New, from the Ministry of Peace

• A big problem out West has been the impending extinction of various species of salmon. The Bush administration has just solved that problem permanently (Washington Post). They're going to redefine hatchery salmon as "wild", so the wild salmon won't be protected any more. That'll eliminate restrictions on logging, mining, and development. With luck, the pesky wild salmon will be extinct before the election, and then the whole problem will be solved for good. Thanks, Kathryn.
• Reviewing the bidding: the current plan for Fallujah really to set up a new, private army and to surrender the town to it? Does that sound like victory to you?
• Apparently, US Army soldiers have been torturing and sexually abusing prisoners — and taking souvenir photos of themselves while they do it to send home. Does that sound like victory to you? Does that sound like America to you?
• In World War II, the US relieved its most effective combat general, George Patton, for slapping two soldiers. IMHO, a bunch of people should go to jail for this, including the responsible general officer. The 800th MP Brigade is commanded by Brig. Gen. Janice Karpinski. (If I were General Karpinski's advisor, I'd be thinking right now about having myself arrested, because I might prefer to face a court martial in upstate New York than a war crimes trial somewhere else.)