Linkage ahoy

Sorry for doing a link dump, but there's a lot of good stuff below that I wanted to get off my plate.

* While the disintegration of the nation continues apace, Iraq's governing cabinet has finally formed (for the most part), much to the applause of American commentators. Iraqis, on the other hand, remain skeptical about whether a stable government is possible, or whether it can usher in any progress. See also: "Inside Iraq's hidden war."

* Following on the heels of a recent Patrick Cockburn piece, Newsweek and the Asia Times Online examine the breakdown of order in British-controlled Basra.

* The NY Times and London Times recently ran important, depressing stories on the middle class exodus from Iraq.

* Via the NY Times, here's the backstory on one of the massive fuck-ups by the US in Iraq: the failure to train and rejuvenate -- more specifically, the failure to plan to train and rejuvenate -- Iraq's police forces. You might recall that much of this story came through relatively clearly in a late 2003 Frontline documentary. (Yes, the ramifications of the screw-ups were apparent that early.)

* Michael Schwartz has another excellent article out on the "deconstruction of Iraq." As he puts it, the "rather comfortable portrait of the U.S. as a bumbling, even thoroughly incompetent giant overwhelmed by unexpected forces tearing Iraqi society apart is strikingly inaccurate: Most of the death, destruction, and disorganization in the country has, at least in its origins, been a direct consequence of U.S. efforts to forcibly institute an economic and social revolution, while using overwhelming force to suppress resistance to this project."

* Whatever happened to those reported talks with Iran over the Iraq situation? Gareth Porter says they were purposefully squashed by the Bush administration.

* How dare the peons have questions about Bush's Palace in Baghdad!

* Doubts over Iran nuclear capacity? Time to start moving the goalposts, then. See also: Posturing or provoking?

* Badges for Jews in Iran? Uh, nice try, propagandists.

* Witness yet another "spring offensive" for the Taliban in Afghanistan, where fighting is reportedly at its highest level since 2001.

* Jonathan Cook takes a look at the recent enshrinement of the so-called "marriage ban" in Israel. See more from B'Tselem, which also published a lengthy report on this issue back in 2004.

* Hard to disagree with this: "The Palestinians are having sanctions imposed on them for their political choice. But it is Israel, creating new facts on the ground to prevent the emergence of a viable Palestinian state, that should be facing UN sanctions. The UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, should use his last months in office to call for sanctions to bring about the implementation of the ICJ ruling on the Israeli wall, the closure of West Bank settlements and the release of Palestinian political prisoners. And those who care for freedom, peace and justice must build a global Palestine solidarity movement to match the anti-apartheid movement of the 1980s."

* Johann Hari: "Congo's tragedy: the war the world forgot."

* The Independent claims to have the "inside story" of the recent prisoner uprising at Gitmo.

* Surprise, surprise: Khaled El-Masri's case against the US for "rendering" him has met the same fate as Maher Arar's. Both were thrown out by the US "justice" system, due to alleged "national security" implications.

* Saul Landau and Farrah Hassen have an interesting take on the new film, "United 93." They say it "illustrates how a high-tech military could not defend the country" and how we "waste hundreds of billions of dollars on 'security' that offers no security against primitively armed individuals." Landau and Hassen go on to argue that Democrats should seize on this and "call for the dismantling of...the military-scientific-industrial complex -- that has wasted our fortunes and given so little in return." Of course, that's probably the last thing the Dems will do, if past patterns are any indication.

* "So, what is the real purpose of Bush's NSA spying program?" Also: Meet Snuggly the Security Bear!

* Robert Dreyfuss: "Using oil and gas for intimidation and blackmail? That’s America’s job."

* Welcome to today's America, a "Nation of Fear."

* Even with the instability that has come to mark American life, there is, at least, one constant: swelling prison rolls.

* As skeptical as I am of Lakoff, this is a relatively useful read on the "Framing of Immigration."

* Question: is there anything the US government does anymore that does not include a nice handout to military contractors?

* Will Bunch has some relevant questions for the NY Times and Judy Fearmonger Miller.

* Truthout vs. Team Rove. The battle continues.

* In the NYRB, Michael Massing takes a look at "The Storm over the Israel Lobby" and Jeff Madrick reviews Kevin Phillips' new book, American Theocracy.

* Danny Schechter wonders, Why is the Media Downplaying Our Voting Scandal?

* Check out two scary, but good, articles from the latest Monthly Review -- one on the ominous burden of individual debt within the US, the other on the end of retirement.

* Fred Halliday: The Forward March Of Women Halted?

* Tom Friedman: yes, still a horse's ass.