Saying that Iraq is on the verge of a civil war has become a news cliche. But not when two of our top generals say so.
“I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I’ve seen it, in Baghdad in particular, and that if not stopped, it is possible that Iraq could move towards civil war,” Gen. John Abizaid (in photo), commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday. And Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the committee that he could envision the present situation “devolving to a civil war.”
Given that about 100 Iraqis have been dying each day due to sectarian violence, is the civil war already here?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
It’s official: The Wichita Wranglers plan to move to Springdale, Ark., the team president confirmed Thursday. If that happens, the departure will be a loss to this community.
Still, the team is replaceable. The city is already looking at attracting a team from an independent league. The most encouraging news is that the Wranglers’ owners, who also own the National Baseball Congress, hope to keep the NBC tournament in Wichita. The 16-day tournament, which is going on now and runs through Aug. 12, has been running for 72 years and is a big economic boost for Wichita, as it draws teams and spectators from around the country.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
A federal appeals court ruled 2-1 this week that a federal prosecutor can inspect the telephone records of two New York Times reporters. The prosecutor is trying to identify confidential sources who told reporters Judith Miller and Philip Shenon about actions the government was planning to take against two Islamic charities, The New York Times reported. The dissenting judge argued that the government had failed to demonstrate it truly needed the records. And he was concerned, rightly so, about the ruling’s possible impact on reporting.
“Reporters might find themselves,” Judge Robert D. Sack said, “as a matter of practical necessity, contacting sources the way I understand drug dealers to reach theirs — by use of clandestine cell phones and meeting in darkened doorways. Ordinary use of the telephone could become a threat to journalist and source alike. It is difficult to see in whose best interests such a regime would operate.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
There’s been a weird role reversal among traditional backers and opponents of increasing the minimum wage. The AFL-CIO has been pushing to kill the minimum wage bill before the U.S. Senate, while nearly the entire business lobby has demanded that it pass, The Washington Post reported.
Organized labor opposes the increase because it is linked to a cut in the estate tax, which could reduce federal revenue and lead to cuts in programs for the poor. Businesses groups, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are now willing to accept the wage increase if it means they get the estate-tax reduction and other targeted tax cuts.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The following satirical headlines come from borowitzreport.com:
BIN LADEN OFFERS MEL GIBSON ANGER MANAGEMENT LESSONS; Calls Actor’s Drunken Rant ‘A Cry for Help’
STARBUCKS TO OCCUPY LEBANON; Only International Force Willing to Go, Says Condi
AXIS OF EVIL FLOODED WITH MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS; Kim Jong-Il ‘Very Picky’ About Filling Open Third Slot
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
