Lather, Rinse, Repeat

Meanwhile, the Bush junta is dusting off a golden oldie from 'way back in 2002. There's another election coming up; it's going to be necessary to rally the Murkan people 'round the flag again. Only the name has to be changed; in fact, only the last letter of the name. Confusion is inevitable. When Emperor El Supremo Jorge Bush, Sovereign of the Lands, Seas, Airs, and Interplanetary Spaces has so much trouble distinguishing Osama bin Laden from Saddam Hussein, he's bound to be heavily taxed by the much more subtle difference between "Iraq" and "Iran."

Here we see Grima Wormtongue (or somebody like that) giving her sage counsel to Theoden, Lord of the Mark (or somebody like that). I wonder what she's whispering? My money's on some variation of "F--k Ahmadinejad -- we're taking him out."

It's hard to believe, but here we go again. If we're stupid enough to buy this, we deserve every bit of it. Actually, we've already bought it several times ... so we already deserve it.

Glorious Iraqi Sovereignty

"As Iraqis stand up, we will stand down," as Chimpy has recited enough times now to have it fully memorized.

Well, maybe. But only if they're the right Iraqis.

Haven't we been here before, about a million or so times in the post-WWII era? In about a million places? Ah, yes, but this time, it's sure to work, right?

Assistant Steward of Titanic Resigns

Ho hum.

You don't seem to understand, George. Mr. Card is just a flunky. Tossing him overboard doesn't make everything all better. You're the war criminal. You're the one who thinks the laws don't apply to him. You're the complete disgrace to the country. You're the one who needs to resign, yesterday if not sooner.

C'mon, George. Do the right thing.

Musical Recommendation

With proper acknowledgements to Craig at Reverent and Free, who periodically recommends something to his readers, I'm following his example. Donald Fagen has a new album out. Morph the Cat won't disappoint those (like me) who enjoyed Mr. Fagen's earlier solo efforts, The Nightfly and Kamakiriad. The musical style hasn't changed, really -- it's still pretty much jazz-pop. But there's no mistaking Fagen's lyrics: edgy and with a little whiff of the perverse. The, uh ... liner notes? jewel case notes? I dunno, what do you call the little booklet they tuck into the front of the jewel case, anyway? In any case, the accompanying text took me all the way back to 1973's Steely Dan debut Can't Buy a Thrill, with the one-sentence precis of each song at the head of the lyrics. "Mary Shut the Garden Door" is "explained," sort of, by "Paranoia blooms when a thuggish cult gains control of the government."

Best songs (so far): "Brite Nitegown" and "The Great Pagoda of Funn."

Stand Up / Stand Down

The evil mainstream media, we're told, isn't giving us the "good news" about Iraq, and the Empire's many good works there. Other sorts of news seem to be a little scarce, too. I didn't see this until I looked at the BBC's site:

The US military in Iraq is facing growing political pressure over a raid on a Baghdad mosque complex that left about 20 people dead on Sunday evening. US officials said 16 insurgents had been killed and 18 captured, along with a significant weapons cache.

However, members of Iraq's ruling Shia Islamist bloc say many of the dead were civilians taking part in prayers.

"Entering the mosque and the killings there are an unjustified and flagrant attack," the interior minister said.

"Approximately 18 innocent men who were inside the mosque performing sunset prayers were killed and became martyrs," Bayan Jabr added in an interview on Dubai-based al-Arabiya television. "They were killed unjustly and wrongfully."

Some members of the ruling Shia Islamist alliance repeated allegations - denied by US officials - that Americans and Iraqi troops under their command had tied people up at the Mustafa mosque in north-east Baghdad's Sadr City up and shot them in cold blood.

Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said he was "deeply concerned" by the reports and had telephoned US military commander General George Casey, who had promised a full inquiry.

Baghdad Governor Hussein Tahan said all co-operation with US forces would be suspended unless the incident was investigated by a panel not including the US military.

I would guess that someone with an official-sounding title like "Baghdad Governor" must be one of those standing-up Iraqis whose words should mean it's time for the U.S. to stand down, as George W. Slow-Puppy likes to chant many times daily. It sounds as if the Baghdad Governor is ready to see the last of the Imperial troops. Is the Grand Wartime Emperor of the Lands and Seas listening?

Bizarro World

This would be funny, if we weren't talking about someone who exercises some power in the failed Bush regime:

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she could not confirm that an Afghan court had dismissed the case and stressed the U.S. needs to respect the sovereignty of Afghanistan, which she called a "young democracy."

"We have our history of conflicts that had to be worked out after a new constitution. And so the Afghans are working on it. But America has stood solidly for religious freedom as a bedrock, the bedrock, of democracy, and we'll see," AP quoted her as telling NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

Asked if U.S. Christian missionaries should be encouraged to go to Afghanistan, Rice said: "I think that Afghans are pleased to get the help that they can get" but added "we need to be respectful of Afghan sovereignty."

So now La Rice is concerned that we be properly respectful of other countries' sovereignty? Clearly, it's parallel-universe time. Watch for the following headlines soon:

"Larry Flynt Calls for Respect for Dignity of Women"

"George W. Bush: Toughen Academic Standards at Yale"

"Christopher Hitchens Denounces Demon Rum"

" 'Earmarks Must Go' -- Sen. Robert Byrd"