Condi Rice gets a little sugah in Ghana.
Showing posts with label Condi Rice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Condi Rice. Show all posts
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Iran: Reason and Recklessness
At last, a voice of sanity on the subject of Iran, "Stalin, Mao And... Ahmadinejad?" (Newsweek)
If ever there was a must-read article about the current White House saber-rattling against Iran, it is this one-pager in the current issue of Newsweek.
Written by someone who understands and rejects fear-based policies on terrorism, Fareed Zakaria brings reason to the emotion-charged subject of our danger from oil-rich Iran.
Zakaria, born in India to a Muslim family, has been Newsweek's International editor since 2000 and has a rich grounding in foreign affairs including a PhD in Political Science from Harvard. Soon after the 9/11 attacks he wrote a seminal cover-story essay for Newsweek entitled "The Politics of Rage: Why Do They Hate Us?"
In it, he argued that Islamic terrorism has its roots in the stagnation and dysfunctions of the Arab world with decades of failure under tyrannical regimes who claimed to be Western-style modernizers.
Of course, these regimes only produced violent opposition to those Western values. Since the Mosque is the one place where people can gather in an Arab country, that is where the opposition to these tyrannies grew.
Zakaria, as a political "realist" advocates that the United States should help Arab countries to modernize their economies and societies as the path to liberty rather than forcing elections and democracy.
And, while as a Muslim he has a depth of understanding of the religion and culture, Zakaria's is a political moderate who believes the world needs an open and confident United States.
In this week's article, Zakaria exposes the war-mongering wizard behind the curtain. He points out that Iran has an economy the size of Finland's, while the U.S. has a GDP that is 68 times larger, and defense expenditures that are 110 times greater. What's more, Israel and every Arab country (except Syria and Iraq) are quietly or actively already allied against Iran.
But, the most chilling observation Zakaria makes: "We're on a path to irreversible confrontation with a country we know almost nothing about.... Iran is a black hole to us--- just as Iraq had become in 2003."
Remember the "Alice in Wonderland" prediction last year by Princeton scholar, Bernard Lewis.... a close adviser to The Decider and Darth Cheney.... that on August 22, 2006, Iran's President Ahmadinejad was going to end the world.
Well, we're still here. But so are the administration's Middle East ambitions. Secretary of State Rice today breathlessly announced, "U.S. Imposes New Sanctions Against Iran." (WaPo)
Unilateral sanctions.... designating Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction and of the elite Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism.
It's all too terrifyingly familiar....
If ever there was a must-read article about the current White House saber-rattling against Iran, it is this one-pager in the current issue of Newsweek.
Written by someone who understands and rejects fear-based policies on terrorism, Fareed Zakaria brings reason to the emotion-charged subject of our danger from oil-rich Iran.
Zakaria, born in India to a Muslim family, has been Newsweek's International editor since 2000 and has a rich grounding in foreign affairs including a PhD in Political Science from Harvard. Soon after the 9/11 attacks he wrote a seminal cover-story essay for Newsweek entitled "The Politics of Rage: Why Do They Hate Us?"
In it, he argued that Islamic terrorism has its roots in the stagnation and dysfunctions of the Arab world with decades of failure under tyrannical regimes who claimed to be Western-style modernizers.
Of course, these regimes only produced violent opposition to those Western values. Since the Mosque is the one place where people can gather in an Arab country, that is where the opposition to these tyrannies grew.
Zakaria, as a political "realist" advocates that the United States should help Arab countries to modernize their economies and societies as the path to liberty rather than forcing elections and democracy.
And, while as a Muslim he has a depth of understanding of the religion and culture, Zakaria's is a political moderate who believes the world needs an open and confident United States.
In this week's article, Zakaria exposes the war-mongering wizard behind the curtain. He points out that Iran has an economy the size of Finland's, while the U.S. has a GDP that is 68 times larger, and defense expenditures that are 110 times greater. What's more, Israel and every Arab country (except Syria and Iraq) are quietly or actively already allied against Iran.
But, the most chilling observation Zakaria makes: "We're on a path to irreversible confrontation with a country we know almost nothing about.... Iran is a black hole to us--- just as Iraq had become in 2003."
Remember the "Alice in Wonderland" prediction last year by Princeton scholar, Bernard Lewis.... a close adviser to The Decider and Darth Cheney.... that on August 22, 2006, Iran's President Ahmadinejad was going to end the world.
Well, we're still here. But so are the administration's Middle East ambitions. Secretary of State Rice today breathlessly announced, "U.S. Imposes New Sanctions Against Iran." (WaPo)
Unilateral sanctions.... designating Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction and of the elite Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism.
It's all too terrifyingly familiar....
Monday, October 22, 2007
Revoltin' Bolton
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell had a plan.
He tried to wage peace.
But the neocons in the White House, and the political machinations of former U. N. ambassador John Bolton, torpedoed Powell's efforts to forge an agreement with the G-8.... whose members include Britain, France and Germany.... that would have enticed Iran to rein in their nuclear ambitions with a package of "carrots."
Now Bolton is bragging about killing this diplomatic initiative.... in fact he says he used every possible bureaucratic and diplomatic maneuver to kill Powell's plan in his forthcoming book, "Surrender Is Not an Option." (WaPo)
It's thanks to loose cannons like Bolton, and the conniving of shadow president "Darth" Cheney, that we now seem about to hurtle over the precipice of what The Decider recently called World War III.
Bolton's book further proves that the White House neocons' worldview has been criminally reckless.... an arrogant sense of entitlement to squander the lives, treasure and good name of our country.
And what's more, that those who could, and should, have stopped this Constitution-shredding administration, like Powell and Rice, either meekly faded away or became enabling legacy hounds.
He tried to wage peace.
But the neocons in the White House, and the political machinations of former U. N. ambassador John Bolton, torpedoed Powell's efforts to forge an agreement with the G-8.... whose members include Britain, France and Germany.... that would have enticed Iran to rein in their nuclear ambitions with a package of "carrots."
Now Bolton is bragging about killing this diplomatic initiative.... in fact he says he used every possible bureaucratic and diplomatic maneuver to kill Powell's plan in his forthcoming book, "Surrender Is Not an Option." (WaPo)
It's thanks to loose cannons like Bolton, and the conniving of shadow president "Darth" Cheney, that we now seem about to hurtle over the precipice of what The Decider recently called World War III.
Bolton's book further proves that the White House neocons' worldview has been criminally reckless.... an arrogant sense of entitlement to squander the lives, treasure and good name of our country.
And what's more, that those who could, and should, have stopped this Constitution-shredding administration, like Powell and Rice, either meekly faded away or became enabling legacy hounds.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Fred Jumps, Debate Slumps, Bush Pumps
Former senator Fred Thompson continues to make his presence known by his absence. In last night's debate on FOX between eight Republican presidential hopefuls in New Hampshire, Thompson was the Southern conservative Reaganish elephant hulking behind the curtain...dealt with by lame jokes such as Sen. John McCain's (AZ) "Maybe it's past his bedtime."
Meanwhile, "Fred Thompson Makes a Late-Night Late Entry" (WaPo) on Jay Leno's show laconically announcing he was joining the presidential wanna-be fray, and dismissing the debate with a backhand, "I'll do my share, but I don't think it's a very enlightening forum, to tell you the truth."
And, truth be told, it wasn't a very enlightening forum. A not surprising chorus of "Top Republicans back Bush Iraq Strategy in Debate" was the tenor of the evening. (WaPo)
Without the presence of Rep. Ron Paul (TX), it would have been a yawner although it was designed to stir things up....questions on immigration (at last) that elicited not very artful dodging from New York's "safe-haven city" former mayor Rudy Giuliani, and on the flip-flopping of disgraced Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig (R-ID).
The debate was mostly a joust to the bottom... and Sam Brownback easily won that slot. While the questions on Iraq allowed McCain some expected chest-beating, it was Paul who showed the courage of his convictions by reminding his hostile cohorts that the decision to go to war was made by a handful of neoconservatives who hijacked U.S. foreign policy.
And, while the political climate was heating up in the U.S..... a half a world away, White House diplomacy was also getting a bit steamy, or unseemly. "In Australia, Rice stands in for first lady," (AP) the headline teases.
While Laura Bush stayed in D.C. with what she said was a pinched nerve, in Sydney "office wife" Condi Rice and The Decider were yucking it up. To quote Bush at a dinner in his honor: " 'She can be my date,' the president said, reaching out his left hand to touch Rice's arm as they stood before the cameras at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister John Howard and his wife."
The reason for the date....err.... trip to Australia was the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum attended by leaders from China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and other major Pacific Rim countries. So, with such a gathering in which to make his gravitas felt as the leader of the free world, what did The Decider do?
After lunch, Bush headed back to his hotel to change into biking gear and then his motorcade raced north to a track at the Honda training facility. After an hour Bush emerged and his motorcade returned to Sydney.
It has been reported that much of the advance work for Bush's trips involve the Secret Service ferreting out the best place for Kid George to ride his bike. Bush has become a joke and an embarrassment to us all.... the country's painful pinched nerve.
Meanwhile, "Fred Thompson Makes a Late-Night Late Entry" (WaPo) on Jay Leno's show laconically announcing he was joining the presidential wanna-be fray, and dismissing the debate with a backhand, "I'll do my share, but I don't think it's a very enlightening forum, to tell you the truth."
And, truth be told, it wasn't a very enlightening forum. A not surprising chorus of "Top Republicans back Bush Iraq Strategy in Debate" was the tenor of the evening. (WaPo)
Without the presence of Rep. Ron Paul (TX), it would have been a yawner although it was designed to stir things up....questions on immigration (at last) that elicited not very artful dodging from New York's "safe-haven city" former mayor Rudy Giuliani, and on the flip-flopping of disgraced Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig (R-ID).
The debate was mostly a joust to the bottom... and Sam Brownback easily won that slot. While the questions on Iraq allowed McCain some expected chest-beating, it was Paul who showed the courage of his convictions by reminding his hostile cohorts that the decision to go to war was made by a handful of neoconservatives who hijacked U.S. foreign policy.
And, while the political climate was heating up in the U.S..... a half a world away, White House diplomacy was also getting a bit steamy, or unseemly. "In Australia, Rice stands in for first lady," (AP) the headline teases.
While Laura Bush stayed in D.C. with what she said was a pinched nerve, in Sydney "office wife" Condi Rice and The Decider were yucking it up. To quote Bush at a dinner in his honor: " 'She can be my date,' the president said, reaching out his left hand to touch Rice's arm as they stood before the cameras at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister John Howard and his wife."
The reason for the date....err.... trip to Australia was the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum attended by leaders from China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and other major Pacific Rim countries. So, with such a gathering in which to make his gravitas felt as the leader of the free world, what did The Decider do?
After lunch, Bush headed back to his hotel to change into biking gear and then his motorcade raced north to a track at the Honda training facility. After an hour Bush emerged and his motorcade returned to Sydney.
It has been reported that much of the advance work for Bush's trips involve the Secret Service ferreting out the best place for Kid George to ride his bike. Bush has become a joke and an embarrassment to us all.... the country's painful pinched nerve.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Cramming Before Recess....
This is the last week before Congress breaks until after Labor Day, and they have many "Final Assignments Before Recess." (WaPo)
The House and Senate hope to renew and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Plan. But, Republicans call the program a budget-buster and The Decider threatens a veto.... incredible since when they were in control they passed the most expensive social plan ever, the drug industry and insurance company drug-coverage bonanza.
He's baaaack.... Rummy has been invited to testify on the Hill Wednesday, along with Gen. Myers, in the hearing into the death of pro football player, Pat Tillman, who died in Afghanistan in 2004.
How he died was initially covered up by the Pentagon.... and his "heroic" death used as propaganda fodder for recruitment efforts. Tillman's increasingly skeptical family is still looking for answers. The "M" word is being raised by some.... the coroner's report, suppressed until recently, doesn't jive with the new "official" story.
Also, this week, the constitutional tug-of-war between the White House and Congress will most likely heat up as it is expected that subpoenaed Karl Rove will thumb his nose at the hearing into to the U.S. Attorney firings by playing the White House blanket stay-out-of-jail card.... executive privilege.
Today our supposed international expert, Condi Rice, will jet with a shell-shocked Defense Secretary Gates (he has a deer caught in the headlights look these days) to the Middle East to implore the Arabs to provide more support in stabilizing Iraq.
Rice needs a good week... she's become increasingly marginalized by her own incompetence and slavish "office wife" loyalty to the twit who calls her "Guru."
For instance, a few months ago she tried to peddle an op ed piece she wrote in collaboration with John Chambers about ways to rebuild Lebanon after last summer's war.
No one would publish it.
Our Secretary of State couldn't get her essay published in the right-leaning Wall Street Journal, the New York Times.... even the Financial Times of London.
Price Floyd, who was the State Department's director of media affairs until recently, said the piece was littered with glowing references to President Bush's wise leadership.... "It read like a campaign document."
And, sounding the note heard everywhere around D.C. these days about the White House political mafia strong-arm tactics, Floyd recalled that his supervisor, a political appointee, kept "telling me to shut up." In his 17 years, nothing like that had ever occurred under Presidents Bill Clinton or Bush "41," he said.
But, the current White House partisan-agenda enforcers... "They just wanted us to be Bush automatons."
The House and Senate hope to renew and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Plan. But, Republicans call the program a budget-buster and The Decider threatens a veto.... incredible since when they were in control they passed the most expensive social plan ever, the drug industry and insurance company drug-coverage bonanza.
He's baaaack.... Rummy has been invited to testify on the Hill Wednesday, along with Gen. Myers, in the hearing into the death of pro football player, Pat Tillman, who died in Afghanistan in 2004.
How he died was initially covered up by the Pentagon.... and his "heroic" death used as propaganda fodder for recruitment efforts. Tillman's increasingly skeptical family is still looking for answers. The "M" word is being raised by some.... the coroner's report, suppressed until recently, doesn't jive with the new "official" story.
Also, this week, the constitutional tug-of-war between the White House and Congress will most likely heat up as it is expected that subpoenaed Karl Rove will thumb his nose at the hearing into to the U.S. Attorney firings by playing the White House blanket stay-out-of-jail card.... executive privilege.
Today our supposed international expert, Condi Rice, will jet with a shell-shocked Defense Secretary Gates (he has a deer caught in the headlights look these days) to the Middle East to implore the Arabs to provide more support in stabilizing Iraq.
Rice needs a good week... she's become increasingly marginalized by her own incompetence and slavish "office wife" loyalty to the twit who calls her "Guru."
For instance, a few months ago she tried to peddle an op ed piece she wrote in collaboration with John Chambers about ways to rebuild Lebanon after last summer's war.
No one would publish it.
Our Secretary of State couldn't get her essay published in the right-leaning Wall Street Journal, the New York Times.... even the Financial Times of London.
Price Floyd, who was the State Department's director of media affairs until recently, said the piece was littered with glowing references to President Bush's wise leadership.... "It read like a campaign document."
And, sounding the note heard everywhere around D.C. these days about the White House political mafia strong-arm tactics, Floyd recalled that his supervisor, a political appointee, kept "telling me to shut up." In his 17 years, nothing like that had ever occurred under Presidents Bill Clinton or Bush "41," he said.
But, the current White House partisan-agenda enforcers... "They just wanted us to be Bush automatons."
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