INTERNATIONAL ROCK CITY

THE CATHOLIC FASCIST

Sully covers the latest Roman Catholic attack on homosexuals.

Sick.

And to all practicing Catholics: if you are not part of the solution, and I mean outspoken against the bigotry of this new Pope, than you are part of the problem, even if in your silence you don't agree with him. YOU are the Church, not this sicko, and it's your responsibility to make it right.

Or are you an apologist like this "living with same-sex attraction but not self-identified as 'gay'" Catholic bloke?

THE POLITICS OF FAILURE

William Raspberry defends the Democrats in his Washington Post op-ed today...for a few paragraphs.

Slice:

If Iraq is most likely to implode into civil war, leaving it a far more dangerous hotbed of terrorism than it was before our invasion, wouldn't the Democrats be smart to let it happen without interference? That isn't to say the Democrats yearn for failure -- but it's a cinch they don't want to be blamed for it.

It would be a no-lose position, politically, for the Democrats to sit back and watch the catastrophe happen.

But the quagmire in Iraq involves much more than politics. It involves national honor, the undiminished threat of international terrorism -- and the lives of too many people who deserve better.

It's hardly the time for clever politics.

* * * *

I don't think John Murtha, in his recent public call to bring the troops home immediately, is playing politics. I think he's expressing a deep emotional response to the horror he knows the troops are enduring there. But senior Dem Joe Biden, (along with Hillary), opposes a deadline. And, contrary to Raspberry's assessment of the current Democratic position on Iraq, Biden has endorsed an exit plan (which essentially follow's Bush's stated plan):

Rather than attempting to transform Iraq into a "model democracy," Biden suggested that Bush spend the next six months accomplishing three goals: creating a "political settlement" that draws support from the rival Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds who make up Iraq; bolstering the ability of the Iraqi government to "deliver basic services"; and accelerating the training of Iraqi troops in order to facilitate a handover of full military authority to them.

Should Bush follow that blueprint, Biden held out hope that "we can start climbing out of the hole he has dug with most of our interest intact."

* * * *
But what about the Bush (Cheney) interest, which was to turn Iraq into a subservient client state for American industry and geopolitical posturing vis-a-vis China, Russia, India (and France)? This will continue to factor into any withdrawal plans as long as Bush remains in power.

Will the Democrats talk about that? Doubt it.

WORDS TO LIVE BY

"When God gives you AIDS - and God does give you AIDS, by the way - make lemon-AIDS." - Sarah Silverman

TEAM SLEEP

You've got to get this album.

CELEBRATING MEDIOCRITY

The American Music Awards demonstrated that this is indeed the worst moment in history for pop/rock music EVER - solidified by the disturbing performance of Hillary Fluff Duff and her weird robotic movements and single lyric "beat of my heart!" cheese-a-thon. Pop punk in America is now epitomized by "All American Rejects" - an ironically named, contrived punk-by-numbers sales gimmick if ever there was one, right down to their fucking haircuts. To quote a line from the Witches of Eastwick - the AMA's weren't even interesting enough to make me sick. Are there really people out there who are inspired by this display of suck? There's a war on and the best we can do is Green Day?

Apparently not even the musicians truly gave a shit.

'HEARTS AND MINDS' BOMB

Fantastic news report today that Tony Blair had to persuade GW not to bomb fucking Al Jazeera. Well, Bush might as well have done it after this leak (though he was probably joking, considering all his other inappropriate uses of "humor"). This is going to go over about as well in the Arab world as Abu Ghraib. Democracy and freedom for the middle-east right? Christ.

The insurgency should see recruitment numbers skyrocket.

MEMO TO NEW (MOSTLY HETERO) CASTRO FAMILIES

Freedom of sexuality does not mean freedom from sexuality. You know what the Castro is about. If you don't like it, don't move here, it's not for you. And don't make us change it for you, since you have about 99.999999% of the rest of the fucking planet. Can we have our two blocks please?

And on a related note: you militant Castro peeps who are attacking mothers strolling their babies down the street and during festivals accusing them of trying to take away the gay... chill the fuck out. My step-sister has lived here most of her life, more than likely longer than your ass. And she doesn't give a shit about erections in windows, and neither do her toddlers. Back off.

KEEP DIGGING

Joel Engel makes a pretty good attempt at defending Bush against the criticism he misled us into war in Iraq.

Unfortunately for him, it's all bullshit. (via RPM)

DEMOCRATS FAIL AGAIN

We know that the so-called "anti-war" left doesn't give a shit about Iraqis.

But I'd like to see Kerry's proposal gain momentum.

Slice:

Kerry portrayed his proposed pullout of forces as the best remedy for the ongoing violence, not as a recognition that the insurgency cannot be defeated. Citing such voices as former Nixon administration defense secretary Melvin R. Laird, he argued that "our military presence in vast and visible numbers has become part of the problem, not the solution."

As part of his call for a political solution to the Iraq conflict, Kerry proposed a conference of nations led by the United States, Britain, Turkey, Russia and other NATO allies to forge a compromise between the Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish factions in Iraq. He also called on Bush to appoint an envoy to help "maximize our diplomacy in Iraq and the region."

* * * *

A conference is very nice. But replacing US forces with U.N. forces is a better idea. Even replacing US uniforms with UN uniforms is a better idea. Telling the Sunni insurgency and Al-Zarqawi when we're going to leave, and then abandoning the Iraqis to these sick fucks, is not such a good idea.

EUROPE ROCKS

Very cool article on selling the European Dream in the current issue of Foreign Policy. A splash of optimism on burning Paris.

Slice:

The EU should also shamelessly exploit its multicultural diversity. Europe’s union now comprises 25 countries whose history and geography are markedly different, but who nevertheless acknowledge that they ultimately share the same future. All EU member states have strong democratic traditions, even while their national interests are often at odds. From the vantage point of Europe’s Tower of Babel, it will be easier to internalize the opinions and interests of others. It implies that any EU policy backed by all (or most) member states carries credibility with outsiders. Especially now that accession negotiations with Turkey have begun, the EU can label itself as the political, cultural, and even religious bridge between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. That offers the EU credibility and immense political capital and goodwill in the Middle East and beyond. The EU at 25 is such a patchwork of traditions, cultures, strategic outlooks, and national interests, that it can believably claim to offer policy solutions acceptable to much of the rest of the world.

The riots in France have not spilled over to the rest of Europe. It is remarkable that despite massive police maneuvers, riots have ended with few casualties. France and Europe are now increasing their efforts to integrate these disadvantaged groups of second- and third-generation immigrants. Both at home and abroad, the EU therefore already is the model of effective multilateralism. Europe’s policy debates are remarkably civil, and the trust among peoples as well as governments is unprecedented.

* * * *

Critics of the EU point to the Paris riots as symptomatic of Europe's failure to integrate ethnic groups, specifically and especially muslims. Instead, many argue, Europe's approach of tolerating and "appeasing" festering anti-western hatred among said muslims by refusing to crack down on extremists and instead coddling them under the guise of "multicultural understanding" is backfiring. The recent London bombings are another example, not to mention the murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh by Islamists in the Netherlands. Are these really isolated incidents or does Europe have a much bigger problem on its hands? And if so, can it really market itself as a model for multiculturalism? Most Europeans don't want to include Turkey, by the way.

Still, Europe rocks.