Tjome ("world's end") in eastern Norway. From National Geographic.
Allies Count on Defiant Streak in Libya to Drive Out Qaddafi from the New York Times
"In the allies’ shadow war in Libya, airstrikes are aimed not only at Colonel Qaddafi’s tanks and artillery, but also at the elite of his remaining armed forces in an effort to persuade them to turn against their embattled leader. He may be able to hold out against Western warplanes, but he cannot long survive without the loyalty of certain tribes."
Looking for Luck in Libya (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times
"When an entire region that has been living outside the biggest global trends of free politics and free markets for half a century suddenly, from the bottom up, decides to join history — and each one of these states has a different ethnic, tribal, sectarian and political orientation and a loose coalition of Western and Arab states with mixed motives trying to figure out how to help them — well, folks, you’re going to end up with some very strange-looking policy animals. And Libya is just the first of many hard choices we’re going to face in the “new” Middle East."
Obama Speech Offers Clarity on Libya Policy (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post
"Obama offered a formula that’s similar to what I heard last week traveling with Defense Secretary Bob Gates: The United States should use military force unilaterally only when it involves core U.S. national interests; in other cases, such as Libya, the United States should act militarily only with the support of its allies. America won’t act as the world’s policeman, in other words. But it’s ready to act as “police chief,” in organizing international peacekeeping operations."
Why Obama Had to Act in Libya (Marc Lynch) from Foreign Policy Magazine
""We knew that if we waited one more day, Benghazi – a city nearly the size of Charlotte – could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world. It was not in our national interest to let that happen. I refused to let that happen." This was the blunt, powerful heart of President Obama's speech last night explaining American intervention in Libya: had the international community not acted when it did, thousands would have been slaughtered as the world watched. The effects of that decision would have been felt across the Middle East, where America would have been deemed to have abandoned the people struggling for freedom in the Arab world."
Obama's Cautious Approach (Dana Milbank) from RealClearPolitics
"Those who were hoping for a rejoinder to "bring it on" were disappointed: The Obama doctrine he presented Monday night was frustratingly nondoctrinal. Where Bush was all bright lines and absolute morality, Obama dwelled in the gray area, outlining a foreign policy that is ad hoc and situational."
By Leaving Regime Change to the Libyans, Obama Aligns U.S. and Arab Goals (Tony Karon) from Time Magazine
"...the takeaway, from Obama's message to the Libyan rebels was that it was up to them to change their country -- the coalition was ready to help and protect but not to deliver the killer blow to Gaddafi and his regime. ... It's worth remembering that at the outset of their uprising, Libya's rebels were fiercely opposed to foreign intervention. They wanted to own their struggle, just as their neighbors in Egypt and Tunisia have done..."
Burying the Bush Doctrine from the Editorial Board of the Arab News [of Saudi Arabia in English]
"Emphasizing that the ouster of Qaddafi or the “regime change” in Libya is not the US or Western goal, he said: “To be blunt, we went down that road in Iraq.” This is something the world has wanted to hear for some time, especially from this president who had vehemently opposed the unjust and unreasonable war against Iraq. Perhaps, this is the best burial Obama could have given his predecessor’s toxic legacy, the so-called Bush doctrine."
Barack Obama Takes a Back Seat from the Editorial Board of the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"The president has signalled a new role for the US in the world, one not welcomed by us... the US will not be in the driving seat. Many in Europe will welcome this; we do not. For the reality is that when the going gets tough, only the US has the muscle to make a difference. How long before it is asked to ride to the West's rescue once again?"
Bashar al-Assad Stages His Own Coup (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post
"Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad is attempting a new survival tactic in this Arab Spring — organizing what looks like a coup against his own government. Over the next 48 hours, it should become clear whether he has the political muscle and dexterity to pull off this unusual maneuver."
Syria's Assad May be a Mad Dog, but He Differs from Libyan Leader (Jonathan Manthorpe) from the Vancouver Sun [of Canada]
"Assad, in contrast, is an important player with allies and supporters in the most finely balanced region of the Middle East where the delicate and volatile games of strategy and tactics are played out between Israel, Lebanon, Iran, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Jordan. Even among those who loath and despise Assad, such as many Israeli politicians, there is little wish to see him ousted."
He "differs from Qaddafi" -- we'll see.
Japan May Have Lost Race to Save Nuclear Reactor from the Guardian [of the UK]
"The radioactive core in a reactor at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant appears to have melted through the bottom of its containment vessel and on to a concrete floor, experts say, raising fears of a major release of radiation at the site."
Tokyo's Fatalism: Courage in the Face of Disaster from Der Spiegel [of Germany in English]
"Many foreigners have fled Tokyo. But the Japanese are facing the ongoing threat posed by the Fukushima nuclear power plant with a mixture of concern and equanimity. Their faith in the country's ability to overcome is unfazed."
Report: EU Working to Ban Gas and Diesel-powered Cars by 2050 from Autoblog
"According to new reports, the European Union will announce plans to ban all fossil fuel-powered cars in Europe by 2050. The detailed plan will be outlined in the European Union's Roadmap on Transport, which will come out on Monday. By 2030, the EU plans to have reduced fossil fuel traffic by half, particularly in urban areas."
This is the difference between a society that takes global warming seriously and one, like the US, that doesn't. Eventually, this will get auto-makers (even American ones) off their butts and manufacturing clean fuel alternatives to the combustion engine.
Will Realism Make A Comeback in the GOP? (Jacob Heilbrunn) form the National Interest
"If the GOP wants to attack Obama in 2012 on foreign policy, it can't split the difference with him, arguing that that he should be even more vigorous abroad."
My answer: No.
Tax the Super Rich Now or Face a Revolution: A ‘Super-Rich Delusion’ is Leading Us to Ruin (Paul B. Farrell) from the Wall Street Journal
"Yes, tax the Super Rich. Tax them now. Before the other 99% rise up, trigger a new American Revolution, a meltdown and the Great Depression 2."
10 College Admissions Trends from the Daily Beast
"At 5 p.m. today, Ivy League schools will notify their lucky applicants—the precious few admitted in the toughest admissions year ever. From soaring waitlists to a Southern boom, Kristina Dell on 10 trends."
Several trends I've noted here are especially disturbing, such as: 1) 2011 Was the Hardest Year to Get into College—Ever; ... 3) International Student Applications Are Surging ... 10) Public Universities Are Accepting More Out-of-State Students.
House Republican Leaders Turn to Moderate Democrats for Budget Deal from the Washington Post
"Having difficulty finding consensus within their own ranks, House Republican leaders have begun courting moderate Democrats on several key fiscal issues, including a deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next week."
I can't find the appropriate expletive to describe Boehner and his leadership right now. He spent TWO years leading the party of "NO" when the Dems were in charge -- and he has the GALL to go to them now looking to bail out his ass because 50+ members of his OWN CAUCUS won't follow his leadership. I would love to think that the Dems will drive a hard bargain -- but experience says he will get enough Dem votes to give him cover while conceding little of substance.
GOP Insiders Say Romney’s Still Number One (James A. Barnes) from National Journal
"Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney continues to be seen as the favorite for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination according to a special National Journal Political Insiders Poll released on Tuesday."
Poll: Americans Cooling on Tea Party from Politico
"The approval rating for the 2-year-old movement fell to 32 percent in a CNN/Opinion Research corporation poll released Wednesday, the lowest it’s been since CNN first polled on the tea party in January 2010. Forty-seven percent of Americans, meanwhile, said they have an unfavorable view of the movement, a higher negative percentage than ever."
Thank goodness. This poll showcases how timely it is for the GOP to more securely hitch their wagon to the Tea Party express, timely that is for the Democrats.
Wisconsin Judge Halts Further Implementation Of Union Law from the Associated Press via Huffington Post
""Apparently that language was either misunderstood or ignored, but what I said was the further implementation of (the law) was enjoined," Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi said during a hearing. "That is what I now want to make crystal clear.""
There seemed to be the suggestion over at TalkingPointsMemo this morning that the Walker & company might still ignore this injunction. Investigating.
TERRIFYING DUST STORM NUGGET!!
Freaky sand storm in Kuwait engulfs neighborhood from Americablog
At least visually, this gives you some sense as to what the Dust Bowl looked like during the Great Depression. The winds and dust of those 1930s storms would have been much more severe.
ABSURD MILITARY HARDWARE NUGGET!!
Man Charged With Trying To Sell Military Spy Plane On EBay from TalkingPointsNugget!!
"A foreign national was indicted yesterday for allegedly illegally importing an unmanned spy plane into the U.S., and then trying to resell it on eBay."
WHAT DO YOU MEAN I can't sell my nuclear weapon on e-bay!? What about the 2nd Amendment!!?
No comments:
Post a Comment