Even If We Leave Now, We'll Be Back
By David Rothkopf
Sunday, December 10, 2006; B01

The economic and political forces that drew the United States into Iraq -- quite different from the reasons the Bush administration gave for the invasion -- remain powerful, exerting a pull that will be hard to resist. Oil, of course, is foremost among them. But also important are the threats and tensions linked to oil: Washington's decades-old rivalry with Iran, the growing dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the fear that the Middle East's simmering conflicts will erupt into a broader, bloodier and far more costly war.

60 corpses found in Baghdad
Iraqi security forces have found the bodies of 60 men shot dead execution-style in apparent sectarian attacks in Baghdad.
A security official says many of the victims were tortured, handcuffed and shot in the head.
Fifty-five bodies were found in Baghdad's western Karkh area and the rest were picked up from the eastern Rusafa region.

From the mission-brown ABC

 

Govt will spend big to turn polls around, Gillard says

The Federal Opposition says the Government will use the Budget to try to turn around a string of poor poll results.

Labor's support in today's Newspoll has risen again and the Opposition now has a 22-point lead on a two-party preferred basis.

Deputy Opposition Leader Julia Gillard says she is not placing too much importance on the poll.

"We are at the start of a very long race," she said.

"This incumbent Howard Government will use everything at its disposal to try and win the next election.

"We should expect major spending announcements, particularly pork-barrelling in marginal seats."

Federal Treasurer Peter Costello says he is focussing on looking after the national economy.

"When we go into that election we'll be going to the Australian people and putting forward our experience and our policies," he said.

"Of course we note the polls, but it's a long way to polling day at the federal level - it could be six or seven or maybe even eight months [away]."

'Work to do'

The Federal Government says it has a lot of work to do to reverse a significant slump in voter support.

Coalition MPs, like backbencher Andrew Southcott, are blunt about today's Newspoll figures.

"The Government has a lot of work to do," he said.

Frontbencher Andrew Robb says the Government is frustrated.

"They're not what we want at all, I think we've had a very ordinary three weeks," he said.

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd says the result is a sign that voters are sick of mudslinging.

"My reaction is it is important to remain focused on this positive policy debate," he said.

The Government says Senator Santo Santoro's share trading indiscretions have been unhelpful.

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Gus: see cartoon at the head of this line of blogs... 

As Pauline publishes her memoirs regaling the public with living in sin and having had an affair with a former colleague at One Nation, young Miranda warns the youth of Australia of delaying the biological ticking of female clocks, blaming it squarely on male cocks... No kidding: Sex on tap?...

I quote:

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Live in sin and pay the price

Miranda Devine
April 19, 2007

Poor Kate Middleton, dumped by the second in line to the British throne then displayed humiliatingly to the world as Prince William's "practice chick"

...

But the idea of "try before you buy" gives all the advantages to men, who get the benefits of marriage with none of the responsibilities. They get sex on tap, domesticity, companionship, and probably nutritional and hygiene improvements. They can test-drive the merchandise for as long as they like.

But for women, the immovable biological fact of declining fertility means the deal is inevitably unfair. And if marriage comes at all, it often is a utilitarian choice after all the magic and mystery has been used up in a tenuous coexistence in which neither partner fully trusts the other and one foot is always out the door.

....

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Gus: obviously, since Miranda talks in such an expert manner she would have experienced, first-hand, this "try before you buy" bad attitudes from blokes and be dumped.

From my personal experience, in my "try before you buy" periods, I cooked, I bottle-washed, I cleaned, I worked bloody hard, I supported my partner when she was under stress, I provided transport, I did all sort of "romantic" gymnastic an ocker-club would disapprove of... On the second full-on "try before you buy" stint, I did the same rigmarole, we got married eventually a few years later and are still together, to the amazement of many now-single divorcees, many of whom regret having had ungrateful kids...

It's not the "try before you buy" that is a problem. nor is marriage a "utilitarian choice"... What a lot of nonsense.

Oh I see, may be that's why I was "snapped up" and that many female friends say I should be cloned because I still do the same rigmarole...

No way Jose, that would be too embarrassing for the clones and the "chemistry" may not work either... And did I also mention so middle class? (read Miranda:

"Her mother, Carole Middleton, was "pushy, rather twee and incredibly middle-class", according to a royal source quoted by the Daily Mail.

Mrs Middleton's crimes? She says "Pleased to meet you" instead of "How do you do", "toilet" instead of "lavatory" and "pardon?" instead of "what?".

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Gus: Oh why bother with ya, Miranda?...

 

 

From Webdiary

 She's said nothing relevant on public affair for years. She's standing as herself for herself. Why? Pretty simple, I reckon. She's addicted to the publicity. She needs it now, to feel alive. And yet again, with this latest tilt, she's got it, in spades. She's entertaining, and she still must rate otherwise the TVs and radios would not be all over her still.

But she's not one of the people any more. And politics is a very serious business right now. The fate of many lives is up for grabs as world economic and environmental forces merge to seriously challenge everyone's way of living. Pauline hasn't got anything to say, and people know that. Max Markson is representing her for TV, book and film deals, not to run an election campaign.

Still, I think it would be a very interesting story to document, Pauline Hanson's campaign for a rural Queensland seat 10 years after her last one. How different it will be.

see toon at top...