THIS MODERN WORLD

Have you ever wondered who’s the new top Marine general at U.S. Central Command? And what kind of decisions he gets to make? And why things have gone so very, very well in Iraq?

I think you’ll be pleasantly horrified by the answer to all three questions, here.

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And beautifully enough for lovers of human folly and hubris, he was promoted one day before this recent meeting at the Pentagon:

…the president expressed frustration that Iraqis had not come to appreciate the sacrifices the United States had made in Iraq.

A federal judge has ordered an immediate halt to the President’s NSA spying program. TPM Muckraker has some excerpts from the judge’s decision :

“The Government appears to argue here that, pursuant to the penumbra of Constitutional language in Article II, and particularly because the President is designated Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, he has been granted the inherent power to violate not only the laws of the Congress but the First and Fourth Amendments of the Constitution, itself.

We must first note that the Office of the Chief Executive has itself been created, with its powers, by the Constitution. There are no hereditary Kings in America and no power not created by the Constitution. So all “inherent power” must derive from that Constitution.”

Upon hearing this decision, President Bush, whose great-grandfather was a close adviser to President Hoover, grandfather was a Senator, and father was President, said “I’m sorry, were you trying to tell me something?”

I just finished a cartoon about the differences between those who take terrorism “seriously” and those who don’t. Predictable wackiness ensues, but you’ll have to wait till next week to read it. For the time being, let me just direct your attention to someone who takes the war on terror very seriously: John Fund of the Wall Street Journal.

On MSNBC’s Hardball, Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund falsely asserted that the United States has maintained “the same number of troops” in Saudi Arabia “that we had five years ago, about 16,000.” In fact, the State Department reported that the United States withdrew its troops stationed in Saudi Arabia after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and a July report by the Congressional Research Service stated that about 300 U.S. military personnel remain there. Moreover, five years ago, there were reportedly about 5,000 troops in Saudi Arabia.

Very, very seriously.

If you want to feel better about our often-benighted species, go visit the impressive Jonathan Edelstein and Hilzoy of Obsidian Wings. Both are offering to match donations up to a certain amount for the rebuilding of Lebanon and/or northern Israel. In addition to the matching funds, you will also receive an imaginary tote bag filled with real positive feelings about humanity.

As we enter a new round of general hysteria, we have the exciting tale of the disruptive passenger:

A woman passenger has been arrested after a flight from London to Washington was diverted to Boston because of an on-board disturbance.

Transport officials said the 59-year-old woman was held in connection with a confrontation with the flight crew.

She was carrying hand cream – a banned item – and matches on board the United Airlines flight.

The aircraft was escorted into Logan airport by two jet fighters.

The article goes on to note:

Reports that the woman was carrying a screwdriver and a note referring to al-Qaeda have been denied.

I heard one of those reports on CNN radio today, and before it disappears down the memory hole I would like to point out that not only was the woman supposedly carrying a note about al-Qaeda, but the note was supposedly written in Arabic!

Except, as it turns out, not.