News – Weekend Update

I’m not sure where to look for some optimism when it comes to US International maneuvers. Where, besides the easy war, is sign of any form of US success?

There’s a shakeup of US officials in Iraq. Several individuals leaving to be replaced, including Barbara Bodine, the U.S. coordinator for central Iraq and the effective mayor of Baghdad(returning for a State Dept position that has been planned) and perhaps even Jay Garner within a few weeks. Add to that the possible departure of the 75th Exploitation Task Force, which was in charge of coordinating the search for Iraq’s weapons. No indication if they will be replaced. No note of who will replace them.

It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Personally, I have to wonder why Miss Bodine was put into Iraq, if she was only going to be there for a short time. Personally, I’d not want to have turnover of new personnel slow down operations.

The failure to find weapons has left US infighting amongst agencies with teams in the hunt and rising global pressure to find proof that this wasn’t all started on a lie. Considering that seven nuke sites may have been damaged by looting, with a potential health risk from materials taken from them, one must wonder at the assertion of the Bush administration that this war was to prevent the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons.

Considering that a Senate panel just took down a ten year ban on researching small nukes, one has to question of Bush cares about ending nuke proliferation.

There are fears that Iraqis will starve with the general collapse of agriculture in their country. With raw materials for farming looted, planting isn’t going on when it should be, nor harvesting as is usually started this month. As US influence remains pretty much spotty when it comes to the cities in Iraq, leaving the people in a sate of purgatory, local powers continue to rise and enforce local cohesion.

Three marines died and one was injured in a helicopter crash as it sought to rescue an Iraqi child who was injured in an explosion.

There is a note of evidence that three Iraqi Intelligence officers worked for al Jazeera an infiltration to ensure better coverage no doubt. Not surprised.

Arabs are suspicious of the purported US free trade zone, fearing some imperialist trojan horse for regional dominance of commerce. More or less.

Here are seven ways to help Iraqis get past their deep set hatreds along religious and tribal lines. Personally, I think the US botching things could do some cohesion work in Iraq in the short run. The way things are going now, at least.

President Hamid Karzai annoyed fellow Afghans when he offered amnesty to Taliban members ‘whose hands are not stained with Afghans’ blood’ in a purported bid to unite Afghanistan.

With UN help, US and Iranian officials have met to discuss specific issues. Unfortunately, this isn’t a possible opening into some deeper dialogue.

Today’s Papers goes over the shake up in Iraq, Powell’s visit, the reawakening of the FBI probe and more.

AIDS experts and government labs are starting to tackle the task of researching and conceptualizing a SARS vaccine.

Want to know why Americans who work overseas get tax breaks? Explainer has the info for you.

Resolutions have been passed by 100 local governmental bodies against the Patriot Act. The 100th was passed by the 14th largest county in the US.

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