Valerie Plame, the covert CIA agent who was 'outed' after her husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson, publicly disagreed with the Bush administration, is testifying before Congress today and reportedly speaking very well. AP via CNN: Valerie Plame Wilson, the CIA operative at the heart of a political scandal, told Congress Friday that senior officials at the White House and State … [Read more...] about Valerie Plame Puts Critics to Shame
President Musharraf’s Attack and Defense
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf personally apologised for a raid by riot police on a private television station on Friday, in a rare live telephone interview with the channel, says DNA. Footage showed police entering the office of Geo Television in Islamabad during violent protests over the sacking of the country's chief justice and breaking windows and smashing … [Read more...] about President Musharraf’s Attack and Defense
End Run Earmarks
The New York Times points out the craftiness of our legislators in Earmark Lives, but Dares Not Speak Its Name ...But Republicans, who dispensed earmarks with relish until they lost control of the committee last November, are accusing the Democrats of larding up the bill to win members’ support. “Welcome Kmart shoppers,â€? said Representative Harold Rogers, Republican … [Read more...] about End Run Earmarks
Are We Finally Approaching the Corner in Iraq?
There is a vaguely palpable feeling of progress in Iraq at long last. I am thinking of this in terms of a corner being approached, but not yet turned, as the new “surgeâ€? troops pour into Baghdad, sectarian violence ebbs, there is a downtick in suicide bombings, and a semblance of comity over a new national oil revenue distribution law. Putting aside for the moment the … [Read more...] about Are We Finally Approaching the Corner in Iraq?
Major Strike by India’s Ultra-Left Group
Nearly 50 Indian policemen and local tribal militias were killed yesterday after an attack by Maoist guerrillas on a jungle security camp at Chhattisgarh, nearly 930 miles south-east of New Delhi. The guerrillas set fire to the post before escaping with a substantial arms haul including machine guns and rifles. The Telegraph says: "The Maoists, who launched their 'people's … [Read more...] about Major Strike by India’s Ultra-Left Group
Why It’s Scary To Be a Republican These Days
An apology-averse Bush administration long accustomed to the lockstep support of Republican congressfolk no matter the transgression has been going it alone these days. In this context, the Walter Reed scandal is remarkable in two respects: Newly-minted Defense Secretary Gates ignored the White House playbook of circling the wagons rather than demanding accountability and … [Read more...] about Why It’s Scary To Be a Republican These Days
George Galloway’s Temper Live On TV
Times Online's Daniel Finklestein had a TV debate with George Galloway on the Iraq War. And if the final poll shows that Galloway's anti-war side won the poll war, Galloway lost the image war. Finklestein notes that the tally on the screen was actually wrong: it was 34-66. But Galloway seemed to have one thing on his mind: Israel, Israel, Israel, Israel, Israel, Israel, … [Read more...] about George Galloway’s Temper Live On TV
Seedy Gonzales
John McCain’s “In Your Dreams” Express
The New York Times has a truly bittersweet piece on Senator John McCain trying to regain his 2000 man-of-independence imagery by taking a train called The Straight Talk Express -- a problem underscored by the fact that polls show many voters consider his sagging 2006 campaign The Pander Parade:Senator John McCain of Arizona worked hard for years to make himself the … [Read more...] about John McCain’s “In Your Dreams” Express
But What About Judge Crater and Jimmy Hoffa?
Out of respect for his victims, I am refraining from jumping on the bandwagon (at least with both feet) of pundits who are cracking wise over Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s claim that he was responsible for everything from masterminding the 9/11 attacks to tutoring shoe bomber Richard Reid to the Bali nightclub bombing to beheading Danny Pearl. But it does beg credulity that a … [Read more...] about But What About Judge Crater and Jimmy Hoffa?
Death of Neoconservatism
Jacob Weisberg wrote an interesting column for the Financial Times, proclaiming that neoconservatives are ‘history’. In essence: Iraq is a disaster, Iraq is neoconservative foreign policy actually being implemented, Rice is “returning to her realist rootsâ€?, on defense, Rumsfeld has been replaced by Gates and, lastly, Dick Cheney was once one of the most powerful VP’s … [Read more...] about Death of Neoconservatism
Gonzales Outlasts Gonzaga
An update from a post yesterday:Gonzales outlasts Gonzaga. … [Read more...] about Gonzales Outlasts Gonzaga
Iraq Target Voting Down
U.S. Senate rejected a binding resolution that "would have set a target date a little more than a year from now for the withdrawal of most U.S. combat troops from Iraq." Two nonbinding resolutions were, however, approved. The resolution needed 60 votes to pass. Instead, it didn't even get the support of the majority: Lieberman joined the Republican Senators, as did … [Read more...] about Iraq Target Voting Down
Blumenthal: “All Roads Lead To Rove:
Sidney Blumenthal, writing in Salon, comes out and says what is becoming increasingly clear as fact trickle out about the fired prosecutors: "All Roads Lead To Rove." Some excerpts:The Bush administration's first instinct was to shield Karl Rove from scrutiny when Congress began inquiring about the unusual firings of eight U.S. attorneys. ...Rove was the conduit for Republican … [Read more...] about Blumenthal: “All Roads Lead To Rove:
The Sopranos Will Return Soon
And here's a You Tube tribute to the opening title of the show -- this time shot in Austin, TX: … [Read more...] about The Sopranos Will Return Soon
Pledge Of Justice
New Emails Detail Rove Played Role In Instigating Prosecutor Firings
Yet another batch of emails spells more trouble for White House political maven Karl Rove, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and -- to be sure -- President George Bush even though the White House is saying, in effect, that it's no big deal: New unreleased e-mails from top administration officials show that the idea of firing all 93 U.S. attorneys was raised by White House … [Read more...] about New Emails Detail Rove Played Role In Instigating Prosecutor Firings
Judge a Book by its Cover
We are taught to believe that one should not judge a book by its cover. Well, that's not true and Jessica Schneider explains why (warning: adult language). … [Read more...] about Judge a Book by its Cover
Rove And Justice
Irrational Atheists
Many atheists consider people who adhere to a religion to be 'irrational', at least in that regard. Well, if one wants proof that atheists can be irrational, and even extreme as well, I'd say go ahead and read Sam Harris' column in the Los Angeles Times. He has some good points and then wanders off into the world of the anti-religion atheist. … [Read more...] about Irrational Atheists