How to share power during the occupation from Slate

"On Saturday, the leaders of France, Germany, and Britain will meet in Berlin to discuss how to deal with the U.S. request for postwar assistance. This news flash bears repeating: Our key allies over the past half-century are meeting to form not a common Western position on how to deal with Iraq but a common Western European position on how to deal with us—and in a form that does not include any Americans. Meanwhile, France, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg are putting together a European defense force independent of NATO (i.e., free of U.S. control). "

Wunderbar, n'est-ce pas? Fred Kaplan writes the War Stories column in Slate (and the occassional article on a Thelonius Monk re-issue. I never miss one of his articles (for long). He offers great insight on the military machinations of our nation and others. And suggests much more diplomatic and sensible solutions than our administration would ever bother to consider.

Here's the New York Times article on the upcoming meeting between France, Germany and Britain. Meanwhile, Josh Marshall asks what does hording contracts for U.S. companies including Haliburton & MCI have to do with our reticence to share control in Iraq?

Assertive Hill tests Bush veto

Promising news. This article tracks a recent wave of Congress defying the WHouse's agenda. Overtime, travel to Cuba, and turning back new FCC regulations all got enough support to carry them through despite threats of a veto. This is an excellent sign for the return of checks and balances instead of the partisan dictatorship we've been living through with Republicans controlling both houses and lockstepping with that creep in the Oval Office. Here's another article on these developments from Christian Science Monitor.