London-based Iranian journalist Amir Taheri, writing in the WSJ Opinion Journal assesses al Jazeerah TV: The secret of al Jazeera’s undoubted success […] lies not in its craven approach to Arab leaders, but elsewhere. It tells Arabs what they already think the mythical “Arab street” feels. It assumes that radical Islamism is on the rise in all Arab countries and that it’s secretly supported by the majority. This is why

An interesting Christian Science Monitor piece on a Jordanian dinner theater comedy about UBL and co., and the aftermath of 9/11: In the new show ‘Bin Laden, Afghanistan, and More,’ Mr. bin Laden appears in one scene at the ‘Taliban Film Festival,’ a figment of the imagination of Hisham Yaness, one of Jordan’s foremost impersonators and comedians, who plays the fugitive. ‘I’m prepared to surrender to the White House if

An interesting Christian Science Monitor piece on a Jordanian dinner theater comedy about UBL and co., and the aftermath of 9/11: In the new show ‘Bin Laden, Afghanistan, and More,’ Mr. bin Laden appears in one scene at the ‘Taliban Film Festival,’ a figment of the imagination of Hisham Yaness, one of Jordan’s foremost impersonators and comedians, who plays the fugitive. ‘I’m prepared to surrender to the White House if

It’s quite an amusing read, is Robert Christgau’s piece in the Village Voice. In it, he fairly begs for the rise of a “protest movement” that would both validate his hawkishness regarding the war on terror and simultaneously protect his self image as a squishy champion of progressive politics (“progressivism” — sorry, Snoopy — means always having to say you’re sorry). This essay is the ultimate in self-serving twaddle, of

The Brits are selling off (and in some cases, pulping) library books in order to diversify their holdings, according to this Spectator piece by Julia Lewis. Madness? Certainly. Listen: David Blunkett has just called for immigrants to learn English and make an effort to integrate themselves into the life and customs of this country. If he wants them to get to know our culture and if he wants English to

The Brits are selling off (and in some cases, pulping) library books in order to diversify their holdings, according to this Spectator piece by Julia Lewis. Madness? Certainly. Listen: David Blunkett has just called for immigrants to learn English and make an effort to integrate themselves into the life and customs of this country. If he wants them to get to know our culture and if he wants English to

Mickey Kaus can be both remarkably sharp and annoyingly thickheaded, depending on which day you happen to be reading him. His stuff on the connection between Islamofascism and the Lefty-promoted dole, for instance, is meaty and instructive — while his continued attempts at forcing a meaningful connection between Binny’s videotaped propo-gripes and the Israel / Palestinian conflict are disturbing — and incredibly shortsighted, to boot. Kaus keeps acting as if

Hey, I like Joanne Jacobs, I really do. Her writing is sharp and funny and shamelessly self-promotional — the very spices that flavor the finest blog-omelets. So, if you’ve a few moments to kill, do as Instapundit suggests and go read JJ’s take on why Geraldo is a liar. But don’t believe it, not even for a second. (Okay, believe it if you must. But then strike it from your

If you haven’t yet done so, I urge you to read Mark Steyn’s Spectator essay, “War Between America and Europe.” Steyn’s writing and insight have been nothing short of remarkable since 9/11; in this essay, he’s particularly stunning. I intend to write more on this piece later, when I’ve better composed myself. Truth is, I’m enormously saddened by what the essay reveals about elite European “thinking,” and I need to

If you haven’t yet done so, I urge you to read Mark Steyn’s Spectator essay, “War Between America and Europe.” Steyn’s writing and insight have been nothing short of remarkable since 9/11; in this essay, he’s particularly stunning. I intend to write more on this piece later, when I’ve better composed myself. Truth is, I’m enormously saddened by what the essay reveals about elite European “thinking,” and I need to