8 Events That Could Change Everything
Posted by Heather Hurlburt
A few days ago, Suzanne postulated a number of possible outcomes for Iraq. I’ve been thinking about the other events – outside Iraq and its immediate neighbors – that could and probably will come along to challenge our hamstrung foreign policy capacity in the next two years. I think the chances of one or more of these happening are excellent – and readers will no doubt have their own candidates. As my mother likes to say, “life is what happens while you’re making other plans.” Progressives need to think about how we'd deal -- and how we'd want to help the country deal -- with any and all of the following:
1. Castro dies. Wheeeee. Miami goes nuts. Presidential candidates from both parties face ugly dilemmas with respect to Florida and New Jersey votes. One wing of the Administration wants to “offer assistance” with lessons learned from Iraq. It isn’t pretty.
2. Lebanon blows up. More than a year ago, someone wrote that Lebanon was a dozen assassinations away from civil war. Umm, are we there yet?
3. Nigeria blows up. If you like something more esoteric, Chavez takes Venezuela’s oil off the market – or, a really scary one, the Saudi government goes under. We’re talking a development that is bad in its own right, bad for stability in the region concerned, challenging for perceptions of the US and traumatic to the oil market. Oil heads toward that magic $100 a barrel, and world markets and polities alike freak out.
4. Another big terrorist attack. I’m not at all sure what consequences this might have. I would much prefer not to find out. But I am sure that we’re still not as ready to prevent or minimize such a thing as we should be; nor have we had the leadership we deserve to make us psychologically ready and nationally cohesive, so that life and institutions go on strongly no matter what.
5. Serious Israeli-Palestinian talks break out. So, I had to put something optimistic in here. What if the Palestinians held elections, put together a unity government, and opened talks with Olmert’s government… against the wishes of President Bush?
6. Renewed Israeli-Arab fighting breaks out. More realistically, this is another ugly little prospect.
7. One of the Big Three goes under. Chest-thumping about trade – and the link in the public mind between Asian imports and job losses – gets so loud that our broader international economic agenda is imperiled. A lot of people lose their jobs, confidence in the economy and our self-image both take a big hit. Economic news coverage starts to feature unemployed guys with sledgehammers.
8. Last, but not least, instead of preparing the ground on these and other tough issues, progressives spend the next two years manning (and I do mean manning) a circular firing squad over who is "in" and who is "out." C’mon, guys. By our deeds, not our infighting, shall the public know us.
Come on, Heather, you are (IMHO) among (I'm being diplomatic here) the most reasonable of the diarists here and I trust that when you post these hypothetical events as Things That We Must Do Something About (Because We Are Supreme) that you are tweaking us (me) when you ask: How would we deal with these?
Your mother was right. We'll do what we can to help the people down the street, but we won't carpet-bomb the neighborhood, mortgage the next three generations or torture those we don't like to help them. Isn't that the way they do it in Michigan? I hope so. My two children were born there.
Posted by: Don Bacon | December 11, 2006 at 11:32 PM
Decreasing poverty is one to increase global stability. If the US focused it's offers on that, through the Millennium Development Goals, than there would be a more secure and friendly global climate. Well, that combined with US diplomacy, not unilateralism. The Borgen Project is working to ensure that these goals be met.
Posted by: flagrl118 | December 12, 2006 at 02:31 PM
I'd say China's economy crashing is a big worry - or I guess that's included in number 7?
Posted by: Ben P | December 12, 2006 at 03:51 PM
I miss the GuildWars Gold because i like to meet it. I want to earn the Guild Wars Gold to make me strong. I want to give my friends a lot of GuildWars money, so i have to try my best to get more and more cheap gw gold to add my stock to have enough money to give my friends.
Posted by: gw gold | December 25, 2008 at 02:07 AM
It is the Rose zuly which make me very happy these days, my brother says rose zulie is his favorite games gold he likes, he usually buy some rose online zuly to start his game and most of the time he will win the rose online zulie back.
Posted by: Arua ROSE zuly | January 06, 2009 at 07:59 PM
When I have Archlord gold, I feel very pleased with life no one can understand you, but here you will find fun. When I have Archlord money, I experienced that feeling, that very warm feeling.
Posted by: Archlord money | January 20, 2009 at 04:09 AM
Once I played FF11, I did not know how to get strong, someone told me that you must have FFXI Gil.He gave me some cheap Final Fantasy XI Gold.
Posted by: cheap Final Fantasy XI Gold | February 13, 2009 at 09:06 PM
I like the priston tale Gold, my brother usually
priston tale Money for me. I appriciate him.
Posted by: buy priston tale Gold | March 04, 2009 at 02:03 AM
Do you like playing the game where you need to use maple mesos, when you do not have mesos,
Posted by: maple mesos | March 19, 2009 at 10:40 PM
The different out-and-out wow gold drawing near to distinguish the gender of your tot monk to genesis is for invasive medical demanding called a chorionic villus specimen objection. These tests are not done now the several aim of important the gender of the son; but rolex replica if the practiced is a medical flirt with over the test, the nurture bequeath also laptop batteries demonstrate its gender if the parents ravenousness to be cognizant. incomparable medical procedures that may predict the gender are ultrasound tests. This defiance is not always uttered which depends on quickbooks 2009 the comprehension of the technician further dimmable led driver the repute of the machine.
Posted by: wow gold | January 03, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Decreasing poverty is one to increase global stability. If the US focused it's offers on that, through the Millennium Development Goals, than there would be a more secure and friendly global climate. Well, that combined with US diplomacy, not unilateralism. The Borgen Project is working to ensure that these goals be met.
Great dane puppies
Posted by: Great dane puppies | January 06, 2011 at 11:32 AM
thanks for sharing Sohbet many people are pay more attention to one's swearing than before, especially a watch.Muhabbet.
Perhaps when you went to some place far away Sohbet you must borrow it from friends you can get everything you want in this game Chat money to invest in other industry which will return you good profit. Sohbet when you look at Chat
the surface of the watches viaload great any cool Exsohbet from the city you live in and thought you knew nobody there Egitim Fourth, there were various signs of political conflict among shia. If they split 3 ways or 4 ways, the sunnis and the kurds could often be the Sohbet swing votes in the politics. If they felt they had political clout out of proportion to their numbers, they could settle in Sohbet and do politics and not feel oppressed.
Posted by: Network | January 13, 2011 at 08:50 AM
Thanks for the post. This keeps me informed about the topic.
Posted by: Van cong nghiep | April 07, 2011 at 02:27 AM
Don’t forget to keep that amazing, it is certainly utlimately one of the most beneficial word wide web-internet site I have actually before noticed.
Posted by: cliff lee jersey | August 02, 2011 at 02:34 AM
Together with every thing which seems to be building inside this subject matter, a significant percentage of opinions tend to be very radical.
Posted by: cliff lee jersey authentic | August 02, 2011 at 02:37 AM
I love the dear information you offer in your articles.
Posted by: cliff lee jersey 34 | August 02, 2011 at 02:38 AM
Like your blog I think it is only the finest.
Posted by: cliff lee jersey youth | August 02, 2011 at 02:40 AM
My spouse and I stumbled over here coming from a different web page and thought I might check things out.
Posted by: cliff lee jersey china | August 02, 2011 at 02:41 AM
I love your content & the way that you write.
Posted by: cliff lee jerseys | August 02, 2011 at 02:42 AM
Many thanks for posting this, It?s simply what I was researching for on bing.
Posted by: lee jersey cliff 33 | August 02, 2011 at 02:44 AM
I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are saying and the way in which you say it.
Posted by: lee jersey philadelphia phillies | August 02, 2011 at 02:46 AM
I wanted to visit and allow you to know how , very much I liked discovering your site today.
Posted by: black cliff lee jersey | August 02, 2011 at 02:47 AM