Author Archives: Soccerdad

About Soccerdad

I'm a government bureaucrat with delusions of literacy.

Who struck the mighty convoy?

Sudan is alleging that another country struck a convoy. According to the Washington Post, “foreign” planes, suspected to be American or Israeli killed hundreds of people. Mubarak Mabrook Saleem, Sudan’s transportation minister, told the Associated Press he believed American planes … Continue reading

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The fierce irrelevance of Roger Cohen

Roger Cohen thinks that we can have peace in the Middle East, if the United States would just listen to a bunch of experts associated with the US Middle East Project. In the Fierce Urgency of Peace: Pressure on President … Continue reading

Posted in Hamas, Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | Tagged | 1 Comment

Netanyahu and the Palestinian veto

Regarding Israel’s incoming Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, the New York Times observes: “I think that the Palestinians should understand that they have in our government a partner for peace, for security and for rapid development of the Palestinian economy,” said … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | Tagged | 1 Comment

For want of a press card

I know that there are those who claim that Iran is misunderstood. The case of Roxana Saberi though is instructive. Iran’s PressTV first reported on her arrest on March 4. Saberi had told her father in a phone call February … Continue reading

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Coalition coalescing

Last week Barry Rubin suggested that Binyamin Netanyahu’s agreement with Yisrael Beiteinu that included party head Avigdor Lieberman as Foreign Minister was a ploy and that we wouldn’t know the true makeup of the Israeli government until the beginning of … Continue reading

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Gone with the enemy

While it may not be the official Obama administration policy, apparently there is no longer a “Global War on Terror.” (via memeorandum) The Washington Post reports: In a memo e-mailed this week to Pentagon staff members, the Defense Department’s office … Continue reading

Posted in Politics | Tagged | 3 Comments

A threat countered

Too many of those covering Israel’s war against Hamas in December and January have used the disparity in casualties as a proof that Israel utilized disproportionate force and violated international norms. The latest tactic has been to publicize the claims … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | Tagged | 1 Comment

China 1 Dalai Lama 0

I’m surprised this hasn’t gotten more attention, but South Africa barred the Dalai Lama from entering, lest it run afoul of China. It’s Almost Supernatural writes: What a disgrace. Once again third world solidarity has trumped a foreign policy based … Continue reading

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The bloggers’ message

Earlier I wrote about President Obama’s outreach to Iran and lamented the fact that he didn’t mention the imprisonment of Roxana Saberi in his Nowruz message to the Iranian regime. Bret Stephens mentions a parallel concern in Will Obama listen … Continue reading

Posted in Bloggers, Iran | Tagged | 2 Comments

Breaking the ice with Iran

During the campaign Michael Totten wrote about why Barack Obama’s pledge to renew relations with Iran wouldn’t amount to anything. Withdrawing all U.S. forces from the Middle East likewise is not going to happen. Obama may want to bug out … Continue reading

Posted in Iran | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Northern exposure

Israel’s south has been somewhat quiet recently. Meryl wonders if it’s because a deal for Gilad Schalit is near. The north was quiet over the weekend. And that was fortunate. A 200-pound car bomb malfunctioned near a crowded mall in … Continue reading

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Major newspaper seems fated to cast Israel in the worst possible light

I suppose that the article Israeli Coalition Appears Fated to Clash With U.S. isn’t nearly as bad as the title. Still it’s got some problems. For example, early on the reporter, Howard Schneider writes: A leading contender to become defense … Continue reading

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When page A6 says something

When allegations of the IDF’s conduct first emerged, Yaacov Lozowick observed: Haaretz has just launched a series (so they say) of articles in which soldiers who fought in Gaza tell of wrongdoings. I’m linking to the first article here, and … Continue reading

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“Yes! There will be growth in the spring! “

The First Family will have a garden (via memeorandum): On Friday, Michelle Obama will begin digging up a patch of White House lawn to plant a vegetable garden, the first since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden in World War II. There … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Politics, Pop Culture | Tagged | 2 Comments

Newspapers investigate journalistic misconduct – not!

Following on the heels of the Ha’aretz report that soldiers did not abide by the IDF’s code of morality, the NYT reports Soldiers’ Accounts of Gaza Killings Raise Furor in Israel (via memeorandum) The testimonies by soldiers, leaked to the … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israeli Double Standard Time, Media Bias | Tagged | 4 Comments