The Week in Review: Slouching towards Bethlehem.

I figure that I'd better put in a literary reference or three, celebrating my new status as a public intellectual.

Wow, al-Maliki sure changed his tune fast when he got here. See, this is why I don't get what I want, I'm no good at sucking up. Good thing there aren't any sort of global communications networks, or his flip-flopping might catch up to him when he gets home. Nice how he worked in a link between Saddam and 9/11, too. I think that's the first time I've ever seen a dog throw its master a bone.

Lets, see - what else? Oh, it look like ol' Chimpy found some more freedoms to protect us from. Remember how, when Guantanamo was being discussed, they kept saying that it was foreigners and non-citizens that had to worry, American citizens had the protection of the Constitution? And I said, "Just wait"? Looks like the wait is over.

Naturally, Lebanon got worse. With ol' Chimpy sending Condescending Rice to spearhead our diplomatic effort, what did you expect? Extra points if you answered that rhetorical question with "her talking down to the participants, then going shopping".

Oh, and anyone see how the occupations are going? You know the reason everyone has all those little yellow ribbon magnets on their SUVs? I can almost hear Karl Rove saying "It'll take WWIII to distract the people from Iraq and Afghanistan", and ol' Chimpy saying "Okay."

And if you want me to tell you whose side I'm on regarding Lebanon, I will. Just watch Syriana, and post in the comments who the good guys are. I'll wait.

Right, that's it for today, and - what? Forgot something? Literary references? Aw, dammit! This being a public intellectual is hard work.