RSS roundup

Quick spin through the feeds:

Digby reminds us just what a rancid waste of skin Duke Cunningham has been throughout his career. No disgrace could possibly prove sufficient.

Laura Rozen explains that the new Shi'ite death squads in Iraq are likely the result of deliberate, well-rehearsed US policy.

Think Progress provides a much needed reality check on our "progress" in Iraq.

Pam Spaulding asks, "Seriously, is the President batshit crazy?" Similarly, is Iran's president as well? I'd like to move to the moon now, please.

Henry Farrell notes that Poland could get suspended from the European Union for providing prison space for the American gulags.

Atrios notes that the same folks who so badly screwed up this war are likely to screw up any withdrawal just as badly.

Juan Cole has a bunch of worthwhile Iraq-related links in this post.

And on an unrelated note, what the hell is going on in the Royal Marines?

The Conservative party's spokesman for homeland security Patrick Mercer said he had come across this sort of thing occasionally during his 26 years in the Army.

"I can't tell you how damaging it is," he said. "Just imagine a young man turning up in his unit and being made to wrestle naked in a field while his non-commissioned officers are dressed up in women's frillies. I mean, it's not very dignified stuff, is it?"

Twelve soldiers who had just finished their 32-week commando training were alleged to have taken part in the initiation ritual, while around 40 other marines - also stripped naked - watched. The fight appears to have been "directed" by two non-commissioned officers. One was dressed in a surgeon's outfit, the other dressed as a schoolgirl.

Ummm...