International Affairs

This sounds about right to me. It's from an email to Michael Yon from Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates: This is obviously a massive dump of information.  First of all, I would say unlike the Pentagon Papers, one of the things that is important, I think, in all of these releases, whether it's Afghanistan, Iraq or the releases this week, is the lack of any … [Read more...] about Defense Secretary Gates on Wikileaks

A couple of posts ago, I asked why the navies of the world aren't trying harder to stop the Somali pirates. Yesterday, I had dinner with a friend of mine who follows world events more than I do (and who I'm trying to talk into co-blogging) and he had an answer that explains a lot. First of all, with all the shipping in the area, it's very difficult to spot the pirates in action … [Read more...] about Pirates of the Somali Coast

What would Horatio Hornblower do? I'm referring to this crap: NEW DELHI - Separate bands of pirates hijacked two ships and captured their crews, while yet another opened fire on an Indian navy ship before being driven off -- clear signs that the brigands roaming the Gulf of Aden are becoming bolder and more violent, officials said Wednesday. ... [Noel Choong of the … [Read more...] about WWHHD?

Dear Jiang Yu and Liu Jianchao, I hear that you are Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons who are demanding an apology from CNN because of something commentator Jack Cafferty said. A Reuters article by Lindsay Beck says, Cafferty had said the United States imported Chinese-made "junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food," adding: "They're basically the … [Read more...] about Dear Jiang Yu and Liu Jianchao

According to an AP wire story, China isn't happy with Steven Spielberg: Hollywood director Steven Spielberg's decision to quit the Beijing Olympics over the Darfur crisis is drawing condemnation by China's state-controlled media and a groundswell of criticism from the Chinese public. ... In newspaper commentaries and lively Internet forums, they have expressed outrage, scorn … [Read more...] about Welcome to the Club, Steven