Foreign Affairs

Many times, Sully’s rhetoric is over the top, but he nails it here:

For some it’s about “war” in general – a newly empowered new age pacifism. For France, it’s about … France, and its eclipse as a power of any significance. France’s crisis is deepened by the fact that a successful war against Saddam could also accelerate the end of the Franco-German bloc as the power-house of the European Union. For Russia, it’s about money. For the Germans, it’s about a new national identity. The Germans have never been able to sustain a moderate polity on their own. They veer from extreme romantic militarism to romantic pacifism. Their current abdication of all strategic responsibility for Europe or the wider world is just another all-too-familiar spasm from German history. For the broader anti-war forces in Europe, it’s about American uni-polar power – and the need to counteract it, even if it’s being put to good use. For still others, especially in the Vatican and France, it’s the old Jew-hatred again. For the Democrats, it’s about getting back to prescription drugs. For the anti-war left in America, it’s really about Bush. The pent-up fury they felt after Florida never found expression or even validation in the wider culture. It was repressed in the first months of a new presidency – and then made irrelevant by 9/11. Finally, they have a chance to demonstrate their hate – which is why so much of the demonstrations’ focus has not been on Saddam, Iraq or even war, but on Bush. The anti-Bush left knows that a successful war will only strengthen the president further and marginalize them even more – hence their utter desperation and viciousness today. This is their moment; and the demonstrations are their therapy.

Mmmhmm.

Sully Nails ItPost + Comments (16)

Via Rantburg, we note this story:

Afghan authorities have arrested a Pakistani man in eastern Afghanistan, accusing him of spying for his country, officials said Sunday. The man, Sayed Wali, was arrested Wednesday by border guards on charges of illegally entering Afghanistan in eastern Nangarhar province.

Sayed Wali- Why does that name sound so familiar?

Is Sayed Wali the same man as the notorious Syed Ali, terrorist mastermind in the hit show 24? Does Mr. Wali know where the bomb is located? Should Jack Bauer and President Palmer be notified? And how did he get from the mosque in LA to the Pakistan border this quickly?

Questions…

Life Imitates ArtPost + Comments

When George Bush says he is going to hunt down Osama or dis-arm Saddam, he is portrayed as a cowboy. Do the Saudis have to fear the same characterization after badmouthing another tyrant/lunatic (to be fair, he is the UN Chair for Human Rights):

Libya

I am getting really tried of reading this story, over and over and over again:

The fall-out from the Turkish vote to not allow American troops base there for any war with Iraq included a substantial hit to the Turkish market.