Instahoglets June 9th 2007

By Cernig

Some links, some snark, and thee...

Tim F. of Balloon Juice looks at the recent revelations about two different Inspector generals and concludes that "the administration depends on IG’s not to do their job." Yep.

Ghost detainees in Europe and a dark mirror in the White House... from the incomparable Heretik.

There's only one blogger worth reading on Paris Hilton's tearful return to prison - Jon Swift. "How can we possibly have faith in the American system of justice when we see that despite having access to the best lawyers money can buy, Paris Hilton can be treated so cruelly?" How true. Maybe Peter Pace and Donnie Rumsfield should've wtitten to the judge. When you reach the bottom of Jon's post I guarantee you will weep for America.

Michael van der Galien looks at the numbers in Iraq, where the war-lovin' righties have been crowing about “killing terrorists at a ten-to-one rate.” His response can be captured in one word. Vietnam.

Ron at Middle earth Journal on why Hillary is a closet neocon. Want to bet she thinks she can do better than Dubya in the sequel - "Quagmire II: Iran"?

People either have class, or they don't. James Joyner reports on the POTUS-head calling the Pope "Sir". Which leaves the rest of the world is going "Is that why they say the US is a classless society?" To which it is only possible to reply "Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?"

Cheryl Rofer at Whirled View has more on the classless president. "Vladimir--I call him Vladimir--"

Dealing with The Devil - Needlenose notes WaPo reports that events in Iraq are now so desperate that the Juba snipers of the Islamic Army of Iraq are being described as "moderate and secular" because they've decided to deal with rivals Al Qaeda before getting back to killing US troops. "The U.S. military "granted these gunmen the power of arrest [including providing plastic "flex cuffs"], allowed the Iraqi army to supply them with ammunition, and fought alongside them in chaotic street battles." It isn't clear whether the Islamic Army of Iraq remembered to say "thank you," or whether they just laughed."

Ian Welsh from The Agonist has produced yet another of his must-read essays. This time, he looks at the lessons of Sun Tzu and Mao Tse Tung as they apply to insurgency and counter-insurgency in Iraq. "The Way Of The Weak: Guerilla Warfare". Read it. Superb blogging.

That's what I've got today - if you like, call this an open thread and blogwhore venue. What've you got?