Feeling inspired:):):)...

COMPLETELY related to the comment of Long Time Away...

Strange feeling this morning:):):)...

I got off work, as usual:):)...

Work is going GREAT, overall, I'd say:):):)...

I'm working shipping, now, by the way:):)...I just like the guys better:):):)...we argue more than we did in the door stacking section I worked in before:):):)...

But as I told Brandi before and after we broke up:):):)...I don't mind arguing:):):)...in fact, it brings me closer to a person:):):)...I'd rather know what's on your mind and what's bothering you and have a chance to talk about it, argue about it, listen and consider it, and be responsive to it, if possible, than be with people who keep their bullshit to themselves with no opportunity to expose it to the sunlight:):):)...the passive aggressive bullshit I went through in the door stacking position I was in before made OH SO CLEAR to me how much I LOVE being with people who argue with me:):):)...than with people who either shut everything off, themselves...or when people try to shut me off (don't worry...I'm over the "Great Chit Controversy of 2005):):):):):):)...

...we have a new boss:):)...he's not perfect:):)...but who is, really:):):)...and I like him:):):)...he seems like a good guy, I think:):):)...I liked both of the guys who were running things before (though one, in particular, and both, at times, could be REALLY CONDESCENDING to me, in ways that REALLY OFFENDED ME, frankly...I am about the HARDEST WORKING MOTHER FUCKER I've ever met in my entire life, if you include all the THINKING WORK I do which FAR OUTPACES anyone I've ever worked or been with, frankly...and both of those guys -- who I really like and appreciate as human beings, remember -- insulted my work ethic, which is about the MOST BULLSHIT RATIONALIZING people who are afraid that their not as smart as me can do with me, frankly...and it makes me want to vomit that people would reach so far to avoid facing the fact that...NOT ONLY am I smarter than most folks, frankly:):):)...but I will kick your ass as a hard worker and quite a few things really:):):):):):):)...and you and everyone else can FUCKIN' DEAL, frankly:):):)...and keep up with me, if you can:):):):):):):)LOL:):):):):):)...

Does anyone ask Michael Jordan to slow down so that they can keep pace with him?:):):)...NO:):):)...and I expect the same courtesy:):):)...even as I WORK MY ASS OFF to get you up to speed with me:):):)...(something that EVERYONE COMPLETELY TAKES FOR GRANTED WITH ME:):):) -- that I am a INCREDIBLE MOTHERFUCKIN' TEACHER:):):):):):):)...and that is something that YOU CAN BET YOUR FUCKIN' ASS ON:):):):):):):)...and to learn as much from you as you learn from me:):):):):):)...

And this morning:):):)...after a GREAT NIGHT:):):) (did I mention, by the way, that I think I'm getting a reputation as something of a badass, by the way:):):)...meaning...don't fuck with me:):):)...and when you do, as I tell Joe:):):)...MY PATIENCE IS ELASTIC:):):)...NOT INFINITE:):):):):)...oh...and a
"Lunch and Learning" opportunity that we had last night, I think, demonstrated JUST HOW RELEVANT learning and education is to EVERY JOB:):):):):):)...even loading doors at Amarr Garage Doors:):):):)...

Sorry:):):)...

Back to my story:):):):):):)...

So:):):)...

I go grocery shopping, this morning, after I get off work:):):)...

I'm walking through the store, picking up all kinds of vegi entrees and organic foods:):):)...

And I pass by the floral section:):):):)...

Now...I haven't bought flowers consistently for about 4 years now...I used to feel so inspired by my relationship with Brandi that I would buy flowers once a week...once every two weeks, as a conservative estimate:):):)...

And I have DEFINITELY noticed a correlation between how in love I am with someone and how many times I buy flowers:):):)...

When I'm IN LOVE -- and I mean IN LOVE...not just love girlfriends, all of whom, as with all my friends, as well, I love:):):)...

When I'm IN LOVE:):):)...I buy flowers ALL THE TIME:):):):):):)...

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY MISS IT, actually:):):):):):):):)...

And today:):):)...I'm walking through the store...thinking some pretty inspiring thoughts, I must say, if I can say so myself:):):)...

And then I go through that floral section:):):):):)...

And I decide that I HAVE GOT TO FALL IN LOVE:):):)...

I MUST...I NEED IT:):):)...BADLY:):):)...

I have been pursued by ALMOST LITERALLY EVERY GIRL THAT I'VE WORKED WITH IN THE LAST TWO YEARS:):):)...

I have NO IDEA why this is the case:):):)...

While I think of myself as above average attractiveness:):):)...

I am DEFINITELY NO BRAD PITT:):):):):):):):)...(by the way, ladies:):):)...Brad Pitt...in Snatch:):):)...almost wants me want to turn gay:):):)...I have to give that guy his props:):):)...

But NOONE...not in FOUR FUCKING YEARS...NOONE...NOONE...NOONE...NOONE...NOONE...NOONE...COMPARES TO BRANDI...NOONE...NOONE...NOONE...NOONE...

It is KILLS ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):)LOL:):):):):):)...

I didn't even LIKE THIS GIRL AS MUCH AS SHE LIKED ME, initially:):):)...I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT DATING THIS GIRL FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER WE MET:):):):):):):)...I think that I am going CLINICALLY INSANE, desperate to be in love like that again:):):):):):)...

So I'm in the floral section:):):):)...I look at the irises (which I ADORE:):):):):)...I look at the plotted flowers:):):) (so I can grow some and watch them grow over time:):):):)...I look at the REALLY GREAT IDEA that Dillons has, now, of a package of rose petals:):):):) (if you're a romantic like me:):):)...and you want rose petals to spread for a night of lovemaking:):):):)...this is SUCH A GREAT IDEA:):):):)...though I think I'll spread my rose petals the old-fashioned way:):):)...and pluck them myself from roses I buy for the one I love:):):):)...

And all of a sudden:):):):)...

I'm just inspired:):):):)...

I decide that I'VE GOT TO FALL IN LOVE:):):)...it is MY MISSION IN LIFE:):):):):):)...

I'm not feeling all hurt like I was when Brandi and I had just broken up:):):)...just desperate for companionship:):):)...which I found in QUITE A FEW VERY CLOSE FRIENDS, really, in the aftermath of that too tragic and stupid fallout:):):) (you ever feel like A COMPLETE MORON for fucking up the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE?:):):):):):)...that's how I've felt for about 4 years, now:):):):):):)...

I'm just ON A MISSION:):):):):):)...

There are MANY, MANY, MANY women who have pursued sex/love with me in the last couple years or so, after I've left the dreaded and stagnant confines of a grad school too stuck in the past to look to the future:):):):):):)...

BUT NOONE WHO INSPIRES ME TO THE LEVEL OF LOVE that, as the Dixie Chicks sing in, "I Believe in Love":):):)..."to be in love like I am till now...than settle for the kind of love that fades before the morning light"...and later..."love is out there waiting somewhere...you just have to go and find it":):):)...

And that is EXACTLY WHAT I AM GODDAMNED DETERMINED TO DO:):):)...

I know what everyone says:):):)...you can't find love:):):)...it's got to find you:):):):):):)...

But I'm like this explorer of an unknown, exotic region...a level of love heretofore unknown to humanity:):):):):):)...I will seek it out...I will pursue it...I will follow whatever paths it leads me along...I will lay down by its still waters...and I will drink of its bounty when I find the stream that can quench my thirst...

I need passion...I need inspiration...I need someone who can challenge me...teach me...learn from me...listen...and share...someone who talks over me, so excited they are to share whatever new thought or feeling or impression or opinion or recent outlook or perspective...WHATEVER...runs across their pretty little head:):):):):):)...

I need someone who KICKS MY FUCKING ASS at loving humanity and life and me and themselves:):):):):):)...someone who KICKS MY FUCKING ASS going deeper and getting better...and someone WHO KICKS MY FUCKING ASS trying, when their busy with me KICKING THEIR FUCKING ASS doing all of the same:):):):):):)...

That's what I want:):):):):):):)...

Someone who impresses me:):):):):):)...and who just keeps impressing me, every time I turn around:):):):):):)...

Have anyone heard the Dixie Chicks' More Love?:):):):):):)...if you haven't:):):)...you should:):):):):):)..it's the song that inspired me to buy one of the best albums I've bought in the last 10 years, at least:):):):):):)...check it out:):):):):):)...

Is it too much to ask that the Chicks sing at my wedding?:):):):):):)...I don't think so:):):)...I should start writing Natalie, Emily, and Marty:):):):):):)...I love those girls:):):):):):)...

By the way:):):)...important detail in my life, right now:):):):):):)...Brandi finally wrote me:):):)...after the longest period of time that we've been out of communication in the entire time we've known each other:):):):):):)...she wanted to know my address to send me a picture album that my sister made me several years back for Christmas:):):):):):):)...

I told her that I saw a picture of her and Greg on the internet, recently:):):)...it was cute:):):):):):)...hope their both doing alright:):):)...

Oh:):):)...

And I'm 32:):):)...as of June 14th:):):)...

And...despite not being in love:):):)...

I'm happier than I've ever been in my entire life:):):):):):):)...

Something I've learned as I meet people who DON'T feel life as deeply as I do:):):)...

I don't envy A SINGLE SOLITARY ONE OF THEM:):):):):):):)...

I would rather take ALL THE SHIT that I feel, right now:):):):)...and ACTUALLY FEEL IT:):):):):):):)...

Than live the LIFELESS, NUMB, SAD lives that folks who repress so much of their emotional lives live when they don't express their lives and their feelings and their thoughts and THEMSELVES as much as I get a chance to do:):):):):):)...

And to kick peoples' LILLY WHITE FUCKIN' ASSES, in the process:):):):):):):)...

Looking forward to many more years of that, I hope:):):):):):)...

Love,
Ben

Ariel Sharon and Israeli conservatives (and George Bush and American conservatives) get it right...and Victor Davis Hanson gets it wrong...

The Jerusalem Post (the leading conservative newspaper in Israel), this morning, leads with the 50 Islamic Jihad operatives arrested overnight, after several deadly attacks on Israelis by Islamic Jihad members...

IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) details 50 Islamic Jihad operatives overnight

Haaretz (the leading liberal newspaper in Israel) leads with the talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to quell this violence and to establish a more lasting peace in the region...

Sharon-Abbas summit opens in shadow of violence

Also...hat-tip to AOL News for alerting me to the story:):):)...

Israel Nabs 52 Islamic Jihad Militants in Crackdown

Two Israelis -- one civilian and one soldier -- have been killed in the last week, as well as seven mortar shells fired, one damaging three houses and six cars...

Ariel Sharon says that the arrests in response to these murders -- as well as the regular murders and other terrorist activity engaged in by the Islamic Jihad and its bigger terrorist counterpart in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Hamas, to be sure -- are needed to reduce the threat of violence that Israeli soldiers and civilians face from Palestinian terrorists...

AOL's report indicates that...

"Israel has been very critical of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' strategy for reining in extremists, which favors persuasion over confrontation. At their meeting later Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was expected to demand that Abbas clamp down on militants.

Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said the Palestinian attacks and Israeli arrests endangered the cease-fire, and 'have really cast a dark cloud over the summit.'

'I want to condemn the cycle of violence that preceded the anticipated summit today,'' Erekat said. 'The Israeli arrests this morning will not add anything to sustaining the quiet.'

And on this point, Erekat is wrong, I believe...

I am sympathetic to larger concern that more comprehensive efforts at peace in the region must do more than fight terrorists militarily or even just arrests -- which seems like a PRETTY DAMNED APPROPRIATE response to murder when it occurs, no matter where it happens...though, of course, murder should be a crime that a person is convicted of, fairly, in a court of law, and not just asserted...

But that doesn't mean that the Israeli government is beholden to just watch terrorists in Palestine murder their people without action...

Which is EXACTLY what the Palestinian authorities seem committed, inexplicably, to doing right now...

"A request by Israel to the Palestinian Authority in February to arrest Higawi was ignored, officials said," the Post reports...

Islamic Jihad spokesman, Khadr Adnan, says that if the Palestinian Authority doesn't persuade Israel to keep to the truce, then they will back out and argue that other Palestinian groups should as well...

And I say to Khadr:):):)...

Tough fuckin' titty...

You don't want Islamic Jihad operatives arrested, Khadr...then stop fucking killing Israelis...

I'd say that arresting militants is about the most appropriate thing Israel could do in this situation (though, as I said, there need to be trials and honest assessments of guilt and innocence for specific crimes)...

And Mahmoud Abbas' response is EXACTLY the kind of nonsense that conservatives think that liberals are supporting in efforts against terrorism, and which, if liberals were supporting such nonsense, they would be right to be critical of:):):):):):):)...

This is OF COURSE -- TO ANY NUMBSKULL WHO'S EVER READ ANY OF THE MOST AND EVEN SOME OF THE LEAST INTELLIGENT LIBERAL'S PROPOSALS ON THE MATTER -- NOT what liberals are arguing...a position partially charactured (though with some fair assessment of some of soft power suggestions made by liberals and conservatives) by Victor Davis Hanson in the National Review piece...

Our Strange War...

...that I critiqued here this past month:):):)...

A brilliant yet sadly naive effort by the National Review's own Victor Davis Hanson:):):)...

OF COURSE you cannot win over terrorists with persuasion alone:):):):):):):):):):)...

And anyone who thinks so is a fuckin' dumbass, I think, and does not take seriously enough the threat of the murder of Israeli citizens and soldiers that Palestinian and other terrorism poses to Israelis and all of us...

OF COURSE terrorists must be arrested...specifically, for the murders they commit...

And on this matter, Ariel Sharon and the White House which supports this effort...

In Washington, U.S. officials called on Abbas to take action against militants.

"'We strongly condemn the terror actions of the last several days, directed at taking the lives of Israelis and sabotaging efforts for peace,' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Monday. 'Now is the time for the Palestinian Authority to act against terrorists.'"

...are RIGHT...and Victor Davis Hanson is WRONG...

Arresting terrorists in this manner is EXACTLY what will best prevent future murders AND undermine the political support that too many terrorists have with Arab and other populations...broad, blunt military action -- except when it is CLEARLY necessary and is a best effort to arrest and NOT KILL terrorists -- is NOT the most just action states and peoples confronted with terrorism can take...arresting militants IS...and it is the most likely to undermine political support for terrorism with those who are sympathetic...

The concern that I believe, at this point, that the Palestians share about the need to search for deeper solutions that are not just based on arresting or killing terrorists that can be easily replaced is one that I share...

I should add, here, though, that terrorists are replaced LESS EASILY when they are arrested than when they are killed, a very important reason to prefer arrest over killing terrorists or fighting them with conventional warfare when they pose such an unconventional threat that needs unconventional tactics, like using military forces to arrest, as Israel has done here, rather than fighting to kill, as is more conventionally done...though if terrorists die while democratic or non or less democratic forces are trying to arrest them, and if democratic or less or non democratic forces do their best to bring them to justice rather than kill them, then that is the risk that one engages in when one commits murder for a political cause...though the killing of intentional or reckless killing of innocents is something that ALL military forces are responsible for...NO MATTER HOW AFRAID THEY ARE OF DYING...though not something to be punished when done in good faith, I don't think)...

The most successful efforts that I've seen and know of in terms of dealing with terrorism -- counterterrorism and international policy scholars, like Richard Clarke or Joe Nye or Henry Kissinger or Robert Kagan or others more familiar with with counterterrorism efforts may know of better options, here...

But the most successful efforts that I've seen in dealing with terrorism were in Northern Ireland...when Bill Clinton and Tony Blair negotiated the peace agreements between the Catholic Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland and the Protestant Ulster Unionists, and the British government...

The peace agreement, to my very limited knowledge of it, involved a truce, an agreement for combatants to turn in their arms -- a portion of the agreement that there was much controversy over and which took much time to accomplish -- amnesty and release of political prisoners for a broad array of crimes, including murder within a limited time span, and a reconciliation process, similar to the successful process initiated in South Africa...the creation of a 108 seat parliamentary Assembly, with proportional representation to protect minority rights, as well as representation of Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein representatives (Sinn Fein is the political wing of the Irish Republican Army) in British parliament...

As Balraj Puri explains in his piece that asks the very relevant question:):):)...

Belfast Peace Agreement: Any Relevance for Kashmir?

"The Agreement Stipulates decommissioning of all paramilitary arms within two years. (In practice it means surrender of arms by the IRA). It introduces mechanism for an accelerated programme for the release of political prisoners irrespective of the nature of their crime including that of murder within a fixed time frame. It also provides for making the composition of police, which at present is about 90% protestant, more balanced."

Here is the text of the Belfast Agreement...

The Belfast Agreement from the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister...

The following link is a more or less comprehensive documentation of the otherwise known Good Friday accords...

The Good Friday Agreement...

...as well as a leftist asking if the accords should be supported by Socialists and those loyal to the IRA...

...a fascinating piece on how Socialists and those loyal to the IRA might take on the Good Friday Agreement...

...as well as a right-wing columnist apparently loyal to the Ulster Unionists skeptical/cynical about the prospects of the accords...

John Tyndall: The Delusion of Peace in Ulster

And most facinating to me was a Fox News interview that I watched with Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein spokesman, where Gerry, at a moment post-9/11 when the accords seemed to be straining, publicly worked to keep the peace agreement/process on track...Gerry Adams...a spokesman for a former terrorist organization...leading the effort to keep a peace agreement on track (if that is not progress and a reasonable sign of the success of a peace agreement, Mr. Tyndall...I don't know what you would recognize as a reasonable peace after 32 -- 1966 to 1998 -- years of persistent violence in the region...it's as if NO WAR has a reasonable end, for some people, except for the complete humiliation of an enemy...we tried that, Mr. Tyndall, with the Versailles Agreement after World War I...with DISASTROUS RESULTS...especially the rise of Adolph Hitler and Naziism in Germany and their murderous ambitions to conquer Europe and the world)...

Notice some of the features of that peace aggreement that seem to have much application to the situation in Palestine...including and especially an agreement that would persuade Palestinian leaders to arrest militants as long as terrorist murder maintains itself...Israelis relaxing security measures -- like checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza -- if an only if they can be relaxed and not compromise legitimate security concerns for Israel...the turning over of weapons by Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and any other groups that might be operating in the region...amnesty and a truth and reconciliation process for political prisoners, including for murder in fixed time periods, and victims of violence, as was successfully employed in Northern Ireland and in South Africa...

...as Balraj suggests...the use of any relevant autonomous regional governments involved...clearly the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government...but any other local governments that might be involved (this is where specific regional expertise would be REALLY HELPFUL:):):)...and the assistance of a broad array of intellectuals respected by the broadest array of members...and the disassociation of all parties with the murder of civilians and soldiers as a means of pursuing Palestinian autonomy...are all important ideas to consider:):):)...

I'll keep reading about other arrangements that might be made...

But these are some REALLY IMPORTANT ONES, I think:):):)...and ones that I think are FAR MORE IMPORTANT than Ariel Sharon's FOOLISH efforts to FORCE Jewish settlers in the region -- who moved there INDEPENDENT of the Israeli government, remember...how would you feel if the government FORCED you from your home because they wanted to further a peace objective?...hopefully most people would understand that objective...but FORCING these settlers from their homes is foolish and counterproductive to secure support from conservatives and ultra-conservatives in Israel for a peace process when it is back on track -- and which the Israeli Supreme Court just recently ruled in favor of this past month...

I've got MUCH MORE to chew on, now, in terms of specific plans to create a lasting peace in Palestine:):):)...

...and to contemplate the relevant portions of those counterterrorism efforts to our counterterrorism efforts with al Queda, in Iraq...

...and, as NPR reports this morning...

...the fresh insurgency that Afghanistan now faces...

It's all so crazy, isn't it?:):):):):):):)...

And the only thing crazier is DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND GETTING THE SAME RESULT:):):):):):):)...

If the U.S. and other countries want to deal more effectively and successfully with terrorism and on peace efforts around the world...

We need to start looking at WHAT HAS WORKED...

And stop engaging in the TRIED AND FAILED dark fantasies of folks like Victor Davis Hanson...

See how much thinking has gone into efforts that have succeeded?:):):):):):):)...

And that much thinking AND MORE needs to go into efforts that we want to succeed in the future:):):):):):):)...

And that means FROM EVERYONE:):):):):):):):):):):)...

Even those want to defend their failure to seriously think about these issues as a failure of their critics to understand their incredible, eminent wisdom on such matters...

THAT are working FAR FROM IDEALLY...in places like Palestine and Israel, Iraq, North Korea, Iran - meaning all of the places where the White House has been focussed in the last five years (the latter two spots, thankfully, being negotiated in better directions by both the Europeans, as even the White House has conceded:)... and the South Koreans, despite the WHINING on the part of Administration officials about South Korean's CLEARLY MORE SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER IF THEY WOULD JUST GET THEIR ARROGANT, EGO-BRUISED LITTLE HEADS OUT OF THEIR WHINING, POUTING, PATHETIC LITTLE ASSES:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):))...

Thankfully the White House seems to make the right call on this particular issue of the arrest of militants, I think...

While amnesty and truth and reconciliation for militants may be a necessary part of a long-term peace...

There is no reason that those who kill innocent Israeli citizens and soldiers should EXPECT to go free when they have murdered Israeli citizens...

Though such a process may be necessary to future counter-terrorism efforts, if we are going to learn anything from past and more successful counterterrorism efforts, as have occurred in Northern Ireland...and which similar truth and reconciliation efforts have been VERY IMPORTANT to a post-Apartheid South Africa...

Much more for all of us to think about:):):):):):):)...

Have a good day, everyone:):):):):):):)...

Love,
Ben

Terry Moran and Andrew Sullivan ask the question that we are all grappling with:):):)...

Andrew Sullivan reports/comments:

"LAST THROES WATCH: Terry Moran is actually asking this administration to back up its statements. Can you believe that? Money quote:

Q Scott, is the insurgency in Iraq in its 'last throes'?

McCLELLAN: Terry, you have a desperate group of terrorists in Iraq that are doing everything they can to try to derail the transition to democracy. The Iraqi people have made it clear that they want a free and democratic and peaceful future. And that's why we're doing everything we can, along with other countries, to support the Iraqi people as they move forward….

Q But the insurgency is in its last throes?

McCLELLAN: The Vice President talked about that the other day -- you have a desperate group of terrorists who recognize how high the stakes are in Iraq. A free Iraq will be a significant blow to their ambitions.

Q But they're killing more Americans, they're killing more Iraqis. That's the last throes?

McCLELLAN: Innocent -- I say innocent civilians. And it doesn't take a lot of people to cause mass damage when you're willing to strap a bomb onto yourself, get in a car and go and attack innocent civilians. That's the kind of people that we're dealing with. That's what I say when we're talking about a determined enemy.

Q Right. What is the evidence that the insurgency is in its last throes?

McCLELLAN: I think I just explained to you the desperation of terrorists and their tactics.

Q What's the evidence on the ground that it's being extinguished?

McCLELLAN: Terry, we're making great progress to defeat the terrorist and regime elements. You're seeing Iraqis now playing more of a role in addressing the security threats that they face. They're working side by side with our coalition forces. They're working on their own. There are a lot of special forces in Iraq that are taking the battle to the enemy in Iraq. And so this is a period when they are in a desperate mode.

Q Well, I'm just wondering what the metric is for measuring the defeat of the insurgency.

McCLELLAN: Well, you can go back and look at the Vice President's remarks. I think he talked about it.

Q Yes. Is there any idea how long a 'last throe' lasts for?

McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Steve....

Is there some metric for when the truth is in its 'last throes'?"

That's the million dollar question we've been working on, here...

Holding EVERYONE to higher standards...including and ESPECIALLY me:):):)...

Anonymous points out a possible error in the numbers I consulted from AOL on yesterday's post:) (I must admit, that I know VERY LITTLE about the veracity of AOL reports:):):)...and use them because I use AOL, they show up on my computer as soon as I launch the internet, and because I have been EXHAUSTED the last couple of days:):):)...

I'm looking into the numbers, anonymous...and you may be right that AOL's numbers aren't explained as well in that article as we might like...

GlobalSecurity.org

This gives much more conservative numbers of dead since April...at 178...that's 10% of that number in the last 2 and a half months, rather than the 63% from AOL's reporting, if you're assuming, as I naturally did, that the two sentences in that paragraph -- "The president's campaign comes as the U.S. death toll in Iraq has climbed above 1,700. A relentless wave of suicide bombings, kidnappings and beheadings has killed at least 1,070 just since al-Jaafari's government was announced April 28." -- were modifying each other...

But Melissa and I (meaning she and I had someone to check over our shoulders) got a conservative count of 1002 IRAQIS dead since April of 2005, from IraqiBodyCount.net...

IraqiBodyCount.net

The numbers we counted of Iraqi dead from this website are culled from the conservative numbers in the range -- notice they have a more conservative estimate and a more liberal estimate and an overall range -- AND we did not count the 57-60 bodies of Iraqis found in the Tigris River, between Al Wihda and Hafriyah with estimated deaths between February 2005 and April 2005 (because of the uncertainty of the times of their deaths), found at the bottom of this page...

57-60 Iraqis found in the Tigris River between Al-Wihda and Hafriyah between February 27 and April 20, 2005...

...so the 1070 number may be referring to:

1) number of Iraqi dead since the elections...
2) number of Iraqi and American soldiers dead since the elections...
3) number of Iraqi and Americans, generally, dead since the elections...
4) number of Iraqi and others, generally, dead since the elections...
...or 5) a WHOLE HOST of other possible permutations...

...quite the difference:)...so you may be right:)...I'll keep looking into it:):)...as your post illustrates...a diversity of sources is a much better accuracy check:):):)...

Your best case from the GlobalSecurity.org numbers is in those last three months, which I think you are right FLATLY CONTRADICTS my case in the immediately earlier post I made -- though not the general case that the situation has gotten worse, in general, I don't believe -- based on those AOL numbers...

The OVERALL trend, anonymous, is still not looking good...and the last three months seems, just going by these more conservative numbers, again, and not consulting a more diverse array of sources, as I think you WISELY consult me to do:):):)...the last three months seems to indicate that the more democratic the conditions in this war -- meaning post-election -- the more successfully the war is engaged:)...

...which IS a good sign...since the holding a democratic elections instead of undemocratic occupation -- as many of the President's detractors claim -- is a very important step forwards democratically...and something the President should be credited for, I believe:):):)...and the numbers seem to bear out a correlation between increased democracy and decreased deaths...

Which should be a lesson for President Bush on other democratic policy engagement as well:):):)...

Meaning...as he engages more democratically with the world, with the United Nations, with the media, with the policy and academic world, with his critics as well as his defenders...and as his defenders and critics do that same:):):)...

The better the trend gets, we hope, in Iraq:):):)...

In the meantime...even by those more conservative numbers, you still have a steadily increasing or stable trend...meaning, the trend is not yet better, overall, though I hope, as I'm sure you do, that the last three months DO signal a turnaround...though it is still FAR TOO EARLY to assess that, in my judgment, given the variation within the trendlines up to this point...overall, up to this point, things have, unfortunately, gotten worse -- and still within the narrower trendline of just the last three months that are not projected (June, since it is not completed and we're only a little over halfway through the month, is a projected number, as you'll see in that graph)...though the actual numbers for those WOUNDED in the war is decreasing within the last three months for which actual numbers are given, notice -- if you check out the graph those numbers at the bottom of that page, anonymous, I think it will make it clearer:)...

I'm kind of exhausted, right now, to do a more sophistated statistical analysis:)...

But the general theme is that the trend is not looking good, no matter how you spin those numbers...

And if your only standard, anonymous, is how much worse things have been in past wars, are you forever content that people die independent of efforts to avoid their deaths?...

Meaning...

Are you more interested in defending the policy choices made in this war than you are in saving more soldiers' and American's and Iraqis' lives?...

Is that how mediocre a performance that you will make excuses for, anonymous?...

I would suggest that you hold the President to the SAME HIGH STANDARD:):):)...that you RIGHTLY hold me to:):):)...

If your fine with that number of soldiers, Americans, Iraqis, commerical workers, aid workers, international observers, etc. dying, then BY ALL MEANS:):):)...just defend the President's failures, along with RIGHTLY cheering his successes:):):)...

But if you're interested in saving lives, anonymous:):):)...

Then pitch in with the efforts by liberals, conservatives, independents, radicals, libertarians, anarchists, and all kinds of folks to constructively criticize this war, make it a stronger effort...and save more lives:):):):):):):)...

Last thing I'll say on this, for now:):):)...

As I was just telling Melissa:):):)...

I DON'T WANT to be right that the deaths and injuries to many folks in Iraq, today, could have been/could be avoided...

I WANT to be wrong...because for me to be wrong means that we really do have THE BEST policy now...and no substantial improvements can be made on it...

I would LOVE to have that kind of international policy, no matter who was President and no matter what conditions this war was under...

And I think I've MORE than proven my mettle with praising good ideas and policies from this President -- I am more favorable about the President's Social Security plan, for instance, than many conservatives, I know and that I can imagine from the poll numbers, given the general unpopularity of that plan, right now...and I've DEFENDED the President's open criticism of regimes like North Korea's, Russia's, Iran's, etc., even when many liberals have been critical for reasons that I only partly understand (establishing a better relationship, up front, is DEFINITELY the best way to criticize, I think, diplomatically or not...and the President has DEFINITELY screwed up many if not most of those relationships, right now...but having said, the criticisms of these regimes is constructive and important to say publicly, I think:):):) -- so this is NOT a partisan criticism of the Administration's policies...

...it is an honest criticism from an honest observer...

And I think I demonstrate in this post...that I try to build the BEST CASE for those who disagree with me or with whom I disagree so that we all get to the BEST ARGUMENTS, possible...

I have NO INTEREST in "being right"...and EVERY INTEREST in getting to the best policies and the most accurate numbers and interpretation of numbers...

And ANY GODDAMN THING which will save more lives in Iraq, from here on out...

ALL OF OUR INTERESTS, in democratic discussions, is getting to the BEST, the TRUEST, the FAIREST, the most DECENT, the most PLAUSIBLE, the most CONSTRUCTIVE, the LEAST DANGEROUS, the FULLEST and MOST THOROUGH explanations and arguments and cases and hypotheses and theories and ideas, possible...

Because THAT is what will make for genuine progress...

And in this case...

THAT is what will save lives...

And that is something that we should ALL find agreement on, I would hope:):):)...

Have a great day, everyone:):):)...

Love,
Ben

YESTERDAY'S POST...care of Building a Better World...The Virgin Experience

Bush Will Focus on Iraq "Victory"

63% -- 1070 of 1700 -- U.S. casualties occurred in the last month and a half since the recent Iraqi elections at the very end of April...

And the President wants to assure the country that things in Iraq are going much better than planned:):):)...

How badly did you plan for things in Iraq, Mr. President?:):):)...

Oh...sorry I asked, dude:):):)...

Love,
Ben

A new Pink Floyd song:):):)...Recalitrantly Dumb:):):)...

It's been occurring to me, working at a place where making the same stupid mistakes over and over again appear to be the norm rather than the exception:):):)...

That some people might just be RECALCITRANTLY DUMB:):):)...

Being dumb is forgiveable:):):)...it just means you haven't thought through your options:):):)...and that you haven't gotten into the habit of thinking through your options:):):)...

But recalcitrantly dumb -- where your head is so far up your asshole that you don't know how to call for help:):):) -- is a whole different matter:):):)...

Recalcitrantly dumb involves making the same stupid mistakes over and over again and REFUSING to think about them because nobody's gonna MAKE YOU THINK about them...

So there:):):):):):)...

Recalitrantly dumb is a whole new category of dumb that I never really understood very well before:):):)...

They are both forgiveable, of course:):):)...

But one, I'm becoming concerned, is FAR LESS WORTHY of my time and effort and thought:):):)...

Let fools keep looking for the brains that they tucked away in their anal cavities for a rainy day, I say:):):)...even if they forgot where they buried them:):):)...

I've got to get a new job:):):)...

Not everyone at my job is recalcitrantly dumb:):):)...

But there are enough people with authority who are that leave me wondering why I've stayed at this place for so long:):):)...

I've got to get some sleep:):):)...

By the way:):)...

Royals, 3...Dodgers, 1...if we win tonight, we sweep the series:):):)...

Go Royals:):):)...

Love,
Ben

Andrew Sullivan on Michael Jackson...

I've been talking with friends and folks about Michael Jackson's trial...and I'll post on it soon:):):)...

In the meantime:):):)...

Andrew Sullivan writes a BRILLIANT piece on the matter:):):)...

Andrew Sullivan on Michael Jackson

I agree with much that Andrew says...EXCEPT two important things...

First...that people weren't interested...MOST of the people I talked with, really, were very and sometimes MORE interested in this story than most really important news stories these days:)...and their opinions are REALLY VARIED, I think, as someone who's talked with a lot of different folks about Michael...

Second...that blacks do not/did not support Michael...I think while many socially conservative blacks may have pulled away from Michael...my experience was that MANY BLACKS -- and many whites and folks of other ethnicities, for that matter -- supported Michael...in fact, in many ways, I think Michael was MUCH MORE SUPPORTED by both blacks, his fans, and the music industry than could comparably said of O.J. Simpson, as Andrew argues...

All of my thoughts, here, though, are based on anecdotal experiences of talking with people and not on any broader or more statistically sophisticated surveying...so I may very well be wrong, as I OFTEN AM:):):):):):)...

I want to repeat for ANYONE who might know or read me:):):):):):)...who is concerned that I might not readily admit this as often or as quickly as I need to (INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY MY MOST PERSISTENT CRITIC -- though fairest, too, I think, generally:):) -- ME:):):):):):):)...

Other than these concerns...

Andrew writes a VERY IMPRESSIVE analysis of humanity via Michael Jackson that I think EVERYONE would benefit from reading:):):):):):)...

Have a great day, everyone:):):):):):)...

Love,
Ben

Saw Star Wars: Return of the Sith, last night:):):)...

We're watching Return of the Jedi, right now:):):)...had to check out of the better Star Wars movies, after seeing the best that the prequels had to offer:):):)...

George Lucas has definitely redeemed himself with this last Star Wars:):):)...

...more soulful:):):)...very intelligent:):):)...much better, overall, than the previous two prequels:):):)...

And still DOESN'T EVEN TOUCH the first three Star Wars, I don't think:):):)...

...though this prequel was the closest to its original brethren:):):):):)...

Lucas has a lot of REALLY GREAT THINGS to say about contemporary politics:):):)...

And much of the movie is both implicitly critical of the President's "with us or against us" counterterrorism policy:):):) -- "You're either with me or you're one of the enemy" says Annakin Skywalker to Ben Kenobi...and of those liberals (not the majority, by far:):):) who are more concerned with understanding the perspective of terrorists than capturing and defeating them:):):) -- "From my perspective, you are evil" newly annointed Darth Vader relates again to his former teacher:):):)...

The acting is not the hottest in ANY of the Star Wars, I think everyone would agree:):):) (though Harrison Ford, Alec Guiness, and Carrie Fisher are a far better group than the really still pretty decent Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and Hayden Christensen...

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope...

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith...

But STILL:):):):):):):)...

A VERY GOOD MOVIE:):):):):):):)...

HIGHLY RECOMMEND:):):):):)...

Check out Return of the Sith, when you get a chance:):):)...

Love,
Ben

A brilliant yet sadly naive effort by National Review's own Victor Davis Hanson:):):)...

...this week...

Our Strange War...

I have to say that Victor Davis Hanson is DEFINITELY earning his stripes, these days:):):)...his last two articles for NR have been FABULOUS:):):)...

This article on the war is REALLY REMARKABLE in its very accurate and fair description, I believe, of the neuroses of both Arab societies and all-too-self-loathing liberals in the West not yet clear that we are in a war with a desperate and ingeninuous enemy:):):)...

Victor's description of the denial in both liberal and Arab and Muslim camps is INREDIBLE, really:):):):):)...

And some of his best work that I've ever read:):):)...

Victor is definitely proving himself to be a writer who can tackle difficult policy questions as well as military questions:):):):):)...which is a BRILLIANT progression from his EQUALLY BRILLIANT tactically-focussed military histories:):):)...

VERY IMPRESSIVE:):):):):):):)...

Now...

Here's the question that Victor and I differ on, at this point...

Victor ends his REALLY QUITE POWERFUL essay as follows...

"Which choice do we make now?...

Where will it all end? Our choices are threefold.

We can wind down — essentially the position of the mainstream Left — and return to a pre-September 11 situation, treating Islamism as a criminal justice matter or deserving of an occasional cruise missile. This, in my view, would be a disaster and guarantee another mass attack.

Or we can continue to pacify Iraq. We then wait and see whether the ripples from the January elections — without further overt American military action into other countries — bring democracy to Lebanon, Egypt, the Gulf States, and eventually the entire Middle East. This is the apparent present policy of the administration: talking up democracy, not provoking any who might disagree. It may well work, though such patience requires constant articulation to the American people that we are really in a deadly war when it doesn’t seem to everyone that we are.

Or we can press on. We apprise Syria to cease all sanctuary for al Qaedists and Iran to give up its nuclear program — or face surgical and punitive American air strikes. Such escalation is embraced by few, although many acknowledge that we may soon have few choices other than just that. But for now we can sum up the American plans as hoping that democracy spreads faster than Islamism, and thus responsible government will appear to ensure terrorists and WMD disappear.

The above, of course, is what we plan, but gives no consideration to the intent of the enemy. As we speak, he desperately searches for new strategies to ward off defeat as jihad seems more likely to lead to ruin than the return of the caliphate.

For now Islamic fascist strategy is to make such horrific news in Iraq that America throws up its hands and sighs, “These crazy people simply aren’t worth it,” goes home, snoozes — and thus becomes ripe for another September 11."

...also...for anyone interested:)...Victor's credentials...

"Victor Davis Hanson is a military historian and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. His website is victorhanson.com"

So the choices Victor proposes, to sum up are:

1) Quit
2) Press on and try to appease Iraqis (and terrorists, presumably) peacefully...or...
3) Win the war and press on to Syria as a next step:)...

Pretty simple, don't you think?:):):)...

Either we appease:):):):):)...or we win:):):):):)...

That's I love this guy:):):):):)...

He just has a knack for taking the politically complicated:):):):):)...

And reducing it to its lowest common denominator:):):):):)...

And I mean that statement in ALL of its possible connotations:):):):):)...

Victor is CLEARLY in good faith:):):)...

AND...he is overlooking several important options, out of his zeal to defend his preference:):):)...

Most importantly:):):)...

A million variations on one combined with soft power suggestions mentioned at length in Victor's BRILLIANT essay:):):)...WITHOUT APPEASING A GODDAMN SOUL:):):):):):):)...

And here's where Mr. Hanson's lack of any seriously demonstrated international policy understanding beyond warfare become a pretty serious handicap for him:):):)...

The Bush Administration, currently, is engaged in a two-pronged international policy effort -- absent any of the promised changes detailed in the previous Washington Post article:):):)...

First...to win the war in Iraq:):):)...

And second...to prevent the escalation of North Korea's and Iran's nuclear threat via diplomacy and negotiations:):):)...

So...

Here's the problem with Victor's preferred solution of bombing Syria to kingdom come:):):)...

Attacking Syria becomes a VERY CREDIBLE threat to North Korea and Iran that they will be attacked by the United States:):):)...

Iran and North Korea who have already, remember, INCREASED their ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons post-Iraq War, are now give ADDITIONAL incentive to do the same 3, 4, 5, 10, 100 fold, as long as their threatened:):):)...

So:):):)...

The option by the Administration at this point is either...

1) Remaining oblivious to current or then geopolitical realities...MUCH more seriously undermining U.S. credibility in international relationships -- especially with democratic and its strongest democratic partners:):):)...inviting a charge of war crimes to be brought on by Amnesty International, the United Nations and whichever other liberal, conservative (remember...conservatives INTERNATIONALLY, generally, feel MUCH DIFFERENT about this war than conservatives in America:):):))independent, and unaffiliated groups choose to engage in such a crusade (which...by my lights...would be an EMINENT THREAT, to use the President's language:):):)...but with a guarantee of a much more certain reality, sadly, for the President and the world:):):)...and trying to fight a two-front -- and if Iran and North Korea get the bomb, a three or four or more front war involving nuclear warheads pointed at Americans as well as at Syrians, Iraqis, North Koreans, Iranians, and don't forget about al Queda and other terrorist groups:):):)...especially if the U.S. ever starts LOSING that war, in which case:):):)...these folks are VERY SERIOUSLY likely to gang up on the ol' U.S. of A.:):):)...and do some SERIOUS CIVILIAN DAMAGE:):):):):):):)...

And...in the meantime:):):)...

Still having the same but even more ESCALATED violence, nuclear threats, and anti-American hate supporting terrorists' and the ugly regimes' causes world-wide:):):)...

...or...

The slightly more SANE idea:):):):):)...

Which...at the point at which this blunder will have been made:):):):):)...

2) Apologizing our hearts out and hoping the God that the above scenario does not unfold ANYWAY:):):):):):):)...

Does anyone see why it is so foolish to study war without seriously studying policy:):):):):):):)...

And why you're probably better off studying with a seroius international policy thinker with a defense department background, like Joe Nye, then a brilliant and yet utterly naive fool like Victor Davis Hanson:):):):):)...

What Victor just can't or won't or whatever look at:):):):):)...

Is where things are GETTING WORSE IN THE WORLD, GEOPOLITICALLY, YOU GODDAMNED FOOL:):):):):):):)...

And the CORRELATION between our ACTIONS IN IRAQ and an INCREASED NUCLEAR THREAT FROM IRAN AND NORTH KOREA:):):):):):):)...

Yeah, yeah, yeah:):):):):)...

What are all the conservative excuses for this situation, again?:):):):):)...

Everyone in chorus:):):):):)...

Appeasement by liberals...
The anti-war movement...
Anti-Americanism...
John Kerry...
Bill Clinton...
Jacques Chirac (the CONSERVATIVE LEADER in France:):):), Gerhard Schroeder (the FREE MARKETS liberal/socialist leader in Germany), and that UGLY CABAL OF CORRUPTION AND GREED known as the United Nations:):):):):):):)...
International opinion against the war and in league with the terrorists to kill Americans:):):):):)...

And MUCH, MUCH MORE:):):):):):):)...

The gig is up, Victor:):):):):)...

There's a reason by Mr. Bush is consulting with your BETTER:):):)...the more liberal and far more thoughtful military historian, James McPherson:):):):):)...

You're lead-up analysis, here, is BEAUTIFUL, Victor:):):):):)...

But your conclusion is kind of weak, given your total obliviousness to current geopolitical realities:):):):):):):)...

"But...but," Victor will protest:):):)...

"What liberal appeasement will sucker the war effort and we'll all die when our complacency lets the terrorists strike unannounced":):):):):):):)...

HEY MORON:):):):):):):)...

How in the world will fighting a three, possibly, four, possibly five front war with NO SERIOUS ASSISTANCE OR PARTNERSHIP from NATO or democratic or non or less democratic countries ENHANCE OUR PROBABILITY OF STOPPING A TERRORIST ATTACK?:):):):):):):)...

Victor...there is a reason why you need to stick to history and not to giving international policy expertise:):):):):):):)...

Because you are one of most NAIVE military historians that I have ever encountered in my entire life:):):):):):):)...

But the rest of your article was REALLY TERRIFIC, Victor:):):):):):):)...

Thanks for the GREAT READ:):):):):):):)...

But maybe take up golf or something in your spare time, Victor:):):):):)...and leave the SERIOUS MILITARY AND INTERNATIONAL POLICY ADVISING to people who KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING:):):):):):):)...

Love,
Ben

Why so many conservatives are such utter morons:):):):):):):)...

Reading so many conservative comments on the Koran abuse and Guantanamo issues in the military, lately...

I'm coming the conclusion that some conservatives -- FAR TOO MANY, by my lights:):):) -- just can NEVER acknowledge when America screws up...EVER...

That they are just TOO CHICKENSHIT for such a big person responsibility:):):)...

And that the little kiddies are feeling kinda cwanky after getting spwashed in the big kiddie poow aw day:(...

And I want to say to aw da widda kiddies out der who have a hard time saying, "I'm sawwy":):):):):):):)...

Wake up the smell the fuckin' coffee...you FUCKIN' MORONS...

We screwed up with the Koran...we screwed up in Guantanamo...we screwed up in Abu Grahib...

And if the President wants to avoid a war crimes tribunal (which I OPPOSE EMPATICALLY, by the way)...

Then he better get his sad, pathetic, chickenshit, scrawny little ass up to the fuckin' podium...

And say,

"I'm sorry. I fucked up"...

And if you don't care if the country and the world ends up going through that kind of bullshit...

Then I suggest that you own up...

And that you encourage our President to own up as well...

And if you CAN'T DO THAT...

Then I would suggest that the President is in DEEP, DEEP SHIT, right now...

Guantanamo Bay allegations and proposals for prosecution by Amnesty International

...make sure the check out Appendix 4, Recommendations, Preventing Torture and Ill Treatment, Item 7, Prosecution:):):)...

And if you don't want the President to be in DEEP, DEEP SHIT, right now...

Then I would suggest that you face your fragile little egoes...

And do the right thing, here...

And say...

"I'm sawwy":):):):):):):)...

And if not...

Good luck at the Hague!:):):):):):):)...

Love,
Ben