3000

U.S. deaths in Iraq confirmed by the DoD: 2989.

Reported U.S. deaths in Iraq pending DoD confirmation: 11.

Total U.S. deaths in Iraq: 3000.

"...when the final history is written on Iraq, it will look like just a comma..."--

President George W. Bush

Well, here what 3000 commas look like you sick motherfucker:

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Oh, don't forget those fortunate enough to survive their injuries. Non-mortal casualties in Iraq: 46,880.

Happy New Year.

This Just Gets Worse and Worse

I was thinking that Saddam's execution was rather hasty, but it seems to have been carefully timed.

The Sunni and Shi'a calenders differ by one day. This bit of trivia turns out to be very important. According to Iraqi law, executions cannot take place on a religious holiday, and Saddam's execution was scheduled on the Sunni Holy Day of Sacrifice.

This is a direct middle finger salute to Sunnis everywhere, especially those in Iraq. It is the Shi'a majority saying, "Take that, you Sunnis--you have no power and you never will by lawful means."

Expect the violence to crescendo.

Saddam Dead

It;s official. He's dead.

Whoo hoo.

Now back to the spinning violent feedback loop that is America's Iraq adventure.

My Uncle Must Be Fuming...

My Uncle Ralph was a Park Service employee, and this must have him livid:

Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees. Despite promising a prompt review of its approval for a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's flood rather than by geologic forces, more than three years later no review has ever been done and the book remains on sale at the park, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

“In order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch. “It is disconcerting that the official position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon is ‘no comment.’”

Jesus H. Chee-rist. My brain hurts.

Nomination for the Most Imaginative Turn of Phrase

...goes to Nicole Bell over at Crooks & Liars:

Krauthammer is spinning and twisting so tightly in this op-ed that he's almost braided himself.,

I agree with her 100%. He is working so hard lately to gin up support for an invasion of Iran, or bombing the living daylights out of said country, that he has become a parody of himself.

It would be comical if it were not so absolutely tragically supported by the Bush Administration.

The View From Your Window

Sully posted this shot by my DH, taken out of our front door at dawn. I shoveled 6, then 4, then DH shoveled another 4 inches-in that order.