unimaginably bad australian accents

* you may have seen an aussie story in the international media this past week - some miners are stuck in a hole. do me a favour - if you see people interviewed about it - they all have the most unimaginably bad australian accents - so, no, that's not what i sound like!

* Ritter:

"In the 2006 version of this national security strategy, Iran is named 16 times as the leading threat to the national security of the United States. I would hope every European diplomat has read this document, and takes its contents to heart. The national security strategy of the United States, circa 2006, can leave no doubt as to what the true intent of the Bush administration is regarding Iran: regime change. The current "crisis" regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions represents nothing more than an emotionally-charged facilitator for war... the reality is that once the United States introduces a Chapter VII resolution, even in draft form, war with Iran is all but assured."

shrill

* the lovely desi got atrios'd for this post: "Former senior members of U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris' congressional staff say they initially rejected a defense contractor's $10 million appropriation request last year but reversed course after being instructed by Harris to approve it."

* kleiman: "Since both blowing up buildings full of civilians and torturing prisoners are war crimes, perhaps President Warner or President Clark could ship the 9-11 plotters to the Hague for trial by the International Criminal Court, along with Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, Gonzales, and Yoo. The fact that we haven't ratified the treaty establishing the court needn't be a problem; instead of an extradition hearing, we could just use irregular rendition."

* "Brinkley, an author and historian at Tulane University, quotes Congressman William Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat, describing Bush viewing the (Katrina) damage from aboard Air Force One five days after the storm. He said Bush asked Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff about a fire in the city...
"Put the fire out, now! There is water everywhere. I want the fire out," Bush was quoted as yelling." (link)
there's a Nero joke in there somewhere

* demnow: " US Influence Speculated As Fox Backs of Drug Bill
In Mexico, President Vicente Fox has backed off signing a drug decriminalization bill just one day after he said he would approve it. The bill would have eliminated criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of certain drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Fox’s reversal is fueling suspicion he was pressured by US officials." (link)