Author: admin

Bolton is in

WSJ’s OpinionJournal[*1] ponders why it took so long:

The post had been vacant for six months. Senate Democrats, under the “leadership” of Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, have prolonged and thwarted every attempt to hold a vote on Mr. Bolton, who of course would have been confirmed had his name reached the Senate floor. No wild accusation was ever proved, other than that he sought the removal of two intelligence analysts for incompetence and insubordination. Notably, both the 9/11 Commission and Robb-Silberman Commission said policy makers have a responsibility to question and challenge intelligence analysts.

Does anyone really doubt that the UN needs some serious tough love right now?

Bolton on the UN Secretary-General

John Bolton, from The Cato Institute[*1] :

But one should not invest excessive hope in any secretary-general. The UN Charter describes the secretary-general as the UN’s “chief administrative officer.” He is not the president of the world. He is not a diplomat for all seasons. He is not Mr. Friend of the Earth. And, most definitely of all, he is not the commander in chief of the World Federalist Army. He is the chief administrative officer. Nothing less than that, to be sure, but with even greater certainty, nothing more.

Kofi Annan has got to be looking forward to Mr. Bolton’s arrival in New York, I’m sure.

Morning Whip, August 1, 2005

#10: Terry Pratchett v. J.K. Rowling
#9: Devil Rays 6, Royals 2
#8: Animal Husbandry
#7: Space news
#6: Japan imposes levies on U.S. steel
#5: Atkins Nutritionals in Chapter 11
#4: Saudi king dies, another excuse to jack up oil prices

#3: “Over There” panned by one who has been there
#2: Islamofascist Watch
#1: Bush appoints Bolton to U.N. via recess appointment

Islamofascist Watch

Item: Is MI5 hacking Islamic web sites?

Times of London[*1] reports that Israeli intelligence thinks the British MI5 intelligence organization may be targeting Islamofascist web sites. Via Little Green Footballs[*2] .

Item: (Via Chrenkoff) German publisher Mathias Doepfner’s comments[*4] on European appeasement of Islamofascism:

What atrocity must occur before the European public and its political leadership understands what is really happening in the world? There is a sort of crusade under way; an especially perfidious campaign consisting of systematic attacks by Islamists, focused on civilians, that is directed against our free, open Western societies, and that is intent on their utter destruction.

We find ourselves faced with a conflict that will most likely last longer than any of the great military clashes of the last century, a conflict conducted by an enemy that cannot be tamed by tolerance and accommodation because that enemy is actually spurred on by such gestures. Such responses have proven to be signs of weakness.

Chrenkoff comments[*3] :

But Doepfner’s general argument is sound. It is never politically popular – though strategically smart – to deal with a threat when it is still small. But it’s difficult to see how making concessions will not make the threat increase, that is how withdrawing Western presence from everywhere in the Middle East and the Muslim world broadly speaking, and giving Al Qaeda a free hand to subvert and overthrow all the current governments, which it considers heretical and treasonous, is going to make us in the West safer. There is indeed, a civil war going on within the Islamic community, and if you think that we don’t have any stake in the outcome, just wait until the bad guys win. But by then it will be too late.

“Over There” panned by one who has been there

A veteran and reporter[*1] watches the new TV series set in the Iraq war and is not impressed:

The writers and producers of ‘Over There’ would have been well served by actually setting foot in Iraq for a few weeks to live and travel with real grunts. It is obvious they didn’t and obvious the former grunt they hired as a consultant was only allowed input on the uniforms.

By ignoring reality, they discredit their attempt to create a gripping drama. The reality of the war in Iraq is more compelling and more dramatic than any hollow Hollywood fiction.

Watching the show only reinforced that my decision to go to Iraq to film real grunts in real scenarios was necessary–Hollywood and the left will never tell the true story.