Common Sense for Uncommon Times - Fair and Balanced |
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Random, occasionally rambling thoughts with links to interesting, scandalous, or partisan news of the day. Fair and Balanced 
We owe the liberty and freedom we take for granted to the enlisted men and women in the armed forces. They sacrifice family, ease, and even life laboring in service to all of us. The least we can do for them is honor their devotion with dignified pay scales, decent education for themselves and their children, and reasonable compensation for service away from their families and death on the battlefield. Flag waving politicians who praise the troops on one hand and cut their pay and benefits with the other should be deeply ashamed of themselves.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2003
Anthony Shadid deserves a Pulitzer for his reporting on Iraq. In this moving piece he talks about the rediscovery of public celebration of religion and the joy of the newly liberated. posted by Dave on 11:18 AM | 0 comments link
Fox and American media in particular get slammed in this interesting video piece by the Australian ABC. Warning...broadband required. posted by Dave on 11:15 AM | 0 comments link -------------------- Friday, April 11, 2003
Brad DeLong opines on fiscal policy, grandchildren, and honor. Our children and grandchildren already face unthinkable payroll tax burdens that could go as high as 33 percent to pay for these promised benefits. It is neither fiscally nor morally responsible to give ourselves tax cuts and leave future generations with an even higher tax burden. posted by Dave on 10:57 PM | 0 comments link -------------------- Thursday, April 10, 2003
Ex-FBI Agent, Longtime 'Asset' Arrested in Spy Case (washingtonpost.com) Chinagate! I'm probably not the first, but the revelation that a prominent Republican donor is a Chinese spy and sleeping with the FBI agent who hounded the Clinton's on Chinese campaign contributions is deliciously fraught with irony. I'd be outraged if the secrets revealed seemed critical, but the details I've seen on this so far make this a mundane, run of the mill, "another lying, hypocritical Republican" type of story. posted by Dave on 10:04 AM | 0 comments link -------------------- Wednesday, April 09, 2003
Events in Baghdad disillusion _ and relieve _ Arabs elsewhere This fits nicely as a follow-on to the items about the Iraqi spokesman who's been spewing humorous Bunyan-esque tales of heroic resistance and glory until today. posted by Dave on 1:04 PM | 0 comments link
Arab Volunteers Draw U.S. Scrutiny (washingtonpost.com) "Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division, expressed outrage at the tactics employed by Arab fighters and some of the Iraqi paramilitary members. "They lack any kind of courage," he said. "They literally hide behind women and children, holding them in their houses as they fire. . . . They really lack manhood. They're violating every sense of decency. They're as worthless an example of men as we've ever fought." I want this guy interviewed on Al Jazeera. Or this one: "Other officers said they were eager to kill as many of the foreign guerrillas as possible in Iraq because it will prevent terrorist attacks on civilian targets elsewhere. "They should send every volunteer they can think of here," said Col. Larry Brown, the chief operations officer for the Marines in Iraq. "Let me get 'em all at once. It'll simplify my task later." posted by Dave on 12:22 AM | 0 comments link -------------------- Tuesday, April 08, 2003
He Wages War -- on Reality It's tempting to be amused by the surrealism of Mohammed Said Sahaf's comments on war progress, but as this article shows, he is still believed across most of the Arab world. What his lies and bravado may provide for them as cultural pride will be cruelly exposed when the reality of Iraq's solid thumping sets in. Far better to speak of brave but futile resistance than his continued ludicrous assertions of Iraqi victory. posted by Dave on 11:59 PM | 0 comments link
GN Online: Arabs react with dismay and disbelief Franky, anybody who would believe the Iraqi Information Minister, the Jerry Lewis of the Tigris, deserves to have their illusions shattered. posted by Dave on 8:25 AM | 0 comments link -------------------- Sunday, April 06, 2003
Supporting the President Atrios has an interesting collection of quotes from Republicans dissenting from President Clinton's Kosovo intervention. Interesting in light of their unbridled umbrage at Senator Kerry's remarks. posted by Dave on 4:16 PM | 0 comments link
Arab Press Coverage of the War Some excerpts from Abd Al-Rahman Al-Rashed's discussion of the media coverage of the Iraqi war. I wish Howie Kurtz was as candid about cheerleading by the US press. posted by Dave on 2:59 PM | 0 comments link
CNN.com - U.N. probe reveals almost a thousand dead in Congo raids - Apr. 6, 2003 No slaughter of innocents is ever acceptable, but the death toll from one night of violence in the Congo probably exceeds that from all the military actions by the United States and coalition forces in Iraq. I'm waiting, probably futilely, for the international cries of outrage about the Congo violence. posted by Dave on 12:32 PM | 0 comments link
Betraying the World's Poor If you listen to the anti-globalists you would think the US is at the root of all the world's problems. A closer and more accurate reading of the state of the poor nations reveals that France, not America, is the main culprit. French protectionism continues to block the emergence of viable agricultural export sectors throughout Africa and the Middle East. Next time you see a starving nation, ask Chrica what he's doing to help out. posted by Dave on 1:24 AM | 0 comments link
Muslim youths attack Jewish war protesters This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has been following the news. Far too much of the anti-war movement has allowed itself to be hijacked by everything from the Free Mumia crowd to the anti-semites of the Palestinian movement. This story about violence and anti-Semitism in France is a brutal hint of the ugliness beneath much of the anti-American sentiment in France and many Arab nations. Hitler would be proud of these Frenchmen, his ideological children. posted by Dave on 1:21 AM | 0 comments link
THE RASHOMON WAR By RALPH PETERS This must surely be the most powerful and comprehensive indictment ever levelled at Secretary Rumsfeld. Fortunately for Colonel Peters, he's out of Rumsfeld's official revenge range. "It is a display of moral cowardice by an arrogant man who was dangerously wrong." I'm glad Col. Peters isn't mad at me...Read the rest of his article. posted by Dave on 12:47 AM | 0 comments link
Winning the Peace (washingtonpost.com) It's hard to argue against the logic of Senators Biden and Hagel, Democrat and Republican respectively. I hope the rest of Congress will rise to support their smart plans for the post-war scenario in Iraq. posted by Dave on 12:13 AM | 0 comments link -------------------- Saturday, April 05, 2003
Support of U.S. Military Role in Mideast Grows Nearly eight in 10 Americans now accept the Bush administration's contention — disputed by some experts — that Hussein has "close ties" to Al Qaeda (even 70% of Democrats agree). And 60% of Americans say they believe Hussein bears at least some responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — a charge even the administration hasn't levied against him. I hope I'm not the first to break the news to you, my fellow Americans, but you are widely and properly perceived world wide as hopelessly out of touch with reality. posted by Dave on 9:39 AM | 0 comments link -------------------- Wednesday, April 02, 2003
USATODAY.com - Strain of Iraq war showing on Bush, those who know him say No wonder Daschle was so pissed off: On March 17, before he delivered a 48-hour ultimatum to Saddam, Bush summoned congressional leaders to the White House. They expected a detailed briefing, but the president told them he was notifying them only because he was legally required to do so and then left the room. They were taken aback, and some were annoyed. posted by Dave on 2:57 PM | 0 comments link -------------------- |