« previous | MUCK HOME | next »
Today's Must Read
The New York Times checks in on democracy in Iraq, where "nearly every session" of the parliament has been adjourned since November... because as few as 65 of the 275 members there showed up.
Why? It's irrelevant: "Deals on important legislation, most recently the oil law, now take place largely out of public view, with Parliament — when it meets — rubber-stamping the final decisions." Also, the country is very dangerous, and despite the $120,000 salary, the members say they can't afford adequate protection -- one member says that he uses 40 guards when he's in Iraq, and the salary only buys 20. And, well, there's the fact that the job has inevitably disappointed members who "were here for the game, for prestige, for the money,” as one puts it.
As a result of the rampant truancy, the Speaker is contemplating "fining members $400 for every missed session" and replacing absentees. But... there's a problem. "For the proposals to be put in place, a majority of members in Parliament have to be present to pass them."
Note: Another Must Read from today is The Washington Post's damning breakdown of the president's portrayal of "the enemy."
Comments (35)
Patience wrote on January 24, 2007 9:18 AM:"Deals on important legislation, most recently the oil law, [taking] place largely out of public view..." and back-benchers "rubber-stamping the final decisions" with little input? It sounds like we did export American democracy (c. 2006) to Iraq after all.
Anon wrote on January 24, 2007 10:00 AM:Hagel just read parts of this article out loud in the hearings on the resolution in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Noam Sane wrote on January 24, 2007 10:06 AM:Well, the next six months will be key.
Disco310 wrote on January 24, 2007 10:18 AM:Yes, six more months.
tmx wrote on January 24, 2007 10:33 AM:Yes, the next 6 months will be crucial.
brianm0122 wrote on January 24, 2007 10:37 AM:yes, six more months, we are about to turn the corner!
pms wrote on January 24, 2007 10:48 AM:Is this just a slip?
" one member says that he uses 40 guards when he's in Iraq..."
Sounds like he spends a decent amount of time OUTSIDE of Iraq. Doesn't that say it all?
alex wrote on January 24, 2007 10:55 AM:Give Glenn Kessler a gold medal (WaPo article mentioned in the end). That's the best piece of reporting I have seen in a long time. This should be mandatory reading.
Hector wrote on January 24, 2007 11:55 AM:I agree with Alex. Kessler's piece is extraordinary. There's an e-mail link that makes a word of thanks to him and his colleague easy to send; I think they both deserve at least that much.
Hector wrote on January 24, 2007 11:58 AM:I too was struck, as was pms, by the phrase, "when he's in Iraq". I agree -- if the phrase is not a typo, it does pretty much say it all. And if it is a typo, the fact that one can imagine it's not being a typo pretty much says it all too.
Hector wrote on January 24, 2007 11:59 AM:I too was struck, as was pms, by the phrase, "when he's in Iraq". I agree -- if the phrase is not a typo, it does pretty much say it all. And if it is a typo, the fact that one can imagine it's not being a typo pretty much says it all too.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on January 24, 2007 12:14 PM:Freedom is on the march!!!
Freedom from going to work if you gotta target painted your back-side.
Freedom from transparency in government.
Freedom from ethical treatment of the people they are being paid to represent and protect.
Insight into 109th Congress from a distant mirror. Oh wait . . . The posting was about Iraq. Sorry.
Jeremy wrote on January 24, 2007 1:30 PM:The next six years, uh, I mean months, will be crucial.
hillary@gmail.com wrote on April 30, 2007 7:57 PM:hello
kriss@gmail.com wrote on May 1, 2007 8:20 AM:hello
Tyreek Lior wrote on May 9, 2007 11:56 PM:Zhili byli.. Tyreek Lior.
clomid wrote on May 13, 2007 12:25 PM:Very nice site!
Juan Alley wrote on May 21, 2007 7:19 AM:Pop trio Atomic Kitten will reform to play a concert in support of jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields...
Mathew Sam wrote on May 21, 2007 7:50 AM:London-born rapper Sway is to be honoured at the BET Hip-Hop awards in the US...
Mathew Sam wrote on May 21, 2007 7:50 AM:London-born rapper Sway is to be honoured at the BET Hip-Hop awards in the US...
amber rain wrote on May 21, 2007 3:33 PM:amber rain 98.8 /day
Zack Hein wrote on May 22, 2007 1:40 PM:amber rain pic 3.0 /day
amber rain movie 2.9 /day
amber rain anal 2.5 /day
amber rain clip 1.4 /day
amber north peter rain 1.2 /day
amber rain rapidshare 1.2 /day
Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages.
Zack Hein wrote on May 22, 2007 1:43 PM:Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages.
porn movies wrote on June 11, 2007 11:13 AM:porn movies
sex videos wrote on June 11, 2007 12:11 PM:sex videos
xgoc iabnkqxy wrote on June 13, 2007 11:49 AM:bxcqhjlo bntmuq jreyfsx sgqpnaefo svwzpmb vsgqcp ynumhgoz
xgoc iabnkqxy wrote on June 13, 2007 11:51 AM:bxcqhjlo bntmuq jreyfsx sgqpnaefo svwzpmb vsgqcp ynumhgoz
xgoc iabnkqxy wrote on June 13, 2007 11:51 AM:bxcqhjlo bntmuq jreyfsx sgqpnaefo svwzpmb vsgqcp ynumhgoz
sex videos wrote on June 15, 2007 4:43 PM:sex videos
free live webcams wrote on June 18, 2007 11:35 AM:free live webcams
webcam college girl wrote on June 18, 2007 12:36 PM:webcam college girl
free xxx porno wrote on June 18, 2007 1:50 PM:free xxx porno
free sex wrote on June 18, 2007 2:16 PM:free sex
music downloads pc wrote on September 30, 2007 3:08 AM:Hi, there!..d341e762487b34d1b6deaed018b33829
epenisa wrote on January 11, 2008 12:07 AM:Hi
Nice work from your side... have a nice time with yoru blog :)
Bye