Kendall Myers, a senior US state department analyst, has called the Anglo-American relationship “one sided” and implied that Blair was essentially an idiot for wasting his time. Some choice quotes:
It was a done deal from the beginning, it was a onesided relationship that was entered into with open eyes… there was nothing. There was no [...]

Staying the course = investment in proving you’re an idiot

Why oh why can’t we have better economists?

After a postponement due to Iraq’s airports being closed in the aftermath of the bombings last week, Iraq’s President, Jalal Talabani, has now been able to visit Iran. Today he met Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As Supreme Leader, Khamenei is the real power when it comes to Iranian foreign policy.

Does the murder of a British citizen, in London, apparently on the orders of a foreign government, constitute an “armed attack” in the sense of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty?

Intriguing future scenarios for Scotland. Looking good or looking bad?

After the election: the Dutch SP in government
Talking options and strategies for the real Dutch left

New libertarian portal

Yorkshire Ranter: Enron and Iraq

Berlusconi: The Pinochet Defence

Time for a new way of funding religious societies? - On the Times’ campaign against “persecution” of Christians

Pan’s Labyrinth: fantastic exploration of fascism’s horror
Saw it yesterday. See it for yourself.

Blair and the death of society

What’s most fascinating about this lament to socialism perdu is the central thesis:
It is axiomatic, since the death of socialism, that governments must everywhere retreat… Liberalisation, privatisation and global policies of “small government” (except in the areas of defence and law and order) have led to a withdrawal by governments from areas of concern, which, [...]