One of the great unsolved mysteries in American politics, and a running theme at this place, is the question of how the same foreign policy "experts" who got Iraq totally wrong are still considered foreign policy experts today. I say "foreign policy experts" rather than "pundits" because I get, for better or for worse, that … Continue reading Failing ever upward

Iraq Body Count figures for August 2: 19 killed IBC total to-date for August, 2013: 34 civilians killed At least 19 killed today, making this Ramadan the bloodiest Ramadan in Iraq since 2007, much as July was the bloodiest (Gregorian) month in Iraq since 2008. Gunmen targeted a convoy transporting one of the Iraqi army's top … Continue reading The Daily Iraq: 3 August 2013

Iraq Body Count figures for August 1: 15 killed IBC total to-date for August, 2013: 15 civilians killed IBC final total for July, 2013: 968 civilians killed Eight killed today in attacks in the north: five security forces in a shooting in Kirkuk and three in a bombing and a shooting in Mosul.

Apparently there's some suspicious chatter: A bulletin to travelers and expatriates, issued by the State Department, came less than a day after the department announced that it was closing American diplomatic missions in the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere through the weekend because of an unspecified terrorism threat. "The Department of State alerts U.S. … Continue reading Be careful out there

The Ronald Wilson Reagan Memorial Exclusive Economic Zone is a phenomenal idea. If you're unfamiliar with the plan, here it is: The House Natural Resources Committee will likely approve legislation Wednesday that would name 3.4 million square nautical miles of ocean and thousands of miles of coastline after the late President Ronald Reagan. Rep. Darrell … Continue reading Finally, a legacy worthy of Bonzo’s Daddy

FAIR courageously looks into the heart of our infotainment media, finds an article in the New York Times (of course) written by Jonathan Martin (of course) called "Some Democrats Look to Push Party Away From Center," and dares to ask, "What the hell do you mean by 'center'?" One of the most important tenets of … Continue reading Center of the universe

Iraq Body Count figures for July 30: 50 killed IBC total to-date for July, 2013: 941 civilians killed The AP reports 26 more dead today in several shootings (the deadliest in two Shi'i neighborhoods in Baghdad and in Mosul), but they're not quite getting the story correct: Attacks including bombings of Shiite and Sunni mosques … Continue reading The Daily Iraq: 31 July 2013

There was a piece in the Guardian over the weekend by John Naughton that has really generated some buzz, and rightly so. He's pushing the media to cover the Snowden leaks for what they say about the internet, rather than "OMG WHERE IS SNOWDEN NOW?" or "OMG GLENN GREENWALD IS A TRAITOR," which since it … Continue reading The World’s Only Remaining Stuporpower

Iraq Body Count figures for July 29: 60 killedIBC total to-date for July, 2013: 891 civilians killed22 more reported killed today:On Tuesday, gunmen killed three police and wounded two in an attack on a checkpoint south of Baghdad, while bombings in Kirkuk province, north of the capital, killed a policeman and a civilian, and wounded … Continue reading The Daily Iraq: 30 July 2013

It hasn't been a peaceful few months in North Africa. Most everybody (right?) knows what's been happening in Egypt, where an already difficult situation may have become unfixable early Saturday when police killed at least 72 (this is the official figure; the actual number is likely much higher) protesters while trying to contain/repress/massacre a rally … Continue reading (Muslim) Brothers Gonna Work It Out (OK, probably not): Part I