Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Latest Commentary:
Trump Campaigns Against UN in World Body Speech -- President Trump addressed the UN General Assembly in New York yesterday. Rather than lead the world body, it appears he is campaigning against it. His speech was a rhetorically repetitive rambling 35 minutes long that lacked any structural cohesion or argument. It was, in short, a long list of bumper-sticker ideas. The delegates laughed openly at his claim that his administration had done more than almost any other in US history, but they should have been shedding tears as he abdicated America's place as leader of the free world. [September 26]
Labour Likely to Shoot Down Any Brexit Deal -- The Labour Party is holding its annual conference in Liverpool, and despite the ridiculous in-fighting over anti-Semitism and the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, something positive has finally come from Labour. Sir Keir Starmer, the party's Brexit spokesman, said the Brexit deal is almost certain to fail the six tests Labour has set for any arrangement with the EU. If so, the party will vote against it in Commons, and since the Tories are a minority government, that may doom any deal. [September 25]
UN General Assembly Opens, Why? -- The UN General Assembly opens today, and the traffic on the east side of Manhattan is a disaster. It's a disaster this time every year. In exchange for the inconvenience, though, what does New York, and the rest of the planet, actually get? The UN has never functioned as it was meant to do, operating since 1945 rather haphazardly and in an ad hoc fashion. With the Trump administration proclaiming America First, and meaning America Alone, the purpose of the UN deserves consideration. This journal takes the view that the UN, or something like it, is useful if it operates as a diplomatic hub and if no one expects very much of it. [September 24]
Koreas' Warming Ties May Leave Washington Behind -- The leaders of North and South Korea have had a successful summit in Pyongyang, agreeing to various ways of improving their mutual relations. The North went so far as to offer destroying both the Tongchang-ri missile engine test site and the Yongbyon nuclear site. These events would happen if the US were to take "reciprocal" measures. Precisely what those are is uncertain. What is certain is that the growing friendliness between Seoul and Pyongyang may leave Washington out in the cold, to the detriment of US interests.[September 19]
Kavanaugh, Accuser to Testify under Oath on Monday -- The accusation of attempted rape leveled against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has delayed the vote to have been held Thursday to report his nomination out of committee. Instead, he and his accuser, Professor Christine Blasey Ford, will testify before the Senate Judicial Committee under oath about the alleged incident. It is largely a he-said, she-said situation, and in a criminal case, the presumption of innocence might be enough for Judge Kavanaugh to prevail. This is not a criminal case (solely), but rather a situation in which a man is being appointed for life to he highest court in the land with a charge of attempted rape hanging around him. The politics of it may be unfair, but sufficient doubt exists to disqualify him. He is not pure as Caesar's wife. [September 18]
© Copyright 2018 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
Volume XVI, Number 168
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