View From The Top, 29 October 2008

-- Good luck to you guys at the CS Monitor. I think it's the best idea, even though it might still not be enough to save the paper.

-- Ambinder has a post about European misgivings with President Obama (I'm just going to save myself the typing of 'Future' or 'President-to-be'). This is something that more Americans need to realize, that while Europe might prefer Obama over McCain by very wide margins, it does not necessarily equate into support of Obama and his policies. The support is currently more from an anti-Bush fervor, and they project their ideal policies onto the opponent. The comments on the Ambinder post are typical Obama-supporter piddle: "Policies aren't important, Ambinder! Europeans like Obama's entire persona more than McCain's! Specifics are missing the point!" They'll learn.

-- Tying in with that, Slate has a "How We're Voting" article worth perusing. If you ignore the sanctimonious "we'll finally have an intelligent leader with Obama *sips chablis*" reasons, there are a couple of good responses. Shmuel Rosner's answer in particular, caught my eye.

Folks, this might be the most mature and even-headed political statement of the season. Bask in its common sense, revel in the perspective:

I would vote if I could, but I can't. I'm an Israeli, not an American. But whom would I vote for? I can't answer that. Being a foreign observer doesn't only mean that I can't cast a vote; it also means that my priorities are different. All I see is the Israeli interest from an Israeli standpoint. I'm not just a one-issue voter, I'm a one-issue voter with no way of understanding—really understanding—how I'd feel if I had the opportunity to be an American voter.

On issues related to foreign policy, especially matters concerning the Middle East, it's easier for me to identify with John McCain. I live in a tough neighborhood, and McCain seems to be the candidate most comfortable with the idea that countries in areas like that sometimes need to use force. However, I also see the advantages of Obama, especially the chance for America to recover its image. (Just don't expect too much.) (my emphasis --S.) I see how friendly countries like Israel can benefit from a United States that is more acceptable to the broader world.

Wow, an foreign observer who realizes how hard it is to fully understand the intricacies of politics in another country. A man who's humble enough to say "I'm unqualified to comment." A rare moment of journalistic courage.

Loves it.

-- David Carr at the New York Times has a wonderfully provincial inside-look at newspapers. It's a valiant attempt to honestly analyze the bewildered-mutterings-of-an-old-man comments from newspaper execs. I especially enjoyed this line:

Clearly, the sky is falling. The question now is how many people will be left to cover it.

Let me clarify, David. Your sky is falling. There's still plenty of news reporting happening. It might not come in a 750-word block on page A14 of some newsprint, but people will still want to know what's happening.

-- Now, on to international glimpses: An Iraqi court takes a big step forward in the transition to a stable Iraqi ally as they convict an Iraqi man for the murder of American troops.

-- Here's another step forward, too, as Iraqis take control of its 13th province. Only 5 more provinces are outside their purvey. No one predicted this kind of rip-roaring success, no one.

I know I'm paranoid, but I can't help but feel that there's more danger than meets the eye, that there are thousands of Iran-backed insurgents biding their time, waiting to rain hell down upon pure Iraqi forces when we're focused more on AfPak. But I'm a worrier.

-- My Buddy SecDef Gates gave a speech on deterrence at the Carnegie Endowment for Int'l Peace with lots of gooey nuggets in the speech for international-affairs nerds. I, for one, had no idea how quickly we were reducing some of our nuclear capabilities. We'll achieve the goals of the Moscow Treaty two years early? We'll soon be down to one-fourth of our Cold-War nuclear capabilities? Wow.

Of course, the points that more people will note are in the reeeally somber analysis of our nuclear stockpile, how it is old and in desperate need of updates. Every other nuclear power is updating their weaponry, including England and France, yet we are entrapped in a 80's-style fear of nuclear technology. Gates suggested that if we don't update and authorize more funding for replacement warheads, we'll have no way to analyze our stockpile but by renewing nuclear testing. Or, as Nathan Hodge put it:

In other words, fund this thing, mothertruckers, or we start testing.

/mushroomcloudlolz

My grouchy prognostication? President Obama, who on the campaign trail consistently held out his anti-proliferation legislation as a primary example of his foreign-policy cred, will foolishly believe that through his rhetoric and rising Democratic majority he can set an example of still drawing down all nuclear weaponry. The U.S. will continue to hemorrhage scientists and researchers, our capabilities will be even more rusty and petit, and we'll wake up in 10 years and find ourselves 15 years behind China in nukes.

In case you needed your day ruined, you're welcome.

-- On a cheerier note, Baby Face Kwame's going to spend 4 months in jail! Corrupt-Detroit-Politics-Fever!!! Catch it!!!