Belated praise to Edward Tufte who skewered Colin Powell’s UN presentation on Iraq at the time, noting: The cognitive style of Powell’s PP presentation resembles that of JFK assassination theorists: small highly selected bits of information that, along with some heavy breathing, are then alleged to provide a conclusive insight. His essay on the subject, …
Beijing Doesn't Seem to Be Feelin' it
by | 2004-11-20 | No Comments
If the Bush administration really is trying to get China to put more pressure on North Korea, Hu and Bush’s press appearance today suggests that the effort isn’t going all that well: PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, thank you for this very frank exchange. I told the President that I look forward to working with him …
North Korea: Is Kim Jong-Il Nuts?
by | 2004-11-20 | No Comments
We’ve all heard the stories: playboy, alocholic, wack-job, etc. Typical is a recent book by one Kenji Fujimoto (a psuedonym), who claims to have been Kim Jong-Ils cook. An excerpt in The Atlantic leaves no doubt that Fujimoto thinks Kim is nuts. So what to make of reports that North Korean state-media has dropped some …
Powell Disclosure: Fallout
by | 2004-11-19 | 1 Comment
Global Security Newsire has a nice summary of the fallout from Colin Powell’s clumsy use of poorly sourced intelligence about the Iranian missile program. Adam Ereli put on a brave face, adding that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage “saw the same information.” [Though apparently had the good sense to keep his fat trap shut.] …
