Troubling, But Certainly Not Surprising

In the article "Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand in tomorrow's New York Times, we learn the not-so-surprising manipulation by the administration of the military talking heads as a "rapid reaction force" to counter critical news coverage that shed an unfavorable light on the War in Iraq.

Though many analysts are paid network consultants, making $500 to $1,000 per appearance, in Pentagon meetings they sometimes spoke as if they were operating behind enemy lines, interviews and transcripts show. Some offered the Pentagon tips on how to outmaneuver the networks, or as one analyst put it to Donald H. Rumsfeld, then the defense secretary, “the Chris Matthewses and the Wolf Blitzers of the world.” Some warned of planned stories or sent the Pentagon copies of their correspondence with network news executives. Many — although certainly not all — faithfully echoed talking points intended to counter critics

Paraphrasing Al Gore, I have to download my outrage to external hard drive to make room for more outrage.

Update: PBS has produced a report on the story, and had in fact invited the other broadcast and cable news outlets to weight in. Their response: crickets.

Hagel: 900 Dead Soldiers Someone Else's Definition of Success

Hagel nails it in this quick exchange with the Stephanopolagus. In essence, what is lost in the meme around the "surge is working" is that most everyone, including the talking heads in the mainstream media seem to forget that decrease in violence was not the end, in and of itself, but rather, a means to an end, whereby the Iraqi's would be able to build some semblance of a political structure opened up by the draw down in violence. The former has not happened, despite the latter.

Jon Stewart on Thursday described the Surge as a "Human DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)" that we continue to sustain, evidently indefinitely.

A Test for McCain - Support for the New GI Bill

Who am I kidding. The "Maverick" actually putting his neck out and alienating his new-found base. Jim Webb will be waiting a long time for McCain's support for this, the new GI Bill for post 9/11 veterans. My prediction: won't happen this election cycle.

If We Could Only Travel Back in Time

Although I see Kinsley's point, I really don't think the hypothetical he suggests would change anyone's view - at least not anyone who voted for Bush back then.

The Good Ol' Days

Atrios pulls a news items out the archives, this one dating to 2003, on the cusp of the invasion. It speaks to Rep. Darrell Issa's(R-CA) efforts to position QualComm as the wireless provider of choice soonafter things settle down in Iraq. For each of these, there are hundreds more stories where BushCo companies profited off the war, that will likely never be told.