The "Dirty Tricks" campaign may still be alive and kicking despite outrage over Republican (damn you, Giuliani) ploys to fix the elections again. Just something to keep an eye on. I guess we'll know in a week or two whether they're still going to pursue the initiative without Hiltachk's sponsorship, but if they do it's something we should all be aware of.
I don't know if any of you have noted the Iran buildup over the last few months (here's a little recap). Last week the Senate (76-22) took steps to support General Petraeus in condemning Iranian leadership as a "terrorist organization" through passing the Kyl-Lieberman motion. I particularly liked the part where it states "it should be the policy of the United States to combat, contain, and roll back the violent activities and destabilizing influence of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its foreign facilitators such as Lebanese Hezbollah, and its indigenous Iraqi proxies." (hahaha...Iran's parliament took a similar step against the CIA and US Army.)
Meanwhile, what's going on in Afghanistan? If Hamid Karzai has lost hope in his ability to maintain peace, what will it take for us to recognise our own failures? I was surprised I read that "Several former members of the Taliban government serve in Parliament, and a few more hold positions in provincial governments. Prominent members of Mr. Hekmatyar’s party have been given government positions and have taken part in parliamentary elections" (NYT, 9/29/07). People repeatedly write, and it's interesting to consider, How close is Afghanistan to a 9/10/01 state?
Well, maybe that's all nonsense...feel free to delete/complain/comment/add to it.
Off to jeer Hilary...See you all soon!
-Palmer
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