Headlines and Comments, Anjum Niaz, Maureen Dowd,Jacob Weisberg,

Pakistan Moves Farther Into Taliban Land
* (This heading was corrected later)
Revealed: American Diplomat's Troubling Role in Iraqi Oil Politics
* Why single out one person?
George HW Bush Calls Maddow & Olbermann "Sick Puppies," Maddow Responds
* Did he say "woof, woof?"
Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh Are Crazy -- Yet Corporate Media Legitimize Them
* Scratching backs?
The Robber Barons Are Back -- Hide Your Money!
* You mean if they had any?
Goldstone as a touchstone for Obama
* Absolutely
UN's caste declaration riles India
* Interference into the internal affairs of a country?



But today, Krakauer is out there with his book and his TV appearances implicating Gen. McChrystal in the Tillman cover-up. He quotes from a McChrystal e-mail message written to other high-ranking military personnel, ‘in order to preclude any unknowing statements by our country’s leaders which might cause public embarrassment if the circumstances of Corporal Tillman’s death become public.’ - At his senate confirmation hearing as commander for US forces in Afghanistan 4 months ago, General McChrystal acknowledged that the Army had failed the Tillman family. ‘I was a part of that,’ he said, ‘and I apologise for it.’ But McChrystal also said he didn't see any activities by anyone to deceive and that Pat Tillman absolutely earned the Silver Star. - The truth, like Tillman, is once again the casualty. Anjum Niaz

Now the air is full of complaints that Obama has been too cautious on health care, Afghanistan, filling judgeships, ending “don’t ask, don’t tell,” repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and rebuilding New Orleans; that he has conceded too much to China, Iran, Russia, the Muslim world and the banks. Maureen Dowd [Yes and being PC we would refrain from mentioning Israel's human rights violations and NPT wrt Israel, India and Pakistan ~~t]

What's most distinctive about the American press is not its freedom but its century-old tradition of independence—that it serves the public interest rather than those of parties, persuasions, or pressure groups. Media independence is a 20th-century innovation that has never fully taken root in many other countries that do have a free press. The Australian-British-continental model of politicized media that Murdoch has applied at Fox is un-American, so much so that he has little choice but go on denying what he's doing as he does it. For Murdoch, Ailes, and company, "fair and balanced" is a necessary lie. To admit that their coverage is slanted by design would violate the American understanding of the media's role in democracy and our idea of what constitutes fair play. But it's a demonstrable deceit that no longer deserves equal time.
Jacob Weisberg

CHAN AKYA : Us and them - Controlling the renewed menace of the Taliban will involve actions in the United States and Europe to destroy the demand for heroin and oil; the twin fuels of Islamic fundamentalism. Getting this achieved may not be the most popular course of action, but is more likely to succeed than mere adjustments to the current war strategy. Historical evidence involving the decline of the British Empire favors the notion, too.

SPENGLER : When the cat's away,the mice kill each other - It is most astonishing that official Washington seems oblivious to the crack-up of American influence occurring in front of its eyes. Without America to mediate and restrain, each of the small powers in the Middle East has no choice but to test its strength against the others. Those who wish to reduce American power may get what they wish for, but they might not like it.