Notes

• I got five extra hours of work Thursday. This equates to a sum of roughly some 70 dollars, which is roughly half of the cost of my train ticket between Toronto and Kingston last month. I am anticipating having more time today. That was a nice thing to think about during my gym workout that evening; that, and Ladurie's famous historical study Montaillou, concerning the Cathar-influenced peasants of the Languedocian village of that name in the first decade of the 14th century. (Review of Montaillou coming.)


• I'm planning on going next Wednesday to a get-together of Island bloggers coordinated by Charlottetown's own Will Pate. Others on the Island probably should come if you want to upgrade;


• Oh, and I got linked to by the blog Voyage in Arcturus, referencing my space colonization posting. (Part 2 very soon.)

[ARTICLE] Kingwell on the US in Iraq

Surprisingly enough, from the National Post:

In empire's heart of darkness

Mark Kingwell
National Post

Wednesday, May 28, 2003

Nobody should be surprised that post-invasion Iraq is a shambles, since that is exactly what both previous experience and logic demanded. After all, killing people is easier than ruling them. Nobody should be surprised, but still they are.

Recent cracks in the diplomatic edifice, with State Department lifers squaring off against ideologues from the White House, are just the most obvious signs of trouble. Ambassador Paul Bremer, the top civilian authority in American-controlled Iraq, was parachuted into the job after a behind-the-scenes struggle over the harsh direction of American efforts. Who needs diplomacy when you have Special Forces?

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