November 12, 2004

Lenny Glynn at New Partisan: There is, in fact, a war-winning weapon close to hand that the Allawi government could use — with support from allies and from both Democrats and Republicans. This weapon could, at a stroke, put flesh on the bones of formal democracy, change the dynamic of the insurgency, begin to win the confidence of the Iraqi people and create a powerful, growing force for stability, national unity and economic development. The weapon, of course, is oil — and the huge flows of cash it generates. The way to deploy it is straightforward. Iraq’s new government should simply announce that as of a date certain, it will establish a new national investment fund — call it The Iraqi People’s Freedom Trust — which will be credited with a major share of all future Iraqi oil earnings. A popular real world model might be the Alaska Permanent Fund, which grants a share of that state’s oil revenues to every citizen. Revenues directed to Iraq’s Freedom Trust  could be invested in Iraqi government bonds, keeping a small cash reserve to provide for cash withdrawals from the Trust by individual Iraqis. 11:38:10 AM

Marriage to remain between a man and a woman. Out In America - On Monday, at the Alberta leaders' debate, Premier Ralph Klein told the audience, "We will fight, I guess, and use whatever legal means are at our disposal to make sure the solemnization of marriage remains between a man and a woman. 11:05:30 AM

Tape Encourages Fighters in Fallujah (AP). AP - An audiotape purportedly made by al-Qaida-linked terror suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi encouraged his fighters in Fallujah and said victory was near. [Yahoo! News: Top Stories] Of course he has probably escaped, and just wants the suckers to cover him. I will never understand the willingness of the gullible to believe the "Baghdad Bob" that always seems to emerge. 10:42:47 AM

Alan Dershowitz sums up Arafat's life nicely: Yasser Arafat was the godfather of international terrorism who dashed his people's hope for statehood, stole billions of dollars intended for the relief of their suffering, and indoctrinated their children with so much hatred that they willingly turned themselves into human bombs. 10:09:10 AM