Unacceptable

Schwarzenegger vetoes Iraq pullout vote - 12 Sep 2007 at 8:12am - SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have allowed Californians to vote on an advisory measure calling for President Bush to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.

Bush to announce troop cut in Iraq - 12 Sep 2007 at 7:19am - WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush is to announce Thursday a cut of 30,000 soldiers from Iraq by next July and a top Iraqi official said another 30,000 may have gone by the end of 2008.

In other words, he expects to discontinue the "surge" as of July 2008. Is there any reason for it to continue beyond today?

Global warming impact like "nuclear war": report - 12 Sep 2007 at 10:01am - LONDON (Reuters) - Climate change could have global security implications on a par with nuclear war unless urgent action is taken, a report said on Wednesday.

Iraq eyes big drop in foreign forces by end-2008 - 12 Sep 2007 at 12:14pm - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Foreign troop levels in Iraq could drop to less than 100,000 by the end of 2008 if Iraq's own forces were ready and security threats had diminished, Iraq's national security adviser said on Wednesday.

So five and a half years after Saddam was deposed, Iraqi security forces will have been sufficiently regenerated to replace 30,000 U.S. troops? I hope no one is trying to characterize this as substantial progress. As of today -- four years in -- exactly zero U.S. troops have been displaced by their Iraqi counterparts. Does that suggest that the status quo should be maintained?

Petraeus draws strength from Kipling - 12 Sep 2007 at 1:18pm - WASHINGTON -- It's been a long slog through unfriendly terrain, but the top U.S. commander in Iraq had a poem from Rudyard Kipling to give him strength as he faced pointed questions from Congress and sharp attacks from opponents of the war this week.

Analyst sees little chance of success - 12 Sep 2007 at 12:58pm - WASHINGTON -- The odds of success in Iraq are less than even - maybe as slight as one in four - but the United States should continue to play a fighting role although a diminished one, for at least two or three years, a prominent analyst says in a new book.

Senate panel reduces missile funding - 12 Sep 2007 at 2:33pm - WASHINGTON -- A Senate panel voted Wednesday to reduce the funding the Bush administration requested for a planned U.S. missile defense system in Europe, making it more likely that construction on the project will be delayed.

Democrat Reid: Iraq plan unacceptable - 12 Sep 2007 at 2:25pm - WASHINGTON -- Senate Democratic leaders on Wednesday rejected the call by the top U.S. general in Iraq for a reduction of up to 30,000 U.S. troops in Iraq by next summer, saying it does not go far enough.

Was there any evidence in Petraeus's testimony before Congress that the surge -- or, indeed, the continuation of combat operations in any form -- is doing anything to hasten the day when Iraqi security forces will be able to take the ball from U.S. forces?

Senate Republicans wary of Olson choice - 12 Sep 2007 at 3:03pm - WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans warned the White House Wednesday that it's not a good time for a fight with Democrats over a new attorney general and predicted there would be one [if] President Bush nominates former Solicitor General Ted Olson.

Thought for the day:
It is better to understand little than to misunderstand a lot. -Anatole France (1844 - 1924)