Collegial Notes

by Cliopatria

Jason Kuznicki's"Natural Law and the Conservative Soul," Positive Liberty, 13 November, includes"a very elegant and persuasive criticism" of Andrew Sullivan's The Conservative Soul, says Sullivan.

In honor of Abe Rosenthal, Eric Alterman launches the Abie Awards, for a pundit who quotes himself quoting himself. The first winner: David Horowitz.

In"Duke's Rush to Judgment," Front Page Rag, 16 November, our colleague, KC Johnson is interviewed by Jamie Glazov.

At University Diaries, Margaret Soltan installs Cliopatria's contributing editor, Thomas G. Palaima, in the Hall of Academic Heroes for his column,"College Athletes Often Are Losers When It Comes To Academics," Austin American-Statesman, 16 November.

In time for Thanksgiving, our colleague, Chris Bray, is back in the United States from Kuwait. He writes that"I'm home for good from the army, DD-214 in hand." I don't know what a DD-214 is, but under the circumstances it sounds like a good thing!

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Ralph E. Luker - 11/19/2006

Thanks. I obviously had misunderstood your point.

Manan Ahmed - 11/19/2006

I think I was too vague there, Ralph. My point was that if American servicemen and women in a friendly country like Kuwait [a country the US fought to free] going to Sheraton to participate in the local economy can be seen as 'aid to the terrorists', well, then, the whole freedom/democracy agenda needs a quick think-over.

Ralph E. Luker - 11/18/2006

Just wondering, Manan, about how serious you are about that point. Are you opposed to all western investment in the Middle East? There are, of course, lots of American provincials who look with great suspicion on Arab investments in the United States.

Manan Ahmed - 11/18/2006

"So, yeah. Hanging out at the Sheraton? Just like direct aid to the terrorists, man."

ha. the Sheraton in KUWAIT.
therein lies everything that has gone horribly awry.

Chris Bray - 11/18/2006

I was generally locked down like a prisoner on a camp in the desert, especially in the last half of the deployment -- the army treats Kuwait City like the surface of a radioactive planet, and I only visited maybe a dozen times, on official business and with urgent instructions to stay armed and close to other soldiers. And don't get out of the car unless you have to! And and and...

We had a barbecue one afternoon for a departing soldier, and there was a big dilemma in the days beforehand, because every PX was out of charcoal. And I said, "why don't we just run into a store in Kuwait City and buy some?" Which was met with open-mouthed stares, and a captain who said, "uh, that's not a secure environment." So, yeah. Hanging out at the Sheraton? Just like direct aid to the terrorists, man.

Manan Ahmed - 11/17/2006

I WAS going to be in Kuwait over xmas and had plans of doing a Cliopatria Get Together at the Sheraton. But, this is far better news. Welcome back.

Chris Bray - 11/17/2006

DD-214: Certificate of release from active duty. A very pleasant document.