News – Washington DC Through Iraqi Eyes

Iraq

Salam Pax, the Baghdad blogger, goes to Washington. The adventure begins before he even arrives in DC and continues through the first day in our nation’s capital. Six more days follow, linked at the bottom.

Staff Sergeant Ivan Frederick has been sentenced to eight years for his role in the abuse of detainees in Abu Ghraib.

There are charged of a US tank firing on a car, killing two young girls, said by their mother and the car’s driver who were wounded. No word on this yet from the US military, but I predict denial.

Aims at re-educating Ba’athists are coolly received. I don’t know that this sort of thing is the best of ideas at this point. Alienating a group like that is a poor idea and I think this could have that result if not done with the utmost of care.

The reserve chief who commanded the soldiers who refused to deliver fuel along a dangerous route in Iraq has been relieved of her duties at her own request.

Israel/Palestine

Israeli forces kill another militant leader. A story we could see once a day every day and not see the end of for a lifetime. Adnan al-Ghoul, a bomb maker, was dubbed “Father of the Qassam”. We’ve also got a factbox with more info..

The Lukid party seems set to shake itself apart over Sharon and his Gaza pullout plan. Reuven Rivlin, an influential Lukid fella, has it in his head that Gaza would only be the first step of capitulation. Followed by the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Pakistan

Pakistani forces smack on suspected Islamic militants in their tribal regions, but have yet to find the masterminds of the kidnapping this month of two Chinese engineers.

Africa

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will be heading to Africa and is likely to announce contribution of 100 million euros to an African Union force in Sudan’s Darfur region.

In Northern Uganda around 20,000 kids are seized and forced to serve as combatants. And not too many know it. I didn’t know it until now.

US

US elections this year have wasted almost $4 billion! You know all those stupid, duplicitous commercials? All those screened, preach to the choir rallies and bullshit, say everything but what you mean speeches? All of that mess(not just the federal election) cost this country $4 billion. What a waste.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit that seeks to force the FBI to disclose details about it’s questioning of Arab Americans and Muslims in their pre-election drive to thwart an attack. The lawsuit is seeking internal FBI documents that would shed light on how the government is selecting its targets for questioning and what it does with the information gathered.

Wondering what Bush and Kerry think on tech? The Computing Technology Industry Association has published their answers to 12 high tech questions, so now you can muse what they have to say on the issue.

George Butler has filed suit against Sinclair Broadcasting Group for using photos that are used in “Going Upriver”, a documentary he direted, which chronicles the circumstances leading to Kerry’s Vietnam service, and his protest against the war after he returned home, having received the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts.

High gas prices haven’t effected the sale of SUVs</A., say the automakers. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by that. Daft Americans.

Texas smacks on two flu vaccine distributors for price gouging, saying they hiked the price of medicine over 1,000 percent. And these idiots thought they would get away with that? Not likely. Thank goodness for stupid criminals.

Florida’s Supreme Court denies an appeal by lawyers of Jeb Bush to reconsider its ruling overturning a state law that let Jeb keep a severely brain-damaged woman on life support against the wishes of her husband and legal guardian. Of course, his lawyers are already considering taking this to the US Supreme Court. Can’t they just let it go?

When it comes to arguing over research for better contraceptives, there’s too much focus on teenage sex, when the adults need them to get it on without worry for a seed planting.

For general purposes, this article has a list of senators who have gotten the flu shot even though they’re outside of the CDC’s guidelines on who should get them.

The legal question remains: Can a broadcaster air a partisan film in the final weeks of an election campaign without granting equal time to the other side?

General

Powering up homes with solar on the roof could save us all a mint. But they’re rejected as eyesores. How to solve this? Make them look spiff or integrate them into the roofing materials of course. Little additions like this can save homeowners a pretty penny and reduce the country’s energy needs. Every little bit helps, especially when multiplied by millions.

The UN now has to decide, from two competing resolutions, whether to ban cloning or not. Easy answer. Let nations decide for themselves, save when it comes to obviously dangerous technologies. Like cloning genetically modified super weapons. I don’t think most would mind banning those before they come to exist.

An injectable radioactive chip can destroy cancer cells in otherwise inoperable patients.

Today’s Papers has a 5,000 word assessment of Bush’s record against alQueda by Barton Gellman and Dafna Linzer of the Post, Quantanimo detainees returning to Pakistan and Afghanistan to fight(some, likely, because of their treatment at US hands), the UN saying election preprations are going fine and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Book of Mormon to come out in comic book form, includes guest appearance by Silver Surfer

Music teacher Febrezes odiferous students. Parents cry foul

Man’s will dictates that he will haunt anyone who attempts to change his last wishes. Judge takes a chance and invalidates the document because two witnesses claim they didn’t know what they were signing

Bad: The baby sitter leaves your kid in the parked car, alone. Worse: The baby sitter is your mother. Worst: She keeps doing it and you keep letting her babysit your kid

Pop Idol star sells just two tickets to concert

Mark Fiore: The Treason Hunters

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this dramatic pose by Steve Jobs

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this gal unwilling to take the plunge

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this devilish owl. Difficulty: No “wise”cracks