Monthly Archives: May 2008

Yet another Flathead Jacobin Triumph – Lebanon this time

Posted on May 21, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"After five days of fraught negotiations among Lebanon’s rival political groups in Doha, the Qatari authorities said the agreement called for moves within 24 hours for Parliament in Beirut to begin the process of electing Gen. Michel Suleiman, the commander … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 19 Comments

A Truce with HAMAS? Shocking!

Posted on May 20, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"In Cairo, Egyptian go-betweens laid out Israel’s terms for a ceasefire deal to the Hamas team from Damascus as presented by defense minister Ehud Barak Monday, May 19, to Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and intelligence minister Gen. Omar Suleiman at … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 14 Comments

Jalal Talabani – Rogue president?

Posted on May 18, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

""Those who make such claims against Iran only express their personal views which don’t reflect those of the Iraqi government," he said in interview with the Al-Arabiya TV on Friday. "I, as the president of Iraq, do not agree with … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 13 Comments

President Bush and the Saudis

Posted on May 17, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"Mr. Bush’s visit here was, in many respects, a reprise of a trip he made to the king’s ranch in January, when he asked for an increase in production and was rebuffed publicly by the oil minister and privately by … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 35 Comments

David Brooks and “implacable enemies”

Posted on May 16, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"Hezbollah is one of the world’s most radical terrorist organizations. Over the last week or so, it has staged an armed assault on the democratic government of Lebanon."  Brooks *********************************************************************** "Does Obama believe that even the most intractable enemies can … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 43 Comments

4th Generation Warfare? What about 5th and 6th Generation?

Posted on May 15, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"In unusually strong language, Gates warned against what he described as a tendency in the Pentagon to fall back on Cold War mentalities and said he feared that lessons from the U.S. struggle against insurgencies in Iraq could fade unless … Continue reading →

Posted in The Military Art | 38 Comments

Cat-fights

Posted on May 15, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

I was on a "road trip" until yesterday evening and did not have the time to deal with the personal dispute that erupted ove several days among two of our commmenters. A reminder – conflicts that descend into personal attacks … Continue reading →

Posted in Ukraine Crisis | 6 Comments

Luttwak and Obama’s “Apostasy”

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"As the son of the Muslim father, Senator Obama was born a Muslim under Muslim law as it is universally understood. It makes no difference that, as Senator Obama has written, his father said he renounced his religion. Likewise, under … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 43 Comments

Israel, A country like the ones almost all of us came from?

Posted on May 11, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"Growing up at Congregation Olam Tikvah, Michelle Pearlstein remembers how Israel was taught at religious school: "Black and white — you can’t trust anyone, and it was a united front in support of Israel." Today, Pearlstein, 35, is the Israel … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 32 Comments

The Bushies and Beirut (The gang that can’t shoot straight)

Posted on May 10, 2008 by Michael Chevalier

"…humiliating blows made clearer than ever the power and determination of Hezbollah, a Shiite group backed by Iran and Syria, and its allies. By Friday afternoon, armed Shiite fighters were riding joyfully through west Beirut in a long column of … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs | 49 Comments