News – Forced Justice

Middle East

Two former aides of Saddam say they were forced to be witnesses at his trial, but said nothing. Yet another boneheaded maneuver, sure to damage the case against Saddam. I mean, they don’t have enough witnesses that they have to try and force two of his former aides to testify against him? Anyone could have guessed that would turn out bad. Except for the prosecution, I guess.

Saddam gets forced to attend as well. Seems they don’t like the idea of trying him in absentia.

Add to the troublesome results of the Iraqi conflict, a video that apparently shows British troops attacking defenseless teens in Basra. By the description, this was a serious, heinous incident and requires immediate action to minimize blowback.

The reader’s editor from Guardian details the results of the prior two part investigation into similarities between Israel and apartheid South Africa. I have to give Guardian much respect for providing and even soliciting comment in both the pro and con.

Hamas will be appointing one of its leaders as PM of Palestine.

Israeli leaders get upset that Russia decides it wants to invite Hamas leaders to visit Moscow as legitimate leaders of Palestine.. which they are. That will be one of the few times I agree with Putin. Pretending they aren’t the legitimate leadership of Palestine for now is folly.

Africa

The UN musters some bird flu experts to help in Nigeria.

Europe

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, gets criticized for backing the Church of England in disinvesting from an American company which makes giant bulldozers used by the Israeli army to demolish homes in Palestinian areas. Of course, now he’ll be charged as being anti-Semitic. Yeah he’s just.. evil.. or something.

There is suspicion of bird flu in fowl near the Black Sea port of Constanta in Romania.

North America

Condi Rice displays the obvious when she notes the fury in some Muslims over cartoons lampooning Mohammed could go out of control. Some might argue that it already has gone out of control, though things could get much worse, depending on how the world continues to react. The pertinent question is, what will the world continue to do about it?

Bush admits his prescription drug program was poorly rolled out. But worry not, the government is working to fix it. Sure, ok.

Laura Bush gets catty with Hilary Clinton, calling her out of bounds for intensifying her criticism of Bush. Sorry, Laura, but politics is a dirty business. You should know, from your husband’s own stunts over the years. Don’t worry, you’ll both be out of the mud soon enough.

Rummy notes the US will get closer military and anti-terrorism ties with Algeria, but didn’t say if this would require political reform on Algeria’s part.

Federal investigators accuse Michael Curtis Reynolds, 47, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa of attempting to provide material support to alQuieda in a plot to blow up major US oil pipelines. He’s not been formally charged as of yet and has been held in a PA jail since Dec 5th on the lesser charge of possessing a hand grenade.

New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof picks on Bill O’Reilly.

The farce of Moussaoui’s trial.

General

The Blogs look at the war against cherry picked intelligence, dip into their limitless cache of French jokes about Jacques Chirac’s “upgraded” nuclear arsenal and discuss HBO’s new polygamy drama Big Love.

Explainer looks for the origin of the phrase, ‘balls to the wall’. Also, looking into how world leaders make phone calls.

Today’s Papers has Muslim graves vandalized in Denmark, a portion of the upcoming Katrina response report showing scammers had an easy time defrauding the government out of hurricane relief checks, the Army’s lackluster efforts to punish soldiers and officers responsible for the gruesome deaths of two Afghan prisoners in Bagram in 2002 and more on the one page news.

Amusements

National Weather Service plans early retirement for 1000 people, including its most experienced forecasters

Paris Hilton chosen by director to play Mother Teresa in upcoming movie

Snotty rich kids get suspended, banned from attending. Parents decide to throw them their own dance instead. Your child apparently doesn’t want accountability for its actions

Japanese hotel guests get blown at check-in to reduce their allergy suffering, ensure a happy stay

WIth all other criminals behind bars, a police arrest a 12-year-old boy who brought powdered sugar to school for a science project and charge him with a felony for possessing a look-alike drug

Students get the “picture the audience in their underwear” concept backwards

SWAT team storms house after obscene gesture

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these Scottish Vikings

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these dragonflies

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop these facial exercises