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Congressional reading habits
Human Events Online talked to some members of Congress about books they’re reading. No Homer, no Plato, no Shakespeare, though many mentioned Scripture and Bob Bennett (R-Utah) mentioned Federalist #10. Biographies and autobiographies were high on people’s reading lists. Sam Brownback liked biographies of British abolitionist William Wilberforce, Jeff Flake (R-AZ) liked Barry Goldwater’s autobiography, and John Thune began with William Manchester’s magisterial biographies of Winston Churchill. Hillary Clinton couldn’t answer "on the fly"; guess her people needed to run a focus group first. Hat tip: Katie Newmark.
Posted by Joseph Knippenberg | Link to this Entry | Comments [8] | 12/1/2005 8:14 PM
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Birthday Thoughts
John Andrews at The Remedy reminds us that this week marks the birthdays, not only of Winston Churchill, but also of Mark Twain and C.S. Lewis. He poses a great hypothetical question for each of these three heroes as regards our time. I will leave it to others who have posted here and posted well about Twain and Churchill to continue in that good work. But as my daughter and I are now deep into the world of Narnia (planning to finish book 7 just in time for the release of the movie) I offer this from book 6 The Silver Chair : Prince Rilian and the children (along with Puddleglum--the strange pessimistic creature who accompanies them on their journey) are about to embark on an escape from the Witch’s lair that is most dangerous. There is some hesitation as they realize they are likely to die in the effort to save Narnia and themselves. "Friends," said the Prince, "when once a man is launched on such an adventure as this, he must bid farewell to hopes and fears, otherwise death or deliverance will both come too late to save his honor and his reason."
Posted by Julie Ponzi | Link to this Entry | Comments | 12/1/2005 5:08 PM
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The Future of Europe?
Between this story about a Belgian woman who (through her husband) became a convert to a radical version of Islam and a suicide bomber and the riots in France last month, the future of Europe begins to look bleak indeed. How can the secular culture of today’s Europe combat this kind of fanaticism? What does it offer to capture the hearts, minds and imaginations of their people? With so little to inspire them, the spread of radical Islam in Europe will become more than just an immigration problem. It seems to be becoming a conversion problem. Perhaps Ann Coulter mispoke after all when she called some years ago for stepped up Christian missionary efforts in the Islamic world. Perhaps where we really need them is in Europe.
Posted by Julie Ponzi | Link to this Entry | Comments [9] | 12/1/2005 4:39 PM
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Abortion: the road not taken
George Will summarizes and comments on this speech, which is "must reading" for anyone who wishes to think seriouly about the constitutional politics of abortion.
Posted by Joseph Knippenberg | Link to this Entry | Comments [1] | 12/1/2005 8:49 AM
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GWB’s Annapolis speech
Here’s the text of the speech. Here’s the webpage from which you can download the strategy document. A crucial chunk of the executive summary: Victory Will Take Time
Our strategy is working: Much has been accomplished in Iraq, including the removal of Saddam’s tyranny, negotiation of an interim constitution, restoration of full sovereignty, holding of free national elections, formation of an elected government, drafting of a permanent constitution, ratification of that constitution, introduction of a sound currency, gradual restoration of neglected infrastructure, the ongoing training and equipping of Iraqi security forces, and the increasing capability of those forces to take on the terrorists and secure their nation.
Yet many challenges remain: Iraq is overcoming decades of a vicious tyranny, where governmental authority stemmed solely from fear, terror, and brutality.
It is not realistic to expect a fully functioning democracy, able to defeat its enemies and peacefully reconcile generational grievances, to be in place less than three years after Saddam was finally removed from power.
Our comprehensive strategy will help Iraqis overcome remaining challenges, but defeating the multi-headed enemy in Iraq -- and ensuring that it cannot threaten Iraq’s democratic gains once we leave -- requires persistent effort across many fronts.
Our Victory Strategy Is (and Must Be) Conditions Based
With resolve, victory will be achieved, although not by a date certain.
No war has ever been won on a timetable and neither will this one.
But lack of a timetable does not mean our posture in Iraq (both military and civilian) will remain static over time. As conditions change, our posture will change.
We expect, but cannot guarantee, that our force posture will change over the next year, as the political process advances and Iraqi security forces grow and gain experience.
While our military presence may become less visible, it will remain lethal and decisive, able to confront the enemy wherever it may organize.
Our mission in Iraq is to win the war. Our troops will return home when that mission is complete.
Here’s the WaPo story; here’s an AP story, though not the one noted by Power Line; and here’s the NYT story. Mac Owens rather liked the speech: Our demagogues have pandered to the fears and weaknesses of the American rather than to their virtues and strengths. In his Naval Academy speech, President Bush did just the opposite, exercising his “duty [as one whom the people have] appointed to be the guardians of [their] … interests, to withstand the temporary delusion, in order to give them time and opportunity for more cool and sedate reflection.”
Today’s speech is the opening salvo in a campaign of public diplomacy to reinvigorate the war effort and restore public support for our enterprise in Iraq. It coincides with the release of the president’s Iraq strategy document, which is important in and of itself. The fact is that the United States has always had a strategy for Iraq, but any strategy worthy of the name must be adaptable.
What critics mean when they say there is no strategy is that they don’t like what the president is doing, although none have offered any alternative but withdrawal. By publishing the outline of his strategy, the president makes it impossible for his critics to take the easy way out. now they will have to put up or shut up…if only. So did Rich Lowry. Here’s an account of the predictably negative Democratic response: where once at least a few of them called for more boots on the ground, the chorus now is that our presence is provoking the insurgency. Nancy Pelosi has gone further, actually endorsing John Murtha’s plan for a rapid withdrawal and claiming that at least half the Democratic caucus agrees with her. Bill Kristol thinks this is a bad, nay "disastrous," move: Pelosi’s endorsement today of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq makes the House Democrats the party of defeat, the party of surrender. Bush’s strong speech today means the GOP is likely to be--if Republican Congressmen just keep their nerve--the party of victory. Now it is possible that the situation in Iraq will worsen over the next year. If that happens, Bush and the GOP are in deep trouble. They would have been if Pelosi had said nothing. But it is much more likely that the situation in Iraq will stay more or less the same, or improve. In either case, Republicans will benefit from being the party of victory. My bottom line: a very good speech (more please!) and a hollow response, largely bereft of any serious thinking. Update: Hillary Clinton’s triangulation seems to be costing her with the Moveon.org wing (or is it body?) of the Democratic Party.
Posted by Joseph Knippenberg | Link to this Entry | Comments [14] | 11/30/2005 9:48 PM
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Sheehan’s book signing
Because I noted here that Cindy Sheehan’s book signing was a bust, you ought to know that she has replied , and has accused
"right wing" (this excludes the WaPo, I’m guessing) sites of doing her a disservice.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [109] | 11/30/2005 7:57 AM
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CIA’s covert action
John Hinderaker on the CIA’s war against the Bush administration: "The CIA’s war against the Bush administration is one of the great untold stories of the past three years. It is, perhaps, the agency’s most successful covert action of recent times." Also see this.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 11/30/2005 7:47 AM
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Edward Teller and his courage
Michael Lennick, who is directing something on Edward Teller for TV, writes this (which includes a so-called "last" interview in 2002) on Teller for American Heritage of Invention and Technology. It’s not necessarily favorable, but both Teller’s huge ability and his love of this country comes through. I had a few words to say about him here, and this is another long interview with Teller. The father of the Hydrogen bomb once said: "If I claim credit for anything, I should not claim credit for knowledge but for courage." Teller died September 9, 2003. He was 95.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [6] | 11/29/2005 7:30 PM
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Al Qaeda
The Economist asks whether al Queda is losing support in the Arab world. Also note these two paragraphs, which Daniel Drezner brings to our attention:
"Noteworthy in all these subtle shifts is the fact that they are, by and large, internally generated. Few of them have come about as a result of prodding or policy initiatives from the West. On the contrary, the intrusion of foreign armies into Iraq, the consequent ugly spectacle of civilian casualties and torture, and the continuing agony of Palestine, have clearly slowed down the Arab public’s response to the dangers posed by jihadism.
Now, or so it seems, it is the cooling of the Palestinian intifada, a slight lowering of the volume of imagery featuring ugly Americans in Iraq, and a general weariness with jihadist hysteria that have allowed attention to refocus on the costs, rather than the hoped-for rewards, of “resistance”. At the same time, the rising tide of American domestic opposition to the war has begun to reassure deeply sceptical Arabs that the superpower may not, after all, be keen to linger on Arab soil for ever."
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 11/29/2005 4:36 PM
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Men, young and old
Wretchard has a touching note on Randy Cunningham’s confession, and his past glory. He concludes with an A.E. Houseman poem,
"To an Athlete Dying Young." Worthy.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [44] | 11/29/2005 10:02 AM
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From Latvia to Ireland
This Washington Post story is about one Janis Neulans, a Latvian, finding work in Ireland. While it focuses on this individual, the article claims that about 450,000 workers have migrated from the former Eastern Bloc countries (since 2004) to Ireland, Britain, and Sweden, looking for work.
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [5] | 11/28/2005 5:07 PM
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The John M. Olin Foundation: R.I.P.
John J. Miller notes that the John M. Olin Foundation Board of Trustees will hold its final meeting tomorrow. Miller’s book about the Foundation is discussed here. I expressed my gratitude to the Foundation here.
Posted by Joseph Knippenberg | Link to this Entry | Comments [1] | 11/28/2005 11:52 AM
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Movies and moral education
Thomas S. Hibbs has an interesting article on moral education and teenagers, focusing on the new Jane Austen and Harry Potter movies. By the by, he calls our attention to this book. I’d add this website, which, though less explicitly devoted to moral education, contains excellent resources for the moral and philosophical study of great books and film.
Posted by Joseph Knippenberg | Link to this Entry | Comments [2] | 11/28/2005 11:40 AM
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Born alive
This is pretty gruesome: The London Times reports that a "A government agency is launching an inquiry into doctors’ reports that up to 50 babies a year are born alive after botched National Health Service abortions." Abortion on demand is allowed in Britain up to 24 weeks — more than halfway through a normal pregnancy and the highest legal limit for such terminations in Europe. 
Posted by Peter Schramm | Link to this Entry | Comments [10] | 11/28/2005 9:22 AM
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Gubernatorial and Congressional Democrats
These two articles, read together, shed some light on the political opportunities--and challenges--that the Democrats face. My favorite line comes from Wyoming governor Dave Freudenthal, a graduate of Amherst College: "If I had stayed in Massachusetts I probably wouldn’t be a Democrat," he said. "But out here, historically Democrats have always been interested in the issues of average people."
Posted by Joseph Knippenberg | Link to this Entry | Comments | 11/28/2005 5:34 AM
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