The GAO (Government Accountability Office) announced its latest findings on Iraq yesterday. Its conclusion: things are basically negative in Iraq, and security hasn’t shown any marked improvement since “the surge” began. Not only are the Ministry of the Interior and the Baghdad police force plagued by “dysfunction,” the report says, the level of violence across the country has not decreased.

But military officials in Iraq disagree. They say that the GAO’s report does not include the most recent data, which does show a measureable decrease in sectarian violence.

So are we ever going to get a straight answer to these issues, or will opposing sides continue to discount the other’s findings?

More on:
Petraeus interviewed by Couric here.
Military officials in Iraq disagree with GAO here.
Why different people are coming up with different numbers here.
President Bush thinks “we’re kicking ass” here.

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While stories such as Karl Rove’s resignation and the conviction of terrorism-suspect Jose Padilla dominated the news this week, there are some low-reported yet interesting research studies that were recently released. They each throw a monkey wrench into the way we perceive certain issues. Namely: Iraq, military safety and the news.

More on:
Study on shifting Iraqi attitudes here.
Comparing the security danger of official military websites and millogs here. Full documentation from the Electronic Frontier Foundation here.
Gasp! Americans like hard news here.

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If U.S. troops want to play a video game in which they convert or kill non-Christians, they’ll just have to get it themselves.

After pressure from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, the Department of Defense has shut down an evangelical group’s plan to send free copies of its video game to American soldiers serving in Iraq.

“Left Behind: Eternal Forces” is a PC-based role-playing game, in which your mission is to convert non-believers and kill the Antichrist’s army. The group planning to send the game overseas, Operation Straight Up, is an evangelical entertainment group whose leaders include champion kickboxer Jonathan Spinks and actor Stephen Baldwin.

More on:
“Left Behind: Eternal Forces” here.
Operation Straight UP here.
Max Blumenthal breaks the story here.
Department of Defense cancels the plan here.
Military Religious Freedom Foundation here.

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Television is obsessed with Karl Rove, but the Internet is focused on Dick Cheney. A YouTube video posted a few days ago shows the Vice President thirteen years ago, saying things about Iraq that today would sound like a statement from one of his critics. He even goes as far as to say that invading Baghdad would result in a “quagmire.”

Does this really mean anything? And what will be the lasting effect of this type of footage showing up on the Internet?

More on:
the YouTube video here.

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This week was a good one. We’ve got dog fights, lighters on planes, and squirrels. What else could you ask for?

More on today’s stories:

Senator Byrd’s entire speech here.

In-depth and well argued criticism of Petraeus’s appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show here.

The TSA’s self-admitted “security theater” here.

High-tech squirrel spies here.

President Bush’s Executive Order threatening the 5th Amendment here. News coverage has been minimal. Analysis here.

politics, Iraq, podcasts, week in review, TSA | No Comments »

Here’s your week in review. Only the important stuff, here.

Check out these links to items mentioned in the review:
Senator Stevens and his motorcycle
man-eating badgers
mp3 player in court
airport security bulletin

and, without further ado, enjoy:

Iraq, podcasts, media, week in review, terrorism | No Comments »

President Bush gave a press conference today, announcing the release of a White House report on the progress of the Iraqi government.

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