Remember the episode of
The Simpsons in which Bart is thrown out of Burns' casino but is challenged to create his own? Bart starts up a rival operation in his treehouse, abducting Wayne Newton, who was scheduled to perform at Burns' (and Smithers had to "defrost" Jim Neighbors as a replacement).
Such has happened with the assertion of American jingoists who challenged Europeans to create their own military: it is happening. Europeans are following his advice literally and creating their own EU defense force. It is under-conceptualized and the subject of some squabbling, but it is emerging. And it is putting a damper on the plans of Bush et al. Rumsfeld is already defrosting the B-list talent as well. He is crying that the competition between EU and NATO forces would be a risk to the stability of NATO. This was the challenge that Bush et al placed before Europeans: defend yourselves! And now that it is becoming a reality, Rumsfeld is not happy. (Should we remind him that US unilateralism has but trans-Atlantic relations in jeopardy?)
The subtext to this criticism is that Rumsfeld wants to move US troops from NATO facilities in Europe to the Middle East but he does not want to abandon US control of those facilities. He hopes that NATO troops will serve as placekeepers. He hopes that the Pentagon can maintain control over NATO even thought US involvement will be less direct. European defense policy would be confined to Europe and beholden to US interests. (Source: Reuters)
Posted by:
Nathanael / 12:11 PM :
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Liberia/West Africa Update
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International Crisis Group has a new, alarming report on
the conditions in Cote d'Ivoire. ECOWAS soldiers, stretched thinly throughout West Africa, are not sufficient to maintain peace operations. Kofi Annan has called for an upgrading of UN presence to a full peace keeping mission. French forces have had some troubles: there was a major confrontation with demonstrators. The worsening situation is Cote d'Ivoire, affected by the crises in Liberia and Sierra Leone, may lead to a collapse in all three states. Bush needs to move the marines from the ships sitting off the Liberia coast and place them on the continent. He must coordinate with ECOWAS, Britain and France in order to deal with these problems on a regional level.
Posted by:
Nathanael / 12:10 PM :
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The narcissistic bloggeres at
Ministry of Minor Perfidy have seen fit to recommend me to their readers. I give a great big salute back: they spend more time
analyzing domestic affairs whereas I just complain. They also can generate fun discussion with greater ease.
However, I realized that they made one error in their recommendation: that referring to my "spirited defense of the Anaheim Angels." Yes, I am an Angels fan, that other team from the LA-OC area (kinda like the Clippers). But living in New England for years has morphed me into a different type of fan. I spend hours each week commuting back and forth to different parts of Massachusetts. Along the way I listen to the radio a lot. I hear lots of sports radio. I hear lots of bitching about the Red Sox (and the Yankees). I used to hate both: they were loud and obnoxious at the otherwise more genteel Angels games. All the radio listening has not converted me into a Red Sox fan. Worse: I am a Red Sox critic. I am one of those people who debate every base running decision, every bad call, every pitching change for hours if not days. But I am still not an obnoxious fan--I am just obnoxious., which is much less charming. My recent beef: that the Red Sox and the Yankees would go out of their way to sign Schilling and Brown respectively, two pitchers whose warrantees have expired. (Note to self: don't talk to anyone about baseball. You might get beaten up.
Posted by:
Nathanael / 12:08 PM :
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Sunday, November 30, 2003
I don't spend too much time on domestic issues because so many other bloggers do exactly that. The Center for Education Policy has a report on
the current results of the No Child Left Behind Act, based on case studies. While it deals specifically deals with the federal education law, the report should also be seen as a warning about education policies that focus on performance rather than education.
Posted by:
Nathanael / 11:20 AM :
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I have not been very active at blogging the last several days. Instead, I have concentrated on grant writing, hoping to get money to conduct more research. This article from today's NY Times piqued my interest:
Oil Experts See Long-Term Risks to Iraq Reserves. Iraq may not have oil available to fund its own reconstruction unless there are investments in preserving the oil fields. The large oil reserves are at risk of becoming satured with water, and US is doing nothing at the moment to prevent it. So, in the debate over whether to make money to Iraq a loan or a grant, the mechanisms for generating revenue within Iraq were not discussed.
