Old Blackwater Keep On Movin'...

Protecting diplomats -Isn't that what the Marines should be for?

Blackwater's contract will not be renewed.

Equivocate!

"There is a great exhalation of breath going on in the world as people express their appreciation for the new direction that's being set and the team that is put together by the president," Clinton said. "We have a lot of damage to repair." - Reuters

I Winz!

New Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton sez stuff.

Chinese Diplomacy

Related story here.

Letters From Baghdad

'And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.'

"... officials assert that in the push to complete the long-delayed project, potentially life-threatening problems have been left untouched."

"... no one has ever inspected the electrical system..."


Article

Searching For Our Moral Compass

State Department's official blog

Question of the Week: Does the Popularity of the United States Matter and Should It Affect Policy Decisions?

A Warm Welcome to Our Northern Friends!

Story

Bali Boo

Image - Mii contest Alex Chang
Article

Law & Odurz: HVU

Story

Heads up from Jon Swift

Rankor! Dystrust! O Nos!

"I can tell you, very frankly, I am not aware of any financial interest or position he has with respect to Blackwater. When these ugly rumors started recently, I specifically asked him. I do not believe it is true that he is a member of the advisory board that you stated. And that's something I think I need to say." - 14 November 2007, Krongard's testimony before Congress.

State Department Inspector General Howard J. Krongard, who has
been accused of improperly interfering with investigations into private security
contractor Blackwater USA and with other probes, resigned
Friday.

... In a separate resignation letter to President Bush, he said
that he was troubled by "inherent structural and conceptual defects" in the
inspector general's job. He also expressed concern about the "grave threat to
public service posed by current rancor and distrust" among political parties,
the government, the media and interest groups.

Last month, Krongard recused himself from investigations regarding Blackwater after it was revealed in a dramatic appearance at a House committee hearing that Krongard's brother was on a Blackwater advisory board. Krongard had denied that his brother, Alvin B. Krongard, a former No. 3 official at the CIA, was connected to Blackwater until he was confronted at the hearing with paperwork indicating that his brother served on the board.

LATimes

Dinner at Annapolis: I can no haz cheesburgr?

We Can Nvr Haz Peez?

I suppose this only makes sense if you'd read this article.

I Can Haz Ur Job?

Via Mountainrunner, which is blogrolled at the State Department blog.