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Who needs an essay when you have a headline like this: "The U.N.? Who Cares? Kofi Annan & Co. might as well move to Brussels or Geneva." Added bonus: Victor Davis Hanson wrote the piece, which appears in today's Wall Street Journal.

The USSR failed, so the left has a new false religion: anti-Americanism. And it's good for their golf game. Laura Ingraham explains.

Why is John Kerry obsessed with gaining European approval? Writing for the Daily Standard, the Weekly Standard's daily online website, Tom Donnelly concludes: "Kerry's biggest fear ... is being alone in the dark world of international politics. This is, perhaps, a drawback if you're auditioning to be commander-in-chief of history's sole superpower and official Leader of the Free World."

Fascinating analysis by the Belmont Club's "Wretchard" re the tradeoffs between security and flexibility in terrorist organizations.

Michael Totten on the Israelis' infuriating refusal to obey politically-correct advice on how to lose gracefully--and then actually winning.

Writing in the Jerusalem Post, Mark Steyn wonders what would happen if Al-Qaeda produced a Yasir Arafat-type (or perhaps Gerry Adams-type) "moderate" terrorist. Would he be invited to all the best European parties?

New York Post political columnist Dick Morris is astonished by Kerry's kamikaze swerve toward the anti-war left: "Liberals will cheer Kerry's new-found decisiveness, but it opens the way for Bush to deal him a counterstroke that can all but end this election and finish off Kerry for good."

Interesting and welcome context supplied by columnist Max Boot in today's Los Angeles Times: "We are losing one or two soldiers a day in Iraq. Lincoln lost an average of 250 daily for four years, Roosevelt 300 daily for more than 3 1/2 years. If they could overcome such numbing losses to prevail against far more formidable foes than we face now, it's ludicrous to give in to today's fashionable funk."

New York Post columnist Ralph Peters adds more historical perspective--and characterizes Kerry's recent conduct as near-treason.

Columnist Emmett Tyrrell: Russia right; UN/John Kerry wrong. Everything else is detail.

Washington Post columnist Jim Hoagland considers "Worldviews That Are Worlds Apart."

Columnist Ann Coulter tells you what she thinks: "I believe we now have conclusive proof that: (1) Dan Rather is not an honest newsman who was simply duped by extremely clever forgeries; and (2) We could have won the Vietnam War."

Writing for the Daily Standard, Hugh Hewitt offers CBS chief Les Moonves the speech he should deliver, but won't.

The Joe Lockhart debacle provides ammunition to the Massachusetts gang recently deposed by the Clintonites now running John Kerry's campaign. Today the Bostonians leaked to Chicago Sun-Times political columnist Robert Novak, whose column begins (italics added): "High-level Democrats, including some inside the Kerry campaign, were appalled by this week's political sideshow ..."

Even New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd is sneering at Kerry. It wouldn't be fair to refer to the fat lady singing--she may be an old bat (ie, 2 years older than me), but she's very attractive on the outside.

Roger Simon thinks the two-man panel appointed by CBS to investigate CBS is, at the very least, too old: "Part of this investigation involves modern digital technologies, which were at the heart of unmasking these forgeries. I have my deep suspicions that neither of the two men chosen ... are anywhere near up-to-speed on these matters."

I don't think this is what Catfish Hunter had in mind: the World Tribune reports that some of Hamas's best hitters are tired of making peanuts from the small-market clubs in the disputed territories (West Bank & Gaza), and are accepting big-money offers to jump to Iraq. Apparently Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi does a stellar George Steinbrenner impression.

When they say "neocon," what they mean is "yid." Now do you get it? Julia Gorin explains in today's Wall Street Journal.

Flash drives are hot because they're cool. Got it? Michel Marriott of The New York Times explains.