J-Marsh points us to this piece by Daniel Levy in Ha’aretz called “Ending the Neoconservative Nightmare.” With a title like that, it is naturally quite good. Some exceprts:
In 1996 a group of then opposition U.S. policy agitators, including Richard Perle and Douglas Feith, presented a paper entitled “A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm” to incoming Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The “clean break” was from the prevailing peace process, advocating that Israel pursue a combination of roll-back, destabilization and containment in the region, including striking at Syria and removing Saddam Hussein from power in favor of “Hashemite control in Iraq.” The Israeli horse they backed then was not up to the task.
Ten years later, as Netanyahu languishes in the opposition, as head of a small Likud faction, Perle, Feith and their neoconservative friends have justifiably earned a reputation as awesome wielders of foreign-policy influence under George W. Bush.
I want you to know that I don’t get offended very often. But I am certainly offended by your recent letter telling me you are now “boycotting� my columns because I recommended a CD by David Allan Coe. The column you are referring to, “Circuit Cuidad,� was, ironically, a spoof on minority boycotts. Plenty of people misunderstood the column—perhaps none as thoroughly as you.
In today’s column I want to take some time to address your silly assertion that David Allan Coe’s use of the n-word—in more than one of his songs—means that both a) Coe is a racist and b) I am a racist for recommending his music. The former assertion isn’t important to me apart from its relationship to the latter assertion.
[…]
A teacher used the word “niggardly� in a Wilmington, North Carolina, classroom a few years ago, she was accused of racism by people who didn’t even know the meaning of the word “niggardly�—or the meaning of the word “racism,� for that matter. Even a UNCW political science professor said she was being racially insensitive for using a word that sounded like an epithet.
Consider the logical implications of this for a moment. Must I refrain from talking about beer so I do not offend a queer? Must I refrain from talking about a stag so I do not offend a fag? Must I keep silent about my trigger because it might offend a—
You know, Mike, they say that when you’ve dug yourself into a hole, the thing to do is to concentrate all your energy on digging harder.
Tony Blair has caved in to mounting pressure from world leaders and his own Cabinet by delaying the start of his summer holiday to the Caribbean.
Downing Street confirmed the Prime Minister will stay at home for a few more days so he can work on a UN Security Council resolution for a Middle East ceasefire.
Which shirt would you be more embarassed to be seen wearing?
Exhibit A
-or-
Exhibit B
I’d rather wear the Hootie shirt, personally- it’s at least got some ironic retro kitsch to it.
So whadya think, guys? Is Joe Lieberman actually lamer than Hootie?
Watch this before answering. I still think Joe is worse.
Gavin adds: Wah. [rubbing eyes] Um, remember that picture on FDL of Lieberman in blackface? Two wrongs don’t make a right. And I’m talking primarily to Hootie here.
CNN anchor Daryn Kagan is leaving the network to start an online inspirational Website, darynkagan.com. Kagan, who has been with CNN for 12 years, will continue her regular anchoring gig from 10 a.m. through noon until Sept. 1.
Kagan joined CNN as a sports anchor in 1994, after working in local TV in Phoenix, AZ, and moved to news reporting in 1998.
In an e-mail to colleagues, Kagan said she was excited about her new venture, an “online community dedicated to the radical idea that the world is a good place.” She said the site will launch Nov. 13.
Kagan (above): Resemblance to Posh Spice not sole factor in career success
So it apparently takes two giant crises in the Middle East to get Bush to shorten his vacation time. I wonder what it’d take to get him to cancel it altogether? An invasion by the minions of Xenu, perhaps?
August is usually when President Bush stays away from Washington to recharge at his Texas ranch.
This year, Bush is cutting his down time to only 10 days — the shortest summer break of his presidency — against the backdrop of the Middle East in crisis, Baghdad beset by violence and Cuba in flux.
Not a lot of time to clear brush. You better get crackin’, G-Dubz.
Bush usually spends three to four weeks at his 1,600-acre spread near Crawford, Texas. His rest, though, has been marred by wars, a re-election campaign, anti-war protests and Hurricane Katrina.
Analysts see Bush’s shorter vacation as partly a response to the angry criticism last year from the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast that he and his administration were slow to respond to the disaster. Bush cut his month-long Texas stay by two days.
Guys- I love trashing Patterico as much as the next person, but por favor, do not post his — or anyone else’s — personal contact information in the comments. As Thers notes:
Nobody “deserves” to be given shit in their private life because of online nonsense.
I should know. I hold no brief for Patterico, but leave his home & work life out of this crap, please.
Indizzle.
Retardo-san adds: I, Pattycake’s Worst Person Evar!!!, most emphatically concur with Bradrocket and Thers.
Still, no matter what a psychotic chickenhawk coward Pasty is, Brad’s rule applies to the subhuman as well. And same goes for even the sub-subhuman, like Pasty-o-head’s own Pablo honey. S,N!’s policy is to call them what they are, but not to sink to their level by “outting” them. And since that’s our policy, that’s your policy as commenters here, too.
