U.S. diplomacy and the attack on Kuwait: Blinkered View of Iraq – Diplomats Were Misled by Saddam's 'Cordial' Manner – Der Spiegel

The "misled" attribut is somewhat dubious.

The El-Masri Cable – Harpers

Though this cable is framed in typically diplomatic politesse, the underlying message seems clear: it was a demand that Chancellor Merkel’s government intervene to block the criminal investigation, coupled with a threat of negative consequences if it failed to do so.

The puppet that doesn't dance as the empire think it is supposed to do – As U.S. assesses Afghan war, Karzai a question mark Key sentence:

Skeptics of the strategy contend his actions, particularly in the six months since the Obama administration started to embrace him as a partner, demonstrate that he cannot be rehabilitated.

So in the eyes of the empire Karzai is criminal, addicted or ill and therefore in need of "rehabilitation"?

Billmon and I have written quite a bit about the Lincoln Group. A shop the U.S. military paid to produce hidden propaganda in Iraq and elsewhere. Walter Pincus points out that the Lincoln Group is still in that business: Pentagon forced to extend Iraq contracts that are under appeal

Central Command announced last week it had to extend the Fulcra contract for six months because to "award to any other source would result in unacceptable delays and negatively impact the ability" of U.S. forces in Iraq to carry on "all aspects of media communications activities," according to the paper justifying the decision.

Under the contract, which it has had for more than three years, Fulcra not only works directly with the Iraq government spokesman and ministers at the Defense and Interior ministries, but also carries out monitoring of media in Iraq, plans strategic messaging, and manages web materials for English and Arabic sites supporting the Iraq command. Fulcra is the new name for the Lincoln Group, which as a Pentagon contractor in 2005 was found to have paid Iraqi newspapers to print stories written by American soldiers or its employees.

The Lincoln Group propaganda shop changed its name to Iraqex, then to Fulkra and, something Pincus missed, is now running as Strategic Social. Years ago Billmon wrote about black funding for the GOP through DOD contracts with the Lincoln Group.

The Fed and the role of TARP – The Invisible Bailout – A Tiny Revolution