Baker Kicks Off the Cut-n-Run Spin

Ex-secretary Baker readies Iraq policy - 9 Oct 2006 at 2:50pm - WASHINGTON -- Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, a longtime Republican strategist, is preparing recommendations that President George W. Bush reconsider his "stay-the-course" strategy in Iraq.

"I think it's fair to say our commission believes that there are alternatives between the stated alternatives, the ones that are out there in the political debate, of 'stay the course' and 'cut and run,' " Baker said in an interview on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

Baker is absolutely correct to say that there are other alternatives. But the only "debate" that features only those two alternatives is one fantasized in Karl Rove's playbook.

Lower standards help Army recruit more - 9 Oct 2006 at 2:49pm - WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Army recruited more than 2,600 soldiers under new lower aptitude standards this year, helping the service beat its goal of 80,000 recruits in the throes of an unpopular war and mounting casualties.

"Be All That You Can Be Just Show Up ... In The Army"

Bush Reveals New Space Policy - Monday, October 09, 2006 10:32:00 AM - Josh Fink writes "Space.com is reporting that President Bush has unveiled his new space policy. From the article: 'U.S. assets must be unhindered in carrying out their space duties,' the Bush space policy says, stressing that 'freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power.'... As a civil space guideline, the policy calls upon NASA to 'execute a sustained and affordable human and robotic program of space exploration and develop, acquire, and use civil space systems to advance fundamental scientific knowledge of our Earth system, solar system, and universe.' While this policy does seem to push for more civil involvement in space for exploration and research, the article does go on to say, 'The policy calls upon the Secretary of Defense to "develop capabilities, plans, and options to ensure freedom of action in space, and, if directed, deny such freedom of action to adversaries."' So it will push into the intelligence community, and will supercede a similar policy from 1996. You can read the entire policy."