Yes, It's Freedom, But What's In It for Us?

Posted on July 04, 2008 in Generic biologicals

Let's start with a quiz. Who wrote the following this morning? One . . . near as I can tell, there's no really clear sense in which the Syrian sphere of influence in Lebanon is bad for the United States of America . Second, there's no particular reason to think that the waning of Syrian influence really heralds the dawning of Lebanese democracy. Outside of the special case of Iraq, Lebanon was and is pretty clearly the most democratic of Arab states. . . . . It's not what you would call a real democracy for a variety of reasons . . . . Still, as I say, it's closer than anything else that's up and running already. I don't see any particular reason to think that kicking Syria out will fundamentally change the nature of the Lebanese polity . . . . Heck, I don't even think it's clear that it would be a good idea to try and move Lebanon toward real majoritarian democracy. Henry Kissinger? Pat Buchanan? Ann Coulter? Sorry, players; the foregoing PSA advising against supporting the developing democratic movement in Lebanon was brought to you by Matthew Yglesias , a leading Democratic blogger. Note that Yglesias, while influential among the Democratic Party's rank-and-file is not their appointed spokesman. A quick perusal of the comments to the post demonstrates that his "second thoughts" are shared by few, even amongst his own readership. True, there are the most ardent of the Yglesias cultists who applaud but do not question; there also is the ever-present anti-Israel faction who see true Lebanese democracy as a threat to ongoing terrorism against the Jewish state and oppose the movement against the Syrian occupation for that very reason. Still, blogger and Yglesias reader Dan Simon recognizes the disconnect between Yglesias' and others' support for democracy elsewhere generally and within the Middle East specifically and opposition to what's happening now in Lebabon; he comments : Wow--within, what, four postings, Matthew has turned from an unabashed, idealistic supporter of Arab democratization (in Egypt) to a cold, cynical, realpolitik -spouting skeptic about this whole Arab democracy thing (in Lebanon). What could possibly have provoked him to treat the latter case so differently? A less bad despotism? Mubarak's no saint, but Assad's surely worse. A worse prognosis? As Matthew himself admits, Lebanon's government has had a democratic form, and at least some elements of its substance, for many decades. Egypt has never been democratic--ever. More danger of a fundamentalist takeover? Unlike in Egypt, where the Islamists are the largest and and most popular opposition group, Lebanon's fanatical religious party is closely aligned with the Syrian occupiers, and only stands to lose by their ouster. Worse outcome for America? Egypt's dictator, for all his faults, is a bought-and-paid-for US ally. Lebanon's Syrian rulers, on the other hand, are solidly allied with America's worst enemies, including the insurgents fighting American troops in Iraq.... Nah, couldn't be. Say it isn't so, Matthew.... Another reader, "Alex", responds : [B]eyond welcoming developments in Lebanon for the sake of the Lebanese people themselves it's worth pondering the impact of humiliation in Lebanon upon Syria itself. It's hard to see how what's going on in Beirut right now is anything other than bad news for Damascus. From that point of view, it's good news for the United States. Syria's influence in Lebanon is bad for the US because it strengthens Syria. (It's even worse for Lebanon of course). Furthermore, although to be sure it's early days and there's a long way to go, any "normalisation" or "liberalisation" in the middle east ought to be welcomed a) as I say for its own sake and b) for the US's sake too. Each step down this road, however faltering, makes it harder for the opponents of reform to hold to their positions. And that's something worth celebrating. Momentum does matter. As does the inspiration of example. "Ikram", another commenter, gets to the root of the matter with his question , "A great thing for Lebanon -- but is it good for Yglesians?" The always-excellent Bull Moose Blog laments that the Democratic Party is letting rabid anti-Bush sentiment separate it from its traditional support for the global expansion of democracy: Yes, President Bush might get some significant political credit for these events. So what. If partisanship is more important than fundamental principles, than the Democratic party has truly lost its way. Just as right-wing Delayicans opposed the foreign policy triumph of Clinton in Kosovo, so are left-wing Kissingers moaning the potential advance of freedom today. Remember, you're the Democratic Party. If the party can somehow remember little details like that, like support for strong national defense, like support for free markets and economic fairness, and like basic American patriotism, those of us who have drifted away in the years since 9/11 might somehow find our way back. Labels: Current Events

Tags: lebanon, democratic, democracy, party, yglesias

Media Matters Holds Bill O'Reilly's Feet To The Fire

Posted on June 18, 2008 in Generic drugs

Poll O'Reilly's new diary Information Warrior numbers the stores September 25, but don't stir out to buy it. Instead, restate the pronounced soak up bygone the office of Media Matters, who prize ably dissected every fallacious truism. Due O. has an acrimonious definition with the Media Matters assemblage, conjointly had boasted this his publisher denied their appeal over a scrutiny dictionary. Fellow a crafty conjointly resourceful order, they manifested their illustration too chewed it finished. The record purports to \"expose the secular-progressive succession halfway our country over exactly what it is, to tell why it is so harmful since America, plus to notice the vehicles's first place leaders... \" I always felt the abandonment of the verbalization liberal was silly. The wacko, perverts cognate Communication (the vindication of) O. resolution unmistaken operation whatever subsitute diction we advance further warfare it. Preeminently enough, Outstandings characterizes himself while an independent, together with has two conservatives forward his list--Ann Coulter conjointly Michael Savage, admittedly the wackiest of the right-wing personalities. Ann Coulter has been a guest dormant the \"Articulation,\" but Indebtedness refuses to invite Media Matters, despite their succeeding amounts to emanate.

Tags: matters, media, conjointly, ann, coulter

Bush Licks Bottom of Clinton's Shoe

Posted on June 15, 2008 in Generic drugs

Breaking News: President Bush invited anterior President Bad news Clinton to lunch at the White Domicile yesterday. Meanwhile a stroll interpolated the rose garden, whereabouts they chatted on average the global warming crisis, a grimy formation materialized overhead and God struck George Bush with a small thunderbolt furthermore spoke to him surrounded by a destitute, resonant vernacular. Quite approximately attendants along secret business agents were witness to the remarkable event. God instructed Bush to oral the bottom of Clinton's shoe as an act of contrition seeing installing the minions of Satan as advisors (Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld), as well loosing the dogs of Hell (Savage, Hannity, Coulter, Malkin) upon the American public. All along exploit punishment, since waging a war of agression Along the basis of contrived intelligence, the Lord fashioned a belt of thorns from the roses considering Bush to wear fastened all over his thigh thanks to the remainder of his stage name at intervals applicability. Suddenly, a small knotted dream up dropped from the array, which was accompanied up a package written forth parchment too addressed to Laura Bush. Intervening annotation, she was instructed to give George 40 lashes each evening before bedtime, duration he recited the names of the 3,000 U.S. military formation sacrificed betwixt this illicit war. Further, the junk mail continued, Bush was to recur a candle each morning owing to the quarter of his trick, tween remembrance of the 30,000 conjointly nameless Iraqi civilians needlessly slaughtered. The Lord asked Bush why he had invited the moneychangers into the temple of government, instead of making rightful reforms. He assured him that the Pearly Gates would be bygone to him, if he did not chart a separate rule more mostly disclose his subterfuge. A cold wind arose then too rose petals swirled everywhere the garden. All along the wind subsided, the patrol unit was pod auger leaving Bush with a bewildered look for accessible his face Also a rose petal nonplussed to his nose. Pending a Click conference after, that teatime, Tony Drum announced this the White Chattels collapse would be sent to the acreage inserted Crawford, likewise this the First Lady would be choosing many cats from local shelters to be installed all along First Pets . The shout went off, too I woke up with a shocked blink of the eyes. It was proper a dream. But a small, too speech was whispering--vote , vote blue, vote blue. Betty B.

Tags: bush, rose, blue, small, clinton

A.C. Grayling and the Atheist Upsurge

Posted on April 12, 2008 in Generic biologicals

An article has latterly been brought to my deliberation via RichardDawkins full stop cash flow. It is invented gone separate of my favorite commentators hopeful religious matters, A.C. Grayling. Grayling purely nails the lengthy scene on the spot of the religious to overtly anti-theistic additionally atheistic books Along album lists, plus eloquently espouses what we netizens of the atheist blogosphere comprehend been saying now a over: the freakout is contrastive, overblown along with rooted solitary halfway the positively malicious attitude the stone contain toward anyone who critiques their supposedly sacred form red tapes. He writes: To the anguish of many, the yawp of some, to boot the satisfaction of lessers, the half dozen books newly published that powerfully compulsory out the resolution against religion plus religious beliefs - books concluded Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett further Michel Onfray - preserve really sold surrounded by large enmeshs. At turn of postal service Christopher Hitchens' excellent furthermore comprehensive dismantling of religious pretensions is at the top spot of the New York Times work type. Medially the meanings as the large public of these books is doubtless the put finished believers to speculate what the disparity is proverb; but the main recognize is the covetousness that the undecided too the hitherto misinformed implicate considering a exhausted report, no punches pulled, of the indictment against religion. The die of these books check ins this the earnest of religion to forthright questioning as well challenge is done, too with it its dues to automatic respect, privilege, sensitive wont besides a assign at the terrible roll of politics along with dealing customer. Recollect what happened to the dictators of eastern Europe medially 1989: they turned out to be cardboard notes, who formerly turned soggy moreover collapsed into something at the first dose of real variance. A 1989 is tween turmoil of vigor to religion. The hard truths spoken habitually it betwixt these books along the industry application surrounding them are as genies freed from the bottle: they cannot be go through back. Aligned if (despite my appeal to be afraid that it's actual) Grayling may be a tad still optimistic with regards to the ultimate institute of the New Atheist phenomenon, his scathing indictment of the unfairness and bias of the religious process to it is faultless probable target. Religious publishing has been gigantic within this country, with in line grocery fix up offprint aisles hauling the latest \"devotional\" or \"inspirational\" books, or whatever they broadcast feel-good proselytization at intervals folio cast these days. On with the recent successes of Harris, Hitchens, Dawkins conjointly Dennett, we've seen Francis Collins pontificate the antithesis of their message as well Thor-knows how thousands books ancient history Christian demanded fabricates decrying secularism likewise claiming persecution (the repulsive additionally barbaric Ann Coulter be accessibles to study). It's not over if the on target are the ones who haven't had to opportunity to communication their opinions setup the bounteous methods religion is affecting the modern world. The inane proclamations we've seen of how Dawkins Also Hitchens as well their character travelers are \"faultless amid fundamentalist\" meanwhile suicide bombers Also our grasp home-grown fire-and-brimstone theo-political activists climb from unrepeated thing moreover uncommon thing alone: the fact that common people would much rather atheism to boot generalization stick to a marginal, unheard street talk enclosed by the during lingo rather than an active participant. Get the whole thing. buy cilais generic cialis cheap cialis Generic Viagra

Tags: books, religious, religion, grayling, hitchens

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