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, “The Cop on the Beat”

In my submission for this week I follow up on my earlier post on noninterventionism. Honestly, I find America’s current role in the world pretty dismaying but I don’t see a ready substitute. The alternatives, isolationism or ceding our foreign policy to private corporations, are even worse and nobody else seems to want the job. The rule of thumb I think we should be following is that we need to encourage a greater role in regional problems from countries in that region.

Soccer Dad, “Getting a “Clue””

Soccer Dad tries to puzzle out the truth of the story of the death of a Palestinian woman. The problem is that these days everyone seems to have his or her own facts and whatever the truth or falsity confabulations that support one’s preferred view have a way of taking on lives of their own.

Done With Mirrors, “Growth Potential”

Callimachus reflects on the candidates who may be able to benefit from OJT.

The Colossus of Rhodey, “Closed Loop or Branching Streams?”

Hube considers different styles of future history stories.

Wolf Howling, “Britain’s Prosecution of The Blogger Lionheart for Criticism of Islam”

GW comments on the case of a British blogger charged with “stirring up racial hatred”. I’m an American. Generally speaking I like our system but I can see how people in other countries wouldn’t and I’m usually content to allow them their own ways of doing things so long as they afford me the same consideration. This story makes me wonder if foreign laws will be used to curtail my freedom of speech. Things have come to a pretty pass when you get in more trouble for saying or writing that somebody did something wrong than they did by doing something wrong.

Cheat Seeking Missiles, “Honor Killings? What Honor Killings?”

This post on what certainly appear to be the “honor killings” of his two daughters on the part of an Egyptian man highlights a major gripe of mine. Did this guy murder his daughters because of Islam or, as I believe, despite Islam? To the best of my knowledge honor killings are un-Qur’anic. That brutal, ignorant savages claim to profess Islam doesn’t mean that’s what they’re actually doing. They may just confuse the cruel ignorant customs that are older than Islam with Islam. The actions of refugees from 500 BCE bring disrepute on all of Islam while the more enlightened stand by in mute acquiescence.

Bookworm Room, “Death and the Moonbat”

Bookworm posts on how the fear of death and beliefs about death influence political decision-making.

Joshuapundit, “Major Andrew Olmsted, R.I.P”

Freedom Fighter posts on the death of former Council member Andrew Olmsted, expressing sentiments with which I agree wholeheartedly.

The Education Wonks, “Dixville Notch This!”

EdWonk posts scathingly on the limitations of our current presidential primary system and the vagaries of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina voters.

Rhymes With Right, “Major Papers Oppose Justice For Murderers”

Greg notes that major newspapers are opposed to the death penalty and express their opposition with some very peculiar arguments. I can understand opposition to the death penalty (see also Bookworm’s post on beliefs about death, cited above) and arguing vehemently in favor of passing laws abolishing it. Claiming that it has already been abolished, as at least the New York Times has, strikes me as bizarre.

Big Lizards, “Nix On “Negative” Nomenclature”

Dafydd ab Hugh posts on negative campaigning. I also gather that he doesn’t much care for John McCain.

Right Wing Nut House, “The Cotton Candy Candidacy”

Rick Moran reflects on the history of the New Hampshire primary as bellwether of the nation.

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

0 comments… add one

Leave a Comment