"Hope": Nice slogan, bad policy

Steve Huntley writing in the Chicago Sun-Times says

So what is Obama's Iraq strategy? It seems to be that he knows al-Qaida is in Iraq but he's going to pull out anyway. But if al-Qaida establishes a base in Iraq, he will go back in. Does that sound confused to you? Me, too.

His policy, in a nutshell, seems to be this: Pull troops out of Iraq and hope for the best...

Huntley goes on to point out, echoing President Bush, the negative effects of meeting, without any conditions or specific goals (such as recognizing Israel, renouncing terror, and ceasing to meddle in Iraq) with the thuggish theocrat of Iran, Ahmadinejad: the oppressive regime is legitimized, internal dissent in Iran demoralized, American allies double-crossed.

Deborah Gyapong: CAJ joins PEN in calling for changes to human rights acts

Deborah Gyapong: CAJ joins PEN in calling for changes to human rights acts

It appears that there is quite a bit of latent hostility to the Canadian, and various provincial, Human Rights Censors, er Commissions bubbling up to the surface. As Small Dead Animals says, "[Canadian PM] Mr. Harper, I Think It's Safe To Come Out From Under Your Desk Now."

They're working on it, Dave; give 'em time

Comment by David Beverage about the NYT smear piece on McCain: "The New York Times is not the National Enquirer."

Assault on free speech in Canada

The continuing saga of the Canadian Islamic Congress vs. Maclean's, Mark Steyn, and Ezra Levant. Canada's "Human Rights Commissions" provide the perfect forum for silencing opinions you don't like through "lawfare", but it looks like the perpetually offended hit a snag this time around. The feeble defenses (defences?) of censorship offered up by the complainants and their fellow-travelers are pathetic -- you almost feel sorry for the poor guys until you remember what it is they're trying to do.