The Audacity of Hope

The extraordinary David Brooks, a must read of mine, describes some of the big plans that Obama has in store for the near future. They’re both audacious, and hopeful. Let no one say that Obama doesn’t deliver the style of Presidency he promised 2 years…

Continue reading

The "Business" of Development?

Amanda Henry muses on the issue of whether development work should be turned into a business, or whether it should remain a charitable, largely selfless activity. (Amanda also calls herself a "starry-eyed idealist" which I think does not do herself justice: an idealist she may be, but anyone willing to admit complete uncertainty because of the nuances of this debate is not "starry-eyed".)…

Continue reading

Barack Obama, Invading Iraq, and Judgement to Lead

"There is a choice that has emerged in this campaign, one that the American people need to understand. They should ask themselves: who got the single most important foreign policy decision since the end of the Cold War right, and who got it wrong. This is not just a matter of debating the past. It’s about who has the best judgment to make the critical decisions of the future." – Barack Obama, October 7, 2007 Barack Obama has argued many times over the course of the last two years that his opposing the Iraq War from the start showed his superior judgement, particularly on foreign policy, compared to Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and John McCain. As he outlines in the statement above, he considered support for the Iraq War to be disqualifying. Currently Obama is considering extending Roberts Gates at the Defense department, and is considering one of John Kerry,…

Continue reading