Send off.

Conditions: Hot.

Really good op-ed here about the hole America and Britain have dug for themselves in Iraq. Read the whole thing, but I though these passages were particularly powerful:

As Blair's emissary, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, comes to me cap in hand, I would pour him tea and roar with laughter. I would ask him to repeat to my face the insults and bile his American taskmasters hurl at me daily. I would say with Shylock: "Hath a dog money? Is it possible a cur can lend three thousand ducats? Fair Sir, you spat on me Wednesday last; you spurned me such a day; you called me dog; and for these courtesies I'll lend you thus much moneys?"
[...]

To talk of a collapse into civil war if "we leave" Iraq is to completely misread the chaos into which that country has descended under our rule. It implies a model of order wholly absent on the ground. Foreign soldiers can stay in their bases, but they will no more "prevent civil war" than they can "import democracy". They are relevant only as target practice for insurgents and recruiting sergeants for al-Qaida. The occupation of Iraq has passed from brutality to mere idiocy.

Essentially, Tehran can afford to sit and watch while the Axis of Good sinks into it's own cesspool, and at some point America will have to humble itself if it's to have any chance of getting out of the mess. Meanwhile, on the ground, any chance Iraq had of keeping itself together is now lost.


John Conner? John Conner to the white courtesy phone.

Just in time for X-mas, you can now get a sentry gun of your very own. It will track and shoot humans if they're stupid enough to ...walk in front of it, I suppose. Not surprisingly, it's demonstrated here by some American kids. Needless to say, terrible terrible idea. Why can't these kinds of things kill their inventors during the development stage?


Weekend Ahoy!

Special treat this weekend as we have three days off! I wasn't told until yesterday, always the best way to find out. The best kind of 3day weekend is when you have the Monday off, as it's been Scientifically proven Monday mornings at work damage your soul. But I'll take what I can get.


Rummyfunny

Clip from The Late Late Show poking some final fun at Rumsfeld. I laughed, I cried, I waved my fist. Farewell, Rummy.


End transmission.