From at-Largely: (a place I like to visit)

We know that there are a number of Saudi royals sympathetic to the Jihadi cause. We also know that many in the Saudi royal family fund terrorism in general and al Qaeda in particular. We know that the majority of foreign fighters in Iraq are Saudi nationals - killing our troops. We know too that the majority of 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Yet, the US has continued to supply the Saudis with weapons, despite their role as being the world sponsor of terrorism. The latest is as follows:

“RIYADH (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush, trying to counter Iran’s growing military clout, made clear his commitment on Monday to go ahead with a major arms sale to Saudi Arabia as he began his first visit to the Islamic kingdom.

Just hours after his arrival in Riyadh, the U.S. administration said it notified Congress of its intention to offer the Saudis a controversial package of advanced weaponry as part of a multibillion-dollar deal with Gulf Arab allies.”

Sorry? If I recall we were fighting a war on terror and yet we are providing advanced weapons to the terrorists? How the hell is this not treason? Seriously, I want a Constitutional scholar to tell me how this is not treason. The Saudi regime may be Bush’s ally in the mythical war on terra, but they are no ally of the US, and they are certainly no ally of Israel or or India, or to any other democracy in the world.

Oh did I mention what types of weapons we will be handing to the Saudis? Our deal includes - sit down now - Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bomb kits.

From RGJ.com via Crooks & Liars:

A Nevada judge says Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich must be included in Tuesday’s candidates- debate in Nevada.

Senior Clark County District Court Judge Charles Thompson says if Kucinich is excluded, he-ll issue an injunction stopping the televised debate.
The judge sided with a lawyer for the Ohio congressman, who says debate host MSNBC at first invited Kucinich to take part and then told him last week he couldn-t.
A lawyer for the network says MSNBC decided to go with the top three candidates after the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries.
The judge calls it a matter of fairness and says Nevada voters will benefit if they hear from more than just Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards.
The cable network and the Democratic Party are calling the 6 p.m. PST debate a chance to hear issues from Nevada’s minority communities. Tim Russert and Brian Williams are moderating.

Otis Rush
“So Many Roads”

Did you miss this? It should have been the lead story in every newspaper and radio and TV program in America. In the Washington Post it was on page 14. In virtually all of the rest of the media it was on page zero, channel zero, 0000 AM or 00.0 FM.

The US military in Iraq hired firms to conduct focus groups amongst a cross section of the population. A summary report of the findings was obtained by the Post. Here are some of the highlights of the report as disclosed by the newspaper:

* Until the March 2003 US occupation Sunnis and Shiites coexisted peacefully.

* Iraqis of all sectarian and ethnic groups believe that the US military invasion is the primary root of the violent differences among them.

* After the United States leaves Iraq, national reconciliation will happen “naturally.”

* A sense of “optimistic possibility permeated all focus groups … and far more commonalities than differences are found among these seemingly diverse groups of Iraqis.”

* Dividing Iraq into three states would hinder national reconciliation. (Only the Kurds did not reject this option.)

* Most would describe the negative elements of life in Iraq as beginning with the US occupation.

* Few mentioned Saddam Hussein as a cause of their problems, which the report described as an important finding, implying that “the current strife in Iraq seems to have totally eclipsed any agonies or grievances many Iraqis would have incurred from the past regime, which lasted for nearly four decades — as opposed to the current conflict, which has lasted for five years.”

More at Counterpunch

Papers in the Middle East are sharply critical of Bush’s current Middle East visit, saying the United States is obsessed with Iran and that he is backpedaling on the positions he staked out at Annapolis.

United States President George W. Bush headed for Saudi Arabia on Monday, the next stop on his eight-day trip through the Middle East. So far, it has been a journey of firsts. It was the first time he visited Israel during his presidency and was the first time an American president visited Bahrain. It is likewise the first time Bush has made a trip to Saudi Arabia.

He came bearing gifts. His adminstration informed Congress on Monday that it intended to sell Saudi Arabia $20 billion worth of arms. His message, though, has focused consistently on the need for piece between Israelis and Palestinians and on the dangers posed to the region by Iran.

It was the latter message that commentators in a number of papers in the region chose to focus on.

Read what the Arab papers have to say at Der Spiegel

Western Antarctica ice sheets, considered relatively protected from global warming, now appear to be destabilizing.

2008 holds promise of being the crappiest year yet.

It’s bad enough that the moron tries to start a war with Iran against the wishes of the American people. Now he’s out drumming up support elsewhere.

Bush Urges United Action Against Iran

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 13 — President Bush on Sunday accused Iran of undermining peace in Lebanon, funding terrorist groups, trying to intimidate its neighbors and refusing to be open about its nuclear program and ambitions.

In a speech described by the White House as the centerpiece of his eight-day trip to the Middle East, Bush urged other countries to help the United States “confront this danger before it is too late.”

From just one WaPo article, I find that:

- McCain and Romney are in Michigan, fighting each other over who can do more damage to our environment in order to win the hearts, minds and votes of republican voters.

“Look at Washington. What have they done to help the domestic auto industry?” Romney said on CNN on Sunday, citing congressional pressure to improve gas mileage and reduce emissions. “Look, you can’t keep on throwing anvils at Michigan and the auto industry and then say, how come they are not swimming well?”
[...]

McCain repeated an allegation he first made Saturday that Romney supported a tax increase on sport-utility vehicles. “I would not support a tax increase on SUVs,” McCain said.

- Huckabee and Giuliani are duking it out in South Carolina and Florida, respectively, sucking up to the “God’s chosen” crowd. What better way is there to garner more votes and win the presidency than taking your foot and mashing separation of church and state into the ground?

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee spent Sunday in South Carolina, where he is counting on another victory fueled by support from the state’s evangelical community. He preached at the 2,500-person First Baptist North Spartanburg. Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani campaigned at the El Rey Jesus church in Miami.

And just a side note and not germane to this post, but, anyone seen Fred lately?

You can’t slip nothing past these fools!

The chief of the U.S. military, Adm. Mike Mullen, wants to close Guantanamo because he believes negative publicity has been “pretty damaging” to the image of the United States.

Note to Adm. Mullen, on our “damaged” image: the fat lady has sung and the curtains have closed. Late, much?

Rudy’s also turning to the power of Florida area wishing wells in his bid for the presidency. It’s just loose pocket change, (which is about all that Rudy has left anyways). And really, what could it hurt?

Giuliani Turns to Prayer in Florida

MIAMI (AP) — With his plan for winning the GOP presidential nomination riding largely on a Florida victory at the end of the month, Rudy Giuliani asked an evangelical congregation for prayers instead of votes Sunday and quoted scripture to evoke a message of hope and perseverance.

“I’m not coming here to ask for your vote,” he said. “That’s up to you and it’s not the right place. But I am coming here to ask you for something very special and more important: I’m asking for your prayers.”

“Three Kings parade-goers along the two-mile route both cheered and booed the former mayor.”

Pray harder, Rudy!