The Restoration Doctrine (Richard Haas) from the American Interest
"More broadly, 21st-century international relations will be characterized by nonpolarity: a world dominated not by one, two or even several states but rather by dozens of states and other actors possessing and exercising military, economic, diplomatic and cultural power. This is not your father’s world dominated by the United States, Western Europe and Japan. Nor is it a world dominated by two superpowers, as it was during the Cold War, or by one, as it was for a brief moment in the aftermath of the Cold War. Power will increasingly be found in many hands in many places. The result will be a world where power diffuses, not concentrates."
'Stubborn' Iraqis Mistaken to Demand American Withdrawal (Amran Al-Obaidi) from Sotal Iraq [from Iraq in English]
"I do not intend to justify the Americans' remaining, nor do I wish to underestimate the capacity of Iraqis. But I mean to say that the way this issue has been handled was overshadowed by the media. That has led to political stubbornness and an insistence on a complete American withdrawal, despite very pressing matters that suggest they should remain."
The Botched Ballot: Why Even Failed Elections are Good for Democracy (James Traub) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Elections matter quite independently of who wins them. Elections don't make a democracy, but they can make a democratic citizenry."
Europe's Crisis Isn't About Debt, It's About Politics (Kathleen McNamara) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Europe is not suffering from a debt crisis. It is, rather, a political crisis. With the arguable exception of Greece, the EU countries under attack by financial markets are basically strong, wealthy, and productive. Yet from the early tepid responses when the crisis started in Greece two years ago to the most recent agreement German Chancellor Angela Merkel forced on EU member states, European leaders have been shockingly unwilling to face up to the political facts."
I totally agree with the author's assessment here. The Europeans have actually made the US system look like a model of speed, action and political fortitude.
Now, several editorials on the end of the Iraq conflict:
A Formal End of the War from the Editorial Board of the New York Times
"The Bush administration had no plan for governing the country once Saddam was deposed. The Iraqi economy still bears the scars from the first frenzied days of looting. The decision to disband the Sunni-dominated Iraqi Army helped unleash five years of sectarian strife that has not fully abated. Iraq’s political system remains deeply riven by ethnic and religious differences."
End of Iraq War Highlights Conflict's Tragic Cost from the Editorial Board of the Star-Ledger [of Newark]
"Defenders of the U.S. invasion of Iraq are right about one thing: The country is better off today than it was under Saddam Hussein. ... But with the end of American involvement after nearly nine years, it is clear those gains came at far too high a cost. This invasion was a tragic mistake."
Hopes and Prayers for Iraq from the Editorial Board of The Oregonian
"Ask Scott McCrae the question that Americans are grappling with as the last troops come home from Iraq -- was it worth the costs? -- and for a few moments the man who lost his son to the war doesn't answer."
To properly bookend these postmortems on Iraq see this revelatory editorial from Palestinian sources.
'Thank You Newt Gingrich …Your Insolence is Required!' (Abd Al Bari Atwan) from Samidoon [of the Palestinian Territories in English]
"This excessively stupid man doesn't realize that his nation's Arab-dictator friends are falling, one after the other, at the hands of the Arab youth rebels... In order for it to become a former empire, the United States needs another president like George Bush Jr. Undoubtedly, Gingrich is perfectly suited to the task."
G.O.P. Monetary Madness (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times
"Mr. Paul has maintained his consistency by ignoring reality, clinging to his ideology even as the facts have demonstrated that ideology’s wrongness. And, even more unfortunately, Paulist ideology now dominates a Republican Party that used to know better."
Obama's Campaign Isn't Worried About 2012 (Cynthia Gordy) from The Root
"Despite lows in polling and the economy, the president's re-election team is confident he'll win; here's why."
Behind the Primaries (Gary Hart) from the New York Times
"The current Republican contest has yet to reveal that kind of historical fault line. But something just like it could be opened up by a potential stop-Romney movement in which the adherents of all the other candidates coalesce around a candidate who promises to hold together a post-Reagan coalition that is highly religious, anti-government and anti-financial establishment."
Seven Key Facts That Will Be Ignored By the Media But Will Determine the Iowa Caucuses (William Galston) from the New Republic
"Over the next three weeks, the heat-to-light ratio in the press coverage of the Iowa caucuses will rise steadily. Here are a few basics to keep in mind."
Friendly Fire (Ronald Brownstein) from the National Journal
"Republicans are attacking each other with such gusto that it may be impossible to close the wounds."
Rick Perry's Bay of Pigs Moment (Peter Beinart) from the Daily Beast
"For the Texas governor, it seems, even defeat in war is better than no war at all. Peter Beinart on the clueless call for a new ‘Monroe Doctrine’ for Latin America."
The Mysterious Jeb Bush Poll (David Weigel) from Slate
"It started when the mayor of Merrifield, New Hampshire, tweeted that he'd gotten a robo-poll asking about a possible Jeb Bush presidential campaign. It's continued, with random granite state citizens getting the same calls. One of them sent over the gist of questions received last night."
This little squib came across my desk yesterday. Now -- the Bush people are denying that they are doing any polling on this. My guess: the GOP establishment is already ten steps ahead and looking for a Plan C where, if Gingrich looks like he might be the nominee and/or Romney implodes, someone like Jeb can ride to the rescue. How could he do that? If Gingrich is slimed enough or blackmailed enough with info on past misdeeds, he could easily be racking up his delegate count but then abruptly withdraw (remember Ross Perot?). Under such circumstances, it would be wide open for someone like Bush. You have to ask yourself, can an un-annointed figure like Gingrich (or Cain or Paul) really buck their party's establishment and win the nomination? I am highly skeptical.
PRICEY AUTO NUGGET!!
How Vulgar! £1 Million 24-carat Gold Rolls-Royce is Unveiled (but Who on Earth Would Want to Buy It?) from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"The Rolls-Royce has always had a history of elegance and class - until now. That prestigious reputation has been smashed by the world's most vulgar makeover of the company's iconic Ghost model. An Italian fashion design house has created a gold-covered monstrosity costing more than £1 million."
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