3959

(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:51:37 am)

Myk Murphy:
Looks like the rest of europe put the screws to germany and france in support of resolution enforcement. I can't wait to watch them crawl back to the table.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 10:01:13 am)

Chewing Wax:
I knew I liked Spain and Italy better than Germay and France.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 10:13:23 am)

Chewing Wax:
Germany
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 10:13:28 am)

Paul:

And now you know the rest of the story. Good day.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 10:15:18 am)

(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 10:43:49 am)

Myk Murphy:
Any lingering respect for nelson mandela is gone. From cnn's website, go to the "world" link, then see the mandela story in the "africa" section below.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 11:07:36 am)

Yes it's true Myk, I've lost 64 percent of my tiny mind. The US has done nothing for me except getting me released from prison but that was years ago, what have you done for me lately?
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 12:25:51 pm)

Queenie:
yeah, elixirs and remedies is amateurish in places, I think it's a bit over-priced for sure. but you should still get it cause it's funny and stuff.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 12:54:14 pm)

Queenie:
and our hosting rate is $20 a month.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 12:54:27 pm)

Mrs Dr GB:
He does have a point. Bush does just want the oil.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 3:34:14 pm)

Chewing Wax:
I hate the guy, but I don't think that's true.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 4:03:07 pm)

Heruka:
^
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 4:13:03 pm)

Heruka:
We havethe oil/ why do we want something we already get for almost free?
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 4:14:29 pm)

Heruka:
haven't we increased our aid shipments to south afica four fold since mandela took over?
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 4:22:18 pm)

Heruka:
I'm hungry. meat? fish? poultry? weeds?
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 4:58:41 pm)

Heruka:
I can understand the MacDonalds, the diet Coke, the doughnuts, but what did that goy eat that had a red skull and crossbones. it he's consuming with that on the label, a Big Mac is the least of his problems.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 5:01:30 pm)

Heruka:
if he's consuming something with that....
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 5:02:06 pm)

Heruka:
Big and tastey and fries. sound good? does to me. Adios for now. I'm working tonight. sadly.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 5:02:52 pm)

Chewing Wax:
Insane
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 5:11:55 pm)

Big and tastey and fries? I'm there dude.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 5:29:33 pm)

Queenie:
this morning was "bring your parent to school" time. I haven't been in elementary school in a really long time. They really do some corny shit, but the kids seem to dig it.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 5:30:22 pm)

Myk Murphy:
with great respect for the good doctor, iraq's oil is actually the least of the equation. i would say this even if i thought that deposing the iraqi clowns was a bad idea. ok, here's the real reason... and it isn't oil... drumroll please...

the reason is to protect israel from attack, and to keep iraq out of saudi oil fields. iraqi oil could be best had by playing nice with saddam and dropping the embargo, really. saudis like the embargo to keep prices from falling further, certainly. one could say it's "about oil", and while being partially correct, one could miss the point entirely: it's to prevent further incursions elsewhere. must the US military remain in place while waiting patiently for iraq to magically change? that is not a plan.

also, and this may seem naive, the answer to "why now?" has much to do with maturing iraqi weapons programs and just a little to do with an opportunity to reform the middle east. after the war, expect intense US pressure on every government from egypt to iran to improve human rights and strengthen democracy. even palestinian government cannot be PLO-dominated in a US plan. US foreign policy has often been seen as inconsistent in the middle east, due to the often accurate perception that it keeps dictators propped up. this is going to change in a hurry. we are going to gain favor the way we should: by toppling a dictator and working for justice. afghanistan and iraq are works in progress (i consider the iraq war already in play), but the cause is noble, just, and not about oil.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 6:19:27 pm)

Myk Murphy:
also, there are simple economics to counter the iraqi oil argument: at roughly $1 billion a week to ramp up for this, unknown risk of casualties to all parties, and logistical uncertainties all around, it doesn't make "oil" sense to fight over a minor-to-midsize producer like iraq. plus, while the french have $1.5 billion in investment deals at risk (which is why they oppose us... cynical), we still don't "cash in" even if we "took" all those deals. even the leaders we may have to install have made it clear that business deals won't go automatically to the US, nor should they. but let's suppose that we got 75% of those deals. still, it would be a lengthy period before we get out of the red, and that large percentage is an absurd figure for the sake of this argument. worse for us, we can expect little financial support for this action, unlike the last gulf war.

all this adds up to some other factor besides financial: the best phrase that has been used so far is "drain the swamp". while some see this as a simplistic phrase meaning something like "catch the hiding bad guys," one should take time to grasp the whole meaning. it involves a global task like none other, although historians may see it simply as an extension to the spread of civilization: the idea is that the US must police, neutralize, or change the places on earth where anarchy reigns. places without laws, legit economics, etc. provide havens for those who can (nowadays) fight an asymmetrical war. because their weapons are too capable, the world can no longer tolerate pockets where one can't see what's going on. we can't wait for more attacks. the plan is beyond reform or destruction of rogue states. instead, it takes a view of the entire globe and determines that rule of law must take hold. africa will be the beneficiary of this new policy, i believe, because law will be enforced, imposed, etc. before many populations become radicalized. if this feels like cultural imperialism, that's because it is. respect and rule of law is the one thing that america has no problem imposing these days. we can give more to the underdeveloped world than just awful movies and music.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 6:38:32 pm)

Heruka:
That's what I've been saying all along.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 8:44:32 pm)

:
Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms' Vegan Diet
(AP) - The breast-fed infants of two mothers who did not eat any animal products, including milk and eggs, developed brain abnormalities as a result of a vitamin-B12 deficiency, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Thursday. The primary sources of vitamin B12, which is essential for brain development, are animal products like meat, dairy products and eggs. Since the mothers ate little or no animal products, too little vitamin B12 was transmitted to their children through breast milk, according to the CDC's Dr. Maria Elena Jefferds
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:32:01 pm)

Myk Murphy:
i know, i'm preaching to the choir. slate.com has a funny article about how the french have decided that their neu raison d'etre is to simply oppose the US. the writer reminds us that the french opposed the clinton white house, too, on feel-good resolutions... so you know they'll be cranky with serious resolutions from dubya.

i'm greatly concerned about the trend in europe to personalize the coming war with bush. i guess people don't want to know that much of the US government and populace wants to drain the swamp, and not just dubya. trust me, the media on both sides of the atlantic tried like hell to talk up the opposition. (my favorite media ploy was to avoid asking eastern europe how they felt; the answer was not too dovish... so, therefore, europe was of one voice when you don't ask too many questions!) as much as bush doesn't impress me on environmental and social policy (his AIDS initiative is a start, but he has to de-politicize the condom-abstinence uproar), his approach on foreign policy has been more than conciliatory given the ferocity of the attack on our country. in short, the abuse received from the european press and public was unreasonable and entirely too personal.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:32:37 pm)

Myk Murphy:
damn, i'm in a ranting mood. a well-considered rant, i'd like to think, but a rant nonetheless.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:35:30 pm)

Heruka:
it's the Jews Murphy. the world is slappoing them with a wet noodle right now. they gave and gave and now some of them realize some of the people they gave to doesn't give a shit about them. when black people appose any part in keep close with Israel. let's be honest, the Jews have a huge influence on the media here, so the ones they have some control over are supporting Bush on a certain level. and will continue to do so. to lwean in with the liberals anymore is almost ceratin death for Israel.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:43:33 pm)

Myk Murphy:
of course, the french are currently doubting this philosophy, judging from a couple of books that were recently on their bestseller lists. perhaps things will change... i suspect france and germany will only change when the US and like-minded (free market capitalist) economies come roaring out of recession while the socialists lag behind. i've found that envy is a powerful influence on an economic model. the aznar-blair-berlusconi partnership reared its head again, showing europe another way (a 4th way?) toward progress. if britain can privatize further and get taxes under control, and if italy can break the back of the labor unions, then "we have a ball game" when it comes to steering europe. if the franco-german team wins the day, don't trade in your sterling for euros anytime soon. it's funny: in much the same way that france naysays anything from the US, so should blair, aznar, berlusconi, and eastern europe naysay any offering from the french and germans. that "axis of weasel" (credit to the NY Post for that one, i think) is pushing forward a new EU presidency plan that is no fun for the rest of europe. europe, however it gets defined this week, better smack them back.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:48:05 pm)

(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:55:47 pm)

Myk Murphy:
well, regarding israel and jews in particular, it's no secret that much of the politically active UN players openly despise them. much of it stems from the assumption that israel is an extension of the US in the middle east. in the last 20 years, the UN has attempted to issue countless resolutions against israel (the US habitually vetoes them), but i wonder if most of it was just the non-aligned countries having fun, forcing the US into a diplomatic defensive posture as a poke in the eye. of course, you can't find a resolution chiding arafat or his suicide bombers. wisely, israel ignores the UN... not because they're bad people, but just because they know when a deck is stacked against them.

of course, i shouldn't ignore that much of it is old-fashioned anti-semitism. i've found it odd that europe still has that streak after all this time. europeans have so much more in common with jews, i should imagine, than arabs or persians.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:56:40 pm)

Myk Murphy:
aww... damn. i just remembered that camper van beethoven played last saturday. that picture reminded me.
(Thu Jan 30, 2003 - 9:57:43 pm)