Trailer for New James Bond Movie

Looks pretty good.

Afghan Aid Derailed

Here is a Reuters segment:

Afghanistan: Oh Afghanistan.

Three Story Sunday

Mugabe "wins" the election.

President Robert Mugabe was sworn in for a sixth term Sunday, just hours after officials announced that he had overwhelmingly won an election many countries have condemned as a sham. His main rival dismissed the inauguration and said the next step would be power-sharing talks.

Mugabe is pathetic.


But, I am a Liberal! has started a two part series on Poland and its relationship to the United States in respect to Iraq.

Unlike the previous Gulf War, the United States mustered a smaller coalition of nations willing to engage in the liberation of Iraq prior to the invasion in 2003. Much has been made of the weaknesses in the international alliance, in so far as it did not include powers such as Germany and France, two pivotal players on the European mainland. Germany and France, for reasons cultural, strategic, and financial, where unwilling to work with the Bush administration’s stated goals for dealing with Saddam Hussein’s government in 2003, and this has plagued relations between the U.S. and its traditional allies in Europe since.

Very interesting.


The New Centrist has released the second part of his three part series on the radical left and anti-Semitism. For the first part, click here.

The New Left

In 1972, Joe Stork, the editor of the left-wing Middle East Research and Information Report (MERIP), wrote it was “difficult to point to official positions and articulated decisions in assessing the subject” of Israel and Palestine as “the white New Left has had very little to Say about Palestine or Israel.” For Stork, “the New Left groups and personalities have been conspicuous by their absence in any activity against Israel or US Middle East policy.”

Something you can print out and put on your bookshelf.


Just another Sunday.

Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN Sunday

I forgot (for a couple weeks now) to announce that Fareed Zakaria has his own show on CNN. Every Sunday at 1pm Eastern.

This week on Fareed Zakaria GPS:

We are broadcasting from London. We'll be talking to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown about the crises in Zimbabwe, Iraq and Iran. Brown will also discuss his declining popularity. And, we’ll talk to David Cameron, the man many believe could soon have Gordon Brown's job. Stay tuned!

I'm sure it will be interesting.

CNN: There is hope yet.

Mugabe's Planned Election

Zimbabweans go out to "vote."

President Robert Mugabe's militias drove a frightened electorate to the polls Friday, checking off names of voters and threatening vengeance on those who failed to cast ballots for the only man ever to rule Zimbabwe.

Voters said ruling party officials forced them to register their names, addresses and national identification numbers before entering polling stations. On leaving, they were told to report the last three digits of their ballot's serial number so their choice could be monitored. To make the job easier, Mugabe's party set up makeshift command centers near many polling stations.

I wonder who will win the election this time around. Hmmmmmmmm.

What is taking place in Zimbabwe right now reminds of my research (for a college paper) of Poland after WWII and the Soviet takeover that followed. The NKVD (Soviet secret police) orchestrated elections by force, gunpoint and intimidation. Those parties that weren't favored by Moscow were weeded out, ushering in wins for the Communist party. The elections were a big joke.

Mugabe is using the same tactics, using force and intimidation to orchestrate his win. Having voters put their names, addresses and national identification numbers down seems to me to be a plan of weeding out "sympathizers" to Tsvangirai. One can only wonder what will happen to those who vote against Mugabe and his tyrannical rule.

But what do we do? What do we do as an international community? Do we invade, do we negotiate, do we offer economic incentives? Do we pressure South Africa? What do we do?

Zimbabwe: Countdown.

Update: I want this man to explain this to me.

The Anti-Gun Backlash Begins

This is a CBS report on the recent Supreme Court ruling on the 2nd Amendment.



4 seconds for the NRA view of the events? Talk about unbalanced. It's a real tradegy when they start throwing out death statistics by guns as if the guns were magically acting on their own. Individuals killed these people, criminals. In these cities with gun restrictions they fail to mention the gun bans aren't working. You'd think they would get the idea that gun ownership isn't the problem.

There are other ways in reducing violence (all kinds, not just violence with a weapon). It's called reducing poverty, it's called punishing criminal behavior and it's called education.

To restrict the majority for the actions of a few is not right.

CBS: Not messing around, they hate guns.

The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms

Supreme Court does something right today.

For the first time in U.S. history, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that individual Americans have the right to own guns for personal use, and struck down a strict gun control law in the U.S. capital.

The landmark 5-4 ruling marked the first time in nearly 70 years the country's high court has addressed whether the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, rather than a right tied to service in a state militia.

In the majority opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia said the Second Amendment protected an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.

Just a reminder on how absurd the restrictions were in Washington D.C., look below.



Disarmed in your own home.

Guns: Ask Switzerland if it leads to more crime.

Five Story Wednesday

What is it like to live in Russia today?

The most striking thing about everyday life in the Russia of Vladimir Putin (and make no mistake, it is Putin's Russia, despite the election of a new president, hand-picked by the great man) is the incredible corruption of the courts, the police, the special forces -- all the institutions that are supposed to uphold law and order in a democracy and that in Russia today have been transformed into a cancer that's devouring the state.

Medvedev, in a Reuters interview.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev played down differences with his predecessor Vladimir Putin in an interview with Reuters but the contrast in style and tone between the two men was striking.

Medvedev -- a longtime Putin ally -- presented himself as a continuity figure during the presidential election campaign this year and he repeated that mantra in the interview, saying the essence of Putin's policies would not change.

Medvedev playing dumb.


Chavez the next Fidel Castro?

A few years ago, when Hugo Chávez, the President of Venezuela, said that he wanted a new jet to replace the nearly thirty-year-old Boeing bequeathed to him by his predecessor, his critics raised an outcry. But Chávez went ahead with his plans. His new plane, which cost sixty-five million dollars, is a gleaming white Airbus A-319, with a white leather interior, seating for sixty passengers, and a private compartment. The folding seat-back trays have gold-colored hinges, and there is plenty of legroom.

The new age of autocratic leaders.


U.K. Queen finally strips the Zimbabwean dictator Mugabe of his knighthood.

Queen Elizabeth II has stripped Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s strongman president for nearly 30 years, of his honorary knighthood as a “mark of revulsion” at the human rights abuses and “abject disregard” for democracy over which he has presided, the British Foreign Office announced Wednesday.

It's about time. Now that business is over with, it's time to actually do something to solve the Zimbabwean fiasco.


Foreign Policy magazine (along with The Fund for Peace) has just released The Failed States Index of 2008.

When troops opened fire in the streets of Mogadishu in early May, it was a tragically familiar scene in war-torn Somalia. Except on this day, soldiers weren’t fighting Islamist militias or warlords. They were combating a mob of tens of thousands rioting over soaring food prices.

Very interesting.

Just another Wednesday.

2008 Presidential Election Guide: Third Party Candidates

I recently made a guide to help voters decide between the two major candidates for President, John McCain and Barack Obama. I will now provide a guide for the third party candidates. The various links should give you an idea where they stand on the issues, and if they have one, a past record of their experience.

The third party candidates running for President include:

Bob Barr: Libertarian Party

Cynthia McKinney: Green Party

Ralph Nader: Independent

Chuck Baldwin: Constitution Party

The following links should help you in your 2008 Presidential third party candidate selection (due to lack of information, some candidates might have more links than others).

Vote Smart (voting record is linked right side column):
Bob Barr
Cynthia McKinney
Ralph Nader
Chuck Baldwin

Washington Post Congress Vote Database:
Bob Barr
Cynthia McKinney

On The Issues:
Bob Barr
Cynthia McKinney
Ralph Nader

Open Secrets:
Bob Barr
Cynthia McKinney
Ralph Nader

Campaign Websites:
Bob Barr
Cynthia McKinney
Ralph Nader
Chuck Baldwin

Party Identification:
Bob Barr: Libertarian Party
Cynthia McKinney: Green Party
Chuck Baldwin: Constitution Party

Wikipedia Entries (Not as credible as other sources):
Bob Barr
Cynthia McKinney
Ralph Nader
Chuck Baldwin

YouTube Channels:
Bob Barr
Cynthia McKinney
Ralph Nader
Chuck Baldwin

Even More Information:
University of Michigan: Elections 2008

If I have missed any links you think should be added, please contact me. If I missed a candidate you would like covered, please contact me.

Remember: Research, Compare, Vote.

Last updated: June 30th, 2008.

United Nations Security Council Condemnation on Zimbabwe: Really?

The New Centrist has an article up looking at the recent condemnation by the UNSC and how the inclusion of members such as China and Russia lessens the impact.

As the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe worsens, with Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai seeking refuge in the embassy of the Netherlands and political thugs roaming the streets and murdering MDC activists, the United Nations Security Council produced a condemnation of the regime of Robert Mugabe...

How does China, a single-party state (or even Russia for that matter) have the moral and political authority to put their signature on a document supporting free elections and allowing political opponents the opportunity to operate freely? Do you think they will allow this to happen at home? Don’t read this the wrong way, I think it would be fantastic if the PRC allowed free and fair elections and allowed more parties than the Communist party to operate. But we all know this is not happening.

Added to the fact that China just two months ago tried to sell Mugabe a ship full of weapons. Luckily they were recalled (as far as I know). If Zimbabwe is a international test for the UN, then it has failed. Same goes with Darfur. Same goes with any other problem addressing the world.

UN: Simply an aid organization?

Which Obama Will We Get: Change Obama or Chicago Obama

Two articles about Obama and his image.

First is from The Washington Post about Obama reintroducing himself to the American public.

In the opening weeks of the general-election campaign, Sen. Barack Obama has moved aggressively to shape his campaign and offered a clear road map for the kind of candidate he is likely to become in the months ahead: an ambitious gamer of the electoral map, a ruthless fundraiser and a scrupulous manager of his own biography in the face of persistent concerns about how he is perceived.

The second article comes from the Chicago Tribune about Chicago's image and how it may (or already has) hurt Obama.

He meant it as a joke, but when Barack Obama recently parodied a famous line from "The Untouchables" he also dredged up the reputation of his longtime home as a place that is rough, raw and unlikely to breed reform.

"If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun," Obama said during a Philadelphia fundraiser, explaining the Chicago-style approach to hard-nosed politics.

As the first African-American to lock up a major-party presidential nomination, Obama has been the subject of much analysis that understandably focuses on race.

But Americans also have never sent a Chicagoan to the White House, and one intriguing question posed by his candidacy is whether they are ready to now.

Whether opting out of public financing (after stating he would commit to it) is any sign, I'd say Chicago Obama.

Obama: No Sean Connery.

Three Story Sunday

Tsvangiria pulls out of Zimbabwe election due to violence.

Zimbabwe presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangiria said Sunday he's pulling out of Friday's national elections, fearing the toll of escalating violence.

"A free and fair election is impossible," Tsvangirai told CNN, saying the political violence in the election run-up had to be stopped. He accused Mugabe's supporters of political slayings, election rigging and targeting members of his Movement for Democratic Change party for arrests.

Mugabe never planned to cede power, never has, never will.

Europe is a little worried about Obama.

European officials are increasingly concerned that Sen. Barack Obama's campaign pledge to begin direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program without preconditions could potentially rupture U.S. relations with key European allies early in a potential Obama administration.

Unilateralism you can believe in?

UN on Kosovo.

For 16 months, Russia and the West have been a bit eyeball-to-eyeball in the United Nations Security Council over the status of Kosovo. But to borrow Dean Rusk's famous phrase during the 1963 Cuban missile crisis, it appears that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has just blinked.

Mr. Ban's concession on Friday appeared to brush aside Russia's objections and clear the way to end the nine-year "UNMIK" mission in Kosovo. Last week, Pristina authorities inked a milestone constitution, following a February declaration of independence.

Serbia still protests, no surprise here.

Just another Sunday.

Obama is Nothing But a Politician

David Brooks has an article up at the NY Times about Barack Obama and his political maneuvering throughout the campaign.

But as recent weeks have made clear, Barack Obama is the most split-personality politician in the country today. On the one hand, there is Dr. Barack, the high-minded, Niebuhr-quoting speechifier who spent this past winter thrilling the Scarlett Johansson set and feeling the fierce urgency of now. But then on the other side, there’s Fast Eddie Obama, the promise-breaking, tough-minded Chicago pol who’d throw you under the truck for votes.

It just goes to show you that Obama is nothing more than a politician. When he sees an opportunity, though it conflicts with past statements, he'll take it. He wants to win and sacrificing a little principle isn't going to stop him.

I'm not under the impression that McCain is no different, and this is evidenced by the gas-tax holiday and changing his stance on oil drilling. Yet this move by Obama really shreds his followers belief that he'll bring real "change" to Washington.

With a majority Democrat Congress will Obama pursue to include the interests of the minority Republicans? I doubt it. He is not a part of a movement, and if you thought he was, then you have been deceived.

Obama wants to win, simple as that.

Where I found this article:
The McCain Report

The Lisbon Treaty and Europe: Two Articles

The first is from International Herald Tribune:

Buffeted by Ireland's rejection of the European Union treaty and assailed by protesters angry at rising food and energy costs, EU leaders will gather Thursday for a summit meeting overshadowed by recriminations over the Irish referendum and accusations that the bloc is failing to address citizens' concerns.

Protesters who converged on Brussels on Wednesday, blocking main roads in the city center, highlighted the divergent views within the 27-nation bloc over how to deal with rising food and fuel prices.

European countries are likely to clash over calls to help cushion the impact of price increases. The coincidence of the Irish vote and protests across Europe against rising commodity costs underlines a loss of confidence among parts of the electorate in the EU's ability to deal with everyday issues.

and the second is from Robert Kagen:

A mere two years ago, the British author and thinker Mark Leonard published a book titled "Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century." Today, one wonders to what degree Europe will even participate in the 21st century. It's not just the deadly blow struck by Ireland's rejection Thursday of the Lisbon Treaty reorganizing the European Union. I've spent six of the past eight years in the capital of the European Union, and I've noticed over this period a steady loss of self-confidence in Europe, a turning inward and a growing pessimism about the future.

EU: Is it worth the frustration?

Natan Sharansky on Identity and Democracy

Here* is an article by Natan Sharansky who talks about identity and democracy, and the different outlooks by Europe and the United States.

The trans-Atlantic rift is not the function of one president, but the product of deep ideological forces that for generations have worked to shape the divergent views of Americans and Europeans. Foremost among these are different attitudes toward identity in general, and the relationship between identity and democracy in particular.

Pretty interesting read.

Where I found this article:
Real Clear Politics

*If the link doesn't work, click here and find the article titled "Democracies Can't Compromise on Core Values."

Three Story Sunday

Christopher Hitchens talks WWII and takes on Pat Buchanan.

Is there any one shared principle or assumption on which our political consensus rests, any value judgment on which we are all essentially agreed? Apart from abstractions such as a general belief in democracy, one would probably get the widest measure of agreement for the proposition that the second world war was a "good war" and one well worth fighting. And if we possess one indelible image of political immorality and cowardice, it is surely the dismal tap-tap-tap of Neville Chamberlain's umbrella as he turned from signing the Czechs away to Adolf Hitler at Munich. He hoped by this humiliation to avert war, but he was fated to bring his countrymen war on top of humiliation.

For more on this topic (i.e. WWII) go over to Martin in the Margins.


Pakistan decides to appease local Taliban leaders.

For nearly two months, Pakistan's new government has been engaged in intensive negotiations with Islamic militants who use the rugged tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan as both a sanctuary and a springboard for attacks.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. officials have voiced increasing concern over the nature and scope of such negotiations and the resulting agreements. Under them, militant factions have received significant concessions, including the release of dozens of prisoners and the granting of what is in effect amnesty to fugitive commanders who were on most-wanted lists.

Well isn't that great.


It is now learned that a weapons smuggling ring had blueprints for an advanced nuclear warhead.

An international smuggling ring that sold bomb-related parts to Libya, Iran and North Korea also managed to acquire blueprints for an advanced nuclear weapon, according to a draft report by a former top U.N. arms inspector that suggests the plans could have been shared secretly with any number of countries or rogue groups.

The drawings, discovered in 2006 on computers owned by Swiss businessmen, included essential details for building a compact nuclear device that could be fitted on a type of ballistic missile used by Iran and more than a dozen developing countries, the report states.

Of course the major buyers from the smuggling ring happen to be our worst enemies. That's a given.

Just another Sunday.

Mugabe Won't Let Go of Power

Mugabe has vowed today he will never let go of power. This comes after a recent election where opposition leader Tsvangirai gained considerable amount of votes against Mugabe (yet not enough to secure a win, a run-off is suppose to take place June 27, yet as already highlighted, this isn't going to happen).

At least 12 members of the party, including opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, were also arrested, the MDC said.

"We shall never, never accept anything that smells of a delivered parcel of what they call the MDC ... that is not going to happen. We are prepared to fight for it if we lose it in the same way that our forefathers lost it," Mugabe said referring to British colonial rule.

Tsvangirai and 11 other members of his party were being held at a police station, the MDC said.

I don't know what to say here, Mugabe is being Mugabe. He is a ruthless dictator, and this is hardly surprising. While Zimbabwe starves, he feasts. As opposition leaders gain more traction, he sends out the police goons. Who might have to burn alive a few people to get the point across. He is a psychotic paranoid dictator.

More more on Zimbabwe...

Here is a MSNBC segment:


Here is a Reuters segment:


Where I found the MSNBC article:
QandO blog

Gordon Brown Going Nuclear

Prime Minister of Britian Gordon Brown proposes building more nuclear plants around the world to offset the demand for oil.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is calling for 1,000 more nuclear power stations around the world to help end a global "addiction to oil."

An enthusiastic Brown signaled he wants Britain to play a major role in the ambitious project. He flies to Saudia Arabia for an emergency oil summit next week.

He said he believes Africa could build nuclear power plants to meet growing demands for energy despite risks of terrorism, the Independent reported.

As much as I like this idea, I believe poor regulations in countries like that of Africa will spell disaster. There will need to be some type of outside inspectors to come in and confirm everything is in order. Otherwise, domestic welfare issues in these countries might get more attention than the nuclear plants.

But I'm for this. I'm actually surprised we in the United States don't build more nuclear plants. It seems every time that we have a discussion on nuclear plants, people bring up accidents that could have been avoided. With the right about of safety standards, and the right location for waste sites, going nuclear is a good idea.

The Stark Tenet: For going nuclear...with more regulation.

Colombia, Colombia

The Econmonist has a great article on Álvaro Uribe, Colombia's President.

SIX years ago, Colombians elected Álvaro Uribe as president because he pledged to beef up the security forces to defend a democracy under murderous assault from left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries. Many well-meaning people in the United States, Europe and Latin America wailed that Mr Uribe was a warmonger, and urged him instead to reach a “political solution” with the guerrillas. Military victory against the FARC, the oldest, biggest and wealthiest guerrilla army in Latin America, was impossible, they declared.

It really shows the complexity of Colombian politics.

Just another Friday.

Robert Gates: One in a Million

For reasons why Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is a great and rare figure, click here.

Excerpt Below:

MIRACLES do happen: A Bush Cabinet officer has proven not only competent, but wise, honest, independent and courageous.

That man is Defense Secretary Robert Gates - who just may be the best SecDef this country has ever had.

If only he could stay on into the next administration, he might rival our greatest Secretary of War, Elihu Root, the crucial military reformer of the early 20th century.

Pragmatic and low-key.

The Stark Tenet: Isn't this love fest for Gates getting a little old by now?

More on FARC

FARC has a new leader, Alfonso Cano.

Cano ascended to the top post of the Western Hemisphere's largest and oldest guerrilla group after the FARC announced late last month that its maximum commander, Manuel Marulanda, had died of natural causes, ending his 44-year reign as leader of the group.

The last time the outside world caught a glimpse of Cano was in 2000. Cano (whose given name was Guillermo Saenz Leon) was leading a rally of the FARC's newly minted clandestine political party, the Bolivarian Movement.

In the meanwhile, Colombian forces have been making gains against FARC.

In Colombia, the army says FARC guerrillas are on the run, thanks in part to billions in American aid. Some officials are predicting victory, and a quick end to a conflict that goes back for decades. But to many, the guerrillas remain ever present in the countryside, and promise more trouble for Washington's closest ally in Latin America.

Will this be the end of FARC? Or is the celebration too soon?

FARC: 2008 won't be a year to remember for the terrorist organization.

Where I found the second article:
Foreign Policy Passport

Venezuelans Keeping Chavez in Check?

The Chavez law that would have citizens inform on one another or face prison time has been stalled temporarily.

Hugo Chavez has tossed out a controversial intelligence decree that would have forced Venezuelans to become informants and spy on their neighbors or face prison time.

President Chavez says the National Assembly will draft a new law from scratch in response to resounding criticism.

He says "errors" were made in the decree that must now be corrected. But he denies that his government is on the defensive. He said Tuesday that this is a simple matter of fixing a mistake.

Ed Morrissey has some thoughts on it over at Hot Air:

Chavez says the bill will go back to the National Assembly to remove “errors” and return for his signature. If the Venezuelans do not want to live in terror of their families and friends becoming government informants out of their own fear, then they need to stop that bill — and find a way to get Chavez and his fascistic vision out of office.

The only thing stopping Venezuela turning into a police state is the people. Hopefully they'll take action and stop the formation of Chavez's Cuba.

Venezuela: Is there hope yet?

Where I found this article:
Hot Air

Russia: Who is Medvedev?

Foreign Policy Passport has a little fun trying to see what figure (both historical and fictional) best represents who he may be.

It has now been more than a month since Dmitry Medvedev took office as Russia's president. While it was never in doubt that Vladimir Putin would retain a great deal of power in his new post as prime minister, it was less certain what role President Medvedev would play in this unprecedented tandem leadership structure. One month later, it's still hard to get a good read on him, but here are a few possible historical (and fictional) archetypes for Russia's president.

I'm going with this one...

Medvedev is Vladimir Putin

Prime minister and former president of Russia

It's still quite possible that Putin does actually want to step aside, but doesn't yet feel that Russia is ready to go on without him. The copresidency could also be a trial period for the man that Putin feels can best continue what he started. Medvedev's tough talk with Georgia and Ukraine and his criticism of the United States may indicate his intention to continue his predecessor's line on foreign policy.

On the other hand, Putin is hardly the leader that people expected him to be when he was named prime minister by Boris Yeltsin. Dmitry Anatolyevich may yet create an archetype all his own.

Just a guess though.

Medvedev: Kremlin Gazprom Bureaucrat turned President.

Human Rights Watch on Zimbabwe Elections

Doesn't look like Zimbabwe will have a change in leadership any time soon.

Human Rights Watch warned Monday that the political violence it says the Zimbabwe government has launched against its opposition has “extinguished any chance” that the presidential run-off election set for June 27 can be free and fair.

"If current conditions are maintained, there is no possibility of a credible, free and fair poll," concluded the Human Rights Watch report entitled "Bullets for Each of You," an allusion to a reported warning by soldiers to villagers in Karoi, Mashonaland West, as to the consequences of voting for the the opposition in the presidential run-off.

The rights watchdog charged that the government of President Robert Mugabe has mounted a "campaign of violence and repression" and is "actively, systematically and methodically" targeting officials, members and perceived supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai.

Why hasn't Mugabe been stripped of his KCB title yet?

Zimbabwe: When will freedom come?

Three Story Sunday

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf still saying "no" to resigning while opposition parties get ready for impeachment.

A junior party in Pakistan's government called Sunday for its main coalition partner to back the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf a day after he rebuffed calls from both parties to resign.

Ahsan Iqbal, a spokesman for the party of the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, called Musharraf "a virus in the democratic computer" and said that the party of Asif Ali Zardari should not hesitate to "join us for Musharraf's impeachment."

A spokesman for Zardari's party said that it would "consider" pushing for impeachment proceedings in light of Musharraf's defiance.

The parties of Sharif and Zardari, the two largest in the governing coalition, won February elections on anti-Musharraf platforms. But Sharif's party has been more vociferous in demanding Musharraf's ouster, though Zardari's party has recently hardened its stance.

Dictator just can't get a break, huh?

John McCain talks to Newsweek about Barack Obama.

So, is he ready to be commander in chief?
That is a decision that will be made by the American people. I will point out his record: lack of experience, and again, things like [the] failure—it's now the 878th or 879th day since he went to Iraq. How do you know what the situation is and how do you make judgments if you don't go there? How do you say the surge has failed when it's clearly succeeding? It's clearly succeeding. Only the most devout believers [in America's inability to win] will now say that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq. We are winning, but he is saying we are not.

McCain, ready on day one.

No love for Afghan President Karzai?

After six years in which President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has been the darling of the United States and its allies, his luster may be fading.

On Thursday, Karzai is to arrive in Paris for a donors' conference with attendees from 80 countries and organizations. He will ask for $50 billion to finance a five-year development plan intended to revive Afghanistan's decrepit farming sector, promote economic development and diversify the economy away from its heavy reliance on opium.

But there is a growing concern in Europe, the United Nations and even the United States that Karzai, while well-spoken, colorful and often larger than life, is not up to addressing Afghanistan's many troubles.

Afghani Presidential elections are in 2009.

Just another Sunday.

9/11 Mastermind KSM Facing Justice

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has shown his true colors, a ruthless thug with no repentance.

When a visibly aged Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four alleged accomplices were reunited in a sterile military courtroom here Thursday, they laughed and chatted like old school chums and apparently rekindled their common cause: to defy their American enemies or die trying.

Strident and unremorseful over the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks they allegedly plotted, four of the men declared their eagerness to be executed.

Asked by the tribunal's chief judge, Marine Col. Ralph H. Kohlmann, if he recognized that he could be put to death if convicted, Mohammed said: "This is what I wish. I'm looking to be a martyr for a long time."

I say keep him alive as long as Al-Qaeda still exists, let's not help him become a so-called "martyr." If we can deprive him of anything, let it be this. When Al-Qaeda reaches its point of defeat, show him the news report. That ought to be punishment enough, that we prevailed and "you KSM sit in a jail cell."

9/11: Never forget, never again.

Top Hezbollah Commander Captured...in Iraq

If there is any question that Iran wants to fuel the violence in Iraq, the recent arrest of a top military commander of Hezbollah should put those suspicions to rest.

The U.S. Military in Iraq has captured the deputy military chief of the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah, coalition officials said.

Iraqi sources said the U.S. Army has arrested the No. 2 figure in Hizbullah's military wing. The sources said the unidentified Hizbullah commander was responsible for training the Iranian-backed Mahdi Army in the Baghdad area.

"The arrest is a major achievement and could provide an intelligence bonanza," an Iraqi source said.

The U.S.-led coalition has reported the capture of a senior Iranian operative south of Baghdad. In a coalition statement, the operative was described as a "primary weapons smuggler and financier for Iranian-backed enemy fighters."

Iran is in for the long haul, and they won't quit if we quit. Staying in Iraq is not only about making Iraq a stable country, but also to keep it a democracy. Iran is not a good influence, and seeks to divide the country. If Sunni Muslims turned on Al-Qaeda, it's time for Shiite Muslims to turn on Iran. We'll see how this develops.

Where I found this article:
The Weekly Standard

New Color Scheme

I figured I would change the blog a bit.

The Stark Tenet: 2.0

Barack Obama's Greatest Hits!

Featuring all the wonderful Obama tracks you've longed for:

Obamarock 2008
1. Yes We Can (the unabridged version)
2. Yes We Can (will.i.am remix)
3. Change We Can Believe In (featuring Jay-Z)
4. We Are The One's We've Been Waiting For (special appearance by Oprah)
5. Our Time Has Come (No One Over 50)
6. Planet Danger (featuring Al Gore)
7. Ethics Me Rezko
8. Bush-McCain, McCain-Bush (featuring Howard Dean)
9. Experience Is All Talk
10. Hope Is Not Quitting
11. Elect Me, Captain Planet (The Oceans Will Lower, The Earth Will Heal)
12. God Damn America (special appearance by Rev. Wright)
13. Obama Mia!

Bonus Track:
Michelle Obama - First Time I've Been Proud (of America)

Coming to a store near you.

2008 Presidential Election Guide: McCain and Obama

Earlier in the year, I gave a guide with various links to help people pick their primary candidate. Now it's time for the general election. Go to the following websites to learn more about each candidate.

Newsweek on each candidate:
Newsweek/AP: On the Issues

Vote Smart:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Washington Post Senate Vote Database:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Washington Post Issues:
John McCain
Barack Obama

CNN Issue Selector:
Both Candidates

On The Issues:
John McCain
Barack Obama

NY Times:
Both Candidates

FOX NEWS Profiles:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Congress Profiles:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Open Secrets:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Factcheck (Keeping the candidates honest):
Factcheck

Council on Foreign Relations:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Campaign Websites:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Senate Websites:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Party Identification Websites:
RNC
DNC

Wikipedia Entries (Not as credible as other sources):
John McCain
Barack Obama

YouTube Channels:
John McCain
Barack Obama

Even More Information:
University of Michigan: Elections 2008

If there are any other links you would like added to the list, contact me.

2008 Election: Research, Compare, Vote.

Last Updated: June 30th, 2008.

Zimbabwe: The Witch Hunts Begin

Zimbabwe's dictator Mugabe isn't settling down from his election embarrassment, he is now going after any opposition he can find.

From opposition leaders, such as Tsvangirai...

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been detained by police during campaigning for the country's presidential election, his party says.

A convoy carrying the Movement for Democratic Change leader was stopped at a police roadblock at 1000 GMT, party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said.

...to U.S. and British diplomats.

U.S. and British diplomats were seized by Zimbabwean police today while visiting victims of political violence carried out by the government of President Robert Mugabe, whom human rights groups accuse of creating famine and starvation for political purposes.

Mugabe has no problem acting out his part as a ruthless dictator.

Leading Mugabe style: Arrest, kill, starve, purge.

Where I found this article:
Foreign Policy Passport

Rift Between Obama and Lieberman?

Obama apparently had a few words for Joe Lieberman yesterday. The "friendly" conversation between Obama and Lieberman took place on the Senate floor, with Lieberman pressed up against the wall by an angry Obama. Read more by clicking here.
Excerpt:

Sen. Joe Lieberman, the self-described "Independent Democrat" who caucuses with the Democratic party in the Senate even though he has endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, got some tough talk from Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, yesterday about his advocacy for the presumptive Republican presidential candidate and the general tone of the campaign, Democratic sources tell ABC News.

Returning to the Senate after his securing the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama and Lieberman greeted each on the Senate floor in the Well as they were voting on the budget resolution.

They shook hands. But Obama didn’t let go, leading Lieberman - cordially - by the hand across the room into a corner on the Democratic side, where Democratic sources tell ABC News he delivered some tough words for the junior senator from Connecticut, who had just minutes before hammered Obama's speech before the pro-Israel group AIPAC in a conference call arranged by the McCain campaign.

What was said, no one knows.

Joe Lieberman: Republican 2008 Convention keynote speaker?

Obama and McCain Foreign Policy Guide: The People in the Background

Who advises Obama on foreign policy issues? Who advises McCain on foreign policy issues? The Council on Foreign Relations has a great guide to finding these questions out.

For Obama:

Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) foreign policy agenda has emphasized multilateralism and reinvigorated diplomacy to advance U.S. interests. He has pledged to take steps to end the war in Iraq soon after taking office, to negotiate with the leadership of U.S. adversaries like Iran and Cuba, and to revamp the U.S. approach to free trade to bolster labor and environmental protections. Obama has attracted as advisers a number of top foreign policy experts who served under President Bill Clinton. Those advisers tend to be more independent from party orthodoxy on foreign policy issues, analysts say. Obama’s top advisers were opposed to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, although a number of prominent Democrats, including rival Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), supported the action at the time. Obama’s advisers generally appear to agree with his belief that it is “important for the United States not just to talk to its friends but also to talk to its enemies.”

For McCain:

Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) presidential campaign has sought to highlight his diverse foreign policy experience derived from time as a naval aviator and later service in the U.S. Senate. Throughout the present campaign, McCain has been the strongest supporter of the U.S. military surge in Iraq. He has portrayed the Iraq war as a crucial part of a larger struggle against radical Islamic extremism that threatens U.S. security, a view shared by many top Republicans in Congress and the Bush administration. At the same time, McCain has broken with many fellow party members on issues such as climate change, immigration, and the need to ban interrogation methods characterized by many as torture. McCain’s advisers include a wide range of veteran party strategists and former top policymakers. Media reports have pointed to a tug-of-war for influence in the campaign between policy pragmatists and a mixture of so-called neoconservatives and experts regarded as hard-liners over the projection of U.S. power globally. But some experts say such depictions oversimplify the views held by McCain advisers and underestimate the candidate’s own grasp of foreign affairs.

Each candidate draws from an experienced field of advisers, who in many ways will shape the next four years of American foreign policy. How much so? That is to be determined, yet it is good to look at the current wonk makeup and see if it reflects future rhetoric used by both candidates.

2008: How a vote can change the world.

Where did I hear about these articles:
Newsweek

Where did I get the photo:
NASA

Tiananmen Square, 1989

Reuters segment:

A protest for democracy.

Chávez and Power

The two as of late seem inseparable. More so now that Chávez will have a nation of informers. Venezuela is forming into Cuba day by day. The sad thing is, Chávez admits it, and encourages it. Click here for the article, excerpt below.

President Hugo Chávez has used his decree powers to carry out a major overhaul of this country's intelligence agencies, provoking a fierce backlash here from human rights groups and legal scholars who say the measures will force citizens to inform on one another to avoid prison terms.

Under the new intelligence law, which took effect last week, Venezuela's two main intelligence services, the DISIP secret police and the DIM military intelligence agency, will be replaced with new agencies, the General Intelligence Office and General Counterintelligence Office, under the control of Chávez.

The Chávez Authoritarian Checklist.
1. Create an external foe: Check
2. Breakup of political opposition: Check
3. Build up your military: Check
4. Nationalization: Check
5. Rule partially by decree: Check
6. Support terrorist groups: Check
7. Build a network of informants: Pending
8. Re-education camps: Soon to follow
9. Total rule by decree: Soon to follow

Venezuela: Cuba in waiting.

Where I found this article:
Drudge Report

McCain on Middle East

McCain delivered a speech at AIPAC today on Israel, the Middle East, and national security.
Excerpt below, click here for full transcript.

Thank you all very much. I appreciate the kind introduction, and the invitation to address you. I see we have some students here, including a few from Arizona, and I welcome you to Washington. It's a pleasure, as always, to be in the company of the men and women of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. And I know that all of us are proud to be in the company of the distinguished senator from the State of Connecticut, my friend Joe Lieberman.

All of you involved in the work of AIPAC have taken up a great and vital cause -- and a cause set firmly in the American heart. When President Truman recognized the new State of Israel sixty years ago, he acted on the highest ideals and best instincts of our country. He was a man with courage and a sense of history, and he surely knew what great challenges the Jewish state would face in its early years. To his lasting credit, he resolved that the people of Israel would not face them alone, because they would always have a friend and ally in the United States of America.

What will the response be by Obama?

McCain: Right on security, right on track.

Where I found this transcript:
Real Clear Politics

Three Story Sunday

Defense Secretary Gates has some tough words for Burma.

In the strongest remarks yet by a high-ranking American official, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Sunday that Myanmar was guilty of “criminal neglect” for blocking large-scale international aid to cyclone victims and that more Burmese civilians would perish unless the military regime reverses its policy.

Gates is speaking the truth.

We know what the Iranian government feels about the United States, but how about the citizens?

On a recent afternoon, while riding a rickety bus down Vali Asr Avenue, Tehran's main thoroughfare, I overheard two women discussing the grim state of Iranian politics. One of them had reached a rather desperate conclusion. "Let the Americans come," she said loudly. "Let them sort things out for us once and for all." Everyone in the women's section of the bus absorbed this casually, and her friend nodded in assent.

Interesting.

Balkans shaping up to be a nice place to live?

The Balkans, once known as a hotbed of crime and violence amid wars in Yugoslavia and the transition from communism, have become one of the safest areas in Europe, a United Nations report said Thursday.

But organized crime and its links to politicians and business continue to pose serious challenges in several Balkan countries, said Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, which compiled the report.

"Some of you will be surprised," Costa said at a news conference in Brussels. "In general if you look at conventional crime," he said, "the levels of these crimes across the region are by far lower than they used to be, particularly at the beginning of the 1990s."

Who would have thought.

Just another Sunday.