The feathers are sure flying this week folks.

NSW defends changing gun rules for Cheney's guards .....

The New South Wales Police Minister, John Watkins, has defended a decision to allow the US Vice President's security guards to carry guns while in Sydney.

‘The global public believes that tensions between Islam and the West arise from conflicts over political power and interests and not from differences of religion and culture, according to a BBC World Service poll across 27 countries.

from our ABC …..

UK troop reduction a positive sign: US

The United States says Britain's decision to trim its forces in southern Iraq does not mean American troops will have be redeployed to fill the gap.

‘Despite the sacrifices in lives, treasure and liberties, the painful reality is that the United States is losing the "war on terror" - in large part because too many people in the Middle East and across the globe view George W. Bush as a bully and a hypocrite.

‘The Iraqi blogger Raed Jarrar has obtained a copy of the proposed oil law and has just translated it into English. He discusses the new law with Antonia Juhasz, author of "The Bush Agenda: Invading the World One Economy at a Time.”

‘Philip Ruddock is a hypocrite when parading his Amnesty International membership.

from the SMH …..

howard, rudd trade insults

Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd traded insults today as the gloves came off in their phoney election campaign.

from our ABC …..

PM promises hard yakka after poll result