By Steve Clemons

Sebastian Mallaby, editorial writer and economics columnist at the Washington Post and a former economics correspondent for the Economist, is a radical centrist.

As some of my readers know, I used to be a wannabe Politburo watcher and specialist on Soviet strategy and weapons systems. There are some times when I wish the late Andrei Gromyko, former Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs and Politburo member, was around to give lessons in just saying “No.

I just wanted to write a quick note of thanks to all who e-mailed me privately or offered public comments on TWN regarding strategy, focus, and opportunities for collaboration as we try and build a new foreign policy vehicle in Washington.

This admittedly partisan email (below) about a new Republican Dictionary is making its way around the internet, and has apparently been leaked by some staff at The Nation. Here is reference to an early part of the project.

During Condoleeza Rice’s confirmation hearings yesterday, Barbara Boxer relied on some thoughts penned by my colleague and friend, Peter Bergen. Here is the testimony, and I have put in bold Peter’s material: BOXER: Now, since 9/11, we’ve been engaged in a just fight against terror.

LTC Tim Ryan feels strongly that the press is missing much of the story in Iraq, particularly the good stuff and happy news. He got a piece published yesterday in the World Tribune.

Snow has just hit Washington (this was written at 9:30 a.m.) — and my plane to Miami was the last to get out before Dulles temporarily grounded flights. Good luck to those who will freeze today and tomorrow at the Inaugural festivities.

I am at Dulles Airport right now, leaving for Miami in a few minutes. I will be down there with France’s Trade Minister and the French Ambassador to the U.S. and a few hundred others interested in French-American economic and political affairs.

I am writing an article today, so regrettably don’t have time to post much. However, I have been inundated with emails and bits of advice and encouragement about something I noted in one of my comments regarding building a credible and compelling alternative to neoconservative foreign policy thinking.

I am supposed to be cranking on a review of Anatol Lieven’s America Right or Wrong: An Anatomy of American Nationalism, and actually I am. However, I couldn’t resist picking up a galley copy of Eric Liu‘s new book, Guiding Lights: The People Who Lead Us Toward Purpose in Life.