Every week, the Watcher's Council nominate two posts each, one from the Council members and one from outside for consideration by the whole Council. The complete list of this week's Council nominations can be found at the site of our fearless leader, Watcher of Weasels
Here's this week's lineup:
1. J O S H U A P U N D I T: Bush speaks.....and belittles us all I had a few things to say about President Bush's speech to the nation outlining his new Iraq strategy.
As I wrote in the piece, my emotions during the speech went from skepticism to open mouthed disbelief and progressed to the point where I was shouting at the radio.
Anyway, I've dissected this nonsense for you, which is particularly illuminating when it comes to the president's views on that illusive `Arab Democracy' and what `victory' in this war looks like.
With all that, I hope that the president's remarks about changing the ridiculous Rules of Engagement handicapping our troops and about confronting Iran and Syria was not more empty, bellicose rhetoric on the part of the president. If he does nothing more than stifle Iran, he may just have rescued his presidency in the eyes of history.
2. Done With Mirrors:Chosen Icons Trust Callimachus to ferret out great meaning in small details. Here, he writes an excellent essay that compares two images of 9/11 and asks the question, `which would you choose, the passive or the active?'
3. Soccer Dad: James Traub has a Semite problem Soccer Dad scores with an examination of a smarmy hit piece done on Abe Foxman by the NYT's James Traub. As I remarked more than once, Jew hatred is the last fashionably correct racism in western society. Go-od stuff.
4. Right Wing Nut House: IRANIAN NUKE PROGRAM STALLED?Here, Rick writes a piece speculating that the Iranian nuclear weapons program may have hit some technological snags. And thus, there's no urgency about dealing with the problem. And he cites the CIA's track record for accuracy as reason enough to delay any military action just yet.
I would point out to Rick that it wasn't the CIA who first revealed Iran's secret nuclear weapons program - it was Iranian dissidents. As for his point that there its unlikely that there's a hidden `mirror' site in Iran, I recommend he read this:J O S H U A P U N D I T: The nuclear project Ahmadinejad didn't brag about.
In any event, the threat Iran poses to the US is conventional in nature, and can be dealt with forcefully without having to occupy Iran and indulge in `nation building'.
Regular members of Joshua's Army who read `Operation Mullah Stomp' know the details.
5. The Sundries Shack: More Obamarama Here, Jimmie Bise examines the Barak Hussein Obama phenomenon. I think the senator's first and middle names pretty much disqualify him in the eyes of many American voters..not his skin color.
6.Rhymes With Right: MLK Day -- A Singular Holiday Here, Greg makes an interesting point that never occurred to me - that Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is one of the only holidays not commercialized up the wazoo. An interesting read from Greg...
7. The Glittering Eye: Running out the clock Here, Dave likewise writes about President Bush's Iraq plans. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but he appears to be more or less in sync with my opinion on this.
8. AMERICAN FUTURE - Why It Could Work In contrast, Marc has an interesting piece this week on how the new Bush strategy in Iraq could work, and in fact might be just what the doctor ordered.
I hope he's right, since the new strategy is a done deal anyway.
9. Andrew Olmsted : The Beauty of 'Fairness' This week Major Andrew Olmsted focuses on Democratic congressman Dennis Kucinich's effort to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine and gut the new media.
I think the toothpaste is already out of that particular tube, but..let's stay vigilant.
10.The COLOSSUS OF RHODEY: Is Oprah right? Hube discusses a LaShawn Barber piece on Oprah Winfrey's funding of a school in South Africa and asks the question: withour education system, are we spoiled here in America?
Apropos of nothing, I must say that I observed that the beneficiaries of Oprah's largesse were all black, even though South Africa is a multiracial country and the school was supposed to be for girls from all over the country. Make of that what you will...
11. The Education Wonks: Federally-mandated Cheerleading: EduCracy Run Amok? An unintentionally funny piece by EdWonk on Title IX mandating that cheerleading squads must cheer equally for girl's and boy's sports!
12. Eternity Road:A New Standard For Political Hideousness Here Francis takes on the Duke Rape case, and the incredible - and illegal- machinations of DA Mike Nifong, Francis also has a fit punishmentin mind fro the Duke faculty whichleaped into the breach on the side of political correctness in demonizing the Duke lacrosse players because they were white.
That's this week's lineup..enjoy!
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