[Part II can be found here.] The Jill Carroll kidnapping was dreadful from the very beginning: watching videos of the young woman, pleading and crying; imagining the emotional state of her family and friends, and most especially her parents; trying … Continue reading →
The ongoing carnival of the Moussaoui trial has introduced still another act: the main character turning the tables on his defense team (and himself) by a spectacular in-court confession during the sentencing stage of his trial. This gesture of Moussaoui’s … Continue reading →
Belmont Club’s Richard Fernandez has written this thought-provoking post on the enlistment of Batman–yes, you heard me right, Batman–in the fight against Al Qaeda. Batman, of course, is not real–I assume that at least we can all agree on that. … Continue reading →
On this thread from yesterday, an interesting discussion is ensuing concerning what could–or should–be done about Iran’s nascent nuclear arsenal. But one point I haven’t seen mentioned there, and which troubles me greatly, is the fact that intelligence has it … Continue reading →
In my previous post, I recalled hearing the “good news, bad news” reports of the Munich Massacre: Those of you who, like me, are of a certain age, may recall that when the shootout and botched rescue attempt occurred at … Continue reading →
I’ve come to believe that the feeling of shame underlies much of the anger and violence in the world. But why, you may ask, would shame, “a painful emotion caused by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace,” … Continue reading →
Don Surber has pointed out that recently–first on October 6, and then again yesterday–Bush has begun to use the word “Islamofascism” in his speeches to name the enemy. I have a bit of history with that word myself, and so … Continue reading →
The current riots in France are another indication that Europe is having difficulty dealing with a long-neglected problem: its huge and largely unassimilated Moslem immigrant population (originally of immigrants but now including their European-born children), bulging in its belly like … Continue reading →
A recent comment here (from my old buddy “anonymous,” natch) questioned the influence of the left on current American politics. Scroll down at the link for the discussion which followed, if interested. Whatever the influence of the current left in … Continue reading →
Christopher Hitchens, in a fine article in Slate entitled “Why Ask Why?”, tries once again to tell the left that it’s futile to imagine that terrorists such as the Bali bombers are rational actors responding to policies of the West: … Continue reading →
A while back, commenter Richard Aubrey wrote here: The neat thing about our current situation is that we don’t have to make stuff up about what our enemies want. They tell us. The problem is in believing them. But you … Continue reading →
I am truly sick and tired of this business of calling terrorist cheerleaders “spiritual leaders.” In some ways it’s worse than the “militant” thing; at least terrorists are militant. But how are people such as Abu Bakar Bashir, a cleric … Continue reading →