TOKYO — A quick withdrawal of American troops would not benefit Iraq or Western interests, Iraq’s vice president said Saturday, after the House voted narrowly approved a cutoff deadline for the Iraq war. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi said the U.S.-led coalition troops operating in Iraq should not be withdrawn before the country’s own armed forces are functioning autonomously and professionally.

Full Story Here:
Iraqi VP: U.S. withdrawal will not help

I couldn’t agree more, Iraq doesn’t need us to pull out, they need us to take over, but Mr. Bush isn’t going to do that, so, if we’re not going to fully address the problem, and solve the problem, then we’re a part OF the problem… And as to that functioning autonomously and professionally thing, just when do you think that’s gonna happen?? If another year or so doesn’t have Iraq with a fully trained army that they can count on to do the job, well, as I have said before, we’re wasting our time in Iraq, they are NOT worth the effort and they will never have the level of professionalism required to run Iraq in anything other than a hard core dictatorship…

WASHINGTON (AP) - Last week, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he was not involved in any discussions about the impending dismissals of U.S. attorneys. On Friday night, however, the Justice Department revealed Gonzales’ participation in a Nov. 27 meeting where such plans were discussed. The firings of eight prosecutors has since led to a political firestorm and calls for his ouster.

Full Story Here:
Documents Show Gonzales Approved Firings

I still don’t understand why the firing of 8 U.S. attorneys has caused this fire storm, that’s something the Dems are using to take another gouge at Bush I guess, but if Gonzo LIED about it, well, there ya go, just adds fuel to the fire…

BAGHDAD (AP) - A suicide truck bomber struck a police station in a mainly Sunni area in Baghdad on Saturday, killing at least 18 people, police said, as insurgents apparently step up their campaign against fellow Sunnis seen as collaborating with the U.S. and the Iraqi government.

Full Story Here:
Suicide Truck Bomb Kills 18 in Baghdad

And as I pointed out yesterday here at the bottom of the post, “You say sectarian violence, I say civil war, no matter, we are engaged in a modern day version of The Crusades, nothing more, and until the many sides of Islam can stop fighting over which sect of their moonbat, pedophile worshipping, goat loving cult is correct, it’s not going to stop…” These people kill each other over a minor insult, and our troops are dying to protect and defend that?? Until radical Islam goes away, we are banging our heads on the wall, and it’s been here for centuries, do you suppose THEY are going to change??

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday she hoped to persuade Israelis and Palestinians to agree on a common set of issues to discuss as she headed to the Middle East amid skepticism about the U.S. commitment to pursuing peace.

Full Story Here:
Rice returns to Mideast for talks

I know things are different in Israel, women are accepted as equals in the military and in government, but the way the Palestinians look at this, and Arabs as a whole, as well as most of the Asian continent (read: Muslims), they consider women to be beneath contempt and pretty much worthless… I know Dr. Rice is a well educated woman but wouldn’t it make more sense to send in a negotiator that didn’t have the deck stacked against them right from the start?? And if the Dems are paying attention, you think the Muslims hate us now?? Elect Hillary and see where this thing goes…

SAO PAULO, Brazil — A Brazilian housewife was convicted and sentenced to 19 years in prison Friday for killing her husband, chopping his body into small pieces and frying it. Rosanita Nery dos Santos, 52, drugged her husband in his sleep, then stabbed him to death two years ago in Salvador, about 900 miles northeast of Sao Paulo, said police spokesman Idmar Bonfim.

Full Story Here:
Brazilian Housewife Convicted for Killing, Frying Husband

Cut him up, boiled him and fried him?? Damn… She wanted to make very sure I guess… If she had fed the evidence to the dog… Well, it could have happened that way…