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U.S. Fires on Car Carrying Freed Journalist Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — A U.S. armored vehicle in Iraq fired on a car Friday that was carrying a freed Italian hostage, injuring the hostage and killing an Italian intelligence agent, according to military sources. | |
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Joe Gandelman: U.S. Forces Fire On Freed Italian Hostage In Iraq — There are tragedies within tragedies in the Iraq saga — and... James Joyner: U.S. Fires on Freed Journalist Giuliana Sgrena — U.S. Fires on Freed Journalist (Fox News) [snipped quote] Talk about your bad luck. |
Jan Haugland: Yet, this incident is obviously not what Silvio Berlusconi needs locally! PS: Sgrena was a left-wing journalist. Jeff Goldstein: libera — The Jawa report is your one-stop link dump for news and commentary on Giuliana Sgrena, the anti-American... |
Bush has made spent fuel of Frist's 'nuclear option' The Hill — Permalink Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) rocked Washington last week by threatening that he might invoke the "nuclear option" and rule that filibusters of judicial nominations are unconstitutional. He is only spewing hot air. | |
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Avedon Carol: Bearing in mind that you can rarely believe a word Dick Morris says, here's an interesting rumination on why the Senate Republicans haven't - yet - invoked the nuclear option. James Joyner: Dick Morris, who's generally annoying but usually a shrewd political analyst, spins a rather implausible tale of... Orrin Judd: MISTAKING A STRAIGHT LINE FOR A TRIANGLE (via Daniel Merriman): Bush has made spent fuel of Frist's 'nuclear option'... |
Joe Gandelman: Yet another flambouyant political analysis for former Clinton friend and now Clinton nemesis Dick Morris. Moe Freedman: A funny thing happened on the way to the nuclear option by Moe Freedman Dick Morris says that all the talk about... |
Mistaken U.S. attack wounds Italian journalist MSNBC — Permalink ROME - A U.S. armored vehicle in Iraq fired on a car carrying a freed Italian hostage Friday, wounding her and killing an Italian intelligence officer, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said. | |
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Michelle Malkin: Update: Reader Greg points out that the Reuters story left out an important part of the story: turns out the car was... Jeralyn Merritt: Today, in mistaken attack, U.S. troops fired on her car, wounding her and killing a security agent. Ms. Sgrena is expected to recover. |
James Joyner: Update: Rusty and Michelle Malkin point out a minor omission from the AP report than The fact that the car in question was MSNBC adds: [snipped quote] Talk about your stupid. |
U.S. May Aid Iran Activists LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is considering a more aggressive effort to foster opposition inside Iran and seeking ways to use a new $3-million fund to support activists without exposing them to the risk of arrest. | |
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Ezra Klein: Bad Move — There's really nothing more counterproductive than leaks on Iran. Robert Tagorda: First, in noting that this initiative is backed by the White House, proponents take shots at the old diplomatic guard:... K. J. Lopez: GIVING IRANIANS A HAND — In today's LATimes: "The Bush administration is considering a more aggressive effort to foster... |
Cookie Jill: [quote] "There are some that want to engage in a more confrontational democratization effort within Iran," he said. [end quote] oh,... Pejman Yousefzadeh: At last, we may be getting the Iran policy out of this Administration I have dreamed of getting: [snipped quote] Given... Orrin Judd: GIVING THE BOOT TO REALISM: U.S. May Aid Iran Activists: Officials at State have money in hand but are still weighing how to best effect change. |
When Democrats Join the Dark Side By / LAT — Permalink Not long ago, I was listening to Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) being interviewed, and I was struck at how intelligent and morally serious he was. Biden is justly viewed as a smart foreign policy hawk, but he also expressed his opposition to Social Security privatization in a particularly lucid way. | |
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Avedon Carol: Jonathan Chait, in The Los Angeles Times, talks about When Democrats Join the Dark Side - specifically in this case, when it comes to the ghastly bankruptcy bill. Ezra Klein: Regarding Biden and his potential vote for the atrocious bankruptcy bill, Jon Chait writes: [snipped quote] Just so. |
Barbara O'Brien: According to Jonathan Chait, the bill doesn't address long-time loopholes that permit the rich to stash millions away in... Matthew Yglesias: Jon Chait takes a look at the strange case of Joe Biden's support for the bankruptcy bill thanks to some... |
Two Charged in Slaying of Egyptian Family By / AP — Permalink The upstairs neighbor of an Egyptian Christian family found slain in their home in January was charged along with another man Friday in the killings, and authorities said the motive was robbery, not religious fanaticism, as some had feared. | |
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Charles Bird: Associated Press reported the arrest of two murder suspects, Edward McDonald and Hamilton Sanchez: "But Hudson County... Glenn Reynolds: NEW JERSEY KILLINGS UPDATE: [snipped quote] This is actually a relief, in a way, assuming that Sanchez & McDonald turn out to be guilty. |
Ace: An upstair neighbor of the butchered family — named MacDonald — and an accused accomplice — named Sanchez — have... |
A Quest for a Restroom That's Neither Men's Room Nor Women's Room By / NYT — Permalink SAN FRANCISCO - Political epiphanies can occur in unexpected places. For Riki Dennis, a 35-year-old humanities student who is transsexual, it was the women's room at a rest stop on Highway 101 north of Santa Barbara. | |
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Hei Lun: THE LAST FRONTIER OF INTEGRATION — Unisex public bathrooms? Count me as being in favor. I don't know the social implications, and do not much care. Ann Althouse: I understand the problem transgendered persons sometimes have in finding an acceptable public bathroom, but I consider... |
Will Baude: Both of these topics for blogospheric debate come, of course, from the New York Times— this column by David Brooks and this article by Patricia Brown. Jonah Goldberg: Anyway, here's a good example of what I'm talking about From the New York Times: "SAN FRANCISCO - Political epiphanies can occur in unexpected places. |
A little free advice NY Daily News — Permalink Publish a tasteless cover story that ostensibly plays 84-year-old Pope John Paul's current medical ordeal for laughs. The story - by Press contributing editor Matt Taibbi - is headlined: "The 52 Funniest Things About the Upcoming Death of the Pope." | |
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Stefan Beck: Some people are shocked and appalled. I'm not. Catholic-bashing is so common and so safe (no pesky fatwas to worry... |
Tim Graham: OVERBOARD AND OUT TO SEA — One way of telling the New York Press has totally gone beyond the pale in publishing a story... |
The Road to Damascus By / WaPo — Permalink Revolutions do not stand still. They either move forward or die. We are at the dawn of a glorious, delicate, revolutionary moment in the Middle East. It was triggered by the invasion of Iraq, the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and televised images of 8 million Iraqis voting in a free election. | |
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McQ: Charles Krauthammer gives us a little insight: "Because a forced Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon could bring down the Assad dictatorship. Michael Young: Dedication — Just thought I'd dedicate this link to Flynt Everett, who was, again, rightfully spat upon, this time by Charles Krauthammer. Glenn Reynolds: UPDATE: And Charles Krauthammer is also right when he says that we need to keep the momentum going: "Revolution is in the air. |
Betsy Newmark: Charles Krauthammer has a wonderful column that, for Krauthammer, is cautiously optimistic, about what the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon can mean for the whole region. Pejman Yousefzadeh: ON THE NEED FOR MOMENTUM — Charles Krauthammer wisely points out that now is not the time to go wobbly: [snipped quote] Quite so. |
Eurospeak NRO — Permalink Sorting out the teenage sass. President Bush supposedly charmed the Europeans, and now they purportedly don't hate us any more. But from the recent trip, it is clear that Americans can still expect two things from the European public and its leadership: deep-seeded anti-Americanism and embarrassing contradictions. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Victor Davis Hanson has some fun with comparing Europeans to sulky teenagers. |
Arthur Chrenkoff: Diagnosing the European condition — Victor Davis Hanson, whom I interviewed earlier this week, has another great piece... |
Byrd Droppings By / Weekly Standard — Permalink WHEN DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ROBERT BYRD rose on the floor Tuesday to compare the tactics of his Republican colleagues in the battles over judicial nominees to those employed by Hitler in building the Reich, you knew two things. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: My WeeklyStandard.com column, "Byrd Droppings," is up. You can guess what it is about. And "Agent Tim" reviews Blog. C. D. Harris: Byrd's New Song — Via Hugh Hewitt we discover that back when he was rejiggering Senate rules however he saw fit, Sen... Ed Driscoll: Byrd Droppings — Hugh Hewitt asks, "Have the Democrats already lost the filibuster fight?" |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: "BYRD DROPPINGS" — Hugh Hewitt gives Robert Byrd another much needed kick in the pants: "WHEN DEMOCRATIC SENATOR... Betsy Newmark: Hugh Hewitt believes (somwhat optimistically, I fear) taht Robert Byrd's rants against the move to limit filibusters on... |
Rosen: CU is worth fighting for Rocky Mountain News — Permalink Thank you Ward Churchill! As the poster child for so much of what's wrong with higher education today, you moved this issue from the back burner to the front burner of public policy. Whether you stay or go is merely another battle. This is about the war of ideas. | |
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Acidman: ain't gonna happen — This is a pretty good read that reflects my opinion of most universities today. Maimon Schwarzschild: They're Beginning to Notice — Ward Churchill, and the academic iceberg of which he is the tip, is beginning to produce... |
Greg Ransom: A debate. UPDATE: The universities are the power base of the left: [snipped quote] A modest proposal — privatize CU. |
Bush's Supply-Side Boom NRO — Permalink Witness the economic power of lower marginal tax-rate incentives. The economy is on a tear. You might not know this from coverage in the mainstream media, which may have a built-in bias against George W. Bush. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Lawrence Kudlow looks at more stats to show the supply side success of Bush's tax cut. |
PGL: Update 2: Lawrence Kudlow - aka the household survey measure is the more reliable - writes: "Friday's payroll-jobs... |
Key Iraq wound: Brain trauma By / USA Today — Permalink A growing number of U.S. troops whose body armor helped them survive bomb and rocket attacks are suffering brain damage as a result of the blasts. It's a type of injury some military doctors say has become the signature wound of the Iraq war. | |
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Steve M.: UPDATE: And gosh, what on earth could those African-Americans be so squeamish about? |
K. J. Lopez: "SIGNATURE INJURY" OF THE IRAQ WAR — Brain trauma. |
Less Swearing on TV, Demands Former Sex Pistol Reuters — Permalink LONDON (Reuters) - "Wanna be an anarchist?" At least one of the Sex Pistols, now middle-aged and a father of two, no longer does. Former Pistols bassist Glen Matlock has called for swearing on British television to be curbed, nearly 30 years after... | |
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Scott Sala: The Evolution of Politics — Proving the mantra that if you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart, and if... |
Clayton Cramer: Who Wants British TV To Have Less Swearing? Why, someone who was a member of the Sex Pistols, of course! |
Republican media adviser found dead By / Washington Times — Permalink Republican media adviser R. Gregory Stevens, who recently served as co-chairman of the Bush/Cheney Entertainment Task Force, was found dead Saturday in the Hollywood home of actress Carrie Fisher. "He passed away here, and in a place where he was loved," Miss Fisher said yesterday from her home in Los Angeles. | |
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Kevin Roderick: GOP adviser found dead by Carrie Fisher — R. Gregory Stevens, 42, was a houseguest of the actress in Hollywood for Oscar weekend, the Washington Times says. |
James Joyner: Republican Media Adviser Greg Stevens Found Dead — Republican media adviser found dead (WaTi) [snipped quote] Sad and bizarre. |
DON'T GET COCKY By / New York Post — Permalink FOR three years, this column has shot down the pessi mists who warned we were bound to fail in the Middle East. Now those of us who see our confidence vindicated must beware a premature euphoria. There's plenty of work ahead. Our successes have been remarkable. | |
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McQ: Cautious optimism is the phrase of the day — Ralph Peters issues a sober reminder that although things are looking... Glenn Reynolds: RALPH PETERS: "Don't Get Cocky!" "FOR three years, this column has shot down the pessi mists who warned we were bound to fail in the Middle East. |
James Joyner: Peters: Don't Get Cocky — Ralph Peters issues a word of caution: [snipped quote] Quite right. |
Rossi team issues list of "felon" voters Seattle Times — Permalink Attorneys for Republican Dino Rossi yesterday released the names of more than 1,000 people who allegedly cast illegal votes in November's disputed gubernatorial election. | |
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Stefan Sharkansky: WASHINGTON UPDATE — The Washington State Republicans released a list yesterday of more than 1,100 people believed to be felons who voted illegally in November 2004. Taegan Goddard: GOP Releases Illegal Voter List — Washington gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi (R) [snipped quote] the Seattle Times reports. |
Jim Boulet: 1,135 = 129 — Attorneys for Republican Dino Rossi, Washington State's Republican nominee for governor in 2004, have... |
Chimps critically injure sanctuary visitor AP — Permalink BAKERSFIELD, California (AP) — A couple's plans for a birthday party for their former pet chimpanzee turned tragic when two other chimps at an animal sanctuary escaped from their cage and attacked. The man was critically injured with massive wounds to his face, body and limbs, and the attacking animals were shot dead. | |
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Oliver @LiquidList: CNN is running a story about a man who lost his nose, foot, and testicles in a vicious chimp attack. |
Orrin Judd: WE ARE FAMILY (via Bryan Francoeur): Chimps critically injure sanctuary visitor (AP, 3/04/05) [snipped quote] Bet they... |
Harry Reid a soft-spoken lawmaker with a punch By / Knight Ridder — Permalink SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. - In Washington, he's the Senate Democratic leader, afforded all the deference and courtesies of his position. But here, amid the Joshua trees and russet hills of the Nevada desert, Harry Reid is simply "Pinky," the hard-rock miner's son who, on a good day, may get a corner booth at the Searchlight Nugget. | |
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Bill @INDCJournal: Captain Ed maligns Letterman's "suck-up." *** Open mouth ... [snipped quote] ... insert foot. Why? Steve Antler: Vast left-wing conspiracy speaks out? Hmmm... Are these statements somehow coordinated with these statements? |
David Cohen: PINKY AND THE BRAIN — Harry Reid a soft-spoken lawmaker with a punch (James Kuhnhenn, Knight Ridder Newspapers,... |
Hundreds rally for Azeri funeral BBC — Permalink Hundreds of people are reported to have gathered at a cemetery in Azerbaijan for the funeral of independent journalist Elmar Huseynov. Huseynov, widely known for his outspoken criticism of the Azerbaijani authorities, was shot outside his flat in the capital, Baku, on Wednesday. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Instapundit notes this demonstration going on elsewhere, reported by the BBC: "Thousands of people have turned out for... |
Glenn Reynolds: AZERBAIJAN UPDATE: Hundreds protest at the funeral of a murdered journalist. |
Senate Democratic Leader Blasts Greenspan By / WaPo — Permalink Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan generally gets accolades for his public pronouncements. Yesterday he got a brickbat from Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who blasted Greenspan as "one of the biggest political hacks we have here in Washington." | |
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James Joyner: Harry Reid Calls Alan Greenspan a "Hack" — Senate Democratic Leader Blasts Greenspan (WaPo, A06) [snipped quote] I have... McQ: More "useful" rhetoric from the left — Harry Reid, obviously trying very hard to fill Tom Daschle's shoes, had this to... Atrios: Hack — I'm glad the Democrats have realized that Greenspan is part of the problem. |
John Cole: Even Alan Greenspan: [quote] "I'm not a big Greenspan fan — Alan Greenspan fan," Reid said when asked about the Fed...[end quote] Steve Soto: As a bonus, I get to see Harry Reid call Alan Greenspan the biggest political hack in Washington, for advocating Bush's... Ezra Klein: Greenspan Hackery Watch: Democratic Leadership Edition — Harry Reid don't suffer no fools: [quote] "I'm not a big Greenspan...[end quote] |
| Also: Avedon Carol, Matthew Yglesias, Orrin Judd, Betsy Newmark | |
He Did Time, So He's Unfit to Do Hair By / NYT — Permalink AS someone who has done time himself, Marc La Cloche is happy for Martha Stewart. She has managed to turn life in federal prison into a nifty career move. Her company's stock is soaring, and she has plans for not one but two television shows. | |
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Kerry Howley: The New York Times reports on his sad struggle for acceptance into New York's haircutting community post-prison: "In... |
Jeralyn Merritt: Not in New York, not if you want to be a hairstylist and have been to prison. "Mr. [Marc] La Cloche served 11 years in New York prisons for first-degree robbery. |
For Drivers, a Traffic Jam of Distractions AP — Permalink MICHAEL TRUJILLO is beginning to sound like an outlaw. He has turned against a law he was instrumental in passing. As vice chairman of the Public Safety Committee for Santa Fe, N.M. , Mr. Trujillo supported and promoted the city's adoption three years ago of a ban on the use of all but hands-free cellphones while driving. | |
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Jacob Sullum: "In the beginning I pushed it pretty hard," he tells The New York Times. "But then I realized, 'God, how stupid is this law? |
John Cole: Stupid Legislation — Jacob Sollum discusses something that has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time- state laws... |
Bush Selects Steve Johnson to Head EPA By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - President Bush elevated Stephen Johnson, the acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency , nominating him to the top job on a full-time basis on Friday. Bush called Johnson "the first professional scientist to lead the EPA." | |
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Mathew @Centerfield: That is why I am ecstatic about the nomination of Stephen Johnson to head the EPA. |
Chris Mooney: New EPA Head — I don't know anything about the new guy, Stephen Johnson, but apparently he's a scientist. |
Saudis Join Call for Syrian Force to Quit Lebanon By / NYT — Permalink BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 3 - Saudi Arabia told Syria on Thursday to withdraw its troops from Lebanon, adding substantially to Syria's international isolation just a day after Russia joined Western nations in making a similar call. | |
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Cicero: Even Saudi Arabia is withdrawing its support for Syria in Lebanon — but liberal voices are faint. |
Cori Dauber: Nowhere to Run To — The lead article in today's Times makes clear that Syria is pretty much about out of friends — even the Arab League can read the handwriting on the wall now. |
BUSH TO SYRIA: SCRAM By / New York Post — Permalink WASHINGTON — President Bush told the New York Post yesterday that Syria must pull all of its troops out of Lebanon by May so that the now-occupied nation can have free elections. | |
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Howard Kurtz: Rupert Murdoch's son was among those scoring an Oval Office interview for the New York Post: "President Bush told the... |
The Big Trunk: Bush to Damascus: Get out — In his interview with the New York Post editorial board, President Bush speaks with great... |
Deficits and Deceit By / NYT — Permalink Four years ago, Alan Greenspan urged Congress to cut taxes, asserting that the federal government was in imminent danger of paying off too much debt. On Wednesday the Fed chairman warned Congress of the opposite fiscal danger: he asserted that there would... | |
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Tom Maguire: Here he goes again, in his latest tirade: "And don't forget that President Clinton's 1993 tax increase ushered in an economic boom." Steve Soto: Go away. Then, Paul Krugman shreds Greenspan in tomorrow's NYT. PGL: Taking the Gloves Off With Respect to Greenspan — First, it was Senator Reid annd now, it's Paul Krugman: "Four years... |
Leah A: Speaking of Balls — Unsurprisingly, Krugman takes on Greenspan, and with that wonderful clarity and passion that has... Avedon Carol: The truth gets out there — Best news of the day is that Paul Krugman and Harry Reid are going after Greenspan directly. Matthew Yglesias: And I've criticized the Chairman's bait-and-switch (ably summarized by Paul Krugman) in the past, so I'll let what Krugman says stand. |
| Also: Steve Antler, Armando @DailyKos, Josh Marshall | |
Narcissus Is Now Greek AND Roman By / WaPo — Permalink The media blew it once again last week, focusing on President Bush's fence-mending trip to Europe. There were countless stories about yet another presidential visit across the pond where world leaders said things they surely didn't mean. | |
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Max B. Sawicky: MONUMENTAL — When no elaboration is necessary: "The big news was not in Brussels or Bratislava, but in Rome, where real... |
Radley Balko: Now read this: [snipped quote] This is so very depressing. Hat tip: Matt Hogan. |
Poll of immigrants shows reform woes By / Denver Post — Permalink Washington - Nearly three-fourths of undocumented Mexican immigrants would enroll in a "guest worker" program that gave temporary legal status to those who promise to return home eventually, according to a research survey released Wednesday. | |
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Mark Krikorian: AT LEAST THEY KNOW IT'S AN AMNESTY — A new survey of Mexican illegal aliens finds that although nearly 70 percent said... |
Steve Antler: More data... Soon we'll publish a link to this study. |
This is about Israel, not anti-semitism By / Guardian — Permalink Racism is a uniquely reactionary ideology, used to justify the greatest crimes in history - the slave trade, the extermination of all original inhabitants of the Caribbean, the elimination of every native inhabitant of Tasmania, apartheid. | |
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Norm Geras: Livingstone has today checked in with a new contribution on the issue of anti-Semitism, and it contains one quite especially egregious component that I shall focus upon. |
Harry @HarrysPlace: Changing the subject — So Livingstone decides that now, in one of those rare moments of slight hope in the Middle East... |
Bush Denies That Private Accounts Are in Serious Trouble By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, March 3 - President Bush dismissed the notion Thursday that his campaign to create private accounts in Social Security was in serious trouble, asserting he was still "at the early stages of the process." | |
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Howard Kurtz: The president, for his part, begs to differ, as this New York Times account makes clear: "President Bush dismissed the... Billmon: "New York Times Bush Denies That Private Accounts Are in Serious Trouble March 4, 2005" — "Senate Finance Committee... |
Steve Soto: Both were taken to the Rovian woodshed and Bush was forced to come out and say that all is well, don't pay any attention to that iceberg. Josh Marshall: Not just Frist. You have to read down to the bottom of the article in tomorrow's Times. |
The rap against Mayor Yawn By / LAT — Permalink Los Angeles' leader is no Mr. Personality. Should that matter? Come Tuesday, it might. They speak in code, using words like "vision" and "destiny" and "thinking small." | |
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Steve Bainbridge: The one thing I do know for sure is that I won't be voting for incumbent Mayor James Hahn (or, as the LA Times referred to him today, Mayor Yawn). |
Kevin Roderick: Times (info table), Daily News, Daily Breeze • 'Mayor Yawn': The Times' Mark Z. Baraback revisits the issue of Jim... |
Card Co.'s Offset Bankruptcy Cost With High Interest, Fees By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — In the eight years since they began pressing for the tough new bankruptcy bill now being debated in the Senate, America's big credit card companies have effectively inoculated themselves from many of the problems that first sparked their call for the measure. | |
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Andrew Cory: Outrage: by Andrew Cory From this LA times story: [snipped quote] Obviously this case is picked to tug at the heartstrings. Kevin Drum: That they have become obscenely profitable by transforming themselves into little more than genteel loan sharks preying on the unfortunate is another. |
John Cole: Kevin then links to this LA Times story, which is a must read. |
Padilla, Quirin and detention By / Washington Times — Permalink On Feb. 28, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina directed the release of Jose Padilla, the terrorist who planned to detonate a "dirty bomb" in a major United States city. | |
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The Big Trunk: Don't miss his Washington Times column this morning on the federal court order for the release of Jose Padilla by April 14: "Padilla, Quirin and detention." |
K. J. Lopez: JOSE PADILLA & ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN — Two names I never thought I'd read in the same op-ed. |
Finger length 'key to aggression' BBC — Permalink The length of a man's fingers can reveal how physically aggressive he is, Canadian scientists have said. The shorter the index finger is compared to the ring finger, the more boisterous he will be, University of Alberta researchers said. | |
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Kevin Drum: PALMISTRY...This comes as news to me, but the BBC reports that a new Canadian study indicates that you can tell a lot... Jan Haugland: Study: Finger length predicts male aggression — Canadian scientists say the length of fingers relative to each other... James Joyner: Finger Length Key to Aggression — Finger length 'key to aggression' (BBC) [snipped quote] Interesting. |
Orrin Judd: READING BETWEEN THE LINES: Finger length 'key to aggression' (BBC, 3/04/05) [snipped quote] This makes perfect sense in... Tom Maguire: Yeah, well how long is this one, jack? MORE: Yes! It is 12:30, so we are doing the Friday afternoon thing here. |
Frist Revises Social Security Remarks, Urges Prompt Action WaPo — Permalink Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who angered some fellow Republicans this week by suggesting President Bush's proposed Social Security revisions might have to wait a year, said yesterday that the legislation needs to pass this year. | |
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Sam Rosenfeld: They basically called on him to state categorically and unequivocally that he rejects the notion of private accounts... Josh Marshall: The Post tomorrow says this about the president's warning to Democrats ... [snipped quote] At the risk of stating the... |
Jerome Armstrong: Fiengold & Nelson won't sign off against private accounts? Were they absent, or have some other excuse? RCox: The Washington Post reported that Bush told reporters the national debate has just begun and that "I've got a lot more... |
Martha: Homebound early Friday By / CNN — Permalink NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - For nearly five months now, a virtual stopwatch on SaveMartha.com has been counting down the seconds until the site's heroine gets out of prison — a moment that's now just hours away. | |
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Ann Althouse: We're told the federal version of house arrest does not let you go into the yard, so no gardening for Martha — though I... Steve Bainbridge: Free at last — Top news: Martha Stewart's out of jail. Now all she has to worry about is that pesky SEC civil suit. |
Orin Kerr: The press coverage of Martha Stewart's release from prison suggests a third purpose: humanizing celebrities, giving them... Brian Stelter: > "She will not speak to the media but will post a statement on her personal Web site," CNN.com says. |
Cooking Linked to Possible Climate Changes By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - The major source of potentially climate-changing soot in the air over south Asia is home cooking fires, according to a team of Indian and American researchers. | |
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James R. Rummel: This news story reports that a team of researchers led by Chandra Venkataraman of the Indian Institute of Technology in... |
McQ: Not much I'm sure: "The major source of potentially climate-changing soot in the air over south Asia is home cooking fires, according to a team of Indian and American researchers." |
The coming crackdown on blogging By / CNET.com — Permalink Bradley Smith says that the freewheeling days of political blogging and online punditry are over. In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign's Web site. | |
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Mark Schmitt: I've been encouraged to comment on this interview with Bradley Smith, chair of the Federal Election Commission, in which... Thomas Leavitt: CNET: "The coming crackdown on blogging" — Declan McCullagh's latest is an interview with Bradley Smith, a Republican... Norbizness: On the topic du jour, the blogosphere-wide freak-out over the comments of the FEC commissioner concerning regulation... |
Avedon Carol: Also, Patrick is wary of anything Declan says, but if it's true that the FEC wants to treat my personal advocacy for a... Vox Day: Untwist the panties, people — [snipped quote] I saw this yesterday but didn't even bother commenting on it. The notion is absurd. Chris Bowers: The Legal Framework of Internet Regulations In Campaign Finance Law — The Legal Framework of Internet Regulations Since... |
| Also: Deacon, John Cole, Cori Dauber, Steve Bainbridge, Nielsen Hayden, Roger L. Simon, Michael J. Totten, Dean Esmay, Tom Maguire, Patrick Ruffini, Chris Lawrence, Jeff Jarvis, McQ, Charles Johnson, John Hawkins, Captain Ed, Michelle Malkin, Kriston @BeggingToDiffer, Dale Franks, Bill Hobbs, Joe Gandelman, Ace, Jerome Armstrong, Susanna Cornett, Medium Lobster, Rex Hammock, Radley Balko, Scott Sala, Amanda Marcotte, Andrew Sullivan, Will Wilkinson, Paul @Wizbang, PoliPundit, Jeff Goldstein, Mimus Pauly, Nathan Newman, Armando @DailyKos, James Joyner, Taegan Goddard, Orrin Judd, Glenn Reynolds, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Charles Kuffner, Ed Cone, Josh Marshall, Susan Madrak, Atrios, JD @SouthernAppeal, Jesse Walker, Smash, Stirling Newberry, K. J. Lopez | |
What have the Americans ever done for us? Liberated 50 million people... By / Times of London — Permalink ONE OF MY favourite cinematic moments is the scene in Monty Python's Life of Brian when Reg, aka John Cleese, the leader of the People's Front of Judea, is trying to whip up anti-Roman sentiment among his team of slightly hesitant commandos. | |
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Roger L. Simon: UPDATE: As an antidote to fuddy-duddies, don't miss this Gerard Baker piece in the London Timesonline. Steve @BeggingToDiffer: APART FROM THE SANITATION... Gerard Baker, writing in the Times Online: "All right, all right. Norm Geras: And then check out 'What have the Americans ever done for us? |
Harry @HarrysPlace: Reg's angry successors — Here is some Friday afternoon material from Gerard Baker in The Times: Confronted with this... Blackfive: Gerard Baker (Times UK) answers... What have the Americans ever done for us? Betsy Newmark: Here's what Monty Python might say about the United States. |
| Also: Mitch Berg, McQ, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Michael DeBow, Orrin Judd, Jonah Goldberg, Lorie Byrd, Glenn Reynolds | |
N. Korea, Without the Rancor By / LAT — Permalink BEIJING — He arrived at the entrance to a North Korean government-owned restaurant and karaoke club here in the Chinese capital with a handshake and a request. "Call me Mr. Anonymous," he said in English. | |
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Charles Bird: The piece, titled From North Korea With Love N. Korea, Without the Rancor, is an astounding example of either monumental bias or ignorance or worse. Patterico: Poor Misunderstood North Korea — The L.A. Times had a truly unbelievable article yesterday on that misunderstood country: North Korea. Will Collier: Propaganda on the Front Page — Hugh Hewitt is off on a show-long rant over today's risible LA Times front-pager about North Korea. |
Hindrocket: It is about North Korea—an apology for North Korea, actually—and is bizarrely titled "North Korea, Without the Rancor". Jason Van Steenwyk: This girl's the journalistic equivalent of a cum-guzzling camp follower. I'm talking about this. Armed Liberal: On the front page of the L.A. Times today: "N. Korea, Without the Rancor - A businessman speaks his mind about the U.S., the 'nuclear club' and human rights issues." |
| Also: Vanderleun, Roger L. Simon, Hugh Hewitt, David Foster, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Charles Johnson, Orrin Judd | |
False Attacks Over "Windfalls" to Wall Street FactCheck.org — Permalink New information turned up by FactCheck.org shows that the type of private Social Security accounts being proposed by President Bush would yield very little profit to the securities industry, contrary to persistent claims of a potentially huge "windfall" to Wall Street. | |
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Jon @ThinkProgress: Even if that number is inflated, Factcheck admits private accounts could lead to "the possibility of huge profits being... Susan Madrak: FACTCHECK THEIR ASSES — I got this email from Factcheck.org and I knew it was screwy, because I wrote about this before... Pejman Yousefzadeh: IS SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM A "WINDFALL FOR WALL STREET"? No. |
Judd @ThinkProgress: FackCheck.org Blows It — Today, FactCheck.org - a website run by UPenn's Annenberg Public Policy Center - lambastes... Ramesh Ponnuru: WINDFALLS FOR WALL STREET? Not according to factcheck.org. |
BGLTSA calls comments "heteronormative," pledges to work with Foundation By / Harvard Crimson — Permalink After some students were offended by Jada Pinkett Smith's comments at Saturday's Cultural Rhythms show, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA) and the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations have begun working together to increase sensitivity toward issues of sexuality at Harvard. | |
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Stefan Beck: Some BGLTSA members were uncomfortable. Whenever I hear that word I reach for my revolver. Ann Althouse: (A bit heteronormative of MacDougal, there, don't you think?) Now, MacDougal is bragging about how prison made her "'umbler." Philip Greenspun: Maybe women wouldn't want to get married if they knew how time-consuming it was — A 40ish friend he told me about life... |
Greg @BeggingToDiffer: The Havard Crimson explains: "After some students were offended by Jada Pinkett Smith's comments at Saturday's Cultural... McQ: The sin of being "heteronormative" — It's being reported by the Harvard Crimson that Jada Pinkett Smith apparently made... Clayton Cramer: The Right To Not Be Uncomfortable — I confess that I am so old that I have no idea who this person is that is the... |
Saddam's son Uday was poised to topple dad : controversial US journalist AFP — Permalink LOS ANGELES (AFP) - The eldest son of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was plotting to overthrow his father just as US troops advanced on Baghdad in March 2003, journalist Peter Arnett claimed in Playboy Magazine. | |
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Stephen Green: That Son of a Bitch — This Peter Arnett story is getting a lot of play: "The eldest son of Iraqi dictator Saddam... Roger L. Simon: Now Arnett, in a Playboy interview, is promulgating a "scoop" that Uday was about to overthrow father Saddam when the Americans invaded. |
Libertarian Jackass: UNNECESSARY WAR Can't pass this one up: Uday was going to topple Saddam anyway. |
GOP catches heat on Bush plan By / Chicago Sun Times — Permalink George W. Bush, who is not prone to confessing mistakes, has confided to close associates that he committed a whopper on Social Security. He admitted error in pushing for new personal accounts while not stressing the repair of the safety net for seniors. | |
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Dale Franks: Robert Novak writes that GOP lawmakers got an earful about changing Social Security, and not much of it was supportive. Noam Scheiber: And here's the first paragraph of Bob Novak's column today: "George W. Bush, who is not prone to confessing mistakes,... Jack Grant: Robert Novak appears to believe that the changes in Social Security being pushed by President Bush will not survive passage through Congress without major changes. |
Barbara O'Brien: Rightie blogger Orrin Judd quotes a Bob the Lizard column in which the Reptile points to a proposal from Senator Lindsey... Ann Althouse: Robert Novak writes (via Memeorandum): "George W. Bush, who is not prone to confessing mistakes, has confided to close associates that he committed a whopper on Social Security. Rich Lowry: NOVAK SAYS THINGS ARE SWINGING... ...Lindsey Graham's way on Social Security. |
Low Opinion By / TNR — Permalink On Tuesday the Supreme Court ruled in Roper v. Simmons that it is unconstitutional to execute people for crimes they committed before turning 18. As in Atkins v. Virginia, which outlawed the death penalty for the mentally retarded in 2003, the Court cited... | |
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NewSisyphus: We will leave the detailed arguments on the merits of Kennedy's case elsewhere, though we agree strongly with the... Pejman Yousefzadeh: MORE ON ROPER — Will Baude directs us to his latest New Republic article—this one on the Supreme Court's opinion in Roper v. Simmons. Will Baude: Still More Roper — I have a piece up at TNR Online criticizing the Supreme Court's use of international law in Roper v. Simmons. |
Deacon: For a closely reasoned New Republic piece by a Yale law student that focuses, quaintly, on the legal merit of Kennedy's... Orin Kerr: Baude on Roper on Foreign Law: Will Baude offers thoughts on the use and misuse of foreign law in Roper v. Simmons at The New Republic Online. |
Saudis to Syria: Withdraw From Lebanon By / AP — Permalink CAIRO, Egypt — Saudi officials told Syrian President Bashar Assad on Thursday that he must soon begin fully withdrawing troops from Lebanon or face strains in Saudi-Syrian ties, an official said. Assad promised only to study the idea of a partial withdrawal by later this month. | |
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Captain Ed: The Egyptians earlier today alluded to Saudi expectations for a Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, and now the Saudis have... Stephen Green: UPDATE: Looks like Assad didn't get much of a shoulder to cry on from the Crown Prince: [snipped quote] Question is, will... Orrin Judd: ABANDONED BABY: Saudis to Syria: Withdraw From Lebanon (SALAH NASRAWI, March 3, 2005, AP) [snipped quote] How much more isolated can he get? |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: THE PRESSURE BUILDS — Now, even the Saudis have jumped on the "Free Lebanon" bandwagon: [snipped quote] I predict that... Smash: Saudi to Syria: Leave Lebanon — BASHAR ASSAD went to Riyahd looking for friends, but got the old cold shoulder. Glenn Reynolds: MORE BAD NEWS FOR ASSAD: Saudis Tell Syria to Withdraw From Lebanon. |
The Iraq effect? Bush may have had it right By / Christian Science Monitor — Permalink WASHINGTON - Something remarkable is happening in the Middle East - a grass-roots movement against autocracy without any significant "Great Satan" anti-American component. | |
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Captain Ed: Today, the Christian Science Monitor published an opinion piece wondering if Bush has been right all along. Orrin Judd: ET TU, DANIEL? : The Iraq effect? : Bush may have had it right (Daniel Schorr, 3/04/05, CS Monitor) [snipped quote] Wow. |
Jonah Goldberg: GOTTA TUNE INTO SATURDAY'S NPR — To see if Dan Schorr had burst into flames after he wrote this column. |
Recycled rhetoric By / Salon — Permalink The coming defeat of President Bush on Social Security will be the defining moment in domestic policy and politics for his second term and for the future of the Republican Party. It will be a central, clarifying event because Bush alone chose to make this fight. | |
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Josh Marshall: But in this article by Sidney Blumenthal from yesterday, the specifics are assembled together. Avedon Carol: Sidney Blumenthal explains that what we're hearing today from BushCo about Social Security is just Recycled rhetoric. |
Ed Cone: Josh Marshall: "The president and his supporters want to get the government out of the Social Security business by ending guaranteed benefits. Barbara O'Brien: Let's see if the Dems in Congress have caught on. Update: Must read Sidney Blumenthal in Salon. | bar.jpg |
New Poll Finds Bush Priorities Are Out of Step With Americans NYT — Permalink Americans say President Bush does not share the priorities of most of the country on either domestic or foreign issues, are increasingly resistant to his proposal to revamp Social Security and say they are uneasy with Mr. Bush's ability to make the right decisions about the retirement program, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. | |
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Steve Soto: And lastly, we get news that the latest CBS News/NYT poll shows that support for the GOP and Bush on Social Security has... James Frederick Dwight: But the New York Times' chronic misrepresentations of its own poll results has become so habitual and has been repeated... Ezra Klein: Loads O' Polling — To say Bush's priorities aren't polling well would be to understate the remarkable reverse-Midas touch he's been demonstrating. |
Jon Henke: The Do Something Style of American Politics — Matt Yglesias stalks the elusive North American Clue... "Which is all by... Gregory Djerejian: Misleading Headline Watch — So I log on and check the NYT website after work and am greeted with this headline: "New Poll Finds Bush Priorities Are Out of Step With Americans." Kevin Drum: POLL RESULTS....The New York Times reports today that "New Poll Finds Bush Priorities Are Out of Step With Americans." |
| Also: Matthew Yglesias, Barbara O'Brien, Armando @DailyKos, Taegan Goddard, Jeff Jarvis, Noam Scheiber, Shawn @LiquidList, Zoe Kentucky, Frederick Maryland, Josh Marshall | |
Pryor Impressions By / Opinion Journal — Permalink MOBILE, Ala.—If judicial nominations represent the spear-point of all of the partisan battles in Washington, former Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor is the poison on the spear. | |
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James Joyner: Fillibustering Bill Pryor — Mobile Register columnist Quin Hillyer has a piece in today's WSJ explaining Alabamian's... Oliver @LiquidList: Politics: Hacking Up A Nut — Mobile Register columnist Quin Hillyer's WSJ op-ed defending Bush judicial nominee Bill... Betsy Newmark: The Wall Street Journal has a very reasonable column from an Alabaman journalist defending Judge Bill Pryor. |
Jeffrey Dubner: Look around at the established conservative coverage and you'll see that everybody wants to skip right past Myers'... Deacon: Why they filibuster — Quin Hillyer of the Mobile (Ala.) Register says that Alabamans want to know why Bill Pryor is being filibustered in the Senate. Steve Dillard: "Pryor Impressions—Alabami ans want to know why Bill Pryor is being filibustered in the Senate": SA's very own Quin... |
| Also: Pejman Yousefzadeh, Orrin Judd, K. J. Lopez | |
Frist Rejects Social Security Concerns By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Republicans worked Thursday to sort out disputes among themselves over Social Security as Democrats prepared radio ads to criticize President Bush along the next leg of his road trip campaigning for an overhaul. | |
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Steve Soto: Then, I get to see that under pressure from the White House, Bill Frist and Chuck Grassley have since "flip-flopped"... Barbara O'Brien: Frist Retracts — Hey Hey Hey Hey tell me what'd I say ... [snipped quote] I only wonder why Frist took two days to retract. |
Oliver Willis: Social Security: Still On — The GOP says they're still going to privatize and desstroy social security. |
And That's the Way It Was By / Opinion Journal — Permalink Let's think more about how America gets the news. The network news organizations and their old flagship shows, the evening news, are in flux: falling ratings, an aging demographic, competition from cable, a general loss of prestige, Rathergate. | |
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Howard Kurtz: With Dan Rather moving on next week, Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan serves up advice for CBS and the other networks: "First, stop being mesmerized by Cronkiteism. Richard Reeb: Peggy Noonan Thinks So The major news networks have taken some pretty big hits in recent months, notably Rathergate, but... Vanderleun: 5-Minute Arguments — Put Down That Newspaper and Step Away from the Anchordesk THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD SENSE in Peggy... |
Cori Dauber: This morning she's writing about how network news (particularly CBS) can save itself (which means, implicitly, about how... Ed Driscoll: Former Rather copywriter Peggy Noonan has some solid advice, all of which, of course, will be ignored inside Black Rock. Glenn Reynolds: HOWARD KURTZ: [snipped quote] Nope. But it might be more comforting to blame him than to look at root causes. |
| Also: Brian Stelter, Betsy Newmark | |
Bush Proposal Differs Greatly From Model By / WaPo — Permalink The federal Thrift Savings Plan is to individual Social Security accounts what fashion runway attire is to personal wardrobe: an attractive model, but in the wider world things just don't fit quite the same way. | |
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Max B. Sawicky: TSP THE MODEL (NOT) Why is this personal savings account different from all other personal savings accounts. |
Judd @ThinkProgress: I guess they missed this article in today's Washington Post: "Bush's proposed accounts differ substantially from the 19-year-old TSP [Thrift Savings Plan]. |
Neocons May Get the Last Laugh By / LAT — Permalink In 2003, more than a month before the invasion of Iraq, I wrote in the Weekly Standard that the forthcoming fall of Baghdad "may turn out to be one of those hinge moments in history — events like the storming of the Bastille or the fall of the Berlin Wall — after which everything is different. | |
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Cicero: Liberals can revitalize their progressive credentials by boarding the Cedar Express and embarking to help expel tyranny... Matt Welch: Doesn't mean that they'll get there, or that the policy debate is over, or that you have to suddenly accept the Max Boot version of history. Pejman Yousefzadeh: MORE GLOATING — Max Boot gloats: [snipped quote] Note that I am a libertarian-conservative, and not a neoconservative. |
Medium Lobster: But one would be wrong - oh, so terribly wrong. Betsy Newmark: Max Boot enages in a bit of well-deserved gloating. "It would be the height of hubris to claim that all these developments are due to U.S. action alone. Glenn Reynolds: ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THE TEMPTATION, it's still a bit early for this much gloating. Isn't it? |
Senators Portray Bankruptcy Bill As Unfair AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — Stung by two days of defeat for their bids to revise a bill overhauling the bankruptcy laws, Senate Democrats are portraying the measure as making it harder for low-income, elderly and sick people to dissolve their debts while allowing the wealthy to shelter assets. | |
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Chris Bowers: It looks almost certain that the horrible bankruptcy bill, possibly the worst piece of legislation since the Medicare bill, is going to pass. |
DavidNYC @DailyKos: Unfortunately, nothing seems to be working: [snipped quote] I'd really love to know which Democratic Senators voted... |
A Pisher's Privilege By / New York Observer — Permalink On the brink of the publication of his first book, a memoir-cum-sociology-tract called Privilege: Harvard and the Education of the Ruling Class, Ross Gregory Douthat was looking earnest and somber in tan cords and a navy V-necked sweater, lunching on a B.L.T.... | |
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Matthew Yglesias: Troubling Questions — I don't really have anything to say about The New York Observer's look at Ross Douthat, "the... K. J. Lopez: I KNEW HIM WHEN... Former NR intern Ross Douthat gets a nice profile in the NY Observer this week, to coincide with the release of his new book. |
Orin Kerr: When I First Read this profile in the New York Observer, I wondered if it was just a parody poking fun at the pretentiousness of Harvard graduates. |
Stewart to be released early Friday MSNBC — Permalink America's most famous white-collar inmate, Martha Stewart, is expected to be released from prison early Friday after serving a five-month term for insider trading, NBC News has learned. Stewart, 63, is expected to walk out of the Alderson federal prison camp in West Virginia shortly after midnight and into a media frenzy. | |
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Brian Stelter: Martha's Midnight Media Moment — Martha Stewart "is expected to walk out of the Alderson federal prison camp in West... |
Jeralyn Merritt: Martha Stewart Released Tonight — At 12:01 am ET Friday morning, or tonight for those of us in the CST, MST and PST... |
THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Drudge Report — Permalink Here SHE is. The President of the United States. Coming soon, if ABC's drama pilot "Commander in Chief" gets picked up. | |
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Scott Sala: Matt Drudge is intimating the selection of Geena Davis to play the President of the United States in an upcoming ABC series Commander in Chief is a plot to help Hillary. Roger L. Simon: Casting Error at ABC — No offense to Geena Davis, but the way things are going these days, ABC should have chosen an African-American actress for the lead in their new series. |
Ace: And yet, hoping to cash in on The Left Wing's plunging ratings, ABC figures it's a good idea to explore a premise that... |
Cut Buster Loose By / WaPo — Permalink In 1967 Lyndon Johnson added yet another piece to the jigsaw puzzle of national perfection: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was born. Public television was a dubious idea even when concocted as a filigree on the Great Society. | |
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James Joyner: Taking Public Funding Out of Public Broadcasting — George Will argues, persuasively, for ending taxpayer financing for... Betsy Newmark: George Will is absolutely smack-on in saying that we should stop funding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Is long overdue, as George Will points out: [snipped quote] For those who object to Will's advocacy—and my advocacy of... Michelle Malkin: CUT BASEBALL LOOSE — Great op-ed by George Will calling for an end to government subsidies of public television. |
In Lobbyists' Quarrel Over Ad,Is It Too Late to Kiss & Make Up? By / WaPo — Permalink What do gay marriage, combat in Iraq and Social Security reform have in common? If you said "uh — nothing," then you clearly haven't seen the incendiary ad cooked up by USA Next, a conservative group that has declared war on seniors lobby AARP. | |
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Lindsay Beyerstein: AARP agenda.jpg How classy and family-friendly: Americablog reports that Art Linkletter's USANext has been stealing... |
Bob Brigham: Now that Jarvis is getting his ass sued, he's blaming the bloggers? "Buzz off, responds Charlie Jarvis, the group's CEO. |
Source: Daughter's records were subpoenaed By / Wichita Eagle — Permalink Investigators — trying to hide from Dennis Rader that they were zeroing in on him as a BTK suspect — obtained DNA before his arrest through a tissue sample linked to his daughter's medical records, sources say. That sample was obtained for testing without her knowledge, the sources said. | |
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S.Z.: Perry Mason Must Be So Proud Via Roy at Alicublog, we learn that K. Lo is not just one of our nation's foremost... |
K. J. Lopez: THEY FOUND THE BTK KILLER VIA MEDICAL RECORDS — There is a very interesting piece in the Wichita Eagle today:... |
A Force for Good By / NYT — Permalink AS the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln returned home to San Diego this week from its relief mission in Indonesia, the main lesson of the United States military's remarkable tsunami relief effort has yet to be acknowledged: that the global war on terrorism,... | |
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Cori Dauber: Doing Good by Doing Well — Three critical take aways from Robert Kaplan's piece on the lessons to be drawn from... Stephen Green: First In Help's Way — One of my favorite writers, Robert D Kaplan, argues in today's New York Times that the Terror War... |
Steve Clemons: Robert D. Kaplan, a former colleague of mine at the New America Foundation and a correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly,... Pejman Yousefzadeh: THE NAVY OF TODAY — Robert Kaplan has an interesting editorial worth reading and remembering during fights about... |
White land grab policy has failed, Mugabe confesses By / Telegraph — Permalink President Robert Mugabe confessed yesterday that millions of acres of prime land seized from Zimbabwe's white farmers are now lying empty and idle. After years spent trumpeting the "success" of the land grab, Mr Mugabe, 81, admitted that most of the farms transferred to black owners have never been used. | |
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Brian Micklethwait: Yet the Telegraph now offers this report, about how Mugabe has admitted to making a mistake! John Derbyshire: POOR BUT PROUD — Robert Mugabe admits that most of the land "liberated" from white farmers by his gangs of activists has returned to the bush, and is now unproductive. |
Damian Penny: Great job, Bob — Robert Mugabe now admits his "land redistribution" scheme has been a disastrous failure - a failure he will cure with even more land seizures. |
Saudis Tell Syria to Withdraw From Lebanon By / AP — Permalink CAIRO, Egypt Mar 3, 2005 — Saudi officials told Syrian President Bashar Assad on Thursday that he must fully withdraw troops from Lebanon and begin soon or face strains in Saudi-Syrian ties. Assad promised only to study the idea of a partial withdrawal by later this month. | |
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Jeff Goldstein: Creating new terrorists: Chimpy McHitlerBurton's smirky rodeo ride through history continues, #7 — From the AP: [snipped quote] THE ARAB WORLD IS UNITING AGAINST YOU, MR BUSH! |
K. J. Lopez: SAUDIS tell Syria to get out of Lebanon. |