Morning Report: July 20, 2004

Former Clinton aide probed for classified mishandling. The national security advisor for the Clinton administration, Samuel "Sandy" Berger, is under federal criminal investigation for allegedly removing classified documents from a secure area. During his preparation for the 9/11 commission hearings, Berger is said to have taken documents and notes from the National Security Archives without proper authorization. Berger states that he took the documents "inadvertently". (CNN)

Taheri: Iran to be 2004 election issue. In a recent article, Amir Taheri notes the importance of Iran in the upcoming US presidential campaign. Taheri notes that the IRI's nuclar ambitions are causing growing concern "even in European circles" and that a UN resolution on Iran could be on the table as early as this fall. He faults the Bush administration for its lack of a clear Iran policy - partly due to internal divisions in Washington. (See my May 6 post "State vs. Defense".) Kerry, on the other hand, unequivocally espouses an appeasement policy. Tahei concludes that he hopes the upcoming election will force Bush to clarify his policy on Iran (perhaps taking a harder line to distinguish himself from Kerry) while persuading Kerry to take a more "realistic" approach. (Benador)

Farewell, cruel blogosphere ... oh, never mind.

Rachel Lucas has withdrawn her blogicide note and returned to blogging. It's great to have her back.

Rachel ... you go, girl!

Morning Report: July 13, 2004

RP surrenders to terrorists. The government of the
Phillipines announced it would pull out peacekeepers following the kidnapping of a Filipino in Iraq. In a refreshingly candid statement, RP foreign minister Rafael Segulis delcared on al-Jazeera that "following the demands of the hostage-takers, the Philippines will withdraw its humanitarian force from Iraq as soon as possible." (CNN)

OBL aide surrenders to Saudi authorities. A top aide to Osama bin Laden surrendered in Iran to Saudi Arabia under an offer of amnesty from the kingdom, according to recent reports. Abu Suleiman al-Makki (Khaled al-Harby) is reported to have given himself up at the Saudi embassy in Iran. (VOA)

A Few Thoughts About Blogging

They say blogging is the wave of the future, and I suppose it's true. It certainly can be addictive: after only about ten weeks, I find I'm compelled to blog. When I'm away from the keyboard, I can only think about what I want to write on my next post. And when I'm writing, I feel fulfilled and empowered - as if I'm finally able to communicate my ideas to the outside world, which had hitherto proved to be an indifferent and unsympathetic listener. And I know this is a good way for me to spend my time. But the question I have to ask myself is: how much of a good thing is too much?

So thank you all, for your support. I have really enjoyed writing Dreams Into Lightning. I feel I've made an important and meaningful contribution to political discourse. I've learned a lot, and met lots of wonderful people online. But now the time has come to take stock of my priorities and to make some hard choices about how I expend my precious personal energy. And so I am going to make this post on Dreams Into Lightning my











... had you going there, didn't I?

DiL resumes normal operations tomorrow morning. Morning Report to report for duty. Wonder what's going to come out about Cpl. Hassoun? Oh, and I can't wait to tell you about my new place.

See you soon.

The Home Front: Goli Ameri Campaign

Spent some time last Friday volunteering for the Goli Ameri campaign. I got to meet Ms. Ameri, she's really fabulous in person. I was with about half a dozen other volunteers; we put together signs for the Independence Day parade.

More News from the Home Front

It's confirmed: I pick up the keys to my new place tomorrow morning!

FM and TNG are still away traveling - they get back to San Francisco on July 20. She's a major travel addict - used to wear me to a frazzle, but it'll be great for the kid.

I've started "Absolution Gap", the third volume of Alastair Reynolds' terrific trilogy. Reynolds is a Welsh-born astrophysicist who works for the European Space Agency. He is also one heck of a writer. He's not only helped to revive space-based science fiction as a genre - he is turning it into an art form. The character of Scorpio is one I won't soon forget. For those of you who will never read Reynolds because "I don't read sci-fi", all I can say is, you don't know what you're missing. Really and truly.

Also working my way through the complete DVD series of Babylon 5 (all five seasons). Just about to finish Season 1. It's such a pleasure to watch really great actors like Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik (as the mortal enemies G'kar and Londo), especially in a well-written show like this one. The creator, J. Michael Straczynski, writes most of the scripts himself; a few episodes are written by guest writers. (A couple of the guest-written episodes are a bit weak, I think; and there's one in particular I have some problems with. But I'll post on that later.)

I'm starting to take lessons in chanting the Torah from a friend at the synagogue. Her son Ari just joined the Army reserves. He's about to graduate boot camp - and he turns 18 today! Let's wish him all the best.

Morning Report: July 1, 2004

"Real criminal is Bush." - Saddam Saddam Hussein was belligerent and sullen by turns at his first court appearance in Baghdad, giving his title as "President of Iraq" and challenging the judge's authority, but quieting down when ordered to do so. CNN's Christiane Amanpour reported: "He said please a lot, which I'm sure is a change for him." He defended the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, referring to the Kuwaitis as "dogs". He declared that "the real criminal is Bush", and, according to Fox News, labeled the hearing as "theater".

Morning Report: June 30, 2004

Saddam, aides to go to Iraqi custody; arraignment Thursday. Saddam Hussein and eleven aides were transferred to the legal custody of the new Iraqi government on Wednesday, although the "dirty dozen" will remain in US legal custody. The deposed dictator will face formal charges in an Iraqi tribunal on Thursday, although the formal indictment may take months. US forces will retain custody of the prisoners until Iraqi security is ready to hold them. (CNN)

Alleged sex offender challenged to debate accuser. Bill Clinton, the former US President who was charged with sexual harassment, has been challenged to a debate by his alleged victim, Paula Jones. "I'm not embarrassed or ashamed to be out and meet him eye-to-eye and tell him he knows he did what he did to me. But Bill Clinton would never agree to something like that," Jones said. Jones' suit, filed in 1994, charged that Clinton, while he was still governor of Arkansas, groped her and exposed himself to her in a hotel room. The lawsuit was settled in November 1998, with a payment of $850,000 but no admission of wrongdoing by Clingon. (CNN)

Morning Report: June 28, 2004

IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY DECLARED TODAY. Morning Report is taking the day off to celebrate.

Iraq handover is TODAY!!!

Iraqi sovereignty suddenly brought forward to today, according to latest reports.

Is TNR becoming infested by moonbats?

Have lunar chiroptera begun nesting in the belfry of that last bastion of sane liberalism, The New Republic?

I've got to wonder. This week's print edition is devoted to the question: "Were We Wrong?" I'll post more on this just as soon as my snarkiness level rises to its full potential.

Morning Report: June 23, 2004

Iran to free British sailors. The Iran regime will free eight Royal Navy sailors detained earlier this week, reporting that it was convinced the crews crossed into Iranian territorial waters by mistake. Michael Ledeen has this to say about the incident.