Thomas Sowell says the attempt by Democrats in the House to pass a resolution condemning the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks during World War I is simply another way to try and disrupt the American war effort in Iraq. Certainly, it may have that effect, if the Turks decide to stop allowing our military the use of its airspace and facilities. Meanwhile, in what may turn out to be an even more disruptive event, the Turkish military wants to cross the Iraqi border to attack Kurdish terrorists who have been attacking them. Depending upon the scale of the incursion and the destruction it causes, we could be seeing a whole new political situation developing, and not for the better.

Derrick Jackson thinks Senator Obama's campaign is playing well in Iowa. It does seem to be the place where he is at least maintaining some level of competitiveness with Senator Clinton.

Senator Clinton now has a plan to end the war in Iraq, as well as changing the tone, if not the direction, of U.S. foreign policy. She would begin to remove troops from Iraq within 60 days of assuming office, though she would leave some behind. The details are rather vague, and it is somewhat reminiscent of Nixon patting his pocket and telling the American people that he had a plan to end the war in Vietnam. Of course, Nixon didn't provide many details, either, and it turned out that his "Vietnamization" plan took four years to implement (although, to be fair, the plan might have succeeded if Nixon hadn't gotten himself in trouble with the Watergate scandal which led to his resignation and, ultimately, a Congressional cut-off of all aid to the South Vietnamese, leaving them vulnerable to the eventual all-out North Vietnamese assault in 1975).

Public schools across the country are having trouble meeting the standards of the "No Child Left Behind" law. Until we decide to make a clean break with our outmoded, early 20th Century public school model, these failures will continue.

The filing period for the New Hampshire presidential primary opened yesterday. For three weeks candidates will head for Secretary of State Bill Gardner's office and plunk down their $1,000 to get on the ballot. When the period is over, the ballot will be drawn up and sent to the printer, and then distributed to the clerks across the state. Once that is done, the primary can happen at any time so designated by Secretary Gardner. I expect a date to be set sometime within a couple of days of the end of the filing period, because I know Bill Gardner is sensitive to the needs of the candidates, the media, and the hotels and other businesses of New Hampshire that will need some time to plan for the event.