News – Weekend Update

Things continue to be somewhat troubling in Iraq. The meetings with children that are inevitable with US forces are turning sour. Some, usually the older ones are tossing stones. The mix of this with friendly receptions is likely quite confusing. This is a problem because its a security risk to have them do that, yet pushing them away goes against seeking to win hearts and minds. Catch 22’s are pesky. Some Iraqi’s want to celebrate Saddam’s birthday. Which no doubt annoys the troops over there. Fortunately it seems likely most celebration will be private.

The rise of local power bases in Iraq is still a worry for US forces, especially those that seek to prevent Iraqi’s from forming an Islamic state. Though one good thing is the co-opting of some checkpoints run by Kurdish troops loyal to the Kurdish Democratic Party in Mosul. Only the ones coordinating with US forces should be allowed to guard, to keep track of what they do so they don’t cause problems.

An arms dump in Baghdad was blown up with deadly results Saturday. There was a man saying his family had been wiped out as rockets on storage shot out wildly. It’s unclear how the gathered Iraqi munitions were set off, but the results in deaths and bad PR are clear.

Reservist surgeons in Iraq are getting edgy as they do little in the field, while debts rack up at home in their absence.

Garner is planning a meeting with a few hundred Iraqi’s to seek potential future leaders. Meanwhile Slate’s new section delves into 7 lessons from how to build a democracy better, faster and smarter based of previous experience with introducing democracy. They’re some very interesting ideas.

Diane Sawyer’s a pesky annoyance. Thumb up to the Dixie Chicks. I don’t like their style of music, but they stick with their principals.

Kurd Sellout Watch is updated on day 54, which shows US soldiers seem more intent on kicking Turkish troops out of Iraq than inviting them in. Garner’s idle comment noted here is a freaking annoying one at a time when we’re trying to stabilize matters. why did they appoint this guy again?

Ballotbox looks over reader response on Rick Santorum and the comparison between gay sex and incest. Interesting responses on various angles.

Today’s papers has more info on the ammo dump explosion. Apparently flares were shot into the dump by assailants, setting off the conflagration. Other articles have placed a shadow of ineptitude on the search for WMD searching in Iraq, US teams being increased in size as the administration becomes perturbed at lack of success. And more. Take a look for a good summary.

Does all this talk about reprocessing rods to make bombs confuse you? Well, Explainer has an explanation on how that step helps in making nukes.

Documents found in the destroyed HQ of the Mukhabarat, Iraq’s feared secret police, point at a possible meeting over alliance between Iraq and alQueda. I’m sure that if they pan out to be at least somewhat indicating of a link, we’ll hear about it.

Taiwan is baring visitors to their country from WHO declared SARS hot spots. SARS is also weighing on some international chip funds.

Apparently, the talks with North Korea haven’t included what North Korea really wants before they give up the bomb. A legal treaty against US military action. A nonaggression pact.

Inevitable

Strangelove 2003?

Start Wars