As I correctly predicted yesterday, Ireland beat Argentina. A very messy match in Dublin, the pitch was in an awful state. But we won, but hopefully our play will improve in the next match.
Ireland to beat Argentina tomorrow
Yes this is mainly a politics site, but its also current affairs – and that includes sport. Ireland plays the Argies tomorrow, and after our defeat of the Aussies :)) and then of Fiji I think we should win. But no doubt something will go wrong, this kind of success can’t last forever can it?
The US is right: Michael Glennon
A Michael Glennon presents a notable argument in today’s Tribune. He argues that the sidelining of the UN security council by the US is justifiable, to an extent. I am going to come back to this guy and this argument.
Things have gotten worse
Seumas (Seamus?) Milne in the Guardian today writes an excellent article on why the foreign policy pursued by the US has only worsened an already bad situation. You can read it here.
Star Trek 10
Yes you can see a preview now of Star Trek: Nemesis, not as much of a fan as I used to be, but was once a real Trekker 🙂
Ireland play awful game, US guys make interesting conversation
On a personal note, Ireland drew in a boring soccer game with Greece today. We are in dire straights. Maybe someday we shall return to former glory.
Afterwards myself and my brother met two guys from Connecticut drinking Guinness in their travels around Ireland and Europe. Interesting conversation about that weird over 21’s law in the US for alcohol, eventually moving on to police behaviour and then history and politics (inevitably).
I was met with incredulity at my suggestion that the EU is becoming a power-bloc and may end up going to war with the US. But at least I was presented with intelligent argument as to why it will not happen, even if I did not agree with it.
I hope Ryan, (Politics and History graduate) and Brian (Economics graduate), both enjoy their travels and never have to work while travelling – like the rest of us. 🙂
Perhaps I should add more stories about interesting conversations – at greater length. Hmm
Mars – we go there or humans die out
Well the headline is my view – but I do think this story is worth looking at. I have read of the Mars Society, and I do believe they hold the director James Cameron as one of their major backers. Pity he made such a dismal movie about Mars. Robbins and Sinise at their worst. Anyway an interesting story nonetheless, see it here.
Clash of Religion?
Polly Toynbee, a woman I have communicated with on a couple of occasions concerning her articles, writes a piece closely related to my current reading, and current line of thought. In it she mentions Huntingtons ‘Clash of Civilizations’, and the ideas expressed therein.
I agree with her to a large extent on religion, as I have done in the past when she discussed separation of Church and State in the UK with regard to education.
On this I am a little more hesitant, but I largely agree with her sentiment. Religion is a major factor in many conflicts.
Meanwhile I reserve judgement on her criticism of Huntington. I will discuss this topic at greater length in my upcoming Soapbox section.
Bush to hail larger NATO, united Europe
In a speech this week in Prague, it is thought Bush will mention the growing integration of Europe, and point to its stability and the peace that has been present in Europe (excepting the Balkans) since the end of the Second World War.
What I note about the new members of NATO joining soon, is that they are all also joining the EU, most of them in 2004, and the rest in 2007. For some time now I have felt that the EU will not be a threat to NATO, as some have been saying, but NATO will form a major part of the European Common Foreign and Security Policy. The Rapid Reaction Force will simply be a NATO/EU army under a different name.
Needless to say I disagree with the remarks in the London Independent on the same subject. It stands to reason that Britain will not have to choose between EU Defence and NATO, but that increasingly the EU will be NATO. As a result of US unilateralism, NATO will likely become a European project rather than one dominated by the US.
Bush to be next Churchill?
This article is a few days old but I thought it worth mentioning. Paul Kennedy writes an interesting piece on Bush, and the coming war in Iraq. I have read about Bush’s liking for Churchill before, and his wish to liken himself to the inimitable Winston. I myself have an admiration for Churchill even if he was a bit of a war monger!