Keeping up with the flow

I'm thinking I'm going to stick to this format of posting quick links in a single post for a bit. I'm pressed for time, and will likely remain so, but I want to keep things flowing. This is the easiest way of doing that.

* Ehsan Ahrari claims that Bush's jaunt halfway around the world to Baghdad was probably motivated by several factors, but whatever political benefits may come about because of it will not accrue to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

* The Washington Post outlines the new-ish security measures being implemented in Baghdad to crack down on the instability, lawlessness, and violence in the city, as Maliki and the new government attempts to assert its authority.

* The Iraq war continues smiling at the idea of a ~$2 trillion price tag, which of course was entirely unforeseeable. In outlays, at least, we're up to $320 billion thus far.

* Following the three suicides last week, Zachary Katznelson weighs in on the obscenity that is Gitmo.

* The US remains deeply unpopular around the world, according to the latest Pew survey of international opinion.

* Looks like this memo outlines the strategy the GOP hopes to use to beat back Dems and boost Bush's popularity in the run up to the 2006 primaries.

* The towering moral force that is the Israeli state is trying to blame last week's Gaza beach killings on Hamas. Too bad the forensic evidence seems to refute this.

* What's the biggest threat to global secuirty? Terrorism? Nope: climate change and ensuing resource conflicts, a new Oxford Research Group report concludes.

* EPI: "What's wrong with the economy?"

* Surprise, surprise. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act is an abject failure, according to a survey by the Harvard Civil Rights Project.

* If you want to see how the liberal side of the blogosphere is reacting to the news that Rove won't be indicted (according to Rove's people) for his role in the Plame leak, check out the links under the 'updates' portion of this post on Informed Dissent.

* Simon Black offers a socialist's guide to the World Cup.