on its submarine fleet. Now, we've known for a while that Israel's got nukes, but this is probably the first time that both the US and Israel have admitted to US assistance in the program. The target? Most likely Iran. Which isn't gonna make Tehran any more

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1065540377633406282003-10-07T11:26:00.000-04:002003-10-07T11:26:36.573-04:00

As my dad would say, jeeze o'flip! I think what we're finding is that this administration is getting our titular allies in the world to take a harder line vis a vis their enemies, even when we'd rather they not. See Sharon in Israel, for example. And another example is Chen Shui-bian in Taiwan. According to this piece in today's Washington Post, Chen is right upset at the US and at the PRC.

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1065536907372203652003-10-07T10:28:00.000-04:002003-10-07T10:32:14.880-04:00

Well, it's recall day. A sad day, if you asked me. If anything could have besmirched American politics more than the machinations of the last few years, this has done it. Now the philanderers are on the Republicans' side. If I lived in California (and as many of you know and are grateful for, I do not) I would vote for Tom McClintock. I think he's the best candidate. But that's the second

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1065536277376264982003-10-07T10:17:00.000-04:002003-10-07T10:17:57.283-04:00

As everyone who reads this probably knows, I'm pretty well known in these parts as a free trader. I don't think protection works, under just about any circumstances. That's why I was so delighted to read this apologetic in Foreign Policy. It really cuts loose and debunks a lot of the myths that even people who are not Buchananite radicals may believe about free trade and protection, and this

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064645645797481882003-09-27T02:54:00.000-04:002003-09-27T02:54:05.220-04:00

I first heard Shashi Tharoor speak at the opening ceremony of NMUN 2002, and I was impressed by his candor and his articulate speaking style. As a higher-up at the UN, he's of course got a pro-UN agenda to push whenever he speaks or writes publicly in defense of the organization, but I find his arguments nonetheless compelling and worth heeding. Here's his latest article in Foreign Affairs.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064623690823045132003-09-26T20:46:00.000-04:002003-09-26T20:48:10.306-04:00

Good piece in today's Post about Vladimir Putin, and I'm going to want to probably come back and edit this to include some comments. But I just had to post this picture. I've heard of ping pong diplomacy... Krispy Kreme diplomacy? All I can say is... TAKE THAT DUNKIN' DONUTS! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064584286455280602003-09-26T09:51:00.000-04:002003-09-26T09:51:25.910-04:00

In case you haven't heard: Edward Said is dead.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064515128785990022003-09-25T14:38:00.000-04:002003-09-25T14:40:00.256-04:00

Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06279105902636614049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064414493407488642003-09-24T10:41:00.000-04:002003-09-24T10:57:50.796-04:00

Law schools that do not allow recruiters with discriminatory policies on campus are suing to overturn the Solomon Amendment. The amendment requires all universities that receive federal aid to allow military recruiters on campus. Since the military discriminates against homosexuals under "don't ask, don't tell", the law schools (and by extension all schools) have a valid shot at getting rid of

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064179603797701922003-09-21T17:26:00.000-04:002003-09-21T17:26:43.693-04:00

The Galileo spacecraft has completed its final mission.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064173818734107052003-09-21T15:50:00.000-04:002003-09-21T15:50:18.936-04:00

Surprise! "No Child Left Behind" is leaving children behind by creating unfair burdens on schools. It's not that teachers, administrators, and lawmakers don't want higher education standards, it's that the Bush administration isn't giving schools enough money to meet these new standards. $87 billion for Iraq? How about $87 billion for the schools of Harlem and South Central? On a side note, did

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1064129853899982842003-09-21T03:37:00.000-04:002003-09-21T03:37:33.656-04:00

See, this is why I love The Economist: And you thought the British were a stodgy bunch.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063917938481974892003-09-18T16:42:00.000-04:002003-10-07T23:11:23.283-04:00

Here comes the story of the Hurricane, The man the authorities came to blame For somethin' that he never done. Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been The champion of the world.

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063917717293654742003-09-18T16:41:00.000-04:002003-09-18T16:41:57.056-04:00

Godalmighty, don't get me on Tom Friedman's wrong side... he just RIPPED France a new one. Good times. And he's spot-on correct, and I'm surprised more people haven't called the French to account on his critiques.

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063748702705535872003-09-16T17:45:00.000-04:002003-09-17T09:17:58.780-04:00

Wesley Clark is in. UPDATE: What a Clark campaign would mean to the other 9 Democrats.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063652487639559232003-09-15T15:01:00.000-04:002003-09-15T15:01:27.550-04:00

There at it again! This time, they've stopped the recall!

Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17171275484094469729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063555567834384732003-09-14T11:44:00.000-04:002003-09-14T12:06:08.460-04:00

In case you didn't catch the link to it on Drudge, Madeleine Albright was interviewed by Time Magazine. She doesn't come across particularly well... a little snippy, to be truthful, eager to get a few jabs in on the Administration... but she said one really truly stupid thing. Being asked "what should the US do next?" her response was the following: Frankly, if there was a President Gore, we

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063405435538968982003-09-12T18:23:00.000-04:002003-09-12T18:23:55.563-04:00

Yaaaaaaaseer Arafat, you're the winner of an expense paid trip for one in any direction out of Israel. For several decades now, you've blundered one attempt to bring peace to your peopel after another. When Palestine wanted freedom from Israel, you it on a campaign of terrorism. Except that your complete ignorance of history will show you that terrorism never wins, but instead strengthens the

Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17171275484094469729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063344160233878462003-09-12T01:22:00.000-04:002003-09-12T01:22:40.266-04:00

This week's BusinessWeek takes an inside look at Kellogg Brown & Root, the Halliburton unit to which the Pentagon has outsourced much of the Iraqi reconstruction. Halliburton, of course, is Dick Cheney's old employer. It's not so much the big government vs. small government (Democrat vs. Republican) argument that bothers me as much as KB&R being the latter-day exemplar of Eisenhower's "

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063302821511029402003-09-11T13:53:00.000-04:002003-09-11T13:53:41.516-04:00

A British parliamentary inquiry has found the Iraq dossier wasn't "sexed up" by the Defence Ministry. However, the separate Hutton inquiry into Dr. David Kelly's death is still ongoing.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063287229066980822003-09-11T09:33:00.000-04:002003-09-11T09:33:49.100-04:00

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063247979032153122003-09-10T22:39:00.000-04:002003-09-10T22:39:38.953-04:00

NJ federal judge orders lawyer to go back to law school. Finally, tort reform that works...

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063156971567665242003-09-09T21:22:00.000-04:002003-09-09T21:22:51.620-04:00

In my quest to be the longest-winded bastard here, I can't limit myself to just a Comment. Lim, I'm convinced that the political spectrum in this country has narrowed to such an extent that you're just not going to get disagreement on things like "big government." Everyone says that the Reagan Revolution succeeded... in some ways, maybe it did, but in the really important ways, it didn't. Not

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063156075675178402003-09-09T21:07:00.000-04:002003-09-09T21:07:55.780-04:00

...is brought to you by Politics and Policy Calgary Bureau Chief Colleen Potter. "You think you are big enough to make me, you little wimp? Come on. Come over here and make me. I dare you, you little fruitcake.'' U.S. Representative Fortney "Pete" Stark, during a House Panel deliberation. Now, using the Comments feature, can you tell where/when and why this was said? Points for creativity

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1063076205249214592003-09-08T22:56:00.000-04:002003-09-08T22:56:45.186-04:00

Still think the Republicans are the party of small government? I've got some Niger WMD evidence to sell you...

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062952541774986802003-09-07T12:35:00.000-04:002003-09-07T12:35:41.756-04:00

There are many things going on in the world that are worthy of comment. This coming week is the 2 year anniversary of 9/11, and the war in Iraq goes on. The Democrats continue their full-court press for the Presidency, and there's a lot else going on. But today, none of that matters. Because it's the first Sunday of the NFL season. And the Redskins are already 1-0. God bless America.

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062655576753328582003-09-04T02:06:00.000-04:002003-09-04T09:52:11.156-04:00

Well, at least he's got a fan in the blogosphere. Check out the Illmatic's blog. More North Korean fun.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062525725279322852003-09-02T14:02:00.000-04:002003-09-02T14:02:05.170-04:00

Well, a meteor is on it's way. On the bright side, we won't have to pay back our student loans.

Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17171275484094469729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062279903371767702003-08-30T17:45:00.000-04:002003-08-30T17:45:03.300-04:00

A couple of statements from the Irish Minister of Health (and Children) Minister Micheál Martin responds to recent comments on the smoking ban Statement from the Minister for Health and Children, Micheál Martin, TD, regarding the proposed ban on smoking in the workplace, from January 2004 Martin announces details of legislation to curb alcohol advertising

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062173228448380972003-08-29T12:07:00.000-04:002003-08-29T12:10:58.246-04:00

I happen to find Paul Johnson a delightful historian and man of letters, a prodigious writer who is truly fluent in the English language. Perhaps that's part of the power of this. Given the discussions we've been having today, I find this, well, as the title says. Sobering.

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062171571071892282003-08-29T11:39:00.000-04:002003-08-29T11:39:48.396-04:00

So, the topic of nuclear proliferation is on the table today. As a proliferation "guy," I feel like I should comment. First, on the question of North Korea as raised by Senor Lim (Is that a Taepodong in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?). I think that the reason why the North Koreans are declaring nuclear status rather than testing comes down to one factor - the Chinese. The PRC's

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062142195627999922003-08-29T03:29:00.000-04:002003-08-29T05:34:52.463-04:00

...and on the Provisional Agenda for the 47th Regular Sessions of the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference, we find: ITEM 22: 22. Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat (Plenary) This item has been included in the provisional agenda at the request of Arab States members of the Agency, as forwarded by the Sultanate of Oman. An explanatory memorandum, required under Rule 20 of

Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09454073618412568633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062135983584594052003-08-29T01:46:00.000-04:002003-08-29T01:46:23.626-04:00

The Republicans' fundraising machine has outsourced its cold-calling operations to a call center in India. Is this George W. Bush's idea of making it up to the Indians after 2 years of cozying up to the Pakistanis? And isn't there something called CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM that makes all this if not illegal then at least ethically questionable? C'mon, why not hire a call center in, say, Texas? Oh I

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062105955115110612003-08-28T17:25:00.000-04:002003-08-28T17:25:55.176-04:00

Whoa. North Korea is gonna declare nuclear status as a prelude to actual weapons tests. Is this just a clever negotiating tactic? Sure. But the threat nevertheless must be taken seriously. It's one thing for John Bolton and Kim Jong-Il to trade verbal bitch-slaps, it's quite another for actual bombs going off in some testing range. Something's gotta give, and I think Bush is gonna have to

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062068160714127082003-08-28T06:56:00.000-04:002003-08-28T06:56:00.543-04:00

It's gone. Well it's still in the building, just away from public view. If there's one thing we can take away from all this fuss, it's that the issue isn't religion, it's law. Religion might have been a motivating factor in Moore's decision to commission and install the monument in the first place. But he must have known that such a large display would generate controversey. So Moore and his

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062062294050593892003-08-28T05:18:00.000-04:002003-08-29T14:22:30.856-04:00

UPDATE: American Outlook, another pretty conservative pub I don't usually read, has an article exploring some common-sensical reforms on both Israeli and Palestinian sides. .......... I don't usually read Tech Central Station since most of their conservative ranting is anathema to a good liberal like me. But this caught my attention: what would a European Muslim look like in 50 years? Nobody

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062004270847510532003-08-27T13:11:00.000-04:002003-08-27T13:11:10.863-04:00

Here we go again. According to John Pomfret of the Post, the PRC's government has started cracking down on political dissent... again. Apparently there are now "three unmentionables" (which I always thought were men's underwear and the two components of ladies' underwear) - political reform, constitutional change, and a revision of the history of Tiananmen Square. This is getting lumped in

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1062000785870506962003-08-27T12:13:00.000-04:002003-08-27T12:22:02.980-04:00

Will S. brought this article (READ IT!) to my attention. It's from the NY Times, and it explores Japan's current policy of keeping the Japanese Yen (JPY) artificially deflated by purchasing the US Dollar (USD). To me, this is significant only in that it poses the following question: How does the US feel about it, and why don't we (the public) know? Clearly the political benefit of a strong Japan-

Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09454073618412568633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061996365190288872003-08-27T10:59:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:59:25.263-04:00

I'm not trying to bring any schadenfreude in here, or anything like that... but come on, when you're reading the New York Times, and you see that Kremlinology is BACK, BABY!, how can you not just crack a little smile? I suppose it's because I'm an unrepentant Cold Warrior born 40 years too late (hmmm... if I had been born in 1939... I'd be getting out of university in 1961... not the best timing

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061995425874203352003-08-27T10:43:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:43:45.916-04:00

...even if he's John Bolton and you're Colin Powell? I guess so. According to the AP, Powell wrote Sen. Jon Kyl and said that Bolton's speech re: North Korea (and I quote from the text) "was fully cleared by the State Department and was consistent with administration policy... ... [it] did not really break new ground with regard to our disdain for the North Korean leadership and, as such, was

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061989310866417362003-08-27T09:01:00.000-04:002003-08-27T09:08:28.413-04:00

Bush vowed "no retreat" from Iraq yesterday, while remaining noncommittal in regard to increasing US armed forces presence in that country. What struck me was the line "Retreat in the face of terror would only invite further and bolder attacks. There will be no retreat." When I heard it a chill ran up my spine; it brought back other unequivocal orders of no retreat: Stalin's "Not One Step

Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09454073618412568633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061927881148894792003-08-26T15:58:00.000-04:002003-08-26T16:02:39.470-04:00

This article proves that someone has put a tap on the world and is draining the fun (aka Guiness) as we speak.

Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06279105902636614049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061905817981784652003-08-26T09:50:00.000-04:002003-08-26T09:50:18.026-04:00

Mankind is a scapegoating people. We're weasels. We don't take the blame - in fact, we have to be societally programmed - shamed - into taking blame, and even then we're evasive. It's a survival tactic. And it's true in politics and economics as well. If the economy is tanking, something has to be to blame. It's never that business cycles dictate that we're going to have some down time. Or

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061829796815545372003-08-25T12:43:00.000-04:002003-08-25T12:46:35.736-04:00

BBC. Breaking News: "Taleban fighters bombed." "Up to 50 suspected Taleban fighters have been killed in a joint Afghan-US military operation..." If you open the news story on BBC, you will see a picture (posted here below, apparently from AFP) of a truck and a helicopter. I think it is a very telling juxtaposition: an ex-Soviet MIL Hind gunship in the background, with a Toyota SUV in the fore.

Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09454073618412568633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-106182189768507452003-08-25T10:31:00.000-04:002003-08-25T10:31:37.680-04:00

Interesting op-ed in the Post today. A Clinton deputy U.N. ambassador has the same idea as Lim for handling Liberia -- reviving the Trusteeship Council (Because sometimes nostalgia for running Palau in '94 just ain't enough).

Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04028285340821326418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061805003859442842003-08-25T05:50:00.000-04:002003-08-26T05:02:48.516-04:00

UPDATE--Tuesday's Post editorial, by Robert Byrd of WV: "Unprepared for Peace in Iraq" UPDATE--"U.S. Postwar Deaths Now Equal Iraq War Fatalities" *** "U.S. to Send Iraqis to Site in Hungary for Police Course" The New York Times this morning reported that 28,000 Iraqi police recruits would be shipped to Hungary and trained at an old Soviet facility (probably at or near Taszar Air Base, used

Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09454073618412568633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061704241573926182003-08-24T01:50:00.000-04:002003-08-24T01:57:36.930-04:00

With the "West Wing" now basically required watching among political junkies (despite reports of sagging ratings and storylines, and Sorkin's departure), HBO is entering the mix with a new Steven Soderbergh-backed drama, "K Street". Take a fictional DC lobbying firm, mix in real-life political cameos (like John McCain in a pilot episode), add cuts of real talk shows and Congressional hearings,

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061702151047238682003-08-24T01:15:00.000-04:002003-08-24T01:15:51.090-04:00

I'm sure many CUNY and Hunter students are in the same boat as the students quoted for the article below. Not having enough classes (or class sections) available means students end up paying more for college while getting shortchanged in their education. For some courses, especially languages, losing a semester means that both the student and the professor have to waste valuable class time on

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061695715543727852003-08-23T23:28:00.000-04:002003-08-28T06:23:20.600-04:00

Thursday, August 28, marks the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. It's as powerful an oratory today as it was then. You can read the full text (with audio!) here.

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061695323265454662003-08-23T23:22:00.000-04:002003-08-25T14:22:49.226-04:00

Brazil's former president wants to nominate the late UN envoy for the Nobel peace prize. It would, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp., require the Nobel committee to make a rule change, but I think it's appropriate given de Mello's work in Kosovo, East Timor, and Iraq. Still, Kofi Annan and the UN system won the prize just two years ago so I don't know if the committee will want to

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061678023432843712003-08-23T18:33:00.000-04:002003-08-23T18:35:27.526-04:00

Makes me smile every time.

Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06279105902636614049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061675367175303852003-08-23T17:49:00.000-04:002003-08-24T01:06:40.990-04:00

In response to Alex's feedback on Lim's article on Norway, I felt it was necessary to post a response to a theory mentioned in the comments.  Yeah, I've heard that theory that a woman in power wouldn't spend that much on defense. I've also heard the theory that women should be barefoot in the kitchen. But, as I'm sure we all agree here, that's rubbish. Let's look at the "Iron Lady" herself:

Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06279105902636614049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061655959971433702003-08-23T12:25:00.000-04:002003-08-23T12:25:59.976-04:00

Most of you probably know (or if you don't, you will soon) that I despise Michael Bloomberg with a passion that grows and festers every day. I think that his smoking ban in bars is ridiculous, and his jacking-up of the prices, while more understandable, is going to hit small businesses a lot harder than the big chains like Rite Aid and Duane Reade. Plus, I think it makes cigarette smuggling a

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061654975000022462003-08-23T12:09:00.000-04:002003-08-23T12:09:35.073-04:00

Well I took some time this morning to read National Review's The Corner, and I came across a very interesting story on Our Favorite Jurist, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore. Turns out that back in January, he was up for an award here in DC from the National Clergy Council, or something like that. And in his speech, he decided to make the point that, and I quote the AP on this,

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061647595629841102003-08-23T10:06:00.000-04:002003-08-23T10:06:35.660-04:00

Well, the latest US News and World Report college rankings are out again, and shocker of shockers, no real good news for any of us. Penn is considered to be a better school than Columbia. UVA is considered to be a better school than Georgetown. GW sits on the cusp of the top 50 - at least it beat Syracuse, or else I might have to kill myself. I don't even see Hunter or CUNY on there (which is

Will Schlickenmaierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07497937055857758300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061624124644810632003-08-23T03:35:00.000-04:002003-08-23T03:35:24.640-04:00

Kids, here's your weekend reading assignment: When you think about big military spenders, you think of the US, China, Israel, the UK, and some other ass-whuppers. But Norway? A country that hasn't exactly threatened anybody in the last 300 years? Why yes. Norway's charismatic defense minister is transforming her country's defense-oriented military into a niche fighting force aligned with the

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061606180055355632003-08-22T22:36:00.000-04:002003-08-22T22:36:19.996-04:00

As a Republican, I was intrigued by the newly developed Dubya action figure seeing it as a positive portrayal of the president. As a woman, I was amazed when I checked out a photo of this new "boy toy" how "substantial" the president's "pecs" are. This made me think: what would an action figure of Clinton look like or more importantly, what would it do? Would it be a squeeze toy? Would it

Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06279105902636614049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061594038182111442003-08-22T19:13:00.000-04:002003-08-24T03:16:21.013-04:00

The EPA's inspector-general has issued a report saying that the agency deliberately downplayed air quality risks in lower Manhattan following 9/11. The reason? The Bush White House claims fudging the info was "justified by national security". Whaaaaa??? According to the AP article, public statements by the EPA regarding New York's air quality were to be cleared by both White House advisors and

WLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635600.post-1061574853713944962003-08-22T13:54:00.000-04:002003-08-22T16:41:15.230-04:00

At first I thought it was a rip off of 'The Onion'. But I think they might actually be serious... http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP55603 Have a good weekend.

Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17171275484094469729noreply@blogger.com