Roundup of the last few days in news

When I let too many days pass I inevitably get a backlog of articles worth passing on and commenting on. Just don't want to blog everyday anymore but these roundups do take a lot of time too so - hopefully - some of you guys will find one of these interesting.

Lets start were I often start

Iraq

Some Sunni insurgent groups reject al-Qaida (and willing to work with US to get rid of them)

Saw the CNN report on TV last morning and thought it was interesting.

U.S. forces have begun arming nationalist guerrillas and former Saddam Hussein loyalists -- and coordinating tactics -- in a marriage of convenience against al Qaeda radicals in one of Iraq's most violent provinces, senior U.S. commanders tell CNN.

This new alliance, a result of the deepening divisions among Iraqi insurgent factions, was on display earlier this week at a highway intersection in the town of Tahrir. There, a group of some 15 insurgents publicly chanted: "Death to al Qaeda."

"The al Qaeda organization has dominated and humiliated Sunnis, Shiites and jihadis. It has forced people from their homes. They can't get enough blood. They killed many honest scholars, preachers and loyal mujahedeen," one of the group's spokesmen read from a written manifesto.

It's a sharp turnaround from just two months ago when the same insurgent forces were focused on fighting U.S. troops and driving them out of Diyala province, about 40 miles north of Baghdad.

It is indeed an interesting turnaround. And, as anyone who reads my blog on a casual nature already knows; there is NO love lost between any group in Iraq (Sunni or Shia) and al-Qaeda elements (who are typically foreign-born). Iraqi groups fight for what they perceive is the interests of Iraq, and see al-Qaeda as a group with little regard for Iraq and more regard for their own agenda.

Up until now though it seems most groups (except the Shia) had a 'marriage of convenience' with al-Qaeda in opposition of the US. It seems now that some rifts are forming as some of these Sunni groups shift to seeing al-Qaeda as the greater threat.

But the US better beware about what it gives to its new "allies" because it is just a temporary alliance of convenience. They will turn those weapons on the US as soon as its done with al-Qaeda, just like they were going to turn on al-Qaeda when the US left (before).

But while the marriage of convenience may be successful for now, Abu Ali and his followers seem to have no intention of making a lasting commitment to the Americans.

"After we are done with al Qaeda," Abu Ali says, "we will ask the Americans to withdraw from Iraq. ... If they do not withdraw, there will be violations and the American army will be harmed."

And with plans for permanent bases in Iraq and continued presence (maybe at diminished rates years from now) no one really believes that the US (at least THIS administration) will withdraw from Iraq - even if they do ask really really nice.

In all, it may be a positive development but I urge much caution; those former enemies now allies will become our enemies again soon and we should be careful about how well we arm them.

And there are rifts in the Sunni insurgency but most groups still see the US as the greater evil. Plus the US still has to contend with this guy:

Shia cleric and Mahdi Army leader Muqtada al-Sadr and his calls for declaring the US and Sunni jihadist as common enemies of both Iraqi Shias and Sunnis

Middle East War Tensions

Concerns that Syria and Israel may be edging towards war

CONCERN is growing that Israel and Syria may be heading towards war, with signs that both are preparing their armies.

The preparations are being made across both sides of the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights area occupied by Israel since 1967.

Syria has increased troop numbers and brought in rocket units similar to those used by Hezbollah against Israel in last summer's war in Lebanon, according to intelligence estimates. The Syrians have also brought in new anti-aircraft guns and tanks from Russia and recently conducted a frontline exercise of troops.

Israel yesterday appointed a team of senior ministers to handle policy towards Syria, but denied it was a "war cabinet".

The move came just a day after Israeli troops held a widely publicised training exercise in which they captured what army officials described as a model of a Syrian village.

I'll admit to a little bit of cluelessness as to the reasons for the sudden increase in tensions (I can't follow everything dammit! :) ) But the last thing Israel or Syria need is another war. If Syria did get a pounding from Israel, the secular Ba'ath government in Damascus could be weakened enough that the Islamist groups may take power.

If that war happened...all I have to say is that as much as Israel thinks it sucks dealing with the secular Ba'athists in Syria, imagine if Syria were run by radical Islamists. Hopefully we wont have to see that.

Since the war between Israel and Hezbollah, Mr Assad has expressed interest in resuming the talks with Israel that stalled seven years ago over the extent of an Israeli pullback in the Golan Heights, but he has also hinted that Syria might resort to force if Israel shunned diplomacy.

The loss in Lebanon against Hezbollah definitely reduced Israel's perceived power, though an upside may be that middle east governments now think that Israel may be more willing than before to engage in diplomatic solutions. Lets hope they are correct.

Afghanistan

Evidence Iran is arming the Taliban?

Granted, Iran and the Taliban were former adversaries but the United States has an uncanny ability of forcing former enemies to cooperate temporarily (see al-Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents) . Experts seem to believe it is likely and the idea does not strike me as impossible.

I've been leery of tying Shia governments (like Iran) with Sunni groups (in Iraq) and the Taliban but, considering the mishmash of "deals with the devil" strategies floating around, I suppose its all very possible.

I have to remember that it's not only the US who foolishly plays with fire and will end up regretting it later when that fire they fed consumes them.

The United States

A Free, Independent Vermont?

Those crazy mofo's better get serious and forget this BS talk about secession. We already dealt with rightwing secession during the Civil War, the last thing we need is for some crazy left-wing secessionists to try their luck. The Union is...the Union. There should be no toleration for secession.

Jefferson pleads 'not guilty' in public corruption case

This corrupt Democrat should be booted the hell out. A corrupt bastard like this has no place in the Democratic Party. Most corruption of late has been of the Republican variety, but its only fair to point out when a Democrat does it.

Senator Chris Dodd has introduced the "Restoring the Constitution Act"

Restoring Habeas Corpus rights, treating all suspects (even terrorist suspects) in a manner consistent with out national laws and by the guidelines of the Geneva Convention.

Cheney pushed for secret spy program, says official (RawStory)

Vice President Dick Cheney was a key player in pushing a secret surveillance program before White House officials visited an ill John Aschroft in the hospital to push for approval of the wiretap scheme, a former top Justice Department official told Senate investigators.

The latest account from former Deputy Attorney General James Comey provides new details in the efforts of the White House -- especially Cheney and his aides -- to pressure the Justice Department into approving the National Security Agency's secret domestic spying program.

Cheney told Justice Department officials during a high-level meeting in March 2004 that he disagreed with their evaluation that the NSA program did not meet legal muster, Comey wrote, according to the Washington Post. A day later, two top White House officials -- Andrew Card and Alberto Gonzales -- rushed to Ashcroft's bedside in the middle of the night to pressure the Attorney General, who was recovering from surgery and battling pancreatitis, into approving the program, as Comey testified last month.

Nooo...Say it aint so!! Dick Cheney, the beacon of law and order, the living spectre of the will of the Founders and the light of the Constitution, the very embodiment of the rule of law...ok, sorry I couldn't keep that up much longer.

Even pushing the then White House counsel (Alberto Gonzales) to visit the Attorney General as he lay half lucid and pain ridden after surgery and battling pancreatitis - to get him to sign off on an illegal program he refused to sign off on when he was lucid...still not surprised. Hoping to push a drugged up individual to agree to a program he didn't agree to sober is not surprising.

I'm also not surprised that, despite this refusal to sign off on the program, somehow, the program still managed to go forward.

...uhm, isn't that...I don't know...illegal? Hey but what do I know...