Democracy Arsenal

« Sign #684 that the Surge is Working | Main | Audio of NATO Conference Call »

April 04, 2008

That Wacky, Wacky Max Boot
Posted by Michael Cohen

Some of you may have noticed that it's been a while since I wrote one of my Wacky, Wacky Krauthammer posts and I apologize to all the loyal DA readers who miss this weekly feature. It's just that Charles seems to be talking less about foreign policy these days (no doubt cowed by my insightful and lacerating posts).

But rest assured DA readers, a new bete noire has entered my blogging crosshairs - Max Boot. Did you know that Max Boot has a blog ?!?!?! Seriously, this is the greatest development since ABC starting showing repeats of Lost with those pop-up features! Truly the blogging gods are smiling on me! (BTW, am I the only person who wonders if Max has a brother named "Das"?)

Since I'm a bit new to this blog, which is called Contentions (a deeply ironic, but still fantastic name), I'm a bit late in highlighting what Boot had to say about the fighting in Basra last week.  First, he approvingly cites this quote from the Financial Times:

“If the prime minister succeeds, the pay-off would deliver a big boost to the credibility of a shaky government, proving that the growing national army is capable of taking on powerful militia.”

So what happens, if the prime minister fails miserably . . . will it be a devastating blow to  the credibility of a shaky government proving that the growing national army is incapable of taking on a powerful militia? Surprisingly Max is silent on this issue.

But then there is this:

If Maliki is now getting serious about asserting the supremacy of the Iraqi state over the militias, that is a development to be cheered. I only hope he does not lose his nerve in this hour of crisis: if well-led, the Iraqi Security Forces have the power to defeat any militia on the battlefield.

Well every militia but one it seems. Sometimes I wish I was a neo-con: I could be consistently wrong and yet operate with complete and total impunity (and what's more serve as a key foreign policy adviser to the GOP nominee for President). Sorry Chuck, you've been replaced.

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451c04d69e200e551bad91a8834

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference That Wacky, Wacky Max Boot:

Comments

Max: "If well-led, the Iraqi Security Forces have the power to defeat any militia on the battlefield."

MAX BOOT -- Expertise: Defense policy; defense budget; proliferation; nation-building and peacekeeping; democracy and human rights; U.S. grand strategy; national security; military technology; military history; U.S. foreign policy; terrorism and guerilla warfare; terrorism; media.

BAGHDAD — More than 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen either refused to fight or simply abandoned their posts during the inconclusive assault against Shiite militias in Basra last week, a senior Iraqi government official said Thursday. Iraqi military officials said the group included dozens of officers, including at least two senior field commanders in the battle. The desertions in the heat of a major battle cast fresh doubt on the effectiveness of the American-trained Iraqi security forces. --NYT

WHO IS MAX BOOT? -- "A one line bio at the bottom of his bloodcurdling piece gives no details regarding Boot's credentials except to note that he is "The Wall Street Journal's editorial features editor." Thanks to the miracle of Google, however, we learn that Boot is a 32-year-old punk who was snapped up by the Wall Street Journal to rule over their editorial page features at the tender age of 28. In a lengthy 1998 interview Boot gave to Brian Lamb, for Booknotes, we learn that Boot's profile is that of the perfect armchair warrior: instead of boot camp, this guy went to Yale and Berkeley. If he's so gung ho, why doesn't he volunteer? – I'm sure with a few hundred hours of training he could (barely) pass the physical, and, in his case, we'll make an exception and skip the psychological testing…."--Justin Raimondo

In a lengthy 1998 interview buy tramadol online Boot gave to Brian Lamb, for Booknotes, we learn that Boot's profile is that of the perfect armchair warrior: instead buy tramadol online of boot camp, this guy went to Yale and Berkeley.

Thank you for your sharing! I like i very much!

很难有发展前途做人体艺术美,看的眼光不同,人也不同
务的受人体艺术是确是很难
人体艺术这项工作了女so you him
其实有空还不如去看看人体艺术有意思,再不然也可以去浏览下有不错的人体艺术指导,难道看到的古惑仔全集系列要去
short haircutssms jokesshort hairstylessdog groomerswhy

Post a comment

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In.

Guest Contributors
Founder
Subscribe
Sign-up to receive a weekly digest of the latest posts from Democracy Arsenal.
Email: 
Powered by TypePad

Disclaimer

The opinions voiced on Democracy Arsenal are those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of any other organization or institution with which any author may be affiliated.
Read Terms of Use