Monday, March 1, 2004

Quick Takes: Iraq War and Britain, Iraq War and Australia, Schwarzenegger and the press

The Christian Science Monitor's news blog for 03/01/04 (New questions in UK about war's legality) has links to several articles indicating just how far Tony Blair's government was willing to stretch its interpretation of international law to go along with Bush and Rummy's adventure in Iraq. I'm afraid what little respect I've retained for Tony Blair is still draining away. It's really not inconceivable that some British officials may wind up in a war crimes prosecution before this is all over.

Australian blogger Tim Dunlop at The Road to Surfdom has links to the result of the Australian Parliament's investigation into prewar intelligence claims. Dunlop was amused at the restrained language the parliamentary report used to describe a serious failure of intelligence. For instance: "Given the gap between the above strategic analysis [on which the government relied in going to war] and the post war findings, it may be that [intelligence] agencies should examine whether they included all known factors in their analysis."

This is another example of the frivolous celebrity coverage that the press corps is giving Gov. Schwarzenegger: Star governor's dazzling charm opens doors San Jose Mercury News 02/29/04. Note the praise from Mississippi's Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, darling of the White Citizens Council: "He goes out of his way to be treated the same as everybody else, and I think people appreciate that. He's blended in, if that's the right word." I wonder if they discussed the Citizen Council's version of "compassionate conservatism."

And here's a sentence for those who still believe there's a Tooth Fairy and a Liberal Press: "The president might be the most powerful entity this side of heaven, but when it comes to star power, Schwarzenegger isn't far behind." I wonder if the reporter (Jim Puzzanghera) even bothered to rewrite the Republican press release.

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