Even though the Agency for International Development has restricted distribution of reports by contractor Kroll Security International -- annoyingly pessimistic and negative reports, saying the number of daily attacks by insurgents in Iraq is increasing -- the weekly "Kroll Monitor" is still available, even online.
Last week's report says that "doubts continued to grow this week over whether elections can take place in January as planned against the current backdrop of relentless violence." (Note to AID: Either these guys get on message, or that contract will have to be terminated.) Election prospects, the report says, "receded this week," with Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani sounding pessimistic, a major Shiite party pushing for delay and influential Sunnis having "grave reservations."
_____In the Loop_____
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The Comeback Kid (The Washington Post, Oct 1, 2004)
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Hanging Chads Have Nothing on Rebels (The Washington Post, Sep 29, 2004)
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Red Stars Over Washington (The Washington Post, Sep 27, 2004)
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British Diplomat Ducks His Gaffe (The Washington Post, Sep 24, 2004)
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Thompson's Trading Spaces (The Washington Post, Sep 22, 2004)
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More In the Loop
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Friday's Question:
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"For the time being, however," the report continues, "the U.S. appears determined to proceed." Some officials suggest that places such as extremely dangerous Fallujah and Ramadi be excluded from the elections, the report says, "but such places could amount to 25 percent of the country, and that would severely undermine the credibility of the ballot."
"It is likely that the current U.S. firmness is tied to the November presidential elections, and that its stance could change after the U.S. vote, if George Bush is reelected. [Finally, something positive, backing the president?] A revised and perhaps more realistic timetable could then be adopted, especially as violence is expected to escalate further when the election board starts to register an estimated 12 million voters after Oct. 27."
This could be worse than Florida.
A Supremely Provocative Remark
The Harvard Crimson, arguably the nation's best college newspaper, raised many an eyebrow last week with an article saying that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia favored sexual orgies.
The newspaper quoted Scalia, speaking at a symposium Tuesday, as saying, "I even take the position that sexual orgies eliminate social tension and ought to be encouraged."
Nino? Who knew?
Turns out, though, Scalia didn't quite say that. A court spokesman said Friday the quote was "not only inaccurate but also taken out of context," a double whammy.
To set the stage, the Crimson reported that Scalia had ridiculed a decision by the European Court of Human Rights, striking down British law barring group gay sex on the grounds that the law intruded upon private life.
Scalia asked -- rhetorically -- how many individuals would have to be involved in a sex act for it to no longer qualify as "private."
"Presumably it is some number between five and the number of people required to fill the Coliseum," Scalia joked, according to the Crimson.
Someone in the audience asked Scalia "whether you have any gay friends, and -- if not -- whether you'd like to be my friend."
"I probably do have some gay friends," Scalia said. "I've never pressed the point." No answer to part two of that question.
