Daily Digest

03.11.2003

Rebuilt from yesterday

I couldn't ignore Lee Harris' lengthy post describing the current crisis as a Hegelian "world-historical" turning point - one that breaks with an earlier epoch and opens a new one. A must read.

Spain criticizes France's economic motives for balking and Portugal doesn't consider an alliance w/ France is worth much:

"If we were attacked, is that what they would offer to defend us? How curious is this: in Bosnia, when we were called to send soldiers urgently to that region, the U.S. had C-17 and C-130 planes, and France leased ferry boats, which during the summer are employed in tourist services to Corsica.

Josh Marshal considers the costs of backing down on Iraq:

I don't say these are in themselves justifications for war. But it is not enough simply to say you oppose war. That statement brings with it a responsibility to say what the proper policy is or would be. If you think Saddam is contained now then it's incumbent on you to say how you imagine perpetuating that state of affairs into the future. And what the costs will be to your policy.

John Stremlau's column in Johannesburg's Business Day argues that the Security Council must enforce its own mandates. Otherwise, it's as irrelevant as the League of Nations:

Unanimous passage on November 8 of Security Council Resolution 1441 declaring Iraq in "material breach" of prior UN disarmament requirements is unambiguous. So was the call for immediate, full and unconditional compliance, with the threat of "serious consequences" should Iraq fail to meet this "final" demand.

Yves Roucaute comes to our defense (original in Le Monde).

In truth, it is not reason but passion that is guiding our pacifists. And the hateful ones, who ally themselves with the far Left, the far Right and archaic nationalist elements, deny this ad absurdum.

Posted by Miguel at 09:07 AM

Comments

just finished harris's post. Among other things, it really highlights what an innevitable crossroads we're at (if it weren't appartent already). It also does well at focusing in on the changing nature and relevancy of "statehood"- an issue we've discussed many times before.

Posted by: bil at March 13, 2003 09:28 AM