Googly Sanctions
/in Foreign Policy, War /by emptywheel$40 Oil
/in Foreign Policy, War /by emptywheelGoing Nuclear
/in Bush Administration, Foreign Policy /by emptywheelI’m in Asia right now. On the way in, I was reminded of the increasingly visible effects of climate change–a tropical depression had closed the airport in Tokyo, so I was diverted to Nagoya, where I and 12 plane-loads of people slept on the airport floor, hoping to reach our destinations in time for our business meetings. It took me 2 days to reach my destination, and I had to spend $300 on clothes to make do until my bag reached me. That’s going to be an increasingly common occurrence so long as our leaders (read, Bush) ignore the real effects of climate change.
And now I have to contemplate flying home just east of a newly nuclear North Korea. It worries me a bit, sure (though I’m in SE Asia, far from any fall out, real or political). But mostly it makes me weary and sad that our failed leader continues to have such a tangibly negative effect on the world.
I’ve been harping for a long time, after all, about Bush’s propensity to choose the wrong targets. He has been chasing WMD ghosts in Iraq for 3 years now, and is contemplating chasing WMD ghosts in Iran, without making effective strides to roll back Pakistan’s proliferation network. You know, Pakistan? The country that assisted North Korea to get nukes? And for that matter, perhaps if we hadn’t sown so much chaos in the Middle East, we’d have had the focus to find a real solution in North Korea.
What Tipped the Balance?
/8 Comments/in Foreign Policy, War /by emptywheelJohn Amato provides some perspective on the most ominous development of the week, when Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani announced that he can no longer restrain his followers. Sistani announced this in the last few days. But, as one of Amato’s readers pointed out, David Ignatius reported that Sistani was worried about this back in July.
David:.. the most important and powerful personality in Iraq issignaling the Bush administration this week that he is worried that thesituation in Iraq is spinning out of control. He is the crucial person.If he gives up on this effort-this effort is over…
So what happened in the interim? What tipped the balance?
Republican Foreign Policy: Make a Profit on Destruction, Make a Profit on Reconstruction
/in Foreign Policy, War /by emptywheelI can’t remember where I asked it, but several weeks ago I asked who was going to pay for Lebanon’s reconstruction. Some in the thread mused that we, the American taxpayers, would pay for it. Well, wouldn’t you know:
The Bush administration is scrambling to assemble a plan to helprebuild Lebanon, hoping that by competing with Hezbollah for thepublic’s favor it can undo the damage the war has inflicted on itsimage and goals for the Middle East.
Administration officials fear that unless they move quickly todemonstrate U.S. commitment, the Lebanese will turn more fully to themilitant group, which has begun rolling out an ambitious reconstructionprogram that Washington believes is bankrolled by Iran.
"Scrambling to assemble a plan to helprebuild." Those Lebanese who watched Katrina on the TV or who have heard from cousins in Iraq are no doubt reading those words with dread. And any number of campaign donors probably just heard the lovely ring of "Ka ching!"
Judy and Johnny
/in Foreign Policy, War /by emptywheelIt seems Arianna hasn’t disbanded her impressive network of Judy Miller sources. She reports:
At 7:30 this morning, John Bolton was having breakfast at Oscar’s at the Waldorf with Judy Miller.
Arianna wonders whether Bolton’s nomination battle to be reappointed came up. But I’m not convinced. After all, we have good reason to believe that John Bolton is the only Neocon who has availed himself of Judy’s particular talent for WMD porn since she was ousted form the NYT. And while Judy has been instrumental in the past in helping Bolton get someone fired, drumming up political support in Congress to get someone hired isn’t really her forte. That would take rational argument, after all.
Perhaps this news from Steve Clemons offers some clues as to what Judy and Johnny were doing this morning at 7:30 am.