AmericanSage

Couric to Offer "Solutions" In Broadcasts

2006-07-17T09:28:00.000-04:00

CBS news is going to start offering "solutions" to world affairs in response to the public's belief that the news is too negative.

Are you freaking kidding me? I wonder exactly how often these solutions will include things the polls (ie, the ratings) say Americans don't like. I wonder how often these solutions will include recommending action that is tough, unpopular, but necessary. I wonder how often these solutions will consider anything besides those things that continue to fuel the orgy of self-delusion that masquerades as informed opinion in this country.

CBS News: We Report, We Decide.

Give me a break and read the wires like a good girl.

All My Heroes Are Cowboys

2006-07-17T09:20:00.000-04:00

With World War III now upon us (as I predicted in this space months ago), I have returned. My first task is to say that I love this from W, said in reference to the Mid East campaign:

"What they need to do it to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit."

That Reuters finds this newsworthy simply astounds me, but this might as well be what Bush says in public on purpose because you know he's right.

"Story" here.

Christian Science Monitor Trivializes Sudan's Genocide, Yahoo Then Buries Story

2006-06-02T14:36:00.000-04:00

I picked this story about Sundanese refugees in Israel up from the Yahoo.com wire today, already flustered by the wording of the headline and the placement of quotation marks around the word genocide. I was sure this was the work of some politically correct AP headline hack who insists on upholding that organization's decree that words like terrorist, for example, always be predicated with "so-called," "alleged" or, my personal favorite, "what the United States has referred to as."

It's bad enough that news organizations sacrifice accurate reportage in vain attempts at objectivity. It's worse that in so doing, they actually fail their wider journalistic mission of relating basic facts. Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations. The murder and mayhem they promote, execute and reward is not hypothetical or the stuff of harmless rhetoric. Perhaps Western news services should start editing all copy thusly:

"Supposed 'terrorist mastermind' Osama Bin Laden has pledged to 'kill' thousands of 'innocent' Americans in a recent recording perceived by American 'intelligence' officials as a 'threat' to national 'security.' In other news, 10 US Marines were 'killed' in action outside Baghdad yesterday."

Imagine your local news: "32 children 'died' in a school bus accident yesterday. Parents are overcome with 'grief.'"

I think you get the point.

As bad as the AP is on this, it's even worse when coming from a generally reputable source like The Christian Science Monitor, today's actual culprit. The fact that I mistook them for the AP should say enough, but their trivialization of the Darfur GENOCIDE extends beyond the scandalous headline. They pull the whole according to the U.S. thing a few paragraphs in, complete with slyly placed quotation marks. The fifth paragraph ends with the word unquoted. I wonder if that one slipped by whoever's making these decisions at CSM.

All that said, the article is worth reading if only to get a sense of what survivors of another inexcusable genocide are doing to help Sudanese refugees in their midst.

UPDATE: The Darfur story has been replaced on the Yahoo wire with a story about possible racism at the World Cup. Yes, that's far more important.

New York Comptroller Alan Hevesi: Chuck Schumer Should Kill George Bush...No, No, I'm Just Kidding

2006-06-02T02:47:00.000-04:00

If a Republican had said this, you'd be hearing all about hate speech and the evils of talk radio for weeks. The fact that New York's comptroller used a commencement gig at Queens College to endorse the president's assassination is beyond embarrassing, stupid, or moronic. It's scandalous and criminal. The fact that Alan Hevesi joked about the murder of a sitting president while making an analogy about liberal hack Chuck Schumer's "toughness" by claiming that Schumer would bump W off, could he get away with it, should outrage the Senator and his staff, and they should be pulling every string they can to demand Hevesi's immediate resignation.

That, of course, won't happen. Schumer's staff is already saying they accept the comptroller's apology and consider the matter closed. Curiously absent from Hevesi's mea culpa was a direct apology to the huge anti-gun lobby that drives so much of his own party's agenda. (Understand that I use the word agenda loosely).

All of this is very curious. The only explanation I can think of for Hevesi's complete pass is the fact that the current Democratic establishment actually rewards counterintuitive public behavior as a golden ticket for rising through the party ranks. Out-deaning, oh, say, party boss Howard Dean, almost requires something this outrageous. Will the party start reigning these stunts in before it totally implodes? If Schumer's response is any indication, the eight ball's saying 'no'. Hope you're having fun being tough, Chuck. It builds the kind of character you're going to need after the midterm elections don't go the way you and your out of touch cronies are hoping.

Washington Post Publishes The Hillary Catechism: "Clinton Is A Politician Not Easily Defined"

2006-05-30T16:26:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or is everything about this article, including the headline, mediocre notnews? The jihadist government in Tehran must be on the last nerves of the MSM, too, and so we have this, a glorified press release courtesy of your friends at Hillary '08 and their friends at The Washington Post. Before reading the article, you are advised to que up Willie Nelson's version of "Don't Fence Me In" for a total multimedia experience.

So Ms. Clinton is "a politician not easily defined." The same could be said of her husband ("New Democrat, like "Compassionate Conservative" is just marketing), George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan...hell, you could even say it about Al "Don't Call Me Grizzly" Gore. Has there been a politician on the national scene since, say, Eugene V. Debbs that hasn't been more complex than bumper sticker slogans? Are we really supposed to believe that the darling of the Democratic establishment is some kind of outsider who, alone among her peers, defies political definition?

The reality is, of course, that on the true human levels they'd prefer we all not see, politicians are generally as complex and conflicted as the rest of us on any number of issues. Posturing Ms. Clinton as the archetype of some emerging breed of postmodern politico would be laughable if it wasn't so insulting.

The Post contrasts Ms. Clinton's hard-to-pin-down nature (is she, in fact, a Yankees or a Mets fan?) to the boxes the last two presidents have supposedly embraced. While 42 and 43 seemed content with their respective campaign labels, the ever-insightful Post says of the former First Lady, "To the contrary, she made clear in a telephone interview on Friday that her governing philosophy may never be easily reduced to a slogan. 'I don't think like that,' she said. 'I approach each issue and problem from a perspective of combining my beliefs and ideals with a search for practical solutions. It doesn't perhaps fit in a preexisting box, but many of the problems we face as a nation don't either.'" Someone better tell James Carville to figure out how to fit that load on a bumper sticker, stat. Maybe the wordsmiths at The Post can help.

You know, of course, what's really going on here. Democratic pollsters understand that while subdued by the sheer force of the charm offensive that was his presidency, the electorate tolerated Bill Clinton's incessant waffling and continues to widely praise him. In 2000 and 2004, however, Democrats lost largely because Republicans were able to cast themselves as decisive leaders in uncertain times and did a good job highlighting Gore's and especially Kerry's schizophrenic public history. Ms. Clinton's own record differs little in this regard. The answer? Reinvent her lack of vision as evidence of depth and caution, and posit these things as rare qualities for modern public figures. Contrast Clinton's "sensitivity" or concern for "nuances" with the image of Bush, for example, as hardline cowboy unwilling or unable to admit his own mistakes. Remind America that label friendly 42 and 43 were polarizing presidents and suggest that Hillary's conflicting messages to different groups is evidence of political skill and social grace. This, of course, is nonsense.

Hillary is a vote coddler, pure and simple, and mundane is it may seem, her widely ridiculed endorsement of the Cubs, Yankees, and Mets each as her "favorite team" speaks to the larger point. The only thing that surprises me in this discussion is The Post's tacit assumption that its cultured readers can so easily be duped. The piece's style, headline and total lack of story make me wonder if this isn't something intended purely for the wires. If this is the kind of the thing the power elites of the MSM think will play well in Peoria, they don't think much of Peoria at all. Incidentally, that's not news, either.

UPDATE: Looks like some powerful Dems aren't seeing things The Post's way. Read "Hillary Pays A Price," from today's New York Daily News, here. Coincidence?

Iraq Is Not Vietnam

2006-05-30T15:19:00.000-04:00

Think the word "quagmire" is getting overexposed? Me too. The Hoover Institution offers compelling evidence that Iraq is not Vietnam, rock star foreign policy analysts to the contrary.

Suu Kyi's House Arrest Extended By Myanmar Junta. UN Played, China Silent.

2006-05-27T14:04:00.000-04:00

The enemies of democracy sure are getting ballsy these days. While the international community hoped with baited breath for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar this week, the military junta illegally ruling that country has opted instead to extend Suu Kyi's house arrest sentence. Suu Kyi, a democratic leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been held by the junta for 10 of the last 17 years. Suu Kyi's National League For Democracy won a 1990 electoral landslide the nation's military government still refuses to recognize.

Hopes for the leader's release were heightened as international pressure mounted to coincide with the junta's review of Suu Kyi's case. In this context, the United States, Thailand, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations made renewed calls for Suu Kyi's release. In what was seen by many as a major concession, junta leaders allowed Suu Kyi to meet with high-ranking UN official Ibrahim Gambari kast week. AFP notes this was Suu Kyi's " her first contact with the international community in more than two years." Regional heavyweight and human rights paragon China remains curiously absent from the league of nations demanding Suu Kyi's release. Hmmm.

Also from AFP: "Military analyst Win Min told AFP in Bangkok that allowing the Gambari visit may have been a mere gesture by the junta to appease the international community. 'The Gambari visit was to reduce international pressure, that's it,' he said. 'The best they can offer is more access when the UN visits.'"

Sound familiar?

White House Compares Illegal Immigration To Traffic Ticket

2006-05-27T13:28:00.000-04:00

I didn't really consider this news yesterday when it broke, but since I'm blacklisting the Iran debacle, I've got to use the sagey skills in new creative ways.

Tony Snow is smart, smart man, but he's not having an easy time transitioning into his new role. Yes, he actually did liken getting caught being in this country illegally and not being deported to getting a speeding ticket but still being allowed to drive. Many in Congress were not amused.

Will Adams, spokesman for Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo (R) said this: "Here's a more apt analogy. You get stopped for speeding, and you say to the cop: 'Hey listen, you're about to give me a $300 ticket. How about we make it 20 bucks and just call it even?'

Will Adams, your American Sage for May 27, 2006. Hit the books, Tony. DeadEye probably has a couple volumes of Strauss for you.

Iran Round Up and Sage's Cybersanctions

2006-05-27T13:05:00.000-04:00

As the MSM continues to site anonymous American and European "sources close to the Administration" in its attempt to force America into bilateral talks with Iran, I've restrained myself from commenting ad naseum.

I maintain my distrust of Tehran and the basic belief, outlined in great detail throughout the May archive, that Iran's overtures toward dialouge are nothing more than thinly vieled attempts at biding time. Barring major new developments, I am not going to say anything more on this specific subject. You're under cybersanction, Mr. Ahmadinejad, and it's up to you to tear down this wall. The European plan is on the table, and it's a generous one.

Skilling and Lay Found Guilty

2006-05-25T12:08:00.000-04:00

Details are emerging in the Enron case. Skilling has been found guilty on multiple counts of conspiracy and fraud. Lay has been found guilty of all charges against him. They maintain their innocence. Read about it here.

Gore In The Balance: Convenient Omissions Mar "An Inconvenient Truth"

2006-05-25T03:09:00.000-04:00

I had some fun with the Gore Force One post below, but I thought I'd share this with you in the jet fuel wake of the former VP's charm offensive. It seems that Gore's environmental documentary (we're using the Michael Moore definition of that word) suffers from a bit of ironic titling. TCS Daily's Dr. Robert Balling, Jr. contends that Mr. Gore has purposely omitted compelling, cutting edge evidence against his alarmist claims without so much as a passing mention. He doesn't even dignify important counter arguments with the old strawman treatment he mastered so well during 8 years under the Master.

For all of it, though, Gore still has more together than Howard Dean.

Kudos to Mike at Facts And Logic and the good people at RealClearPolitics.com

Ramin Jahanbegloo: What Iran Does to Citizens Who Are Serious About Dialogue With The West

2006-05-24T23:24:00.000-04:00

As I type this, Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo begins a fourth week behind bars in Iran. Even as Tehran's government postures around overtures toward dialogue with the West, Jahanbegloo, a noted Iranian political philosopher specializing in Western/Iranian relations, cross-cultural dialogue, modernization and non-violence remains jailed by the hardline government without any formal charge. Jahanbegloo, a professor at the University of Toronto, was detained without reason in Tehran on April 29 and is reportedly being held at the notorious Evin prison, recalling in chilling detail the Zahra Kazemi tragedy. Follow Jahanbegloo's case here.

It seems to me that Prof. Jahanbegloo would be just the kind of person to whom Iran would turn if the regime were serious about detente. Unfortunately for Jahanbegloo and the rest of us, the only thing Tehran is serious about is retaining power and silencing opposition. How very liberal and open of them.

Jahanbegloo's plight exposes the duplicity inherent in Iran's bogus calls for dialouge that continued this week. This man was jailed while the ink on Ahmadinejad's "great overture" was practically wet. They're mocking us, America, and they're hoping we don't notice. They're hoping that we, weary from Iraq, will buy the idea of Iran as the peace-eager victim of an imagined White House war machine and ignore the writing actually being scrawled across the diplomatic wall. They're banking on the fact that we're as stupid as they think, and how we handle the larger situation will prove them right or wrong.

Al Gore Is Bad For The Environment

2006-05-24T22:57:00.000-04:00

You know that barnstorming tour Al Gore is on to promote his new global warming film? The Competitive Enterprise Institute has a little documentary of its own exposing the tour's contribution to heightened levels of dangerous C02. Talk about an inconvenient truth. Watch the video here, or read Drudge's cheeky take here. Remember when the former Vice President wrote an 800 page book asking us to conserve trees? This is like that, but funnier. Seriously, though, watch out for Manbearpig.

Iran Test-Fires Long-Range Missile, Tehran Continues Diplomatic Game

2006-05-24T00:41:00.000-04:00

Iran tested long range missiles that can reach Israel and US targets in the Middle East last night. Read the story, from the Jerusalem Post, here.

At the same time, Iran's government is following up on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent "overtures" toward initiating dialogue with Washington in the face of looming crisis. The Washington Post has the story here.

How sincere are these overtures? Not very, I'm afraid. The Post quotes Iranian analyst Saeed Laylaz thusly: "You know, two months ago nobody would believe that [Iranian Supreme Guide] Mr. Khamenei and Mr. Ahmadinejad together would be trying to get George W. Bush to begin negotiations. This is a sign of changing strategy. They realize the situation is dangerous and they should not waste time, that they should reach out." Don't believe it.

The Post also claims that US intelligence agents understand these moves as "major overtures" while the Bush Administration sees them as "tactical moves." The Post's implicit editorial disdain not withstanding, Bush's people are right on this. Sage has been documenting the mixed signals and conflicting statements flowing from Tehran for the better part of month. These developments, like Ahmadinejad's letter and like his call for IAEA involvement, betray another series of Iranian ploys and bids for time. Iran's nuclear enrichment team must be getting awfully close to weaponized uranium. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert speaks of Iran's nuclear time table in terms of months, and the desperate smoke and mirrors employed by Tehran only corroborate this claim. Overtures? Detente? Diplomatic opportunities? Not even close. US analysts (or mainstream media hacks) with pipe dreams of normalization apart from Iran's immediate, unconditional acceptance of the European plan should take a course or two in political theory and realpolitik.

ONE Campaign, Bono On NBC Tonight

2006-05-23T17:06:00.000-04:00

From the ONE Campaign:

Dear Friends,

This Tuesday evening, May 23, for the first time in history, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams will broadcast live from Africa. This special report will follow Bono on his much-anticipated trip through some of the world's poorest nations. All across the country, ONE members are hosting watch parties to view this historic broadcast. If you don't see one in your community, I encourage you to host one yourself.

Please sign up to host or attend a watch party near you.

Tuesday's event is a perfect example of how far we have come. When the ONE Campaign was in its infancy, some said the idea of millions of Americans joining together to fight global poverty was preposterous. Yet, in a little more than a year, over two million of us have formed one of the nation's largest grassroots organizations.

We have come together to send a message - America will not be silent in the face of staggering poverty. Our message has been heard. We have made incredible progress. At last year's G8 summit, we convinced world leaders to commit an unprecedented investment of $50 billion per year in life-saving assistance by 2010. Congress also has increased funding to combat extreme poverty and AIDS. However, our recent success is not the beginning, nor is it the end; it is only one part of the journey.

We may have begun on different paths, but we have joined together to become a powerful force for good. The past year of dedication and hope has produced incredible results. We are the most fortunate generation in history. We are the first to have the means to end extreme poverty. And that is exactly what we'll do.

Please sign up to host or attend a watch party near you.

Thank you.

Paul Dioguardi, ONE Campaign

P.S. - Click here for regular updates on Bono's trip through Africa on the ONE.org Blog.

Pentagon: China military upgrades a potential threat to US

2006-05-23T16:48:00.000-04:00

It's been a slow couple of days for news worth writing about. More not-news here.

Olmert: Iran "Months" Away From Bomb, US Proposes Missle Shield For Europe

2006-05-22T11:37:00.000-04:00

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is convinced that Iran is "months, not years" away from being able to produce nuclear weapons. Olmert told CNN it's unlikely his nation would act unilaterally to prevent Iran from reaching nuclear solvency, however. Olmert is in Washington for his first state visit with President Bush and will most likely move to persuade Western leaders toward containment and isolation via sanctions against Tehran.

In related news, the Bush Administration is moving to develop an antiballistic missle system to thwart possible Iranian attacks against the United States and Europe. Such a system will only make us safe if it works and when we've succeeded in destroying global terrorism and its root causes.

Iran To Force Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians To Wear Color Coded Badges

2006-05-19T09:30:00.000-04:00

It's bad enough that Iran's sham of a parliament, the Islamic Majlis, just passed a law forcing all Iranians to adopt a uniform Islamic dress code. The fact that officials are reportedly considering requiring all non-Muslims in Iran to wear color-coded bands of cloth designating their faith group, however, is perhaps Tehran's last step toward lunacy before their engagement in major crimes against humanity. There are no words for this kind of evil. Read the story here and vomit. Groups in Iran have denounced the report as false.

I know I don't need to point out that, if the story is true, Islamic Majlis is clearly mocking the Holocaust and purges that prefigured it, and I'm sure that body is very pleased with its cleverness. The linked story notes that "The new law was drafted two years ago, but was stuck in the Iranian parliament until recently when it was revived at the behest of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad." Big surprise. When "Supreme Guide"Ali Khamenehi approves the bill, I'll officially go on the record in support of regime change in Iran by force if necessary.

For 50 years the civilized world has talked about the lessons learned from Hitler's rise to power and subsequent reign of terror. Iran's flagrant provocations and threats betray that regime's militant, genocidal intentions. Handling Ahmadinejad is the test of our time, the proving ground for lessons we say we've learned. The study break is over, friends. Finals are here.

Iran Using Chinese Material To Hasten Nuclear Development

2006-05-19T06:51:00.000-04:00

I don't think I can say much more on this, so here it is. Read it and draw your own conclusions.

Another must read is this piece by William J. Broad and Elaine Sciolino of The New York Times detailing the history of nuclear inspections in Iran. It's not news, per se, but it is a one stop shop for all the pertinent details in the current debate. On the issue of Iran booting inspectors in February, the authors say"The result is that the outside world is losing its ability to address the most pressing questions about Iran's nuclear ambitions: how fast Tehran could make an atom bomb and whether it harbors a secret program to do so. International diplomats and nuclear experts say the diminished view increases the risks of miscalculation, and possibly war, just as the Iranians are raising their rhetoric and the impasse with the West is reaching a volatile new stage." Indeed.

Clicking on the authors' names above takes you to their recent work, which just so happens to chronicle recent UN (not strictly US) findings on Iran, including a critical April 20 IAEA report. Why Tehran thinks the IAEA will be easier to dupe than the Security Council would be beyond me if I didn't think Iran's leaders were lying through their teeth and biding for more time.

Despite Suspect's Guilty Plea, China Denies Having Weapons Agents in US

2006-05-18T14:49:00.000-04:00

The plot thickens. The Russians denied having agents on college campuses in the 40's and 50's, and you know how that turned out. Noam Chomsky. Pft.

UPDATE: More intrigue here.

Bush Wants Peace Treaty With North Korea: Iran, Russia, and China On The Road Toward Irrelevance?

2006-05-18T00:40:00.000-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you George Walker Bush, master of detente. And yes, I'm quite serious.

Drudge is saying that Thursday's New York Times will break a story on the Administration's desire to ink a peace deal with Pyongyang. This move comes in a news cycle already heralding the normalization of relations with Libya and reminding the reading public of what The Wall Street Journal is calling the "one undeniable" diplomatic success of Bush's administration: the voluntary disarming of Moammar Gadhafii in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion. There's some political capital to be had here, and closing a deal with North Korea right now would be a masterstroke on all fronts. "See, Ahmadinejad, we can negotiate with emerging nuclear powers with whom we've had a rocky relationship. See, Iran, negotiation with the West can work, just look at North Korea! See, anti-war crowd, we're diffusing the North Korea situation diplomatically even as Iran refuses to go the peaceful route."

Think it can't happen? Just a half-decade ago detente with Libya was unthinkable. Then Ghadhaffi gave up WMD and nuclear programs after watching American tanks roll through Baghdad. After double checking the list of terror regimes and seeing his own still ranked towards the top, something changed. He's now off that list and everyone's better off for it. It's also entirely possible, I suppose, that the General is experiencing a genuine change of heart in the winter of his life. Can we trust North Korea? That all depends, but at least they don't have a fundamentalist mandate to wipe us from the Earth like some regimes.

The "welcome, back Libya" party the press treated us to this week was certainly warranted, and, more importantly, it primed the pump for public reception of Bush's overtures to Pyongyang. How ironic would it be if, bolstered by a peaceful, cooperative relationship with America, North Korea displaced vying Russia and China as the regional eastern Eurasian powerhouse? With a peaceful nuclear energy program and the promise of access to American markets, Pyongyang would have no real use for Iran or Venezuela. Ironic doesn't really begin to do this potential future justice, but it just might work. And it just might help us avoid the mutually assured destruction Islamofascists would bring if allowed. Can a godless Communist regime and a secular Western nation state thwart the goals of jihad? Keep watching.

UPDATE: NYT went live with the story as I was writing the above post. Read the story here. Think I'm right?

Breaking: Mexico Voters Fear Nation on Edge of Chaos

2006-05-17T11:56:00.000-04:00

Does anyone really think securing these borders by any means necessary is a bad thing? Corruption has been the life story of the Mexican state for a long, long, time, but this is ridiculous. You've heard it said that good fences make good neighbors? In this case, I'd say militarized borders make great ones. President Bush, however, has been careful to say that deploying the Guard to the border does not indicate a move toward militarization. Two pertinent pieces in this debate:

Guard's Impact At The Border
A generally positive look at the difference 6000 National Guard troops may make. This article does a good job pointing out what an outstanding organization the National Guard is and highlighting areas the Guard could be effective, even given their limited role. From the Christian Science Monitor via Yahoo.

Minutemen Dismiss Border Plan
"This is a token deployment of unarmed and grossly inadequate numbers of National Guardsmen to the border, placing them in the same demoralizing position as the Border Patrol ... outmanned and outgunned against the international crime cartels." - Connie Hair, Minutemen Spokesperson, worried that the Guard's limited role at the border will undermine success and perpetuate the unacceptable status quo. From the AP, via KPHO in Phoenix.

Iran Denounces European Plan; Will Attend Meeting With Russia, China in June

2006-05-17T11:39:00.000-04:00

Iran rejected the European Plan today, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ridiculing the proposal like a bad lunch table trade: "Do you think you are dealing with a 4-year-old child to whom you can give some walnuts and chocolates and get gold from him?" he said. You have to love appeasement.

Ahmadinejad's rejection comes as no surprise, nor should the terse, mocking language with which his government offered Europe its own set of incentives for looking the other way on the enrichment issue. The AP quotes Foreign Minister Hamid Reza Asefi thusly: " We are prepared to offer economic incentives to Europe in return for recognizing our right. Iran's 70 million population market is a good incentive for Europe." Does this rhetorical flourish sound anything like a certain South American dictator's recent verbal scolding of the United States over the freezing of weapon sales to his oil-rich nation? Rap on, brother, rap on. It's enough to make you think these things are coordinated. Hmmm.

Also from the article: "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Moscow's opposition to the threat of sanctions or the use of force against Iran, saying that Tehran should be coaxed into dialogue over its nuclear program rather than punished." Honestly. What does Russia know about coaxing anyone into peaceful negotiations about anything? Maybe Moscow is hoping to engage Iran in an arms race in order to force a coupe...no, wait, that would require a solvent Russian economy.

Lavrov further reported that Ahmadinejad will participate in a June summit in Shanghai with China, Russia and leaders from four Central Asian states. Apparently it is acceptable to use the word "summit" when describing a tauntingly open gathering of nations at which secret alliances, agendas and shared goals will be advanced at the world's expense. If he keeps a low profile for the next few weeks, look for Chavez to be a last minute addition.

Read the AP article here.

National Security Letters: Reporters And Leaks Targeted, No Judicial Oversight Required

2006-05-17T01:43:00.000-04:00

It just keeps getting more frustrating for people trying to pin the administration down on this. ABC news is reporting that the Justice Department "sought phone records and other documents of 3,501 people last year under a provision of the Patriot Act that does not require judicial oversight." If you're going to complain about this and accuse the Administration of fascism, make sure you hold everyone who supported the Patriot Act accountable, too. (A link to the House's voting record on this would be appreciated).

The best part of this article is the fact that ABC reporters were apparently targeted in this operation "in an attempt to learn confidential sources who may have provided classified information in violation of the law." People are going to flip about this, but it's entirely possible that the people leaking information (and misinformation) to the press are moles or enemy operatives in high positions. Either way, I'd think that plugging said (illegal) leaks would be a high national security priority. At the same time, it's in everyone's interest that legitimate, responsible sources, especially those exposing actual governmental abuse, are protected. The nuances of that task might be lost in the wide license granted by the Patriot Act, but you can thank these people for that.

ABC notes that "the FBI says its request for reporters' phone records are made in compliance with the law." People who haven't been paying attention will find that hard truth especially vexing. Judicial oversight is not required by the law, which uses National Security Letters to authorize targeting. It's legal because the same politicians now crying foul made it legal. Congressional dog still being wagged.

All the protesters-come-lately suddenly miffed about privacy and governmental scope were probably also sleeping two years ago when Uncle Sam decided he wanted to keep an eye on what you're reading. You better be good, for goodness sake.

Never Heard of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court? Join The Club.

2006-05-16T17:05:00.000-04:00

Did you know that within the US government there's a highly secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that has to be briefed about the kinds of programs the NSA performs? Did you know that according to Orin Hatch, members of this court have known about the NSA programs since 2001 and have not objected?

Katherine Shrader notes in an AP piece today that "the surveillance court, whose 11 members are chosen by the chief justice of the United States, was set up after Congress rewrote key laws in 1978 that govern intelligence collection inside the U.S." You caught that whole "intelligence collection inside the U.S." bit, right?

Whether the programs are right or wrong is another matter, but it is increasingly appearing that they are, in fact, legal. Read Shrader's story here.

Remember what I said about there being higher levels of legality than the average American is familiar with and there being secretive, legal means to conduct operations at highly classified levels? All the while Bush is insisting that calls are not being listened to without warrants. You may choose not to believe him, but he's teflon on this. The administration is masterfully diffusing the situation as if they actually want Hayden to get the nod.

The US Today story was clearly meant to hurt the president, but he might emerge from this whole situation slightly stronger for it. With the whole thing on a fast-track to becoming a non-issue, watch for even Sen. Specter to conclude that no laws were broken. It reminds me of the Senate scene from Godfather II, lawmakers scrambling to figure out whose putting what over on whom and knowing they've been had. This time, though, the Don and his capos are guilty only of wagging the congressional dog.

Total Disclosure? NSA To Brief House, Senate Intelligence Committees Tomorrow

2006-05-16T16:33:00.000-04:00

This story, for what it's worth, is still developing. Also, Verizon, Qwest and BellSouth came out today denying any involvement in the program. Interesting timing on that one. Watch for the NSA to assure the world that the data mining is anonymous, limited to specific targets or both. (When I say "watch," I of course mean "wait for the leaks"). I guarantee the briefings won't implicate anyone in telcom.

Venezuela Ponders Selling Jets to Iran: The Story Behind The Story

2006-05-16T15:21:00.000-04:00

If you haven't done so already, add Venezuela to your China-Russia-Iran-Sudan calculus. Hugo Chavez is reportedly considering selling his nation's fleet of F-16 fighter jets to another nation, possibly Iran.

As international tensions mount and rhetorical coalitions crystallize, remember that Chavez and Ahmadinejad have more than repressive megalomania in common. Both posture themselves as liberators throwing off the lingering shackles of European imperialism and, more recently, American hegemony. Both will continue to couch their dangerous rhetoric in these psuedopopulist terms and both will continue to exploit Russian and Chinese weaknesses against the US and her allies in the Security Council. Both see the international ascendance of their nations and nations like them as imminent and are convinced of their own kind of manifest destiny. Even as they make sport of the Russians and Chinese, both Iran and Venezuela need veto-wielding members of the Security Council to clean up their messes. Russia and China need a lot of oil. Iran and Venezuala have a lot of oil. And you thought the US started wars over bubbling crude. Just wait.

Dems: "GOP Is Not Law-and-Order Party On Immigration"

2006-05-15T10:52:00.000-04:00

"Third Way," a centrist Democratic activist group presumably inspired by the life and legacy of one-time New Democrat Bill Clinton, is claiming that the Bush Administration is failing to execute existing immigration laws. Though the number of agents on the border has doubled since 2001, apprehensions have fallen 31 percent and Third Way is crying foul. Apparently they've never heard of deterrence. I bet there are numbers out there showing that many would-be illegals have. Just imagine how much the apprehension numbers will drop when the Guard shows up.

SNL's President Gore

2006-05-15T01:29:00.000-04:00

I give you Al Gore, King of All Media (links to a wmv clip of Gore on SNL). Seriously, though, I think it says something that this skit is more cogent and forward-thinking than the former Vice President's entire presidential campaign. If only everyone could take 6 years to find an agenda.

Aspiring politicos take note. We need to take Al Gore serial. After all, he's been right about so many other things.

Hugo Chavez Welcomed By Fawning London Mayor

2006-05-14T23:19:00.000-04:00

Chavez is going to London where he'll be welcomed by that city's mayor, Ken Livingststone. While Tony Blair's government will not play state host on this "private visit," Livingstone defends his overtures toward Chavez thusly: "He's won 10 elections for his party in the last decade and he's pushed through a whole programme of social reform." Democracy chuckled before realizing Livingstone was serious. Others have a different take on Chavez's accomplishments, which include the suppression of free speech and other alleged human rights violations in Venezuela.

Remember when Giuliani kicked Arafat out of the opera? That was quality. This is like that, but the opposite.

Khaleej Times: Iranians Blaming Ahmadinejad , Nukes For Sluggish Economy

2006-05-13T15:03:00.000-04:00

The Khaleej Times, a popular English language newspaper from, Dubai, UAE, has this interesting story about capital flight and domestic economic turmoil in Iran. Some Iranian businessmen are blaming the fiscal downturn on the rise and policies of extremist president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his recent moves to isolate Iran on the world stage. Good for these businessmen.

The article goes on to explain that, since the start of US sanctions 27 years ago, Iran has depended in part on foreign investment from other international partners for domestic growth, infrastructure and development. Capital flight, destabilizing to any economy, would be especially problematic, then, for a country in Iran's position. The article doesn't ask (and so I must) why Russia and China aren't stepping into this investment vacuum. Perhaps they see the writing on the wall. Perhaps they're too busy cultivating new relationships with the government in Sudan.

What The NSA Polls Neglect

2006-05-13T14:36:00.000-04:00

This from Newsweek: "President Bush tried to reassure the public this week that its privacy is 'fiercely protected,' and that 'we’re not mining or trolling through the personal lives of innocent Americans.' Nonetheless, Americans think the White House has overstepped its bounds: 57 percent said that in light of the NSA data-mining news and other executive actions, the Bush-Cheney Administration has 'gone too far in expanding presidential power.' That compares to 38 percent who think the Administration's actions are appropriate."

What on earth do "most Americans" know about expanding presidential power? What on earth do "most Americans" even know about the Constitution? "Most Americans" know what the talking points of political operatives, media outlets and polling consultants prompt them with. If Americans are concerned about the government's reach into their personal lives, perhaps they should complain about the fact these processes, like the spy programs, are quite legal.

How concerned are we, really, about privacy? Any phone call we make to any major company is recorded. Websites and traffic counters log IPs and system specs. We give our social security numbers out like candy and we use our credit cards for everything. The point is that we're already being tracked by Big Business and when they tell us its for improved costumer service, we believe them. Being safe and terror free ought to rank a little higher than customized, cookie-enabled online experiences in our hierarchy of priorities. Apparently, it does not.

Please.

NGA Watching From Space, Pope Reported To Be Catholic

2006-05-13T13:47:00.000-04:00

Looks like I was right about space surveillance. Again, this isn't news, but it will be pointless fodder for all kinds of political nonsense. As predicted, the Senate has just pledged to use Hayden's confirmation hearings to "get to the bottom" of these programs. Silly, grandstanding Senate. Rather than repeat myself, I'll just do this.

British Inventor Gets 8000 MPG

2006-05-13T01:06:00.000-04:00

Anyone want to guess how long it will take for Big Auto to snatch up this little gem? Anyone want to guess how long Big Auto will then sit on said innovation?

Bucky Fuller outclassed the whole industry in proportionally impressive ways 70 years ago and nothing came of it. Too bad we still haven't learned how to do more than this from him.

Props to inventor Andy Green for the good work. The person who figures out how to mass produce these things will be a genius of equal mettle.

Israel Releases Aid Funds to PA, Hamas Ready to Recognize Israel?

2006-05-12T15:26:00.000-04:00

There's trouble in Paradise for Islamofascist demagogues today. That Zionist regime they refuse to recognize? Just gave millions in relief to the Palestinian people despite those people having "elected" Hamas to power last fall. Unless you're a writer for the AP, you know that Hamas has historically rejected Israel's right to exist and has been behind thousands of terrorist attacks aimed at destroying the Jewish state. (The linked article, for example, notes that Hamas faces mounting international pressure to denounce the use of violence in achieving its goals. Less "objective" accounts use the word "terrorism" there, and rightly so.)

Some are speculating that new calls for the peaceful coexistence of Palestinian and Israel states from jailed Hamas and Fatah leaders marks a turning point in the region, but so far there's been no commitment to that kind of detente from PA leaders on the ground. In a smart political and moral move, the aid now flows from Zion regardless. With it comes the placement of the diplomatic ball firmly in the PA's court.

Immigration Causing Rift Among Environmentalists

2006-05-12T13:22:00.000-04:00

"Immigration is one of the leading contributors to population growth. All we're saying is, those numbers should be reduced to achieve population stabilization," says Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Watson was a board member of the Sierra Club until last month when he resigned over concerns that "the organization ignores immigration as a major factor in population growth," according to today's Christian Science Monitor. Other environmentalists, reluctant to tint their green souls the slightest shade of red, disagree. Sadly, progressives continue to miss the boat on the real justice issues in this debate, wrongly casting it in terms of the so-called culture wars and playing Switzerland.

I'll be honest: I hear population control and I get very worried about eugenics (you can thank Planned Parenthood for that). I am sympathetic, though, to Watson's frustration that supporting practical immigration policies is something progressive groups have given up on. It's not like they'd be misstating a prominent plank in the party platform or anything. That's what the Party suits are for.

IAEA Finds "Near Weapons Grade" Uranium In Iran

2006-05-12T13:04:00.000-04:00

Read about it here. Still liking the IAEA, Tehran?

And now, Islam Karimov

2006-05-12T00:40:00.000-04:00

What is going on in Uzbekistan? One year after a political crackdown that may have left as many as 1000 dead, we still don't know, and survivors aren't talking.

Howard Dean "Reaching Out" To Evangelicals

2006-05-12T00:27:00.000-04:00

You have to feel bad for Howard Dean. That is all.

ONE Campaign: Senate To Slash Billions Pledged To AIDS, Poverty

2006-05-11T19:19:00.000-04:00

Fresh from Lucky Joe C, keeping an eye on the ONE Campaign for us:

"Within the next 2 weeks the U.S. Senate is poised to slash billions of dollars from the President's plan to fight AIDS and poverty. This is an outrage and it can be stopped! Please join me in going to www.one.org and speaking out right now.

Thank you!"

Take action now at http://www.one.org/one/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1285

I don't have time to comment at the moment, so I'll just say that I encourage you all to call your Senators and demand they vote against cutting this needed relief.

Senate on NSA Goose Hunt, Hayden The Perfect Scapegoat?

2006-05-11T15:23:00.000-04:00

Note to the Senate: the NSA is, by design, untouchable. You can't touch them because they won't grant your investigators and lawyers clearance. What more needs to be said? This isn't an Administration, issue, Sen. Leahy. The NSA doesn't answer to the President or to you. Sen. Specter, you can subpoena all the phone companies you want, but you'll never have an NSA operative on the stand.

Instead, you'll have its director.

Remember what I said about Hayden's nomination being a cover? People in high places must have known this story was about to break and are hoping the defeat of Hayden's confirmation will appease grandstanding politicians needing to make some pre-November hay. Assuaging public backlash night also be a motive. Hayden will take the fall, the Senate will congratulate itself and the NSA will go about its business. Another Straussian masterstroke. Well played, Big Brother, well played.

Helping Palestinians Without Helping Hamas?

2006-05-11T14:38:00.000-04:00

While many mainstream media outlets continue to foist the preponderance of blame for the current Palestinian disaster on Israel (the Associated Press refuses to call Hamas a terrorist group), The Christian Science Monitor offers this thoughtful piece concerning the humanitarian problem in areas controlled by the PA.

NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls

2006-05-11T12:30:00.000-04:00

This isn't news. The only story here is that Yahoo and everyone who reads Yahoo scooped Drudge.

The means by which the NSA is collecting the information is surprisingly draconian. I had them pegged for direct eavesdropping via satellite and whatever other secret technology they have. The general rule among the Art Bell crowd is that groups like this have access to emerging technologies 15-50 years before the rest of us. I'm told that Nixon was a Gameboy fiend before Watergate.

Ahmadinejad And The Bomb

2006-05-11T12:05:00.000-04:00

Our good friend Chad posed two great questions in response to my Ahmadinejad coverage, and I thought I'd respond here. For the initial questions, check out the comments on yesterday's post about Ahmadinejad's latest rant on Israel.

Sage's take:
The problem with Iran possessing nuclear weapons (apart from the lunacy of their leader) is that Iran is indeed party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This treaty, introduced in 1968, allows only those countries that possessed atomic weapons at the time to possess them in the future. Article VI of the treaty also proposes that NWSs (nuclear weapon states)gradually disarm under "a Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control." Good luck with that one, but the intentions are noble.

The NWSs are, of course, the US, Britain, France, Russia and China. These are also the permanent members of the UN Security Council for what that's worth.

Interestingly, NNPT makes provisions for the peaceful development of nuclear energy under the IEAE. If Ahmadinejad were serious about enriching uranium for energy only, why would the government have ended IEAE observations in Iran in February? If Iran is not pulling out of the NNPT (their top nuclear negotiator affirmed Tehran's commitment to the treaty this week), why the vagaries and subterfuge? The fact is that the NNPT, which Iran is a party to, already makes provisions for the kinds of things Iran says it wants. Tehran's endless opining about proper channels is meaningless as long as it continues to actually ignore them.

If Iran wants the bomb, Tehran should pull out of NNPT like North Korea did. That would make it harder for the international community to find grounds for legitimate, peaceful preemptive intervention. Iran won't do that, though. Instead, they'll continue playing games and giving lip service to their international commitments while pursuing their own course anyway. That's the real double standard.

Ahmadinejad: Israel 'Regime Based on Evil...Cannot Continue...One Day Will Vanish."

2006-05-11T01:13:00.000-04:00

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's threats against Israel continued Thursday in Jakarta. Details here. The Iranian president also claimed an openness to dialogue with the US between rants and accusations of nuclear double standards in the West. Ahmadinejad finds it unfair that nuclear military powers are seeking to halt his "peaceful" program. Mahmoud, it's not a double standard. We just don't believe you. Besides, the European Plan allows for a civilian program.

I'm sick of this guy and am considering unilateral cybersanctions. His ambitions are clear and I've predicted bits and pieces of this drama as they've unfolded. If our memories weren't so damningly short, I might start ignoring him all together.

When this war starts (no more than one year from now), look for Kosovo-era tactical air strikes on nuclear facilities and ground forces. Don't count on a full-scale invasion at the outset. When the dust clears, Iran will be sliced up like old Germany with Russia and China (if they don't side with Iran) "keeping peace" and sucking oil in exchange for their surprise cooperation. The US and her European allies will eventually occupy, operating from strategic bases in Iraq.

That's one way it might unfold. Iran could also pull a Lybia. That's looking less likely.

On a somewhat related note, be sure to read the previous post and be very, very upset.

Report: UN Forces Rape and Pillage in Liberia, Congo

2006-05-10T23:02:00.000-04:00

These are the people that are going to help save Darfur? They make Ahmadinejad look like Santa Claus. This story, reported by Reuters, has serious credibility. Call your Senators and demand that something be done. Hell, riot in the streets. These are war crimes.

China: Dalai Lama Violates Religious Freedom

2006-05-10T22:41:00.000-04:00

Looks like China must be lobbying for a leadership spot on the new Human Rights Council. Officials for the Communist regime are now accusing the exiled religious leader of inciting riots and curtailing religious freedom.

"Pot? Yeah, hi, this is Kettle."

Irony is funny.

Democrat Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Asks For Anti-Blagojevich Shirt from College Republicans

2006-05-10T22:34:00.000-04:00

This is just funny. Rod Blagojevich, your American Sage for Thursday, May 11.

Ahmadinejad Takes Hardline in Jakarta, Officials "Scramble" to Soften Iran's Image

2006-05-10T17:21:00.000-04:00

Iran's president made no move toward detente with the West during his state visit to Indonesia today. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called international concerns over Iran's nuclear program "a big lie" and "accus[ed] the United States and other Western nations of monopolizing the nuclear technology market to secure profits while engaging in non-peaceful proliferation," according to this Associated Press story.

Spokesmen (I would say "spokespersons," but this is Iran) for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, took a different approach in their own public statements today. According to the AP, these officials indicated that "Tehran would consider accepting a protocol that provides for intrusive and surprise inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog." This announcement follows Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani's similar statements yesterday.

The supposed disconnect between Ahmadinejad and other officials is, of course, more political chicanery. Iran ended all voluntary IAEA supervision in February, a move that precipitated the current crisis. Tehran has had 3 months to maneuver in secret and is angling for a few more with this move. It's true that Saddam had much, much longer to do the same kinds of things, but he never really was much of a match for Iran, anyway. Wait for Iran's official reaction to the European Plan and see what I mean.

Administrative Note

2006-05-10T14:06:00.000-04:00

Apparently the subscription link hasn't been working this past week. If you previously subscribed and have not been receiving a daily update from Feedblitz, please accept my apologies and take a second to subscribe again. The problem has been fixed. Thanks to LuckyJoeC for the heads up.

Rice Praises European Plan on Iran, Supports "Civilian" Nuke Program

2006-05-10T13:20:00.000-04:00

A day after the mainstream media reported the failure of major powers to agree on a course of action vis-a-vis Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza rice praised a new diplomatic plan put forth by Britain, France and Germany today. The European proposal would inform Tehran of a table incentives and sanctions for cooperating with the international community as it seeks to develop nuclear power or failing to do so.

"Iran can either defy the international community and face isolation and
U.N. Security Council action," Rice said, "or accept a path with a civilian nuclear program that is acceptable to the international community." What that path might look like remains to be seen.

Inspections and international oversight of Iran's nuclear program will no doubt be required by the protocol, but inspections and international oversight were also required of Iraq as a term of the first Gulf War cease-fire. What will happen when Tehran eventually defies international agreements? That depends on how beholden Russia and China, this year's France and Germany, remain to Iran's interests.

Russia Bracing For New Arms Race

2006-05-10T11:41:00.000-04:00

Vladimir Putin is talking like it's 1984. Someone missed Rocky IV. Is Mr. Putin already forgetting the hard lessons of the last Cold War? Let not the words of great American sage Rocky Balboa go unheeded: "if I can change," the Champ pleaded, "and yous can change, then we all can change!" The civilized world agreed and Soviet days were numbered. An arms race masterminded by Ronald Reagan also had a little something to do with tearing a certain wall in Germany down, but Mr. Putin seems convinced that another round of nuclear gunrunning will strengthen Russia's global position. As widely noted, demographic decline, a stalling economy and rampant racism continue to plague Russia like official state vehicles in the long, black Soviet funeral procession. Putin's little tantrum won't change that.

My favorite part of Putin's speech was the claim, quoted from Gutterman's paraphrase, that "countries should not use Russia's World Trade Organization membership negotiations as a vehicle to make unrelated demands." Really? Sort of like how Russia shouldn't use its oil interests as a diplomatic weapon? Or is it more like how Russia shouldn't let its thinking on Iran be clouded by all the money LUKOIL stands to make if Tehran gets its way? Note to W.: eye of the tiger, Stallion, eye of the tiger.

Hamas and Fattah Call Truce

2006-05-09T19:46:00.000-04:00

Developing. Fox's breaking coverage begins here.

Ahmadinejad's Letter and the IAEA Ploy

2006-05-09T12:57:00.000-04:00

More details about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's letter to President Bush emerged today. Among the Iranian president's contentions is the charge that democracy has failed around the world. The letter, some 17 pages long, included Ahmadinejad's thoughts on philosophy, history and religion. No word yet on whether or not my predicted content was part of the official communique.

Particularly galling is Ahmadinejad's questioning as to why "any technological and scientific achievement reached in the Middle East region is translated into and portrayed as a threat to the Zionist regime." He might try some egosurfing for clarification.

Remember what I said yesterday about "warming" diplomatic language? Tehran's top nuclear negotiator said that Iran has no intention of withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty today. Ali Larijani also claimed that Iran would be happy to take part in a mediation process administered by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, the "proper" channel for these concerns. This is, of course, political subterfuge. IAEA's 139 member states include all the major players in this debate.

Ahmadinejad Letter Short On Specifics

2006-05-09T00:42:00.000-04:00

This just in from AP Diplomatic Writer Anne Gearan.

Sage's take: It would be great if Tehran were serious about detente. Stranger things have happened. Let's wait and see how this plays out. If Ahmadinejad's public language starts to warm by week's end, a diplomatic shift might be on. Is Iran coming to terms with Russia and China's credibility crisis? Look for clues in Indonesia this week.

Hayden's Last Mission

2006-05-08T16:14:00.000-04:00

I'm going to call this now: In Harriet Meyers fashion, General Michael Hayden will withdraw his nomination for CIA director, clearing the way for the Administration to nominate the person they really want to head the agency.

I can't think of anyone more qualified than Papa Bush. Too bad it won't happen. Any guesses as to who'll actually get the job?

Jerusalem Post: 'Iran can also be wiped off the map,' Peres Says

2006-05-08T15:45:00.000-04:00

Recalling Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated threats regarding the destruction of Israel, Simon Peres reminded Tehran today that Iran, too, can "be wiped off the map."

Apparently not confident that Indonesia's support is enough to change world opinion, Iran's president has written a letter to George W. Bush with "new solutions" for the burgeoning crisis. The letter comes even as Russia, a key ally of Tehran, faces lingering human rights questions and lacks the Western credibility Iran needs to avoid further censure or armed military conflict. "Dear Crusader Bush," I imagine the letter saying, "please wait just a little while longer. After all, you in the West gave Iraq over 10 years to violate international agreements, hide true intentions and ship incriminating evidence off to friendly regimes. We're only asking for equal treatment." Or maybe he's calling for detente.

Indonesia On Iran: Nukes For Peace OK

2006-05-08T12:51:00.000-04:00

The AP is reporting that Indonesia has expressed support for Tehran's "right to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful means" today. Iran's extremist president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad begins a six day state visit to Indonesia this week.

The article quotes Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda's caveat that his nation, home of the world's largest Muslim population, "consistently object[s] to nuclear weapons proliferation." Look for coverage of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's meeting with Ahmadinejad on Wednesday. Yudhoyono is the first Indonesian president elected directly by the nation's citizens.

See below for my take.

With Or Without You: U.S. Prepared for U.N. Vote on Iran

2006-05-07T03:19:00.000-04:00

Edith M. Lederer of the AP is reporting that the U.S. is ready to back a draft resolution co-sponsored by Britain and France demanding that "that Iran suspend uranium enrichment, plutonium reprocessing, and construction of a heavy-water nuclear reactor."

As Lederer notes, "The draft states that the 'proliferation risk' posed by Iran constitutes a threat to international peace and security, and the resolution would be adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which can be enforced by sanctions, or if necessary, military action."

Perennial contrarians Russia and China, who oppose the Chapter 7 classification, have given lip service to the absurd notion that Iran is running an energy-only enrichment program. As Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, Iran's abundance of oil renders claims about the regime's need for nuclear energy meaningless. The public threats made by the regime (including the promised eradication of Israel) fill in the blanks for anyone with ears to hear.

It's no secret that Russia and China have a huge economic interest in maintaining the status quo in Iran. Allegiances deeper than that (and based on mutual resentment of American hegemony and nostalgia for imperial pasts) may surface in the coming days. Anyone named Franz Ferdinand may want to stay inside.

With France on board and only oppressive China and recently chided Russia (Cheney and Amnesty connected nicely for a rare neocon-liberal double shot last week), stopping Iran and controlling proliferation may be cast as the progressive cause it truly is.

Harris Poll: 43% of Democrats Oppose Abortion, DNC Needs Bigger Tent

2006-05-06T02:08:00.000-04:00

According to pro-life clearinghouse LifeNews.com, public support for the Roe v. Wade decision is "at its lowest point ever".

The national poll found the nation skewing in favor of the 1973 ruling by 2% (49% to 47%), a statistical dead heat within the survey's margin of error.

Republicans oppose Roe by a slighter higher margin (61-37%) than Democrats support it, while 44% of everyone surveyed supported South Dakota's move to outlaw all abortions where a mother's life is not at stake. The Wall Street Journal has a breakdown of the poll questions here and a public opinion graph here.

These findings bolster what pro-life activists have been saying to each other for some time: support for unlimited access to legal abortions is no longer an American monolith. Absent from the story is the particularly disturbing fact that abortion approval is highest among males aged 18-32. My own unscientific survey suggests this is the same demographic that least supports the wearing of condoms and the paying of patrimony.

Republicans have been consistently pressured by moderates and so-called RINOs to make room for pro-choice voices in their party in the last decade. Lately, Democrats have started to follow suit in the opposite direction. Could this poll help grant pro-life Democrats the kind of acceptance among Blue Staters that Rudy Giuliani enjoys in his party? Will Bob Casey, Jr. (perhaps the next junior Senator from Pennsylvania) get the kind of respect from Democratic leaders (forget the leftwing base) embarrassingly denied to his late father? Only time will tell, but with 43% of the party sharing the Caseys' pro-life views, the Dems may want to muzzle some of their more vocal leftwing extremists. That, however, would require a DNC Chair who wasn't one.

Editor's Note: If this article was helpful to you, please consider voting for it at RealClearPolitics. (Voting requires registration.)

Netanyahu On Cavuto: Iran Wants Nuclear Weapons

2006-05-05T16:37:00.000-04:00

Arming of Iran Should Concern All Governments and "Every Sane Person On The Globe."

With oil "coming out of its nostrils," Iran's uranium enrichment program can only have one goal, Benjamin Netanyahu said today. The former Israeli Prime Minister was Neil Cavuto's guest on Fox's popular "Your World" program. Netanyahu is convinced that military domination is Iran's clear and pressing goal, audibly scoffing at the possibility that Tehran might only be seeking nuclear energy. I'll post a link to the transcript when it's available.

Update:
Forget the transcript. Check out the video. I especially like his point that "not so long ago in the previous century we had a madman who armed himself with lesser weapons."

Cops: Kennedy Under The Influence

2006-05-05T13:10:00.000-04:00

The Smoking Gun is making the pill story a little harder to swallow. This is the 5 page report filed by DC police following Pat Kennedy's accident. The Smoking Gun notes that "the reporting officer checked off a box indicating that Kennedy was under the influence of alcohol and that the politician's ability was 'impaired.'" See it for yourself here.

Prescription drugs? Alcohol? A little bit of both? The fact that responding officers saw fit to check off the alcohol box and still forgo the field test is ridiculous but not surprising. I'm not defending the shoddy policework, but the Kennedys are powerful, powerful people. Pat didn't need to ask for special treatment; he only needed to show up.

The Kennedy crash and DUI reform

2006-05-05T10:59:00.000-04:00

I'll never forgot my first experience with a chemically impaired driver. I was 5 and my mom and I were driving through a McDonald's parking lot on our way to the drive-thru when a shady, white van came out of nowhere and almost killed us. Remember the JC Penny parking lot scene in Back To The Future? It was like that. There'd be no happy meal for young Sage that day: after the shady man behind the wheel hurled garbled expletives in our direction, we headed for the King.

An anonymous hostess at capitol Hill tavern the Hawk & Dove is claiming she saw U.S. Rep Pat Kennedy drinking a few hours before crashing his car into a concrete barrier near the Congressional offices early Thursday morning. Kennedy has claimed disorientation from a combination of prescribed medicines Phenergan and Ambien.

Assuming Kennedy was not drinking before the crash, the incident highlights a glaring problem in current DUI legislation. According to my sources in the addiction recovery field, there is no current statute defining impairment for those under the influence of prescription drugs while driving. "Technically," my source says, "it was legal for Kennedy to drive on those meds, and that is wrong."

Given Kennedy's state, a field test should have been given regardless of the reasons behind his impairment. "If a field test had been given," my source says, "and if he failed the field test, no matter what he was taking, he could be charged for reckless endangerment or driving while impaired."

If Rep. Kennedy has half the political savvy of his uncles, he'll consider championing a grassroots movement to more clearly define medically induced impairment. This may not be a federal issue (DUIs are state charges and the specifics in DC may differ), but he could still make positive hay of this brush with the family legacy. The need for reform is clear and a little face time from Pat might go a long way for everyone concerned.

If Kennedy was drinking beforehand, that's another can of worms. Both he and the Hill police admit there was no field sobriety test given. CBS.com is speculating about special treatment. CBS, you're so cute.

Racism in Russia is out of control: Amnesty

2006-05-05T00:47:00.000-04:00

Meg Clothier of Reuters cuts to the chase in this disturbing piece. Like I said yesterday, Cheney is right about Russia. Who knew the Vice President was so progressive? The people at Amnesty must be a little chagrined that Cheney's call for Russia to clean up its spotty civil rights record beat their report to press by a few hours. No longer satisfied with pulling the strings in the traditional energy market, now Cheney's stealing thunder, too! We love ya, Deadeye.

Moussaoui To "Die With a Whimper"

2006-05-04T11:56:00.000-04:00

No matter what you think about Zacarias Moussaoui's sentencing, you have to love Judge Leonie Brinkema's poetic flair: "Mr. Moussaoui, you came here to be a martyr in a great big bang of glory," she said, "but to paraphrase the poet T.S. Eliot, instead you will die with a whimper."

I wonder what the reward in paradise is for that.

Moussaoui is clearly unstable and we'll hear no more from him after he's spirited away to his new home in an undisclosed "supermax" prison (apparently not code for "Pakistan") where he'll have zero contact with the outside world. A delusional narcissist who loves the sound of his own voice and the idea of his own legacy even more than he hates the West, Moussaoui might even spill a thing or two. Unfortunately, I'm guessing "a thing or two" basically exhausts Moussaoui's thin grip on reality, a circumstance that clearly influenced the sentencing.

Apparently not satisfied with American jurisprudence, Moussaoui's mother begged the family's native France (renowned champion of liberty) to act. "Now he is going to die in little doses," she said. "He is going to live like a rat in a hole. What for? They are so cruel."

Little doses? Seems about right.

Cheney On Russia

2006-05-04T11:39:00.000-04:00

For those of you who think I rattled the sabre with a little too much vigor yesterday, consider Dick Cheney's kinder, gentler words for Russia today. The Vice President may have his enemies, but there's one thing old Deadeye still does extremely well: articulating the real current of White House philosophy and putting the world on notice. In a rhetorical style taken directly from neocon touchstone Leo Strauss, Cheney goes out on orchestrated limbs as "a vice president known for his independent stances" to create chatter on previously dead points and build momentum for unpopular positions. Cheney remains a master at this, an oft neglected feature of this administration's covert political savvy. If you don't like it, stand up. You've been given fair notice.

Oh, and he's right about Russia.

Iranian Officials Denounce Israel Statement

2006-05-03T16:32:00.000-04:00

The AP reports that Iranian officials are denouncing recent claims by Mohammad Ebrahim Dehghani that Israel would be Iran's first target should the United States make any "mischief" in Iran. Dehgani's statement followed Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's promise to "wipe Israel off the map."

Subtly reminded by Simon Peres of Israel's military prowess and desperately trying to save face for buddies China and Russia as a UN showdown draws near, Iran's military establishment has been forced into damage control, but their ambitions are clear. Once armed with the nuclear weapons they are no doubt pursuing, no amount of diplomacy will deter Iran's leadership from seeking to consummate their vision of Islamofascist imperialism. Protected in these early stages by China and Russia (Russia's LUKOIL has major interests in Iran), Tehran is enjoying a perverse amnesty that must be the envy of jihadists the world over. Look for appeasement to follow. Belgium and Poland beware.

2006 Hybrid Tax Credits, Lawmakers in Golf Carts and More on Price Gouging

2006-05-03T13:19:00.000-04:00

South Carolina State Representative Todd Rutherford must have taken this post seriously. Rutherford, a Democrat from Columbia, is forsaking traditional transportation in the face of rising gas prices. A model of efficiency, innovation and self-deprecation, Rutherford is on is way to American Sage status. Read more here.

Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, a personal finance blog, recently posted a listing of the 2006 tax credits for purchasing specific hybrid cars. In light of recent posts here, I pass this on to you. Thanks to Jim at Blueprint.

Toyota Prius (05, 06) - $3150
Toyota Highlander Hybrid (06) - $2600 (2WD & 4WD)
Lexus RX400h (06) - $2200 (2WD & 4WD)
Toyota Camry Hybrid (07) - $2600
Lexus GSA 450h (07) - $1550
Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid - $1950 4WD
Ford Escape Hybrid FWD - $2600

More tips and comments here.

Though repeated investigations have found no direct evidence of collusion by Big Oil's industry leaders, the U.S. House is poised to pass new price gouging legislation as the nation continues to face record prices. We're still waiting on a similar tax gouging bill. We're not holding our breath.

Lastly, Carnival of The Capitalists, a leading blog carnival, is up at Interim Thoughts. AmericanSage's recent alt energy article is featured this week. Be sure to check out the other contributors and consider contributing yourself.

"Ocsab" Emerges as Saudi Dissidents Blog for Liberalism, Reform

2006-05-03T13:02:00.000-04:00

"It seems like Ocsab believe liberalism equals secularism, and therefore it is against Islam. Well, I don't think that being a liberal contradicts being a Muslim," - Ahmed, Saudi Jeans.

Andrew Hammond of Reuters has a interesting piece on the growing battle for control of the Saudi blogosphere today. Forbidden from expressing their views in public, anonymous Saudi bloggers critical of their regime are now being invited to join Ocsab, the so-called "Official Community of Saudi Bloggers."

The Saudi state (read the Saudi royal family) already controls the mainstream Saudi media. Is Ocsab a cover for their expansion into new media? Read the story, with quotes from courageous Saudi dissidents, here.

Reynolds' "Army Of Davids" Rising

2006-05-03T02:42:00.000-04:00

In Friday's post, a flip little look at the judicial watchdog legislation, I mentioned Glenn Reynolds' new book An Army of Davids in passing. Glenn Reynolds is the law professor behind InstaPundit, one of the most wildly successful blogs going. The book's subtitle, "How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths," makes its central premise clear. Recent history shows it also to be sound. Chief among these rock slinging Davids are the bloggers and their readers, though we are by no means the only Davids out there. Self-taught professionals of every stripe using readily available information to do for themselves what they once relied on Big Everything for fill in the ranks and often overlap with those writing from the front.

Bloggers As a Case Study

While the Rathergate scandal proved the political clout of angry, informed citizen journalists almost 2 years ago, recent events have proven the blogging community's chops at moralsuasion. Blogads, a top blog advertizing service, makes this emerging reality part of their standard pitch: "Read by fanatics, pundits and journalists, blogs increasingly set the insider agenda. Use blogads to engage where opinions are made blogs to shape opinion makers as a top selling point for blog advertising."

Yesterday's day-after coverage of Monday's May Day protests was a profound example of this new truth. While FoxNews and other mainstream outlets referred to the event as a "A Day Without Immigrants" in real time, the blogosphere (and, surprisingly, CNN's Lou Dobbs) lit up with demands that Big Media name these protests for what they were: illegal immigrants protesting for amnesty. In turn, Tuesday's edition of Fox's Dayside newsmagazine ripped the mainstream coverage (failing to mention its own) with all sorts of zeal before tearing some clown from the New Black Panthers to shreds in full-on blogger fashion.

The impact being made by independent citizens may well be unprecedented in modern history. As widely available and affordable technologies level the respective playing fields of what I'll call the Industriobeurocratic Establishment, (Max Weber called it the Iron Cage and in 5 more years it will be known as the Second Acien Regime), private citizens are setting the agenda and writing the history of consensus reality in the 21st Century.

Participation in this endeavor is, of course, limited to those with access to the increasingly (though not perfectly) democratizing means of cultural production. Bloggers and their counterparts tend to be highly educated and able to leverage their savvy in pursuit of their goals and interests. As David rises, he must not forget those still behind enemy lines.

Top Bin Laden Aide Captured - Confirmed

2006-05-02T12:38:00.000-04:00

FoxNews is breaking this story: FOXNews.com - Major Al Qaeda Leader Arrested in Pakistan.

The Forgotten: Illegal Immigration Hurts America's Young, Poor

2006-05-01T12:05:00.000-04:00

In its coverage of the so-called "Day Without Immigrants," CNNMoney is running
this story about the impact of illegal immigrants on the nation's economy.

The front page reads: "Illegal immigrants are gathering across the nation for 'A Day Without Immigrants,' a protest meant to show the economic impact of immigrants. Many experts agree the economy is stronger because of illegal immigrants, but some see a negative impact on low skilled U.S.-born workers."

Is CNN saying that illegal immigrants don't actually take only those jobs that Americans don't want anyway? This is news only to American power elites that haven't considered (or don't give a damn about) the plight of thousands of Americans for whom the technological and economic spoils of recent decades has meant little or nothing. A host of factors (lacks of access, developmental care and educational opportunities among them) mean that while "most Americans with higher skilled jobs are better off for their presence", many other Americans are indeed suffering. If this isn't an instance of legitimate class warfare, I don't know what is.

While the article deigns to include important insight from Northeastern economist Andrew Sum and others showing that "the large supply of illegal immigrants has displaced low-skilled U.S.-born workers, particularly the young and the poor, from jobs," the article's headline still reads "Illegal workers: Boon for U.S. economy." The forgotten, downcast young and poor laborers (where is Howard Dean on this? Where is Jesse Jackson? Where, oh, where, is Ted Turner?) are mentioned in the article's subheading with a journalistic zeal usually reserved for spelling bees: "The U.S. has benefited from illegal immigrants, most economists say, though some low-skilled workers have been hurt."

If the Power Leftists controlling the mainstream media were unified in their opposition to illegal immigration (or if they really cared about low-skilled American labor), these headlines would be reversed and the real issues of social justice in this debate would be obvious. Those "few" US workers (including legal immigrants!)of every ethnicity displaced by the influx of illegals are the truly oppressed minority in this scenario, forgotten even by those who give lip-service to the downcast every election cycle. Democratic and Republican powerbrokers need to name this for the justice issue it is and stop playing games.

2 Lawmakers Call for Judiciary Watchdog

2006-04-28T20:27:00.000-04:00

You probably know that high school and college athletes can't accept gifts from schools interested in recruiting or retaining them. Did you also know that such prudence is not required of United States federal judges?

Senator Charles Grassley,(R-Iowa) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis) want to change that. Critics of their respective plans, speaking for the federal courts, claim the kind of congressional oversight being proposed oversteps the constitutional separation of powers and asserts legislative priority over the judiciary. If only these same people would cling as closely to the founding documents on other issues. I have to admit, though, that I don't really trust an independent watchdog accountable to Congress to do any better with this sort of thing without anyone watching it.

Who watches the watchmen? New media, baby! Or as Glenn Reynolds puts it, An Army of Davids.

Windfalls For Windmills: Big Oil Won't Miss The Coming Alt Energy Boom

2006-04-28T14:06:00.000-04:00

Eschewing the bogus demands for a windfall tax on oil companies, President Bush is calling for industry leaders to reinvest their record profits into new technology and alternative fuel development initiatives. With the rising demand for hybrid, flex fuel and other gas-free vehicles and a growing antipathy for our criminal dependence on foreign oil, look for more companies to follow BP's recent lead into alternative fuel technologies. Look also for the oil barons to mount public relations campaigns like GM's "Live Green By Going Yellow" blitz with their recent spoils.

Alternative energy isn't, of course, the only option for lowering gas prices and killing the terrorist cash cow greasing the war machines of rouge nations. American companies could increase domestic production by opening more refineries, a cost that will passed to consumers no matter how much the oil supply increases and no matter how high the record profits go. Drilling in ANWR, another oft-vaunted measure to increase supply, is politically unviable at the moment and will remain so unless its proponents can raise some serious political capital soon. With the President focused on alternative fuels, this doesn't seem likely. The extraction of usable petroleum from tar sand (the US and Canada have the world's largest tar sand deposits) is becoming a cleaner process but does nothing to change the kind of fuel we'd actually be burning, an issue of increasing importance to many Americans who recognize that no oil-based solutions are environmentally efficient or fundamentally sustainable in the long run.

The nation is, in effect, catching on.

Fossil fuel reserves will long outlast their usefulness and profitability if consumers continue to demand the expanded commercial use of more efficient energy technologies and can feel good about the environment in the process. The global war on terror, the lunacy in Iran and the mainstream inroads made by environmentalists in recent years have produced an American zeitgeist green in more ways than one. Our emerging demand is cheap, clean, American energy, and, like all good capitalists, we're trusting the market to bring it. Big Oil knows if it doesn't leverage this niche someone else will. Famously characterized as an octopus with its tentacles in everything during the antitrust craze of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the industry won't sit this growth phase out, and, like all smart capitalists, its leaders have made sure that the initial capital for this expansion comes from somewhere else. So, buy 4 dollar gas with a smile, America. You're investing in the future.

The First Phase of Addiction

2006-04-27T11:28:00.000-04:00

There's a great article from the Washington Post on Schumer's stunt press conference in front of a Capitol Hill Exxon today. It seems as though the gaggle of senators assembled to demand that President Bush "get tough on big oil" saw no conflict of interest while piling into their SUVs for the short, walkable trip back to their offices. Writer Dana Milbank has it right: America is addicted to oil as President Bush has said, and most of the country, like these leaders, are in the denial phase of addiction.

I'd only add that it hasn't been Schumer or Hillary Clinton naming this addiction for the last few months. It's been Bush, and there's some kind of sweet irony in that.

Read Milbank's article, "Going A Short Way To Make a Point," here.

Cavuto On Oil Gouging

2006-04-26T18:04:00.000-04:00

I like Neil Cavuto. He's smart, ornery and calls it like he sees it. He's also one of the only broadcast personalities my grandmother can watch without wanting to throw things through the television. This is higher praise than you might think.

Earlier today, Cavuto, taking a page from Dick Cheney's playbook, made Sen. Dick Durbin look like a petulant schoolboy over Chuck Schumer's calls to investigate oil companies for supposed price gouging. I seriously haven't seen a Democratic senator perform that poorly since the 2004 vice-presidential debates.

The interview followed on the heels of a challenge Cavuto made earlier in the week calling for Schumer to open investigations into what Cavuto calls "tax gouging." "After all, " Cavuto said, "oil companies profit works out to nine cents a gallon. Taxes total more like 40 cents a gallon."

The reason we "don't hear Schumer whining about taxes" is of course pork barrel politics and both parties' addiction to irresponsible spending. Pointing these things out is Cavuto's bread and butter, and he serves this helping up nicely.

I'm not as enthusiastic, however, about his dismissal of blended fuel alternatives (the carbon exchange possibilities of ethanol need to be looked at closely in coming years) and want to know more about why attempts in this direction have been futile so far. If Brazil's sugar fuel project, for example, isn't worth looking into, I'd like to hear why. While they may not be guilty of price gouging (I have my doubts about that, but tax gouging is real enough), the oil barons' slick fingerprints are still all over the criminally slow move toward renewable or cleaner energy. I'm not calling for the death of Big Oil; too many working Americans stand to lose everything in that scenario. I am saying, though, that you might not want to light a match around the Invisible Hand.

Of Oil and the Virtues of New Urbanism

2006-04-26T02:37:00.000-04:00

"Crude oil and gasoline futures fell Tuesday after President Bush gave the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to relax regional clean-fuel standards to attract more imports of gasoline to the United States and to make it easier for supplies to be moved from one state to another." Read the full article, by Brad Foss of the AP, here.

I was walking my dog today after visiting a few local neighborhood spots, including one place I'm considering for a business venture. I commented to my wife that the ability to get most places I needed to go on foot was the way it should be. Neighbors might actually get to know each other, communities might revitalize and the obesity problem might melt like so many Subway Jareds, all without greasing the terror machine, enriching the oil barons or polluting the air. Yes, she said, it should be the 1950s again.

I laughed and got a little wistful before remembering a link a friend sent me about New Urbanism from National Geographic. Make sure to click on the "Explore a 'New Urbanist Neighborhood" button and be as amused as I was at how closely their plan for a new suburbia resembles American urban centers of the past. Public parks. On street parking. Movie theatres. Mass transit. Tree lined streets. A far cry from another Pleasant Valley Sunday and a step in the right direction for sure, but NG's straight-faced presentation (which never mentions the classical urban inspirations) is one of the best inside jokes I've come across in some time.

Why the subterfuge? I suspect that NG is likely a true believer, and one savvy enough to know that transforming suburbia into an efficient, livable and connected place has a better chance of happening if the exact reasons for New Urbanism's retro charm (suburbanites love that-- shabby chic, anyone?) remain a mystery. Chalk one up for ironic urban planning, and count me in.

Liberalizing The Middle East

2006-04-24T05:24:00.001-04:00

Axl Rose once warned us that "you can't trust freedom when it's not in your hands/when everybody's fighting for the Promised Land." So true, Axl, so true.

The recent election of hardliners in Palestine and Iran show that democracy in the hands of people who don't know how to use it is as dangerous as enriched uranium. Democracy for democracy's sake isn't enough, and as we've seen, it isn't even helpful. The nations and fiefdoms of the Middle East must liberalize (in the classical sense) before they can democratize in any meaningful way. Until then, fundamentalists and their sympathizers will continue to legitimize the rule of fanatical sociopaths with bullet and ballot.

How, though, to liberalize the Middle East? One of the popular political truisms of Western history is that following the religious wars of the Middle Ages (notably the 30 Years War), Europeans grew weary of killing each other over religious differences (the conflict in Ulster should not be glossed over here, but the 30 Years War remains the last major multinational religious war in European history). Following the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, political philosophers and social critics began outlining in earnest the philosophies that would come to define The Enlightenment including freedom of conscious, individual sovereignty, the separation of church and state and the limited powers of the modern nationstate. Here, as in all classical treatments, the word liberal is used in contrast to the policies and constructs of Europe's ancien regime, a political arrangement more akin to the Taliban than the Kingdom of Christ.

As helpful as the liberalizing ethos of the 17th century was in removing religion from the list of things Westerners were willing to kill each other for, the Enlightenment was no cure-all and had its own horrendous excesses. The wholesale secularization of public life as advocated by the most radical philosophes was as wrong headed as was the cozy arrangement between church and state it sought to undermine, and the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution underscores this point in bloody detail. Even in America, where liberalization and godly civics were never considered essentially incompatible (and indeed, went hand in hand), genocide and slavery mark so much of our experience.

While it's tempting to hope for an Enlightenment event in the Middle East, the en mass liberalization of the world's Muslim extremists will not mean a safer world, at least not at first. Middle Eastern democracy will only be worth celebrating when tempered Middle Eastern liberalism is achieved. If the history of the West is any indicator, this will only happen when Sunni and Shi'ite tire of killing each other and indigenous Arab and Persian voices find uniquely Muslim ways of articulating the moral weight of religious freedom and asserting the existence of truly universal rights. Whether or not the faith of the Koran lends itself well to such an enterprise is another matter.

As a faith group, the Islamic world is, chronologically speaking, some 400 years younger than Christendom and the civilizations tied in one way or another to the Christian faith. Does that mean we'll have to wait another forty years for a Muslim Westphalia? That liberal nation-states will form sometime in the 2100's, that slavery in Sudan will end some hundred years later and that women will get to vote (and maybe even drive!) in Saudi Arabia a hundred years after that? What will Islamic postmodernism look like? CIA, if you're reading this, you might want to consider speeding up those annotated Arabic translations of Locke. Let's keep Nietzsche our little secret for now.

The True Face of Islamofacism

2006-04-23T15:06:00.000-04:00

Bin Laden calls for Holy War against peacekeepers in Darfur

Osama bin Laden issued new threats in video tape released today encouraging Islamic fundamentalists to take up arms in Sudan if the UN makes good on plans to send peacekeeping forces to that war-torn nation.

The conflict between rebels in Darfur and the central Islamic government in Sudan (where slavery and the crucifixion of Christians is commonplace even under normal political conditions) has claimed almost 200,000 lives and rendered 2 million more homeless or displaced. MSNBC notes that "the United Nations has described the conflict as the world's gravest humanitarian crisis. The United States has described it as genocide."

Where leaders in the civilized world see genoicde and widespread evil in Darfur, "holy" warrior bin Ladin sees a chance to undermine peace and promote the goals of the like-minded thugs running Sudan, killing anyone found in disagreement with their twisted worldview and calling young Muslims to similar fate. This is the face of Islamofascism, a system adding daily to the rolls of those murdered, orhpaned and oppressed in Darfur and elswhere as the ground human fodder of Allah's bloody eschaton. That kingdom must not come.

Classy Dean Rides The Donkey Through New Orleans

2006-04-22T02:06:00.000-04:00

The mainstream press is reporting, with all the objectivity it can seem to muster, another of Howard Dean's implosive mini-rants. This time the dateline is New Olreans, and Dean, making his "first post-Katrina visit," took time out from the heavy lifting to shovel something else: "I don't want to be partisan at a time like this, but this is why the Republicans are going to be out of business," Dean said, pointing to the destruction around him. 'Nine months after the hurricane, to have this? This is ridiculous. This is not the America we grew up in.'

Then again, pre-Katrina New Orleans, like most of America, was never much like the America Dean grew up in, what with his wealthy family's membership to the exclusive Maidstone Gulf Club (too exclusive, in Dean's youth, for Jews and minorities). No stranger to hyperbole and guttural outbursts, the DNC's Growler-in-Chief went on to say that "This is a searing, burning issue, and I think it is going to cost George Bush his legacy and it's going to cost the Republicans the House and the Senate and maybe the presidency in the next election. People will never forget this." Assuming every prominent leader of the left has been as slow as Dean to survey the damage firsthand (even Deadeye Dick Cheney beat the DNC Chair there!), Bush needn't worry much on that front.

Make no mistake; the lingering devastation is unacceptable. So too is a national party chair blaming his opposition so exclusively and so dishonestly. "I don't want to be partisan at a time like this," Dean should have said, "but it's really what they pay me for. I've got a tee time at Maidstone I need to make. Where's Carter when you need him?"

We Ain't Wrong, We're Just Different

2006-04-21T20:38:00.000-04:00

"Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him. He ain't wrong, he's just different, and his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right."

So sang two of America's scruffiest sages, Willie Nelson and the late great Waylon Jennings. While country music is often derided for cliched, simplistic lyrics, this duo's classic "Mamma's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" quite simply delivers one of the greatest lines in any song, ever. Subverting the tendency toward throwaway country kitsch, Jennings and Nelson captured the outlaw spirit that's almost always defined a variety of American enterprises. From breaching the Treaty Of Paris and spilling West to Woodrow Wilson's pledge to make the world safe for democracy to the resonating demand that a certain Mr. Gorbachov tear down a certain wall in our own time, Americans have made a national pastime of leaning headlong into prevailing social winds and being found on both sides of history. Like the cowboys our mothers are afraid of us becoming, we're not always polite and we're not always right, but our fortitude, passion and persistence doesn't make us wrong, either. It does make us different, and the grinning outlaw, the composite sinner/saint, hell, the Johnny Cash in us, well, he's content to let his words and deeds stand for themselves whether anyone else likes it or not.

This blog is written in that spirit and in certain debt to American sages of every generation who've said what they meant and damned the torpedoes. We owe them much.

Full Steam Ahead,
AmericanSage