Democracy = end of history consensus? - quite.

** Messianic Imperialism - Interesting.

"When Mr. Bush talks about “the axis of evil”, Christians take his phrase literally—and he knows it. For many decades Americans have been the most religious people of all western nations, as measured by

* their weekly attendance at worship services (about 46 percent, triple that of Europe);

* belief in God and an afterlife (four times that of Europe); and

* their stressing the importance of religion in their lives.

* The congregations on the margins of mainstream Christianity are growing vigorously: Jehovah's Witnesses by 162 percent; and the Pentecostal Assemblies of God by 267 percent (Vincent Parrillo, Strangers to These Shores 7th ed., Allyn & Bacon, 2003, pp.475-476 and pp. 510-511).

Is there any explanation why Americans are so much more religious than Europeans?"

Which reminds me that there was a Jehovah's Witness knocking at Martina's door the other day. After stating that she's not really interested in eternal life and staying young forever, he countered: "So you want to be old and sick?". The line of reasoning this guy was following was just terrible. Obviously, the premises didn't really put him in a favourable position, but brownie points for trying. He was accompanied by a younger 'disciple', who kept smiling in an embarrassed way every time she suppressed laughter... with a look saying: 'I know, but I was born into this nonsense...'.


** Newest Chomsky article - Wars on Terror. Enjoy!

"Another familiar way to evade rational standards is to dismiss the historical record as merely “the abuse of reality,” not “reality itself,” which is “the unachieved national purpose.” In this version of the traditional “city on a hill” conception, formulated by the founder of realist IR theory, America has a “transcendent purpose,” “the establishment of equality in freedom,” and American politics is designed to achieve this “national purpose,” however flawed it may be in execution. In a current version, published shortly before 9/11 by a prominent scholar, there is a guiding principle that “defines the parameters within which the policy debate occurs,” a spectrum that excludes only “tattered remnants” on the right and left and is “so authoritative as to be virtually immune to challenge.” The principle is that America is an “historical vanguard.” “History has a discernible direction and destination. Uniquely among all the nations of the world, the United States comprehends and manifests history’s purpose.” It follows that US “hegemony” is the realization of history’s purpose and its application is therefore for the common good, a truism that renders empirical evaluation irrelevant."


** via liberal arts mafia: "Fuck you." - Paul Wolfowitz to Al Franken after Franken said, "Clinton's military did pretty well in Iraq, huh?"


** Another comparison drawn between Iraq and Vietnam. Good American Revisionism

"Mr. McNamara and Johnson knew they were mistaken, but they were too spineless to face down an electorate made up largely of the same people who thought the Kent State killings were just fine.

Who was the "good American" in 1970? We may tell ourselves differently now, but the truth is it was someone who thought the cowards with blood on their hands in the White House were swell fellows."


** Condoleeza tries to explain where all the WMD went.

"According to Dr Rice, the weapons programs are "in bits and pieces" rather than assembled weapons. "You may find assembly lines, you may find pieces hidden here and there," she said. Ingredients or precursors, many non-lethal by themselves, could be embedded in dual-use facilities.

She had a new explanation too for Iraq's ability to launch these weapons that were not assembled. "Just-in-time assembly" and "just-in-time" inventory, as she put it."

They must have beaten Saddam "just-in-time" then. Laughable, like the counter-concealement story.