Aftermath

Cheney says Greenspan criticism is "off the mark" - 19 Sep 2007 at 10:19am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday disputed former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's portrayal of the Bush administration's economic policies as fiscally reckless....Cheney, a longtime friend of Greenspan from their service during Gerald Ford's presidency, blamed the 2001 recession and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks for the growth in red ink and noted that over the past couple of years, the deficits have decreased. Cheney said Bush had "pressed hard" to limit the growth in spending outside of the military and homeland security.

That's Dick "We'll-Be-Greeted-as-Liberators" Cheney. Note the qualifying emphasis on "outside of the military". I'm sure Cheney considers the totally elective Iraq war to be part of "the aftermath of the September 11 attacks."

Poll: Public not swayed by Petraeus - 19 Sep 2007 at 8:05am - A plurality of Americans say Gen. David Petraeus' proposal to begin withdrawing some U.S. forces from Iraq is on the right track, ...

Does a proposal to end the surge when it was scheduled to end anyway constitute any kind of a "track"? It's pretty safe to say that those who think it does have indeed been swayed by Petraeus's rhetoric.

U.S. curbs road travel for its officials in Iraq - 19 Sep 2007 at 8:23am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. civilian officials have been barred from road travel in Iraq outside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone because of possible attacks after a deadly shooting involving American security firm Blackwater.

Iraq wants Blackwater replaced after shootout - 19 Sep 2007 at 2:16pm - BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday called on the US authorities to replace private security operator Blackwater after a deadly shootout involving the firm's guards in Baghdad.

Iraqi PM disputes U.S. firm's version of shooting - 19 Sep 2007 at 8:03am - Iraq's prime minister Wednesday disputed Blackwater USA's version of a weekend shooting that left at least 11 people dead and ...

Israel Declares Gaza Strip "Enemy Entity" - 19 Sep 2007 at 7:55am - Israel has declared the Gaza Strip an "enemy entity," a decision that could prompt the cut off of vital supplies to the Palestinian territory. The Security Cabinet's move could complicate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's mission to the Mideast.

Bush, Congress at record low ratings: Reuters poll - 19 Sep 2007 at 8:41am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress registered record-low approval ratings in a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday, and a new monthly index measuring the mood of Americans dipped slightly on deepening worries about the economy.

Senate refuses to expand detainee rights - 19 Sep 2007 at 11:24am - WASHINGTON -- The Senate narrowly rejected legislation on Wednesday that would have given military detainees the right to protest their detention in federal court.

Government drops risk assessment plan - 19 Sep 2007 at 11:35am - WASHINGTON -- The Bush Administration is dropping its effort to standardize how government agencies develop risk assessments intended to protect the public or the environment.

Bush calls for expansion of spy law - 19 Sep 2007 at 1:01pm - President Bush said Wednesday that a law hastily passed in August to temporarily give the government more power to eavesdrop without warrants on foreign terror suspects must be made permanent and expanded.

Thought for the day:
Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. -Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)