Comments Posted By kreiz
Displaying 61 To 70 Of 127 Comments
NEW JIHADI VIDEO GIVES HEART TO TERRORISTS
To be fair, my belief is that a President Gore, H. Clinton or Obama would've taken action against the Taliban in Afghanistan post 9/11.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 5.07.2007 @ 13:19
I tend toward Sshiel's view at #2 that appeasement breeds far more terrorists than any confrontation could do. But that probably has more to do with us than them. My hunch is that their form of religious zealotry feeds on any approach utilized by non-believers. Confrontation may breed as many terrorists as appeasement- but it does make their life more difficult. In that vein, Bill Arnold's long-range at #6 makes a lot of sense.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 5.07.2007 @ 13:15
OF TEA, SCONES, AND SERVING ACES
No doubt that Federer is to tennis what Woods is to golf- perhaps the best ever. One would think this should be tennis' golden age, standing at an apex. But it isn't. Commercially, Federer doesn't compare to Woods. Why? It's not as if Woods' personality is warm and accessible. I suppose one could chalk it up to the lack of a great rivalry in tennis, but golf doesn't have one either. What does Tiger have that Roger doesn't?
Comment Posted By kreiz On 30.06.2007 @ 13:42
The trick will be to prevent wholesale slaughter of the Sunnis when this happens because it will almost certainly be a Shia sitting on the throne in Baghdad.
Exactly, Rick. I'd argue that Bush 41 realists (Scowcroft, Baker, Powell) foresaw this back in 1991, and were roundly criticized for their insight. Likewise, we've soundly run up against the limits of Krauthhammer's view that American power is capable of altering reality in the ME.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 26.06.2007 @ 15:41
Thanks for not dealing in wishful thinking, Rick. Like you, I wish things were different. But they aren't. Facts are stubborn things.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 26.06.2007 @ 15:16
TINKERING WITH IMMIGRATION BOMB WILL ONLY SET IT OFF
First time I've seen the "Persian Flaw" reference. Kindly clue me in- inquiring minds and all of that. Your apt description of Congress reminded me of D. P. Moynihan's "benign neglect" phrase. It was in another context, to be sure- but it sounded right on point here.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 28.06.2007 @ 03:20
BLOOMBERG BOLTS GOP - PREPARES FOR VANITY PRESIDENTIAL RUN
I just don't see him running, given the overwhelming likelihood that he'll spend a huge fortune to become Perot II (best case). Perot in 92 was a huge force, and still didn't exceed 20% of the vote.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 20.06.2007 @ 11:36
A Bloomberg run may aid Thompson in the primaries, as the GOP will see Bloomberg as stripping Giuliani of independent votes in the general. I also can't see the GOP nominating Giulini when the other 2 major candidates are New Yorkers. Like Perot, Bloomberg can't win. So the question becomes- will he peel independent/moderate voters from the Dems or the GOP? If Giulini is the GOP nominee, the answer is obvious- Hillary will benefit- Giuliani and Bloomberg will be competing for the same voters. Less certain is the effect on Thompson. My sense is that Bloomberg hurts Hillary more than Fred because Thompson's base, the South- isn't Bloomberg country. Unlike her husband in 1992, Hillary lacks Bill's ability to succeed in Dixie. Interesting stuff.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 20.06.2007 @ 08:25
DO THEY STILL TEACH PATRIOTIC SONGS TO KIDS?
J.H.- thanks for the comment. One advantage in growing up before Vietnam was that there was still a healthy & unapologetic American pride. (I remember the thrill of watching 'Patton' in 1970.) Now, for some, patriotic songs would evoke embarrassment or worse. On the flip side, Lee Greenwood has had a modestly successful career built on one patriotic tune. Maybe there's still a thirst out there.
As for Western civilization, using a scale of absolute metaphysical perfection, its performance has been dismal. But it has stacked up rather well using the measure of historical realism.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 15.06.2007 @ 16:30
I'm laughing out loud, Rick. My 20 year old daughter had minimum contacts with U.S. history, much less patriotic songs. She wasn't exposed to post-Revolutionary War history in high school until the second half of her sophomore year. Prior to that, her school district (which was otherwise outstanding) chose to focus on a politically safer topic- American Indians. Lots of teepees. You know the drill. Sousa is as relevant as Benny Goodman.
Comment Posted By kreiz On 14.06.2007 @ 09:26
