You gave me much more pleasure and honesty than Tony Snow, Tim Russert, and some of the others RIP'd here I must say.

I have just read one of the best pieces of medico-political journalism I have ever encountered, and I urge you all to read it as well. Not only does it provide more evidence (as if it were needed) of John McCain's hypocrisy and political cowardice, it contains vital information about the dangers of melanoma and how to prevent it, the incredible increase in incidence, and how the FDA caved into the cosmetics industry on the issue of sunscreens after lobbying by John Roberts (remember him -- head of the SCOTUS).

Please read Brian McKenna's McCain's Melanoma Cover-Up piece immediately, especially if you have children. I lost a dear friend to melanoma about one year ago (he was 40 years old with a child). Learn the basics of protection, and learn how McCain is acting, as usual, as an ass. Some excerpts after the jump.

Note: McKenna is a 16-year survivor of melanoma. He writes brilliantly, and knows what he's talking about.

Well, she finally made my head explode with yet another "explanation" of her vote on the Iraq War Resolution--formally known, let's recall, as the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. First, from Wikipedia, a description of the resolution:

The resolution "supported" and "encouraged" diplomatic efforts by President Bush to "strictly enforce through the U.N. Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq" and "obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion, and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq."
The resolution authorized President Bush to use the Armed Forces of the United States "as he determines to be necessary and appropriate" in order to "defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq."

[My emphasis]
--wikipedia

More follows...

From today's Guardian:

An elite team of officers advising US commander General David Petraeus in Baghdad has concluded the US has six months to win the war in Iraq - or face a Vietnam-style collapse in political and public support that could force the military into a hasty retreat.

Their to-do list is a bit daunting, to say the least:

By improving security, the plan's short-term aim is to create time and space for the Iraqi government to bring rival Shia, Sunni and Kurd factions together in a process of national reconciliation, us officials say. If that works within the stipulated timeframe, longer-term schemes for rebuilding Iraq under the so-called "go long" strategy will be set in motion. But the next six months are make-or-break for both the US military and the Iraqi government.

Nothing Bush, Bliar, Cheney and Rice can't handle though...right?

The Second Libby Meeting

I interviewed Mr. Libby for a second time on July 8, two days after Mr. Wilson published his essay attacking the administration on the Op-Ed Page of The Times.

Others here: http://news.globalfreepress.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=0

The world is going to hell in a handbasket and it seems pretty tasteless to carry those cheesecake (and occasional beefcake) ads all the frigging time.

Is there no editorial control over the ad placement? When New Orleans is flooded pictures of smiling swimsuit-clad professional volleyball players doesn't seem quite right.

</curmudgeonly rant>

This president is in a truly scary place in Iraq. Americans can't get out, or they risk turning the country into a terrorist haven that will make the old Afghanistan look like Cipriani's. Yet his war, which has not accomplished any of its purposes, swallows ever more American lives and inflames ever more Muslim hearts as W. reads a book about the history of salt and looks forward to his biking date with Lance Armstrong on Saturday.

A bit more below but just read it:
http://nytimes.com/2005/08/17/opinion/17dowd.html

In response to a USA Today story Monday about a Marine Corps colonel in Iraq who said he repeatedly asked for 1,000 more Marines, Rumsfeld said such a request was not an indication that there are too few U.S. troops in Iraq.

"The idea ... that because somebody wishes they had more [troops] at a certain moment suggests the total number is wrong is a non sequitur, obviously a non sequitur," Rumsfeld said.

--http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=30855

More vintage Rumsfeld "wisdom" below...

Q CNN reports that about two-thirds of British residents believe the bombings are a protest to Britain's support of the U.S. effort in Iraq. Does that concern the President, and has he done anything to reassure Prime Minister Tony Blair?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think the President has talked about the situation in Iraq and the progress that we're making there. The terrorists have chosen to make Iraq a central front in the war on terrorism and we're fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here at home.

--http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/07/20050721-3.html

' the Bush administration cannot have been filled with joy when Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and eight high-powered cabinet ministers paid an extremely friendly visit to Tehran this week. The two governments went into a tizzy of wheeling and dealing of a sort not seen since Texas oil millionaires found out about Saudi Arabia. Oil pipelines, port access, pilgrimage, trade, security, military assistance, were all on the table in Tehran. All the sorts of contracts and deals that U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney had imagined for Halliburton, and that the Pentagon neoconservatives had hoped for Israel, were heading instead due east. Jaafari's visit was a blow to the Bush administration's strategic vision, but a sweet triumph for political Shiism.

Dec 27, 2004 -- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States expects to initially pledge $4 million in aid for victims of the devastating tsunami in Asia and has already released $100,000 to each of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, an official said on Monday.

"We are talking to the Red Cross about covering $4 million of a more than $6 million appeal they have made for emergency aid," said the State Department official, who asked not to be named.

-- http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=362910

[too disgusted to make the blockquote thang]

Let's see, 160 gazillion dollars to "liberate" (cough) Iraq and all of $4 million for the tsunami victims. <sarcasm>I'm real proud to be an American. </sarcasm>

Greens Shame Dems...
http://www.blackcommentator.com/114/114_cover_election_pf.html

more war crimes beneath the fold...:

Who would you rather have a beer with, George W. Bush or Elle Driver? :)

Read more for the kicker...