Following their failed bid to acquire UNOCAL, China has successfully secured oil near its borders by purchasing a Canadian-based firm for US$4.18 billion.

The nation’s largest oil and gas producer, China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), yesterday reached an initial agreement with PetroKazakhstan Inc to buy the Canadian-registered company for US$4.18 billion, topping the bid from an Indian rival.

Industry analysts attributed the winning of CNPC’s bid for
PetroKazakhstan to China’s solid relationship with Kazakhstan, in
contrast to mounting concerns in the US that China’s growing economy
and energy demand may threaten its national security.

The potential for energy wars is heating up. Do we need more reason to accelerate independence from oil?

The politics of security in an area that has shattered as predictably as Iraq — yes, predictably if you look at the failure to plan for post-"major hostilities" and failures to hold the reconstruction effort (er, friends of the Administration) accountable — has now induced an artificial deadline to create a state similar to the US. How again did the US get to be the US and not these United States? It wasn’t overnight, and apparently the Administration is starting to realize this.

Continue reading “Federal or Islamic United States of Iraq?
“ →

From: Rove leak is just part of larger scandal from CSMonitor.com:

Let me remind you that the underlying issue in the Karl Rove controversy is not a leak, but a war and how America was misled into that war.

We Americans so quickly lose perspective and history of even a recent and ongoing debate. Bush and his closest advisors should receive the Reagan Teflon Award for their ability to avoid realities and resist hooks and ropes that would bring down others.

A NYTimes report, republished on CorpWatch, reports how the Marine Corps loves the Cougar,a vehicle designed to take the impact of a mine with inexpensive damage
and no casualties. "Drop your purse, it’s not a Hummer" is the manufacturer’s statement for those wanting to compare the Humvee with  this beast. Should we get these vehicle into the field, and if so, how quickly can we? Should Force Protection’s other vehicle, the Buffalo, also be considered and acquired for a battlefield without forward or rear areas?

Continue reading “Humvee Alternatives
“ →

From: ABC News: U.S. Brochure Drops Arms-Control Deals.

The brochure…lists milestones in arms control since the 1980s, while touting reductions in the U.S. nuclear arsenal. But the timeline omits a pivotal agreement, the 1996 treaty to ban nuclear tests, a pact negotiated by the Clinton administration and ratified by 121 nations but now rejected under President Bush.

I don’t have time to comment yet, will add to this later, but this seems a bit revisionist. It is one thing to disagree and debate with valid (your perception may vary) arguments, but to ignore something with the hopes people will forget and move along? So many anecdotes, so little time.