Christopher Hitchens on Ayaan Hirsi Ali

How does he write so fast?

She has had to live under police protection ever since, and when I saw her again last week in Washington, I had to notice that there were several lofty and burly Dutchmen acting in an unaffected but determined way somewhere off to the side. I would urge you all to go out and buy her new book, The Caged Virgin, which is subtitled An Emancipation Proclamation for Women and Islam. The three themes of the story are: first, her own gradual emancipation from tribalism and superstition; second, her work as a parliamentarian to call attention to the crimes being committed every day by Islamist thugs in mainland Europe; and third, the dismal silence, or worse, from many feminists and multiculturalists about this state of affairs.

Before being elected to parliament, she worked as a translator and social worker among immigrant women who are treated as sexual chattel—or as the object of "honor killings"—by their menfolk, and she has case histories that will freeze your blood. These, however, are in some ways less depressing than the excuses made by qualified liberals for their continuation. At all costs, it seems, others must be allowed "their culture" and—what is more—must be allowed the freedom not to be offended by the smallest criticism of it. If they do feel offended, their very first resort is to violence and intimidation, sometimes with the support of the embassies of foreign states. (How interesting it is that the two European states most recently attacked in this way—Holland and Denmark—should be the ones that have made the greatest effort to be welcoming to immigrants.) Considering that this book is written by a woman who was circumcised against her will at a young age and then very nearly handed over as a bargain with a stranger, it is written with quite astonishing humor and restraint.

But here is the grave and sad news. After being forced into hiding by fascist killers, Ayaan Hirsi Ali found that the Dutch government and people were slightly embarrassed to have such a prominent "Third World" spokeswoman in their midst. She was first kept as a virtual prisoner, which made it almost impossible for her to do her job as an elected representative. When she complained in the press, she was eventually found an apartment in a protected building. Then the other residents of the block filed suit and complained that her presence exposed them to risk. In spite of testimony from the Dutch police, who assured the court that the building was now one of the safest in all Holland, a court has upheld the demand from her neighbors and fellow citizens that she be evicted from her home. In these circumstances, she is considering resigning from parliament and perhaps leaving her adopted country altogether. This is not the only example that I know of a supposedly liberal society collaborating in its own destruction, but I hope at least that it will shame us all into making The Caged Virgin a best seller.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali to Join American Enterprise Institute

Welcome to Washington!

According to the New York Times' Marlise Simons, writing in the International Herald Tribune, the controversial Dutch MP is on her way to the USA:

PARIS Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali- born Dutch politician known for her criticism of Islam, said Monday that her life in the Netherlands had become untenable because of security issues and a controversy over reports that she had lied on her application for asylum in 1992.

Hirsi Ali, 36, said she would resign her seat in Parliament on Tuesday and speed up her intended departure for the United States, where she plans to take a job at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.

A Muslim who has received frequent death threats from Islamic militants, Hirsi Ali is a gifted speaker and is easily one of the country's most famous politicians. But she has faced rising political pressure over charges that she lied to the immigration authorities when she fled from an arranged marriage in Somalia to hide in the Netherlands in 1992. Her critics accuse her of further polarizing the already difficult immigration debate and of alienating rather than defending Muslim women.

In a telephone interview from The Hague on Monday, she said she had learned that as a result of the asylum application controversy she might be stripped of her Dutch citizenship. She said that was the last straw in a series of setbacks that made her decide to leave for the United States a year earlier than planned.

This 'n That on Immigration

This 'n That's chance enounter in a Starbucks led to reflection on the immigration crisis:

As the young cashier took my order, she thanked me for not making a big deal out of the situation. I said: "I don't think they understood me." She replied: "I don't think they did either. It's why I just shrugged my shoulders." And that is exactly the problem. We have "shrugged" our collective shoulders far too long in response to the problem of illegal immigration. It is one thing to enter the United States illegally and not pay taxes or medical bills and lean on hard working American citizens for support. It is another to actively refuse to learn our language - english, customs, and code of public behavior. It is tantamount to a blatant slap in the face.

Why is Bush Sending the National Guard?

Bull Moose suggests that President Bush's actions reflect cynical electoral gestures, rather than a realistic immigration plan:

The Moose observes that the President may be dispatching the Guard not so much to defend the borders but rather to protect the Republican majority.

Desperate times demand desperate action. No, the Moose is not referring to the illegal immigration problem at our nation's borders. The Moose is talking about resolving the civil war within the Republican Party.

The Political Office in the White House is receiving reports that potentially millions of conservative refugees are streaming across the border from the President's popularity. They are fleeing a party that has betrayed them with high taxes and gross incompetence. These immigrants who are threatening to stay home in November and Mr. Rove must call on all of the nation's resources to send them home.

And thus, the President may call out the National Guard. Guard members have already made extraordinary sacrifices for our country and the Guard is overstretched. At least one Republican Governor has reservations about the President's plan. The New York Times,

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California said in Sacramento that using Guard troops was "not the right way to go," in part because many were just returning from Iraq."

However, Republicans on Capitol Hill foresee a disaster of biblical proportions. To further mix metaphors, the Republican infighting on immigration has come to resemble the conflict between the Shiites and Sunnis. Peacekeepers may be called to restore order. The business Republicans and right wingers are clashing in the Halls of Congress. The President must demonstrate to the right that he is still one of them.

Therefore, he is addressing the nation to declare a national emergency- GOP control over Congress must be maintained by any means necessary.

More on Islamism

From the Hudson Institute's "Center on Islam, Democracy, and the Future of the Muslim World"...

US Economy Growing

So says economist Irwin Stelzer, whom I met at Jim Bowman's AEI talk on "Honor". After he advised me not to sell my home, I looked up his writings on the web. He has a cautiously optimistic perspective:

The economy avoided two looming problems last week. First, the Federal Reserve Board’s monetary policy committee decided not to bow to pressure from the housing industry and some investors. Ben Bernanke and colleagues refused to announce a halt in its series of interest rate increases. Instead, they took short-term rates to 5%, its 16th consecutive ¼-point increase. More important, the Fed pointed out that “some policy firming may yet be needed to address inflation risks”, and then added the unexceptionable statement that it would study incoming data before deciding what to do at its next meeting. I would hope so, the alternative being to ignore the deluge of new data that will become available when the monetary policy committee again reviews its interest rate policy next month.

So, rather than give in to the increasing crowd of nervous economy watchers who see a slowing housing market as a forerunner to a major general economic softening, and announce that it would hold the line on rates, the Fed chose not to unleash inflationary expectations. With good reason. Most indicators suggest that when the Fed’s monetary policy committee next meets, inflation will be above Chairman Bernanke’s comfort zone of 1%-2%. Consider these offsets to a softening housing market:

*commodity prices are soaring;
*high gasoline prices are starting to ripple through to air fares, freight rates and other prices;
*retail sales are slowing a bit, but remain buoyant;
*wage rates are starting to rise;
*the economy is continuing to grow at something like an annual rate of 3½.

So this is not the time for the Fed to decide that its work is done, and announce that it is packing up its rate-rising tools. Better to let markets know that it is keeping its options open.

Protocol of the Elders of Islam?

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, it appears. An LGF link called attention to this article by Patrick Poole in Frontpage.com about a 1982 Muslim Brotherhood document entitled "The Project," reportedly discovered in Switzerland. If it is not a forgery--and Poole claims it is authentic--then it is certainly worth some attention in relation to the Global War on Terror:

What Western intelligence authorities know about The Project begins with the raid of a luxurious villa in Campione, Switzerland on November 7, 2001. The target of the raid was Youssef Nada, director of the Al-Taqwa Bank of Lugano, who has had active association with the Muslim Brotherhood for more than 50 years and who admitted to being one of the organization’s international leaders. The Muslim Brotherhood, regarded as the oldest and one of the most important Islamist movements in the world, was founded by Hasan al-Banna in 1928 and dedicated to the credo, “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

The raid was conducted by Swiss law enforcement at the request of the White House in the initial crackdown on terrorist finances in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. US and Swiss investigators had been looking at Al-Taqwa’s involvement in money laundering and funding a wide range of Islamic terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda, HAMAS (the Palestinian affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood), the Algerian GIA, and the Tunisian Ennahdah.

Included in the documents seized during the raid of Nada’s Swiss villa was a 14-page plan written in Arabic and dated December 1, 1982, which outlines a 12-point strategy to “establish an Islamic government on earth” – identified as The Project. According to testimony given to Swiss authorities by Nada, the unsigned document was prepared by “Islamic researchers” associated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

What makes The Project so different from the standard “Death of America! Death to Israel!” and “Establish the global caliphate!” Islamist rhetoric is that it represents a flexible, multi-phased, long-term approach to the “cultural invasion” of the West. Calling for the utilization of various tactics, ranging from immigration, infiltration, surveillance, propaganda, protest, deception, political legitimacy and terrorism, The Project has served for more than two decades as the Muslim Brotherhood “master plan”. As can be seen in a number of examples throughout Europe – including the political recognition of parallel Islamist government organizations in Sweden, the recent “cartoon” jihad in Denmark, the Parisian car-burning intifada last November, and the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London – the plan outlined in The Project has been overwhelmingly successful.

Rather than focusing on terrorism as the sole method of group action, as is the case with Al-Qaeda, in perfect postmodern fashion the use of terror falls into a multiplicity of options available to progressively infiltrate, confront, and eventually establish Islamic domination over the West. The following tactics and techniques are among the many recommendations made in The Project:

*Networking and coordinating actions between likeminded Islamist organizations;
*Avoiding open alliances with known terrorist organizations and individuals to maintain the appearance of “moderation”;
*Infiltrating and taking over existing Muslim organizations to realign them towards the Muslim Brotherhood’s collective goals;
*Using deception to mask the intended goals of Islamist actions, as long as it doesn’t conflict with shari’a law;
*Avoiding social conflicts with Westerners locally, nationally or globally, that might damage the long-term ability to expand the Islamist powerbase in the West or provoke a lash back against Muslims;
*Establishing financial networks to fund the work of conversion of the West, including the support of full-time administrators and workers;
*Conducting surveillance, obtaining data, and establishing collection and data storage capabilities;
*Putting into place a watchdog system for monitoring Western media to warn Muslims of “international plots fomented against them”;
*Cultivating an Islamist intellectual community, including the establishment of think-tanks and advocacy groups, and publishing “academic” studies, to legitimize Islamist positions and to chronicle the history of Islamist movements;
*Developing a comprehensive 100-year plan to advance Islamist ideology throughout the world;
*Balancing international objectives with local flexibility;
*Building extensive social networks of schools, hospitals and charitable organizations dedicated to Islamist ideals so that contact with the movement for Muslims in the West is constant;
*Involving ideologically committed Muslims in democratically-elected institutions on all levels in the West, including government, NGOs, private organizations and labor unions;
*Instrumentally using existing Western institutions until they can be converted and put into service of Islam;
*Drafting Islamic constitutions, laws and policies for eventual implementation;
*Avoiding conflict within the Islamist movements on all levels, including the development of processes for conflict resolution;
*Instituting alliances with Western “progressive” organizations that share similar goals;
*Creating autonomous “security forces” to protect Muslims in the West;
*Inflaming violence and keeping Muslims living in the West “in a jihad frame of mind”;
*Supporting jihad movements across the Muslim world through preaching, propaganda, personnel, funding, and technical and operational support;
*Making the Palestinian cause a global wedge issue for Muslims;
*Adopting the total liberation of Palestine from Israel and the creation of an Islamic state as a keystone in the plan for global Islamic domination;
*Instigating a constant campaign to incite hatred by Muslims against Jews and rejecting any discussions of conciliation or coexistence with them;
*Actively creating jihad terror cells within Palestine;
*Linking the terrorist activities in Palestine with the global terror movement;
*Collecting sufficient funds to indefinitely perpetuate and support jihad around the world.

In reading The Project, it should be kept in mind that it was drafted in 1982 when current tensions and terrorist activities in the Middle East were still very nascent. In many respects, The Project is extremely prescient for outlining the bulk of Islamist action, whether by “moderate” Islamist organizations or outright terror groups, over the past two decades.

Putin's "New Deal"

According to commentators on Johnson's Russia List, Putin sees himself as Russia's FDR. They point to this section of his recent speech:

The changes of the early 1990s were a time of great hopes for millions of people, but neither the authorities nor business fulfilled these hopes. Moreover, some members of these groups pursued their own personal enrichment in a way such as had never been seen before in our country’s history, at the expense of the majority of our citizens and in disregard for the norms of law and morality.

“In the working out of a great national program which seeks the primary good of the greater number, it is true that the toes of some people are being stepped on and are going to be stepped on. But these toes belong to the comparative few who seek to retain or to gain position or riches or both by some short cut which is harmful to the greater good.”

These are fine words and it is a pity that it was not I who thought them up. It was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the President of the United States of America, in 1934.

These words were spoken as the country was emerging from the great depression. Many countries have faced similar problems, just as we are today, and many have found worthy ways to overcome them.

No wonder Cheney is angry, after all he's trying to undo FDR's New Deal here at home . . .

Happy Mothers Day! from Mark Steyn

From SteynOnline's Song of the Week:

But this is the mother of all mother songs – the one that’s lasted longer than almost all the others, if only because its lyric is reprinted every May on a gazillion greetings cards, some of which even play the music, too. It was written in 1915 by two second-rank Alleymen, composer Theodore Morse and lyricist Howard Johnson. Morse had quite a few hits in his day, though “I’d Rather Be A Lobster Than A Wise Guy” seems to have dropped out of the repertoire, and “We’ll Knock The Heligo Into Heligo Out Of Heligoland” didn’t outlast the First World War. But “Hurray For Baffin’s Bay” was one of the big songs in the original Broadway production of The Wizard Of Oz (1904) and “Two Little Boys” was revived with great success by Australia’s didgeridoo maestro Rolf Harris and has the distinction of being one of Mrs Thatcher’s favorite songs. Howard Johnson, though no relation to the household name, did share an interest in one of the items on the menu: “I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream”. He also wrote war songs – “I’d Like To See The Kaiser With A Lily In His Hand” – and novelty songs that were a bit too novel – “I Don’t Want To Get Well (I’m In Love With A Beautiful Nurse)”.

But these words are Johnson’s claim to posterity. Eva Tanguay, Broadway’s “I Don’t Care” girl, introduced it in on stage, and Henry Burr, the soft-voiced son of New Brunswick, had a huge selling 78 with it in 1916, and thereafter it became a mainstay for every sentimental Irish tenor. Happy Mother’s Day to Irish mothers, dear old mammies, red hot mamas, and all the rest. And, as it’s a spelling song, see if you can fill in the missing words:

M is for the m ------- things she gave me
O means only that she’s growing o--
T is for the t---- she shed to save me
H is for her h---- of purest gold
E is for her e--- with lovelight shining
R means r----- and r---- she’ll always be
Put them all together, they spell MOTHER
A word that means the world to me.

Putin and the Wolf

Don't forget Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. You can read the Wikipedia entry here.

Who is Comrade Wolf?

From Konstantin's Russian blog, this explanation of Putin's citation of "Comrade Wolf."

Some information for those who are mystified by Putin’s “Comrade Wolf” metaphor. Comrade Wolf comes from an old Soviet joke.

Rabinovich and his pet sheep are walking in the woods. Suddenly they fall into a deep pit. A minute later a wolf also falls into the same pit. The scared sheep starts bleating. “What do you mean – baa, baa, baa?” – says Rabinovich, “Comrade Wolf knows whom to eat”.

Apparently, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack doesn't read Konstantin's Russian Blog:

QUESTION: What about the speech today from President Putin, his state-of-the-nation speech, where he compared the United States to a voracious wolf and said, "We are aware of what is going on in the world. Comrade Wolf knows whom to eat, it eats without listening and it's clearly not going to listen to anyone." What does that say about the state of Russia-U.S. relations and the prospects for bringing them along on this?

MR. MCCORMACK: Secretary Rice has talked about this. We have, in many areas, a strong partnership with Russia. As for differences, you've heard about them in public over the past several months, Secretary Rice has talked about them, President Bush has talked about them, Vice President Cheney has talked about them. But we do have the kind of relationship where, if we do have differences, we'll speak about them frankly. And there are a lot of different issues on the table between the United States and Russia and we're going to try to push forward on those areas where we can. And where we have differences, we're going to try to work through them.

QUESTION: But can you specific for me on this "comrade wolf," the "voracious wolf" comment?

MR. MCCORMACK: I hadn't seen it, Jonathan, honestly. I haven't seen it before you just mentioned it.

QUESTION: You didn't see the wolf or the comment?

MR. MCCORMACK: I had not heard the comment before Jonathan brought it up. So in fairness, I'd like to take a look at it before I offer a specific response. I'm not commenting that you are not giving me the entire quote, but I'd like to take a look at the whole thing.

Here's the conclusion of another version of a Russian wolf story from Sister Alyonuskha's Russian Folk Tales website, about a wolf and some baby goats he plans to eat:

The Wolf did as the Fox told him and made straight for the smithy. He came up to the Blacksmith and said:

"Please, Blacksmith, forge me a new throat, for I want to bleat like a goat."

"What will I get in return?"

"I don't know what you want. We animals have no money, but I can make you a gift of some kind."

"Well, then, Wolf, bring me a pair of geese, live ones, mind, and then I'll forge you a new throat."

The Wolf went to the river bank and began crawling through the rushes there, and he was soon muddy and wet up to his ears. But he finally

managed to catch two geese, and, holding them by their wings, carriec them to the Blacksmith. He felt very cross, for he would have liked to eat the geese himself, but this he could not do as he had to keep his promise. He brought the geese to the Blacksmith and said:

"I have brought you what you asked for, Blacksmith, so now be quick and forge me a new throat."

"Very well, Wolf, it's time to get to work," the Blacksmith replied "Move up closer to the anvil, stick out your tongue as far as it will go and close your eyes, and I will be quick and do the rest."

The Wolf moved up close to the anvil, he stuck out his tongue and closed his eyes, and he stood there as if frozen to the spot. And the Blacksmith at once seized his biggest hammer and he struck the Wolf with it over the head! The Wolf dropped dead on the spot, and the Blacksmith skinned him and sold the skiji at the market for ten silver pieces. And he kept the geese for himself to be eaten when he had a mind to.

And as for the Kids, they remained alive and well.

Putin's Speech

It took a while for the English translation of Putin's speech, but the full text is finally up on the Kremlin's website. A few things I didn't see discussed in media accounts, which focused on demographic issues and his response to Cheney.

1. A coded message that the US is sponsoring Islamist extremist terrorism in Chechnya and other republics in order to weaken Russia, and that Russia will respond forcefully:

The terrorist threat remains very real. Local conflicts remain a fertile breeding ground for terrorists, a source of their arms and a field upon which they can test their strength in practice. These conflicts often arise on ethnic grounds, often with inter-religious conflict thrown in, which is artificially fomented and manipulated by extremists of all shades.

I know that there are those out there who would like to see Russia become so mired in these problems that it will not be able to resolve its own problems and achieve full development.

2. Russia will stick to its policy of involvement in the "near abroad" and considers the European Union--not the US or China--to be its primary partner:

I repeat that our relations with our closest neighbours were and remain a most important part of the Russian Federation’s foreign policy.

I would like to say a few words briefly about our cooperation with our other partners.

Our biggest partner is the European Union. Our ongoing dialogue with the EU creates favourable conditions for mutually beneficial economic ties and for developing scientific, cultural, educational and other exchanges. Our joint work on implementing the concept of the common spaces is an important part of the development of Europe as a whole.

3.Russia ranks relations with the US on a level with China and India, and prefers to work to strengthen rather than weaken the UN framework, in opposition to the Bush administration policy of unilateralism:

Of great importance for us and for the entire international system are our relations with the United States of America, with the People’s Republic of China, with India, and also with the fast-growing countries of the Asia-Pacific Region, Latin America and Africa. We are willing to take new steps to expand the areas and framework of our cooperation with these countries, increase cooperation in ensuring global and regional security, develop mutual trade and investment and expand cultural and educational ties.

I wish to stress that at this time of globalisation when a new international architecture is in the process of formation, the role of the United Nations Organisation has taken on new importance. This is the most representative and universal international forum and it remains the backbone of the modern world order. It is clear that the foundations of this global organisation were laid during an entirely different era and that reform is indisputably necessary.

Russia, which is taking an active part in this work, sees two points of being of principle importance.

First, reform should make the UN’s work more effective. Second, reform should have the broad support of a maximum number of the UN’s member states. Without consensus in the UN it will be very difficult to ensure harmony in the world. The UN system should be the regulator that enables us to work together to draw up a new code of behaviour in the international arena, a code of behaviour that meets the challenges of our times and that we are so in need of today in this globalising world.

Putin is attempting to put Russia back to work with the mission of "balancing" the USA, without directly opposing America or restarting the Cold War. Sort of a "loyal opposition" vision for international relations, not a threat, rather a dissenting and independent power.

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

While visiting a friend in the hospital with pancreatic cancer, his surgeon mentioned this website for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He said that pancreatic cancer was a bigger threat to public health than HIV/AIDS, but didn't get the publicity or funding...

John McCain v. Freedom of Speech

In his latest column, George F. Will explains why it is significant that Senator John McCain not only co-sponsored the troubling McCain-Feingold campaign law, but also said that he's opposed to the First Amendment to the US Constitution:

Presidents swear to "protect and defend the Constitution." The Constitution says: "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech." On April 28, on Don Imus's radio program, discussing the charge that the McCain-Feingold law abridges freedom of speech by regulating the quantity, content and timing of political speech, John McCain did not really reject the charge:

"I work in Washington and I know that money corrupts. And I and a lot of other people were trying to stop that corruption. Obviously, from what we've been seeing lately, we didn't complete the job. But I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I'd rather have the clean government."

Will suggests that McCain might be a dangerous to the US Constitution, and his views may be a threat to democracy itself:

Which highlights the stark contradiction in McCain's doctrine and the media's applause of it. He and they assume, simultaneously, the following two propositions:

Proof that incumbent politicians are highly susceptible to corruption is the fact that the government they control is shot through with it. Yet that government should be regarded as a disinterested arbiter, untainted by politics and therefore qualified to regulate the content, quantity and timing of speech in campaigns that determine who controls the government. In the language of McCain's Imus appearance, the government is very much not "clean," but it is so clean it can be trusted to regulate speech about itself.

McCain hopes that in 2008 pro-life Republicans will remember his pro-life record. But they will know that, regarding presidents and abortion, what matters are Supreme Court nominees. McCain favors judges who think the Constitution is so radically elastic that government regulation of speech about itself is compatible with the First Amendment. So Republican primary voters will wonder: Can President McCain be counted on to nominate justices who would correct such constitutional elasticities as the court's discovery of a virtually unlimited right -- one unnoticed between 1787 and 1973 -- to abortion?

McCain told Imus that he would, if necessary, sacrifice "quote First Amendment rights" to achieve "clean" government. If on Jan. 20, 2009, he were to swear to defend the Constitution, would he be thinking that the oath refers only to "the quote Constitution"? And what would that mean?

Harry Potter and the War on Terror

Writing in The American Thinker, Bookworm says J.K. Rowling's story has a message for adults in a post-9/11 world:

I don’t pretend to know what J.K. Rowling was thinking when she wrote Order of the Phoenix, but I can’t help but see in this post-9/11 book a perfect analogy to the situation the West faces today, in the real world, in its War against Islamofascism. Some of us, like Harry, know that we have seen evil, acknowledge its existence, and are prepared to fight it. But just as Harry must deal with a government Ministry bound and determined to explain away or ignore the evil in its midst, we too face an anti-War movement that endlessly ignores, explains away, and excuses the most vile acts of terror and human degradation. I have to believe, however, that there are at least some young people who experienced the Twin Towers falling as the formative event of their youth, and who will find guidance and inspiration in Harry’s struggle to wage overcome both evil itself and a cultural indifference to that same evil.

Konstantin on the New Cold War

Konstantin's Russian Blog reacts to Dick Cheney's declaration of a new Cold War in Vilnius:

What do we learn from such verbal maneuvers? First, that America does not really give a damn about freedom and democracy. They are nothing but empty words. When any country does not agree with the US international politics it immediately becomes undemocratic. When any dictatorship does what America wants its democracy status raises to incredible heights. This is a very powerful and meaningful signal. It means that even if Putin gives complete freedom to ORT and RTV, even if he resigns, even if he stops bothering Ukraine and Georgia, he would still be treated as very undemocratic. But the moment he, for example, agrees to punish Iran the US-way, he could immediately double gas prices for the US tiny Eastern European liegemen fearing no political consequences. It only takes some arithmetical calculations: we loose X if we stop building nuclear power stations in Iran and we gain Y if we introduce market prices for the Baltics, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. If X is very close to Y then we have every chance to improve our freedom status and American limitrophes will shut up (or will not be heard by American corporate media, what is the same).

Second, we learn that America is not that strong as it used to be. “Zeus, you are angered. That means you are wrong.” In the 20th century diplomats used to say, “Speak softly but carry a stick in your hand”. Nowadays, as one wise man said, America prefers another saying, “Yell at the top of your lungs and hope that others won’t notice that your stick is broken.”

Third, we learn that America is very myopic. So myopic that winning in some minor internal quarrels means more than loosing global international partners. I don’t talk about allies as in the last three years America alienated all of them (parasites don’t count as allies). Dick definitely gained some points with right-wing Republicans at home for being “hard with Russia”. The fact that the level of anti-Americanism among Russians rose 8% doesn’t bother him at all. Russia is not a democratic country, so Russians will not be given a chance to vote for an anti-American president, won’t they? Iranians voted for an anti-American president although a much more liberal candidate had every chance to win just because Iranians are stupid (or brainwashed). The fact that the US became double hostile towards Iran before the presidential elections doesn’t have anything to do with the outcome.

American political system was based on the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment. Two hundred years ago educated public sincerely believed that power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely. So the system of check and balances was introduced. Nowadays America is the only super power. Its power is absolute and no matter how sympathetic I am towards Americans I do realize that the Founding Fathers were right in the long run. American absolute global power makes America absolutely corrupt in the world where no checks and balances exist for this rich, hypocritical, greedy and war-mongering hulk.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali Speaks!

Here's an account of her Harvard talk, via Little Green Footballs:

Her voice broke at one point when she reflected on her relationship with Theo Van Gogh. When she was discussing her ideas for Submission Part One with Theo, she had wanted to use puppets, or placards. Theo said, “No, It is better if you put this idea in a film. I want to do this for you.” His main problem with the project was not the danger, it was the utter lack of humor. “Maybe I’ll save the humor for Parts Three and Four?” he joked.

“We thought everything was good after we finished filming. We could start Parts Two and Three. And then one morning, I got a phone call. Theo was,” her voice faltered just a bit “...killed.”

“So now I have to live with the fact that Theo Van Gogh is dead. Though I did not kill him, I have to live with the fact that he is dead. I had protection before Theo Van Gogh was killed. I have to do what these gentlemen tell me to do. I have to comply. I comply with things I am told by the authorities. The emphasis on security... it has made me more radical. I cannot be complacent. Let others do it, it will go away - I can’t do that anymore.”

Iran's Third Way

Daniel Pipes arguest that bombing Iran may be too risky, but so is doing nothing. He suggests a third way to deter Iran:

But is there a third, more palatable option? Finding it is the goal of every analyst who addresses the topic, including this one. That third option necessarily involves a mechanism to dissuade the Iranian regime from developing and militarizing its atomic capabilities. Does such a deterrence exist?

Yes, and it even has a chance of success. Iran, fortunately, is not an absolute dictatorship where a single person makes all key decisions, but an oligarchy with multiple power centers and with debate on many issues. The political leadership itself is divided, with important elements dubious about the wisdom of proceeding with nukes, fearful of the international isolation that will follow, not to speak of air strikes. Other influential sectors of society – religious, military, and economic in particular – also worry about the headlong rush.

A campaign by Iranians to avoid confrontation could well prevail, as Iran does not itself face an atomic threat. Going nuclear remains a voluntary decision, one Tehran can refrain from making. Arguably, Iranian security would benefit by staying non-nuclear.

Forces opposed to nuclearization need to be motivated and unified, and that is made more likely by strong external pressure. Were Europeans, Russians, Chinese, Middle Easterners, and others to act in sync with Washington, it would help mobilize opposition elements in Iran. Indeed, those states have their own reasons to dread both a nuclear Tehran and the bad precedent this sets for other potential atomic powers, such as Brazil and South Africa.

That international cooperation, however, is not materializing, as can be seen at the United Nations. The Security Council meanders on the Iran issue and an Iranian official has been elected to, of all things, the UN's disarmament commission (which is tasked with achieving nuclear disarmament).

Deterring Tehran requires sustained, consistent external pressure on the Iranian body politic. That implies, ironically, that those most adverse to U.S.-led air strikes must (1) stand tight with Washington and (2) convince Iranians of the terrible repercussions for them of defying the international consensus.

HONOR A History by James Bowman

Yesterday, I went to the book party for James Bowman's new book, HONOR: A History. It certainly was honorable of Jim, who I have not seen for years and years, to invite me. I was honored to be there.

The event took place at the American Enterprise Institute, and so I found myself sitting between former Presidential speechwriter David Frum (George W. Bush) and former Presidential speechwriter Ben Wattenberg (Lyndon Baines Johnson). Irving Kristol and Bea Himmelfarb sat at the next table. So you might say that Jim had invited me to an A-list neoconservative party. And I don't know that they all liked what he had to say.

Because in his talk, Bowman put forward the theory that the war in Iraq was about nothing more or less than the ancient notion of Honor. In our case, "National Honor." In the case of Islamist terrorists, personal and religious honor. A clash of honor systems, if not a clash of civilizations.

This--not the Israel Lobby, not the Oil Lobby, not Halliburton--explained why America could not afford to lose. Because Saddam Hussein has definitely been linked to Al Qaeda after the American attack, it was honorable and right to fight him. Since the attack on 9/11, the honor of our nation is at stake.

But, said Bowman, Iraq is like Vietnam in that appeals to honor ring politically incorrect, and the President therefore cannot make them. The last President to invoke National Honor was Richard Nixon--"peace with honor."

And we all know how that ended...

Something to think about.

Hookergate?

That's what they're calling scandal swirling around Porter Goss's departure from the CIA, Down Under. From The Australian:

ALL the ingredients for a spy thriller involving prostitutes, poker, a congressman called Randy and parties at the legendary Watergate complex may lie behind the sudden resignation of Porter Goss as director of the CIA.

The saga has already been named "Hookergate", and the CIA is buzzing with rumours there is more to Mr Goss's departure than meets the eye.

The timing is certainly curious, coming hard on the heels of the CIA's confirmation last week that Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, the No3 in the nation's spy agency, who was hand-picked by Mr Goss, had attended poker games at the Watergate and Westin Grand hotels in Washington with Brent Wilkes, a defence contractor and close boyhood friend.

Mr Wilkes is under investigation for allegedly providing Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a disgraced Republican congressman, with prostitutes, limousines and free hotel suites.

The net is also closing in on Mr Foggo, who is being investigated by the FBI for awarding Mr Wilkes a $US2.4million ($3.1 million) contract. Although Mr Foggo has admitted playing poker with Mr Wilkes, he insists no prostitutes were present.

A former senior CIA official said this weekend he had been told by a trusted source inside the agency that Mr Goss, 67, had attended one of the poker games. The CIA has denied it. "Goss has repeatedly denied being there, so if it were to come out he was, he is finished," the ex-official said.