Newsy Notes and a Lil Art Deco

Is Khatami running for office in the US? Senate? House? Coz this certainly sounds familiar:

NEW YORK -- On the eve of his first trip to Washington, former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami warned that U.S. military action in the Middle East has backfired, producing greater terrorism, imperiling the future of Iraq and damaging America's long-term interests.

But the danger of even greater instability in the region will ultimately prevent the United States from launching military strikes against Iran over disputes about its nuclear intentions, he predicted. Although an attack on Iran would create "great damage," Khatami said, "prudence and wisdom" are likely to prevail because of the incalculable "detriment and damage" it would cause to both the region and the United States.

The Dread Pundit Bluto, writing at The Jawa Report, notes: “If the message of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami sounds familiar, it's because liberal Democrats have been spouting the same nonsense since the '04 elections.” Or maybe Khatami is just on the DNC’s or MoveOn’s mailing list. I dunno about you, but it would sure leave a bad taste in my mouth to see/hear a former Iranian president repeating my party’s talking points. “Democrats! Endorsed by nine out of ten fundamentalist Iranian Mullahs!” ain’t exactly a rallying cry…

So…Didja watch Perky Katie last night? No? Me neither. But Ann did. And tells us all about it, with jes a wee lil bit of snark. The comments are good, too.

Speaking of watching things… Apparently the Odious Olbermann went off on another one of his patented “Special Comment” rants last evening, because the Lefties are all fawning while Johnny Dollar at Olbermann Watch has the real goods:

And then the moment all the blue blogs had been waiting for: an isn't-that-special comment from the discredited sports guy himself. Bush is trying to tie those who disagree with his policies to Nazis. The President quoted a UBL letter where the terror leader called for a media campaign to create a wedge between the American people and their government:

Make no mistake here, the intent of that is to get us to confuse the psychotic scheming of an international terrorist with that familiar bogeyman of the far right, the 'media'. The President and the Vice-President and others have often attacked freedom of speech and freedom of dissent and freedom of the press. Now "Mister" Bush has signalled that his unparalleled and unprincipled attack on reporting has a new and venomous side angle: the attempt to link, by the simple expediency of one word, media, the honest, patriotic, indeed vital questions and questioning from American reporters with the evil of Al Qaeda propaganda. That linkage is more than just indefensible. It is unAmerican. "Mister" Bush and his colleagues have led us before to such waters. We will not drink again.

Stop the tivo! Where in the wide world of sports did George Bush compare Al Qaeda propaganda to American reporters, despite the amount of evidence Krazy Keith gives him each night? Don't bother reading the text of the speech. He made no such link--Olby just made it up! Merely use the word "media" and Herr Olbermann decides its a secret attack on Katie Couric. And what's with Olby impugning the President's patriotism? Tonight's comment certainly was "special". It had a loony, nonsensical, preposterous, over the top irrationality that is special to no one other than the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann.

“…loony, nonsensical, preposterous, over the top irrationality” So…what’s new?

This is NOT good news… The Sun (UK) reports Blair will leave Number 10 on May 31 of next year. Not good, indeed. Especially when taken in conjunction with this:

MOST people believe that the Blair Government’s foreign policy has increased significantly the risk of terrorist attacks and now want Britain to distance itself from America and set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, according to a poll for The Times.

The Populus poll was undertaken over the weekend as news came of the death of 14 British servicemen on board a crashed Nimrod aircraft in Afghanistan.

The results underline the unpopularity of Tony Blair’s Middle Eastern policy and how a majority of voters believe there is a direct connection with terrorist plots and attacks at home.

Blair has been a true friend to America and a staunch ally. Perhaps Labour can produce another leader with Blair’s qualities, but I doubt it. And the Tories are so far removed from power it’s doubtful there’s any hope there. {sigh}

Like Art Deco? Then you’ll like this. Maybe even love it! Here’s a blurb on one of my favorite Art Deco buildings. And here’s a much better picture of same.