Link leftovers

* Chris Hedges: "War with Iran — a war that would unleash an apocalyptic scenario in the Middle East — is probable by the end of the Bush administration. It could begin in as little as three weeks."

* "About 4,000 Iraqi policemen have been killed and more than 8,000 others wounded in the last two years," the NY Times reports.

* "Last month," the Washington Post reports, "776 U.S. troops were wounded in action in Iraq, the highest number since the military assault to retake the insurgent-held city of Fallujah in November 2004, according to Defense Department data. It was the fourth-highest monthly total since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003."

* The current idea-du-jour for Iraq: splitting it in three.

* Gideon Levy wonders, "How is it that the United States is doing nothing to advance a solution to the most dangerous and lengthiest conflict in our world? How is it that the world's only superpower, which has the power to quickly facilitate a solution, does not lift a finger to promote it?" See also: Jonathan Cook on "The struggle for Palestine's soul."

* Bulletin! The invisible Israel lobby strikes again.

* Jim Lobe asks, "When Is a Terrorist 'Mastermind' Not a Terrorist?" How about when he's a "former" CIA asset, doing something the US quietly applauds...

* An enemy within? Where?

* The NY Times reports that the population of New Orleans "has dropped by nearly 60 percent since Hurricane Katrina, far more sharply than recent optimistic estimates had suggested, according to an authoritative post-storm survey released this week." Currently, blacks make up 46% of the city, in stark contrast to the pre-hurricane figure of 67%.

* Joshua Frank: "Thanks, Democrats."

* Impeachment? David Swanson says, "yes, please."