Little Red Blog

It is far from the norm, if you are regular reader you know this, for me to make a personal request here. This will be an exception.

You may not know me, and I'm sure if you are reading this that you don't know my grandfather, yet if you could... please say a prayer for him. Popaw, Harry to everyone except his grandchildren and their children, is going to undergo a very serious surgery tomorrow.

Until their passing, my mothers parents were very close to my brother and I. We weren't that close to my fathers parents, Popaw and Granny. Generally I have always felt that this was because they treated us with a firmness similar in some ways to the way they were brought up.

Years later, I had the joy, at a time when I dearly needed joy, to share a home with them. I can't express how much that time meant to me, and how much my Popaw means to me now. While he is a man of few words, like many in the greatest generation, and I'm, well much more verbose, we grew close and whether it was driving him to the VA for treatment, to bingo or just sitting listening to old country music, I am incapable of explaining the way he made me feel. And my Granny, who is always by his side...

I can only say that he or all of us are in need of your prayers.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 28, 2005 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Just another vacant blog.

On first arrival I'm sure that some are thinking just that. After all, the last several weeks have been less than stellar both in quantity and quality of posts. Well good friends, and strangers alike, this too will pass and it will do so shortly.

Being somewhat preoccupied by the other site, I've not posted much here, including failing to post the winners of last weeks Watcher's Council. This is particularly disturbing given that for the second week in a row, the winner of the non-council entry was an entry I nominated.

The winning Council entry, Founding Brother, by Right Wing Nut House is excellent and worth the read if you haven't thus far, as is the winning non-council entry, A Change in Tactics, by Terrorism Unveiled. The full results of the vote are available at the Watcher of Weasels.

The Council also gets a new member this week. Welcome Gates of Vienna.

That's it for now.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 27, 2005 9:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm up late working researching the resource links for the new site and getting to watch, or more accurately listen, to the mass and official induction of the new Pope, Benedict XVI. I don't understand much of what I'm hearing but it is quite soothing while reading all the terrible details of war and strife from around the world.

While here I’d like to thank those of you who’ve emailed comments about the new site. Your encouragement makes the effort much more palatable. And your feedback has helped me to ensure that the clarity and usefulness of the site is unmatched elsewhere. Now, I’ll have to make sure that the analysis is also. I shouldn't say I'll have to, after all much of the detailed analysis will come from other participants, and they are both well suited for the task and probably less sleep deprived.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 24, 2005 2:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Somewhat hesitantly here comes another bit of an update. The new site has come together quite well and appears to be functioning properly. I've completed about 25% of the research needed for opening day, May 2. I'm open to sharing it with a few folks, for feedback on the look, feel, operation, accessibility, and most importantly value of the resources found, so if you'd like to check it out, drop me a note (comment or email) and I'll let you know how to find it.

The reason for my hesitance in giving the update is that I'm still not quite ready to blog heavily yet, but I'm close. Thanks again for the notes of encouragement and for your patience.

Oh... a couple of other things - I've upgraded to Movable Type 3.16, seemless, and added a couple of new plugins, which the new site needed, not yet sure if I'll use them here.

And in the real world much else is happening. I'll have to read your blogs to find out what.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 22, 2005 4:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

For want of sleep, the news of "Habemus Papam", and other more mundane tasks that we all must on occasion fulfill, the News and Notes were delayed. Here is a short bit of what I hope will be just a first for today.

Habemus Papam! Pope Benedict XVI is the new pope of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Congratulations to the faithful and, of course, to Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger for his selection. Being a theologian, and 78 years old, it strikes me that his role is one of caretaker and reinforcement of the doctrines of the late John Paul II. May he be a benefit and blessing to all the world.

Today we note that it has been 10 years since the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. 168 lives were lost on that morning. The bombing had a significant impact on me. On that I hope to share more later today.

While working on the new site, I'm constantly reminded of the vast number of potential hot spots around the world. Whether it be the dispute between China and Japan, North Korea's nuclear play, Iran's ethnic clashes or nuclear ambitions, the Sunni attacks on the Shi'a of Iraq or the many, many, more that I could list, I am left feeling a bit like John Adams must have when he wrote "[w]e have not men fit for the times. We are deficient in genius, education, travel, fortune - everything." Yet, as I've noted many times, I am bound in optimism and much of it is due to the many who while visibly offering words (including through blogs), behind the scenes go about the necessary actions to fortify and defend our land.

Back later.

UPDATE: The Watcher's Council has an opening for those so inclined to apply. Its a good thing and the worst that can happen is you'll be rejected, humiliated and laughed out of the blogosphere. Go ahead, apply.

To help feed my appetite for books I've signed up to do reviews for Mind & Media. Some of you are aware of the service Stacy offers, as that's how I was directed to her, but for those who aren't I'll post more in the near future (including her logo) and then when the first book arrives I'll begin the review process.

Yesterday I mentioned how I was using del.icio.us and how pleased I was with it. Well, it was down for a while today, which in conjunction with the need to have more frequent updates led me to an nifty bit of code called MySQLicious. It mirrors the del.icio.us links in your local MySQL database, and then via PHP, Perl or whatever you like, and you can query as often as you like, no throttling from del.icio.us. Of course, the updating of the mirror should still be moderated, so that you don't abuse the service.

John Bolton's vote was delayed. There is no good news in this save the clarity it provides on the character (and lack) of the Senate.

North Korea shuts down a reactor, most likely to permit further weapons development, and still - still - South Korea opposes sanctions on the North. The last 7, or more, years of South Korean leadership (reflective of the culture today) has been more pro-DPRK than it has been supportive of the U.S. As with Germany and Japan, lessons learned can either be forgotten, played for all their worth, or simple become a part of your character. You know which is which.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 19, 2005 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

First off, thanks to those who've sent emails of support for the threat assessment project. I'm even more convinced it's needed, and more concerned that I do it well.

Second, received notice today that I've been accepted into the Media Bloggers Association. Many of you are aware of the organization but if you aren't, you should go check out their site, where you'll be able to determine by the excellent folks behind the effort, that its worthwhile and just might be for you.

Third, while working on the new site I sought a means to include an RSS feed (actually several different feeds) into the site but needed to be able to control the content of the feeds, rather than just taking all of a news or site feed. That led to del.icio.us which allows for the building of the feeds, add some perl (for parsing the XML) and cron jobs for regular updating and you have an excellent means of adding content without rebuilds or manipulating the php include files manually. I'll post the code I used eventually, and the feeds will be on the new site, along with their RSS feeds if you want to get them via your RSS reader or include them on your site.

And finally, there is, as expected, much going on worth blogging so I'll be back later this evening with a news and notes post on some items of particular interest. But first, I've got to read your blogs.

UPDATE: News and Notes will have to wait till morning, which isn't far off.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 18, 2005 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Progress on the threat assessment project is coming along well, and hopefully the site will be presentable and filled with valuable resources shortly.

Sorry about the absence, and hoping that once it's released, you'll feel that my lack of blogging here was well worth what comes in return.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 16, 2005 6:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Time flies when you ponder such things. Or at least for me it does. Here it is the hour of necessity, or at least when this would have to be delivered for consideration, and I’m only beginning to put keys to fingers. My first inclination is to harken back to the time when I more frequently commented on the absence of moral thought or awareness in our self-governance. Somehow that doesn’t seem right though, at least not for this occasion. Instead, I’ll offer this.

There is a terrible beauty in simplicity. Beauty in the very way the simple reaffirms the nature of our being and the universe. Terrible in the many ways we are blind to the simple. Whether it is our addiction to nuance, our expansive capacity to create conspiracy, or otherwise carnal yearnings of primacy it is evident that the wisdom of years past is seen as but a folly to today’s foolish. In a time when from afar hatred brews to a boil and scalds our very being in a wave of violence unknown before to us, there are those who find fault not in the foaming hatred of the murderous, rather they cry that the murdered were at fault. Fools will be about their folly and stray not from its grip.

Being a nation born of moral virtue and dependent on those very virtues to stand the test of time, we are today in battle to maintain our heritage while proclaiming it anew for friend and former foe. And here at home we know just as well that there are those in our homes, across the street and about town who would rather not hear tell of our sacred honor or the meaning of God’s providence. It is that they’d rather support peace, in all its nuance and variety, than stand firm for or against any act or indignity. It has not always been so, yet it has always been that far too few stand for the virtuous, the moral and the absolute.

For right or wrong, the ideas and values of our hearts are formed with the faith of our forbearers. A Judeo-Christian nation we were. And like we were we must remain a nation of values and morality. Else we fail.

Our political and cultural foes, whose courses are unknown even unto themselves, speak of fear of imposed faith, moral policing, and the establishment of a religious dominion. This while it is their ethos, their acceptance of all forms of behavior, their tolerance of only those who agree, their ridicule of the simple at heart, simple in words or of simple aspirations that tears at the fabric of our nation.

Morays are the bindings of common faith, understanding and purpose that we share aside from our legal bindings. And unfortunately they are less and less availed to those who seek them. On the other hand, the law reaches deeper into our daily lives. The impact is clear. Our character fails as the state takes the lead, our values are worthless when all values are equal, and sadly… the morass of nuance hides the beauty of simple truth.

[This post was prepared for the 2005 EO Symposium (2nd Quarter). The symposium theme is Judeo-Christian Morality in an Ethically Pluralistic Society. Other entries will be listed here as soon as the complete list is available.]

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 15, 2005 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (2)

The Watcher's Council has once again voted and announced the winners from this week's entries.

The winning council entry, China's Time Bombs, from The Glittering Eye, is an excellent look into the one of the many areas of concern regarding China - its environmental record and future.

The winning non-council entry, War with China: 2008-2010?, from the Redhunter, takes a look at some of the many factors that may prevent war with China prior to the Olympics in 2008, and make it more likely shortly thereafter.

Both are excellent, as are the other entries. You can see the full result of the vote at the Watcher of Weasels site, and are encouraged to participate as well.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 15, 2005 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There's been a lot going on of late, and unfortunately for this space, and the few who still return to it, there has been little added. I would ask that you continue your patience and patronage, and know that soon I will return with the same ferocity and delight that I once had for filling the ever wide channels of the blogosphere with the ringing sound of my thoughts. Or is that some sort of tinnitus. Anyway, here's a bit of catching up that's over due.

The Watcher of Weasels has selected two fine additions to join the Watcher's Council. I must admit that both are better bloggers than I am, and like the other members probably only tolerate my presence as an odd means of blogger charity. I'll have to check into the tax law to see if it benefits either of us. So without further delay, more on Tom later, the two newest members are The Glittering Eye and Carpe Bonum. If you aren't familiar with them, please go and get acquainted.

It's April 15th. You know what that means - it means the 2005 EO Symposium (2nd Quarter) - Judeo-Christian Morality in an Ethically Pluralistic Society is due tonight. Thankfully, my entry will be ready with time to spare. If you plan to submit an entry, you've got until 11:59 P.M. CST. Joe runs a great blog and the responses to this symposium, while perhaps not as numerous, will be just as thoughtful and engaging as the first installment this past January.

Another of the side issues that I've been working on was mentioned today. And by a co-conspirator at that. Along with Bill Rice, Dawn's Early Light, and Tom, the Redhunter, I'm working to build a new site to focus on open source assessments of the various threats against the United States and her allies. I'm confident we'll launch shortly and that it'll be a plus for those interested in the topic.

Now to close the evening out with a flourish I’ll offer a couple of quick items of News and Notes for Thursday and early Friday morning.

Senator John McCain signaled his lack of desire to make a serious run for the White House in 2008 today when he announced that he'd side with the Democrats should the Republican leadership decide to lead and break the Democratic filibuster of judicial nominees. Like many of you I'm fed up with GOP Senators dressed like asses, polling for direction and dancing about on every issue. The principled elephant doesn't bray, hem or haw, it stands firm, does not forget and most importantly - never backs down. Senator McCain has long been heralded, and rightly so, for being a hero. And that he was and always will be, but as a Senator, I'd rather see him go.

Thankfully Senate Majority Leader Frist seems prepared to bring the issue to bear. Should enough salamander skinned Senators side with the obstructionist weasels, like Bird, at least we will know who to leave off the list for our support in '06 and '08. And if I could I'd add another animal to keep this up.

Robert Zoellick goes to the Sudan to press for action. Vice chief murdering thug, Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha, repeated his consistent message of denial saying his government was "working diligently to stop the violence" and "get Darfur back to normalcy." We have to watch out, if Kofi leaves the UN - this is just the guy to take over.

In Central Asia, Hamid Karzai wants to keep the Americans around, and so does Kurmanbek Bakiyev, acting prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, so long as we don't bring our AWACS along.

And while China stages protest against Japan, the EU Parliament affirms a measure to support the binding of the Arms Embargo to China's human rights and cross strait relations with Taiwan. The measure means nothing officially, and in China certainly means less. Just think how little it would mean to someone in... say - North Korea.

DPRK leaders have determined that they'll have to increase their nuclear weapons cache, or as Kim Yong Nam would say - "[w]e will continue increasing our self-defensive nuclear deterrent" - and to think, just a few years back the U.S. was building them a light water nuclear reactor. Ah... the good 'ole Clinton years.

Okay, that's it for tonight. Tomorrow we'll have the EO Symposium, the winners of this week's Watcher's Council, and more news, notes, quips, rants, rambles and the like. And thereafter....

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 14, 2005 11:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

This morning I'm busy with another prospective project and in lieu of more detailed posts on an array of topics, I'll leave you with these news and notes until I'm able to add more.

Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is flying home today after visiting with President Bush and Vice President Cheney over the last couple of days. Sharon and Brigadier General Galant apparently stressed the significance of the dealing with Iran's nuclear development efforts, shared recent intel and satellite photos and called for the U.S. to press for UN Security Council involvement.

On a related note, given the significance the press has made of Bush and Sharon not seeing eye to eye on the issue of settlements, you may find Tom’s post on the subject of interest. And this piece at the always worthy American Thinker is highly recommended.

Lebanon's Prime Minister has stepped down. Again.

Afghanistan is hosting Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and will seek a permanent strategic security relationship with the U.S. according to President Hamid Karzai. This is big, and while it was expected, it remains significant to have Karzai stating that the request will be formally submitted.

Russia's President Putin has ruled out any attempts to create a legal means for him to run again in 2008. Some doubt that this story is nearing its end or the truth. Count me among them.

South Korea's President Roh, the leader of the morally vapid and ungrateful nation, has announced his support of Germany getting a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. His comments came while Roh visited Germany to woo investors.

al-Qaeda's new strategy is to lie. Okay, perhaps not, perhaps that part has always been there. Bill Roggio has the story of how their new direct approach, attacking the U.S. military head-on, has failed and the resulting lies they've told.

That's it for now.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 13, 2005 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Each week, or perhaps most, the Homespun Bloggers host a symposium question for members of the Homespun Bloggers. The questions vary from the significant moral and political issues to the lighthearted, this weeks question may serve both. It comes from Patterico and is as follows:

How has blogging affected your life?

There are several means or avenues of approach that I could use to answer this question. The straightforward means would be to discuss the time I spend blogging or reading blogs, significant, and to discuss the impact of the information, perspective and thought that I’ve come across in blogging, also significant. Another path might be to discuss the progress that blogging has helped me to make in regaining the confidence I once held. Though that is far from relevant to anyone but me, and moreover, the process is far from complete. And that leads to another prospective approach, and the one I’m inclined to utilize.

Blogging is what we, or you the blogger, make of it. When I first timidly began posting, without the aid of a blogging tool or content management system, I immediately felt the relief of having expressed something openly. I found a joy and comfort in being able to once again state that which I believed, and along those lines recognized that I would certainly be affected by that simple act. The process of writing things out, presenting it to others (or none as often was and is the case) and reading the thoughts of many others on similar subject matter would have an impact. It has. My initial pages stated that my reason for blogging were the joy I gained from doing it, the ability to learn from doing it, and the aid it would provide in remembering. All are still valid and all have been realized to a great degree.

Prior to blogging, I had over the four plus years prior fallen far from being connected to anyone but the closest of family and friends, and even there some degree of separation was apparent. No, I will not claim that blogging alone has restored my connection to the world but it is clear in my daily life that it has played a significant role in helping me to reconnect. Men and women I’ve never met, and am not likely to, have contacted me, taken me to task, offered encouragement, and some have become regular correspondents and trusted voices from afar. That alone is a powerful reason for me to continue to blog.

The family and friends I once was unable to connect with now find me more open and at peace with the world than the last four years witnessed. Sure, I’m still concerned, but I’ve found a voice that frees my heart and mind, permitting life (the non-blogging portion at least) to be focused, as it should be – on those I’m with. For that I’m thankful to have the medium, as are those who are perhaps unwittingly benefiting from the release it provides.

Beyond that blogging has helped to restore my confidence in others, and that alone has made it possible for me, even without (perhaps only without) the personal swagger, stature or vanity of my past, to reach out and lend a hand, an ear or a prayer for those near and far. I’ve met bloggers. First it was Karol, who via her blog got me involved in the Senate campaign of Pete Coors, and then more recently I met Hugh Hewitt and several members of the Rocky Mountain Alliance of Bloggers, and most recently several bloggers through the Rocky Mountain Bloggers Bash. Each time I found myself more comfortable, and surprisingly, well received. I'm also blogging at Conserva-Puppies, a member of the Watcher's Council, and as it happens facilitating the weekly Homespun Symposium. I’m not sure if it’ll be next or not, but I’ll soon be at GodBlogCon and I’ve been accepted to lead a session on blogging technology. A bit of a blending of my past and present, and perhaps a chance to give a little back. I truly hope so.

Its funny almost to think of it as giving back, I’ve only blogged for 9 ½ months. Now I write for a couple hours a day, not for the blog, and have hopes that I’ll someday do so for a living, but then don’t we all. And while it remains unlikely, as I’m not much for self-promotion and am unlikely to strike the fancy of society tilting toward paper credentials, cult of personality and exhibitionism, I know that I’m better for the effort.

In the end, blogging has meant much to me, and much of it is beyond what I’m capable of stating in so public a manner. Should we ever meet, and share a few minutes, if you want to know more I’m sure I’ll tell you. And I'll probably ramble just as much as I have here.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 12, 2005 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (5)

James Pinkerton, of Newsday, writes of three events that combined show the possibility of an "Asian Century" whereas the past century is referred to as the "American Century." As Pinkerton notes, the movement is now peaceful. As others and I have noted on more than one occasion, we are fools to believe that it will remain such. Pinkerton’s three fuses that are burning to create the Asian Century are the formation of a new Sino-Indian movement for a New Asian Order, the renewal of tension, even violence, between China and Japan, and China’s support for nuclear North Korea.

There is little comfort to be found in the current status quo or peaceful tension between China and the United States. China has renewed its political interests and ties with its giant neighbors Russia and India, it continues to pursue arms from an economically, rather than strategically, driven Europe, and as Pinkerton notes it stands at the ready to prevent any U.S. pre-emptive efforts to force change in North Korea. While yesterday I noted that I support Japan in their dispute with China, primarily for the moral lessons learned by the Japanese post WWII, it should also be clear that for purely strategic reasons the U.S. must support Japan as a counter-balance to the growing influence of China in the region.

Pinkerton’s column also notes an alarming bit of news from North Korea.

Japan's Kyodo news service says a top North Korean official declared that his country could strike America not only directly, but also indirectly: "The United States should consider the danger that we could transfer nuclear weapons to terrorists."

The U.S. cannot afford to see the world in a single Global War on Terror view nor can our support for our allies in Asia and the South Pacific be forgotten or left untended. Australia, Taiwan, Japan, Pakistan and the Philippines, in particular, are vital to our security, economic well being and potentially to our ability to balance what is clearly a growing threat in China.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 12, 2005 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

A while back the kind folks at Warm ‘N Fuzzy Conserva-Puppies invited me to join their blog. After my initial "get to know me post" I’ve contributed nothing more than the comments that I was likely to make even without being a contributor to the site. I’ve finally made my first post to the site, and hope that it’ll become a regular event. If you aren’t yet a regular reader of Conserva-Puppies, I highly recommend it to you, and beyond the posts I’d recommend you read and contribute to the dialog in the comments for each post.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 12, 2005 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

India and China have signed an agreement establishing a framework for settling a set of long-standing border disputes and for increasing the volume of trade between the two nations. Some will no doubt believe that this is simply a matter of China and India attempting to smooth out the tension and little more. My first thought was that this is more of China attempting to rest control of the region, and India, feeling a bit like the forgotten stepchild, unfortunately playing along.

So why am I not optimistic about the deal?

First, Pakistan has traditionally been armed by China. Along comes the decision to supply Pakistan with F-16’s, along with some debt restructuring, as a means of thanks for Pakistan’s support in the Global War on Terror. India, not at all pleased by the deal, and currently going through an extensive beefing up of its military, as well as its military industrial complex, then signs a non-military deal with China. Does anyone doubt that China, as well, was displeased by the U.S. decision to supply Pakistan with F-16’s or more directly, Pakistan’s cozying up to the U.S. in the GWOT? China, while striving to create an increased role in the economic outlook and military security of Southeast Asia determines that it’ll cease to lay claims to disputed lands and work to end other land disputes with India. India, at the same time has aims on becoming a primary military components supplier to European arms manufacturers, the same manufacturers so desperately seeking an end to the EU arms embargo on China.

On more than one occasion I’ve considered, and discussed, the "perfect storm" of Europe, Russia and China aligning against the U.S. Each time an event such as this occurs I’m renewed in my confidence that there are those who seek to displace the U.S. as the leader of the free world, without realization or concern for the consequences of their actions.

Of course, the terms of the current agreement do not affirm any military cooperation or trade related to arms, yet it stands to reason that within the next few months, when India announces its selection, that the Europeans are now more likely than before to be at the forefront. Just two weeks ago India agreed to purchase 12 used Mirage 2005 from Qatar. The Mirage is a French built fighter.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 11, 2005 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The prospect of war with China is not something that draws lots of attention, at least not for this blog (despite the numerous posts on the subject). That being said, it is something that requires the attention of the various strategists responsible for planning for the defense of the United States and our interests. Today I came across two post on the subject of Chinese power and the potential for war worth sharing (not that others aren’t out there, just haven’t seen them yet).

First, in a post that reminds me of the excellent debate at Bill Roggio’s The Fourth Rail just a couple of weeks ago, Tom, the Redhunter, revises his estimate of the timetable for a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan.

Second, Bill Rice, at Dawn’s Early Light, takes a look at the shifting sphere of influence and power in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Bill put this up on Friday, but I missed it then and didn’t visit over the weekend.

As I’ve noted in previous post, the prospect for war with China is real and growing at this time. Our defense appropriations for the upcoming year, along with the efforts to transform the military, aren’t entirely in sync with the potential for war with China, particularly the reduction in naval capacity, which Bill notes.

Today, like the last three weeks, I’ll not be presenting any lengthy additions to the debate, I’ll just recommend the above mentioned to you.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 11, 2005 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Japanese government selects new textbooks that aren’t sufficiently contrite when addressing Japan’s historic aggression and mistreatment of civilians and POW’s during the first half of the 20th century. In response, the governments and citizens of South Korea and China are incensed. For many, the matter ends there. Japan acted horribly wrong and has failed to act in a conciliatory manner extensively enough to satiate their former victims, or their heirs. Thusly, China and South Korea are right to be upset. I have a different view.

Like Germany, Japan clearly acted in a manner that not only was unacceptable to even the most marginally decent of the world. And like Germany, Japan was remade or rebuilt. Many believe that Germany has made sufficient, or attempted to, recompense for its transgressions. Japan, on the other hand, is given little credit for the nearly sixty years of constitutional required limitations on its defensive or offensive military capabilities. And even less credit for its acceptance of the value of civil liberties, social and religious freedoms, open markets, and charitable giving. Now a movement to place Japan on the UN Security Council, Japan’s alliance with the U.S. in the War on Terror and specifically the war in Iraq, and Japan’s broadening of its strategic defense capabilities, including its ties again to the U.S. and support of a free and independent Taiwan, and out of the wood work comes the fury over Japan’s failure to make apologies ad infinitum for their past.

Being morally inept to a degree that denies their capacity to reform their own nation, China stands as a hypocrite in their uproar over Japans textbooks. As well, so does South Korea, who like Germany, was safely guarded by American forces and finds no ability to support U.S. efforts to spread and defend liberty around the world. Indeed, South Korea’s government has instead taken a path of appeasement with the North, and like China is more willing to subordinate human virtue in favor of their own power and standing in Asia. I haven’t read the textbooks in question, yet I remain confident that Japan has indeed learned more lessons from its past than Germany or than the current Chinese government binding its citizens, Tibet, and aiming at Taiwan, has learned, and for that and the moral clarity associated with those lessons, I support Japan.

UPDATE: 4/18/05 - A reader takes issue with my position, - "If you want to be a moral crusader, at least *pretend* that you actually know whats going on." And then points to a BBC column by William Horsley. Well, I had already read the Horsley column on Saturday, and didn't find any cause to change my position, so I posted nothing further. By paying their respect to the dead, are we to believe that Japan wants to return to a Shinto based age. No, it is much simpler, Japan paid an enormous price and having learned from it, remembers through their heritage - both good and bad. If you want to comment, you have to leave "your" email address.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 11, 2005 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With each passing day the people of Iraq are closer still to that which few Arabs, living in the Middle East, have ever known – a free and democratic nation governed by and for the people. The man charged with the task of selecting the head of the next interim government is a Kurd, Jalal al-Talabani, he is aided on the president’s council by two vice presidents, a Sunni and a Shi’a (Ghazi al-Yawar and Adel Abdul Mahdi). The three, as expected have named Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a devout Shi’a doctor and member/leader of the Islamic Dawa Party, as the next Prime Minister of Iraq.

The incoming Prime Minister has 30 days to select a cabinet or Council of Ministers and then have the parliament approve it by a majority vote of confidence. In the interim, Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and his cabinet will maintain responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the government, this, even though Allawi has already tendered his resignation.

The process afterwards shifts to the drafting of a new constitution for Iraq and then the ratification of it by the people of Iraq in a vote to be held no later than October 15. The people of Iraq are building a nation in their image and to reflect their will. For this we should all be supportive and remain enthusiastic. Many Arab or Middle Eastern states remain, well, troubling and somewhat worrisome but the example being set in Iraq will continue to pressure Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran to enact a more democratic form of governance. That being the case, the battle to defeat islamo-fascism in the Arab and Muslim world will find new allies on the proverbial Arab street. As I’ve long been, I am optimistic and hopeful. And with that, I offer my congratulations and support to the Iraqi people and the Muslim and Arab men and women of good will through out the world.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 8, 2005 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Watcher’s Council has once again announced their weekly winners. The winners were Right Wing Nuthouse with Taming the Whirlwind of History and Polipundit with W M D – or how "W" Made the Difference. Both are excellent as were several other entries, all of which are available with the full result of the vote at the Watcher of Weasels.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 8, 2005 9:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday my internet service provider had a rough day. The result was that for much of the day I had no access to the net, as evidenced by my lack of entries in this space. Thankfully, things have returned to normal.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 8, 2005 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sure, the title of the post is a lame pun, but the story is not.

Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee has signaled that he may not support John Bolton’s nomination to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. [HT: Dilley Blog] Given his role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this could prevent (along with a party line vote by Democratic committee members) Bolton from making it to the Senate floor for debate and a full vote. Unacceptable.

The Boston Globe reports that Chafee has received little support from his constituency favoring Bolton, and notes that a campaign against Bolton is being waged in Rhode Island. They point out that anti-Bolton advertisements are running on radio and television and that the group behind the ads, Citizens for Global Solutions, also runs the website, www.stopbolton.org. For Chafee, being reelected is more important than sending the right man in to do the job.

Tomorrow Bolton will testify, and I’ll be watching closely, perhaps blogging along the way. Additionally, I'll be sending Senator Chafee's office a kind bit of advice, voting for Bolton is voting for the nation, voting against him is simply voting to keep your job.

UPDATE: The committee has delayed the hearing.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 6, 2005 9:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Being somewhat, okay enormously, behind in my reading of other blogs, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I’ve not missed out on the second quarterly symposium at the Evangelical Outpost. The entry deadline isn’t until the 15th, an otherwise dark day, I’m confident that I’ll be able to put something together between now and then, and I’d encourage those of you who write about Judeo-Christian morality to do so as well. Joe describes the theme for this round as "Judeo-Christian morality in an ethically pluralistic society. Entries can explore the history of the concept, the applications toward public policy, the best means of arguing for it in the public square, or anything else that you choose."

If you do enter, drop me a note and I’ll be sure to read your entry (although I’m likely to read them all as I did last quarter).

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 6, 2005 8:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Florida legislature has approved by a 39 – 0 vote in the Senate and a 94 – 20 vote in the House a bill which, after being signed by Governor Bush, will make it the law that deadly force can be used in self-defense without an attempt to flee or escape from harms way. As a general rule, I am not a “gun blogger” although I have recently met a couple. This post is not about guns. Nor is it about the soon to be signed law either. So what’s the point you ask? The point is that the Florida legislature, quite unlike many recent Florida court rulings, have established as law a position that is morally a more acceptable position for the state. As for the individual, well, read the rest of the post.

For a state to require that the individual flee or take no action to defend life or property it codifies two forms of immoral action. The first being that it limits the rights of the individual to defend life, and secondly it makes a moral man, who under attack defends himself or his property, a criminal. Far too often our state and federal laws make criminals of those who should not be seen as such. This, whether by over legalization or by restrictions on personal liberty, has become for many an inescapable norm that is seldom noticed or recognized as such.

Florida’s new stance will instead place the moral burden on the individual under attack. That, I believe, is the proper place for the decision-making. If your faith, ethical standard, moral compass or what have you, permits the defense of life and limb with deadly force the law will now acquiesce. If you are the sort that believes that under no circumstance should you act to defend yourself or those around you, you will, as always, remain free to flee or seek alternative means to end the situation. As for me, I’m pleased to see Florida take this position, and can chalk it up as yet another reason to consider Florida one of the more liberty loving of our states.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 6, 2005 6:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

On a visit to Paris, Iranian President Mohammad Khatamei expressed his belief that Iran and the EU-3 are closer to an agreement that would permit Iran to maintain its nuclear technology development efforts without further review by the UN Security Council. Khatamei believes that Iran’s latest counter-proposal presented to negotiators last month has been more openly received by the EU-3, particularly France. What was significant about this proposal?

Iran requested that they be permitted to maintain a “pilot” enrichment facility incapable producing enough highly enriched uranium (HEU) for bomb making purposes, and yet, a face saving measure that would maintain Iran’s efforts to understand and master the technology. Why would we oppose such a move, or more specifically, why would I?

The answers are many, so for brevity, I’ll limit my response to a few more on point issues. First up, Iran has not abided by the conditions of the NPT or IAEA inspections as it is obligated to do. That alone gives me much reason to doubt that Iran would abide by any new agreement to limit the scale of its efforts. Additionally, Iran has a contractual obligation to return spent fuel to its initial provider, in this case Russia. The idea that a complete fuel cycle is required for the “understanding” of the technology is a misnomer at best. In the worst case, it is that Iran seeks to understand the cycle so that it may develop nuclear weapons based on the HEU it could ostensibly gain through the use of centrifuges. And then there is the Iranian heavy water reactor near Arak.

Unlike the light water reactors that gain most of the attention, such as the one in Bushehr, the spent fuel from the heavy water reactors is much more readily used for weapons development. The residual spent fuel from light water reactors require the extensive use of centrifuges to collect or create the HEU. Heavy water reactors produce plutonium. The Iranian resistance organization, National Council of Resistance, believes that Arak will be fully operational within two years and will produce 22 pounds of plutonium per year. Iran says the facility is set for completion by 2014 and will be used to develop radio isotopes for medical purposes.

What we know is that Iran has 40 tons of spent fuel that has been processed, prior to their cessation of such activities per their agreement with the EU-3, and that they processed that spent fuel without the approval or supervision of the IAEA or its inspectors. Believing that they’ve done so only to gain the knowledge of how to do it, or to reuse the fuel is not only naïve but potentially deadly.

The Bush administration has my support in its efforts to end the standoff, including the willingness to back the EU-3’s negotiations. That being said, there are many issues that prevent me from being optimistic and there are many conditions that are not, and should not be on the table. Iran must end their enrichment efforts permanently, cease their heavy water reactor efforts, and once and for all open their facilities to full and permanent IAEA oversight. Not likely, and therefore once again I say its time to take the issue to the UN Security Council.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 6, 2005 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (2)

So I switched service providers, as well as domain names. And switched the tool used to build the blog. What did I miss?

How about forwarding the email from the old domain. Yeah, I did that. Well sort of. I forwarded each account to a corresponding account at the new domain, but never consolidated them. In fact, until today, I forgot the other accounts existed. Now with 466 email messages to dig through, I kinda wish I'd not remembered.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 5, 2005 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After my last post, I was a little reluctant to sit down and write for the Little Red Blog over the weekend. Just feeling as if the passing of the Pope, and other events large and small, would have to wait before I discussed them here. I have managed to do more reading of the blogs on the sidebar and links page than I’d been able to do for a couple of weeks and I must admit, some of you have been very impressive in that time. But then you generally are.

RMBB 4.0

On Saturday, the Rocky Mountain Blogger Bash was held at the Denver Press Club. Unfortunately it coincided with Carolina’s national semi-final game against Michigan State, so I didn’t arrive until late, at 10, and though it was advertised as being from 7 to 11 we weren’t forcibly evicted until after midnight.

While at the RMBB, I met ZombyBoy of ResurrectionSong, Jiggity of avoiding the Tar baby, Nick of Libercontrarian, Ryan of A Bellandean, Bob of Let’s Try Freedom and Blogger News Network, Nathan of Brain Fertilizer, Stephen the Vodka Pundit, Jed of Freedom Site, Darren of Colorado Conservative, Publicola, Wadcutter, and Pueblog. And others who I’ve either forgotten, if so I apologize, or didn’t catch their name in the first place… after a couple of drinks and much lively conversation, either is possible. Also there was Elizabeth (or was it Katherine) the bar tender, and at least a couple non-bloggers. One rather touchy journalist (his choice of titles though he called his writing bull….) in particular, who despite speaking far too loudly, also felt the need to poke, prod, rub, hold, and pat those he was speaking to. Needless to say, I told him several times that he was too touchy. Politically, he’s just wrong but he made for a bit of entertainment at the end of the festivities.

After the closing of the DPC, Jiggity and I went to his favorite watering hole, and stayed until once again, forcibly evicted. By then, I’d had my fair share of drinks, had talked for hours on subjects of a wide range and was certain that those who’d met me were ready to see me go. With that thought and the locked doors behind me, I arranged for Mrs. LRB to drive me home, she’d been working on a Saturday of all things and late at that. And so, my RMBB tale is done.

Carolina Wins the National Championship

As mentioned above, Carolina played Michigan State on Saturday and won. And last night, they faced Illinois. I have to admit, that despite being a die-hard fan, even though I rarely write about them on the LRB, I didn’t think they could pull it off. But they did. Congratulations to the Tar Heels and all their fans. Coach Williams and his staff, the players, everyone who made it happen should be very proud for the turn around from just a few short years ago was outstanding.

Conclusion

When will I blog regularly again. Hopefully very soon, maybe even beginning today. I’ve been writing, just not things that I’ve felt were appropriate for the blog, and frankly I’ve been so far behind on reading your blogs and the news, after moving the LRB, that I’ve felt ill prepared for this. See you soon with more.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 5, 2005 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

While sitting with a determination to write on subjects that have come, shifted, realigned and even come and gone over the past two weeks, when I’ve written little for this space, I have once again been unable to do so. Earlier today I heard that Pope John Paul II had passed away. Within minutes the story was retracted, yet the news that he was close to death has stayed with me. Keep writing I would say, so many significant events have passed and despite their importance I’ve not commented on them. Just keep writing… whether it is Kyrgyzstan, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Ukraine, Sudan or any other part of the world facing the challenge of reform, the terrible weight of bigotry, the unyielding passion of fanaticism, or the struggle to find hope in an increasingly dangerous world, I had something to say. But again, I was unable.

The imminent death of a man of character and influence like few others in our recent history binds my mind and heart just as two weeks ago I was bound by concern for the unheard voice of one soul in Florida. Why is it that distant loss reaches so deep into my heart that breathing becomes a challenge? Just keep writing, even if it has nothing to do with the spread of democracy, I tell myself again. Just keep writing.

I don’t know any more about the passing Pope than you or many others. What I know is that he held firm to his beliefs at a time when the world needed a man willing, able and ready to do just that. Like Ronald Reagan he stood for something and by doing so played a significant part in the ending of the Soviet Union. But many stand for something, that can’t be it. It must be what he stood for. At a time when self supplants selflessness, Pope John Paul II was a selfless servant of his faith and the traditions of the Catholic Church. Had I been a Catholic, perhaps I’d been more able to express the cause of my admiration and respect for the man. I can’t.

All I know is that the sight of this frail man over the last few weeks has wrenched my heart. It is simply a great loss for the world to see him leaving us. A shepherd of men and women of all faiths, standing on a foundation of moral and ethical thought with a depth beyond my capacity is about to leave the flock. Did we learn the value of life, the significance of liberty, the necessity of responsibility or the promise of hope that this shepherd of men so ardently taught? It must be the fear that not enough has been learned and that another of the simple, yet profound, men who stood guard over a flock more concerned with fool and fancy will be lost. Our world is in need of more men with an eye toward good, a forgiving ear, an eloquent and sharp way with words and most of all a love for us all.

Posted by Marvin Hutchens on April 1, 2005 5:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)