Sadly, No!

We have written much, very much, about electricity production in post-war Iraq. (Here, here, there, here too and over there.) For those late to the party, the short version is that the CPA has struggled to equal, let alone surpass, electricity production levels from pre-war Iraq. Unable to meet their original target (6,000MW by June 1,) they updated their web site to state a target date of July 1 for 6,000MW.

It used to be that one could stop by the CPA’s web site and download regularly updated information. After not seeing updates for two weeks, we emailed the CPA to ask why the data was no longer being updated. Their response?

Sir due to operational security concerns the numbers were no longer posted on the internet site.

They apparently do send some information by email now. We asked [Friday] to be added to the distribution list. We’ll let you know when we receive something, but this doesn’t seem like a positive development.

When one who brags about being a blogging pioneer resorts to the same line of argument as Adam Yoshida, the game is over. [For those who choose not to click on the links, both Andrew Sullivan and Adam link to Democratice Underground threads where some posters celebrate Reagan’s death.]

We very rarely link to Free Republic threads here, and when we do we think it proves little about “the right.” (Besides, why bother with the Freepers when we have access to The Corner?) Watching Andrew Sullivan regularly link to DU — when he could quote Atrios, DailyKos, MaxSpeak or Pandagon (to name a few,) is like watching a one-trick pony that’s forgotten its only trick.

The Liberal Media Conspiracy offers up a triple quadruple dose of nuttery, courtesy of Kim du Toit, Adam Yoshida, the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, and Ricky Vandal. Read the whole thing (if you dare.)

Corrected the number of freaks.

Adam has an idea that’s so crazy, it might just work:

What I propose is this, in the near future, representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand should be invited to Washington […] to develop and sign a treaty which provides for a formal Alliance between these countries and creates a common market for all. All tariffs and virtually all labour mobility restrictions between citizens of these nations would cease to exist.

Adam’s venture needs a name however, as he himself recognizes:

I?m not sure what to call this alliance. The “League of Good Nations” was one that quickly came to mind before being discarded.

Indeed, some have been quick to criticize Adam’s suggestion. Liberal Media Conspiracy’s renato offered the following:

“Oh, sure Adam, and would it be governed by the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?”

Instead I would like to humbly suggest the name “Oceania” for your latest product of eating too many Cheesy Poofs and Twinkies before beddy bye time.

It’s a tough crowd out there, which is why we think you can help. Please post your suggestions in the comments, and we promise we will send the best ones to Adam. ok, we will send all of them to Adam.

We’ve covered this one before, but Rich Lowry obviously needs a reminder:

In the matter of Abu Ghraib, Sen. John Warner called three generals back from a war zone to testify before his committee…

As we said last time… sadly, no!

Mr. Warner made public a letter he sent to Mr. Rumsfeld last week offering to hear witnesses by video teleconferencing if necessary. The Pentagon told him, the senator said, that Gen. John P. Abizaid, the overall commander of operations in Iraq, was already in Washington and that the two other senior officers scheduled to testify Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez and Maj. Gen. Geoffrey D. Miller, were on their way here for a series of meetings.

[NY Times link now abstract only, sorry.]

It’s time for some rational thought in the media

A quick review of the new government of Iraq shows that Yassir Arafat is a thug and a terrorist while the PLO is a tyrannous kleptocracy.

Added link.

Oh yes! It’s Friday, and it’s time to Flash. Previous installments included our Ode to the War, and a Chalabi-inspired masterpiece.

Take a look at this week’s She Drives Me Crazy [4.2MB file] and see how quickly a gimmick can become tired and predictable.

George is getting… upset!

WASHINGTON (AP) – CIA Director George Tenet, who weathered storms over intelligence lapses about suspected weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has resigned, President Bush said Thursday.

“I will miss him,” Bush said.

…is how you spell Afghanistan:

The international relief agency Medecins Sans Frontieres has suspended operations in Afghanistan after five of its workers were killed in an
ambush.

The country’s former Taliban rulers say they carried out Wednesday’s attack in the north-west of the country.

Correspondents say it was one of the deadliest since the radical Islamic
militia was ousted in late 2001. [Emphasis added]

Which just goes to show: you can have your picnic and your Taliban remnants too:

Three government soldiers have been killed in attacks by Taliban remnants in the southern Afghan province of Zabul even as NATO-led forces in the country announced plans to expand their presence beyond the capital city.

And now, a word from our leader:

I’d like to also go to Afghanistan. And, by the way, the reports from Afghanistan, at least the ones I get, are very encouraging. […] And they report people have got a sparkle in their eye. And women now all of a sudden no longer fear the future but believe that we’re there to stay the course and we will help a free society emerge. [Emphasis added]

Sparkle… like a bullet.

(Thanks to Blair for the BBC link.)

The Stop Hillary PAC, March 2004:

It is very likely that Hillary Rodham Clinton is going to run for President of the United States in 2004.

The Stop Hillary PAC, May 2004:

It is very likely that Hillary Rodham Clinton is going to run for Vice-President of the United States in 2004.