Month: December 2006

Kofi’s Parting Shot.

“As [Harry] Truman said, ‘We must, once and for all, prove by our acts conclusively that right has might.’ That’s why this country has historically been in the vanguard of the global human rights movement. But that lead can only be maintained if America remains true to its principles, including in the struggle against terrorism. When it appears to abandon its own ideas and objectives, its friends abroad are naturally troubled and confused.” As Kofi Annan bids farewell to his post at the UN, he offers some words of wisdom to America — and to Dubya — on our nation’s role in the world.

Full Nelson | Splendid Cook.


Hello all from the South Island…Just checking in from an egregiously expensive Internet cafe at our current location, the Hermitage (a.k.a. New Zealand’s answer to the Overlook), nestled by the base of the spectacularly scenic Aoraki/Mt. Cook (the tallest mountain in New Zealand. and the one featured in the opening moments of The Two Towers.) Before here, we spent a few days in the very pleasant backpacker village of Nelson, where we briefly checked out the area around Abel Tasman National Park, and then drove down the western coast and through Arthur’s Pass, taking in many breathtaking vistas along the way. (Also caught Children of Men late the other night — a full review will have to wait until a cheaper connection, I’m afraid, but in brief: I liked it quite a bit and it’s worth seeing, although the film jumps off a cliff in the last twenty minutes.)

Where do we go now?

Apparently none too pleased with the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, the Dubya administration tries to conjure up alternative policies for Iraq: “The major alternatives include a short-term surge of 15,000 to 30,000 additional U.S. troops to secure Baghdad and accelerate the training of Iraqi forces. Another strategy would redirect the U.S. military away from the internal strife to focus mainly on hunting terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda. And the third would concentrate political attention on supporting the majority Shiites and abandon U.S. efforts to reach out to Sunni insurgents.“

Distant Thunder.

“The pistols are poppin’ and the power is down, I’d like to try somethin’ but I’m so far from town…” Ok, I’ll admit it — I reupped for more time, to catch up on political news. And, while doing so, I discovered that Slate, of all places, is not only premiering Bob Dylan’s new video for Thunder on the Mountain, which is chock-full of vintage Dylan footage, but offering a chance to win a guitar signed by the man himself. Cool…but is it strung lefty?

Spartans via Kiwi.

Two more minutes before my Internet time runs out and I disappear back into the ether…so, before I go, here’s the full trailer for Zack Snyder’s 300. Not as effective as — and somewhat derivative of — the grand teaser (and still no sign of McNulty or Faramir), but I’ll probably still catch it, if nothing else than to see what’s in store for The Watchmen.

The Road Goes Ever On (and On and On…)

Hey y’all — A quick update: After a full day of flying (VA to Dallas to LAX to Auckland, most of which I spent engrossed in George Packer’s The Assassins’ Gate) and a full day of driving across the North Island (Auckland to Wellington), we’ve made it here safely, and our New Zealand trip has begun in earnest. Tomorrow, we take the ferry to the South Island, where we’ll be spending most of our time here. (Also, I noticed while exploring downtown Wellington that Children of Men is already out here, so, should a slow day present itself, perhaps I’ll be able to post one of those movie reviews after all.) Hope all goes well Stateside and elsewhere.

There and Back Again.

“I want to see mountains again, mountains, Gandalf! And then find somewhere quiet where I can finish my book…I need a holiday — a very long holiday — and I don’t expect I shall return. In fact, I mean not to!” Or at least for a couple of weeks. Yes y’all, Christmas is arriving early this year in these parts: Later today I and several other members of the Clan Murphy are headed off to Middle Earth, a.k.a, the World of (18 hours in) the Future, a.k.a. New Zealand, so as to enjoy a few holiday weeks of traveling, hiking, trout-fishing, and general exploring. So, as you might expect, updates here at GitM will undoubtedly be more intermittent (and the comment-spam more pronounced) than usual, although I’ll try to check in every now and again should the Internet present itself. (Also, reviews of the season’s big films — Children of Men, Pan’s Labyrinth, Inland Empire, The Good German/Shepherd — will likely be posted late, upon my return.) Until then, be safe, stay warm, and happy holidays…I’ll see you when I’ll see you.

Seeing the Real (War) at Last.

“From now on I’ll be busy, Ain’t goin’ nowhere fast…” In what will hopefully amount to both a transformation in the debate over the war and a much-needed moment of clarity for the Dubya administration (alas, not likely), the Baker-Hamilton Commission officially releases its Iraq report (Exec Sum/Assessments). While perhaps vague on the details, it calls the situation in Iraq “grave and deteriorating” and argues that a “slide toward chaos” is a very real possibility (if, in fact, it hasn’t already happened.) “Despite a list of 79 recommendations meant to encourage regional diplomacy and lead to a reduction of U.S. forces over the next year, the panel acknowledges that stability in Iraq may be impossible to achieve any time soon.“

Gates of Fire.

“‘What we heard this morning was a welcome breath of honest, candid realism about the situation in Iraq,’ Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) said during a midday break.” The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously approved Robert Gates, who helped his case considerably by admitting the obvious fact that Iraq’s looking ugly, as Rumsfeld’s replacement at the Pentagon yesterday. Among those impressed with Gates was Slate‘s Fred Kaplan: “I’ve been watching defense secretaries in confirmation hearings for 30 years, off and on, but I don’t think I’ve seen any perform more forthrightly than Gates did this morning.” Update: Gates goes through, 95-2.