‘As Americans turn increasingly against President George Bush’s calamitous war in Iraq, and revolt spreads through Republican ranks, the White House is again resorting to its tried-and-true ploy of fanning grossly inflated fears of terrorism.

The president just made two preposterous claims last week that insult the intelligence of his listeners. First, Bush insisted US forces in Iraq are fighting "the same people who staged 9/11."

Second, withdrawing US forces from Iraq, as the Democratic-controlled Congress is urging, means "surrendering Iraq to al-Qaeda."

Russia warns UK over expulsions

The Kremlin has warned Britain it faces "serious consequences" after expelling four Russian diplomats from the UK.

The move followed Moscow's refusal to hand over the former KGB agent accused of murdering Alexander Litvinenko in London last year.

Suspect Andrei Lugovoi, who denies involvement, claimed the charges against him had a "political subtext".

Within a day of PM Howard trumpeting Geoge Bush's visit to Sydney, the natives are told to pack survival packs in case of a terror attack. This is unbelievable!

Did they think that while the story of Doctor Haneef was explaing why mobile phone trasmissions will be blocked in Sydney during Bush's visit, that Sydneysiders would be more amenable to the federally-funded brochures? Siezed by Immigration on the day of Howard's tout of APEC, his near-barbecued SIM card responsible for a terror attack, you'd hardly expect the pollies not to capitalise on the situation by leaving an innuendo of "who knows what such as he might do to Sydney" imbedded in our subconscious. The timing of the brochure release will be found to have not been an accident.

Do you reckon that the US Secret Service's mobiles will be jammed?

 

This reporrt just out on USA Today is well worth reading:

Government auditors discovered something odd last year when they reviewed KBR Inc.'s annual cost estimate to provide support services for U.S. troops in Iraq. The contractor proposed charging $110 million for housing, food, water, laundry and other services on bases that had been shut down.

KBR got a contract extension for $3.7 billion, but it agreed to drop the proposed $110 million spending on closed bases and an additional $50 million of duplicate charges and math errors, according to Defense Department records obtained by USA TODAY under the Freedom of Information Act.

 

‘Serious critics of both Mr. Bush and the Democrats ask why the latter do not undertake the impeachment of the former. Nancy Pelosi, whose every word and gesture belie the allegedly oppositional role of the Democrats, announced, immediately after the 2006 election results, that the impeachment of Mr. Bush was not a matter the Democrats would pursue with their newly-gained power. “Why not?”, many asked, particularly since Congress had been eager to impeach Bill Clinton for his far-lesser offenses. Should a man who lied America into an unprovoked, criminal attack that has thus far produced a million deaths, be more favorably treated than a man who lied about his sexual behavior in the White House?

 

Why Benedict?

His choice of the name Benedict was significant.

In his first general audience in St Peter's Square on April 27, 2005, the new Pope explained why he chose the name.

He revealed: "Firstly, I remember Pope Benedict XV, that courageous prophet of peace, who guided the Church through turbulent times of war. In his footsteps I place my ministry in the service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples.

 

‘Ironically, the last time Iraq was stable was when Saddam was in power. Iraq is unstable because we made it unstable. We destroyed Iraq's infrastructure, its economy and its government. We did.

One of the most shameful lies peddled by the Bush administration has been to blame the poor state of Iraq's infrastructure on Saddam. We destroyed that infrastructure with wars, bombings and medieval sanctions. The miracle is that with all we were doing, Saddam managed to produce more electricity and more oil than our occupation has been able to produce.

 

Rattus has loudly & often boasted about his government’s commitment to “the rule of law”.

Today we were treated to yet another demonstration of just how much of a contemptible & filthy lie this foul boast really is.

Rattus & his colleagues are totally corrupt. Moreover, their self-righteous determination to place themselves above & beyond the reach of our judicial system, renders their corruption profound.

 

Ministers voice support for Howard amid latest poll

Federal Cabinet ministers say another bad opinion poll for the Coalition has no bearing on their support for John Howard as leader.

Federal Cabinet meets in Canberra today and arriving at the airport, ministers were mostly asked about another poll pointing to a Labor government.

"Polls go up, polls go down. We're focused on running a good economy," Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey said.

Russia sends warning to the West

By Jonathan Marcus

BBC diplomatic correspondent

‘Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives at the hotel where the 119th International Olympic Committee Session on 4 July 2007.

President Putin wants Russia to be treated as an equal by the US President.

‘What does a war for oil look like?

American troops going into battle with tanks waving "Exxon Mobil" and "Chevron" flags right behind? Are the flags then planted squarely in the ground and the oil beneath officially declared war bounty? Well, some members of the Bush administration and U.S. oil companies may have favoured such an approach. But the device ultimately chosen to win this war for oil is only slightly more subtle: a law, to be passed by the Iraqis themselves, which would turn Iraq's oil over to foreign oil companies.

‘If challenged today for a definition of terror, I doubt anyone could produce a sound one that limits the meaning to the acts of those constantly in our headlines. Rather those acts are now reduced to special cases of something a great deal larger.

US President George W Bush found himself almost wistful, conjuring a rocking-chair moment at his Texas ranch when he will reconcile his unpopularity with the knowledge that he honoured his own personal principles about the war.

In a notable departure from his typical approach, during a White House news conference beamed out to the world, the president acknowledged the personal toll of sticking with his beliefs when they were so profoundly in opposition to those of the American people.

from the Centre for American Progress …..