News – Morale and Justice

Middle East

Captain Rogelio Maynulet is another US soldier facing court martial for his actions in Iraq. This one is interesting. He and his unit were chasing a car with suspected Sadr militia. The driver was shot before the chase ends and seriously wounded. In what he says was an act of mercy, Maynulet finished him off. Personally, I see one of the caveats in this as being how wounded the man was. Though overall I think the cusp of this court martial is that, once targets are disabled, they become prisoners of war. It wasn’t his decision to end this man at that point. Or so I view the argument against his actions. Some have argued that court marshaling this man for doing what he saw as right is a serious blow to morale. Possible, though are morale considerations dominant over the military’s own code of conduct? Lots of questions. What are your answers?

Pictures from along Israel’s security barrier. Seeing what it is we discuss and argue about.

Steady violence in Iraq results in scattered Iraqi death. There remain hopes for better security for the January elections, though personally I don’t see it manifesting yet.

Bush acknowledges mixed results in training Iraqi troops. Maybe we can get a realistic number on the actual trained troops and the partially trained now.

The CIA chief in Baghdad hasn’t good things to say, asserting that Iraq faces a descent into chaos. Personally, I don’t think straight chaos will be what happens, but I can see the status quo lingering for much longer than most think.

Eight US soldiers file legal action to stop their tours of duty from being extended. You know, with all of the arguments over stop loss and calling up fifty year old and disabled people through the ready reserve(yes, that is so), I think the focus on the Army’s legal right to take these actions is ignoring the simple fact that by exercising these legal rights, they’re damaging morale and trust when it comes to present and future members o the service. Not all, sure. But enough to warn away some. Things like this will start happening. And in general the military loses something either way.

In Iraq the number of US killed in action reaches 1,000

Karzai is sworn in as president of Afghanistan and heralds a new chapter in Afghanistan’s history. A good one, hopefully. Regeneration has been slow as warlords and poppies still remain in significant numbers.

Theist radio blossoms in Iraq, with a clear message. Voting is your duty to God.

Dueling headlines. Who has it right on the Shiites?

Asia

Japan protests to North Korea after finding out they were provided false evidence of the fate of Japanese citizens it had abducted.

Eastern Europe

Despite opposition from human rights groups and the US, the EU is considering dropping the arms embargo on China as early as early 2005.

Western Europe

Ukraine’s parliament has approved several changes to their constitution to prevent future poll fraud, increase regional power and parliamentary power, while reducing that of the president. No note of exactly what these changes were.

North America

The House has passed the sweeping intelligence reforms, 336-75. The concerns over military intelligence were solved and it seems Republicans have decided to put off immigration fights til next year. Not like they’re at a disadvantage party-wise when it comes to that. Have they fallen short of what the 9/11 commission wanted and created what was feared, a toothless, wasteful NID?

IBM is selling it’s PC-making business to China’s largest PC company, Lenovo. The sale totaled $1.25 billion, marking another step toward IBM entrenching themselves in the software and services market.

Civil libertarians are suing to stop the implementation of a California law that makes DNA testing of suspected felons mandatory, even if they’re not convicted. The ACLU, in it’s lawsuit, calls the law “the most draconian program for the collection, retention and sharing of DNA data in existence in the United States.”

The White House will be borrowing cash to set up it’s personal retirement accounts for Social Security, ruling out tax increases. Experts say it could cost 1 to 2 trillion over ten years. But still, not specific plan to muse.

The Air Force gets blasted by Pentagon investigators, citing leadership failures for the decade of sexual assaults against female candidates.

The Union of Concerned Scientists labels Honda as having the greenest vehicles overall, with General Motors coming in dead last.

Still no straight answers on how the tax code might be reformed this term. I wish they’d stop talking about it until there’s something to talk about. I want to hear what Bush will do, not what he might do. Then I can either nod or shake my head accordingly.

Inexplicably, Rep. John Peterson uses the weather prognosticating groundhog Punxsutawney Phil to try and explain why federal funds for a weather museum for his state isn’t pork.

CNN’s new ads aren’t winners.

General

Blade: Trinity keeps the same writher/director and looks like it will stay true to the theme of the first two Blade films. Great effects, great action and that singular character tat he middle that just makes it all mesh.

Prince of Persia has had a second facelift with it’s sequel, Warrior Within. The combat engine got revamped and the theme got a darker spin to it, making it look less like an Aladdin cartoon and more like other ‘hardcore’ violent games.

Today’s Papers has the Pentagon finally deciding to get back to basics, lack of police to find and tell about a carbomb in Iraq, more tidbits on prisoner abuse and potential cover up as well as more in the one page news.

Amusements

When apprasing a Rolex watch, make sure the appraiser isn’t the one you stole it from

Detroit Tigers outfielder (2004 salary: $335,000) arrested for shoplifting $30 belt

Rescue teams called out to help parachutist ditching into the sea. Rescue squad arrives to discover it’s only an action figure

Online university sued after awarding business degree to cat. Cat insists degree was earned fairly

Paris Hilton arrives at Hollywood producer’s party to find guests viewing her homemade porn (second story)

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop Farker test-driving a Segway. Difficulty: Somehow robbing him of even more dignity

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this horny animal

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop products being used in direct defiance of the manufacturer’s warning label

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this Afghan officer auditioning for Karate Kid IV