A new level of vulnerability for government officials that would be chaotic

Robert Fisk on Turkey’s tantrum over a possible US recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide: “The message is simple. Acknowledge the genocide, and the US will lose its airbases in Turkey and the Turkish roads its military convoys use into Iraq. The fact, unfortunately, is that these roads are the very highways down which the Armenians were sent on their death marches in 1915.”

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David Paterson is refusing to resign but it’s not for himself, it’s for the benefit of future scuzzy politicians: “To step down from office over unproved allegations would create a new level of vulnerability for government officials that would be chaotic.” “Vulnerability” may not be a word someone who bullied a woman who’d been physically abused by his aide should really be using. Also, note the non-denial denial: “unproved” allegations. The same thing Israel says about that Mossad murder in Dubai.

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Speaking of which, when I heard that some of those killers came directly from Dubai to the United States (using false passports yet), I sort of assumed that meant we’d have to join in investigating the affair. Not that I expected US politicians to criticize Israel for making us look complicit in their crimes (assuming we weren’t).

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NYT headline: “More Scanners Headed to Airports.” 3 nerd points if, reading that headline, you pictured a head exploding. 10 nerd points if, reading that headline, you muttered to yourself, “Scanners live in vain.”