FM newswire for July 9, interesting articles about geopolitics

Today’s links to interesting news and analysis. If you find this useful, please pass it to friends and colleagues.

“Exum’s Challenge: Game On!“, Kelley B. Vlahos, AntiWar, 6 July 2010 — Andrew asks a silly question. Yes, people have given many alternatives to the Af-Pak War.
“Hard times for Ill., but not for governor’s staff“, AP, 6 July 2010
Comparing Bush Jr. and Obama: “Non-Believer“, Andrew Bacevich, The New Republic, 7 Juuly 2010
Interesting, but never mentions why progressives don’t have majority support: “Kabuki Democracy: Why a Progressive Presidency Is Impossible, for Now“, Eric Alterman, The Nation, 7 July 2010 — Same blind spot as “What’s Wrong with Kansas”, fatal for a political movement.
“Hope and Change Fade, but War Endures. Seven Reasons Why We Can’t Stop Making War“, William J. Astore (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF, retired; Associate Prof History at Penn College of Technology), TomDispatch, 8 July 2010
“BP’s Incentive: To Not Capture All the Oil“, Robert L. Cavnar, Huffington Post, 8 July 2010
The obvious explanation why students study so much less than they did 50 years ago (the interesting aspect is why teachers refuse to see it), James Bowman, 8 July 2010
“Terrorism”, the government’s magic word to justify any action: “Colombian journalist who specializes in conflict and human rights reporting“, AP, 8 July 2010 — Ruling sheep is easy.
Heatwave In Philadelphia! Just as hot as it was 180 years ago – during the Little Ice Age when CO2 levels were 280 ppm.
Today’s propaganda: businesses are not investing because they fear anti-business actions by Obama. For rebuttal evidence see Paul Krugman, op-ed in the New York Times, 9 July 2010
More rebuttal: Brad DeLong (Prof Economics, Berkeley) also whacks this more, 9 July 2010
“Turkey’s Forgotten War“, Amir Taheri, Asharq Alawsat, 9 July 2010
What’s the technical term for supporters of the Tea Party Movement? Republicans. For still more evidence see “Bouncers for the Tea Party“, David Weigel, Slate, 9 July 2010 — “Democrats hoped the Tea Party would rebel against Republicans. It’s not happening.”

Advice from the past

“If you do not expect the unexpected you will not find truth, for it is difficult to find — and difficult to see when found.
— Sayings of the Ionian philosopher Heraclitus (c.535 BC – 475 BC) — fragment 18

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