Tag: diplomacy

National Security, Anti-Americanism, The “War on Terror” and new methods in public diplomacy

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Condi Gets in Shape… for Gitmo?

After a very successful week of live workouts for the D.C. morning news, Condoleezza Rice has decided to take test her newfound hardbodity by training on the grounds of the only U.S. Naval base in Communist territory, “a highly successful stop for many Naval ships looking for a place for their crews to rest and relax.”

Creator of the Public Diplomacy Press Review (which I dutifully promo multiple times/week here) John Brown posted this hilarious essay at Selves and Others in which he warns Sec. Rice, of among other things, the program’s “revolutionary anti-exercise exercise program.”

I’m pretty certain Spike Lee is biting his tongue on this one, as he is already published as telling Condi to “stop smoking that crack” in the April Stuff magazine. Elsewhere, Condi’s “husband” President Bush continues making unilateral decisions regarding who is good and who is evil, with no regard (or knowledge)? of how parties such as his new friend Pervez Musharraf came to power (coup, but at least he’s not Taliban) and still apparently not briefed on the NPT.

Back home, the White House continues erasing history, or is it just threatening the messengers. And now even Tony Blair is saying “God made me do it” in reference to Iraq.

Sunday morning’s best: Rep. John Murtha on Face the Nation. (transcript) (video).

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Addition by Detraction

I just got the memo — and at the risk of being classified a “determined detractor,” I want ON Rummy’s “electronic media engagement team.”

Because the best offense is the defense of the known unknowns.

“Fewer than 10 blogs written by those who oppose U.S. operations, which CENTCOM calls “determined detractors,” have established links, [CENTCOM’s Lt. Col. Richard McNorton] said.”

On Thursday Rumsfeld drew comparisons to the Truman years of the Cold War: “the future then too was unclear, the tasks often seemed insurmountable, and it was difficult to view things with the perspective that only history can offer.”

So Commie pinkos will be damned, we PATRIOTs shall spread nukes to whomever doesn’t yet want us dead — maybe they too will discover a “hopeful” existence, perhaps some sort of Asian democracy.centcom

McNorton: “‘The enemy’ even ha[s] virtual Caliphates. We were so far behind the curve,”

Sign me UP — and lift us up where we belong!

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Recent Polls Blast War Effort

BBC World Service: extensive global survey reveals majority skeptical about war in Iraq. (download .pdf)

Zogby: 72% of U.S. Troops in iraq say End War in 2006

CBS News: Bush Job Approval at 34% = lowest ever
(was 35% post-Katrina)

Could we be looking at “defeat and retreat?”

BREAKING: President Bush to ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas Tuesday:

“…. my policy has not changed. To summarize it, as the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down.”

+ Zogby breaks down his poll.

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1,300 – How did WaPo get this number?

Washington Post February 28, 2006

When does solid reporting trump the “official word?” and Where is backup evidence to support the Post’s number? Today, most news outlets are reporting the Iraqi Cabinet’s official number of civilians killed since the bombing of the Askariya mosque in Samarra last week. Finally, this afternoon, AP has added some clarification, including the 1,300 number reported in the Washington Post:

The Iraqi Cabinet said 379 people had been killed and 458 wounded in reprisal attacks in the week since bombers destroyed the golden dome atop an important Shiite shrine in the predominantly Sunni Muslim central city of Samarra.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that more than 1,300 Iraqis had been killed since the shrine attack, but the Cabinet statement described that account as “inaccurate and exaggerated.” The Post cited figures from the Baghdad central morgue, but an official there told The Associated Press that as of Sunday night they had received only 249 bodies tied to the violence. The Post figure appeared high based on police and hospital reports from the major population centers at the time of the attacks.

Riverbend: “Volatile Days” – a report from her neighborhood in Baghdad
Al Jazeera: “Iraqi Bloggers Tell of Violence, Hope”
TimesUK: “Bomb Blasts Kill 55 on Eve of Bush Visit to India”

AP: “Multiple Bombings Kill At Least 66 in Baghdad” – 2/28