February 01, 2005
Sneering and gloating: moral values?
Billboard Blitz to Blast Hollywood
HUMAN EVENTS has learned that a billboard blitz "thanking" Hollywood for the reelection of President Bush will be unveiled early next week.
The advertisements feature the faces of liberal Hollywood icons Michael Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Affleck, Martin Sheen, Chevy Chase, Barbara Streisand, and Sean Penn, and offer thanks to Hollywood their help getting President Bush reelected....
Charming, aren't they? So full of hatred and bile, I don't believe Jesus would claim them.
Link via No More Mr Nice Blog
Posted by jnfr at 09:44 AM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2004
If Iran goes nuclear...
A story today in the Christian Science Monitor implies that Bush is taking a softer approach to Iran. I'm not sure that's believeable, but here it is:
Yet Mr. Bush's recent rhetoric on the topic has been nuanced - gone is the word "intolerable." The shift may suggest two things: first, a realization that diplomatic options are limited, and second, a realization that Iran has tremendous means of influencing events in Iraq.
The chances for a nuclear arms race in the Middle East grow enormously if Iran gets the bomb.
An "overtly" nuclear Iran could result in a "large nuclear crowd in the Middle East," Mr. Sokolski says: Israel would go public with the nuclear armament it has been mum about, which in turn would put tremendous pressure on Egypt to stand shoulder to shoulder in the nuclear club. Syria, Algeria, Saudi Arabia - which would feel threatened by Iran's new status - would also feel pressed to ratchet up what are assumed to be varying existing programs.
Though it's likely to be a few years yet before Iran could finish a working bomb, that's a short time frame for any chance of finding a peaceful resolution. Though Iran recently agreed to temporarily halt its uranium enrichment program, that agreement is fairly unstable and may not last.
In any event, the Bush administration remains deeply skeptical of the prospects for the European plan to derail Iran's nuclear ambitions. One reason is that over recent years Iran's nuclear program has become tightly bound with national pride, thus making it all the more difficult for a regime - particularly one whose popularity is already on the wane - to give it up.
Personally I think there's a more immediate threat in Pakistan, which already has a bomb and has close ties with allies of Al Queada, if not with Al Quaeda itself. I'd like to find some good reporting on how strong Musharraf is and how likely his government is to fail. If I can find some, I'll bring it back here. In the meantime, Iran is going to be a hot spot for some time to come, even if we don't invade.
Posted by jnfr at 05:11 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2004
Iran agrees to stand down — for now
Under pressure from the United Nations and the European Union, Iran has agreed to halt its uranium enrichment program. The agreement will remain in place while talks with the EU continue. Iran has denied that the enrichment program was a front for building nuclear weapons, but it's widely believed that they want to secure those weapons for themselves. Now the EU needs to figure out what package of enticements will bring the situation to a more permanent resolution.
UPDATE: But apparently this article show that Jane's Intelligence Digest thinks that Iran is just buying time until they have a fully functional nuclear weapon. In which case, this is a head fake. Via BOP News
Posted by jnfr at 01:10 PM | Comments (0)