The Bolton Battle 2.0: Confirmation Hearing Tomorrow

-

14

Here are some very useful resources regarding the John Bolton confirmation hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. First of all, The Washington Note will be there. Second, for others who want to be there — the hearing will be taking place in 216 Hart Senate Office Building (a big room)….

Brzezinski: Israel’s Actions in Lebanon Essentially Amount to “the Killing of Hostages”

-

53

On Thursday, 20 July (last week), former National Security Advisor and one of America’s top strategic thinkers, Zbigniew Brzezinksi, spoke at a public policy dinner salon that my colleagues and I at the New Amerca Foundation organized. Brzezinski’s presentation and responses to questions were riveting.

This News May Undermine International Stabilization Force

-

28

There have been several thousand UN observers stationed in Lebanon for 28 years. Their role was not peacekeeping — but they have been at least an institutional “toe in the door” in Lebanon and the neighborhood around Israel. Today, at least two UN observers were killed in a strike by Israel.

Wash Post Pentagon Correspondent Tom Ricks & Former State Dept Chief of Staff Lawrence Wilkerson on Friday

-

31

For those of you in the Washington area, I am chairing a book event and public policy discussion with two-time Pulitzer winner and Washington Post Pentagon correspondent Tom Ricks, whose new book, Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq is hitting the book stores today. Col.

Most Likely Future Sponsor of Hezbollah is Baghdad’s Shiite Tyranny of the Majority

-

19

The most interesting item I came across tonight on the Middle East crisis came by way of an email from former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and former Asst. Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Chas Freeman.

Bush’s Fundraising Email: America Has Lots of Problems BUT Don’t Worry, Keep Spending

-

45

Like many Americans I guess, I received an email from George W. Bush this morning asking for my contribution to the Republican National Committee. Bush’s appeal starts out: Republicans have a record of dealing with some serious economic times during my presidency.

Zbigniew Brzezinski on Rice’s Diplomacy and Middle East Mess

-

67

Last Thursday night, my colleagues and I at the American Strategy Program of the New America Foundation hosted an extraordinary dinner at which Zbigniew Brzezinski spoke about America’s stakes in the worsening Middle East crisis. I am working this weekend to review the transcript of Dr.

White House Calls on Jewish Groups to Line Up Behind John Bolton

-

111

It’s hard to imagine something more cynical than the White House exploiting Middle East convulsions — in which many innocents on all sides are dying in real time — to divide Americans at home in order to try and squeeze through the Senate confirmation of the pugnacious radicalizer and international de-stabilizer, John Bolton.

Note to Richard Lugar: The Country Deserves Its Say in This

-

33

Senator Lugar is now considering options on how to manage action on John Bolton’s renomination to serve as Ambassador to the United Nations — requiring confirmation by the United States Senate. Technically, Bolton was renominated last September when his recess appointment went into affect.