Klein’s Quips

Arlen Specter is asking Congress to investigate the Eagles’ handling of the Terrell Owens case.

Link via Alarming News.

UPDATE: Specter backs off…

I watched the debate between Alan Dershowitz and Noam Chomsky on “ISRAEL & PALESTINE AFTER DISENGAGEMENT: Where Do We Go From Here?”, held tonight at Harvard’s Kennedy School. The streaming video should soon be archived here. The upshot is that the event lived up to its billing, as Dershowitz, armed with maps, pulled no punches in challenging Chomsky. What came across in the debate was the contrast between Dershowitz, who is optimistic for the prospects of a peaceful two-state solution, as outlined in his new book The Case For Peace, and Chomsky, who doesn’t think Israel is capable of agreeing to any plan that would be realistic for Palestinians.

It’s inconceivable to me how anybody can watch this debate and take anything Chomsky says seriously. Any source that contradicts his viewpoint he dismisses as suspect, and as Dershowitz pointed out, whoever he quotes in support of his theories he identifies as a “?leading scholar.” The average member of the audience isn’t going to take the time to track down every obscure source Chomsky cites, and when asked why his theories were not more widely reported, he talks of a media cover-up.

One good example of this related to the collapse of the 2000 peace process. Dershowitz laid the blame squarely on Arafat for the rejection of a two-state solution, but Chomsky blamed Israel. Dershowitz cited statements by U.S. negotiator Dennis Ross and Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia as well as private conversations with Bill Clinton to back up his claim. Chomsky said anything coming from Dennis Ross should be disregarded, and cited Ron Pundak, the director of the Shimon Peres Center for Peace as the “?leading scholar” on the issue.

When Dershowitz said that Dennis Ross should be considered reliable, because he was at Camp David in 2000, Chomsky said that Pundak was there too. Chomsky held his ground on this point, even after a questioner from the audience challenged him. Chomsky’s assertion that Pundak was at Camp David is contradicted by this biography of Pundak, from the official Website of the Shimon Peres Center for Peace. As the questioner rightly told Chomsky, Pundak was involved in the Oslo process in 1993, but, at least according to this official bio, he was not at Camp David. If anybody else out there has contrary evidence, I’d love to hear it.

Another great point came when Dershowitz asked what country facing a similar terrorist threat to Israel had used preemptive action with better discretion. Chomsky cited Nicaragua and Cuba, for showing so much restraint in the face of terrorism carried out by the U.S. Chomsky then had the nerve to cite Iran, because Israel and the U.S. are threatening Iran with destruction. Hello Noam! It was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who recently called for Israel to be “?wiped off the map.” As my evidence, I cite this story from Al Jazeera. Even Chomsky would have a tough time dismissing Al Jazeera as American/Zionist propaganda.

It would be great if we could just laugh at Chomsky. But unfortunately, he is more responsible than any living intellectual for brainwashing college students against Israel (and America). I have often wondered what the appeal of Chomsky is, and have concluded that it comes down to the fact that he makes impressionable people think that he’s letting them in on secrets. To his followers, Chomsky is like Morpheus in “?The Matrix,” offering people a red pill that will allow them to see beyond the world surrounding them and uncover hidden truths.

Or, as Dershowitz put it, “?In order to get the truth, you have to go to Planet Chomsky.” (This is not an exact quote since a transcript is not available at this time).

Via Reuters:

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The United States needs to set milestones for progress, not a firm withdrawal date, before it can leave Iraq, Virginia governor and prospective Democratic presidential candidate Mark Warner said on Monday.

“This Democrat doesn’t think we need to re-fight how we got into (the Iraq war). I think we need to focus more on how to finish it,” Warner said.

“To set an arbitrary deadline or specific date is not appropriate,” he said. “… It is incumbent on the president to set milestones for what he believes will be the conclusion.”

Warner, whose profile was bolstered earlier this month when he helped elect Timothy Kaine as his successor in Virginia, is sounding like the type of Democrat who could defeat Hillary Clinton in a presidential primary.

From the Jerusalem Post:

Following intense US pressure, the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday issued an unprecedented condemnation of Monday’s Hizbullah attacks on northern Israel.

This condemnation – slamming Hizbullah by name for “acts of hatred” – marked the first time the Security Council has ever reprimanded Hizbullah for cross-border attacks on Israel. The condemnation followed by two days a failed attempt to get a condemnation issued on Monday, the day of the attack, when Algeria came out against any mention of Hizbullah in the statement.

When asked what changed from Monday to Wednesday, one diplomatic official replied: “John Bolton,” a reference to the US ambassador to the UN. Bolton lobbied vigorously for the passage of the statement.

My friend Rich cites a report by the Bay Area Center for Voting Research that ranks the most liberal and most conservative cities in the United States.

When gazing at the list of the Top 25 Most Liberal Cities, I noticed a strong correlation with this list of the 25 Most Dangerous Cities. In fact, 11 cities were listed as being both among the most liberal and among the most dangerous: Detroit, Michigan; Gary, Indiana; Washington, DC; Oakland, California; Newark, New Jersey; Flint, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Hartford, Connecticut; Baltimore, Maryland; Birmingham, Alabama; St. Louis, Missouri.

None of the Top 25 Most Conservative Cities appeared on the list of dangerous cities.

And I always thought liberals were supposed to be kinder and gentler than conservatives.

The more they remain the same:

Nov 27, 1:42 PM (ET)

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. John Kerry initially voted in favor of a Republican-sponsored resolution calling on President Bush to explain his strategy for success in Iraq. Minutes later, the Democrat changed his vote.

It’s been 20 years since Rocky IV hit the big screens. Read my latest American Spectator column to find out why it is the greatest Cold War film ever made.

This Tuesday at 7pm, Harvard’s Kennedy School will host a debate between Noam Chomsky and Alan Dershowitz that has been years in the making. The topic will be: “Israel and Palestine after disengagement: Where do we go from here?” The streaming video will be broadcast live here and archived here. I’m sure the debate will generate a lot of discussion, so it’s well worth watching if you’re interested in the Israel/Palestinian conflict.

As soon as I saw three high schoolers walking down my subway car with drumsticks this evening, I knew I was in for it. “Sorry for disturbing you folks,” the band leader said, prior to disturbing everybody. He said his group was seeking donations to buy drums, and would give us a demonstration. The three of them proceeded to bang on the floor with their drumsticks for three minutes–and then they went around the subway asking for contributions. From a pure business standpoint, I wondered whether they would have done better had they collected money first, in exchange for NOT playing. Then I was reminded of this Marx Brothers bit:

Ravelli: Now, for rehearsing we make special rate. Thatsa fifteen dollars an hour.

Spaulding: That’s for rehearsing?

Ravelli: Thatsa for rehearsing.

Spaulding: And what do you get for not rehearsing?

Ravelli: You couldn’t afford it…

Where else can you buy an animated, singing, trophy deer head to mount on

your wall for $99.93?