Every week, the Watcher's Council members 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
OK, here's this week's Council lineup:
1. J O S H U A P U N D I T: First Israel, now Britain - the chickens come home to roost This week, I take note of an interesting connection between Israel's hostages and the British ones ones seized in the Persian Gulf...as part of a well defined pattern.
2. Done With Mirrors: Not the End of the World This week, Callimachus has a strong piece that examines the mindset of the Bush Administration, its strengths and weaknesses...and lets us know that our Republic will go on.
3. Soccer Dad: Anti-terror success From Soccer Dad, a nice explanation of an obvious fact; that Islamic terrorism takes means and opportunity, rather than just motive. The Aryan Brotherhood here in America might have the motivation, but lack the means and opportunity to carry out the sort of terrorist acts they might have the motivation to commit.
You can extend that same principle internationally. Without the funding, havens and opportunity the jihadis get in places like Iran, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia and Syria, their ability to murder innocent people would be severely lessened....food for thought to some of you, perhaps on what victory in the War on Jihad will eventually look like.
4. Right Wing Nut House: BRITS READY TO STICK IT TO THE IRAQIS TO GET THEIR HOSTAGES BACKHere, like me, Rick examines the implications of the collapse of Britain in the face of an act of war by Iran. As I write this, Iran has already decided to release the hostages as `a present to the UK, even though they were guilty of trespassing in Iran's waters' in the words of Ahmadinejad.
I'm sure the price demanded of Britain for this `present' will be a stiff one, and more expensive than the Brits themselves even realize.
5. The Glittering Eye : Securing the Food Supply Dog lover that he is, this week, The Glittering Eye's Dave Schuler writes on
the pet food recall, an issue he has covered in some detail.
6. Rhymes With Right: A Miracle For PJP2 Here, Greg comments on the process of sanctifying Pope John Paul II and the steps being taken within the Roman Catholic Church to bring this about.
7. The Colossus of Rhodey: "Question any excuses ..." Here, Hube and Felix examine the notoriously PC Seattle public school and its take on `white racism' as the reason for low test scores and poor performance by minority students.
The real reason, of course, is the teachers' unions coddling of incompetent teachers and it's tooth and nail battle against any kind of school choice or vouchers programfor working class parents who can't afford to opt out t0 public schools.
8. Leftist media bias, Israeli style : Bookworm Room There is something about the leftist media that simply cannot abide the idea of military success or heroism. This week, Mrs. Bookworm has a great piece that examines the disgusting attempt by the Leftist media in Israel to blacken the name of Yoni Netanyahu, leader of the famous Israeli rescue of Jewish hostages in Entebbe, one of Israel's most famous military heroes.
Mrs. Bookworm retells the story of Entebbe and details how the attempt to destroy Yoni's reputation was repudiated.
Yoni, of course, is the deceased older brother of Bibi Netanyahu, leader of Israel's Likud party and a prospective prime minister in the next election - which, of course, is why this surfaced now, thirty years later.
9. Eternity Road: The Scourging This week, Francis examines the phenomenon of liberal self-hatred ( hence the title) here in America, and discusses the roots and reasons for it.
10. The Education Wonks: Newt Criticizes Bilingual Ed. And Gets Nuked! EdWonk discusses the firestorm caused by ex-congressman Newt Gingrich when he criticized the notion of bi-lingual education and other symptoms such as printing ballots in Spanish. I have my own differences with Mr. Gingrich, but he is right on the money in this case.
I still recall a demonstration in Los Angeles' almost entirely Hispanic Edgeware district by working class Latino parents upset because the LAUSD insisted on teaching their kids in Spanish rather than in English..as their spokesperson put it `the language of access.' Needless to say, it was only sparsely covered by the dinosaur media.
11. Big Lizards: “How to Win/Lose In Iraq” Dafydd Ab Hugh has an interesting post this week that uses a piece by Arthur Herman as a jumping off point.
In it, he examines what it will take to win (and lose) in Iraq, using Lt.Col. David Galula of the French army's successful strategy in Algeria against the FLN as an example. Dafydd also, quite correctly points out the a major cause for defeat was the defeatism of the French Left, just as the American Left took a military victory in Vietnam and likewise turned it into a defeat.
I agree with him, to an extent....we have the ability to stabilize Iraq, and the biggest single obstacle to that we face is the defeatist Left here in America. Unfortunately, that's not a victory, as defined by no less than our commander-in-chief, President Bush. He defined it as `a democratic Iraq that obeys the rule of law, is stable and an ally in the war against terror.'
I would simply say that the odds on Iraq becoming an ally of the US against say, Iran or its fellow Muslims are quite slim, as are the odds of an Islamic Republic ( which is what Iraq is) with its Constitution based on sharia being a free, democratic country. And President Bush himself obviously recognizes that to an extent, which is why he has vastly increased the amount of US visas available to Sunni Iraqi immigrants who are leaving the country in droves.
Perhaps we either need a new focus in this war or a new definition of what constitutes victory in this war that expands it beyond Iraq.
12. Cheat Seeking Missiles: Barbie Vs. The Mullahs Ahhh, I liked this one! Laer writes about a dangerous threat to Iran...the invasion of Barbie! Apparently the mullahs see this doll as a threat to their entire society and are now confiscating them en masse.
That's this week's lineup..enjoy!
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