Chavez's Military Build-Up

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Hugo Chavez may be having trouble keeping Venezuelans fed, but the military cannot complain:

CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb. 24 — Venezuela’s arms spending has climbed to more than $4 billion in the past two years, transforming the nation into Latin America’s largest weapons buyer and placing it ahead of other major purchasers in international arms markets like Pakistan and Iran.

Venezuelan military and government officials here say the arms acquisitions, which include dozens of fighter jets and attack helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles, are needed to circumvent a ban by the United States on sales of American weapons to the country.

They also argue that Venezuela must strengthen its defenses to counter potential military aggression from the United States.

It is observed, however, that even this sort of military build-up would not be much of a deterrent for the United States.

It does set up Venezuela as a regional superpower of sorts. The more interesting speculation is that Chavez is arming sure-loyalists in his military in preparation for future internal division that leads to anti-Chavez forces. I think this means that Chavez is president for life. Though, some would have us believe that this is indeed idle speculation:

“We simply have an interest in maintaining peace and stability,” General Muller Rojas said, describing the Caribbean as a crucial to its military influence. “We have no intent of using the Venezuelan armed forces to repress human rights.”

Well, I know that I am reassured.


(Source: Simon Romero for The New York Times)

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Chavez's Military Build-Up

♠
Hugo Chavez may be having trouble keeping Venezuelans fed, but the military cannot complain:

CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb. 24 — Venezuela’s arms spending has climbed to more than $4 billion in the past two years, transforming the nation into Latin America’s largest weapons buyer and placing it ahead of other major purchasers in international arms markets like Pakistan and Iran.

Venezuelan military and government officials here say the arms acquisitions, which include dozens of fighter jets and attack helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles, are needed to circumvent a ban by the United States on sales of American weapons to the country.

They also argue that Venezuela must strengthen its defenses to counter potential military aggression from the United States.

It is observed, however, that even this sort of military build-up would not be much of a deterrent for the United States.

It does set up Venezuela as a regional superpower of sorts. The more interesting speculation is that Chavez is arming sure-loyalists in his military in preparation for future internal division that leads to anti-Chavez forces. I think this means that Chavez is president for life. Though, some would have us believe that this is indeed idle speculation:

“We simply have an interest in maintaining peace and stability,” General Muller Rojas said, describing the Caribbean as a crucial to its military influence. “We have no intent of using the Venezuelan armed forces to repress human rights.”

Well, I know that I am reassured.


(Source: Simon Romero for The New York Times)

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Liberals and the Tolerance of Intolerance

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There were plenty of leftish people in the 20th century who excused communism, but they could at least say that communism was a left-wing idea. Now overwhelmingly and everywhere you find people who scream their heads off about the smallest sexist or racist remark, yet refuse to confront ultra-reactionary movements that explicitly reject every principle they profess to hold.

... Far too many liberal-minded people think that is somehow culturally imperialist to criticize reactionary movements and ideas--as long as they aren't European or American reactionary movements.

-- Nick Cohen for The Wall Street Journal

I know this is an ideological confusion that has haunted Monk since the Blurty days. He had understood himself to be quite liberal, and when he started blogging and getting into political debates, he thought that, when it came to Islamists, liberals would see their worst enemies anent their illiberalism and churchy autocracy - it would be like getting together on Renaissance Enlightenment values. And these were people relying on mass terrorism to boot. He would have expected conservatives to be actually more sympathetic to the Islamists in a Dinesh D'Souza way, because they all want religious repression of the masses. Monk was very surprised to see instead that in much liberal thought these Islamists somehow fell under a 'victim' category and were therefore protected and held up - the tolerance of intolerance.

Admittedly, it was not too difficult to understand the dynamic. We are talking about a Third World non-white people. But it was disorienting, and one could see some of the grounds that could lead people like D'Souza to argue that some of these liberals are something of a fifth column and an enemy to their own country. To my way of thinking, there is much to lament about conservative politics, but in these Islamists we face an enemy far worse - arguably even worse than the Nazis with all this medieval religiosity. They don't even think you are a full human because you don't share their faith. I feel that such intolerance is worthy of our intolerance.

( Cohen column )

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Liberals and the Tolerance of Intolerance

♠
There were plenty of leftish people in the 20th century who excused communism, but they could at least say that communism was a left-wing idea. Now overwhelmingly and everywhere you find people who scream their heads off about the smallest sexist or racist remark, yet refuse to confront ultra-reactionary movements that explicitly reject every principle they profess to hold.

... Far too many liberal-minded people think that is somehow culturally imperialist to criticize reactionary movements and ideas--as long as they aren't European or American reactionary movements.

-- Nick Cohen for The Wall Street Journal

I know this is an ideological confusion that has haunted Monk since the Blurty days. He had understood himself to be quite liberal, and when he started blogging and getting into political debates, he thought that, when it came to Islamists, liberals would see their worst enemies anent their illiberalism and churchy autocracy - it would be like getting together on Renaissance Enlightenment values. And these were people relying on mass terrorism to boot. He would have expected conservatives to be actually more sympathetic to the Islamists in a Dinesh D'Souza way, because they all want religious repression of the masses. Monk was very surprised to see instead that in much liberal thought these Islamists somehow fell under a 'victim' category and were therefore protected and held up - the tolerance of intolerance.

Admittedly, it was not too difficult to understand the dynamic. We are talking about a Third World non-white people. But it was disorienting, and one could see some of the grounds that could lead people like D'Souza to argue that some of these liberals are something of a fifth column and an enemy to their own country. To my way of thinking, there is much to lament about conservative politics, but in these Islamists we face an enemy far worse - arguably even worse than the Nazis with all this medieval religiosity. They don't even think you are a full human because you don't share their faith. I feel that such intolerance is worthy of our intolerance.

( Cohen column )

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The Movie Thing

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Monk cannot watch another snatch of "Reservoir Dogs" because he is taping "The Fabulous Baker Boys" for later.

Yeah, you can see that he has fallen big into this movie thing.

Funny, too, do you remember the issue about what should Monk do during that restless but wasted time of the night before bed? It is actually looking like these movies are the answer to that, after all - just to kick back and let an old movie wash over you.

But now he has to think about buying another batch of tapes. He only has four blanks left.

One wonders how long this will last though. He has over two dozen Comfort TV tapes, and now that that fad is over, he does not know what to do with them. Having made them, he does not want to throw them away, and it is not like they no longer have any use. He has even more porn tapes from those days when porn collection was his biggest enterprise, dumping all of his money into that. So many tapes!

He feels a little bad about these tapes and is tempted to just throw them away, which would also have the salutary benefit of clearing up some room. As it is, hating to throw things away that he may regret losing later, his collection of tapes will presumably grow another big box-full.

Neverthemore, I am thinking this movie thing will stick and will not be just another fad.

What is most perplexing is that it took so long for Monk to come to this movie habit. It is so basic, like figuring out that you like to breathe air. Maybe it took the latest physical decline in energy to appreciate movies more. He used to think of watching movies as a brain-dead activity that is most fit for mental boobs. But now he sees that this is his speed.

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The Movie Thing

♠
Monk cannot watch another snatch of "Reservoir Dogs" because he is taping "The Fabulous Baker Boys" for later.

Yeah, you can see that he has fallen big into this movie thing.

Funny, too, do you remember the issue about what should Monk do during that restless but wasted time of the night before bed? It is actually looking like these movies are the answer to that, after all - just to kick back and let an old movie wash over you.

But now he has to think about buying another batch of tapes. He only has four blanks left.

One wonders how long this will last though. He has over two dozen Comfort TV tapes, and now that that fad is over, he does not know what to do with them. Having made them, he does not want to throw them away, and it is not like they no longer have any use. He has even more porn tapes from those days when porn collection was his biggest enterprise, dumping all of his money into that. So many tapes!

He feels a little bad about these tapes and is tempted to just throw them away, which would also have the salutary benefit of clearing up some room. As it is, hating to throw things away that he may regret losing later, his collection of tapes will presumably grow another big box-full.

Neverthemore, I am thinking this movie thing will stick and will not be just another fad.

What is most perplexing is that it took so long for Monk to come to this movie habit. It is so basic, like figuring out that you like to breathe air. Maybe it took the latest physical decline in energy to appreciate movies more. He used to think of watching movies as a brain-dead activity that is most fit for mental boobs. But now he sees that this is his speed.

xXx

Another Burning Summer in the Middle East

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Despite the Bush administration's insistence it has no plans to go to war with Iran, a Pentagon panel has been created to plan a bombing attack that could be implemented within 24 hours of getting the go-ahead from President George W. Bush, The New Yorker magazine reported in its latest issue.

The special planning group was established within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in recent months, according to an unidentified former U.S. intelligence official cited in the article by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh in the March 4 issue.

The panel initially focused on destroying Iran's nuclear facilities and on regime change but has more recently been directed to identify targets in Iran that may be involved in supplying or aiding militants in Iraq, according to an Air Force adviser and a Pentagon consultant, who were not identified.

-- Reuters

This is not exactly news but it does make it a little more official. And, as if that were not enough:

The article also included an interview conducted in December with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who said that while he had no interest in initiating another war with Israel, he was anticipating and preparing for another Israeli attack sometime this year.

I suppose this means that Nasrallah will be lobbing more missiles into Israel and perhaps conduct more kidnapping operations, and when Israel exercises the temerity to respond, we will be in for another big flare-up in the Middle East.

It may be a very hot summer.

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Another Burning Summer in the Middle East

♠
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Despite the Bush administration's insistence it has no plans to go to war with Iran, a Pentagon panel has been created to plan a bombing attack that could be implemented within 24 hours of getting the go-ahead from President George W. Bush, The New Yorker magazine reported in its latest issue.

The special planning group was established within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in recent months, according to an unidentified former U.S. intelligence official cited in the article by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh in the March 4 issue.

The panel initially focused on destroying Iran's nuclear facilities and on regime change but has more recently been directed to identify targets in Iran that may be involved in supplying or aiding militants in Iraq, according to an Air Force adviser and a Pentagon consultant, who were not identified.

-- Reuters

This is not exactly news but it does make it a little more official. And, as if that were not enough:

The article also included an interview conducted in December with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who said that while he had no interest in initiating another war with Israel, he was anticipating and preparing for another Israeli attack sometime this year.

I suppose this means that Nasrallah will be lobbing more missiles into Israel and perhaps conduct more kidnapping operations, and when Israel exercises the temerity to respond, we will be in for another big flare-up in the Middle East.

It may be a very hot summer.

xXx

And the Oscar Goes To...

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It is Oscar night, and Monk cannot stand the idea of tuning in to catch the least bit of it. The thought of that pomp and circumstance just seems totally repugnant to him, as he falls farther and farther away from the mainstream culture. He'd rather see another Paris Hilton sex tape.

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And the Oscar Goes To...

♠
It is Oscar night, and Monk cannot stand the idea of tuning in to catch the least bit of it. The thought of that pomp and circumstance just seems totally repugnant to him, as he falls farther and farther away from the mainstream culture. He'd rather see another Paris Hilton sex tape.

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