Chapomatic

This is an interesting outgrowth of Tom Barnett (of Pentagon’s New Map fame) writing a blog. Barnett wrote a wonderful article for Esquire about his impressions of DoD head Donald Rumsfeld and what he’s up to.

DoD normally publishes raw transcripts of all interviews like this, partially for transparency, partially to act as a corrective for people who say two months later that “guy A said X” when he clearly didn’t. Barnett has a transcript up of his interview–with Barnett’s impressions, and what he figures he learned from that interview and how it fit in the article.

Well worth a read if you care about such things.

Careful who you fire. They may know where the bodies are buried.

A l’étranger, il cite l’opération Miksa de fournitures de matériels de sécurité à l’Arabie Saoudite, “un pays où il n’est pas possible de faire des affaires autrement” que par le recours aux montages financiers et aux intermédiaires, soutient-il. Michel Josserand soutient que son ancien employeur [fabricant d'éléments de bombes à fragmentation] “a détourné le programme en livrant des munitions chimiques” à Saddam Hussein alors que l’Irak était soumis à un embargo décrété par l’ONU dans le cadre de l’opération “Pétrole contre nourriture”.

A run through the Fish:

With the foreigner, it quotes the Miksa operation of supplies of materials of safety in Saudi Arabia, “a country where it is not possible to make deals differently” that by the recourse to the financial arrangements and the intermediaries, it supports. Michel Josserand supports that its former employer [ manufacturer of elements of cluster bombs ] “diverted the program by delivering chemical ammunition” to Saddam Hussein whereas Iraq was subjected to an embargo issued by UNO within the framework of the operation “Oil against food”.

Specifically, as a baby milk factory.

True? No idea. It’s shown up in a couple of French newspapers so far. But verrry interrrresting.

Okay, this takes the cake.

I knew about the little piece of Central Park being towed around the waterways in a barge. I got that, kinda cute.

Now it’s being chased by a miniature Christo Gate….is boarding and art damage imminent?

It’s rather meta, and utterly hilarious when you think about it…

Jeff: “Please tell me where the Constitution says, ‘one nation, under God.’ “, he says. What, you want me to Google it for you? And then RITUALISTICALLY HANG MY HEAD IN SHAME when, as you and I know, that exact phrase isn’t in there–even though it is completely irrelevant to the argument you wanted to start–

Chap: Dude, here. Have another Guinness. That guy’s just trying to get a point made–

Jeff: Point? I’ll tell you the point, it’s silly sophomore year college b–

Chap: Jeff, meet Fred. Fred’s seven months old. He’s hungry and can’t make himself a sandwich, so I’m going to go mix some oatmeal before he gets too grumpy, and maybe a jar of sweet potatoes. You want a sandwich with that Guinness?

Fred: grump grump grump Grump!

Jeff: Good point, Fred, but on the surface of it it’s just silly. What’s the point of rehashing it, or even paying attention to Grauniad and Indymedia-approved Sydney Blumenthal rants? I mean, if perhaps we were talking about certain people and their incessant fixation on BIG HAIRY MAN–

Fred: WAAAH!

Jeff: What?

Fred: AAH! grumble grump MAAAHH!

Jeff: I see your point. Chap, maybe a ham sandwich, after that oatmeal. BECAUSE OF THE HYPOCRISY!

Fred: (coos)

Update:

Rather unclear as to what the original point was —

It’s Jeff…freaking…Goldstein, man! Nobody knows what that man is on about half the time, except that armadillo! FREE…BIRD! [lighter aloft]