Christmas is the time for forgiving; and it is in the spirit of Christmas that I had, well before I read his exemplary obituary of Ms. Bhutto, decided to grant Christopher a reprieve for his earlier sins as Bush cheer-leader and restore him to the ranks of scribes of wit, if not reliable common-sense.

Hitch does not disappoint. He is fulsome in his praise of Ms. Bhutto, citing her undeniable courage, before quickly moving in for the kill.

How prettily she lied to me, I remember, and with such a level gaze from those topaz eyes, about how exclusively peaceful and civilian Pakistan's nuclear program was.

More meat below the fold...

In today's bhtv diavlog Bruce Feiler and John Mearsheimer examine the role of the Israel lobby in American politics.

As background, Eric Alterman recently cited an 2007 survey of American Jewry in the Nation:

Jews are more liberal than conservative (43-25 percent) and far more Democratic than Republican (58-15 percent). This preference, significantly, extends to national security issues, often considered a Republican trump card. By a massive 61-to-21 percent margin, Jews say Democrats, not Republicans, are "more likely to make the right decision about the war in Iraq." Regarding terrorism, Democrats win 53-to-30 percent.

The ebb and flow of life has carried me to a variety of countries. As some of you know we live in Asia. 2007 has been difficult in many ways. My wife's mother was forced to move in with us this spring. My wife's father, hospitalized a year ago this time, passed away several weeks ago.

That said, Christmas is my favorite holiday. The myth and the commercial mumbo-jumbo don't bother me much. Christmas is, for me, a time of rebirth, intense optimism and unconditional love. It's a time for giving. It's the (rare) time I make an extra effort to find the good in folks I normally think very little of. But that's not the point.

The point is that this year in 2008 millions of people in North America will spend Christmas in shelters, on welfare, or on the street.

I know. I've done all three.

We all know just how closely our every utterance is scrutinized, weighed and considered by the Very Serious People, who try so hard to control our lives and tell us what to do, think and say. Hint: they're not listening.

Americans have a grave responsibility looming: choosing the next President of the United States, the person picking up the mop and bucket to clean up after George Bush. Talk about hosing out the Stygian stables.

Of course, many of us here prefer that we begin that process yesterday by impeaching the Vice-President and President as the Constitution of the United States demands. I'll continue to ignore the Bush apologists on the right and the vote counters on the left to call for just such action.

The Paulites' enthusiasm for liberty, their unapologetic defense of core conservative principles, their awareness that in the new millennium, these principles of small government, self-reliance, cultural pluralism, and a humble foreign policy are more necessary than ever - no lover of liberty can stand by and not join them.

Andrew Sullivan formally endorses right-wing crank: Ron Paul, December, 2007.

This diary isn't about Ron Paul, but it is about the threat posed by Paul and by other Republicans, a threat too few on the Dem side are taking seriously.

Bush's Newest Lap-Dog trades with state sponsor of terror. Hang onto your breakfast:

Sarkozy Welcomes Libya's Kadhafi To Paris

The United States gave its blessing Monday to a civilian nuclear energy deal between France and Libya, saying it expected its former foe to respect its decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction.

"In light of Libya's historic decision in 2003 to rid itself of its WMD programs, we expect any cooperation with Libya on a peaceful secure and responsible use of nuclear power to be consistent with the highest standard of non-proliferation," said Kurtis Cooper, a State Department spokesman.

France announced plans to sell nuclear reactors to Libya as well as 10 billion euros of trade deals, as President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi on Monday for a five-day visit.

The Damning Facts Mount..

Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons provides a damning indictment of the active role Republicans played in Pakistan's rogue nuclear program.

Evidence was destroyed, criminal files were diverted, Congress was repeatedly lied to, and in several cases, in 1986 and 1987, presidential appointees even tipped off the Pakistani government so as to prevent its agents from getting caught in U.S. Customs Service stings that aimed to catch them buying nuclear components in America."

This Mother Jones review supports our own accounts of Republican incompetence, a gift from hell that keeps on giving...

Good News from the Wapo: (Not)

A little-publicized provision of the No Child Left Behind Act requiring states to identify "persistently dangerous schools" is hampered by widespread underreporting of violent incidents and by major differences among the states in defining unsafe campuses, several audits say.

Out of about 94,000 schools in the United States, only 46 were designated as persistently dangerous in the past school year.

Short-changing the people who matter most while mouthing pious platitudes: a Republican tradition.

How grim is life today for America's once upwardly mobile people of color? Today's Wapo leaves little doubt:

Forty-five percent of black children whose parents were solidly middle class in 1968 -- a stratum with a median income of $55,600 in inflation-adjusted dollars -- grew up to be among the lowest fifth of the nation's earners, with a median family income of $23,100. Only 16 percent of whites experienced similar downward mobility. At the same time, 48 percent of black children whose parents were in an economic bracket with a median family income of $41,700 sank into the lowest income group.

How did the American dream die for so many people of color?

It wasn't an accident.

Warning...

March, 2007, Rasmussen confirms Dems poll higher on national security. Today's Wapo lays the blame for the AQ Khan's Pakistan nuclear nightmare squarely on Republicans:

...in January 1980, Ronald Reagan was asked about Pakistan's atomic ambitions. "I just don't think it's any of our business," he replied.

In office, Reagan and his aides made an art of ignoring Pakistan's march toward the bomb, including intelligence in 1987 that warned that Khan had transferred nuclear equipment to Iran...

Republicans hand out WMD like candy. So, why can't Dems make the national security case to the American people when the toilet seat hangs around Bush's neck?

I came to Daily Kos to promote AIDS awareness in the certain knowledge that Dems would do more reduce the more than 2.6 million deaths from AIDS every year.

And to end the illegal rule of George Bush.

The bizarre accusation that this community tolerates or supports racism is a charge I'd expect from Fox News. But, no, there are some in the community who believe that by extending tolerance to one member who blew it badly a few weeks ago, that somehow the community is granting everyone 'one free racist diary'.

This farcical accusation won support from just a few folks, but the accusations point to a different kind of problem.

Kagro X links to the best political statement of the last seven years. Dennis Kucinich makes the clear case that Democrats must now impeach Dick Cheney for lying to Americans about Iraq. And to prevent Cheney from launching an attack on Iran.

McClatchy: Former air-force general Joseph Ralston, appointed a year ago to help end the activities of Kurd terrorists, blasted George Bush over American promises to Turkey about ending PKK activities in Iraq:

The officer who commands U.S. forces in northern Iraq, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Nixon, last week said he planned to do "absolutely nothing" to curb PKK activities.

Ralston, a vice chairman of the Washington-based Cohen Group, a consulting firm, said the statement was "directly opposite" promises Bush has made to Turkey.

'Directly opposite' promises Bush has made to Turkey...  

Huge News. We know the decider guy threw a hissy fit the other day when Congress wouldn't give him a new play-mate. So, what's the cry-baby in a cowboy hat going to say when he learns that a close ally is packing up the toy boats and heading home?

TOKYO — Japan ordered its naval ships to withdraw from a mission backing U.S.-led military operations in Afghanistan as a deadline to extend the activities was set to expire on Thursday.

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has been struggling against a resurgent opposition to enact a new bill to allow Japan's navy to keep providing free fuel for U.S. and other ships patrolling the Indian Ocean, a mission seen as vital by close ally Washington.

Feeling exercised over the racism at Daily Kos?

Let me distract you.

It might interest you to know that African-American women contract HIV at higher rates than nearly any other group.

There is, of course, nothing at all remotely racist about ignoring the plight of these folks, and nothing inhumane or grotesque about taking the issue of 'black-face' really, really seriously.

And if you don't find the growth in the number of HIV positive African-American women enough of a distraction.

Don Rumsfeld was charged with war-crimes today. Bushco's connection to Mid-East terrorism and pork may be the next story to blow.
Wapo

Retired Air Force Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, a former NATO commander Bush appointed last year as his special envoy to work on the issue, left the job recently because of what several sources described as his frustration at the administration's failure to devote serious attention to the problem. Ralston, vice chairman of an international consulting firm led by former defense secretary William S. Cohen, did not return several calls for comment.

There's far more at stake...

Kurd PKK terrorists killed nine Turkish soldiers today, all but ensuring a Turkish invasion of Iraq.

The Turkish parliament voted overwhelmingly just days ago to authorize NATO'S second largest military to attack PKK bases inside Kurdish Iraq. And it gets worse.

In a story ignored in the MSM we get this disturbing news:

TPM puts Kurd threats to repel Turkish intrusions by force way up high. Vladimir Putin warned the US not to attack Iran just days ago.

Iran today appointed a key ally of Iranian President Ahmadinejad as Iran's new nuclear negotiator just days before a crucial meeting with the EU.

An Iranian spokesman, "Gholam Hossein Elham, said a deputy foreign minister, Saeed Jalili, would replace Mr Larijani in time for a meeting on Tuesday with the European Union's foreign policy head Javier Solana."

Mr. Jalili, unlike his predecessor Ali Larijani, is a hard-liner. His appointment by the man who really holds control of Iran's nuclear project, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, suggests an end to compromise....