On Wednesday, November 28, Derrick Shareef pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Chicago on federal charges of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.  I’ve discussed the Shareef case before on this website, most notably here, here, and here. In the past, I’ve suggested the Shareef case was only the tip of the iceberg, and that those who thought … [Read More]

Over at Townhall.com late last night, Michael Medved slipped in some Thanksgiving Eve—well, “thoughts” would be too strong a word: “The Thanksgiving holiday provides an opportunity to refocus on the motivations of early New England settlers, who crossed the ocean not to escape the Old World, but to change it by the force of their example.” Really?  I’m not a particular … [Read More]

We get a lot of press releases at Chronicles, and most of them simply go in the electronic equivalent of the round file.  Once in a while, however, they’re at least good for a laugh.  For instance, is this really supposed to get me interested? A CONSERVATIVE LITERARY BLOG THAT DARES TO DO SOMETHING RADICAL: TELL THE TRUTH—An intellectually engaging site … [Read More]

Continuing our jaunt through Mr. LaTulippe’s article from yesterday, we come to these lines: “When analyzing the likely course of these civilizational struggles – and plotting a strategy for America to deal with them – one must also recognize another important fact: The ultimate outcome of Islam’s civilizational wars has already been determined. Radical Islam is not a viable paradigm upon … [Read More]

I interrupt my friendly criticism of Mr. LaTulippe’s article to bring you the breaking news: Pat Robertson Backs Giuliani’s Bid Robertson’s remarks on why he would be willing to endorse a man who stands for everything Robertson claims to stand against are revealing: Robertson said he was willing to overlook Giulani’s pro-abortion rights stance because he takes him at his word … [Read More]

Steven LaTulippe’s article today, “Let’s Sit Out World War IV,” has much to recommend it, and I doubt that anyone associated with Taki’s Top Drawer is likely to disagree with LaTulippe’s call for the United States to take advantage of the fact that we are “not forced by geography into a conflict with Dar-al Islam.”  Yes, withdrawing from the Middle East … [Read More]

In my younger days, I participated in a bit of political theater.  (The Ted Kennedy Swim Team, which waded through a fountain on the Senate side of the Capitol grounds on the 20th anniversary of Chappaquiddick, was perhaps the most interesting.  The fact that no one was arrested shows how far we have fallen over the past 18 years, because I … [Read More]

While I cannot (by which I do not mean “will not,” but truly cannot) endorse the opening paragraph of Kevin Michael Derby’s “The Silence of Father Neuhaus,” the rest of the piece is excellent, and even the fulsome praise in Mr. Derby’s first paragraph serves a rhetorical purpose, heightening the effect of the criticism throughout the rest of the piece.  Mr. … [Read More]

Sam Brownback is out, but he’s not down.  In a move clearly calculated to maintain his viability as a vice-presidential candidate, he met with Rudy Giuliani on Thursday in Brownback’s Senate office. As Daniel Larison points out, Brownback stopped short of endorsing Giuliani, but declared that he is now “much more comfortable” with Giuliani’s position on abortion.  Daniel seems to think … [Read More]

Robert Novak might not be able to distinguish Thomas Fleming from Thomas Fleming (as the howler in his latest book shows), and he might benefit from a remedial course in journalistic ethics (as the Valerie Plame outing, among other incidents, indicates), but he’s generally pretty savvy when it comes to electoral politics.  So I’m discussing his latest column today not simply … [Read More]