I HAD EMAILED CLAIRE BERLINSKI for an update on goings-on in Turkey, but to no avail. Claire responds:

No, Glenn, I’m in Paris right now — otherwise I would surely be keeping you posted. David, meanwhile, is in Iraq, where evidently, contrary to all expectation, the only excitement to be found is a local sheep going into labor. He and I have both noticed that we have but to leave a country for all the excitement to begin. Given that we are both journalists, this is something of an odd karmic liability.

We’ll both be flying back on Tuesday, and I’ll tell you what we see when we get there. I would remark, though, that the phrase “rallying spontaneously” seems unlikely to me to be correct. This is the Turkish Republic we’re talking about, large rallies are never more spontaneous than Al Gore doing the Macarena. I wish I could tell you more, but right now I’m no closer to it than you are. Stay tuned, though, I’ll let you know when I’m back on the scene.

Changing the subject, I have been at times been tempted to respond to those who disagree with my assessment of the moral climate of the Netherlands, but if the invalidation of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s citizenship does not persuade them, they are not susceptible to persuasion, so I may as well save my time and breath. Still, I think the event should be noted, and I note it thus.

I look forward to hearing more. And maybe we should pay Claire and David to visit places that need pacification!