Laila Lalami

Arts and Letters Daily is unplugged for good. You’ll have to content yourself with Denis Dutton’s site.

Three thousand in Los Angeles, and 8,000 in San Francisco. Not bad for the first major anti-war demonstration since Bush started ogling Iraq.
Meanwhile, this, we are told, is not terrorism. In fact, just debating whether it is terrorism would get you labeled “apologist.”

From the London Review of Books:
“The most surprising thing about the Bush Administration’s plan to invade Iraq is not that it is destructive of international order; or wicked, when we consider the role the US (and Britain) have played, and continue to play, in the Middle East; or opposed by the great majority of the international community; or seemingly contrary to some of the basic needs of the war against terrorism. It is all of these things, but they are of no great concern to the hardline nationalists in the Administration. This group has suffered at least a temporary check as a result of the British insistence on UN involvement, and Saddam Hussein’s agreement to weapons inspections. They are, however, still determined on war - and their power within the Administration and in the US security policy world means that they are very likely to get their way. Even the Washington Post has joined the radical rightist media in supporting war.
The most surprising thing about the push for war is that it is so profoundly reckless. If I had to put money on it, I’d say that the odds on quick success in destroying the Iraqi regime may be as high as 5/1 or more, given US military superiority, the vile nature of Saddam Hussein’s rule, the unreliability of Baghdad’s missiles, and the deep divisions in the Arab world. But at first sight, the longer-term gains for the US look pretty limited, whereas the consequences of failure would be catastrophic. ”
The Push for War

This is one of the better ideas about how to resolve the standoff with Iraq. Simple, saves lives, saves money, etc.

I just picked up a new book of short stories from the bookstore yesterday, and I can’t seem to put it down. It’s called Arafat’s Elephant by Jonathan Tel, a particle physicist turned author. The stories all take place in Israel and tell of Jewish and Arab life in a fresh and carefully examined way. I read three stories yesterday, so should be done with it by the weekend.

Further skewering of poor Zadie Smith, not from the usual British suspects but
from this side of the pond. Shazia Ahmad describes what sounds like a terribly long and boring (paid) reading in New York. I’ve never heard the lovely Ms. Smith read, so I can’t say, but her pal and co-reader Dave Eggers will be in L.A. this Sunday (the 6th), reading at Dutton’s in Brentwood at 11:30. I will probably go and see for myself.

The final tally for elections in Morocco is out, with the socialists of incumbent Youssoufi garnering most seats, the center-right Istiqlal coming second, and the dreaded islamists (the party of progress and development–PJD) coming third. All the political parties now claim they will not align with the PJD for a coalition, thus isolating them, but when it comes to getting political weight, who knows what will happen? It will take some time before a workable coalition is formed.

There’s a big controversy brewing on the East Coast over “Somebody Blew Up America” a poem by famed New Jersey poet laureate Amiri Baraka. The poem contains a stanza that mentions the now widely discredited Internet rumor about the 4,000 Israelis who supposedly stayed home on 9/11/01. This Philadelphia Inquirer article describes the controversy and calls by different sides for Baraka’s removal. The problem is that, due to a technicality, the governor can’t remove the poet laureate. So now they’re working on finding out ways to enable them to do that. But what exactly is a poet laureate? Here’s one answer.
And even though the stanza (in an otherwise powerful poem) made me wince, I don’t know if it would be legal to remove him for something he’s said. But of course I could be wrong on this one.

“There is something disorienting about the fact that George Plimpton exists. In life, as a rule, it’s reasonable to assume that the kind of people who were personal friends of Ernest Hemingway are not the sort of people to have done the voices for The Simpsons; ornithologists do not spar in the ring with Muhammad Ali; the editors of influential literary journals do not play quarterback in professional American football. Plimpton, however, boasts all six qualifications - although he is not the type to boast, which is why it’s only later that you learn about his cameo role in ER, for example, or his honorary position as the fireworks commissioner of New York, or the fact that he was in such close proximity to the assassination of Robert Kennedy that he managed to get his hands around the gunman’s neck. ”
Hemingway, Mailer and Me
I think George Plimpton is one of the most fascinating people around–the kind of person I would love to have dinner with. But one thing this funny little intro doesn’t mention is the (rather comical) claims that the Paris Reviewwas funded by the CIA as a front to spy on left-wing European intellectuals.
I tell you. Imagine sipping a cocktail across from that guy.

I can’t believe it’s already October. Last month really flew by. In looking at my site this morning, I’m having second thoughts. I wonder if the old design was better. And I still haven’t gotten around to linking to all the archives from last year. But I do like MT much, much better than Blogger.