Blame

My local newspaper included an op ed piece on Iraq. The substance of the article was direct. It is the Iraqis fault for what is occurring in Iraq.

How quickly they forget. Let's take an example. The writer of the article lives in a nice gated community. The military of Russia decides to occupy his parcel of heaven. They come in. Set up check points. Take males between the ages of 16 and 50 to prison. In prison they are tortured, sodomized. The writer's wife and kids are raped and shot by a crazed Russian private. A cluster bomb blows a whole in the center of his house. Get the idea, writer.

A few noteworthy articles: FBI says U.S. criminal gangs are using military to spread their reach

Hey, join the US military. Its a great way to learn the skills necessary to build your own gang turf.

Then there's this: EPA May Drop Lead Air Pollution Limits

So it turns out that because of environmental legislation, lead is actually not quite as visible as it once was in the environment at large. All those nasty illnesses caused by lead are on the decline. So, because the levels of lead are now so low, what would you do if you were George Bush? Here is what he wants to do. Remove the restrictions on lead in the environment because after all, there isn't much of it in the environment now. This is the rational mind of the Bush Administration on display in all its magnificent glory. Of course the real reason for Bush doing this is the same reason he would does anything. If its going to benefit corporate growth or take away any "unfair" restriction on corporations, then it must be good.

Finally: Bush Expresses Caution on Key Points in Iraq Panel’s Report

I'm gonna save this for tomorrow. But briefly, imagine there is a company. The company is hemorrhaging money. The workers are dying from the production. Nobody wants your company to be there. Your product kills people, and yet the president of the company nonchalantly says that business couldn't be better and he wants to keep the whole thing in operation indefinately. Nobody on the board of directors has the courage to stop him either. What would you make of something like that?