Rapid Fire Pt. III

I'm so far behind on material... Anyway, here is a Rapid Fire spanning early to mid-February. For those unfamiliar with the concept, Rapid Fire is condensed news items addressing a variety of topics. This is the third installment; for more see House Keeping & 72 Rapid Fires.

1. First, the highlights of Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) modular constituent response about voting against Justice Alito: "My bottom line in evaluating any Supreme Court nomination is whether I have confidence that the candidate will respect the constitutionally protected rights of individuals and resist the temptation to substitute personal ideology for legal reasoning. For me, Judge Alito's record and Committee testimony fails to meet that test. When the debate was finished, I came to see Judge Alito as having an extraordinarily consistent attitude that does not square with the traditional role of the Supreme Court as an arbiter of equality and justice for all United States citizens."
2. Rudy Giuliani (former mayor of NYC) is eyeing his chance at the presidency. He isn't the only New Yorker do so (George Pataki has been speaking at primary localities).
3. On Feb. 2, Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) said, "We cannot allow Iran to become a nuclear nation. We need to use diplomatic sanctions. If that doesn't work, economic sanctions, and if that doesn't work, the potential for military use has to be on the table." Not exactly music to American ears, but force is the last resort.
4. Time's Top Photos for 2005. WARNING: Most contain violence, destruction or death.
5. Sen. McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Obama's (D-IL) engaged in partisan bickering over lobbying & ethics reforms. Both appeared silly.
6. Former POTUS Jimmy Carter called the 'domestic spy' program illegal. If only he was so attuned while president... He's a great former president, he just wasn't a good president.
7. The US has spent $41.6 million remaking the Iraqi criminal justice system, including a police force, court system and prisons ($41.6 million, sounds like less than a frivolous settlement in America).
8. India-US nuclear transactions have stalled as India balked at separating its civilian and military nuclear programs, with the civilian part under international supervision.
9. Gen. George Casey Jr. tacitly admitted incompetence, corruption, sectionalism and low morale are present in Iraqi security services. "But I think it's fair to say some of the aspects are historical, and it's going to take a while until we can build this into the Iraqi military and police forces," Casey said. "Our guys are out there with them every day and they're working very hard with them every day to instill the values of a military and police force in a democratic society."
10. General anger over blasphemous cartoons has been directed at the US because, as an Afghan farmer put it, the US "is the leader of Europe and the leading infidel in the world. They are all the enemy of Islam."
11. Sec. of State, Condoleezza Rice, was kind enough to elucidate Syria and Iran's involvement inciting violence over the cartoons. "Iran and Syria have gone out of their way to inflame sentiments and to use this to their own purposes. And the world ought to call them on it." She was right on the mark.
12. "We reject violence as a way to express discontent with what may be printed in a free press. We believe in a free press," President Bush said. "We also recognize that with freedom comes responsibilities. With freedom comes the responsibility to be thoughtful about others. I first want to make it very clear to people around the world that ours is a nation that believes in tolerance and understanding. In America we welcome people of all faiths."
13. Tony Blair (Britain) urged Hugo Chavez (Venezuela) to abide by international norms. Mr. Chavez responded by calling Mr. Blair "a pawn of imperialism, trying now to attack us from Europe" and "the main ally of Hitler," in reference to President Bush (also referred to as Mr. Danger).
14. Earlier this month, the king of Nepal made a vain attempt to legitimize his seizure of power last year. Elections were held and were a farce; turnout was markedly low as opposition groups boycotted the polls. More than 13,000 people have died in Nepal since a revolt began in 1995.
15. Ms. Lourdes Flores, a 46-year-old conservative lawyer, is leading the polls in Peru's presidential race. She leads Ollanta Humala who is back by our friend Hugo Chavez.
16. Some NYC mobsters, including John Gotti Jr., are about to be put on trial. It's a lot more colorful than corporate crime.
17. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, swept into power by the 'Orange Revolution,' is calling for constitutional changes to expand his powers. A disfigured parliamentarian leader seeking expanded power... I've seen this somewhere else...
18. House Republicans are nervous about mid-terms. There aren't Presidential coattails to ride in 06'...
19. The US trade deficit was $725.8 Billion last year. It was $201.6 Billion with just China.
20. NATO is looking for counterterrorism cooperation in the Middle East, specifically with Israel, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Mauritania.
21. The former head of FEMA, Michael Brown, blamed Katrina shortfalls on bumbling Homeland Security bureaucracy. The sacrificial lamb has returned to spit fire.