- Here, of course, is today's big news. Voter turnout in Iraq seems to be high despite violence and threats, at least in Shia areas.
- Meanwhile, Iran stands to reap huge benefits from the Iraq election (especially if reports of a 1 - 5% turnout in Sunni areas are true).
- Discuss: Leaving aside whether it is even right to punish - particularly to punish with death - someone who is so whacked out that he tries to kill himself by parking in front of a moving train, what point is there in killing him for doing it?
- Lets talk about immorality and religion. Disturbing stories from the region and fund-raising appeals from religious leaders in the US who want to "plant Christian principles as early as possible" in the orphans of Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India have raised profound questions about proselytisation of vulnerable people in times of tragedy.
- At the World Economic Forum the sinking dollar dominates discussion. "There's nobody home on economic policy in America right now," says Morgan Stanley's cheif economist.
- Sidney Blumenthal, former Clinton advisor, says Bush and Co. will not admit that US troops are too exhausted to sustain global missions.
- Paul Craig Roberts used to be an influential guy. He was US Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy in the Reagan administration and has a pretty impressive conservative resume all in all. So why is he now receiving death threats from the neocons supporters?
- How much longer and how much more to pay for Bush's mistakes? The answer is at least another $160 billion and at least another two years.
- A MUST READ! Its time to take a closer look at First Brothers, Jeb, Neil, and Marvin Bush, and see how much they stand to benefit from W's presidency and his perpetual war on the world. Roll over Clinton, the boys have you well beaten at the profiteering game.
- US oil companies have been awarded most of the contracts on offer at the first open licence auction in Libya. See, sanctions work!
- Halliburton is to call a halt to it's own end run around the US trade emargo on Iran - not to support the US but because business is bad.
- Afghan authorities are to pay moslem extremists to hand back the air-to-air missiles the CIA gave them in the 80's.
- News from through the looking glass: an offer of a ceasefire by a coalition of Islamic insurgency groups in Iraq was rejected by the US at the beginning of January.
- Thanks and kudos to Shadows and to Kat for links I would otherwise have missed.
Quote of the Day:
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
Barbara Ehrenreich
1 comment:
The last story reminded me that the Saudi's made an offer last June to pay for an all muslem force to help with the occupation and election.
This offer was rejected by the Bush administration and the story got no media play in the US. I think I read it on a Canadian news site.
The official reason it was rejected is that those troops would not be under US command.
However there was an election last year and the campaign slogan was "show no sign of weakness".
Post a Comment