Bush, Israel, Push Myth That Hamas is Iran's Puppet

To Present Assault on Gaza as Proxy War With Iran

Tennessee Coal Plant Spill Buries 400 Acres, Damages Homes

One of 12 damaged in the spill (Photo: TVA)

Largest environmental disaster of its kind in U.S. history

Where Have the Bailout Billions Gone?

"The money was given to financial institutions in return for those institutions to lend to small and medium enterprises. There was an explicit quid pro quo"

Greek Riots Fed by Years of Anger

Not enough simply to blame some Anarchists, or youngsters with an appetite for destruction

Iran Faces Crisis as Oil Prices Collapse

Budget counting on oil prices at $90/barrel

Taliban Choking Off NATO Supply Convoys

Even as U.S. vows 30,000 additional troops in Afghanistan by mid-2009

Prank Call Almost Brought India, Pakistan to Nuclear Brink

Hoax sent Pakistan into a state of 'high alert'

EU Again Delays Global Warming Controls

Industry wins bid to continue coal pollution without penalty until 2019 or beyond

Scientists Hail Obama Returning U.S. to Fact-Based Policies

Leading biologists, physicists, to replace political hacks in top posts

Steven Chu: Obama's Smart Pick for Energy Dept.

Nobel laureate physicist Chu has been busy promoting the need to combat global warming by shifting away from dependence on fossil fuel

PRESIDENT 44: THE PREQUEL © Patrick Chappatte 2008

The Bush administration has gone out of its way to lend a hand to Obama's transition team and, in the process, help institutionalize the imperial transition itself. Like the new money arrangements pioneered in the 2008 elections, it surely will remain part of the political landscape for the foreseeable future. From such developments in our world, it seems, there's never any turning back. There's nothing strange about all this, of course, if you're already inside this system. It seems, in fact, too obvious to mention. After all, what president wouldn't move into the political/governmental house he's inheriting as efficiently and fully as possible? The unprecedented size of this imperial pre-presidency signals that what is to come -- quite aside from the specific policies adopted by a future Obama administration -- will be yet another imperial presidency. (And, by the way, those who expect Congress to suddenly become the player it hasn't been, wielding power long ceded, are as likely to be disappointed as those who expect a Hillary Clinton State Department renaissance under the budgetary shadow of the Pentagon.) On January 20th, Barack Obama will be more prepared than any president in recent history to move in and, as everyone now likes to write, "hit the ground running." But that ground -- the bloated executive and the vast national security apparatus that goes with it (as well as the U.S. military garrisons that dot the planet), all further engorged by George W., Dick, and pals -- is anything but fertile when it comes to "change."

When Barack Obama visits the Virginia headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency in the not-too-distant future, he might want to scan the room to see how many of them sport green badges, the telltale sign that they are contractors and not federal employees. A recent federal survey identified some 37,000 private employees in the intelligence sector who work side-by-side with civil servants as analysts, technology specialists and mission managers. About a quarter of this number are involved in the cloak-and-dagger activities of intelligence collection and operations. Indeed, well over half of the $66 billion spent on intelligence in the United States is believed to go to private military contractors

Bush Pushing Through Dozens of New Rules to Cripple Obama

Some will be difficult for Obama to reverse

Blame Game over Mumbai Massacre Could Doom Kashmir

Conservative India politicians seize upon Mumbai attack to discredit the nationalist revolt in Kashmir

Kashmir Leaders: We had Nothing to do With Mumbai Massacre

Both separatist and mainstream groups condemn terror

Thai Elites Install Their Man as Premier

Controversial politician backed by right-wing royalists and corrupt party

Thailand Government Falls As Court Bans Ruling Party

Right-wing forces from previous military junta have rival leader ousted

Only 66 Nations Sign UN Resolution on Human Rights for Gays

Counter declaration to keep homosexuality illegal gets 60 signatures

Drop Cuba Embargo, Obama Told by U.S. Commerce

Obama has said political reforms a precondition to normalized relations

U.S. Still World's Largest Arms Supplier

Top buyers are Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iraq

Bush Gets "Peace" Award

Minister awards "P.E.A.C.E." prize for efforts to fight AIDS, though no mention of condoms