| How Obama Can Win
It asks, "How much longer can Iraq limp along as a failing state before it really begins to collapse?--but doesn't try to give answers. ... "Iraq ... beset with problems" sounds a whole lot better than what we were looking at a year ago. ... P.S.: The June version of Cole's catastrophism ("Surging toward disaster in Iraq")--which foillowed a brief U.S. offensive in Baquba--declared that the operation clearly committed the United States to one side in a civil war. ... Which side? The Shiite side. "In practical terms, the U.S. military was helping a Shiite government and a Shiite security force impose itself on a majority Sunni population." Given what we now know about the Sunni-empowering aspects of the surge--including the Sunni "tribal Awakening Councils on the U.S.
New Taliban chief entering limelight
The move is an attempt to present a united front against the Pakistani army, which has been fighting insurgents along the border with Afghanistan. It is also the latest sign of the rise of Mehsud, considered the deadliest of the Taliban mullahs or clerics in northwest Pakistan. Mehsud is based in the rugged, heavily treed mountains of South Waziristan, one of Pakistan's so-called tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan, where Western intelligence says al-Qaida is regrouping. His organization has claimed responsibility, often backed up by videos, for killing and kidnapping hundreds of soldiers, beheading women and burning schools that teach girls anything other than religion. He also claims he has a steady supply of suicide bombers and strong ties to al-Qaida. "Al-Qaida has succeeded in building a base in the last two or three years mostly with help from Mehsud," said Ahmed Zaidan, a reporter for Al-Jazeera Television in Qatar who interviewed Mehsud three weeks ago.
Homeowners scurrying to refinance
O'Mahoney is among a growing number of consumers who are taking advantage of fixed-rate loan offers that have sunk to their lowest levels since 2004. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 5.48 percent yesterday, down from 5.69 percent the week before, according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey. Declining rates are further evidence of weakness in the housing market and follow this week's emergency rate cut by the Federal Reserve, said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac's chief economist, in a statement yesterday. The 30-year fixed-rate loan averaged 6.25 percent a year ago, while current levels haven't been this low since late March 2004, when 30-year mortgages averaged 5.40 percent. Lower rates are quickly leading to new business.
Happy Birthday, Monicagate!
Like a vampire shielding himself from daylight, a government official publicly identified with a failed policy will do everything he can to avoid accepting responsibility. The vampire raises his cloak against the sun. The government official steers discussion away from the outcome and defends the process by which decisions got made. The current master is Douglas J. Feith. Feith is former undersecretary of defense for policy, and today, despite Gen. Tommy Franks' famous assertion (in Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack) that he's "the fucking stupidest guy on the face of the earth," Feith is "visiting professor and distinguished practitioner in national security policy" at Georgetown. About the U.S. decision to invade Iraq, Feith is magnificently unrepentant. "I'm not going to be making some Oprah-like confessions," he told The New Yorker's Jeffrey Goldberg two years ago on the eve of his retirement.
Alberta green plan puts PM 'on the spot'
Canada stands to have the best economy in the world hands down due to in large part Alberta for the next hundred years if we can get it right. Believe me, no green tech is going to be as positive to our federal budget as Oil coming from Alberta and soon Sask. So you want it to be clean? Find a way to make it clean and sell it to us. Also look for it to come on the west coast and in the arctic. Its coming because liberal or conservative they both like having balanced budgets.
Posted 25/01/08 at 2:48 AM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment .
May 2006
The EIS analysis will focus on the potential environmental effects of the development, operations and decommissioning on the proposed action area and alternatives," the notice states. "This NOI (Notice of Intent) also serves to announce the initiation of the written scoping process for this EIS," which will allow "federal, state, tribal, and local governments and other interested parties to aid the MMS in determining the significant issues, potential alternatives, and mitigating measures to be analyzed in the EIS and the possible need for additional information."A key provision of the notice - "The MMS is considering potential alternatives to the proposed action such as : modifying the size of the development, phasing the development, and considering alternative sites." Alternative locations cited in the notice are south of Tuckernuck Island, Nantucket Shoals, Monomoy Shoals and east of Nauset Beach, which is described as a "Deepwater Alternative." Written comments will be accepted by mail or through the MMS website no later than July 14.Mailed comments should be sent in an envelope addressed, "Comments on the Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS on the Cape Wind project, Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden St., Mail Stop 4042, Herndon, VA 20164.MMS is also holding 10 public hearings -- what the agency is refers to as "scoping meetings" where comments can be submitted in person -- across the country between May 18 and June 8.
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