Please note that you can leave a comment on any of our posts at our Facebook page.  Subscribers can also comment at length at our Angel's Corner Forum.

To subscribers:  Part II of The Angel's Corner will be published tonight.  We wanted to delay publication until we got in some reader comments on Libya.  We'll be publishing at least two thoughtful contributions this evening.

MARCH 20,  2011

THANKS, GUYS.  ANY TIME – AT 9:38 P.M. ET:  You know, I think someone from an American charm school should venture over to the Muslim and Arab countries and teach these worthies two words:  "Thank you."  Apparently, they're not in the current vocabulary. 

Get the comments of this gent, who's running for the presidency of Egypt:

The Arab League chief said on Sunday that Arabs did not want military strikes by Western powers that hit civilians when the League called for a no-fly zone over Libya.

In comments carried by Egypt's official state news agency, Secretary-General Amr Moussa also said he was calling for an emergency Arab League meeting to discuss the situation in the Arab world and particularly Libya.

The guy is just politicking, trying to pick up the reflexive anti-American vote in Egypt.

"What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone, and what we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians," he said.

"He requested official reports about what happened in Libya in terms of aerial and marine bombardment that led to the deaths and injuries of many Libyan civilians. He pointed out that he asked for the full data to know what actually happened," MENA said.

Western forces have unleashed their biggest military attack in the Arab world since the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, targeting Muammar Gadhafi's air defenses and armored vehicles near the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in the east of the country.

A few hours after the first missiles struck, Gadhafi called on "citizens of the Arab and Islamic nations" and other developing countries to "stand by the heroic Libyan people to confront this aggression".

But Arabs from North Africa to the Gulf, many demanding political rights for the first time, dismissed the appeal from a leader whose four decades of authoritarian and capricious rule have exhausted any reserves of sympathy.

COMMENT:  The classic "it's your fault" response of the some of the Arab Leaguers tells us much of what we have to know about why the Arab world never gets anywhere.  We hope that if Amr Moussa gets to be president of Egypt, he wises up.  In the Arab world, that would count as a political miracle.

March 20, 2011       Permalink

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD – AT 9:19 P.M. ET:  For the supreme and benevolent leader of Libya, things may be getting a little too close.  From Fox:

The 4-story compound in downtown Tripoli that was home to Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi was demolished by missile attacks, according to reporters near the area.

There was no known injuries at it remains unclear where the leader has been living since the no-fly zone was ordered.

There were two circular holes in the roof, which is consistent with a missile strike, and rubble littered the street. It remains unclear when the strike occurred, reported Fox News’ Steve Harrigan.

Pentagon official had previously said Sunday that the coalition “will not be going after Qaddafi.”

The missile attack followed a day where the U.S. and allied forces claimed significant success in the early stages of enforcing a U.N.-sanctioned no-fly zone in Libya, said a military official at the Pentagon.

COMMENT:  Well, the Pentagon claims they're not going after Qaddafi, but hitting his compound doesn't add much to the claim.  I would shed no tears if the leadership issue in Libya were resolved by a Tomahawk missile, but I hope Qaddafi's Paris fashions are left intact, for donation to the Salvation Army. 

Reportedly, Qaddafi was scared to death after we toppled Saddam Hussein, fearing he'd be next.  Now he is next.

March 20, 2011       Permalink

NUT CASE OF THE DAY – AT 11:44 A.M. You think you know about March madness?  This is the real March madness.  From the Harvard Crimson:

Think the rush to get your kids into Ivy League schools starts in high school? Think again.

Nicole Imprescia is suing York Avenue Preschool, a private preschool in New York, claiming that they may have damaged her four-year-old daughter's chances of getting into an elite private school.

Imprescia also alleges that the school may have hurt her daughter's chances of acceptance at an Ivy League institution such as Harvard, "citing an article that identifies preschools as the first step to 'The Ivy League,'" the New York Daily News reports.

The mother says that she enrolled her daughter at the school based on its promise to prepare students for the ERB test, which is used to place children into elite elementary schools.

Instead, the lawsuit claims, York Avenue Preschool placed her daughter in "a-two-year-old's learning environment" where she was taught shapes and colors.

The suit asks the school to reimburse the $19,000 Imprescia paid in tuition and seeks class-action status for children in a similar situation.

COMMENT:  As a humanitarian gesture, we here at Urgent Agenda are organizing a guerrilla raid to get that kid away from that mother.  A sane mind is a terrible thing to waste. 

And I think a four-year-old should learn shapes and colors.  Comes in handy.

March 20,  2011     Permalink

NOT SO LUCKY OBAMA – AT 9:31 A.M. ET:  Maybe Obama isn't so lucky after all.  Being denounced by Louis Farrakhan (see post just below) is good fortune, but being denounced by a first-class historian is another matter entirely. 

Andrew Roberts is one of Britain's leading historians, and he is less than impressed with the current international performance of the president of the United States.  From London's Daily Mail:

Colonel Gaddafi is not a man from whom other world leaders would usually be advised to take guidance.

It was ironic, then, that last week, when pushed into a corner by the UN’s vote to take military action against his forces in Libya, he proved himself a swift decision-maker, claiming to have ordered an immediate ceasefire against his people.

The ceasefire was bogus, of course, but nonetheless it is instructive to contrast the dictator’s instantaneous response with that of President Obama’s hunched, furrow-brow in the Oval Office, allowing other nations to lead the way in forging a Western position on the crisis while he appeared to be paralysed by indecision.

That pretty much says it.

In a televised speech about the strike against Libya on Friday, Obama declared the US would not ‘stand idly by’ in the face of Gaddafi’s actions.

Bold words, but this was hardly Reagan, the Great Communicator. In contrast, Obama is becoming known as The Great Vacillator.

I suspect that this historian will not be invited to the White House.

Obama's dithering may have had the unintended consequence of ensuring that the Arab world, Russia and China did not vote against the UN resolution, which they might have felt compelled to do in the face of a decisive American lead. But that is no excuse for what is becoming an habitual inability to act.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton let slip last week she is planning to retire from politics in two years, a decision rumoured to stem from her frustration over Obama’s indecisive attitude to foreign policy. One report claimed she likened the White House to ‘a bunch of amateurs’ in their handling of Gaddafi.

The most honest thing Hillary ever said.

So why is it that a man who seemed to offer real change has proved so ineffectual in office?

Certainly, a large part of the answer lies in Obama’s personality. He is a cerebral man, prone to analysing problems dispassionately and from every angle, as he was taught during his former careers in law and academia. The American presidents who have been most successful at creating lasting change – Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Reagan – all also used instinct and emotion to guide them to quick, decisive action.

Finally...

Perhaps, like Kennedy in the Sixties, Obama can learn from his setbacks in foreign policy and emerge as a stronger leader.

For all his reluctance to take the leap, he may find that having been pushed into doing so in Libya, it will be remembered as the moment he finally learned what his role involves.

As Sinatra might have put it, leave us we should hope so.

March 20,  2011        Permalink

LUCKY OBAMA – AT 8:13 A.M. ET:  Some people say that Obama has always been lucky in politics, and there's some truth to that.   But he's really hit pay dirt this time.  There is dancing in the White House.  Barack Hussein Obama Jr. has gotten Louis Farrakhan to denounce him. 

Minister Louis spake forth in the following manner:

FARRAKHAN: "I warn my brother do you let these wicked demons move you in a direction that will absolutely ruin your future with your people in Africa and throughout the world...Why don't you organize a group of respected Americans and ask for a meeting with Qaddafi, you can't order him to step down and get out, who the hell do you think you are?

COMMENT:  You can be sure the White House will be circulating that quote to all interested parties.  Now, if only the president can get Reverend Wright to denounce him, joined by Jimmy Carter and Nancy Pelosi, he'll be a shoo-in for reelection.

And if a bad word can be put in by Charlie Sheen, that wouldn't be bad either.

March 20, 2011       Permalink

SECOND DAY – AT 7:50 A.M. ET:  The leader of Libya remains defiant on the second day of air strikes.  From Fox:

Explosions and gunfire were heard in the Libyan capital of Tripoli Sunday morning as the U.S. and its allies continued military strikes against targets of Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi, who on Libyan state radio said the raids were "acts of terrorism".

Qaddafi added that all of the country's people were now carrying weapons to defend the nation.

"We will not leave our land and we will liberate it," he said.

He said he has opened up the weapons depots to Libyans, and said everyone is armed with "automatic weapons, mortars, bombs."

"We promise you a long war," he said in the address.

COMMENT:  We don't really have any significant updates on the military action.  However, some experts on the area point out that Qaddafi is far less ideological than he sounds, and has always sought a way to preserve himself.  Please recall that, after we removed Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq, Qaddafi, appearently fearing he'd be next, gave up his nuclear weapons program and tried to smile.

So far there have been no reports of a direct military attack on Qaddafi's headquarters.

The usual suspects in the "anti-war" (any war America has a chance of winning) movement are already in action, including formerly famous filmmaker Michael Moore.  But demonstrations in this country have been scattered and small.   

March 20,  2011     Permalink

MARCH 19,  2011

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT – AT 8:54 P.M. ET:  Fox News has a damage assessment, which we presume comes from reliable sources:

Military strikes by the U.S. and its allies against targets in Libya Saturday have "severely disabled" Libyan leader's Muammar al-Qaddafi's air defenses, a U.S. official confirms to Fox News.

The official also warns they do not know what Qaddafi will do next following the military strikes.

"It's too soon to predict what he and his ground forces may do in response to today's strikes," the official told Fox News.

Despite the blow, Qaddafi remained defiant as he threatened to attack military and civilian targets in the Mediterranean in retaliation of international coalition strikes on Libya.

"It is now necessary to open the stores and arm all the masses with all types of weapons to defend the independence, unity and honor of Libya," Qaddafi said in a speech broadcast on Libya state television, according to Reuters. He also warns that weapons depots are being opened to arm the Libyan people in defense.

COMMENT:  It's impossible to know what is accurate at this hour.  One of the greatest considerations in the next few days will be the loyalty of Qaddafi's forces.  If they start to defect, this could be over quickly.  If they remain loyal, this could turn very messy.

I will speculate that lines of communication to Qaddafi are being kept open, especially by the foreign ministries of Europe.  These lines could be used to negotiate his exit from Libya.  But who will then take over?  That should be among our greatest worries right now.

March 19, 2011       Permalink

THE TOMAHAWK ATTACK – AT 7:12 P.M. ET:  The United States fired 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Libya today, acting as part of a coalition of nations.  CNN reports:

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Hours after French, British and American military forces unleashed cruise missiles and fighter jets, a defiant Moammar Gadhafi said Libya will fight back against undeserved "naked aggression."

A coalition that includes Canada and Italy made good Saturday on international warnings to Gadhafi, hammering Libyan military positions in the first phase of an operation that will include enforcement of a no-fly zone.

More than 110 Tomahawk missiles fired from American and British ships and submarines hit about 20 Libyan air and missile defense targets in western portions of the country, U.S. Vice Adm. William Gortney said at a Pentagon briefing.

The U.S. will conduct a damage assessment of the sites, which include SA-5 missiles and communications facilities. A senior U.S. military official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said the missiles landed near Misrata and Tripoli, the capital and Gadhafi's stronghold.

COMMENT:  Americans will differ on whether we should have participated.  There are strong arguments on both sides.  My own feeling is that we have acted correctly, even if others in his administration – and it appears to be true – had to drag the commander-in-chief along. 

We must play a role here, in part because our military leadership and technical skill are needed, and in part because we never want it said that in the face of a potential massacre, we let others do it.  No one can guarantee that this will work out, and no one can guarantee that the Libyan rebels will eventually turn out to be friendly.  We are taking risks, but, on balance, I think they're worth it.  If you disagree, please write and we'll run your dissent at our Forum.

March 19, 2011       Permalink

BULLETIN – U.S. IN ACTION IN LIBYA – AT 4:12 P.M. ET:  American ships have launched cruise missiles at Libyan air defenses.  We are following.

BULLETIN – FRENCH JETS OVER LIBYA – AT 11:09 A.M. ET:  Several news agencies are confirming that French jets are over Libya.  We don't yet know the extent of the action.

However, Libyan government forces have already entered Benghazi, the rebels' most important stronghold.  It is almost impossible to use conventional air power inside a city without inflicting civilian casualties, but air action might prevent more government reinforcements from entering Banghazi. 

We are reminded of Douglas MacArthur's admonition that all military disasters begin with two words:  Too late.  We hope it isn't too late.  Obviously, we will be following the developing action.

The president of the United States is in Rio, where the big issue this morning is whether there'll be a joint press conference with the Brazilian president.  Brazil, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, abstained from the vote Friday authorizing military force in Libya.  This is an unfriendly act, and Mr. Obama, citing pressing business at home, might have canceled his trip to Brazil as an expression of our displeasure.  But Mr. Outreach doesn't do displeasure.

March 19, 2011       Permalink

COST OF LIVING AT RECORD HIGH – AT 10:49 A.M. ET:  With attention focused on Libya and Japan, this slipped by and didn't get the notice it deserved.  It's expensive living in the United States.  The recession has apparently produced no national WalMarting of America.  From CNBC:

One would think that after the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Americans could at least catch a break for a while with deflationary forces keeping the cost of living relatively low. That’s not the case.

A special index created by the Labor Department to measure the actual cost of living for Americans hit a record high in February, according to data released Thursday, surpassing the old high in July 2008. The Chained Consumer Price Index, released along with the more widely-watched CPI, increased 0.5 percent to 127.4, from 126.8 in January. In July 2008, just as the housing crisis was tightening its grip, the Chained Consumer Price Index hit its previous record of 126.9.

“The Federal Reserve continues to focus on the rate of change in inflation,” said Peter Bookvar, equity strategist at Miller Tabak. “Sure, it’s moving at a slower pace, but the absolute cost of living is now back at a record high in a country that has seven million less jobs.”

COMMENT:  That may go higher still as a result of the disruptions in Japan.  It is one of the reasons why calls for tax increases, the standard war cry of the left, are being met with such resistance.  Americans do not feel particularly flush right now, and there's no reason why they should. 

The economy will probably be the biggest single factor in the 2012 presidential election.  So far, not so good. 

March 19, 2011      Permalink

LATEST ON JAPAN'S NUCLEAR BATTLE – AT 10:28 A.M. ET:   As could reasonably be expected, some radioactivity has been found in some of Japan's food supply, especially in areas near the crippled nuclear plant.  This is a cause for concern, but certainly not for panic.    From The New York Times:

TOKYO — The government said Saturday that it had found higher than normal levels of radioactive materials in spinach and milk at farms near the ravaged nuclear power plants, the first confirmation by officials that the nuclear crisis unfolding at power plants nearby has affected the nation’s food supply.

While officials downplayed the immediate risks to consumers, the findings are likely to further unsettle a nation worried about the long-term effects of the damaged nuclear power plants. The crisis, which has entered its second week, has caused alarm in some countries that fallout from Japan might reach their shores.

At the current level of damage, the amount of fallout reaching the shores of the United States is insignificant. 

Tokyo Electric Power Company, with help from the Japan Self-Defense Force, police and firefighters, continued efforts to cool the damaged reactors on Saturday. About 500 workers from the utility connected a transmission line almost a mile long to Reactor No. 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Station. They hope to restart a cooling system there on Sunday.

Restoring power at the reactor could provide a glimmer of hope after days of increasingly dire news that now includes contaminated food. Yukio Edano, the chief cabinet secretary, said that spinach and milk were the only two products that were found with abnormally high levels of radioactive materials. The newly discovered radioactivity contained in the average amount of spinach and milk consumed during an entire year would be equal to the amount received in a single CAT scan.

That puts it into perspective.  Obviously, should there be a complete catastrophe at the stricken plant, radiation levels could go higher, but that's what technicians are striving to prevent.  We will know more about this tomorrow, when attempts will be made to restart the cooling systems, which, if operating, can prevent a meltdown and subsequent spewing of high levels of radioactivity into the air.

At present, the nuclear "crisis" in Japan is no worse than our "crisis" at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, where no one died.  As for comparisons with Chernobyl, the old Soviet Union's worst nuclear failure, they are absurd.  The Soviets botched their entire response to the Chernobyl disaster, never even warning residents not to drink milk produced near the failed nuclear plant.  That milk was highly contaminated, and did indeed produce thousands of thyroid cancers.

Japan's handling of the present situation is far superior.  That does not release Japan from responsibility for the safety failures and allegedly lax management that led up to the Fukushima failure, but we should not let hysterical headlines sway us.

March 19, 2011       Permalink

WHAT CEASE-FIRE? – AT 10:11 A.M. ET:  The Libyan government announced a cease-fire yesterday.  The announcement does not seem to reflect reality.  From WaPo:

TRIPOLI, LIBYA — Forces loyal to Moammar Gaddafi entered the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi Saturday after shelling and fierce fighting, a fresh act of defiance even as the United States and its allies prepared to launch military attacks on Libya.

Government troops in tanks and trucks entered Benghazi from the west, in the university area, and began to shell the city, including civilian areas. Intense fighting broke out in some enclaves. The city of 1 million quickly became a ghost town, with residents fleeing or seeking cover in barricaded neighborhoods.

A warplane was shot down over Benghazi, and rebel leaders later claimed it as one of their own. While they said mechanical problems caused the crash, calls from mosques across the city suggested that friendly fire brought down the plane. “Don’t attack the airplanes because these are our planes,” a mosque preacher urged over loudspeakers.

On Friday, President Obama warned that the Libyan leader faced imminent military action unless his troops were withdrawn from all disputed cities in the country. But the besieged town of Misurata, 130 miles east of Tripoli, was still coming under heavy artillery fire, residents said, and there were also reports of continued fighting around Ajdabiya, even farther to the east. The assaults on rebel-held towns took place despite government promises of a cease-fire.

COMMENT:  Meanwhile, the president of the United States jetted off to Brazil and the secretary of state jetted over to Paris for still one more international meeting on Libya, to be held before any firm action is taken.

The reality is that the U.S. and Western Europe cannot wait many more hours before military action must start.  With the "cease-fire" a joke, we may only be looking at hours before the rebel cause collapses entirely.

March 19, 2011     Permalink