Disqus - Latest Comments for Spencer Ackerman

Re: erica saves the day

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:56:46 -0000

I guess you guys shouldn't shit-talk each other to me behind each other's backs, huh? LULZ J/K HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Re: erica saves the day

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:31:14 -0000

You do nothing. That person is writing to get something out. Don't call attention to it.

Re: erica saves the day

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:09:30 -0000

Cheap shot. This man is in pain.

Re: Petraeus and Rumsfeld: Awwwwwwwkward

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:59:15 -0000

You guys are all correct -- I messed up here, as a knowledgeable source pointed out to me this morning. For those wondering why I didn't update earlier, it was Yom Kippur yesterday and I'm just taking the time out now from the al-Qaeda conference I'm covering to update. Again, you're right, I'm wrong, and my apologies to you and to Rumsfeld. -- Spencer

Re: Another Year’s Worth Of Gates?

Spencer Ackerman — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:17:07 -0000

This is a really good point that I should have considered. Eric Edelman in an Obama administration? That I just don't see. But how could Obama really tell Gates to stay but tell his people to go?

Re: Five Critical Foreign Policy Posts to Watch

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:31:33 -0000

Obama really does have to find a job for Clark, doesn't he? For the life of me I don't understand how their relationship got off to a rocky start? I kind of think Richard Holbrooke is the man for the ambassadorship to Iraq, but this is a good point.

Re: Five Critical Foreign Policy Posts to Watch

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:31:55 -0000

Whoa! Blogospheric hotshot in the building!

Re: Obama’s First Test?

Spencer Ackerman — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:48:44 -0000

Whoa, hang on. Read through the article and you'll see there's not the faintest hint of blaming Obama for Mumbai. What I wrote was that the picture in South Asia has changed significantly in recent weeks; will probably change more by Jan 20; and that will be Obama's first test. The piece has rather little to do with Mumbai. And if you Google my name and "Barack Obama" I feel confident that you'll not consider me biased against the incoming president.

Re: Obama’s First Test?

Spencer Ackerman — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:49:17 -0000

... I'm just going to repeat what I said to @JN.

Re: Obama’s First Test?

Spencer Ackerman — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:52:01 -0000

Letting Bush off the hook -- the piece was about how the changing situation in Afghanistan/Pakistan/India will be a flashpoint for the incoming administration. I don't know how many times I can write the "Bush: Still A Catastrophe & A Douchebag" story, and to be frank, I'm looking forward to Jan. 20 for many reasons, but among them is the fact that I'll no longer have to.

Re: Obama’s First Test?

Spencer Ackerman — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:55:28 -0000

Oy. Nothing of the sort -- I don't honestly see how you read this piece and see me in any way heaping "tangential blame" on Obama for any of the developments I referenced. But apparently enough people read that into the piece so I need to say it loud and clear: MUMBAI IS NOT BARACK OBAMA'S FAULT. The piece attempted to look recent developments in South Asia; point out the rapidity of that change; and contend that they might add up to an early test for the Obama administration. That's it and that's all. There's no anti-Obama subtext here.

Re: Obama’s First Test?

Spencer Ackerman — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:57:04 -0000

Very kind of you to say. That was all I endeavored to do. And you're absolutely right about no one possessing a coherent Pakistan strategy, although I think CAP's is a pretty good offering.

Re: Big Personalities Join Obama Foreign-Policy Team

Spencer Ackerman — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:15:35 -0000

No, totally not -- I was just afraid of slipping into jargon that might be obscure to a general audience. I didn't mean to imply that these folks are soi-disant realists or anything like that. Just wanted to flash a warning light: "jargon ahead."

Re: What Worked In Iraq Must Work In Afghanistan, Right?

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:05:37 -0000

Hey thanks Mikey. Merry whatev to you too. I'll bring up your FDL problems -- you can't comment, I take it? -- with the mods.

Re: Dianne Feinstein Not Too Pleased With Panetta Pick

Spencer Ackerman — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:09:47 -0000

LOLZ.

Re: Dianne Feinstein Not Too Pleased With Panetta Pick

Spencer Ackerman — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:52:30 -0000

Can we not criticize people without wishing them a painful death?

Re: Do We Really Have To Call Steve Kappes A Torturer?

Spencer Ackerman — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:04:59 -0000

I'm not saying no one has a right to criticize them. Far from it. I'm saying that judgments ought to be tempered by an incomplete factual record.

Re: Hah! I Totally Blocked Your Fist With My Face!

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:28:12 -0000

Oh YES. We're getting Obama Birthers in comments now!

Re: Do We Really Have To Call Steve Kappes A Torturer?

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:32:58 -0000

You wrote a good post. And I'll concede up front that all I know about the Abu Omar case is what I've read in the papers. I'm not making an argument about it, or Bob Lady, etc. All I'm saying is that suspending judgment until more facts are known is a prudent course.

Re: Maybe Give This Guy a Job?

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:43:43 -0000

Egads, sorry I missed this. Thanks for pointing this out!

Re: DNI Confirmation Hearing: Blair Won’t Call Waterboarding Torture, WTF?

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:35:07 -0000

Added!

Re: DNI Confirmation Hearing: Blair Won’t Call Waterboarding Torture, WTF?

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:35:53 -0000

Le sigh. Sorry. DNI = Director of National Intelligence; Blair = Ret. Adm. Dennis Blair. I wrote like 15 posts and wrote them fast. Sorry about that.

Re: A Rogue CEO Speaks Out: Raise My Taxes and Take My Earnings

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:01:30 -0000

Half! It's like an Eddie Murphy routine.

Re: Mustafa Barghouti

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:55:34 -0000

No. I think you may be thinking of Marwan Barghouti, who is a distant cousin.

Re: Contractors Out of Iraq

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:32:01 -0000

Crap, sorry Doug. And sorry that I'm just seeing this comment now. I'll update this post imminently.

Re: Contractors Out of Iraq

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:33:01 -0000

Ah, actually I just phrased that poorly. I meant to say that you said the PSCs protect the big shots from the dangers of the militias, etc., not that they were providing security to the militiamen.

Re: Defense Contractors Gird for Fight

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:17:49 -0000

You're right, Jason. I'm was too quick to call the system archaic. I regret the use of the adjective.

Re: Contracting Reform: Less Than Meets the Eye?

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:09:49 -0000

Right you are. As I don't follow NASA, I made an ignorant and lazy assumption based on reports I last saw weeks ago. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and apologize for the mistake.

Re: Another Coup in Pakistan?

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:27:24 -0000

You know, you're right.

Re: The Geopolitics of Apology

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:27:27 -0000

Good comments. If I can clarify, I don't mean that Obama should consider apologizing to the regime, though I take your point that any apology will surely be presented by the regime that way.

But let me take the point that you make in your second paragraph further. Let's say Obama does apologize for historic transgressions against the Iranian people. (I note that Newroz is a pre-Islamic cultural celebration.) Nothing about the regime or the revolution. Doesn't that allow the dissidents and reformers breathing room to contend that the U.S. is interested in a holistic breach of relations, preventing the regime from using the threat of external U.S. aggression as an excuse for intransigence?

I don't disagree with your point about any apology coming in the context of negotiations. Maybe it can be a point in some joint communique in the future.

Re: No Pakistan Bill Until After the Recess WOOO SPRING BREAK

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:57:07 -0000

Yes indeed I did. Thanks muchly.

Re: Your Daily Glenn Beck

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:58:37 -0000

When there's nothing left to burn, you must set Glenn Beck on fire.

Re: Your Daily Glenn Beck

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:02:24 -0000

"You're spending money that leads only to slavery." Amazing what white overprivilege will do to people.

Re: Obama vs. Netanyahu?

Spencer Ackerman — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:49:47 -0000

Good point.

Re: Gates $663 Billion Budget Changes Defense Priorities

Spencer Ackerman — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:45:44 -0000

I'm tallying up the totals through FY 2010. This is the last year there'll be a supplemental. OMB gave out the $663 billion total when it gave the total budget number a couple weeks ago. $534 billion is indeed not inclusive of the costs of the wars.

Re: John Kiriakou, Abu Zubaydah, and 83 Waterboarding Sessions

Spencer Ackerman — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:09:38 -0000

I think you might be thinking of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.

Re: Khost-Faced Killers

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:31:24 -0000

Yeah, but it seems like the tempo of attacks increased over the last two months, just judging by what's in my inbox. If that's not correct, then... never mind.

Re: Obama Instructs Clinton to Prepare a Report on Israel’s Military Strength

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:36:53 -0000

Hmm, could be. I'll check it out. Thanks.

Re: Jack Bauer in Kabul?

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:31:06 -0000

Thanks for the informed observations. I have to say I was mostly taken aback by the idea of broadcasting 24 in Kabul in general, but your point is well taken.

Re: Obama’s Iran Policy to Focus on Human Rights, Not Election

Spencer Ackerman — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:45:09 -0000

Great question. I wish I could say for certain that I did. All I can say is that it's notable that on the Twitter #iranelection hashtag, you're not seeing Iranians asking the U.S. or the international community for concrete assistance. Over at NIAC's informative blog, there's a post up -- at the risk of preempting a post of mine -- from an Iranian protester calling for the U.S. not to recognize the results of the election. I'll amend this statement as additional evidence accumulates.

Re: Someone Forgot to Tell Democracy Activist That Obama’s Terrible on Democracy Promotion

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:41:15 -0000

That's what I meant. Sorry for the lack of clarity. Jack & I have talked since this post went up and cleared up any confusion.

Re: Democracy and Such

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:30:49 -0000

Quite an elegant statement. Thanks.