Diplomatic Mutiny at Foggy Bottom

Some news outlets including the NBC nightly news reported on a mutiny of U.S. diplomats over forced assignments in Iraq. Trawling the major news sites didn't provide too much in the way of detail although I was able to find this brief story on the BBC site (of course). Even though NBC news with Brian " My nose was once broken and it really shows up in HD" Williams did a segment with Andrea Mitchell, there is no video or text posted at NBC. Probably because right off the bat Mrs. Greenspan referred to one hundred diplomats refusing to accept assignments in "Vietnam". Oops, wrong country same inescapable foreign policy nightmare. She quickly corrected herself but it was a great Freudian slip.

Back to the protests by those in the diplomatic corp faced with being sent to Surgeland. State has forty-eight postings to fill and almost nobody willing to take them. One staffer describes assignment to Iraq as a potential death sentence. Another observation was that in any other country the embassy would have been closed by now. What is telling is how this is a reliable marker on the status of the surge. The reports on the decreased troop casualties and pockets of security have gained steam over the past month. In the end short term gains in force protection and limited security where we have a large presence are not materializing into the strategic goals set out by war backers. The force required to maintain this status quo is not going to be sustainable in the long run (try spring). The diplomats being sent away to the Emerald City know this and realize that as they start arriving the surge will be starting to wane in numbers and effectiveness out of necessity. There is a good chance the country could continue to decline into a Hobbesian state in the coming year. Will they have to grab the last helicopter ride out of Saigon, err Baghdad?

Update 11/1/2007: The Washington Post has a story on the revolt in today's edition. It goes into more detail than the BBC story. The surge success is looking like more of an illusion in the eyes of the diplomatic corp.

Kevy wants to Be Governor When He Grows Up

State Senator and Cuyahoga Falls resident Kevin Coughlin got a swell write up in today's ABJ. Dennis Willard fashioned the piece as story on a rising star in the Ohio GOP. The profile focuses in on Coughlin's prolific legislative tenure and his aspirations of running for State wide-office. Kevin like many of his colleagues is term limited in 2010 and will be in need of new career path, preferably in the public sector. So the guy who has proposed orange license plates for sex offenders (yellow is already taken), special education school vouchers and a potential ballot amendment on eminent domain is hinting that he may one day run for Governor.

I think we would be safer if guys like Coughlin were not term limited and could spend the better part of their working lives in the legislative bubble of the Statehouse. There they are free to dream up a panoply of laws that address the seemingly endless stream of issues that need remedied. I know that I sleep better at night knowing he is on the job thinking about the proper color of license plate for the cars of sex offenders . No instead they are forced out of office and look for other ways to infect our eyes with their presence. In this case Kevin says, “I have a lot of ideas about what Ohio should be doing...” in regards to a future run for State-wide office. This ambition to rule a la the style of Ken Blackwell using conservative polemics didn't move voters in 2006 (remember that trouncing). Why does stupid think that it will work for him considering that our current Governor, a moderate liberal, has had success governing from the center? The tide is not turning for conservative blow hards like him. Ohioans are getting used to the sensible and bipartisan approach to public policy that seems to be gaining a foothold in Columbus.

ABJ Endorses Cole, Highlights Falls Clerk Race

Akron Ward 8 Council - The World is Holding It's Breath
The Beacon Journal endorsed Randy Cole for Akron Ward 8 City Council citing his "valuable experience" and something about being capable of addressing complex matters or some crap like that . I'm pretty sure they just reprinted Cole's campaign flyer. The ABJ editorial mentions Bob Keith's accomplishments but indicates it's the end of the line for the five term councilman. It seems that ol' Bob has hit that barrier to reelection known as passive leadership. Don't all incumbent office holders have this quality? Any way the Beacon practically phoned this one in. They even appeared to borrow the passive rap on Keith from the interview of Randy that appeared in the West Side Leader. The Leader endorsed Bob Keith. I'm still not sure for whom I will cast my vote. Maybe the one who can guarantee me the jackass next door won't paint anymore cars in his garage will win me over in the end.

Term Limited State Rep. Needs a Job
The ABJ also reported Sunday that the Falls Clerk race is causing a stir. Haven't we seen this before? A well connected State Rep. is looking for a safe place to land once his term runs out. Why not help him out and get him into a career track in public management? In this case John Widowfield is bringing his history of legislating license plate colors and a myriad of other really important public policy to the table. His opponent Lisa Zeno Carano currently holds the office and has 12 prior years experience working in a court system. Widowfield meanwhile points to his his strong suit

"What's so important is to have somebody that understands money - understands dollars"

You see all things revolve around the understanding of money (or dollars in layman's terms) and the ability to master that is the secret to sound public management. What he means is that he has raised a lot of campaign money from a few large donors and is hoping to grab the office for his overlord Alex.

Oops She Did It Again

In case you haven't heard our favorite conservative shemale has been at it again. This time Ann Coulter has decided to go after the jewish faith. Donny Deutsch was on the Today show to talk about Ann's brazen attempt at explaining how Jews can be "perfected" and her subsequent attempt to rephrase her idiotic remarks. Donny made a great analogy to Ann and Brittany Spears. His point was that Brittany doesn't exist until she gets in another car accident (his example not mine, he probably confused her with Lindsay Lohan) just as Ann only pops back into existence by issuing one of her classic wing bat statements. The boy's quite astute if you ask me. I've always said that Coulter has perfected political shtick and nothing more. The real question is whether legitimate conservative pols and pundits will finally distance themselves from her, not whether she should be banned from television.

Speaking of television. If you have a chance to watch the clip of the exchange in HD you will notice Ann has flop sweat around her mouth and chin. I think even she was surprised by her crassness.

Swarm! Swarm!

The flies were just buying Hafner some time. The Tribe pulls off another upset tonight against the Yanks. Go ahead and give Carmona the Cy Young now.

Voinovich the Phony Deficit Hawk

Since it is fashionable to call out phony people these days I direct your attention to the senior senator from Ohio. As PD openers notes Voinovich was the lone deficit hawk in the senate to vote against a paltry $3 billion border security provision added to the overall funding measure. He stated his reasoning in the Congressional Record,

"If we decide we absolutely need to spend $3 billion on something - and I support adequately funding border security - then we need to either raise more revenue or cut other spending to pay for it."

Again, George was adhering to his fiscal conservative beliefs when he voted against the bipartisan crafted expansion to the SCHIP program earlier this week. He sited the unreliable revenue source and increase the cause for voting nay. He wouldn't dream of allowing unbridled expansion of federal spending on his watch, this according to the 9/28 Gongwer news report,

"I came to Washington to reduce the national debt, not to pass the buck and add to it for future generations to deal with,"

When it comes to the nearly$190 billion request to continue the war in Iraq and Afghanistan where will George stand? What about the fiscal mess the war is projected to leave behind for "future generations" to deal with? I'm sure he will stand up as the lone deficit hawk that he is and suggest the funding at least be pared back. He may even demand the Bush tax cuts be rescinded to pay for the wars. He may not utter a peep and vote for the whole request and then find some other token proposal to take a stand against. Sorry kids your health insurance money is being spent in Iraq.