Random News & Views Roundup

- Coming soon: the Yearly Kos convention. Will it be an echo chamber, a big long drunk, a place for Democratic politicians to shill for votes or will it kill the 'cool'? (Sidebar: Kos and Jerome Armstrong were on Tim Russert's show on Saturday talking about their book, Crashing the Gate. No matter how many times I listen to kos being interviewed and despite the fact that I used to be a site member, I still can't figure out what the hell his message is beyond: just elect Democrats.)

- The New York Times has an article about 'I'm the decider' Bush and his sidekick 'No, actually I make the decisions' Condi and their supposedly private meetings before the US chose to actually talk to Iran. Everybody and their dog (okay, well maybe just Wolf Blitzer) seems to think this was all quite a 'brilliant' diplomatic coup. I disagree. The US had its back to the wall because Russia and China refused to allow the US to include the military option in their proposed UN security counsel resolution. Those two countries stood firm and the US blinked. So, what's so flipping 'brilliant' about that? As for talking to Iran, let's face it - nobody will back another Bush fiasco in the Middle East. He knew he had to do something besides his usual blustering to his sock-puppets.

- Apparently, this story merits a New York Times headline: 'As President's Poll Numbers Fall, Many in Utah Stand by the Man'. Those are the same people who like nasty, cranky Senator Orrin Hatch. I mean, really...how much of a stretch is it for them to like Bush?

- Here's a good example of an RNC spokesperson sticking their fingers in their ears while screaming 'lala la lala la la.' I can't hear you! It must have been that foreign word 'competent' that threw her off. 'Is that like French or something??'

- The LA Times gives the US Defense Department an F and they sure as hell deserve it:

Some of its political reporting is simply incompetent. For example, the report repeatedly states that 77% of the Iraqi population voted in the December 2005 election. Given that the CIA estimates that almost 40% of the population is 14 or younger, there is no conceivable way that 77% of the population could have voted. The report says 12.2 million voters turned out. The CIA estimates Iraq's population is 26.8 million. This means roughly 46% of the population voted.

Umm...

- Is Percy Walton 'insane' and will he be excecuted if American authorities still aren't sure? You know, it'd be a lot easier on everyone involved if Americans would just get with the program and ban the death penalty.

- Just how much is an Iraqi's life worth? Probably a lot less than the car you drive. You can get $61 million for being harassed with racial slurs in California. Incredibly lopsided justice anyone?

- Via AP:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide car bomber blew himself up in a crowded market in oil-rich southern Basra on Saturday, killing 28 people and wounding 62. In Baghdad, a Russian diplomat was killed and four diplomatic employees were kidnapped.
[...]
Around Iraq, at least 42 people were killed Saturday and dozens were wounded, and police discovered the remains of 12 people, including eight severed heads.

In Basra, the country's second-biggest city, the suicide car bomb exploded in the late afternoon when many people were shopping, police Capt. Mushtaq Kadhim said. The blast left pools of blood around the market square and set several vehicles on fire.

Another day in Iraq. Freedom was hiding out in a bunker somewhere north of Baghdad.