2002 Barack Obama Interview: Against Iraq

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I was just reading a post from Josh Marshall where he points to this remarkable interview with Barack Obama from November 2002. Listen especially for his analysis of the possible fallout of a (then) projected invasion of Iraq; his statement on how he would have voted regarding the Congressional resolution to authorize the President to use military force; and his reason for how he would have voted.

He knew his stuff long before many in DC. Arguably, he knew better then what was at stake than anyone (on the record) does in the Bush Administration today.

UPDATED TO ADD: I just noticed something. The interview is dated 11/25/2002. At that time, Obama wasn't yet a US Senator. He was an Illinois State Senator. In other words, he had a better grip on foreign policy issues as a state legislator -- issues he could not vote upon -- than many US Senators up to the present day.

So much for, "not enough experience," "on the job training is too risky when it comes to foreign policy," etc.

Rejoice in the Lamb

Today's reading, from Charles Lamb:

"Antiquity! thou wondrous charm, what art thou? that, being nothing, art every thing! When thou wert, thou wert not antiquity--then thou wert nothing, but hadst a remoter antiquity, as thou called'st it, to look back to with blind veneration; thou thyself being to thyself flat, jejune, modern! What mystery lurks in this retroversion? or what half Januses are we, that cannot look forward with the same idolatry with which we for ever revert! The mighty future is as nothing, being every thing! the past is every thing, being nothing!"

*^*^*

That was one of the problems I had with a recent meme about one's reading that was floating around. It said something along the lines of, "And don't you use one of those pretentious classics to make yourself look good!" Well, um, bad news, kids, but I really do read such classics just because I enjoy them.