Maddy About Bush

Madeline "I leg press 400, baby" Albright has decided that Bush's faith is something to worry about.

"I worked for two presidents who were men of faith, and they did not make their religious views part of American policy," she said, referring to Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, both Democrats and Christians.

"President Bush's certitude about what he believes in, and the division between good and evil, is, I think, different," said Albright, who has just published a book on religion and world affairs. "The absolute truth is what makes Bush so worrying to some of us."

Bush, a Republican, has openly acknowledged his Christian faith informs his decisions as president. He says, for example, that he prayed to God for guidance before invading Iraq.

Some Muslims have accused him of waging a crusade against Islam, comparable with those of the Middle Ages. The White House says it has nothing against Islam, but against those who commit terrorist atrocities in its name.

Well, aside from the fact that Maddy is implying that Bush's faith is much more worrisome than, say, people espousing religious dogma as justification to kill civilians in terrorist bombings, I can't really see what use her  analysis is. Ok, she's worried. Great. I worry about a lot of things, too. Like our troops deployed in a war zone. And weirdly strong former government officials who do their level best to undermine those troops by attempting to undermine the elected leadership of the country by giving negative interviews while in foreign countries.

But, hey, maybe that's just me.

Answering Dan’s Email

A few days ago there was a story that was very hot in the blogosphere. Reports from a Canadian newspaper said that Iran had passed a law requiring non-Muslims, including Jews, to wear distinctive badges. I posted about it here. I also posted updates as the day went by and the initial report seemed to be getting less credible.

On of my commenters here emailed and asked if I was going to post about the story and it's apparent unraveling. I told him I had updated but was waiting to see something firm about how the story got written and how it was sourced. Amir Taheri, who appears to have been the original source for the story the Canadian paper released, has issued a statement.

Regarding the dress code story it seems that my column was used as the basis for a number of reports that somehow jumped the gun.
As far as my article is concerned I stand by it.
The law has been passed by the Islamic Majlis and will now be submitted to the Council of Guardians. A committee has been appointed to work out the modalities of implementation.
Many ideas are being discussed with regard to implementation,
including special markers, known as zonnars, for followers of
Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism, the only faiths other than Islam that are recognized as such. The zonnar was in use throughout the Muslim world until the early 20th century and marked out the dhimmis, or protected religious minorities. ( In Iran it was formally abolished in 1908).

Now, with Taheri willing to go on record like this and given that he has been reliable in the past, I think there may be something here that bears watching. The one thing I did not like about his explanation is that he seemed to waffle a little by saying the piece was meant as an opinion piece, not as a news article.

So, the upshot is this is one that cannot be put to bed yet. Taheri's point that there has not been a formal denial from the Iranian government is a real pause for thought moment.

Shielding Europe?

The New York Times is reporting that the United States is proposing building an anti-missile system to protect Europe from Iranian missiles.

The Bush administration is moving to establish a new antimissile site in Europe that would be designed to stop attacks by Iran against the United States and its European allies.

The administration's proposal, which comes amid rising concerns about Iran's suspected program to develop nuclear weapons, calls for installing 10 antimissile interceptors at a European site by 2011. Poland and the Czech Republic are among the nations under consideration.

There are a couple of ways to look at this story, I think. Is it possible that this is simply part of an information war against Iran? Certainly. Is it possible the US has intelligence information that is telling the administration that this would be a really good idea? Could be. Could the NYT be getting bad information? Wouldn't surprise me one bit.

But an certain defense systems actually are more of a deterrent if they are known to be in place. It's along the same lines as what Reagan did with the Peacekeeper program. There are still many problems with the existing program, but we have got some missiles already deployed - primarily defending against possible North Korean missiles.

Nine interceptors have already been installed at Fort Greely, Alaska, and two at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as part of a broader, multilayered system planned by the Pentagon. An interceptor consists of a rocket that carries a 155-pound "kill vehicle," which is designed to seek out and collide with an enemy missile warhead. While the program is still being tested, the Pentagon says that the interceptors could be pressed into service in a crisis.

The program's numerous critics say it is behind schedule and not up to even this challenge. "It has been doing very poorly," said Philip Coyle, the former head of the Office of Operational Test and Evaluation in the Pentagon. "They have not had a successful flight intercept test for four years."

Lieut. Gen. Henry A. Obering III, chief of the Missile Defense Agency at the Pentagon, said none of the technical problems have been show-stoppers. Several tests in which a target is to be intercepted are scheduled for this year and early next year.

The Pentagon is seeking $9.3 billion for its missile defense work for the 2007 fiscal year. About $2.4 billion is to go for fielding new systems and maintaining existing ones. The remainder is for additional development and testing. 

So far this is the only report I have seen on this particular issue, so I think I'll reserve judgment. But one question comes to mind. If we build a shield for Europe will they despise us even more, while still staying nice and safe behind our defense? (Actually Poland and the Czech Republic have both turned into strong allies, so it makes sense to defend them).

What The Heck Is Going On?

Could people just stop injecting politics into every event? When has it ever - ever - been acceptable to make political speech at graduation ceremonies? It is supposed to be a celebration, not a chance to harangue a captive audience.

This is that lemming like march to the left that will cause the Democrats a lot of damage in the long run. The middle will not tolerate this behavior.

And yes, it's a shame the audience did get vocal. It's even more shameful to turn what should have been a day of celebration into something that people will remember with anger for the rest of their lives.

MUCH Better (Or How Not To Act Like A Spoiled Child)

Some protesters did not like Condoleezza Rice speaking at the graduation ceremony for Boston College. So about 50 students stood with their backs to her while she spoke. A handful of others held up signs before she spoke, then put them away.

Now, that was a lot classier, a lot more respectful of other's rights and overall a good way to handle it if you absolutely positively had to protest.

She drew scattered applause when she discussed what she called a "commitment to reason," or an obligation to test and challenge their own views.

"There is nothing wrong with holding an opinion and holding it passionately," Rice said, "but at those times when you are absolutely sure you're right, go find someone who disagrees."

About 50 students stood with their backs toward the stage as Rice was introduced to give her commencement speech, but they were quickly drowned out by a standing ovation.

A half-dozen signs that said "Not in my name" were held in the air by students, who sat down by the time Rice started to speak. One banner that said "BC honors lies and torture" was held on the side of the stadium, away from where the students were sitting.

Other students cheered Rice, and an Internet broadcast of the ceremony included a shot of a student, talking on his cell phone, with an "I Like Condi" button pinned to his graduation cap.

Earlier Monday, Rice said she understands why students and faculty planned to protest, and she embraced their right to object even as she defended the war in Iraq.

It seems that even though there were weeks of turmoil and protest leading up to the ceremony, people acted in a very mature way:

"People have the right to protest, but I hope when they protest they realize also that people now have a right to protest in Baghdad and Kabul, and that's a very big breakthrough for the international community," Rice said Monday before the BC commencement.

"I think it's just fine for people to protest as long as they do so in a way that doesn't try to have a monopoly on the conversation," Rice told WBZ-AM in an interview. "Others have right to say what they think as well."

Ever since Boston College announced earlier this month that Rice would speak at the school's graduation and receive an honorary degree, reaction has ranged from outrage to enthusiasm.

"We are very concerned as Catholics that Boston College has invited Condoleezza Rice, who is an architect of this foreign policy and war. … That is hardly something to honor," said Brayton Shanley, a BC alumnus and co-founder of Agape, a lay Catholic organization that has been working with students to organize the protests.

At the ceremony Monday, demonstrators planned to wear black armbands and turn their backs when Rice is awarded an honorary law degree. Students also will hand out leaflets and stickers with messages, including "Not in my name" and "No honorary degree."

University spokesman Jack Dunn told the student newspaper, The Heights, that all have agreed to keep their protests respectful and not disrupt the ceremonies.

I suspect the folks at the New School could have learned a bit about behavior if they had attended BC instead.

Has Anybody Thought To Ask

Why this analyst took data on 26.5 million veterans home?

A computer disk with personal data of about 26.5 million U.S. veterans was stolen from the home of a Veterans Affairs analyst, the federal department said Monday.

Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson said the stolen data included names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and numerical disability ratings. However, he said that no medical records or financial information had been compromised.

Nicholson said the theft occurred in May but declined to say where the theft took place, what form the information was in or what sort of access codes protected the data.

The analyst broke security rules and took the data home, then it was stolen in a burglary. The person has been placed on leave.

But I for one would sure like to get to the bottom of why the data was taken home in the first place.

This Shall Not Go Unavenged

These heathens will pay for their affront to the Crabitat. Just wait until Preston gets done with them.

Hey, It Worked For The Winter Soldiers

Fake war veteran - 1 cents.

Fake charges of atrocities - 1 cent.

Internet video interview - 1 cent.

Busting the faking liar - Priceless.

Screw you, Jesse.

Update: Fixed broken link.

UPDATE: For rather obvious reasons, I take attacks on the men and women who serve in the military very, very personally. I obviously also have a lot of problems with certain people of the far left persuasion, because of my support for the military. Despite that fact, I also have linked in the past to voices from the left making reasonable statements and taking reasonable positions. Right now, the only ones I found on that left side of the blogosphere commenting on this are Mahablog and In Search of Utopia. Thank you for taking a reasonable position on this, both of you. (And I also know my post doesn't exactly sound like the voice of calm and rational thought, but this one really got my goat.)

101st Blog Of The Day

Marching on in my project to visit one member of the 101st Fighting Keyboardists each day, today I ventured over to The Templar Times. You have to love a place where the proprietor goes by the name of Crusader Coyote.

While there I found this link. This is an awesome story of a spontaneous refusal to allow one student to dictate what can and can't be done at a high school graduation. Bravo.

Food With A Bang!

Who says Britain is a dull place? Twice last week a processing plant that makes frozen French fries had to be evacuated when pieces of explosive ordnance turned up among the potatoes.

The Scarborough plant, owned by Canada's McCain Foods, the world's largest producer of frozen fries, was emptied Friday after a worker spotted a shell tip among the potatoes as they were being cleaned for slicing.

"The police were called and the bomb squad advised a 100 meter exclusion zone should be set up," said a McCain spokesman.

Saturday, an entire hand grenade was discovered in the potatoes and the plant in northern England was evacuated again.

Apparently, the explosive bits are coming in from France and Belgium and are leftovers from the first and second world wars. Now Mom used to make some pretty lethal things out of leftovers. I'm glad she never got ahold of any of these!

I’m Telling My Mommy!

And the screaming headline at HuffPo says it all, really. "Top McCain Aide Insults Entire College Graduating Class…"

"Oh. My. God. Fern, he just insulted us! He can't do that. Only we get to insult and demean people."

I think someone needs a diaper change.

UPDATE: The gift that just keeps giving. Stop bullying me.

Drunken Monkeys

It seems the zookeepers in Budapest are covering up a major problem. They have drunken monkeys. Or sure, they try to deny it and say they're only doing it for the good of the apes. Red blood cell count, they say. But it's time for the truth to come out! 55 liters a year is not a small amount of red wine.

Budapest Zoo spokesman Zoltan Hanga said it was the 11 anthropoid apes who drank most of the wine in 2005.

"Obviously, they do not have it all at once and get drunk, but they get it in small amounts mixed in their tea," Hanga said.

Oh, sure. Mixed in their tea. That's an old trick. We here at Blue Crab Boulevard demand something be done at once. We sent our intrepid photographer from the Magic-8 Ball Photography and Street Sweeping Service, Inc. deep under cover to get this shocking picture. (He still has a rash from the chimp suit, too). Demand justice!

Soon it will be just another monkey skid row. The tragedy of it.

Those Wacky Dutch!

Well, you have to hand it to the Dutch. They are about as liberal as can be, even if they chase brave people out of the country. I mean where else are you going to find see-through blouses on policewomen?

The Dutch police union has received dozens of official complaints from policewomen about their new uniform blouse which they say is see-through.

The officers feel "uneasy" and "closely watched" while wearing the new garment, police union chairman Hans van Duijn told Monday's edition of the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper.

Gee, I wonder why?

Some Interesting Ideas

The Washington Post has an article that is directly on point to my earlier post about the problem the Democrats will have if they veer left.  There are some people in the party who actually appear to be able to see that there is a problem.

Though you'd never know it from surfing the Internet, there exists in the Democratic Party a substantial body of politicians and policymakers who believe the U.S. mission in Iraq must be sustained until it succeeds; who want to intensify American attempts to spread democracy in the greater Middle East; and who think that the Army needs to be expanded to fight a long war against Islamic extremism.

Their problem isn't only that some people (mostly Republicans and independents) don't believe they exist. Or that the flamers at MoveOn.org would expel them from the party if that were possible. They also face the formidable task of rescuing what they believe is a quintessentially Democratic policy agenda from the wreckage of the Bush administration, so that a future president can do it right.

Now, just the information in the article that provides a thumbnail sketch of the group's proposals isn't a lot to go on, but there are a few things these folks are proposing that actually make sense. Some others I disagree with.

This month they published a fascinating book that lays out what the foreign policy of a winning campaign by one of those Democrats — or perhaps Hillary Clinton — could look like. Sponsored by the Progressive Policy Institute, which is an outgrowth of the Clinton-friendly Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), it's called "With All Our Might: A Progressive Strategy for Defeating Jihadism and Defending Liberty."

Like most of its authors, editor Will Marshall, a DLC founder who now heads the policy institute, sees himself as reviving the foreign policy of Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy, who formulated the Democratic response to the totalitarian menace of communism. Jihadism, Marshall says, requires a similar exercise of intellectual muscle. "Democrats have always been at our best when we have defended democratic values against illiberal ideologies," Marshall told me last week. "When we do that we can appeal to a broader public, not only at home but globally."

The article says many of these people are former mid-level functionaries from the Clinton administration. So I have no idea how much of this is real, as opposed to just talk, but it does show that someone is thinking beyond knee-jerk attacks on all things Bush. That's a good sign one way or the other for the Democrats.

Maybe It’s Time For Truthout To Get The Truth Out?

OK, if the Washington Post is describing how your story collapsed, you have a problem. Basically, every day that passes brings out more and more detail on why the Truthout story can't be true. Issuing non-retraction retractions isn't at all helpful, either.

It might be time to get the truth out, Truthout. Or be honest and rename yourself. ThruthyOut has a nice ring to it.