Weekend Suggested Reading -- 8/18-19/07

Reuters: Russia and China to hold joint military exercise
From the story: "Troops from Russia, China and Central Asian states will take part in a joint military exercise on Friday designed to show off their alliance's increasing power.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao will join Central Asian counterparts in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to watch the exercise in Russia's southern Ural region that will focus on counter-insurgency."

I think Putin misses the Cold War.

ACLU: In Unprecedented Order, FISA Court Requires Bush Administration to Respond to ACLU's Request That Secret Court Orders Be Released to the Public
From the story: "In an unprecedented order, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) has required the U.S. government to respond to a request it received last week by the American Civil Liberties Union for orders and legal papers discussing the scope of the government's authority to engage in the secret wiretapping of Americans. According to the FISC's order, the ACLU's request "warrants further briefing," and the government must respond to it by August 31. The court has said that any reply by the ACLU must be filed by September 14."

Damned courts still seem to think that there's a Constitution.

McClatchy Newspapers: Commerce, Treasury funds helped boost GOP campaigns
From the story: "Top Commerce and Treasury Departments officials appeared with Republican candidates and doled out millions in federal money in battleground congressional districts and states after receiving White House political briefings detailing GOP election strategy.

"Political appointees in the Treasury Department received at least 10 political briefings from July 2001 to August 2006, officials familiar with the meetings said. Their counterparts at the Commerce Department received at least four briefings — all in the election years of 2002, 2004 and 2006."

The House Oversight Committee is investigating.

Huffington Post: 'What's Wrong with America?'
From the story: "...We've got six coal miners trapped beneath more than 1,500 feet of Utah coal and rock, three brave men who struggled to rescue them are dead and six more are injured.

"And it's not because of an act of God. It's because of the acts of man."

By AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. Workplace safety protections are crumbling as quickly as our infrastructure.

Raw Story: Concern grows over legislation that broadens spying power
From the story: "Intelligence legislation passed earlier this month is angering a growing number of critics who say an end-of-session scramble inadvertently gave the Bush Administration wider spying powers than previously thought.

According to Eric Lichtblau and James Risen of the New York Times, 'by redefining the meaning of "electronic surveillance," the new law narrows the types of communications covered in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA, by indirectly giving the government the power to use intelligence collection methods far beyond wiretapping that previously required court approval if conducted inside the United States.'"

You know what would be helpful? If Congress actually bothered to read the crap they sign off on.

Think Progress: McCain: I Was The Greatest Critic Of The Iraq War Over The Last Four Years
From the story: "...It's entertaining, in that I was the greatest critic of the initial four years, three and a half years. I came back from my first trip to Iraq and said, This is going to fail. We've got to change the strategy to the one we’'e using now. But life isn't fair."

What ridiculous bullshit.