For GOP only

[kapkomet]

OK, remove "crusading". By nature, if you think we should stay, you think we should change the world.

I disagree with that but I don't have time to debate it. I'll try to get back to it later.

 

[Rex Kickass]

The problem you have here is that the issue is framed in the terms that the White House has framed it for four years.

 

Stay the course or "cut and run." For the last four years, it has been painted that there is no third way solution for Iraq.

[kapkomet]

You have to stay the course. But it shouldn't be for infinity. That's the message that BushCo can't seem to grasp.

 

[southsider2k5]

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

 

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/20...-edition-part-1

 

What Time of Year Is It? (2007 Edition, Part 1)

By Tom Blumer | November 28, 2007 - 22:34 ET

 

As the Christmas shopping season went into full swing in 2005, I sensed that journalists in general have a strong preference for using the term "holiday shopping" instead of "Christmas shopping" when covering business and commerce, but that when it came to people losing their jobs, they preferred to describe layoffs as relating to "Christmas."

 

My instincts have been proven correct, as you can see below from the results of three different sets of Google News searches in November and December in each of the last two years (links to last year’s related posts are here, here, and here; 2005's are here, here, and here):

 

 

News stories overwhelmingly prefer "holiday shopping" on the commerce side, and at an ever-higher rate, but use "Christmas" over twice as frequently in articles about layoffs.

 

I’ve decided to track the same items this year to see if there is any noticeable change or continuation in the trend.

 

Based on the first set of Google News searches during this Christmas season, I would say there is:

 

 

The continued upward creep in using "holiday shopping season" for commerce continues, while "Christmas" is still used with almost three times as much frequency in stories about layoffs.

 

What I concluded at the end of 2005 and of 2006 (with minor editing) is again proving to be true in 2007:

 

It seems beyond dispute that there is a strong bias against using the word “Christmas” to describe not only the shopping season, as noted above, but also events, parades, and festivals that happen during the Christmas season. There is, however, a bit of an exception -- "Christmas" is a word that is much more acceptable to use when "Scrooge" employers are letting people go.

 

 

Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.

 

[CrimsonWeltall]

It seems beyond dispute that there is a strong bias against using the word “Christmas” to describe not only the shopping season, as noted above, but also events, parades, and festivals that happen during the Christmas season. There is, however, a bit of an exception -- "Christmas" is a word that is much more acceptable to use when "Scrooge" employers are letting people go.

Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.

 

That guy is pretty lazy. He didn't even note that "Happy Holidays" results outnumber "Happy Christmas" results, thus proving that the media doesn't want to associate Christmas with happiness.

[southsider2k5]

This would be pretty much the last guy I would ever expect to hear the bolded words from...

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07333/837824-100.stm

 

Murtha finds military progress in trip to Iraq

Warns that Iraqis must do more for their own security

Thursday, November 29, 2007

 

By Jerome L. Sherman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. John Murtha today said he saw signs of military progress during a brief trip to Iraq last week, but he warned that Iraqis need to play a larger role in providing their own security and the Bush administration still must develop an exit strategy.

 

"I think the 'surge' is working," the Democrat said in a videoconference from his Johnstown office, describing the president's decision to commit more than 20,000 additional combat troops this year. But the Iraqis "have got to take care of themselves."

 

Violence has dropped significantly in recent months, but Mr. Murtha said he was most encouraged by changes in the once-volatile Anbar province, where locals have started working closely with U.S. forces to isolate insurgents linked to Al Qaeda.

 

He said Iraqis need to duplicate that success at the national level, but the central government in Baghdad is "dysfunctional."

 

Mr. Murtha's four day-trip took him to a Thanksgiving dinner with troops in Kuwait last Thursday, and he then made stops in Iraq, Turkey and Belgium.

[EvilMonkey]

This would be pretty much the last guy I would ever expect to hear the bolded words from...

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07333/837824-100.stm

Did hell just get a little colder?

[southsider2k5]

An interesting update from the people who hit emminent domain into the Supreme Court.

 

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/20...lopment-setback

 

As an exemplar of a government-run enterprise stuck in the mud, it's hard to come with a better example than what is happening in the area that was the subject of the infamous Kelo v. New London ruling in 2005. Nearly 2-1/2 years after the US Supreme Court ruled that the city could take evict Susette Kelo and other holdouts from their homes, and 17 months after the final settlement between the city and the final two holdouts, very little has been done in the affected area.

 

The latest setback to substantive progress in the area is significant, and is being totally ignored by the non-local press.

 

Here are the two major stories and the local paper's editorial from the past two days (New London Day links require a paid subscription after a week):

 

Nov. 27 (report by Elaine Stoll) -- Fort Trumbull Developer Asks For More Time, Misses Deadline

NLDC could claim default, but delay in project more likely

 

Preferred developer Corcoran Jennison missed an important deadline Monday for its Fort Trumbull peninsula housing development, whose groundbreaking will almost certainly be postponed again.

 

The firm informed the New London Development Corp. that it needed more time to secure financing for the $18 million project one hour before Monday's noon deadline for the company for that and other obligations outlined in a Sept. 27 agreement with the NLDC.

 

++++++++++++++++++

 

Nov. 28 (report by Elaine Stoll) -- Developer Says Lending Climate Reason For Delay

NLDC not yet ready to declare Corcoran Jennison in default

 

..... Corcoran Jennison attorney Glenn T. Carberry sent a two-page request for a six-month extension — ending May 29, 2008 — for the developer to finance the construction project, now estimated at $19 million. The Boston-based company failed to finalize financing and to sign a contract with a general contractor for the construction of 66 apartments and 14 townhouses on four acres by Monday's noon deadline, delaying what the NLDC believed would be a December groundbreaking.

 

“They're technically in default,” NLDC President Michael Joplin said Tuesday. “We haven't called them in default. There are other approaches we ought to evaluate and try before we get to that point.”

 

++++++++++++++++++

 

Nov. 28 (editorial) -- Skepticism Grows

Fort Trumbull developer has to stop raising false expectations and start delivering on promises.

 

It is understandable that given tightening credit and a changing housing market Corcoran Jennison would need more time to secure financing for its planned housing development on the Fort Trumbull peninsula.

 

It is not understandable, however, why the inability to get the financing was sprung as an 11th-hour surprise — and disappointment. The firm waited until one hour before Monday's noon deadline to inform the New London Development Corp. that it could not meet the obligations of a Sept. 27 agreement, including getting financing approved. Surely the developer had to know well before then that it would have trouble getting the needed loan in time. It would have been far better to go public with the financing difficulties sooner.

 

 

The word "Kelo" does not appear in any of the three items above -- perhaps to assist in avoiding search engine attention (I became aware of this because of an alert I have set up for "Fort Trumbull").

 

Note that the neighborhood homes taken as a result of the Kelo ruling are being replaced by ..... apartments and townhouses. As I understand it, more grandiose plans have long since been scaled back.

 

Considering the firestorm that erupted in the wake of the Kelo ruling, it's very disappointing to see the lack of any kind of meaningful follow-up media attention. I'm left to speculate why the clear and ongoing lack of progress isn't news.

[southsider2k5]

So this makes two instances that were either complete lies or greatly exaggerated including the one with Marines at Haiditha

 

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2007/11/...show-up-at.html

 

Thursday, November 29, 2007

How Embarrassing!... "Dead" Iraqis Show Up at Press Conference-- Smile & Wave For Cameras!

 

How Embarrassing!

 

Picture this...

 

** You report to the international news agencies that 11 of your family members in Iraq have been slaughtered!

** You hold several press conferences and gain great sympathy.

 

 

(AFP)

 

** You become an overnight sensation with the antiwar media.

** You've never had so much sympathy and attention in all your life.

** You even get a state funeral in Jordan where you make a living as a Baathist anti-Iraq War journalist.

 

 

(Awad Awad, Deseret)

 

** You get photos taken of you and your official government guest sobbing in grief.

** You hold more press conferences for the dozens of media personnel wanting to hear more about the horrible slaughter of your family members back in Baghdad.

 

 

 

** Your supposedly dead family members back in Baghdad show up and wave and smile for the cameras!

 

(Much thanks to my friend Iraqi-American Haider Ajina for forwarding the article with the family picture from the Iraqi Barutha News.)

 

The sad thing is... The original story made headlines around the world, but this photo correction will not even make the back page.

 

UPDATE: Aswat Aliraq reports: Arrest Warrant For Diaa al-Kawwaz!!

 

Iraqi-American Haider Ajina informs me that according to Barutha News the Iraqi Government (Interior Ministry) has requested and recieved an arrest warrant for Dia al-Kawwaz (Dhia Alkoozi).

 

Haider adds: "What a change. What a change. All thanks to our men and women serving in Iraq and the Iraqis who are getting a taste of human dignity and human rights and the rule of law...."

 

More here.

[southsider2k5]

So I had filed this one away under crazy conspiracy theories, but now the way things have turned out, I wonder if there was something going on behind closed doors.

 

A couple of months ago I read somewhere that the US was offering to work a deal with Iran on their nuclear program if they would leave Iraq alone. So at the exact time the surge starts, violence drops 80-90% according to most accounts. Then today a report comes out that the US now recognizes that Iran quit work on a nuclear weapons program in 2003. So Bush gets his victory in Iraq, Ahmendinijad gets his victory over the great Satan, and neither one of them has to fight a war against each other.

 

Was the theory so crazy after all? I am beginning to wonder.

[NorthSideSox72]

So I had filed this one away under crazy conspiracy theories, but now the way things have turned out, I wonder if there was something going on behind closed doors.

 

A couple of months ago I read somewhere that the US was offering to work a deal with Iran on their nuclear program if they would leave Iraq alone. So at the exact time the surge starts, violence drops 80-90% according to most accounts. Then today a report comes out that the US now recognizes that Iran quit work on a nuclear weapons program in 2003. So Bush gets his victory in Iraq, Ahmendinijad gets his victory over the great Satan, and neither one of them has to fight a war against each other.

 

Was the theory so crazy after all? I am beginning to wonder.

I'll throw a log on this fire...

 

Had a good talk over the weekend with a guy who reports from Iraq for a major newspaper. He's recognized as a top journalist in that theatre. He saw the sudden drop in Iraq violence as attributable to a sort of perfect storm of positive changes, the biggest of which were:

 

1. The decision by Sunni insurgent leaders to break from Al Qaeda and stop supporting them. This actually caused a small amount of new violence between the groups, but a dramatic drop in overall violence because they stopped supported AQ missions and vice versa.

 

2. The further decision by those same Sunnis to "give peace a chance", more importantly, give the Iraqi central government a chance to involve them in decision-making.

 

3. The surge tactical change of putting patrol units out into the thick of communities, instead of inside large bases. This put US and Iraqi troops in better contact with the locals - think community policing, but in a military context. The number of troops wasn't as important as the change in methods.

 

4. There was a major war going on between the multiple Shia groups, as well as between Shia and Sunni of course. But the Shia leaders of the two major sects have now made friends, for the time being. Further, they are acting together to do pretty much the same thing the Sunni warlords are doing - trying to reach out to the political process.

 

Now, that 4th one is interesting in the context of Iran, because the Al Sadr army (or is it the Mahdi? I don't recall, its one of them) is highly connected with Iran. They sudden decision to make peace may have been triggered by Iran's change of heart.

 

Seems like some pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together, and that may be due to the US and Iran's various efforts at diplomacy (a novel idea for Bush and Ahmedinajad). BUT, in order for this to stick, the Sunni and Shia leaders need to see real progress from the Iraqi central government in making inroads on many issues. If that doesn't happen, this lull could disappear as quickly as it appeared. I hope the US and the Iraqis see that and seize the moment.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that is happening yet. Let's all hope that changes.

 

[southsider2k5]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8...;show_article=1

 

WASHINGTON (AP) - NBC has rejected a TV ad by Freedom's Watch, a conservative group that supports administration policy in Iraq, that asks viewers to remember and thank U.S. troops during the holiday season.

 

NBC said it declined to air the ad because it refers to the group's Web site, which the network said was too political, not because of the ad's message.

 

"Anybody in the world who would look at this ad would come away with nothing other than we should thankful for their service," Freedom's Watch president Brad Blakeman said.

 

The spot was to be part of a seven-figure campaign that includes newspaper ads and television commercials. The ads are to run on CNN and Fox News Channel and are running in various newspapers. The New York Times ran a full-page Freedom's Watch ad Friday that said "Thank You!" and depicted a soldier reading a letter. The newspaper ad also contained the Web site address.

 

Alan Wurtzel, NBC's head of standards and practices, said the network decided not to run the Freedom's Watch ad because the group insisted that the spot contain the URL address of its Web site.

 

The Freedom's Watch Web home page contains links for visitors to demonstrate their support for the troops. It also contains a welcoming message that states: "For too long, conservatives have lacked a permanent political presence to do battle with the radical special interests groups and their left-wing allies in government."

 

"We have a policy that prohibits acceptance of advertising that deals with issues of public controversy," Wurtzel said. "This particular ad, in and of itself, is fine. It thanks the troops for their action overseas. We asked them to eliminate a URL address where a person is asked to contact elected officials and told not to cut and run on the war on terror."

 

NBC rejected a previous Freedom's Watch ad that addressed funding for the troops.

 

"It's a long-term policy, it goes back decades," Wurtzel said of NBC's stance of declining controversial issue advertising.

 

He suggested that Freedom's Watch did not alter the ad in order to force NBC to reject it and thus get media attention.

 

"Candidly, some folks have found that you get more attention when an ad is not accepted," he said.

 

Blakeman acknowledged that Freedom's Watch wants viewers of the ad to visit its Web site and said NBC's actions amounted to censorship.

 

Freedom's Watch has emerged as one of the best financed independent conservative groups in this election cycle.

 

___

 

On the Net:

 

http://www.freedomswatch.org

[EvilMonkey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLrjGq-V700 Edited December 9, 2007 by Alpha Dog

[BearSox]

[southsider2k5]

I'll throw a log on this fire...

 

Had a good talk over the weekend with a guy who reports from Iraq for a major newspaper. He's recognized as a top journalist in that theatre. He saw the sudden drop in Iraq violence as attributable to a sort of perfect storm of positive changes, the biggest of which were:

 

1. The decision by Sunni insurgent leaders to break from Al Qaeda and stop supporting them. This actually caused a small amount of new violence between the groups, but a dramatic drop in overall violence because they stopped supported AQ missions and vice versa.

 

2. The further decision by those same Sunnis to "give peace a chance", more importantly, give the Iraqi central government a chance to involve them in decision-making.

 

3. The surge tactical change of putting patrol units out into the thick of communities, instead of inside large bases. This put US and Iraqi troops in better contact with the locals - think community policing, but in a military context. The number of troops wasn't as important as the change in methods.

 

4. There was a major war going on between the multiple Shia groups, as well as between Shia and Sunni of course. But the Shia leaders of the two major sects have now made friends, for the time being. Further, they are acting together to do pretty much the same thing the Sunni warlords are doing - trying to reach out to the political process.

 

Now, that 4th one is interesting in the context of Iran, because the Al Sadr army (or is it the Mahdi? I don't recall, its one of them) is highly connected with Iran. They sudden decision to make peace may have been triggered by Iran's change of heart.

 

Seems like some pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together, and that may be due to the US and Iran's various efforts at diplomacy (a novel idea for Bush and Ahmedinajad). BUT, in order for this to stick, the Sunni and Shia leaders need to see real progress from the Iraqi central government in making inroads on many issues. If that doesn't happen, this lull could disappear as quickly as it appeared. I hope the US and the Iraqis see that and seize the moment.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that is happening yet. Let's all hope that changes.

 

After listening to the Sunday morning spinsters talk about the NIE report, I have no doubts now that there was some dirty dealing going on behind closed doors. This is the first time in 7 years of the Bush admin that there has been a complete sudden 180 degree reversal on something so big, so quickly. That added into the way and the timing of changes in Iraq just all fits together way too well.

[southsider2k5]

Its getting into desparation time for Camp Clinton... So can you be a part of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy as a Democrat?

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22181497/

 

Linda Olson's resignation the second requested for Obama e-mail hoax

 

 

Updated 2 hours, 33 minutes ago

DES MOINES, Iowa - Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign on Sunday requested the resignation of a second Iowa volunteer coordinator who forwarded a hoax e-mail saying Barack Obama is a Muslim possibly intent on destroying the United States.

 

Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ and says he has never been a Muslim, but false rumors attempting to tie him to Islamic jihadists are circulating on the Internet.

 

"Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential Candidacy," read the e-mail. "Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they Plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at The highest level."

 

The Clinton campaign has decried the rumors as offensive and outrageous, and last week forced volunteer Jones County coordinator Judy Rose to resign after learning that she forwarded a such an e-mail on Nov. 21. But it turns out Rose wasn't the only one.

 

Linda Olson, a volunteer coordinator in Iowa County, had forwarded a similar version on Oct. 5, without comment, to 11 people. One of the recipients was Ben Young, a regional field director for Democrat Chris Dodd's campaign, who provided a copy to The Associated Press on Sunday.

 

The Clinton campaign responded by asking for Olson's resignation.

 

‘Zero tolerance policy’

"We've made our position on this crystal clear," said Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee. "Our campaign does not tolerate this kind of activity or campaigning. As soon as it came to our attention, we asked this individual to step down."

 

Asked to explain why two people connected to the campaign would have forwarded similar e-mails and if the campaign was taking steps to find out if it's more widespread, Elleithee replied, "We communicated to all of our paid staff and volunteer leadership that the senator and the campaign have a zero tolerance policy for this type of activity."

 

Obama spokesman Bill Burton responded, "Iowans know garbage when they see it and it has no place in this race." Burton said Obama will focus on the debate over issues like health care, education and getting out of Iraq.

 

Rose has said she did not agree with the e-mail but was sending it to other area Democrats to show them how dirty politics was getting. Olson did not respond to an e-mail requesting comment.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

So here is my question, if Hillary is going to use her time in the White House as a plank of her arguement that she has the necesary experience to run the Presidency, is it fair to bring up the scandals from that same White House that involved her?

 

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-bozell/...-clinton-record

 

One of the Man from Hope’s consistently amazing lines is that the press doesn’t offer the Clintons enough credit for all their good works. The latest example came on the trail in Keene, New Hampshire, where the Associated Press found him whining about how the press hasn’t underlined the vast chasm in experience between his wife and Barack Obama. "Bill Clinton said Tuesday that if reporters covered the candidates' public records better, his wife's presidential bid would be far ahead of her rivals,” reported AP.

 

 

Clinton obviously believes his presidency was a Golden Era, a time when peace and prosperity graced America. The Clintons want the press to replay a sort of glowing Harry and Linda Thomason propaganda movie about The Way They Were, with a soundtrack by Barbra Streisand.

 

Oh, baloney. The last thing Bill or his wife want is for the press to scrutinize their public records. The media have been absolutely AWOL on this front for fifteen years. He knows it, just as he knows that his belly-aching about the press will also succeed in keeping them at bay.

 

How easy it would be to make a list of all the things the press could do to clear the cobwebs with thorough investigations (as opposed to the infrequent and incomplete spurt of a few negative stories). Reporters could draw up a quick list of “old news” about Hillary Clinton’s record of public malfeasance that Bill knows full well have never been resolved.

 

1. Hillary ordering around the White House staff to fire seven workers in the White House Travel Office for financial mismanagement, with Billy Dale accused of embezzlement. Hillary then lied to a grand jury about how she was not really involved in the firing scheme, even though staffers were writing there would be “hell to pay” if they didn’t do Hillary’s bidding. Billy Dale’s life was ruined. Two years later, it took a jury two hours to acquit him of all charges. Why did she do that? What would voters think, Mr. President?

 

2. Hillary making a mysterious $100,000 profit off a $1,000 investment in cattle futures with Tyson Foods lawyer Jim Blair making her trades. Was this a bribe for the governor’s wife? It certainly didn’t fit Hillary’s first fairy-tale explanation: that she made the trades just reading the Wall Street Journal. Would more focus on this still-unresolved scandal help Hillary’s campaign, Mr. President?

 

3. Hillary’s staffers rifling through Vince Foster’s office for documents in the hours after Foster’s death in Fort Marcy Park. One man seen leaving the scene with documents was White House aide and Hillary protege Craig Livingstone. What was he taking away? Why won’t anyone in your administration give an honest answer, Mr. President?

 

4. Hillary’s Rose Law Firm records “disappeared,” only to reappear in the White House residence after years of requests for documents from the independent counsel investigating her lawyering for her corrupt business partner Jim McDougal. What were they doing right outside Hillary’s private office, Mr. President?

 

5. Hillary demanding the need for a White House database of friends and enemies. The Clinton White House was found to be in possession of over 1,000 FBI files of Republican White House employees. At the center of the controversy again: Craig Livingstone, who told friends he was Hillary’s hire. Why were they there? How were they used?

 

In each of these cases – and so many more! -- the Clinton-adoring media pulled a collective hamstring and retired before the scandal was ever resolved.

 

According to the AP, Clinton also said “his wife's bipartisan work in the Senate proves she can accomplish her campaign's message of change, and that records matter more than rhetoric.” But Hillary couldn’t even get her massive health care plan through a Democratic House and Senate. In Carl Bernstein’s biography, he reported Hillary made enemies among Senate Democrats like Daniel Patrick Moynihan by threatening to “demonize” them if they didn’t swallow her health plan whole. Does that sound like a formula for bipartisan rule in 2009?

 

Looking at Hillary’s public record would also mean taking a serious look at her very liberal Senate voting record. She has a perfect 100 pro-abortion score with NARAL Pro-Choice America. Except for “gay marriage,” she’s pretty much perfect with the gay Human Rights Campaign lobby. She gets an F from the National Rifle Association. On fiscal issues, she gets an F from the National Taxpayers Union, a 14-percent score from Citizens Against Government Waste, and only a 6.7 percent score from Americans for Tax Reform. Her lifetime American Conservative Union rating is nine percent.

 

At every turn, whether it is scandalous behavior or a scandalously liberal voting record, Bill Clinton knows full well that if the press were really focusing “like a laser beam” on Hillary’s past, her poll ratings would be dropping, not skyrocketing.

 

[Balta1701]

[southsider2k5]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7144774.stm

 

Iraqi oil exceeds pre-war output

 

Iraq's oil infrastructure appears to be getting back on track

Iraqi oil production is above the levels seen before the US-led invasion of the country in 2003, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The IEA said Iraqi crude production is now running at 2.3 million barrels per day, compared with 1.9 million barrels at the start of this year.

 

It puts the rise down to the improving security situation in Iraq, especially in the north of the country.

 

But the IEA warned that attacks on Iraqi oil facilities remain a threat.

 

In southern Iraq, more than 85% of the residents of Basra believe British troops have had a negative effect on the Iraqi province since 2003, according to a BBC poll.

 

The survey for BBC Newsnight of nearly 1,000 people also suggests that 56% believe their presence has increased the overall level of militia violence.

 

Sabotage attacks

 

In its latest monthly Oil Market Report, the IEA puts the Iraqi increase in production down to improved security on the main oil pipeline from Iraq's northern oilfields to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey.

 

The [bBC] survey's results suggest that only 2% of Basra residents believe that British troops have had a positive effect on the province since they helped the US overthrow Saddam Hussein in March 2003

 

In recent years this pipeline has been out of action for long periods due to sabotage attacks.

 

Since the summer there has been a marked downturn in all forms of violence in Iraq.

 

Analysts point to a number of reasons for this, ranging from the big increase or "surge" in American troop numbers in Baghdad, to Sunni militant groups turning against former al-Qaeda allies.

 

British forces are due to hand control of security in Basra province to Iraqi forces on Sunday.

 

The security improvements in Iraq are leading to all sorts of dividends in the country, some of which could be enormously lucrative, said BBC correspondent Crispin Thorold in Baghdad.

 

Threat remains

 

While the level of violence has reduced, the threat has certainly not gone away.

 

Earlier this week, three car bombs exploded in the southern Iraqi city of Amara, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 100, according to local police.

 

Iraq has the third-largest proven oil reserves after Saudi Arabia and Iran, but exports plummeted in the face of the insurgency that flared up following the US-led invasion.

 

Separately, the IEA said world oil demand would grow faster in 2008 than had previously been expected.

 

Saying markets were proving resilient to near record-high prices due to continuing strong global demand, the IEA now expects 2.1 million barrels of oil per day to be sold next year up 200,000 from its previous forecast.

 

The Paris-based IEA represents the world's largest oil consuming nations.

[kapkomet]

I saw this in yesterday's WSJ and forgot to mention it. Funny how this hasn't generally hit the mainstream media.

[NorthSideSox72]

I saw this in yesterday's WSJ and forgot to mention it. Funny how this hasn't generally hit the mainstream media.

Isn't BBC pretty much the definition of mainstream media?

 

In any case, the pre-war output was terrible. Saddam had let a lot of the infrastructure fall apart.

 

[southsider2k5]

Isn't BBC pretty much the definition of mainstream media?

 

In any case, the pre-war output was terrible. Saddam had let a lot of the infrastructure fall apart.

 

I am sure he was referring to US media, I doubt many people in the US get their news from the BBC.

[southsider2k5]

How about some fun with captions?

 

[YASNY]

How about some fun with captions?

 

 

He looks like he had a chin strap implanted. Was he playing for the Bears last nght?

[Balta1701]

He looks like he had a chin strap implanted. Was he playing for the Bears last nght?

Starting at QB next week.