Ok, I guess I was wrong...

International donors pledged at least $33 billion in aid and loans over the next four years to help rebuild war-ravaged Iraq on Friday as the response to a U.S.-led drive for funds far outstripped expectations. Spanish Economy Minister Rodrigo Rato said the combined offer -- made at a gathering of more than 70 nations in Madrid -- was equivalent to twice Iraq's annual national income and was a global vote of confidence in the country's future.

So the response isn't "go jump in a lake". Wow...

Other stuff from the article that stuck out:

Saudi Arabia announced a $1 billion financing package and promised to look at reducing Iraq's debt burden, estimated at $120 billion, within a wider framework of debt forgiveness.

...eh? Damn, they been throwin curveballs lately. Even if is loans, I expected them to provide zilch so this is beyond expectations.

Pledges piled up from poorer nations too, with Vietnam offering $500,000 worth of rice and Sri Lanka 100 tons of tea.

As condescending as it sounds...awww, how quaint...

Sorry. Appreciated tho, just humorous at the same time.



-Who would've thought the one to finally admit that the "war on terror" means nothing without confronting ideas would be Rumsfeld??

"We are in a war of ideas, as well as a global war on terror," Mr. Rumsfeld said during an interview at the Pentagon with editors and reporters of The Washington Times. "And the ideas are important, and they need to be marshaled, and they need to be communicated in ways that are persuasive to the listeners. In many instances, we're not the best messengers.

Of course, there's still the typical gov't official approach: create a new agency!

Mr. Rumsfeld suggested a "21st-century information agency in the government" to help in the international battle of ideas, to limit the teaching of terrorism and extremism, and to provide better education, he said.

Isn't "ideas" the domain of the State Department? Either this is a swipe at Colin Powell or he hasn't thought much before speaking. Or both, more than likely.


-Senate & house to Bush: "the cold war is over, we can cut the crap now".

Hmm...their headline is a bit goofy tho'..."Cuba travel bans may ease;
Senate vote pits Congress against an anti-Castro White House" So to recognize that Castro is no threat whatsoever means that you are in favor of his rule somehow?

Why wednesday is already turning out to be a bad day:

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have concluded a secret agreement on "nuclear cooperation" that will provide the Saudis with nuclear-weapons technology in exchange for cheap oil, according to a ranking Pakistani insider..."It will be vehemently denied by both countries," said the Pakistani source, whose information has proven reliable for more than a decade, "but future events will confirm that Pakistan has agreed to provide [Saudi Arabia] with the wherewithal for a nuclear deterrent."

Well isn't that special...:^(

Why is this news?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former first lady Barbara Bush and mother of President Bush described Democrats trying to unseat her son in the White House as a "sorry group" of politicians. "So far, they are a pretty sorry group if you want to know my opinion," said Mrs. Bush in an interview aired on Monday by NBC's "Today" show, when asked about the Democratic line-up for the 2004 presidential election.

WTF did they expect her to say? "Screw little Dubya, me and George are endorsing Howard Dean"?

Lazy asses...What's next, a 3-part story on how to tie your shoes?

Yup, there's a quiz for everything now...this one asks a few questions to find out if you're a "Neo-Con".

Dave of Oxblog is not (realist was his result).

Greg of The Belgravia Dispatch is on the fence between neo-con and realist.

Me? Isolationist. No surprise there: for the most part, as long as the US is generally left alone I could care less what the rest of the world does.

-Democratic Leadership Council: "we're changing our tune on the 2nd amendment"
Ipse Dixit: "Bullsh*t..."

I agree with Mr Funny name. It's hilariously pathetic how they don't realize that trimming their words does nothing but piss people off worse.

Meanwhile, on Iraq, Sarge Stryker wants to lay out the good and bad news to cancel bias, and when in Baghdad...have a Whopper? Gee, that was quick.

I bet there's already 5 Starbucks locations over there, them suckers are nothing if not speedy.