News – Complicating Relations

Middle East

Complicating the issue of the Italian secret agent killed by US forces recently is Bulgaria claiming one of their soldiers may have been shod dead by US friendly fire. Something such as this was inevitable, given the asymmetrical warfare used by the enemy. Part of it’s effectiveness is in shaking the enemy and making htem make mistakes. With a nation morning, the question is will this incident crack the relationship between the Italian government and the US?

Syrian and Lebanese leaders meet, working on a withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. Unfortunately, the US doesn’t take this chance to shut up and watch to see if they make good, they continue to complain at a time when it isn’t in our best interests. Better to mark what progress they may make, then act accordingly. The heat of intently watching eyes is enough a prod for the moment.

Despite the recent Iraq election, the daily life of your average Iraqi hasn’t changed much at all.

Middle East expert Dilip Hiro sees a ripple of democracy spreading from Iraq’s election across the whole region. I see changes, yes. But the ultimate result is still not clear. I think it too early to kiss the old sort of regimes good bye, as like all other things they can evolve for the times given enough impetus to.

Palestinian gunmen wound two Israelis in the West Bank, with no immediate claim of responsibility.

South America

Bolivian President Carlos Mesa resigns after seventeen months in office, due to rising protests that threaten Bolivia’s important oil and gas sector

North America

Now some former security officials are saying that info sharing could endanger US security, estimating that there could be operatives tied to foreign nations or followers of al Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden in Islam’s fundamentalist Wahhabi movement among an estimated 900,000 people with U.S. security clearance. That’s not a problem with info sharking, that’s a serious issue with how the US decides who gets security clearances and not.

The US military is still having some issues with pulling recruits, recruiters having to answer the concerns of families that their kids will be lightly trained and shoved into action.

Note of expansive power that Bush gave to the CIA to send terrorism suspects to foreign countries for interrogation. Called exporting torture by some, one wonders if the goal was to use the looser human rights records of some of our allies to do what we Americans find, in general, distasteful.

The internet has surpasses radio in terms of where people go for their political fix.

The CBO says that Bush’s budget will make long term deficits worse, despite short term goals being met.

Most small cars score poorly on side impact crash tests, even with side impact airbags.

Not all annonymice are so bad.

General

Explainer notes how shrinks measure maturity.

Today’s Papers has an investigation of the street where the Italian secret agent was killed, the Justice department’s religious right unit, Pentagon blunders that resulted in the previous inability to hook up all soldiers with the best protection and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Christian school: “Spank your child or he’s suspended”

Wisconsin hunters want permission to hunt that most elusive wild prey: housecats

Undersexed Japanese housewives being referred to hand-picked “sex volunteer corps”

When kids try to design video game characters

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop Rick Pitino having a “special” moment

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop the Gates

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop TFarker mrlintner bringing a whole new meaning to “Casual Friday”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this life of the party