Charles Krauthammer : Maliki's Sophistication and Cunning - Krauthammer opines that Maliki's pseudo-endorsement of the Obama timetable for withdrawal of American troops from Iraq was an attempt to help Obama win the Presidency and thereby have a weaker negotiating partner when it comes to the residual force agreement in post-war Iraq. This seems a bit of a stretch to me. I believe Maliki's statements were meant solely for domestic consumption. He is a politician after all.
Mary Katharine Ham : The Last Stand of the West - Ham takes a penetrating look at life inside Israel as it is for those who must live daily with war and failed peace negotiations. One IDF officer remarks "you can literally fight a battle in the morning and pick up your kids from kindergarten in the afternoon." She argues that Israel's struggle is our struggle and that of the entire West. Be advised her piece runs about 3000 words, but highly worth reading.
John Hawkins : A Look Back: What Democrats Were Saying About The Surge - It is important to point out who was right and who was completely and comprehensively wrong in matters of war as we head into another important election. Congressional Democrats opposed the surge for partisan reasons. Their aim was to saddle Bush with the blame for a failure in war. They had no interest in victory. They claim now that if they were in charge we never would have gone to war in the first place and that that was the right course of action. What was the right course of action is a matter of debate, I would argue the war was right course, but let us not throw down the memory hole the fact that the Democrats in Congress supported the war resolution at the time, albeit again for political reasons.
Oliver North : Sen. Obama's Excellent Adventure- Ollie seems to be mostly complaining that Obama's tour of the world is half at taxpayer expense. An opening for criticism perhaps, but hardly hard-hitting.
Mona Charen : George Bush's Unrequited Love - Charen argues that Bush has focused a tremendous amount of attention on the poor and minorities in his eight years in office only to be scorned by them. She points to the African AIDS initiative, No Child Left Behind, and faith-based initiatives as evidence. There is a lesson here for Republican politicians: acting like a liberal will never win the love or votes of the left. They will always choose the real thing over a Republican in Democrat clothing. So focus on winning the love and votes of those on the right. Ahem, cough, McCain.
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