Despite growing international concern about Iran's nuclear program and its regional ambitions, most U.S. intelligence shared with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency has proved inaccurate, and none has led to significant discoveries inside Iran, diplomats here said...

"Since 2002, pretty much all the intelligence that's come to us has proved to be wrong," said a senior diplomat at the atomic energy agency.

The aftermath of the surge plan should have displayed to all of us that this President simply won't tolerate dissent from those he feels whose job description is "make my plans happen."

In the end, Gates did nothing to stop the surge.  In the end, he'll go along with the bombing of Iran, even if it's nuclear...this is why the generals are really talking resignation, they know that they have 3 choices now:

1. Resignation.

2. Bomb Iran conventionally and risk triggering an Iranian army backlash that will result in a staggeringly decisive military defeat that will kill thousands of our troops and ignite a regional war.

3. Using tactical nuclear weapons that will kill millions to stop the Iranian army, turning the world against America to the point where a third world war may be inevitable.

Or listen to the BBC for news. Most of their content streams online these days, making it accessible far beyond the reach of the intended audience (unless, as in the case of the World Service, the intended audience is "everybody.") Plus, they cover stories that the American press is too busy covering missing white girls to be able to bother with, especially if the story deals with Africa or parts of Asia where we aren't shooting at people.

Handy dandy links:

BBC Radio main page

BBC World Service

BBC Radio Five -- this channel seems to be more domestically oriented (yeah, big surprise) and has quite a bit of sport to it

BBC Radio Four -- "Intelligent speech," whatever that may entail

There are also other regional broadcasters (for Wales, Ulster, Scotland, and everywhere from Newcastle to Cornwall) that can be reached through the main page above. I will admit that I tend to stick primarily to the World Service with side trips to BBC 7 when they're doing some of my old favourites (like the Goon Show, or dramatizations of Terry Pratchett novels). The World Service is an old comfortable habit, picked up in my youth when I got my first shortwave receiver, and I've been going to them for news for years.

The avalanche has started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote. -- Ambassador Kosh

Seriously. There's a major constitutional crisis brewing over Iran. And if the people don't speak up and make their voices heard, those who oppose this will feel we don't have their back and may cave to Bush.

"If you look for the social economic motive, you will not have to wait for history to tell you what was propaganda and what was truth." - George Seldes