Between Iraq and a hard place

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Monday August 15, 2005 · 10:10 PM PDT

2005/08/15 · 22:10

Last night, while taking a walk, I came across a vigil for Cindy Sheehan. The protesters, amid candles and flag-draped coffins, were standing in solidarity with her for 24 hours. I was glad to see this display of support and went over to talk to the protesters, one of whom was surprised that I knew who Cindy Sheehan was. Read More

The Troop-Bashing Cartoonist's Response

sparklegirl

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Tuesday December 28, 2004 · 8:57 AM PST

2004/12/28 · 08:57

After writing to the cartoonist, to complain about his cartoon in which he portrayed a reporter as holding the soldiers who questioned Rumsfeld on a leash, I had forgotten about it until I received an email this morning from Chuck Asay. Read More

More who are you: favorite music

sparklegirl

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Wednesday December 22, 2004 · 1:24 AM PST

2004/12/22 · 01:24

I've noticed the threads about getting to know one's fellow Kossacks have been popular and fun lately. I hope I'm not repeating a question that was asked in a previous diary, but even if I am, people's music preferences are interesting enough to deserve a diary of their own. So tell us, what do you like to listen to? Read More

Gays in the military: the irony

sparklegirl

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Wednesday December 15, 2004 · 10:45 PM PST

2004/12/15 · 22:45

Today's NYT column points out the irony of a military that refuses ready and willing servicemembers merely because of their sexual orientation while it is so overextended that it has to institute a back-door draft:

An analysis of Pentagon data reveals that the military is losing gay troops in the occupational areas where shortfalls are most dire. In addition to the "stop loss" orders that prompted last week's lawsuit, the Pentagon has recalled thousands of former troops from civilian life to fill these gaps.

Many of these recalls would have been unnecessary if the military had not fired so many gay service members. This year the Pentagon approved the recall of 72 veterans in communication and navigation, but it has expelled 115 gay troops in that category since 1998; it recalled 33 in operational intelligence but has expelled 50 gays; in combat operations control, it recalled 33 but expelled 106.

sparklegirl

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Wednesday December 15, 2004 · 10:05 PM PST

2004/12/15 · 22:05

After getting involved in a discussion related to Tom Friedman's last column, I noticed he was not too popular around here. I've always thought he was naive but essentially right, and I never saw him as intentionally deceptive the way many here do, but I can understand some of the reasons people have negative feelings toward him.

I just read his latest column, in which he describes how the Bush administration is blocking a report about reform in the Muslim world, and it seemed pretty sensible to me. Is there something I'm missing here? Read More

What was Josh Marshall thinking?

sparklegirl

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Tuesday December 14, 2004 · 5:31 PM PST

2004/12/14 · 17:31

I just read Josh Marshall's response to Peter Beinhart's controversial piece here:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/004186.php

He agreed with some of Beinhart's points but disagreed over the nature of the terrorist threat:

But unlike communism in 1947, militant Islam simply does not pose an existential threat to our civilization. It just doesn't.

Normally, Josh Marshall is pretty clear-headed, but I don't know where he came up with that. Of course militant Islam poses an existential threat to us. Just because it doesn't control any large countries outside of the Middle East, as Marshall goes on to argue, doesn't mean it does not have the potential capacity to ruin our way of life. Read More

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Between Iraq and a hard place

The Troop-Bashing Cartoonist's Response

More who are you: favorite music

Gays in the military: the irony

For the Friedman bashers, and anyone else interested

What was Josh Marshall thinking?