Instahoglets 8th May 2008

By Cernig

Another of those link-dumpy things because I've not had time to write proper posts on any of this stuff.

- Gorbachev is warning that newfound U.S. belligerence against Russia could push the two big nuke powers into a new Cold War and that the White House's claims of peaceful intentions towards its former superpower rival can no longer be trusted.

- Meanwhile James Joyner wonders if Russia and Georgia are on the brink of war. Now, if NATO had given Georgia a membership action plan, like Bush wanted, he'd have another war to drag the U.S. into.

- Talking of Bush's hoped-for wars, Iran says the real proliferation problem is U.S. allies who are already nuclear powers and have become so outwith the NPT. The Iranians say they'll refuse to sign a comprehensive safeguard agreement with the IAEA until Israel does - an astute move on their part as they want Arab backing.

- Paul McLeary, a senior editor at Defense Technology International magazine, is just as sceptical about the administration's EFPs From Iran tale as I am.

- But if you want to see how far the Iraqi government is willing to go to lie for a new Bush war against Iran, have a look at Pajamas Media, as Omar tries to spin the Iraqi defense minister and "intelligence officials" deliberate ignorance of the difference between a 200mm artillery rocket and a strategic city-killer.

- At Unqualified Offerings, Thoreau notes that, just like 2002, the push is on to paint those who favor containment of unfriendly regimes as somehow "pussies", as part of the get-yer-war-on narrative.

- The White House has "lost" all the records of its emails from the first three months of the Iraq War, How...convenient.

- The blogosphere continues to talk about the American Idol nomination race between Clinton and Obama - and I continue to not participate in the circular firing squad. People, the ultra-partisan smearers of both camps, from campaign managers on down, are like blog trolls. They'll eventually shut up if you don't feed them.

Putting the Anal in Analyst - TPM has some audio-taped brown-nosing of Rummie from those oh-so-independent military experts the Pentagon used as shills in the media.

Vet Voice's Richard Smith on new plans to privatise training the Iraqi military so that U.S. troops can concentrate on reconstruction programs: "This war has been so mismanaged that it is seen as "natural" that civilians are doing the Soldier's job of training Soldiers, while Soldiers are doing the civilian's job of nation building. Has anyone alerted the State Department to the fact that we are doing taking on their mission while contractors do ours? Does this seem bizarre to anyone else?" Yep.

- Shaun at Kiko's House has two excellent posts on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - shell shock, to older generations - here and here.

And finally, from Jill, who is always Brilliant At Breakfast -

Comments

[HyperIon]

you wrote: People, the ultra-partisan smearers of both camps, from campaign managers on down, are like blog trolls. They'll eventually shut up if you don't feed them.

Thanks for saying this. I've pretty much stopped reading some sites that appear to be all-HRC-bashing-all-the-time. Oooh, the shrillness! It hurts my ears.

And...very nice blog you have here. Tim F. (from Balloon Juice) pointed you guys out. He quotes you folks often...but, of course, you knew that. Keep up the good work.