Posts by Simon Grigg
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And are you one of them? How does that work, exactly?
I think its rather more complicated and mutual than that, but there are, as I said, many who think the AIPAC, controlled as it is by far right Jewish interests, and in bed with conservative Christian and certain elements in the US administration, exerts an undue, and unhealthy influence.
Witness the attack last year by Israel on Lebanon, condemned, as it was, by as close to at universal voice around the world, as I've seen in my lifetime, APART from the US Congress who unanimously voted support for Israel. The fear of being tagged anti-Semitic in US politics is a powerful driving and tempering sword. Just the phrase is enough to send most politicians running for cover, screaming denials.
Witness the attacks on John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt last year when they dared question the stance and the undue influence of AIPAC.
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Didn't try the faecoffee, but the most reliably awful coffee I've ever had was Indonesian. Every single cup. Just terrible.
It was made even more unpalatable by the locals constantly telling me how world famous their coffee was. You mean infamous my friend.
lord, I don't know where you went as the coffee is one of the great joys of living here. The kopi I drink every morning...two cups, very strong and hot has weened me completely off the generic espresso and long black (and I was some addict, and coffee snob). My machine, imported from NZ, sits here unused, and I crave the depth of kopi Bali when I'm out of the country.
The Civet stuff (we had one in our garden the other week, but I didn't ask it to eat and squat...vicious things) is available about a mile up the road for about Rp30,000 a cup (US$3)...I've not tried it
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Israel is a US proxy, washington decides its policy.
although there are many who would claim the reverse is more accurate
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But under attack he tends to get cryptic and use multi-levels of irony that are very hard to read.
oh, I thought that was just me and my literary inadequacies. I feel much better now.
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It was a specific vote to give Bush war powers that allowed him to invade Iraq
Agreed, but there is some question in the US as what constitutes " a declaration of war" pursuant to The 73 War Powers act.
This post comes to the conclusion that:The WPR is ambiguous enough that the Bush administration could carry out a preemptive military attack against Iran without prior congressional approval and then come back after the fact and justify the attack, likely by claiming that Iran presented some sort of “national emergency” through its nuclear program or some other provocative behavior
I don't think Bush (or Cheney, whom I regard as very much still in the loop) would, for a moment bother going to Congress, and there are those in the US who would argue that in times like these the executive sits above the law
One should not believe that a strong executive is needed only for quick action in emergencies, though that is the function mentioned first. A strong executive is requisite to oppose majority faction produced by temporary delusions in the people
and
In quiet times the rule of law will come to the fore, and the executive can be weak. In stormy times, the rule of law may seem to require the prudence and force that law, or present law, cannot supply, and the executive must be strong.
I doubt Bush or Cheney, under advice, and a belief in their own self destiny, would ask first. The Military saying no may be the only way the brakes could be put on.
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also, my comment about the barrow came from the comments between Bolton's. In particular, I would have thought that this may have been relevant.
As noted in Steve Clement' Washington Note last month, Bolton's key claim to credibility now seems to come from the attention paid to his comments in British right of centre broadsheets.
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Robert,
No, you misunderstand me, I'm not saying the Iran stance has changed....as recently as yesterday Bush had a bunch of sub-Falwell-ish Christian Conservatives down there at Penn Ave for a joint sabre ratting group hug (where sabres were rattled by all at China too), but there seems to have been a fairly obvious, and conscious, step back from Bolton, who himself has not been shy about attacking the White House for not letting the blood flow quickly enough.Cheney makes one ludicrous statement after another, but I guess he knows if you tell a lie often enough.......
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From the Telegraph today pushing their terrifying barrow
We must attack Iran before it gets the bomb
even the Bush WhiteHouse has distanced itself somewhat from Bolton as an unsavoury wildcard....not the Telegraph though, who says, on the writer's blog: Bolton should not be dismissed as a 'neocon' nutcase
Even if it is just playing to it's demographic, I find it all rather unsettling
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You're right don, torygraph does have that retired tweed colonel flavour..along with pictures of posh tottie
I've not seen a hard copy for a couple of years, but used to think it was quaint the way it still ran "Court Pages".
And I don't think the paper ever fessed up for its several "exclusives" claiming WMD discoveries during the 2003 invasion.
It's a funny old rag...does it know they've lost India yet?