Friday News Bucket

11 Comments

1. 

   CabinGirl on August 24, 2007 at 8:11 am

   From the NYT:

   A stark assessment released Thursday by the nation’s intelligence agencies depicts a paralyzed Iraqi government unable to take advantage of the security gains achieved by the thousands of extra American troops dispatched to the country this year.

   Not surprisingly, there are 2 versions of what that means:

   White House officials said that the assessment was evidence that the American troop increase had begun to dampen violence in Iraq, that progress was possible and that a precipitous troop withdrawal would sow chaos.

   Democrats said the report showed that the White House had failed in its effort to use the troop increase to promote political progress in Iraq, and that it was time for the United States to change course.

   The report says that the influx of American troops in Iraq has achieved some successes in lowering sectarian violence, but concludes that Iraqi leaders “remain unable to govern effectively” and that the government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki “will become more precarious over the next 6 to 12 months” as rival factions led by Mr. Maliki’s fellow Shiites vie for power.

   Note to ALL the politicians:  Iraq is a failed state, despite continued occupation.  Game over.  Time for the US to take it’s toys and go home.

   • 

     CabinGirl on August 24, 2007 at 8:16 am

     it seems: LATimes

     The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is expected to advise President Bush to reduce the U.S. force in Iraq next year by almost half, potentially creating a rift with top White House officials and other military commanders over the course of the war.

     Administration and military officials say Marine Gen. Peter Pace is likely to convey concerns by the Joint Chiefs that keeping well in excess of 100,000 troops in Iraq through 2008 will severely strain the military. This assessment could collide with one being prepared by the U.S. commander in Iraq, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, calling for the U.S. to maintain higher troop levels for 2008 and beyond.

2. 

   CabinGirl on August 24, 2007 at 8:29 am

   Houston Chron

   Stock futures pointed toward a slightly lower opening on Wall Street Friday ahead of data expected to show further trouble in the housing market.

   The Commerce Department is expected to report a further slowing of new home sales and a drop in home prices during July. Economists surveyed by Thomson Financial predicted, on average, that sales of new single-family homes will have fallen in July to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 825,000 units, down from 835,000 in June.

   The report will be closely watched by some economists who feel the U.S. is moving toward a recession because of the ongoing housing slump.

   • 

     CabinGirl on August 24, 2007 at 8:32 am

     there’s this: WashPo

     On AOL.com this week, the Internet-based loan company LendingTree offered “Bad credit options” and a $425,000 loan for only $1,376 a month. And Countrywide Financial, the nation’s largest mortgage lender, declared, “Bad Credit? Call Today. Refinance or Tap into Your Home’s Equity” in an online ad from its Full Spectrum Lending Division.

     No-money-down mortgages and subprime loans that cater to people with spotty credit are quickly disappearing as lenders tighten their standards in response to a rise in foreclosures. But you wouldn’t know that if you looked at the ads that some banks and loan companies have placed on the Internet and in newspapers, including this one, often right next to the very stories chronicling the meltdown in the mortgage industry.

     Ah, what a wonderful world we live in…

     • 

       chocolate ink on August 24, 2007 at 3:37 pm

       I saw one of those yesterday for Lending Tree I think and at first I actually thought it was on some news show showing how we got into this mess but silly me it was a real ad. Bastards never learn do they and heaven forbid their should be any government regulation against predatory lenders.  Rules and regulations are for us little people only.

3. 

   CabinGirl on August 24, 2007 at 8:41 am

   Bush’s likely future plans to attack Iran by Ray McGovern over at Alternet.  Check out his theory on Rove’s resignation.

   • 

     CabinGirl on August 24, 2007 at 8:49 am

     that article dovetails with the end of this over at TPM

     Not so for the president. For him, this is it. He’s not bigger than this. His entire legacy as president is bound up in Iraq. Which is another way of saying that his legacy is pretty clearly an irrecoverable shambles. That is why, as the folly of the enterprise becomes more clear, he must continually puff it up into more and more melodramatic and world-historical dimensions. A century long ideological struggle and the like. For the president a one in a thousand shot at some better outcome is well worth it, no matter what the cost. Because at least that’s a one in a thousand shot at not ending his presidency with the crushing verdict history now has in store. It’s also worth just letting things keep on going as they are forever because, like Micawber, something better might turn up. Going double or nothing by expanding the war into Iran might be worth it too for the same reason. For him, how can it get worse?

     And when you boil all this down what it comes down to is that the president now has very different interests than the country he purports to lead.

4. 

   cruz del sur on August 24, 2007 at 12:31 pm

   Yesterday was the 80th anniversary of the execution of  Sacco and Vanzetti

5. 

   idredit on August 24, 2007 at 1:45 pm

   Glad you posted CG.

   Check this:  During the recent 3-Amigo Summit at Montebello Quebec, Canada protesters came out in force BUT undercover police was there to provoke violence.

   First they denied then – Caught on Youtube the Quebec police admit agents posed as protesters.

   The above link is the spin after the denial.

6. 

   CabinGirl on August 24, 2007 at 7:12 pm

   love the local Philadelphia news…

7. 

   on August 24, 2007 at 8:27 pm

   We can equate the morgage melt down conceptually to the immigration melt down.  The same institutions calling for “reform” are actively involved in giving loans to bad credit risks.  Why is this happening indeed.  Because there is profit in misery, profit in control and profit in war.
   The same government which stood down on our southern border and thus begat The Minuteman Project was in fact supporting a “merger” with Mexico via the North American Union.
   Organized deception.
   Organized destruction.

   If you were CEO of the world which potential profit margin would you prefer, 300 million energy sucking brats or six billion easily controllable and fully exploitable souls.