Soccer Dad: Submitted 08/01/07

August 1, 2007

Submitted 08/01/07

This week's Watcher's Council Nominations are in.

The Glittering Eye does a riff on one of last week's non-council entries in Where's the Beef? Though the orientation is different ( the original was lamenting the fact; The Glittering Eye is simply observing it) he emphasizes that despite their rhetoric no Democratic candidate for President is likely to withdraw all troops from Iraq upon reaching office. No candidate is willing to change the situation enough to accept responsibility if those changes precede a change for the worse.

In Perhaps we should dunk the administration in the toilet, Cheat Seeking Missiles takes aim at the decision to throw the book (so to speak) at the student was put Korans in the toilet at Pace University. He argues that teaching tolerance for Islam is a fine goal, as long as the proper context is provided.

Done with Mirrors confronts More Disturbing Questions. He observes that Michael Yon reports that the military in Iraq often has a better idea how to run a local government than do the officials actually charged with that task. He offers an explanation why that is so.

In NEA is also confused about SCOTUS decision regarding race & schooling, Colossus of Rhodey slays the sacred cow of "diverstiy." Maybe that "also" should read "especially."

Rhymes with Right offers more thoughts on Chief Justice Roberts health. He argues that given the time that elapsed between Roberts' two seizures and the fact that even if he does have epilepsy he should still be able to function as Chief Justice that most of the reporting on the incident has been overblown.

Okie on the Lam comments on Iraq wins the Asian Cup LA Times covers the Iraqi joy and unity ... kinda. Why wasn't the victory and its celebration in Iraq covered without a discussion of violence in Iraq? At least the player didn't have to worry about returning had they lost.

Bookworm Room looks at the thought processes behind "He's not my President." After arguing why our current electoral system is the way it is, she observes that those who are most opposed to the outcomes (and therefore bear ill will to our elected officials) are those who believe they know what's right for the country better than the people who actually voted and put the politicians into office.

JoshuaPundit casts a skeptical eye on a Desert Mirage: Bush administration to offer $20 billion arms deal to Saudi Arabia. He points to a number of weaknesses in the deal, including trusting the Saudis - against past experience - to observe their commitment not to threaten Israel. He doesn't expect using the Saudis against Iran is likely to do much to keep Iran in check.

Education Wonks writes about Yet another taxpayer funded incentive for illegal aliens? In it he agree with Rush Limbaugh that extending more benefits to illegal aliens will draw even more of them to this country; instead we ought to be enforcing existing laws to keep the out.

In Whose Freedom? What is Speech?, Right Wing Nuthouse covers similar territory to Cheat Seeking Missiles. In his view of the Pace University Koran case, the prosecutor would have been reasonable to seek charges of theft against Shmuelevitch, but hate crime felonies were well beyond the scope of the crime.

In Miracle on Sand, Big Lizards, like Okie on the Lam, focuses on the Iraqi victory in the Asian Cup and compares it to the American Olympic (semi-final) victory over the Soviets in 1980 in Hockey. He wonders if the Iraqi victory could imbue the enterprise of rebuilding Iraq with some much needed hope.

My own entry was You can't hurry peace in which I argue that Israel must be clear about what it will never give up and that whatever is negotiated or ceded won't bring peace until there is a change in the Arab world's acceptance of Israel's existence.

Read. Enjoy. Be informed.

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