Tim Blair

Hold up there Tim.

That can't be right. Iraqi Sovereignty? The American bootheel of oppression voluntarily lifted?

They can't have handed control of the oilfields back to the Iraqi authorities either. The whole notion is insane.

I mean, it's impossible. It would mean that every leftist scaremonger and anti-Americanite on the planet were... well... wrong.

I like the NY Times guy: "could be"? What's the Second Coming: "could be" the start of the End of Days? I'd hate to be planning the surprise birthday party for that guy. "This could be a nice party."

The Iraq handover has been going on for months as the various government functions have been established one by one. Monday would just have been the last signature on the last piece of paper.

The early handover has the advantage of spoiling the party crashing effects of any grand uh, "celebratory" fireworks on Monday by the terrorists.

Darn! I was just getting used to being an imperialist.

Excuse me, can we have a little goddam perspective on this.

'THEY'RE LYING -
WHILE THE GLOBE IS FRYING -
AND THE FISHES ARE DYING IN THE WORLD'.

Fishes are dying for Chrissakes.

And you're, like, obsessing about who's running Iraq.

So let's just make sure I've got this straight.

The hand-over of sovereignty 'could be a surprise of a more pleasant nature'. On the other hand, it could be a surprise of an unpleasant nature. Or not a surprise at all.

And Zarqawi has been caught. Or, no, he hasn't.

Tim Blair: first with the news that matters...

Wow, way to go Nick, snarking about Tim Blair's quote of somebody else's indecisive statement. No wonder I can't be arsed to read your "Tim Blair Watch"...

"...interviewed on Australian television..."

Don't tell me those b*stards broke into Friends again!!

SBS News tonight was a veritable 'Lefterator' tutorial.

* Anton Enis asked Iraq correspondent, the SMH's Paul McGeough, if it was fair comment that Paul Bremmer's departure constituted a "hasty and humiliating exit". (Answer?: guess).

* McGeough said there were no Iraqis at the handover ceremony (which somehow I doubt) and observed there were no brass bands present. Praise Allah for that!

* Iraqi murderers, including at least three bands of decapitating serial killers, were referred to as 'insurgents'.

* Hamas terrorists who unleashed another bomb and attacked those bringing assistance to the stricken were described as 'militants'.

* The International Atomic Agency Committee has decided to pressure Israel to give up its nuclear weapons so as to make the Middle East a nuclear free zone - and, er, assist its surrounding enemies bulldozer it into the sea (in a gentle non-Caterpiller kind of way).

As SBS commercials used to point out: 'The World is an Amazing Place.'

PW: As I read it, Tim was essentially quoting John Burns approvingly, while having a bit of a laugh at Burns' use of the word 'pleasant'. This is because, rather obviously, Tim would very much like the hand-over to be a 'pleasant surprise'. The 'approving quote' is a fairly standard feature of blogs as you probably know...

So you couldn't be arsed reading my blog. And then you read something very brief I wrote which confirmed your viewpoint about my blog which you can't be arsed reading in the first place. Thanks for your input.

As I read it, Tim was essentially quoting John Burns approvingly, while having a bit of a laugh at Burns' use of the word 'pleasant'. This is because, rather obviously, Tim would very much like the hand-over to be a 'pleasant surprise'. The 'approving quote' is a fairly standard feature of blogs as you probably know..."

gees...your good...reading such a detailed meaning from one little quote!!
(Is your blog as convoluted as this ridiculous response to PW’s rather telling point?)

Nick, you're reaching with this one; Pop and PW made good points. I expect that your blog is probably as interesting as watching paint dry.

Happy Birthday, Iraq. Or do you think Iraqis will celebrate their independence on the anniversary of the day that statue of Saddman was pulled down? Or on the anniversary of the day Saddam was pulled out of the spider hole?

Real JeffS:

Glad you made it back from the great outdoors in one piece.

Nick,

I'll soon provide a large-print, extra-simple version for you and other slower readers. Stupid quotes won't be merely presented; they'll be highlighted in blazing red, with audio alarms. Items on Margo Kingston will cause bleeding from the ears.

You mean they don't now?

If the hand-over was brought foward so that it'd avoid terrorist attacks, it'd be pragmatic but also a sad reminder that surmountable but serious issues still remain.

NEWSFLASH: Israel agrees to dispose of nuclear weapons... "Oh, was that Tehran? Sorry, sorry, everybody..."

Well what will the leftist maggots like MANNE, ADAMS, Tony Jones (The ABC in general) make of this one?? no doubt they will not give it much air time and instead concentrate on the massacres and beheadings etc. The sooner these maggots who feast on the flesh of Australian society are pensioned off the better. They can sit in a nursing home and assure each other just how great they really are.

bleeding from the ears...

One teeny tiny slip of the keys and it becomes arse. Wierd, huh? Can't make head nor tail of it...

The handover was completed de facto nearly a week ago when control of the last ministry was transferred to Iraqis. The de jure handover was mostly cermonial. Had this been widely publicized and in the open leading to a bomb, arty, suicide attack, massive criticism of CPA/CENTCOM would ensue for exposing the ceremony to attack. This way, massive criticism of CPA/CENTCOM will ensue for concealing the ceremony from attack and, more importantly, from important media persons.

Nick, just make sure next time you pop in to hit the tip jar, okay?

Yeah, the media starz are already bitching that nobody let them in on the secret.

Can't think why. Just because the're professional blabbermouths...

Yep, CurrencyLad, I survived! Well, it was hot outside, but the generator ran the fan, I was in the shade, and there was this cooler full of ice and cold drinks within easy reach. And I could go home to a hot shower and soft bed. Unlike the soldiers and marines in Iraq, who lack the cooler and fan, and get shot at to boot. So I can't complain. Not at all.

So you couldn't be arsed reading my blog. And then you read something very brief I wrote which confirmed your viewpoint about my blog which you can't be arsed reading in the first place.

I said "your Tim Blair Watch", not "your blog". Arguably, I'm not terribly interested in reading the rest of your blog either, but it was the silly TBW that turned me off in the first place. That, and your attempts to repeatedly hype said TBW on the comment threads here.

Incidentally, thanks to those previous hypes of yours, it was indeed possible for your above post to reconfirm my opinion about you, despite its brevity and my lack of reading your blog. (Don'tcha just hate it when people actually remember what you've written before?)

But hey, keep trucking away, I don't doubt there's an audience for your blog and TBW.

"Anton Enis asked Iraq correspondent, the SMH's Paul McGeough, if it was fair comment that Paul Bremmer's departure constituted a "hasty and humiliating exit". (Answer?: guess)."

Lefty Freak Chorus: America is imperialist! Iraq for Iraqis!

U.S.: Actually, we're handing over sovereignty two days early.

Lefty Freak Chorus: Ha, ha! Chickens!

If you can't win with these jackoffs, why try? My post-9/11 attitude readjustment was, "You know, I think they hate us because they're assholes."

When are they going to get around to stealing the oil. I mean, that's why they invaded in the first place isn't it? Isn't it?

That's what everyone keeps telling me.

I expect that your blog is probably as interesting as watching paint dry.

Confirmed. Except this paint just practically SCREAMS "watch me, validate me, PLEASE!"

Which means it's more irritating than nice boring quiet paint.

Dean Douthat..

Are you inferring that "important media persons" may "accidentally" release information of where the "party" was to happen to people who may have wanted to "CRASH" the party in a "BIG WAY".

You know, like ... "Mate, theres this big shindig on at the Palace No 1, and all the new pollies will be there, and apparently the handover is a sure thing, and a bit of US brass will be there. Oh about 8.00pm I reckon. In the main hall. Its about 500m from the outer wall. Yeah, in a southerly direction from that intersection. Oh you don't say!! Ok, I'll get my cameraman to use his long range lens if I have to stand that far away OK. See you soon."

NO. Say it ain't true!!!!!

Who me? Why, can't you tell, I trust our big name media completely, in all aspects!

Cough! Choke! Hahahaha

Sorry, couldn't bring that off with a straight face. Remind me never to play poker.

You really had my hopes up with the Zarqawi capture bit. dag nab it
Is it just me or are the Poles really spoiling to be a player?