Editor’s Notes

It’s encouraging that the Washington press corps is challenging George W. as the administration speaks out of both sides of its mouth. Still he carries on with his dishonest attempt to blackmail the press and the American people with the nonsense that whatever he does in Iraq is being done “to protect the troops”. Trying to leave the impression that the troops are poor set-up victims of Monster Iraq. Sure they’re victims. But they are victims of their president’s dishonesty. And will be even more victimized as the Dear Leader tries to weasel an aerial attack on Iran. He can’t invade on the ground because he’s exhausted his machine. But he can still order a massive assault with rockets and bombs. Meanwhile the world waits with baited breath to see if the U.S. congress can stay the hand of this escapee from sanity.

Meanwhile, Russian president Putin, while taking care of business throughout the Middle East, is making more noises about drawing Syria into the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. With Syria as one of George W.’s targets of evil, it’s unlikely the U.S. president will pay much useful attention given his obsession with his colossal blunder in Iraq.

Philip H. Gordon, Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, says the differences in the West pale in the shadow of China’s rising as an economic and political power. Writing in the international Herald Tribune he says that on a wide range of global issues, Americans and Europeans are coming together. As they do so, engaging a rising China will be one of their greatest challenges.

As the song says, “Oh everything is higher, it’s sure outrageous, yes every things is higher, except my Daddy’s wages.” Hilary Rodham Clinton is quoted in this piece as acknowledging a healthy economy but asking why increase in worker’s wages has not kept pace.

In Moscow, Yulia Latynina, Russia’s Maureen Dowd, is scathing when she writes in The Moscow Times about her president Putin who spoke recently at a European conference about how Russia, Iran, and Syria have no differences. What happened to “my friend George?” Yulia wants to know.

For those of us who want to hold on to the belief that we’re the good guys, it’s hard to take the confirmation by the European Union that 13 countries knowingly participated in the so-called rendition process of illegally capturing suspects and transporting them to countries where torture is practiced. The report condemns the CIA and the governments of the countries that were involved. At least the unacceptable practice has been reliably exposed.

Be sure not to miss True North Canuck Fact of the Day for surprising news about our cherished maple leaf. And then there’s the sage comment by our Doctor of Punology.

Take it easy, but take it.

Carl Dow