Tom Friedman Strikes A Discordant Note

As the NY Times devotes itself to getting the nation Ready For Hillarity! 2016, Tom Friedman strikes a slightly discordant note while discussing Obama's Mideast "policy":

Obama has said and done some boneheaded things in the Middle East (like decapitating the Libyan regime with no plan for the morning after)...

Wait, wait, wait! Overthrowing Qadaffi was Hillarity!'s Big Idea back in 2011. We hope Republicans set aside Benghazi and encourage questions about the broader issue, to wit, how was it that knocking off Qadaffi with no credible plan to replace him was smart while overthrowing Saddam with no credible plan to replace him was dumb?

SINCE YOU ASK: The theme of the current Friedman column is that China has better governance than the Middle East. And people say he is not a visionary!

However, this may represent progress of a sort, since in times past Mr. Friedman has explained that China's governance model has it all over our tiresome democracy.

Comments

[NKvirusedandback]

Tom Maguire-- how are you? Hope you have a reflective Good Friday and joyous Easter Sunday.

[Old Lurker]

Godspeed, my friend Jim Rhoads.

[henry]

Can we just send Friedman to China and leave him there? Everyone would be happier (except the Chinese).

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Has Flathead ever hit the right note?

[NKvirusedandback]

I did a tiny kindness this morning in light of the news of Jim R's death. Based on his comments here and his bio, JimR was a lot kinder, giving and better man than I, who devoted much of his life to giving to others. So this morning as I walked through Grand Central towards Lexington Avenue, a string quartet was tuning up but not yet playing. I thought of Jim, stopped and made sure to give some $$$ to this Village Quartet of AA musicians who can do something I can't even imagine, make beautiful music. They smiled and nodded as they tuned, and before I reached the exit doors they started playing the beautiful Brandenburg Concerto, and the chamber music filled the high vaulted ceiling of the Graybar passage. Who says there is no God? I heard him speaking to me this morning -- through the Village Quartet.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Nice story, NK. Honestly, meeting Jim showed me again how someone can very quietly live a very accomplished and impressive life. Likewise every other JOMer I've met but Jim was the first and stands out for that reason. Even though I'm having a hard time dealing with not being able to interact with him again, his memory gives me hope for the future.

[NKvirusedandback]

CH-- Speaking of wonderful men, have you seen the 60 Minutes Sports segment on Morgan Wooten? Brown of CBS Sports did it. Wooten is only 83yo, he has been around forever. Talk about someone who gives to the world, Wooten is a wonderful soul. I am not a fan of the Brown guy, but he did an excellent tribute to Wooten.

[Threadkiller]

First, They Came for the Bakers . . .

http://www.wnd.com/2015/04/first-they-came-for-the-bakers/

And

http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2015/04/dhs-launches-family-reunification-refugee-program-for-central-americans/

[Jeff Dobbs]

You can't spell Hillary without l-i-a-r.

[FTL]

As brilliant as ever, but this one also has a message of hope:

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2015/04/this-culture-war-were-in.html

[NKvirusedandback]

From the sublime (JimR's life) to the ridiculous and worse. ObummerCare is at heart Medicaid expansion (and a full-time jobs killer.) What does Medicaid expansion look like, well here it is, just as I've described many times: http://hotair.com/archives/2015/04/02/breathtaking-medicaid-fraud-case-snags-9-doctors-in-new-york-city/

[Robert Bell]

Thank you for doing yeoman's work reading Thomas Friedman so the rest of don't have to.

[NKvirusedandback]

Thank you FTL-- Sultan is absolutely spot on.

[Ben]

The chutzpah of his compelling wrond-headedness overtakes any critique on official or underground policy in the ME.

Reason enough to give him more rope.

[rse]

So sorry to hear about Jim's passing. I can add that he did considerable work for vets pro bono. I will make sure some of the ones I know who he helped know of this and the service.

I would go but will be in the ne all next week on the diva's college tour.

One of my good friends when I was at Sutherland ended up partnering with Jim in the firm I believe was the one he retired from. Jim and I used to joke about what a small world Big Law can actually be in a city.

[Old Lurker]

rse "One of my good friends when I was at Sutherland"

Did not know you had been there, rse. I knew your founding partner back in the 70's and still have a lovely gift his wife gave us for our wedding. Knew the other founder's son too.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Morgan taught me world history at DeMatha and was pretty good at it while obviously favoring the jocks. One of my biggest regrets in life is not trying out for the team because of the difficulty in getting back to Laurel when too young to drive. I surely wouldn't have survived the first cut but my fundamentals would have been rock solid and who knows what would've happened if I tried again the following year.

Morgan should've coached Maryland after Lefty was tossed after the death of Len Bias but John Thompson had the ear of some dipshit in the university hierarchy and hated Wooten from when JT coached thugball at Saint Anthonys. Morgan was a homebody and didn't want to leave the area so Maryland was the only college job he was interested in, but they hired Bob Wade who witlessly got the school the NCAA death penalty (much worse than Penn State endured and I'll never be fine with that) that Gary Williams had to dig out from under while Wooten solidified his legacy.

James Brown is a couple years younger than me, played for Morgan and was the first major recruit that Lefty pursued and failed to land thanks to Turd Kennedy urging him to attend Harvard. Yeah I was pretty bitter over that too. I haven't seen that but will look for it on YouTube or the CBS site. Thanks for alerting me.

[Sue]

Jim Rhoads died? I was just thinking about him yesterday afternoon wondering why he hadn't been posting. ::sigh:: Go rest high, Mr. Rhoads. You will be missed by your JOM family.

[Sue]

how was it that knocking off Qadaffi with no credible plan to replace him was smart while overthrowing Saddam with no credible plan to replace him was dumb?

I hate to say duh to dear leader, but...duh. Two letters, sir. D and R.

[Janet]

The Sultan Knish link is wonderful.

[NKvirusedandback]

CH-- I urge you to find the CBS bit on Woote. It uses the Power Mem game as a metaphor for his coaching philosophy.

UM fun fact: Gary Williams, great at UM, great at OSU, but his root were American Univ (DC) and before that Lafayette Col. To get the Lafayette job he had to agree to do the soccer coaching job as well. A friend in town was team captain in Williams first year and handled the you know, soccer stuff becuase Williams didn't know anything about it. He says Willliams is a really good man, and they keep in touch.

[Janet]

That Sultan Knish post reminds me of this quote from another of his posts -

"We have no grand schemes or manifestos, no glorious visions of caliphates and socialist republics, our vision is of our homes and our stores, our families and our friends, the communities that we have built and the small things that we have done every day of our lives for the sake of all these things. These small things, the little uncounted freedoms and the self-chosen responsibilities are our manifestos, they are our battle cries and they are what we fight for." ~ Sultan Knish We Are Those Who Stand For The Day - 11-2-2012

[rse]

Ann-there is an old fashioned florist near me on P'tree Road that would deliver something lovely to the home so his family would know how much we thought of him and then the balance of donations could go to the vfw.

I could go by tomorrow afternoon and make it clear we would like something elegant with some unusual and beautiful flowers. Nothing generic. It's the sort of florist tucked away that could send you a picture of what they are delivering after I have left.

OL--I knew some of the dc partners and Joe Brennan used to come in my office and get me to go get some lunch and talk about the founding and then setting up the dc practice. One of the great benefits if working there in the 80s was they did not overman deals. I actually worked closely with the senior partners and they taught me to essentially conceptualize the transaction. That made the necessary types of contracts and needed language quite clear.

Later being a GC in an ever changing healthcare field that experience and training were invaluable. When we got bought out the legal dept of the acquiring company loved those contracts because they fit the true business relationship between the parties and recognized the real risks in the industry.

[James D.]

FTP @ 8:49

That is a good piece, but I disagree partly with his premise. The left can't be completely defeated in the way an enemy army or a state can, because it's not a system or an organization.

It's more like a disease - a microscopic and constantly mutating virus that can infect any host through the slightest contact. There's no immunity to it, and no antidote. All you can do is be constantly vigilant, do your best to avoid contact, and take action immediately when you think you've been infected.

And if the infection is allowed to run unchecked, eventually it takes over your body completely and kills you - but of course with it's host dead, the virus dies, too, because there's nothing left to provide a home and support for it.

[Rick Ballard]

I first interacted with Jim Rhoads on Roger Simon's site. He, like PUK, became a regular at JOM a little later. He always hoped his battle with a hereditary heart condition would endure long enough for him to hold grandchildren and I remember his excitement in announcing the birth of his first.

He lived the life of a good man, always in the sure and certain hope of resurrection. I will miss him but I'm certain he is now in a far better place.

[Tonto]

Jim Rhodes was one of the many people gifts of this website. What a good man.

[Threadkiller]

Democratic Strategist Jessica Ehrlich cited Obama's birth certificate to justify Senator Harry Reid's comments on the Senate Floor during the 2012 election where he erroneously accused Mitt Romney of not paying his taxes.

Bill O'Reilly fired back basically saying nobody used the Senate Floor to deceive the American people about Obama's birth certificate ignoring the fact that Obama used the White House website server to deceive the American people by publishing a felonious birth certificate.

Ehrlich then dragged out the race card saying people challenged Obama's place of birth because he's dark skinned ignoring the fact Senator John McCain and the father of Mitt Romney both had their Article II eligibility challenged.

O'Reilly ended the segment by saying it doesn't matter if people think Obama's birth certificate is fake...

https://youtu.be/MGLRwGmK0aY

http://www.birtherreport.com/2015/04/killing-birthers-bill-oreilly-says-it.html

Birther's are guilty of wanting eligibility adjudicated and enforced.

When they were labeled as racists, and the powers that be got away with it, everyone they wished eliminated became fair game using the same Alyinsky model.

[Thomas Collins]

I never had the opportunity to meet James R in the flesh, but did speak with him over the phone. My impression was that the word "gentleman" was coined for him. RIP, Gentleman James.

[gmax]

So sorry to sign on after traveling the day yesterday and learn of Jims passing. That makes it a bittersweet morning but there is a God and he is an awesome God. For he has given me the most perfect of gifts a new grandson. Brecken will be baptized this weekend and Grampa has seen heaven in the eyes of a three week old.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

I never had thee privilege of meeting JimR, but he came across here as a true gentleman, as is confirmed by everything we now know about him.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

Congrats, gmax. And here we thought you were just giddy about the Spartans.

[Threadkiller]

Congratulations GMax!

[Thomas Collins]

Congrats, gmax, on God's gift to your family.

Is this the cap he'll be wearing?

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT_hieFScAA4-fhH8yqAY_agG8HegVXtQq6ZTdpFRFNh5FPHHHy4Xi3vw

[Marlene]

How wonderful,GMax!
CH,the new DeMatha is in the daughter's neighborhood.I've observed the students either walking to lunch or walking home from school and they are fine young men.

[Jack is Back! (Get out the wallet or pocket book and support your values)]

Reposting from the prior thread for all keeping score:

$62,360 raised so far for Memories Pizza. Keep it coming folks.

The prog nazi's have chased the owners into hiding. But they cannot beat the financial support we are providing. Once again the left are so mindless and vile they don't understand they cannot prevail but only make their cause more visible for what it truly is - spite, envy and arrogance.

[NKvirusedandback]

Gmax-- congrats to you and the family on the GC. all the best. And yes, one does see God in the eyes of a new born child/GC.

ThomasC-- don't forget Officer/Gentleman Capt. James Rhoads.

[Extraneus]

What's the link to donate?

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Congratulations GMax.

I've just had some back and forth messages on FB with Jim's daughter Susie where she was asking about this online forum that people were referring to. She traveled with Jim to Shaker Heights when he and I met up and obviously was a doting daughter.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

NK, I think Gary coached briefly at BC before OSU but I'm too lazy to look it up. I knew about the coaching soccer deal but am glad to find out he was well remembered.

[Old Lurker]

Good for you, Cap'n. I hope she stops in to see how much we loved her father.

[maryrose]

Mg max. Congrats on your new grandchild

[Jack is Back! (Get out the wallet or pocket book and support your values)]

Ex,

Link for donations to Memories Pizza. Now up to $96K

http://www.gofundme.com/memoriespizza

Thank you stupid progs.

[Rick Ballard]

TM,

I believe this should be the iconic image wrt Hillary's foreign policy stint. After all, Lavrov is still right alongside the Iranians, laughing while they wipe their feet on the cheap Persian Rug.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Hey Miss Marple,
Was talking to some young twerps at our church last night and the wife was extolling the virtues of etsy over ebay.
Ever tried etsy? Specializes in artsy, crafty and vintage stuff. It's smaller of course but sounds much more niche oriented so I'm not sure your kind of stuff wouldn't get just as many views.
And their commission is about a third of ebay's.

[maryrose]

Just found out all I need are reading glasses For the first time in fifty five years
Frau How are you doing post operation
Greath

[NKvirusedandback]

join the club-- go with cheap and volume at Costco type store, Soon you'll have a double digit count. cheers.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

From the "takes one to know one" files;

Obama has said and done some boneheaded things in the Middle East...

OTOH, one man's bonehead is another lightworker's intentional and fairly successful policy.

[PD]

RIP Jim Rhoads. May your family and friends have peace that passes all understanding.

The world is a lesser place today, too many good people are leaving.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Flathead might be the biggest Costanza of all.

[Dublindave]

It's truly disgusting(and very unchristian) that a business owner would be paid to hate. O'connor says he's going to buy an ATV and pay off his boat.Gee kev,there's children starving in the world,you couldn't throw a few of those Christian dollars to help feed them you biggoted,hateful, Republican asshole.

Now that we have the Christian Republican party on the run we need to start attacking them in ways that they're seriously going to remember.

And speaking of remember,the gay community needs to remember what the Christian GOP were planning to do to them.You can't allow them to just slither back under a rock.You need to get them and get them good.

Introduce legislation that gives gays incredible rights and then watch Republicans refuse to bring it to the floor.Get as many Republicans on record talking about how the Indiana law is bigoted and then replay and replay and replay that message for their religious base.

Pry those two bastards apart NOW!!!!!!

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Mrs Iggy would have been 61 today.

[jimmyk]

More shark jumping on the left:

[jimmyk]

Thinking of you on this day too, Iggy.

Happened to involuntarily hear NPR this morning for a minute or two, and of course they were flogging the Indiana RFRA story, specifically how businesses, notably Walmart, were lining up against it. Something about how Walmart has lots of really smart lawyers who see that the law might create problems for them. Not, of course, simply because they might be responding in a cowardly way to bullies. And nothing about how essentially the same law was signed by Clinton and has been on the books in, what, 30 other states?

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Is that a parody? I obviously gave Kos more credit for being intelligent than he deserves. I guess that Neddy Lamont commercial wasn't an outlying point.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Best regards, Iggy.

[Rick Ballard]

"Some 25 percent of Egyptians are illiterate today after $50 billion in U.S. aid since 1979."

I wouldn't imagine much military aid made its way to classrooms in Egypt. Quite a bit of money has been flushed down the educational toilet in Atlanta and the results were predictable, with those commanded to make bricks without straw convicted of falsifying data in a manner which would win commendation from the Chicoms.

I can't afford to read any more Friedman pieces. The screams of the neurons being killed are just unbearable.

[Sue]

I saw on twitter yesterday someone suggesting a "journalist" go to Dearborn MI and look for someone unwilling to bake a cake for a SSM.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Levin responded to a caller last night that Walmart has been very different since Sam died.

[centralcal]

So sorry to learn of the passing of JimR.

Gmax - a grandpa? I always thought of you as a "youngun" yourself. Congratulations!

Iggy, a poignant anniversary - God bless.

[PD]

Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | April 02, 2015 at 11:07 AM

Sorry for your loss, glad to see you have an interest potentially in someone else. If I was to die, I would not want my wife to spend the rest of her life alone.

[jimmyk]

CH, I just saw the book on Twitter. Checking it now, I see it's actually from 2010, but definitely real. Maybe it helps to explain why one doesn't hear too much of Daily Kos these days.

[NKvirusedandback]

We love you Ignatz. Be strong, and God's peace be with you.

[PD]

Posted by: Sue | April 02, 2015 at 11:15 AM

News blackout prevails over Dearbornistan, very little "hits the airwaves"...

[Sue]

Some brave gay or lesbian couple should go to a Muslim bakery and order a cake. Let's see the left take them out when they refuse. Chicken shit bastards.

[Marlene]

My comment about listening to Glenn Beck's interview with Kevin O'Connor was on the end of the previous thread. I usually don't turn on the radio until noon,but after listening to the interview,I'm glad I did. O'Connor sounds like a man in pain and confusion.He was soft spoken and at a loss for words during the interview. The pizza shop is still closed,he said that his daughter Crystal is afraid and he doesn't know how soon he will reopen the shop. I hope is encouraged by the support is family is receiving.

[narciso]

no Kos is a Denebian slime devil, whose '[email protected]##6 um, they're merc' was the entree to the Dem table,

as Edwin Starr might have rephrased GOpers 'what are they good for' as they genuflect to those who would never vote for them,

Flathead, got his big break, re Shatila, wrong, whether it was just coincidence or enemy action,
and he's been wrong ever since, Widlansky, chronicled the whole 'confederacy of dunces' and knaves, with Paul Pillar, being his counterpart in the bureaucracy

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Time makes things better.
I'm a little ashamed to admit that at church last night the pastor who married us asked me if I was going to be OK today and I didn't even know what he was talking about til he reminded me it was Susan's birthday.

If she had been there I would be the one being remembered...for not remembering.

[narciso]

that law is clearly not strong enough, there should be something like the criminal syndicalism statutes to proscribe mob action, like we saw in Walverton,

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Does DailyKos still exist?
It's never mentioned anymore and must be sinking into the mire it made.

[Marlene]

CH,I admit,I had to change the subject while talking to the daughter last night. Big retail is the most hated company in America and they have to pick their fights. I didn't want to argue with her,I was a mean mother and said,Dad and I will be at the cabin living a quiet life where we can mind our own business and live like hermits. :)

[narciso]

they have a convention every year, where they hang from rafters like good strigoi, notable candidates show up still there,

[PD]

Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | April 02, 2015 at 11:30 AM

Husbands forget birthdays/important dates all the time, but I understand the sentiment.

You are moving forward in your life and I have heard joy in your posts about living life and possibly finding love again - been cool reading about it. I pray that only good things happen for you and that your burdens are lightened.

[narciso]

the mad muzik goes on a tear:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-threatens-to-use-nuclear-force-over-crimea-and-the-baltic-states-10150565.html

the main reason, they were posturing against him, was because of SSM, now I imagine not so much,

[PD]

Posted by: Sue | April 02, 2015 at 11:24 AM

Someone from "Fashionable Ferndale" where the Rainbow Flags Fly might be the ones for the job.

[Old Lurker]

Rick ""Some 25 percent of Egyptians are illiterate today after $50 billion in U.S. aid since 1979."

I suspect both those numbers are considerably higher for children we have educated here in the USA last 20 years. RSE would know.

[lyle]

IIRC, Walmart CEO was a huge Barry bundler and their board is stuffed with big Dems.

[narciso]

of course, Flathead doesn't ask if the preponderance of madrassas has anything to do with that figure, the corporatist nature of Egypt since 53, has been the major stumbling bloc,

Aden is on the coast, unlike Taiz, what is their excuse for strife,

[Jack is Back! (Get out the wallet or pocket book and support your values)]

CH,

i think Sam's daughter is huge left wing donor. Pulling herself up out of the Beverly HIllbilly stereotype don't you know.

[Captain Hate]

Marlene, I understand the corporate strategy but I doubt that Sam would've bought into that and would have been willing to take a temporary hit to make an enduring point.

[Old Lurker]

Is our buffoon still pretending to negotiate for the US in Switzerland? Could we look more foolish if we tried?

[PD]

Posted by: narciso | April 02, 2015 at 11:40 AM

Putin seems to be small-minded desperate man attempting to appear relevant. Seems we hear the same from North Korea from time to time.

[Captain Hate]

Thanks, lyle and JiB. Look at Reagan's kids to realize how far the apple can fall from the tree.

[Old Lurker]

The economic history of the world is that great wealth passed on to the children of innovative creators is usually returned to the common pot within three generations. No estate tax required. The Waltons will be next up to prove that.

[PD]

"Could we look more foolish if we tried?"

Only if we changed the law and voted Barry O in for a 3rd term.

[Marlene]

A man from Newcastle,Maine has filed with the FEC and will campaign in the Democratic primary in NH. Morrison Bonpasse will run on a platform of zero population growth,the end of wrongful convictions and a single global currency.
And with that,I'm going to walk the dog.

[MarkO]

"Some brave gay or lesbian couple should go to a Muslim bakery and order a cake."

I've often thought that a solution to this problem is to make Minny's Chocolate Pie and deliver it.

[Jack is Back! (Get out the wallet or pocket book and support your values)]

Off to the Miami Open to watch some men's semi's men's doubles. We have two American men - John Isner against Kei Nishikori in the singles and Jack Sock with his partner B. Soares of Brazil in the doubles. J'Sizzle is the next American hope.

Photos on my FB page.

[NKvirusedandback]

OL-- he is an evil buffoon. Sometime this summer the Mullahs will detonate the Shia Bomb. And Obummer will say to the rest of us "see, it's all YOUR fault" sanctions didn't stop the Bomb, my deal WOULD have. That is the evil game he and the Mullahs are playing. Kerry? Probably doesn't have a clue.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--No estate tax required. The Waltons will be next up to prove that.--

Did JohnBoy sell the moun-tun?

[Old Lurker]

The WSJ had a story yesterday about Nixon's San Clemente estate being on the market for $75M. Looking at it, I was struck by two things: Turning a $1.4M purchase into $75M is a nice piece of work. And looking at the pictures of Nixon and the world leaders he hosted there, I was reminded how grownup leaders used to look and how Frat Like is the team we have in DC now.

[NKvirusedandback]

JiB-- if Nishikori is for real, right now men's tennis has a BIG 2, PLUS a Biggish 4. Great summer coming up.

[narciso]

I don't know if this is the same sample they used for the Iran poll:

http://hotair.com/archives/2015/04/02/two-new-polls-show-ted-cruz-in-top-tier-of-2016-gop-field/

[NKvirusedandback]

Frat Like? they are Juice Boxers... at best.

[Marlene]

One of the Walmart heirs built an art museum in the *gasp* Ozarks.

[Thomas Collins]

"Looking at it"

Whoa, OL! After paying me my fee for doing your taxes this year, you won't have enough money left to buy a house made of Legos, much less San Clemente! :-)

[Captain Hate]

My meeting with Jim Rhoads was marked by him having nothing bad to say about anybody with the notable exception of Live Shot Kerry, the mention of whom produced a look on his face like somebody had just ripped a brutally noxious fart.

[Lazybusy]

Ignatz, my thoughts are with you today.

rse, how do we contribute towards the flowers?

[narciso]

75 million (dr. evil pinky gesture) how is that possible,

[Rick Ballard]

OL,

The $50 billion is a stupidity test for NYT subscribers (don't worry, they'll pass). I'd like to see "How much additional cash does Egypt have available after Uncle Sugar pays General Dynamics $18 million to deliver an F-16 to Cairo? used to test the functional across the board stupidity of the prog population.

Actual illiteracy in the US should come in at around 16%. It would be slightly higher than 25% among blacks, comparable to Egyptians. That's why 160 Atlanta educators conspired to commit acts against nature in an effort to achieve Chicom level success.

[Some Guy]

I see Fred "DD" Phelps was kind enough to prove my point from the prior thread.

Dialing the hate and bigotry up to 11, but further lost in irony.

Completely clueless to the fact the Alinsky playbook works, until it doesn't. The Democratic Party might not survive two more years of this childish and shortsighted stupidity. Yet they plow forward nonetheless in righteous hate and fury.