Books reviews, current events, and other musings

 
I wonder how Americans would answer these questions. (from Unknown News)

President George Bush is seen by a third of Britons as a bigger threat to world safety than Saddam Hussein, according to a new poll conducted by a senior US Republican and due to be broadcast today.
...
The Channel 4 poll found that a third of the British public have no trust at all in Mr Bush, and many actually fear him. In a straight choice between Mr Bush and President Saddam as to who poses the greater threat to world peace, 32% said Mr Bush and 49% said President Saddam.
...
Almost two-thirds of people said the only reason the US has targeted President Saddam is because he threatens US control of the Middle East - only a quarter feel it is because the Iraqi leader is a threat to world peace.

Meanwhile, fighting terrorism is one of the US government's highest priorities, except for homophobia, tax cuts, and invading Iraq.

Nine Army linguists, including six trained to speak Arabic, have been dismissed from the military because they are gay.

The soldiers' dismissals come at a time when the military is facing a critical shortage of translators and interpreters for the war on terrorism.
...
The government has aggressively recruited Arabic speakers since the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We face a drastic shortage of linguists, and the direct impact of Arabic speakers is a particular problem," said Donald R. Hamilton, who documented the need for more linguists in a report to Congress as part of the National Commission on Terrorism.
...
Gamble and former Pfc. Robert Hicks were discovered in Gamble's room during a surprise inspection in April, Gamble said.

After their discharges, Gamble and Hicks applied for other federal jobs where they could use their language skills in the war on terrorism, but neither was hired, Gamble said.

posted by Julian at 7:30 AM

 
An expected voice opposes war against Iraq: James Webb, who served as Secretrary of the Navy under Reagan. (from No War Blog)

Webb took the baton and ran with it, warning that a war in Iraq -- and a possible long-term occupation of the country -- would be a critical mistake.

"We should not occupy territory in Iraq," he said. "Do you really want the United States on the ground in that region for a generation?

"I don't think Iraq is that much of a threat," said Webb, an opinion rarely heard among current or former Republican administration officials.

posted by Julian at 10:20 PM

 
The Onion is in top form this week:

Seeking to honor the former president and longtime Alzheimer's sufferer, congressional Republicans have mounted a campaign to rename Alzheimer's "Reagan's Disease."

"No one is more strongly associated with this degenerative brain disease than Ronald Reagan, the man who restored pride to America and singlehandedly ended the Cold War," said House Majority Leader Dick Armey, speaking before the House Tuesday. "For all he has given this country, this is the least we can give back." ...

"President Reagan may not be capable of understanding this honor," Lugar continued, "but we owe it to him nonetheless."

posted by Julian at 8:40 PM

 
Booknotes supplied the following on-the-mark definitions:


posted by Julian at 11:30 AM