Israeli Town Vows to Rebuild After Fire
The Israeli town of Beit Oren was ravaged by the Mount Carmel fires last year. But despite the destruction, the town's residents are promising to rebuild. “The truth is that the Israeli way is not to do anything until a rope is around your neck,” says Ran Ronen, a respected member of Beit …
The Arab League's No-Fly Flip-Flop
Has Obama’s failure to commit to regime change in Libya undermined Arab support for Operation Odyssey Dawn? Conservative commentators such as Contentions’ Abe Greenwald are understandably frustrated at the Arab League, which, apparently, was for the no-fly zone before it was against it. Or, …GOP's 2012 Budget: Dead on Arrival?
Anti-deficit stalwart, Rep. Paul Ryan, has pledged to start the markup of the FY2012 budget in early April. The plan should pass the House, but will Senate Dems back it? Apparently old-fashioned snail mail has made a comeback in the United States Senate. Two sets of letters roiled the fiscal …America Takes the Backseat
For one of the few times since WWII, the U.S. isn't taking the lead in a necessary military action. But having the U.S. play a supporting role may be good for the West. The essential significance of the 22-nation attack on Libya is not that it’ll get rid of Muammar Qaddafi, but that it marks a …EU Pols Busted in Bribes for Bills Scandal
The EU's efforts towards more transparent government took another blow last week as two MEPs resigned after being caught accepting a bribe. The EU’s relationship with transparency has never been its forte in the past. Its track-record recently taking another beating as two EU MEPs (Slovenian …The Next Fake Hollywood Scare: Child Hunger
A new documentary Hungry in America hopes to launch a crusade to end child hunger. But if they don't their facts right, they may discredit a worthy cause. The current wave of partisan cinéma non-vérité has become every bit as formulaic and tiresome as Michael Moore's scruffy Common Man routine. …War by Committee
The enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya is being described as America's "third war". But with no clear objective it's more like a glorified international police action. "War is diplomacy by other means." - Clausewitz "You are a professional, but the world is full of dangerous amateurs." …
Palin Flops in India
If Palin's speech at a Delhi conference was intended to establish her foreign policy credentials, she failed. With due respect to aficionados of the emerging India-US alliance, it is difficult to see how New Delhi qualifies as an appropriate destination for a potential presidential candidate to …The Prowl: Return of the Pizza Maker
A few months back, I had a one-night stand with a pizza maker. After a great date, he stood me up twice and I never heard from him again... until this week. For those of you keeping track at home (and it's perfectly reasonable if you're not), my first column for Frum Forum detailed what was …The Adjustment Bureau: Free Will Takes a Backseat
Matt Damon's new thriller The Adjustment Bureau , presents a world where what seems like chance is all part of the (master) plan. A cute girl (or guy) willingly gives you their phone number or email at the club on Friday night. Then you call them the next week and they hang up on you; then they …"There Are No Ex-Green Berets"
The use of a green beret, as a piece of headgear for elite special forces, dates back to WWII and the French Underground. I was recently asked: Which is "proper" or preferred by these men when referring to them, "Green Beret" or "Special Forces"? It is a very insightful question, and …