Permissible limits

Saddam Hussein will be transferred to Iraqi custody. Only, like “sovereignty,” he will continue being exactly where he is, guarded by Americans. No word on whether they’ll tell any Iraqis where it is that he’s being held.

And it’s pretty much official: Iraq will have martial law. First the Iraqi defense minister, then Owie Allawi used the term. Or, as Bush will call it, “freedom.”

They also want to reimpose the death penalty, which Bremer suspended, and use it on Hussein.

The US has lost control over the road between Baghdad and the Baghdad airport. American contractors, CPA officials, etc, can now only use it 6 hours a day.

I knew the thing about the Saudis killing every last Al Qaida militant when they dumped Paul Johnson’s body (but what about the head?) was a tad on the convenient side. Now it seems they may not have even recovered the body.

Zowie Allawi also supports the airstrikes on Fallujah, evidently agreeing with Mark Kimmitt, M.M., that “The collateral damage estimate was within permissible limits.”

A Sy Hersh piece says that Israel concluded a year ago that the US had lost in Iraq, and embarked on its own plan, which was to strengthen the Kurds, giving itself a base to spy on Iran, and keeping Iraq fragmented, as well as stirring up Kurds in Syria and Iran. Combine this with a NYT piece Sunday on how Kurds are beginning to force out Arabs Hussein had put into Kurdistan to Arabize it. There are Kurds in refugee camps, and for a year the US has been stalling their return. They are now returning.

Good op-ed piece on how little difference there is between Kerry and Bush on defense issues.