8%

Robert Fisk says that the Proconsulate in Iraq is suppressing news of the number of times the oil pipelines are attacked, which is several times a day. In fact, from the start the US had it all wrong, protecting the oil fields, when the sabotage, which Fisk thinks is operating according to a pre-set plan, was always aimed at the export pipes. He also says that half the $20 billion for Iraqi “development” is actually allocated for security. So we’ve got control of the oil, and no way to get it to American SUVs.

And another $600 million to search for Iraqi WMDs. That’s a lot of dowsing rods.

With some members of the Iraqi “governing council” demanding that the US turn over power very quickly, it is interesting that the same council is saying that 6 months is way too soon for them to draw up a constitution. I think what they’re actually saying is they don’t want a constitution to be drawn up by an elected conference, which would then be the only body in Iraq with any sort of democratic legitimacy. The US won’t want elections either, because the Islamists would win and impose sharia. So good luck with that, guys.

In today’s White House press conference, with the reporters still piling on Leakgate--well, they should be rested and ready after that 2½ months of not following up--a reporter pointed out that since Bush says he doesn’t bother reading newspapers or watching tv news, the question of what the president was told and when he was told it is of unusual relevance.

Re “Leakgate,” DailyKos asked for suggestions. I like “the Plame Game.”

Even Philip Agee, whose naming of CIA names led to the 1982 law, thinks that this was kind of scummy. He was principled, this is just revenge. Something I didn’t know, or forgot: Agee sued Barbara Bush in 1995 for defamation when her autobiography said he was responsible for the assassination of the Athens head of station in 1975; he got her to admit he wasn’t to blame.

It seems that the reason the Justice Dept didn’t issue the order for the White House to save documents/email/etc for a day, is that the White House asked for the delay. No, nothing to hide--not any more.

Wesley Clark tells Joshua Marshall that he voted for Clinton. Now someone needs to ask about the elections in between 1980 and 1996.

The LA Times poll that shows Arnold with an 8-point lead over Bustamante, 40-32, also has a grand total of 8% who think he’s actually the most qualified for the job or was more knowledgeable than his opponents in the debate (that’s 2 separate questions, the same result in both). I looked at the poll, and can’t figure why those 40% are voting for him; really, they didn’t ask. They also didn’t ask the 8%: “You’re kidding, right?”