Eye on the Watcher’s Council

As you may know the members of the Watcher’s Council each nominate one of his or her own posts and one non-Council post for consideration by the whole Council. The complete list of this week’s Council nominations is here.

The Glittering Eye, “Taking Notice”

In my submission for this week I acknowledge a couple of news reports touching on points that don’t get enough attention.

Done With Mirrors, “Bremer Redux”

Callimachus examines former Presidential Envoy Paul Bremer’s comments about dissolving the Iraqi Army. My own view is that the criticism of what happened after the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s government is legitimate; its vehemence is not. While PE Bremer’s observations that the Iraqi Army had already collapsed are doubtless true, I suspect that the opposition during the CPA period to former regime members and Ba’athists was too blanket. The consequences of and attacks on the process of de-Ba’athification fully justifies the U. S. policy in Germany after WWII, which at the time was bitterly contested. It is an imperfect world and there are no perfect solutions to be found.

Bookworm Room, “50 Million Intellectuals Can Be Wrong”

Bookworm launches into the ways and reasons that public intellectuals are wrong. My favorite description of a public intellectual was originally a description of columnist George Will: that kid in fourth grade who always had his hand up. Fortunately, in the United States they are not now nor have they ever been influential. Have I ever mentioned that the word “intelligentsia” is a Russian word coined by 19th century Russian intellectuals to describe themselves?

Rhymes With Right, “Voter Racism Must Be Condemned!”

Greg, Greg, Greg. Let me explain the term “racism” to you as it’s used today. Racism is only racism if one has power and one implicitly has power if one is a member of the group, some of whose members wield most of the power. Consequently, racism can only properly be used to describe men of European ancestry. People of black African ancestry can never be properly accused of racism regardless of their conduct. Group identity, group membership, group power, group guilt. Got it?

The Colossus of Rhodey, “News Journal Provides Forum for What We All Knew”

I don’t think I agree with Hube on the idea that renters are incapable of taking pride in their living conditions, rather, I think it’s a cultural issue. I recall that when I was a kid there were lots of renters down in South St. Louis who were out on their hands and knees scrubbing the thresholds and sidewalks of the places they lived right along with those who owned their own homes. The difference was one of pride, responsibility, and social pressure. Times have changed.

Cheat Seeking Missiles, “Give Peace a Chance”

Laer is unimpressed with the anti-war slogan. Augustine taught than an unjust peace was worse than a just war; Cicero believed the opposite. The difference, I think, is that Augustine believed in a universal standard for justice. Does the absence of such a standard lead to peace or war? I suspect the latter since, without a standard for justice, on what basis can a war for gain be criticized?

Soccer Dad, “Missile-leading Modifiers”

Soccer Dad isn’t happy with the descriptions in the press of the Qassam rockets used by Hamas and others against Israel. I think the usage is a combination of ignorance, a misguided equivalencing approach to provide journalistic balance, a soupçon of bias, and convention (sort of like Homeric epithets). SD takes note of the conventional use of descriptions himself.

‘Okie’ on the Lam, “2001 — Our Own Odyssey Began On 9/11”

In commemoration of the anniversay of the attacks, ‘Okie’ reviews his memories of September 11, 2001.

Joshuapundit, “Osama’s Real Message”

Freedom Fighter sees two messages in the recent tape purportedly from Osama bin Laden: an attempt at dividing his enemies and the customary call to repentance required of pious Muslims before initiating hostilities. I continue to believe that the primary audience for these tapes isn’t the West and that the message is one seen more clearly by the target audience than it is by us. The obvious message is, of course, “I’m still here”. I don’t think he is.

The Education Wonks, “Wonkitorial Comment: Six Years After 9-11”

EdWonk is highly critical of the official response to the attacks of 9/11. There’s a lot to be critical of.

Big Lizards, “Bush Moves Goal Post in Iraq from Security — to Security”

Dafydd ab Hugh observes that the NYT is upset that President Bush has stubbornly stayed with his own metrics for measuring progress in Iraq rather than adopting theirs.

Right Wing Nut House, “The Way We Were”

Rick Moran looks at a photo of himself dated September 9, 2001 and wonders what message the man he sees in the picture is sending him.

Well, I’ve decided which posts I’ll vote for this week. Which posts would get your votes?

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