‘It was a slumber party on Capital Hill. Democrats held an all-nighter on July 17 in an attempt to mollify the great antiwar sentiment that is raging across the land. But their attempt to challenge Bush’s war on Iraq was sanctimonious and superficial at best. Not only were the Democrat’s pleas to set a timetable for withdraw fully pathetic, so too was their moral indignation.

‘Many consider Mr Costello's comments in the new biography of Mr Howard to be poorly-timed and politically stupid.

Frontbencher Tony Abbott has told Lateline the comments are regrettable, but only a reflection of Mr Costello's mood when he did the interviews for the book last year.

‘Tony Blair spoke to the media mogul Rupert Murdoch three times in the 10 days before the outbreak of the Iraq war - once on the eve of the US-led invasion - it was disclosed yesterday.

The telephone conversations were among six calls between the two men detailed by the cabinet office in response to a freedom of information request by the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Avebury.

‘At 10 a.m. on April 4, 2001, representatives of 13 environmental groups were brought into the Old Executive Office Building for a long-anticipated meeting. Since late January, a task force headed by Vice President Cheney had been busy drawing up a new national energy policy, and the groups were getting their one chance to be heard.

In terrorism, the Howard government shows innovation to rank with J.K. Rowling. It has sent Potter-like packages to the Australian public for bedtime reading, though they are mercifully less long and less widely read.

Costello plays down PM biography comments …..

Federal Treasurer Peter Costello has downplayed comments he made in a biography of Prime Minister John Howard.

Extracts of the book, published in Fairfax newspapers today, reveal Mr Costello remains bitter about a leaked 2001 memo from then Liberal Party president Shane Stone, in which he cops much of the blame for the Government's woes.

He is reported as saying he read it as "an attempt to finger him for the Government's maladies."

 

Is the United States provoking war with Iran, to begin while the Congress is conveniently on its August recess?

One recalls that it was in August 1964, after the Republicans nominated Barry Goldwater, that the Tonkin Gulf incident occurred.

 

Parties' climate change policies lack detail: Flannery …..

Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery, has attacked the major political parties for failing to provide details of their policies on climate change.

The Government has ruled out setting a target for reducing carbon emissions until after the election.

Labor has committed to a target, but has not detailed exactly how it will be achieved.

Abuse Of Public Service Sinks Government Advertising To New Low

Julia Gillard - Deputy Leader, Employment & Industrial Relations, Social Inclusion
Penny Wong - Shadow Minister for Public Administration & Accountability, Corporate Governance & Responsibility, Workforce Participation

Media Statement - 16th July 2007

‘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.