Iran, especially under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (in photo), poses an ongoing security threat to the United States. But at present, it’s not a threat that justifies talk of war. That’s the bombshell take-home message of a new National Intelligence Estimate report on Iran’s rogue nuclear program. The report — the authoritative view of the nation’s 16 intelligence agencies — concludes with “high confidence†that Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program in fall 2003. That finding is in sharp contrast to a previous 2005 NIE report, which held that Iran was determined to develop nuclear weapons, no matter the consequences. That assessment, it now seems clear, was wrong.
President Bush in recent months has at times described the Iran threat with overheated, hawkish rhetoric, saying Iran’s nuclear efforts could lead to “World War III†and issuing veiled threats of military force.
Many observers feared that Bush foreign policy hawks, led by Vice President Dick Cheney, were laying the groundwork for a U.S. military strike against Iran before the end of Bush’s term.
The chances of that happening are now remote. This report surely removes any basis for a strike.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
As the city prepares for the annual tree-lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Century II’s Kennedy Plaza, it’s hard not to notice how blessedly little fuss there’s been locally so far this year — at least comparatively — over the so-called war on Christmas. Maybe a truce was quietly signed somewhere last winter. The city’s event is called both “A Night With Santa†and “The Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting,†which properly leaves no doubt about what holiday is being celebrated. Since hearing some complaints in 2004 about what was then called “the community tree,†the city has called the tree what it is and has been since 1914. Those attending the event Wednesday should bring canned food items for the United Way of the Plains — the best of all possible ways to demonstrate the Christmas spirit.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
That Mike Huckabee could be polling ahead of or even with Mitt Romney in Iowa is hard to believe, especially given that Romney has spent $7 million-plus there. But Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Southern Baptist with a Reagan-like affability, is giving new hope to those in the conservative GOP base who had seen the ’08 nomination as a lock for liberal front-runner Rudy Giuliani. Quotes like this are part of Huckabee’s appeal: “It was Gandhi who said that first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, and then they attend your swearing in.â€
Meanwhile, quotes like this from George Will show Huckabee had better get ready to duck. “Mike Huckabee’s candidacy rests on serial non sequiturs: I am a Christian, therefore I am a conservative, therefore whatever I have done or propose to do with ‘compassionate,’ meaning enlarged, government is conservatism. And by the way, anything I denote as a ‘moral’ issue is beyond debate other than by the uncaring forces of greed.â€
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Outgoing City Manager George Kolb was badly overstating the case in telling The Eagle that “if we don’t do something with Century II, it won’t be here in 10 to 15 years.†Obviously, the city-owned performing arts and convention center is not about to skip town or turn to dust. But Kolb’s point about the need to address Century II’s condition and future use is well-taken. On the first issue, the City Council would take a necessary step today by approving $1.3 million in spending on Century II’s heating and cooling systems and a new Expo Hall roof (including $249,000 in insurance money). But Wichita also needs a much-bigger debate about what it wants Century II to be. As either a performing arts showplace or a convention magnet, it’s falling short — an issue separate from the downtown arena, which has a different job to do.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
GOP immigrant-bashing candidates, take note: A new study by the Pew Hispanic Center reinforces what has been long known about foreign language-speaking immigrants — that they pose little threat to the dominance of the English language in our country.
The study found Hispanic immigrants following the classic pattern of previous waves of immigrants: The first generation learns little English, the second uses primarily English, and the third is almost completely fluent in English.
In short, there’s no reason to fear immigrants who can’t speak English. Time isn’t on their side.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
The deep declines in local traffic fatalities (down 59 percent) and motorcycle fatalities (down 91 percent) through October of this year have to be considered welcome indicators of cautious driving and vigorous enforcement. But going into the party-heavy holidays, it’s hardly good news that alcohol-related fatalities and arrests for driving under the influence have been up 33 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
A few requests for all seasons: If alcohol is a must, find another way home. And save the phoning and text-messaging for times when you’re not operating heavy machinery.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
More than two years after it made landfall, Hurricane Katrina continues to torment the people of New Orleans, assisted by the federal government. With housing projects being condemned, FEMA-run trailer parks shutting down and few affordable housing options, the city’s homeless population has gone from 6,300 before the storm to a growing 12,000. “To withdraw housing assistance to the neediest people is a shirking of federal responsibility for the design failure of the federal levees in New Orleans, which was the cause of most of the destruction of affordable housing here,†said Martha J. Kegel, executive director of Unity of Greater New Orleans, in a New York Times article.
Posted by Kristin Mehler
