Because nothing says democracy like a good old-fashioned rally

The BBC provides an inaccurate but amusing headline today: “Afghan Warlords in Amnesty Rally.” 25,000 “warlords” held a demonstration in favor of the law granting total immunity against war-crime prosecution for mujahedeen, Taliban, etc etc. It has passed both houses of the Afghan parliament, so the demo is to pressure Karzai to sign. Appropriately enough, it was held in Kabul’s Ghazi football stadium, the site of so many public executions. If the United States government has any opinion on the bill, it sure isn’t trumpeting it.



Yes, “police” is in English.

What stirring slogans would be chanted at such a rally? Okay, most of them began “Death to...”, but perhaps we in the WIIIAIosphere can do better. CONTEST: complete the following: “Hey hey, ho ho, ____”

Today (or, with the time difference, yesterday or possibly next week) Dick Cheney was in Australia, which used to be Britain’s Guantanamo Bay. He said, “When Americans think of Australia, we think of a place with a pioneering spirit much like our own.” No we don’t, we think of kangaroos. “We think of a country that shares our founding commitments to liberty and to equality, and to our traditions of justice and tolerance.” Nope, kangaroos. “We think, above all, of the character of the Australian people -- self-reliant, practical, and good-hearted.” Kangaroos. That’s it.

Speaking of rallies for warlords...