Some guy said this once: Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry …
Foreign Affairs
Cue the Warbloggers’ Heads Exploding
Via Wonkette, “Brave Army Man Sues Nobama to Avoid War”: U.S. Army Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook filed a request last week in federal court seeking a temporary restraining order and status as a conscientious objector with the intent to stall and eventually prevent an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. In the 20-page document — filed July …
You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby
This would shock me: Pentagon health experts are urging Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ban the use of tobacco by troops and end its sale on military property, a change that could dramatically alter a culture intertwined with smoking. Jack Smith, head of the Pentagon’s office of clinical and program policy, says he will recommend …
Most of America Still Disagrees with President McCain
Via Steve Benen, this CNN poll: A new national poll suggests that that nearly three out of four Americans don’t want the U.S. directly intervene in the election crisis in Iran even though most Americans are upset by how the Iranian government has dealt with protests over controversial election results. More than eight in ten …
Most of America Still Disagrees with President McCainPost + Comments (39)
There Will Be Blood
From the NY Times: After a year in preparation, a much-heralded auction of licenses to develop Iraq’s huge oil reserves began Tuesday but seemed to run into difficulties when oil and gas companies demanded far more remuneration than the authorities were ready to pay. Symbolically, the sale, broadcast on television, coincided with the formal handover …
A Funny Thing
Larison: By the way, it won’t fly to say that the administration’s language has been consistent between last week and the start of this week. Expressing “concerns” about something and saying that one is “appalled and outraged” by the same thing are two very different sorts of statements as a matter of conveying displeasure diplomatically. …
Clerical council refuses to nullify election
I know next to nothing about how the clerics in Iran update, but a variety of things I’ve read suggest that they are not in lockstep with Khamenei. But it does look like the Guardian Council will certify the election results: Iran’s most powerful oversight council has refused to nullify the contested presidential election just …
Clerical council refuses to nullify electionPost + Comments (21)