Hewitt Blog

The Telegraph reports that John Bolton is breaking the china at Turtle Bay. Good for him and great, great news for those who think the U.N. could potentially serve some useful purposes if freed from its bureaucracy, its incessant anti-American and anti-Israel fevers, and the grip of the Annan gang.

Key graphs:

America's controversial new ambassador to the United Nations is threatening to torpedo 12 months of negotiations on the reform of the organisation.

With only three weeks to go before world leaders arrive in New York to agree the deal, ambassador John Bolton has tabled at least 500 amendments.

In a letter to fellow UN ambassadors, Mr Bolton said the 38-page document might have to be ditched altogether and replaced with a far less detailed alternative. The letter, which was leaked yesterday, asks other ambassadors to remain "open to alternative formats if they help us achieve consensus".

Mr Bolton's intervention has greatly raised the stakes in the search for a deal. America is now effectively asking the world whether it wants a new deal, or no deal.

Why a "far less detailed" alternative? The Annan gang hopes to kill real reform in a swamp of small stiches and minor adjustments, with the objective being the release of a statement hailing some bogus "comprehensive reform package" of more than 500 specific steps that will be implemented by 40 committees over the next 24 months, at which point a self-congratulatory release will issue noting that of the 512 specific reform proposals set forth in the fall of 2005, Secretary General Annan announced that 493 had been adopted, 8 tabled, and 11 still under review. Blah blah blah.

Ambassador Bolton --and the Bush Adminsitration-- wants a few, big, significant bright-line changes (starting with Annan's resignation, I hope)and if we can't have a real reform agenda, then we don't do the deal. No papering over the deep criminality of the organization. No cover-up for the posers.

If the Democratic senators had had their way, the U.S. would be unrepresented by an Ambassador at this crucial moment in the U.N.'s history.

Which is why the Dems can't be allowed anywhere near the national security controls of this country.

Here's the link to the Michael Yon reporting I read in the first hour. Yon is in e-mail contact with Duane, and we hope to have him on the program tomorrow, logistics permitting. If they gave Pulitzers to non-affiliated reporters, Yon would win walking away.

Here's the link to Mark Roberts'latest analysis of another of benedict XVI's speeces from Germany last week.

And I pretaped a 45 minute interview with The Los Angeles Times' media essayist Tim Rutten today. Tim had called to interview me about talk radio, and I pulled my standard "OK, if you do it on air." Ruttan countered with the offer of a delay of the broadcast of the tape until Monday, which is fine by me. We cover a lot of ground, especially on the subject of bias at the Los Angeles Times. You can hear it Monday.

UPDATE: Raising money for Michael Yon:

Hugh,

Michael is a former USA Special Forces. I am hooked on his blog, I check it every day and print out the latest postings, read them then leave them in various customer's waiting rooms, I am an IT guy for a lot of docs. When you email him he responds and he has a great sense of humor. I am in the process of shipping Michael two computers but need to find two flat panel monitors, if you know anyone who has two flat panel monitors to donate to the troops of the Duce 4 I would like to hear from them.

Regards,
Chris Kastner
11762 East Asbury Place
Aurora, CO 80014-1104
303-868-7552 cellular
chriskastner@tde.com

UPDATE 2:: From Johnny D's e-mail: "One can only ask himself, "What can I as an American do, today, tomorrow and everyday thereafter, to deserve the service of these fine men on my behalf?"

Think SoldiersAngels.

Yon notes that the book The Gates of Fire is much beloved by LTC Eric Kurilla. XDA blog has some comments on this fine novel.

ONE MORE UPDATE:

Here's a news story of LTC Kurilla's return to the U.S.

In the hour following my reading of Michael Yon's dispatch, my callers included --from Minnesota-- a West Point classmate of LTC Kurilla, the Indiana father of a soldier in the Deuce Four who is fast friends with Daniel Lama, and from Hawaii a fellow sgt and former roomate of CSM Prosser.

What this tells me is that the friends of family of active duty American military listen to this show because it is one of the few places where they get at least occasional news of the real war their husbands and sons, wives and daughters are fighting. I am honored that they listen, but shocked that in a time of war our established networks and newspapers pay so little attention to the front(s).

Here's an e-mail forwarded to me from the great folks at Soldiers Angels:

To: Elaine Baker (Soldiers Angels)

Elaine, I am a 42 y/o psychology professor at ____ University of
_______. Last winter, I adopted a young Marine corporal through
Soldiers Angels. The entire process was simple from beginning to end due to
all of the wonderful work of the people with your organization.

My marine operated a mobil fuel farm in Iraq and he and his platton are
packing up and getting ready to come home. It was amazing to find out how
much one person on this end can do to lift the spirits of our soldiers. I
was very fortunate to have a soldier who communicated with me on nearly a
daily basis. We both got more out of this relationship than we either
bargained for in the beginning.
I know my soldier's spirits were lifted by the packages and letters he
received. We got to know each other through VOLUMES of email.

The one thing I know that help my soldier was knowing that some random
person like myself over here in the safe world was actually thinking about
him and his buddies over there in the big sand box.

From the sounds of things, my soldier was the only "adopted" soldier in his
platoon and they were in rather isolated places. After several months, he
reported that EVERY MARINE IN HIS PLATOON was signing up to get adopted.
That should make all of YOU PEOPLE think about the incredible impact of YOUR
efforts.

I know that every angel and every soldier might not hit it off, but we got
along swimmingly and plan to stay in touch. I KNOW THAT THE WORK BEHIND
SOLDIERS ANGELS HAS CHANGED THE LIFE OF AT LEAST ONE GRATEFUL SPONSOR AND
ONE YOUNG MARINE HERE.

I want all of you to know that my experience of adopting a soldier through
SOLDIERS ANGELS was one of the MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES I have had in my
life and none of this would have been possible if it were not for all of you
people.

If I can be of any asistance in the future please let me know. PLEASE BE
AWARE THAT YOUR TIME AND ENERGY ARE PAYING OFF IN WAYS THAT YOU PEOPLE WILL
NEVER KNOW.

Let me know if I can help in any way,

[Name withheld]

So, have you got a few minutes a week to spare? Then sign up at Soldiers Angels.

A great report from Mosul via Michael Yon. Duane is trying to track down Yon for an interview today, though that means Yon has to stay up until the wee hours.

Why does the government always have to act like the government?

If these coins belong to the government, file an action to establish ownership. Don't act like a low-rent combo of some tinhorn strongman and a grifter.

My WeeklyStandard.com column, "Saving The Great Raid," praises the movie and suggests why some of its critics might be ignoring the obvious quality of the film.

Perhaps President Bush will find time during his vacation to screen the flick.

David Brooks and the editors of the Wall Street Journal both reflect on the Iraqi constitution today, with Brooks enlisting Peter Galbraith in the effort. The document is a huge achievement, as is the entire Iraq intervention, though the cost has been high in both life and money. Only the Bush-haters can argue that the Iraqis and the world would have been better off with Saddam --and then his sons--in power, and with the corruption of oil-for-food-for-tyrants-for-terrorists pumping tens of millions of corrupting dollars into secret pockets and numbered accounts.

Only those blinded by partisan hate or ambition denigrate the effort underway in Baghdad.

The Journal's John Harwood notes that "Republicans Are Unlikely to Jump War Ship," in today's edition. (subscription required.) Key graphs:

The answer: not likely. National security remains a potent unifying issue for Mr. Bush's political coalition, he retains overwhelming personal popularity among Republicans, and the party's leading candidate to succeed him strongly backs the nation's continued presence in Iraq....

Those on the ballot in the 2006 midterm elections also know they risk alienating core supporters by bucking Mr. Bush on the security issue that is widely credited with delivering Republican gains in 2002 and 2004. Consider the results of last month's Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll: 75% of Republicans called the Iraq war worth its costs and 84% approved of Mr. Bush's job performance, while strong majorities of Democrats and independents took the opposite view....

The war has been more internally divisive for Democrats, whose activist wing is demanding stronger condemnation of Mr. Bush's policies than most senior Democratic elected officials have been willing to provide. A wide array of leading Democratic office holders -- from 2004 presidential nominee John Kerry to 2008 front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton -- voted to authorize the war in 2002, which has limited their room for maneuver since then.

Because the GOP has not wavered, and because the left dominates the Democratic Party and angrily denounces the war at every turn, the elections of 2006 and 2008 will both turn on the war and the counter-assault on terrorism generally. That's a good thing as the war is the central issue of our time, and just as it has in 2002 and 2004, the American electorate is going to chose the candidate(s) that are pledged to victory, not those proposing retreat on the path to defeat.

On a much lighter note, I would like to start an effort to outlaw "team building" efforts like those described in this article.

Those who agree can send me "team builidng" horror stories, or post on the subject and I will link here. The appearance of team buildng exercises within an organization signals to me a deep crisis among leadership/management. Just look at this picture! Team building belongs in sports and the military.

If you are team building guru, send me your contact info.

Lifelike Pundits seems to think I am a racist and a bigot for not pumping Secretary Rice's performance in Ruffini's straw poll. That is, to put it kindly, the sort of "analysis" that one reads at Kos.

Secretary Rice has never run for anything and never indicated a desire to run for anything. The disciplines required to run for the presidency --the daily repitition of the same speech, for example, to a total of ten thousand times, or the patient dialing for dollars to rack up the millions required-- these are skill sets that appointed people just don't have, but which telegenic, young giant killers like John Thune and Tim Pawlenty do have. I am standing by my suggestion that the waters of 2008 are going to roil quite a bit after the ballots of 2006 are cast, and surprise candidates will appear. But Secretary Rice --a great American and perhaps even a great VP pick-- is never going to resign her role to attend chicken dinners in Des Moines, so that "fantasy" is just that.

The Ruffini poll has a lot of folks talking and speculating, and that's a good thing. But not all analysts are created equal, and imputing racism to anyone on the basis of what he or she didn't say is, at best, amusing.

Long overdue: The country's best city blog is LA Observed. (If you disagree, send me the would-be competitor.) Every city (and town) deserves a Kevin Roderick. Even if he is partial to the Los Angeles Times.

UPDATE: BlogHouston has its fans.

Relax, Rush. I can't say his name either, and I have known him for years.

Mark Roberts continues his excellent series on the recent speeches of Benedict XVI. Key graphs:

It's striking to me how much common ground the Pope was able to find with Muslims. He wasn't lecturing the Muslim leaders on what they must do nearly so much as laying out a vision for a shared mission. Far from being a strident, bossy lecture, the Pope's address was a laudable effort to deal openly with the tough but inescapable issue of terrorism, and to build bridges of understanding between Christianity and Islam.

From the point of view of Christian theology, I find it fascinating that the Pope is willing to refer to a Muslim as a "believer" who "knows . . . he can count on the spiritual power of prayer." This seems to fit with what was taught by the Second Vatican Council, in a passage quoted by the Pope: "[Muslims] worship the one God living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to humanity . . . ."

Is this true, from a Christian point of view? The question of whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God is a tricky one upon which Christians disagree. Though the Pope, following Vatican II, seems to emphasize the common worship of Christians and Muslims, Professor Doug Groothuis, in a short, well-reasoned, online article, claims that the differences between Christian and Muslim views of God and worship make it unreasonable to claim that practitioners of both religions worship the same God.

Benedict is by all accounts an amazing intellect. He will be choosing his words very, very carefully, and I am glad that Dr. Roberts is parsing those words closely. "The question of whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God is a tricky one upon which Christians disagree," is the understatement of the decade. I am no theologian. But I am interested in what the theologians have to say on this crucial issue.

Gov. Arnold was a guest on the program today. You can read a transcript of the enitre interview over at Radioblogger, but the key exchange, in my view, came at the end of the conversation. The confirmation of Janice Roger Brown to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has created a vacancy on the California Supreme Court. Brown was the most conservative member of California's highest court, and though she often was obliged to dissent, she was a voice for serious scholarship from the right side of the legal spectrum in a state inceasingly overwhelmed at every level by left and hard left thinking.

Her replacement matters a lot to center-right conservatives, and Arnold's choice will be a huge deal to the center-right troops whom he will need in the fall of '06 if he declares for re-election.

It would be the smartest, and easiest thing in the world to nominate former Congressman, state legislator and judge James Rogan, who's up from the streets life story is inspiring to all people who know it.

It will be a disaster if Arnold picks a "centrist" or a time-serving state or federal judge.

If the Los Angeles Times is happy with the appointment, Arnold will have stumbled. Badly.

Conservatives have little to show for their support of Arnold to date. Things would have been worse under Davis, yes, but the blowback might have been enoguh to trigger statewide realignment. This is the opportunity Arnold needs to use to say "thanks" to his supporters on the right while at the same time doing the courts a favor by keeping alive a vibrant strain of legal reasoning, which though in the minority at present, represents a significant slice of California thinking. Here's the excerpt:

HH: Will you be appointing the new Justice on the California Supreme Court before the election?

AS: I don't think it will be before the election, but I mean...

HH: Are conservatives going to be happy, Governor?

AS: We are right now going through the process, and it is, as you know, it's always very important that we appoint the right person, the most competent person, the person that really has skills and experience.

HH: But it's got to be a conservative. I mean, Janice Rogers Brown was the most conservative member of that court, and if you come in with a moderate, aren't the conservatives going to sit on their hands for you, Governor, next year?

AS: You can count on it that we will do the right...we will pick the right choice, and that we will do the right replacement.

UPDATE: Judge Brown is schedule to hear about 25 cases in the next two months. Her opinions will be closely examined as she has to be on the president's short list for the next vacancy, along with Judges Luttig an McConnell.

I have been searching for the record of the swearing-in of Judge Brown. If you have a link, please send it along to hugh@hughhewitt.com.