A few interesting articles you might have missed during the week.
- “Growing Evidence US Won’t Honor Iraq Pact“, at Antiwar.com, 14 December 2008 — “Gen. Odierno Says US Troops Will Remain in Cities Despite SOFA Timeline”
- “The Fed Who Blew the Whistle” {on illegal wiretapping}, Newsweek, 22 December 2008 — “Is he a hero or a criminal?”
- “One plus one equals 20 extra votes for Franken“, Ann Coulter, 17 December 2008 — Voter fraud is an increasing problem in America. Fortunately we’re sheep, and so don’t mind.
- “Obama’s War“, Patrick J. Buchanan, 19 December 2008
- Analysis has begun of 2008’s global temperature records.
Excerpts from 4 and 5
4. “Obama’s War“, Patrick J. Buchanan, 19 December 2008 — Excerpt:
Just two months after the twin towers fell, the armies of the Northern Alliance marched into Kabul. The Taliban fled.
The triumph was total in the “splendid little war” that had cost one U.S. casualty. Or so it seemed. Yet, last month, the war against the Taliban entered its eighth year, the second longest war in our history, and America and NATO have never been nearer to strategic defeat.
So critical is the situation that Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in Kandahar last week, promised rapid deployment, before any Taliban spring offensive, of two and perhaps three combat brigades of the 20,000 troops requested by Gen. David McKiernan. The first 4,000, from the 10th Mountain, are expected in January.
With 34,000 U.S. soldiers already in country, half under NATO command, the 20,000 will increase U.S. forces there to 54,000, a 60 percent ratcheting up. Shades of LBJ, 1964-65. Afghanistan is going to be Obama’s War. And upon its outcome will hang the fate of his presidency. Has he thought this through?
How do we win this war, if by winning we mean establishing a pro-Western democratic government in control of the country that has the support of the people and loyalty of an Afghan army strong enough to defend the nation from a resurgent Taliban? We are further from that goal going into 2009 than we were five years ago. What are the long-term prospects for any such success?
… Why is America getting seamless continuity when it voted for significant change?
5. Analysis has begun of 2008’s global temperature records.
Not much evidence of global warming in the 30 year temperature records, even after heavy adjustments. Let the battle commence to spin climate change from the numbers. (no excerpts given for these posts)
“2008 temperature summaries and spin“, Gavin Schmidt, at RealClimate, 16 December 2008 — “The great thing about complex data is that one can basically come up with any number of headlines describing it – all of which can be literally true – but that give very different impressions. Thus we are sure that you will soon read that 2008 was warmer than any year in the 20th Century (with the exception of 1998), that is was the coolest year this century (starting from 2001), and that 7 or 8 of the 9 warmest years have occurred since 2000.”
“Gavin Spins with Spaghetti Diagrams!“, Lucia, at The Blackboard, 17 December 2008 — “{Schmidt’s post} was, indeed an “interesting” spaghetti diagram. The tendentious twaddle surrounding it was even more interesting.”
*2008 Tropical Temperatures“, Steve McIntyre, at Climate Audit, 18 December 2008 — “We now have a 30-year period of satellite records. Within that period, 2008 ranked 26th out of 30 (5th coldest), 23rd for RSS, 16th for CRU and 15th for NOAA and GISS.”
Afterword
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- About America – how can we reform it? (see section 4, politics)
- About Science, Nature, and Geopolitics.
- About Iraq & Afghanistan Wars – my articles
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