OxBlog

# Posted 11:15 PM by Ariel David Adesnik

A SHOUT OUT TO ARAVOSIS: I can't say I'd ever read his blog until now, but yesterday at dinner I discovered that a new friend of mine writes for Aravosis under the nom de plume "AJ".

For his part, AJ discovered that I am that David, the one who writes for OxBlog. As it turns out, AJ's most recent post actually criticizes one of my own. AJ writes that:

The meme that liberals are unserious about foreign policy is extraordinarily irritating to me, which is why I want to briefly address charges that the "liberal blogosphere" is reticent on recent international issues. Usually this charge comes from conservatives, though it's especially frustrating when made by self-appointed "responsible" Democrats, particularly when the blogs of those doing the accusing have criticisms of Israel that closely match postings on many liberal blogs.

First of all, I had to let AJ know that I no longer identify as a Democrat and haven't for some time now. Also, he does post a good set of links to liberal blogs that have written about recent events in Israel and Lebanon.

But from my perspective, if Kos, Drum, and Marshall have explicitly said they were avoiding the topic, it is an issue for liberals. Together, they run three of the four most influential sites in the liberal blogosphere. (Rankings courtesy of the Ecosystem.)

Anyhow, AJ is a very smart guy and I will continue to read his posts.

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Comments:

Kos, Drum, Marshall, and Atrios so rarely post on foreign policy (they post on its politics, like it's a game of two-hand touch football) that it seems sort of silly to look to them for liberal postures on the subject. Marshall is busy in DC, Kos is busy trying to get into DC, Drum wants rigorously questionable statistical analysis, and Atrios is sure that Iraq is the only conflict in which the US has any influence worth discussing.

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:17 AM

If some liberals find the meme that liberals are unserious about foreign policy extraordinarily irritating, then perhaps they should get more serious about foreign policy.

# posted by

tim maguire : 10:47 AM

Everyone who supports the current administration is unserious about foreign policy.

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:21 AM