Here are other articles in this morning's New York Times that members are noting.
Kara & Rob both e-mail to note Steven Erlanger's "Abbas Says Calm in Gaza Pullout Would Aid Statehood:"
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, urged his people to ensure calm for Israel's pullout from Gaza, saying a smooth Israeli withdrawal would bolster the image of Palestinians in the world and hasten the coming of an independent Palestinian state.
In a speech televised live from a special session of parliament in Gaza, Mr. Abbas called on Palestinian militants to keep to the cease-fire with Israel and work to prevent chaos, looting or the seizure of property.
"The withdrawal must take place in calm, in a civilized manner," he said. "We will be able to confirm to the world that we deserve a state and that this step is just the beginning, and not the end."
Doyle e-mails to note Eric Schmitt's "4-Star General Is Dismissed Over Conduct:"
The Army has abruptly relieved the four-star general in charge of training and recruiting after an investigation into unspecified "personal misconduct," Army officials said Tuesday.
The officer, Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes, was dismissed on Monday by the Army chief of staff, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, just a few months before General Byrnes was scheduled to retire as head of the Army Training and Doctrine Command.
In that position, which he assumed in November 2002, General Byrnes oversaw Army training programs and the development of the service's war-fighting guidelines. The command, which is based in Fort Monroe, Va., runs 33 training schools and centers on 16 Army installations, and will train 447,000 soldiers this year.
(Heard on the radio, the Washington Post is reporting the dismissal is over an affair with a civilian. Josh White's "4-Star General Relieved of Duty: Rare Move Follows Allegations of an Extramarital Affair" appears to be the article that was spoken of.)
Ben e-mails re: Dean E. Murphy's "Ohio Critics of G.O.P. Start Battle to Change Election Process" and wonder if it "offers a lesson in so-called objectivity:"
Critics of the Republican grip on Ohio politics filed petitions on Tuesday that seek a statewide vote on three constitutional amendments that would overturn the way elections are run and strip elected officials of their power to draw legislative districts.
The move, by the group Reform Ohio Now, is an effort to tap into sentiment across the country to remove political influence from the mechanics of elections. The movement has been sparked in part by partisan lines that are sharply reducing electoral competition in Congress and by efforts by political outsiders like Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California to upend the established order.
The Ohio group is backed by so-called good-government organizations like Common Cause, though Republicans insist it is little more than a front for disgruntled Democrats frozen out of power.
What's the lesson? Maybe it's a new form of "objectivity" or maybe it's a lesson in how to carry water for one side? Common Cause is smeared "little more than a front for digruntled Democrats frozen out of power" follows "so-called good government organizations." I'm thinking Murphy is gearing up to join the Elite Fluff Patrol. Thirty-five years after the organization started, Dean E. is unsure of what the organization is? Or he's just happy to note whatever Republicans "insist?" Maybe Dean E. just wanted to have "sport" with Ohio (and follow in the foot steps of Tom Zeller, Jr.)?
The scheduled topics for Democracy Now! today (thanks Rod):
FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds and human rights lawyer David Cole.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
