Informed Comment - On How US Troops Aren't Coming Home Any Time Soon "Mind you, I'm all for withdrawing US troops from Iraq as soon as humanly possible. I think they have the wrong rules of engagement and the wrong tactics for waging counter-insurgency in a clannish society like Iraq, and it is a toss-up whether they are keeping some peace or making things worse. (Fallujah last November demonstrably made things much worse). But I think you need some sort of realistic bridge from that withdrawal to the time when the new Iraqi army can stand on its own. I don't know where you get that bridge, but nature abhors a vacuum. If the US is gone and the Shiite Iraqis are under siege from Sunni guerrillas, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards will certainly come in to help the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq and the Dawa Party. Even a covert Iranian military presence in Iraq would provoke even more Sunni jihadis to go fight there. A regional war could easily break out, with dire consequences for us all."

I think the dire consequences have already occurred. Furthermore, it seems apparent that Iraqi civil war is inevitable, just like Yugoslavian civil war was inevitable when Tito was toppled. I know it will look bad if we pull out now, but I don't see how it will EVER look good for us no matter what we do. Given those parameters I think the best course of action now is to pull out as soon as the Iraqi government tells us to. I know we want some permanent bases there but those plans have GOT to be scrapped. There are ways of getting what you want OTHER than violence. It is time we admit our mistake, offer to help, but get out of the way and stop making war.

Bush Aide Learned Early of Leaks Probe: "Asked on CBS why he did not investigate the leak when it first became public, Gonzales said: 'This is the kind of issue that I felt that we should wait and see whether or not there would be some kind of criminal investigation. And of course, there was.'"

Because as we now know, according to the EXTREMELY high moral standards in place in the Bush administration, if it ain't criminal, it's all right. And even if it IS criminal, if you can beat the rap it is all right.

The New Yorker: Shouts and MurmursLest anyone reading this blog should think I am all about GM food problems, Bush's stupidity, pit bull attacks, etc., I present a very funny essay from Mr. David Sedaris. Enjoy!

STLtoday - News - Polish bishop's visit fails to resolve rift: "'I will go to this church because we're supposed to follow our shepherd,' he said. 'The church was built for God and the archdiocese, not for us.'"

Exactly wrong, Mr. Mendyka, and this is the crux of the matter. The archbishop believes the sentiment expressed by Mr. Mendyka. The people of St. Stanislaus parish understand that the people ARE The Church. If Mr. Burke expressed one-THOUSANDTH of the actual humility necessary to be a capable and compelling bishop, this issue could be resolved quickly. But authority is what gives his life meaning it seems.

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | GM crops created superweed, say scientists: "A reviewer of the paper has appended to its front page: 'The frequency of such an event [the cross-fertilisation of charlock] in the field is likely to be very low, as highlighted by the fact it has never been detected in numerous previous assessments.'

However, he adds: 'This unusual occurrence merits further study in order to adequately assess any potential risk of gene transfer.'

Brian Johnson, an ecological geneticist and member of the government's specialist scientific group which assessed the farm trials, has no doubt of the significance. 'You only need one event in several million. As soon as it has taken place the new plant has a huge selective advantage. That plant will multiply rapidly.'"

The scary thing is these people were surprised by this. SURPRISED! Oh, well then, that's all right. Not your fault. YOU DIDN'T EXPECT IT! Who could. huh?

Unbelievable. I would mind so much but they are tinkering around with our FOOD SUPPLY is all. What else are they not expecting?

Bush: CIA leaker would be fired if crime committed - Yahoo! News: Gee that Bush is TOUGH on those leaks! I would have thought that if a crime was committed the person would be in jail so they COULDN'T come to work in the administration anyway. But as we all know, Karl Rove would probably have to stab an 8 year old child to death on the front steps of the White House in broad daylight in order to get even a reprimand from Bush. As it is, I would not be surprised if Rove was Bush's nomination for the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Look at what Rove says when he talks to Cooper though: "I've said too much", "more WILL BE declassified". This is an admission that he is telling Cooper something he shouldn't and that it is currently classified. Part of that information was the identity of a CIA agent.

Informed Comment - Rove Unfit For Public Office: "Rove can only have thought it would discredit Wilson to associate his missiion with the CIA if he viewed the CIA as the enemy. This is the Richard Perle line. If Wilson was sent to Niger on the recommendation of a CIA operative, then he was not an objective ex-ambassador but a CIA plant of some sort, attempting to undermine the Bush administration and the military occupation of Iraq."

This is exactly right. They can parse this all they want to escape criminal prosecution, but the fact of the matter is that Rove was trying to tear down Wilson. He's done this countless times before to others but we never had a smoking gun. We could see his fingerprints, but now we have evidence of his despicable behavior.

Bloomberg.com: U.S. - Time Reporter's Testimony Is Needed, CIA Leak Prosecutor Says: "Miller hasn't turned over any information and contends that incarceration won't force her to change her mind. She conducted interviews related to the leak but didn't write any article about it."

I want an explanation as to why 2 reporters who DID NOT write about the Plame case and about to be sent to jail and the columnist who DID sits back smugly and just laughs and laughs. I don't even really care who in the White House was the leaker because they will get off. But I want to know why Bob Novak is walking around a free man.