Daily Archives: Oct. 7, 2006

Open thread

Oct. 7, 200612:05 a.m.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Open thread | Comments (84)

‘Other war’ on terror still not won

Oct. 7, 200612:04 a.m.

Five years ago today, America launched the war on terror by attacking al-Qaida and Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan.
At the time, President Bush pledged that the conflict would overthrow tyrants and bring “peace and freedom” to the inhabitants of that country.
Today, peace and freedom remain elusive in Afghanistan, and the Taliban is making a strong comeback.
As our editorial argues, America needs to re-engage the challenges of this “other war” on terror by boosting military strength and dramatically increasing international aid.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Foreign affairs | Comments (56)

Fence money likely to go elsewhere

Oct. 7, 200612:02 a.m.

The 700-mile border fence that lawmakers are bragging about is unlikely to happen, or at least not as advertised, the Washington Post reported. In addition to approving a $1.2 billion down payment to construct the fence, lawmakers quietly also approved legislation giving the Bush administration leeway to distribute the money to a combination of projects, not just the fence, and the authority to decide where, when and how long a fence will be built. Given that President Bush and the Department of Homeland Security aren’t big fans of the fence — they prefer a “virtual fence” and other barrier options — it’s likely that much of the money will be used elsewhere.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Immigration | Comments (62)

The Journal chastises the GOP

Oct. 7, 200612:01 a.m.

If you’re a Republican congressional candidate, the news keeps getting worse. Even the Wall Street Journal has weighed in with an editorial tracing “the roots of Republican failures in Congress.”
Just a few of the shortcomings cited: failure to make tax cuts permanent, failure to repeal the estate tax, failure to do anything on health care, failure to handle immigration, and an “epidemic” of earmark spending. Then there’s the steady drumbeat of corruption allegations.
“Too many Republicans now believe their purpose in Washington is keeping power for its own sake,” the editorial says.
Harsh words for an editorial board as conservative as the Journal’s. And to the extent that it reflects frustrations among fiscally conservative Republicans, another ominous sign for the GOP next month.
Posted by Dave Knadler

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under U.S. politics | Comments (45)

Comedy amid the carnage

Oct. 7, 200612:00 a.m.

Talking about humor, Mark Twain once said, “The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away.”

So maybe there’s hope for Iraq. After the most lethal summer since the 2003 invasion, Iraqis seem to be finding solace in a darkly satirical new TV show called — this is a loose translation — “Hurry Up, He’s Dead.”
The show, in a fake news format modeled after “The Daily Show,” skewers the Americans, the Iraqi government, the militias and the head of Iraq’s state-owned media company.
“Hurry Up, He’s Dead” is filmed in Dubai; it’s still too dangerous to do it in Baghdad.
Posted by Dave Knadler

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Iraq | Comments (4)