Mugabe: Sucks Now...

Sucked then.

The Republican Base Is Imploding

clipped from thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com Christian Conservatives Consider Third-Party Effort Alarmed at the chance that the Republican party might pick Rudolph Giuliani as its presidential nominee despite his support for abortion rights, a coalition of influential Christian conservatives is threatening to back a third-party candidate in an attempt to stop him. It won't be Unity '08...

HusBand How To: The Listening

Kerrey In "Soon"?

clipped from www.omaha.com Kerrey says Senate decision likely coming soon Democrat Bob Kerrey said he's "excited" about the prospect of running for the Senate again, but he added today that he still wasn't ready to commit to the race. Kerrey said he would be calling friends and supporters in the next two days to explain to them the pros and cons of his running. He wants them to know his thinking before he decides whether he's in or out. A final decision will come "soon," he said. "I have to get it done soon, it's all I know," Kerrey said. I was thinking he wasn't going to for a while. Now? I'd say more likely he runs than not. I hope.

McCain Will Save Us All!

clipped from energy.nationalreview.com America’s Strategic Vulnerability National security depends on energy security, which we cannot achieve if we remain so dependent on imported oil from Middle Eastern governments who support or foment, by their own inattention and inequities, the rise of terrorists or on swaggering demagogues and would be dictators in our hemisphere. Additionally, by mid-century there will be three-and-a-half billion cars worldwide — over four times the number today. As world demand for oil soars, higher prices, severe economic volatility, and heightened international tensions follow. These unpredictable forces could seriously circumscribe our future if we let them. Senator McCain lays out a lot of good ideas to end or mitigate our dependence on foreign oil...I hope he continues to advocate for them once someone else is elected President.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

clipped from www.reuters.com U.S. courts Arabs by inviting Syria to peace talks NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States' somewhat grudging offer to invite diplomatic adversary Syria to its Middle East peace conference is largely to provide political cover for other Arab states to take part, U.S. officials said. However, U.S. officials suggested they did so with little enthusiasm because of their disagreements with Damascus over Iraq, Lebanon and its support for Hamas, the militant group and political party that rules the Gaza Strip. Huh? US diplomacy? Are we actually going to talk to someone who doesn't already agree with us? (Do we still have to be such #@%&$ about it?) Seriously, though, good move. God willing, something real will come out of this peace conference. Everyone in their respective countries already hates Bush and Olmert; maybe not caring about what the electorate thinks will free them up to do the right thing and implement a real two-state solution.

You Know, The One in Afghanistan?

clipped from www.reuters.com NATO's Afghanistan gains could be lost: commander LONDON (Reuters) - Hard-fought gains by NATO troops this year could be lost in coming months if Afghan forces fail to hold ground seized from the Taliban, the NATO commander in Afghanistan said in an interview broadcast on Friday. We're just "kickin' ass" everywhere aren't we Mr. President? Too bad we can't supply the forces we need to fight the war against the people who actually attacked us on 9.11. Seriously? The Taliban? Still? These people should be a distant memory by now not taking and holding territory! Heckuva job Bushie.

Musharraf In

clipped from hosted.ap.org Pakistani court says Musharraf can run ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday dismissed legal challenges to President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's bid for a new five-year term, allowing the military leader to run in the Oct. 6 election while retaining his role as army chief. Overall this is probably good news for the US and the (actual) War on al-Qaeda (you know, the one in Afghanistan?). Not necessarily good news for democracy in the short term though... I think Musharraf is a very important figure both for us and for the future of Pakistan, I just hope we don't end up with another Mugabe - clinging to power forever at the expense of all else. Time will tell...

Good News From Iraq (For Real)

clipped from www.examiner.com Turkey, Iraq Sign Counterterrorism Pact ANKARA, Turkey (Map, News) - Turkey and Iraq on Friday signed a counterterrorism pact aimed at cracking down on separatist Kurdish rebels who have been attacking Turkey from bases in Iraq. The agreement, however, falls short of meeting Ankara's demand to send troops in pursuit of Kurdish rebels fleeing across the border into northern Iraq, Turkey's Interior Minister Besir Atalay said. The deal, broadcast live on television, was signed by Iraq's Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani and Atalay. Hopefully, this will lessen some of the tensions between the Kurds and Turkey. The PKK is one of the biggest problems in US-Turkey relations and, as one of our only allies in the region, it is important that we try and address their very real concerns about cross border terrorism.

HusBand How To: Secret Handshake

Constitutionally Mandated Primary Schedule?

clipped from blogs.usatoday.com An amendment is needed to fix the primary mess By Larry J. Sabato The presidential selection process is badly broken and must be fixed. Several good plans have been proposed, but they haven't gone far enough or offered the kind of discipline necessary to prevent future chaos. We need a constitutional amendment that establishes a rational schedule of primaries. UVA's own Larry Sabato has a prescription to fix the Presidential primary calender idiocy that has swept the nation. It seems pretty damn complicated but perhaps that is what is needed to fix such a badly broken system. In my opinion, if the later primary states want their contests to mean something, then maybe they shouldn't all blindly vote for whoever wins Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. (Again, I cannot believe these are the people who get to decide this.)

HusBand How To: The Wife Is Always Right?

HusBand How To: Best Snoring Cure Ever

Wake up!

clipped from www.nytimes.com Lost at Sea THE ultimate strategic effect of the Iraq war has been to hasten the arrival of the Asian Century. While the American government has been occupied in Mesopotamia, and our European allies continue to starve their defense programs, Asian militaries — in particular those of China, India, Japan and South Korea — have been quietly modernizing and in some cases enlarging. Asian dynamism is now military as well as economic. Whether or not China ever has a motive to challenge America, it will increasingly have the capacity to do so I've been saying this for a while now: Iraq drains us and inflates China. Terrorism from weak, diffuse, non-state entities is NOT the so-called struggle of our times. It is not the new Cold War. The new Cold War is going to be the old Cold War, but with a more powerful adversary: China. This isn't about lead paint in toys. They are moving in and we aren't even paying attention.

Kerrey Out?

clipped from thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com Kerrey Is Leaning Against a Senate Run For weeks, Democrats have been keeping their fingers crossed for Bob Kerrey to announce that he was jumping back into politics to run for an open Senate seat in Nebraska. But that, of course, would require Mr. Kerrey to leave New York City. And that has become such a sticking point that Democratic Party officials in Nebraska and Washington are grudgingly conceding that they think it is highly unlikely he will run for the Senate. Crap!

A Good Start...

clipped from www.examiner.com Israel Urged to Turn Over Arab Areas JERUSALEM (Map, News) - Israel should turn over Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem to the Palestinians as part of a peace deal with the moderate government of President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel's deputy prime minister said Friday. The comment was one of the frankest remarks to date about what Israel might be willing to relinquish in talks. It is heartening to see someone high in the Israeli administration saying such sensible things. Of course, saying and doing are two different things.

Johanns In

clipped from www.examiner.com Agriculture Secretary to Step Down WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns is leaving President Bush's Cabinet and is expected to run for the U.S. Senate. Nebraska will be a battleground state in 2008. It has been a while...

Saved By His Own Incompetence

clipped from www.reuters.com Zimbabwe protest strike call fails again HARARE (Reuters) - A general strike against President Robert Mugabe collapsed again on Wednesday with Zimbabweans apparently too worried about keeping their jobs and avoiding a police crackdown to take part. So the economic and social instability created by Robert Mugabe's corruption and incompetence actually HELPS him? Well played. The horrible economy has actually helped reduce the spread of HIV because people cannot afford to have mistresses anymore. Maybe there is something to the Bush model of totally incompetent government...

Kerrey In, Johanns Cagey.

clipped from www.reuters.com Despite reports, Johanns sidesteps Senate questions WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, reported to be considering a bid for Senate, sidestepped questions on Wednesday about whether he will run for a Nebraska seat next year. My guess would be that he will run, which is too bad because he could beat Kerrey. Hell, even I voted for him once upon a time.

HusBand How To: Renewing Your Vows

HusBand How To: Welcome Class of 07/07/07

Again, a bit dated. But enjoy...

Everyday Is Better Than the Day Before

clipped from news.yahoo.com Pets killed for food in Zimbabwe Animals, like people, are being hard hit by Zimbabwe's economic meltdown, with official inflation of more than 7,600 percent, the highest in the world. Independent estimates put real inflation closer to 25,000 percent and the International Monetary Fund has forecast it will reach 100,000 percent by the end of the year. ...when you live in Zimbabwe. 100,000% inflation. I'm reasonably sure that means Monopoly money would literally be worth more than Zimbabwean dollars. Heckuva job Mugabe!

Chinese Economy Is Burning Too Hot

clipped from hosted.ap.org China Raises Interest Rates Again BEIJING (AP) -- China raised interest rates Friday for a fifth time this year in a bid to curb rising inflation amid signs previous efforts to cool the sizzling economy were having little effect. The economy, which expanded by 11.9 percent last quarter, is still powering ahead despite repeated rate increases, investment curbs and measures to shrink credit. Even lead-contaminated toys and mercury-contaminated toothpaste can't stop them! 12%!?!

Keep Your Fingers Crossed

clipped from www.examiner.com Sudan Ready to Declare Cease-Fire ROME (Map, News) - Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said Friday his government is ready to implement a cease-fire with rebel forces at the start of peace talks over the conflict in Darfur, scheduled for next month in Libya. (Bashir is, but not in the good way...) Hopefully China will have the good sense to push the Bashir government to take this seriously. I wonder what effect this will have on the political future of our (and Osama bin Laden's) old friend Hassan al-Turabi?

HusBand How To: Three Things for a Happy Forth

A little dated, but funny nonetheless...

HusBand How To: Viva Esposa

Suck It &!#@#@$

clipped from www.examiner.com Judge Rejects Carmakers' Emission Suit MONTPELIER, Vt. (Map, News) - A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that states can regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, rejecting automakers' claims that the state rules are pre-empted by federal law and that technology can't be developed to meet them.

Russia Dissolves Government

clipped from www.examiner.com Putin Dissolves Russian Government MOSCOW (Map, News) - President Vladimir Putin has dissolved the Russian government on the request of the prime minister, the Kremlin said Wednesday, a major political shakeup that comes less than three months before crucial parliamentary elections. That's quite the democracy they've got going on over there.

9.11.2001

Never forget.

Foreign Exchange: Ignore Asia at Our Own Peril

This is a good episode. The beginning is a harsh independent assessment of the state of Iraq today. Fareed's comment at the end is something we should all heed: our misadventures in the Middle East are creating a power vacuum that China is readily stepping into. [Great freeze-frame, BTW.]

HusBand How To: The Horah Force

Hagel Out. Kerrey In

clipped from www.washingtonpost.com Sen. Hagel Leaving Congress After '08 By ANNA JO BRATTON The Associated Press Monday, September 10, 2007; 11:40 AM OMAHA, Neb. -- Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, a thorn in his own party's side when it comes to Iraq, announced Monday he would retire from the Senate and not seek any elected office in 2008. "I said after I was elected in 1996 that 12 years in the Senate would probably be enough, and it is," Hagel said. The good Kerrey that is. Bob not the other guy. PS: Go Huskers. Fire Callahan.

Exactly

clipped from www.washingtonpost.com The Bottom-Up Partition By Jackson Diehl Monday, September 10, 2007; Page A15 The benchmark-centered reports on Iraq agree: The "surge" has failed to achieve its most fundamental objective, which is to catalyze a political reconciliation among Iraqis. Buried in the data, however, is plenty of evidence that Iraq is slowly moving toward a new political order. It's just not the one the Bush administration has in mind, and it's not happening on the timetable Congress wants. This points out what I've been thinking for a while...It doesn't matter what we say or do, Iraq WILL be partitioned one way or another. That's just where the momentum in the country lies. Good for Iran. Bad for Turkey. Bad for the Middle East. Bad for us. Again, excellent work Bush administration.

HusBand How To: The Horah

Enjoy.