Kevin Drum on Iraq

I think I pretty much agree with Kevin Drum and his take on Obama and Iraq.  You can read it here.

Random Thoughts in August

Some random thoughts and opinions after a week at the beach:

• Ummm...John McCain and his sidekick Howdy Doody--I mean Lindsay Graham--wanted Obama to aid the rebels in Syria.  Well now those same rebels are raising hell in Iraq so they now want Obama to give aid to the other guys.  I guess they can't decide whether these are the good guys or the bad guys.  They made it sound so easy, just like they did in 2003 when we invaded Iraq to start with.  Let's check back with John and Howdy next week and see who the new good guys and bad guys are.
• Hillary Clinton's recent statements on foreign policy make me less likely to want to vote for her rather than more likely.  I am among those who think that "don't do stupid shit" has worked pretty well for Obama compared to his predecessor.  In her interview she's sounds like she's neo-con-lite.  No thanks.
• If you haven't seen the movie "Searching for Sugar Man"...you should.
• I recently finished William T. Vollmann's novel Europe Central.  We found it at a used book sale while snowbirding on the Gulf.  Whew...quite a book.  It's definitely on the list of best books I had never heard of before.  (I'm not sure why I hadn't heard of it, I think it won the National Book Award.)  I wish I had written it!
• I agree with Kevin Drum that President Obama should use the War Powers Act if--as he says--the operation in Iraq will "take some time."