Saturday, July 30, 2005

Violence in Northern Ireland   I recently mentioned that at long last the Irish Republican Army have unequivocally renounced violence.  This is a huge step, and it has been greeted with doubts and contempt.  After many years of bad behavior, much of this suspicion is deserved.  Not all, however.  In recent years, there has been more violence by the loyalists than by the IRA.  There is a story in the New York Times about gang violence in Northern Ireland today.  It is, however, among the Protestants, not Catholics.  The Protestant gangs have turned to dealing drugs to finance their continued existence, and in the wake of an absence of IRA violence, they are attacking each other, and whoever gets caught in their crossfire.  The violence that emerges from this sort of commercial crime could wind up becoming more dangerous and pervasive than that which used to result from terrorism. 8:06:02 PM    comment []

Too Many Secrets   The John Bolton nomination was certain to sail through the Senate until the White House refused to release the documents the Senate requested.  Since then, of course, it has become clear that Bolton's testimony before the Senate was riddled with inaccuracy, lies, and half-truths.  But no, the White House would not release the documents, which strongly suggests there's something there that would be damaging to either the White House or John Bolton, or both. So far, people have suggested the John Roberts nomination is likely to confirm him without incident.  But now the White House is refusing to present documents the Senate has requested.  In the past, people who have worked in the Solicitor General's office have been nominated as Justices; in the past the Senate has requested, and the White House has provided, those documents. This White House won't.  Since no one in this White House was involved in the legal affairs of the administration of the Bush the Elder, there is no need to cover up their role.  And the case of Bolton made clear just how enormously damaging withholding documents from the Senate can be.  Which leaves us with one inescapable conclusion:  that the White House is hiding John Roberts' record, because there is something terrible to hide. If the White House won't allow the Senate to offer informed advice and consent on the Roberts nomination, then it is their Constitutional obligation and, indeed, their sacred trust to reject him. 7:24:51 AM    comment []

Quote for the Day, 7/30/2005   "Our Founding Fathers wrote our Constitution by candle light.  No reason the Iraqis can't do the same."   -Jon Stewart 12:26:52 AM    comment []