The Belgravia Dispatch: B.D.'s Third Anniversary

January 26, 2006

B.D.'s Third Anniversary

Just a quick note to point out that today is B.D.'s 3rd anniversary. It's a bit scary as, were it not for some kindly soul who helpfully E-mailed me, I had actually forgotten that I started this blog some three years ago on a rather dank London night. Anyway, as regular readers know, new content hasn't been coming up much of late, given intense work demands, but I did want to let people know this blog isn't going anywhere, and that despite the varying frequency of posting activity at times, we do hope to remain a decent, at least somewhat reliable source for those of you out there looking for foreign policy commentary (yes, sometimes of the hysterical, shriek-intensive variety!). Anyway, look for more content up over the weekend, with any luck, and thanks for coming around and reading these past three years. On the whole, it has been fun, and I look forward to seeing the blog through a good Year 4. Whether this might become more of a twice a week op-ed style site, rather than daily posts put up every late evening, I'm still unsure. But whatever happens, I hope people will still find stopping by worth it, and look forward to maintaining a dialogue both with commenters and other bloggers on the issues of the day.

Finally, some more internal B.D. news. We've upgraded to a new version of MT, and while I'm not sure what impact, if any, this may have for readers (I'm told it's a good thing!), please let me know how comments are working for you (I know, a chronic source of headaches, double posts, and so on for many of you) so I can give feedback to the software designer. I also will be updating the 'look' of the blog in the coming weeks, and while I don't have the pathbreaking courage of Andrew (don't expect a cartoon!), I do hope whatever slight modifications I put in effect are pleasing to the eye (some of you had complained about too much clutter...) So apologies for ignoring this site for the past two/three weeks, but bear with me, we hope to have a decent '06 on tap. See you soon.

P.S. I'm told comments work now in a manner that I just need to 'approve' you once, and then you will be able to reliably comment without any hitches thereafter. So, in a way, if you want to comment here regularly, this may be a good thread for you to 'register' in. Talk about, oh I don't know, the rather breathless hyperbole of this piece from a little while back, or Hamas' quite stunning upset today in the Occupied Territories.

Posted by Gregory at January 26, 2006 01:30 PM | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Happy Birthday!

Posted by: tom Eberle at January 26, 2006 02:44 PM | Permalink to this comment

Thanks for three years, hope to read you for many more.

Lets hope responsibility tempers some of the hot-heads of Hamas. SecState Rice should send their new leader a biography of Kenyatta and explain the origin of the verb "to mau-mau" someone.

This will be an enormous test of the Bush doctrine -- if we are not willing to allow a state as powerless and pitiful as Gaza make its own mistakes all our preaching about democratization will be shown to be window dressing. Instead of objecting to the vote, why don't we lay down some markers for the new govt to meet in terms of transparency and cleaning up corruption. My first choice would be to end Suha Arafat's $22 million a year allowance.

Posted by: wks at January 26, 2006 03:16 PM | Permalink to this comment

Greg,

I want to add my thanks for your efforts. This blog has become a central point in my political understanding of the world and a source for intelligent and well intentioned commentary that causes me to think more deeply. I visit here daily and look forward not only to your provocative posts, but to the comments that range over the political spectrum. I once said that I felt that I had made some friends here, and I repeat that sentiment. While I read a great deal and try to keep up with the fast moving events around the world, this has become a wonderful place to test my understandings and ideas. Keep up the good work.

Michael

Posted by: Michael Pecherer at January 26, 2006 05:44 PM | Permalink to this comment

Happy Blogbirth Day, Greg.

I don't know that there is much to say about Ferguson's article, apart from noting how it conforms to the stereotype neoconservative confusion as to whether Israel is a foreign country or part of the United States.

About Hamas, we shouldn't panic. Splits are bound to form in this movement before long; either Palestinians will weary of dodging Israeli bombs launched in retaliation for terror attacks or hardline Hamas types will rebel against a leadership that discourages terrorism. Fatah lost popularity primarily because it was corrupt; if it were ever to become a reliable negotiating partner this would have happened a decade ago. While Hamas is fumbling with power Fatah can retire some of its older leaders and rebuild itself, or some new party can replace it. It would have been better if this had happened before things got to the point where Hamas could win an election. But what's done is done.

Posted by: Zathras at January 26, 2006 06:44 PM | Permalink to this comment

Thanks for 3 great years of damn fine commentary, to be honest I don't care how often I get my fix of your thoughts, sometimes not a real lot is happening & work get's in the way, but when you write, you always make me think, so hope you enjoy the next 3 more than the last.

Nigel

Posted by: Nigel at January 26, 2006 06:55 PM | Permalink to this comment

Congrats on the three years, and thanks for providing a reasonable voice that focuses on trying to be accurate, rather than supporting whichever side you're on (which is pretty rare in the blogosphere these days).

Actually, that Telegraph piece is almost restrained compared to some of the hyperbole that's been flying over at Winds of Change recently. The high point for me (and I may have missed some things) was when Telenko & Holsinger insisted that the quote in the L.A. Times article about the Quadrennial Defense Review (that Iraq was clearly a 'one-off'), had to mean that the Administration was seriously thinking about an invasion of Iran.

Posted by: Devin McCullen at January 26, 2006 10:51 PM | Permalink to this comment

I just started reading this blog a little over a year ago, I linked over from The Cunning Realist, and I have to say that I like your style. You may not post 10 times a day, but that’s just fine with me, because when you do post it is smart, eloquent, and well thought out. I don't always agree with you but it always makes me think; the mark of a great commentator. Can't wait for the Hamas post.... And congratulations on three years.

Posted by: Randall Bennington at February 1, 2006 06:41 AM | Permalink to this comment

Hello and congratulations!

Posted by: dianne at April 21, 2006 03:04 PM | Permalink to this comment

I like your website alot...its lots of fun... you have to help me out with mine...

Posted by: theodore at April 28, 2006 11:30 PM | Permalink to this comment

	« The UBL Tape \| Main \| MT Upgrade Issues » January 26, 2006 B.D.'s Third Anniversary Just a quick note to point out that today is B.D.'s 3rd anniversary. It's a bit scary as, were it not for some kindly soul who helpfully E-mailed me, I had actually forgotten that I started this blog some three years ago on a rather dank London night. Anyway, as regular readers know, new content hasn't been coming up much of late, given intense work demands, but I did want to let people know this blog isn't going anywhere, and that despite the varying frequency of posting activity at times, we do hope to remain a decent, at least somewhat reliable source for those of you out there looking for foreign policy commentary (yes, sometimes of the hysterical, shriek-intensive variety!). Anyway, look for more content up over the weekend, with any luck, and thanks for coming around and reading these past three years. On the whole, it has been fun, and I look forward to seeing the blog through a good Year 4. Whether this might become more of a twice a week op-ed style site, rather than daily posts put up every late evening, I'm still unsure. But whatever happens, I hope people will still find stopping by worth it, and look forward to maintaining a dialogue both with commenters and other bloggers on the issues of the day. Finally, some more internal B.D. news. We've upgraded to a new version of MT, and while I'm not sure what impact, if any, this may have for readers (I'm told it's a good thing!), please let me know how comments are working for you (I know, a chronic source of headaches, double posts, and so on for many of you) so I can give feedback to the software designer. I also will be updating the 'look' of the blog in the coming weeks, and while I don't have the pathbreaking courage of Andrew (don't expect a cartoon!), I do hope whatever slight modifications I put in effect are pleasing to the eye (some of you had complained about too much clutter...) So apologies for ignoring this site for the past two/three weeks, but bear with me, we hope to have a decent '06 on tap. See you soon. P.S. I'm told comments work now in a manner that I just need to 'approve' you once, and then you will be able to reliably comment without any hitches thereafter. So, in a way, if you want to comment here regularly, this may be a good thread for you to 'register' in. Talk about, oh I don't know, the rather breathless hyperbole of this piece from a little while back, or Hamas' quite stunning upset today in the Occupied Territories. Posted by Gregory at January 26, 2006 01:30 PM \| TrackBack (0) Comments Happy Birthday! Posted by: tom Eberle at January 26, 2006 02:44 PM \| Permalink to this comment Thanks for three years, hope to read you for many more. Lets hope responsibility tempers some of the hot-heads of Hamas. SecState Rice should send their new leader a biography of Kenyatta and explain the origin of the verb "to mau-mau" someone. This will be an enormous test of the Bush doctrine -- if we are not willing to allow a state as powerless and pitiful as Gaza make its own mistakes all our preaching about democratization will be shown to be window dressing. Instead of objecting to the vote, why don't we lay down some markers for the new govt to meet in terms of transparency and cleaning up corruption. My first choice would be to end Suha Arafat's $22 million a year allowance. Posted by: wks at January 26, 2006 03:16 PM \| Permalink to this comment Greg, I want to add my thanks for your efforts. This blog has become a central point in my political understanding of the world and a source for intelligent and well intentioned commentary that causes me to think more deeply. I visit here daily and look forward not only to your provocative posts, but to the comments that range over the political spectrum. I once said that I felt that I had made some friends here, and I repeat that sentiment. While I read a great deal and try to keep up with the fast moving events around the world, this has become a wonderful place to test my understandings and ideas. Keep up the good work. Michael Posted by: Michael Pecherer at January 26, 2006 05:44 PM \| Permalink to this comment Happy Blogbirth Day, Greg. I don't know that there is much to say about Ferguson's article, apart from noting how it conforms to the stereotype neoconservative confusion as to whether Israel is a foreign country or part of the United States. About Hamas, we shouldn't panic. Splits are bound to form in this movement before long; either Palestinians will weary of dodging Israeli bombs launched in retaliation for terror attacks or hardline Hamas types will rebel against a leadership that discourages terrorism. Fatah lost popularity primarily because it was corrupt; if it were ever to become a reliable negotiating partner this would have happened a decade ago. While Hamas is fumbling with power Fatah can retire some of its older leaders and rebuild itself, or some new party can replace it. It would have been better if this had happened before things got to the point where Hamas could win an election. But what's done is done. Posted by: Zathras at January 26, 2006 06:44 PM \| Permalink to this comment Thanks for 3 great years of damn fine commentary, to be honest I don't care how often I get my fix of your thoughts, sometimes not a real lot is happening & work get's in the way, but when you write, you always make me think, so hope you enjoy the next 3 more than the last. Nigel Posted by: Nigel at January 26, 2006 06:55 PM \| Permalink to this comment Congrats on the three years, and thanks for providing a reasonable voice that focuses on trying to be accurate, rather than supporting whichever side you're on (which is pretty rare in the blogosphere these days). Actually, that Telegraph piece is almost restrained compared to some of the hyperbole that's been flying over at Winds of Change recently. The high point for me (and I may have missed some things) was when Telenko & Holsinger insisted that the quote in the L.A. Times article about the Quadrennial Defense Review (that Iraq was clearly a 'one-off'), had to mean that the Administration was seriously thinking about an invasion of Iran. Posted by: Devin McCullen at January 26, 2006 10:51 PM \| Permalink to this comment I just started reading this blog a little over a year ago, I linked over from The Cunning Realist, and I have to say that I like your style. You may not post 10 times a day, but that’s just fine with me, because when you do post it is smart, eloquent, and well thought out. I don't always agree with you but it always makes me think; the mark of a great commentator. Can't wait for the Hamas post.... And congratulations on three years. Posted by: Randall Bennington at February 1, 2006 06:41 AM \| Permalink to this comment Hello and congratulations! Posted by: dianne at April 21, 2006 03:04 PM \| Permalink to this comment I like your website alot...its lots of fun... you have to help me out with mine... Posted by: theodore at April 28, 2006 11:30 PM \| Permalink to this comment		About Belgravia Dispatch Gregory Djerejian, an international lawyer and business executive, comments intermittently on global politics, finance & diplomacy at this site. The views expressed herein are solely his own and do not represent those of any organization. More About the Author Email the Author Recent Entries Lunch w/ the FT... 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