‘London, England - The image of the United States has deteriorated around the world in the past year because of issues such as Iraq and prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, according to a poll by the BBC World Service released on Tuesday."

The proportion of people believing the United States has a mainly positive influence in world affairs dropped seven points from a year ago -- to 29 percent from 36, the results from 18 countries that were also polled the previous year showed.

Bush's neo-conservative doctrine seeks to apply Straussian philosophy to the unfettered pursuit of US energy interests. Its unspoken motto: "perpetual war for perpetual peace." The rough idea – and the idea is, indeed, rough – is to play this century's Great Game (first prize: control of Mid-east oil supply) under the banner of national security.

‘Just days after the Rev. Pat Robertson claimed on his “700 Club” program that God warned him of “mass killings” in the U.S. late in 2007, God held a rare press conference today to deny having spoken to the controversial televangelist.

For the usually publicity-shy King of the Universe, the press conference held at the Chicago Airport Marriott signalled a sharp break with tradition.

‘In one of the most chilling public statements ever made by a U.S. Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales questioned whether the U.S. Constitution grants habeas corpus rights of a fair trial to every American.

Responding to questions from Sen. Arlen Specter at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Jan. 18, Gonzales argued that the Constitution doesn't explicitly bestow habeas corpus rights; it merely says when the so-called Great Writ can be suspended.

Whilst the little rodent scurries from shadow to shadow, busily marking our society with the rank stench of his corrupt & immoral government, his head clowner was busily informing the sceptical populace that an “anonymous” source had assured him that David Hick’s mental health was fine.

It turns out, of course, that the source of clowner’s spectacular assertion was an anonymous junior official from the bushit embassy in Kaaanbra …. an official who recently observed Hicks for 20 minutes, without speaking with him …. an official who has no medical qualifications & whose opinion is worthless, other than as further direct evidence of the profound moral corruption that is the hallmark of both governments.

‘Well I never. This column was too late with the suggestion that Tony Blair should be blasted off to the Moon for his legacy. He has already suggested it himself.

Journalist friends — more than one — have reported a discussion with the Prime Minister in which they were pressing him to say whether he supported the idea of sending a Briton into Outer Space. Under pressure, his final answer (apparently) went along these lines: “I tell you what: when I’ve finished as Prime Minister I’ll be the first British astronaut! There you go, you’ve got a story now!” Yeah, right.’

The botched hanging of Saddam Hussein & two lieutenants in Iraq by its Shiite-led government has helped to accelerate Sunni-Shiite sectarianism across an already fragile Middle East. "The reality of the current situation is that we are approaching an open Sunni-Shiite conflict in the region," warned Emad Gad, an international relations specialist based in Egypt.

from Crikey: an update on our rooted regulator …..

ACCC all jawboning and no action over petrol prices

Michael Pascoe writes: ‘Well whip me with a feather – ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel is telling the media he has told the naughty petrol companies that he will tell the media they are naughty if they don’t reduce petrol prices in a week. When did we step through the looking glass?

‘The US, after training and egging on the Ethiopians to intervene in the Somali civil war, is now bombing and strafing Somalis. The government "suspects" they might be al-Qaida.

That is a load of horse apples. You can't identify people, much less their politics, from an airplane or a helicopter. Air power always kills innocent civilians. That obscene euphemism "collateral damage" changes neither the facts on the ground nor the immorality of the act. I assume most Americans still think it is immoral to kill innocent people.

BUSHITTO:

Not at all. I am proud of the efforts we did.

We liberated that country from a tyrant. I think the Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude, and I believe most Iraqis express that. I mean, the people understand that we’ve endured great sacrifice to help them.

from today’s Sydney Morning Herald …..

‘Philip Ruddock had nothing to offer. He sloped into his news conference on Thursday with no notes. He needed none. He had only familiar lines to deliver. It was the fifth anniversary of David Hicks's arrival, shackled and hooded, at Guantanamo Bay, but the Attorney-General could still not say when the prisoner would be charged, what the charges would be, or when a trial might start.

‘As the President prepares to announce an increase of an additional 20,000 American troops for the civil war in Iraq, editorials in newspapers across the country are joining the wide-ranging criticism of the war's escalation. Calling it "a futile gesture" and noting that there "is nothing novel" about the President's latest tactic, editorials from Atlanta to Albuquerque, and Dallas to Milwaukee are calling for a "new strategy," for the President to put "far more pressure" on the Iraqis, and for a greater attempt at diplomacy, as the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended.’

from today’s Crikey …..

Alexander Downer is heading to the US – but to join the likes of Bindi Irwin and the Wiggles for the G’day USA promotion in LA, not to stand alongside the President as he speaks to the nation. Perhaps that’s the best place for him. Perhaps, if Australia wants to make a mark in Washington, we should be putting Bindi in the Beltway.

‘People should not be tortured, abused or held indefinitely without charge, whether perceived guilty or innocent. Holding anyone without charge, citizen or non-citizen, is a violation of the United States Constitution and international law.Torture is immoral, ineffective and absolutely illegal under domestic and international law.

from the Centre for American Progress …..

No Blank Check

As early as Wednesday, President Bush is expected to deliver a national address announcing an escalation of tens of thousands of U.S. forces in Iraq. A Pentagon official admitted to NBC News last week that the escalation is "more of a political decision than a military one," favored because Bush "has few other dramatic options available to signal U.S. determination in Iraq." U.S. troops should not be ordered into the deadliest hot spots of Iraq's civil war so that President Bush can send a "signal." New congressional leaders Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) agree, telling Bush in a letter on Friday that escalation "is a strategy that you have already tried and that has already failed. ... Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point for no strategic gain." Congress must hold Bush accountable to ensure that U.S. forces are deployed for the right reasons. A recent Center for American Progress memo suggested that Congress "place an amendment on the supplemental funding bill that states that if the administration wants to increase the number of troops in Iraq above 150,000, it must provide a plan for their purpose and require an up or down vote on exceeding that number." Yesterday, Pelosi pledged that Congress not issue Bush a blank check. "If the president wants to add to this mission, he is going to have to justify it,” Pelosi said.