DAYLEE PICTURE: Gas releases in a frozen lake in the Canadian Rockies.
From National Geographic.
Iran: Explosion in Isfahan Reported Near Nuclear Facilities from the Guardian [of the UK]
"Widely conflicting reports emerge of apparent explosion in the north-east of Isfahan near where nuclear facilities are located."
What now? Iranian officials later denied that anything happened. Y-NET News of Israel describes it as a "huge explosion". Speculation is all over the place. An attack on the facilities by Israel? Another cyber attack? Old fashioned sabotage? Incompetence? Who knows? It could also relate to the Obama foreign policy stories below.
UP-FRONT POLITICAL AD NUGGET!!
Democrats Unveil Devastating Video on Mitt Romney's Flip-Flops (VIDEO) from Daily Kos
"Mitt Romney's campaign is holding 12 different conference calls today to respond to this ad."
WOW! Devastating indeed! This ad is like something Michael Moore in his prime would have done!
Three distinct views on Obama's foreign policy in light of recent events:
1. Obama's Foreign Policy Doctrine Finally Emerges With 'Offshore Balancing' (Peter Beinart) from the Daily Beast
The deadly NATO strike in Pakistan reveals that the president has decided to contain U.S. adversaries with an affordable strategy of maintaining our naval and air power while strengthening smaller nations. It’s about time, says Peter Beinart."
2. Not Just One Pivot: Time to Acknowledge Obama’s Broad Redefinition of U.S. National Security Policy (David Rothkopf) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"While most of the U.S. government and frankly, most major governments worldwide, are mired in a swamp of political paralysis, victims of their own inaction, the president and his national security team are engineering a profound, forward-looking, and rather remarkable change."
3. Doctrine of Silence (Roger Cohen) from the New York Times
"President Obama has gone undercover. You have to figure that one day somebody sitting in Tehran or Islamabad or Sana is going to wake up and say: “Hey, this guy Obama, he went to war in our country but just forgot to mention the fact. Should we perhaps go to war in his?”"
Best and Worst Run States in America — An Analysis Of All 50 from 24/7 Wall Street
"For the second year, 24/7 Wall St. has reviewed data on financial health, standard of living and government services by state to determine how well each state is managed. Based on this data, 24/7 Wall St. ranked the 50 states from the best to worst run. The best-run state is Wyoming. The worst-run state is California."
PA comes in at #15 of the best run states. Can't say that I buy it -- but check out the brief analysis.
In WI, Walker Recall Effort Has Over Half its Needed Signatures, Organizers Say from the Green Bay Press
"United Wisconsin announced on Monday that more than 300,000 signatures have been gathered during the first 12 days of the recall effort, which was officially launched on Nov. 15. Organizers would need to gather 540,208 valid signatures by Jan. 17 to get the recall on the ballot next year."
God and Man and William F. Buckley (Carl Bogus) from the Los Angeles Times
"One cannot understand the modern conservative movement without appreciating this sentiment. ... From its origins in 1951, the conservative movement has perceived itself not essentially as an advocate for a more effective political philosophy but as a bulwark against evil. Though many liberals may be naive rather than malevolent, they are nonetheless leading America into something foul and wicked."
This perspective explains in part why conservatives have SO much more staying power than liberals when it comes to slugging it out in elections every two years. Conservatives view the Dems as not just wrong ... but as evil. For them, the battle is existential ... not simply a difference in opinion. When Dems can start to find even half that fire, then (and only then) will they start taking back our country.
Republicans vs the World (Daniel Drezner) from the Spectator [of the UK]
"Having investigated the policy platforms of the Republican field, however, I have concluded that most of them have done Americans a huge favour. The Grand Old Party candidates’ current thinking on foreign affairs is a noxious mixture of cowardice, belligerence, ignorance — and, unfortunately, political savvy."
Drezner has more to say on this subject at his FP blog.
The Republican Party Is Losing Its Grip on Foreign Policy (Leslie H. Gelb) from the Daily Beast
"The Republican Party is losing its grip on international reality—and its foreign policy hold on American voters."
The GOP’s Supercommittee Backlash (John Avlon) from the Daily Beast
"Across the political spectrum, Americans are appalled at Washington’s latest failure—but John Avlon crunches the numbers and explains why Republicans are getting the most flak."
Five Weeks to Go Until the Iowa Caucuses (Chuck Todd et al.,) from MSNBC's First Read
"Here’s where we stand in the GOP presidential race with five weeks (36 days!!!) to go until the Iowa caucuses..."
Cain's 'Consensual' Conduct with Accuser (Howard Kutz) from the Daily Beast
"Herman Cain, whose campaign was already fading, may have reached the tipping point. After denying four separate accusations of sexual harassment, Cain found himself late Monday facing an account by an Atlanta businesswoman of a 13-year extramarital affair--and she has phone records to back up her claim. While Cain is denying the latest allegations, his lawyer, Lin Wood, offered comments that practically amounted to a confirmation..."
Yes -- he's had an affair for 13 years -- and it's the mainstream media's fault!
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