Dear readers

Glenn Dyer writes:

Greedy, greedy Westpac. The bank's move in increasing its standard variable home lending rate by 0.45%, almost double the Reserve Bank's rise of 0.25%, was nothing but a grubby grab for cash, dressed up with the usual banking bullsh-t about cost pressures.

From the BBC

US President Barack Obama has ordered 30,000 more US troops to Afghanistan but warned America would begin to withdraw its military by 2011.

The new deployment over six months will bring America's troop strength in the country to more than 100,000, in the fight against Taliban militants.

Mr Obama also urged America's allies in Nato to send more troops.

Defending the war, he insisted there were no parallels with Vietnam and that world security was at stake.

from the SMH

''God almighty,'' one of them wailed after the party had accidentally elevated the decidedly non-moderate Abbott as its new leader. ''What have we done?''

What they had done was go all squishy at the first hurdle, tripping up their champion, Big Joe Hockey, and eliminating him from the race.

"I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama, October 27, 2007

President Obama ordered top military leaders to begin carrying out his new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, a move that is believed to include the deployment of more than 30,000 additional troops into the 8-year-old conflict, the White House confirmed Monday.

from Crikey .....

Andrew Crook writes:

It was the day the Liberals and the ETS died in a head-on car crash befitting the spectacular fireworks of an ridiculous last week in Canberra. Christmas had clearly come early for hyperactive politicos who gathered around TV screens to watch the carnage unfold.

Tony Abbott has addressed parliament for the first time as opposition leader - and declared he will now have to stop flirting with Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Mr Abbott kicked off proceedings in the lower house today by stating "a little while ago I was elected leader of the federal parliamentary Liberal Party".

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The pressure on Tony Blair is mounting. After only four days of the Chilcot inquiry, the former prime minister is reported to be furious that a succession of senior diplomats and civil servants have torn into his reputation by questioning his judgment and honesty over the decision to go to war with Iraq.

from Crikey .....

New law gives police the right to frisk anyone, anywhere

Greg Barns writes:

Do Victoria's police minister Bob Cameron and that state's police commissioner Simon Overland like policy to be evidence-based or are they more interested in political point-scoring and window-dressing?

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

The inspiring news in a week of political strife and tumult is that Kevin Andrews stands ready to lead the Liberal Party and the nation to broad, sunlit uplands. His bold challenge to Malcolm Turnbull last Wednesday surely dispels at a stroke the unkind perception of a sneering few that the member for Menzies is a prissy, extravagantly barbered dolt with a political tin ear.

from Crikey .....

So how come an ETS was OK under John Howard? Ask the oldies .....

Canberra correspondent Bernard Keane writes:

This image of Uluru was composed by Gus (using Gus's own pictures) and can be used by anyone. Read more...

bishops, abbots and cardinal sins

At the heart of Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22 is a brilliant paradox: if you plead insanity to avoid suicidal bombing missions then you must be sane and can't be excused.

Tony Abbott will challenge Malcolm Turnbull for the Liberal leadership on Monday.

Mr Abbott is one of several frontbenchers who resigned yesterday over dissatisfaction with Mr Turnbull's handling of the emissions trading scheme legislation.

He says if Mr Turnbull refuses to change his mind on the bill on Friday, there will be a leadership spill on Monday.