Polio Disappears From India

It’s been over a year since the last reported case of polio in India. Here, a newborn in New Delhi receives a polio drop.

America And Mexico’s Drug Trade Relationship

American relations with Mexico aren’t exactly symbiotic.

Effects Of The Iraq War: The Iraqi Perspective

The Article: How Do Iraqis View the Effects of the Iraq War? by Daniel Larison in The American Conservative.

The Text: This Zogby poll of Iraqi and other opinions about the consequences of the U.S. invasion should be required reading (via Ricks). It is by far the most comprehensive survey of Iraqi opinion about the war that I have seen, and it is first since the withdrawal of U.S. forces. The responses to one question in particular deserve close attention. The question was, “Since the U.S. entered Iraq, how do you feel the following areas of life have been impacted?” Consistent with other surveys, Kurdish opinion tends to be extremely positive, because Iraqi Kurds experienced almost none of the upheaval and violence during the eight and a half years of U.S. occupation. For the most part, Shia and Sunni Arabs perceive almost every aspect of life to have become worse or not changed.

For example, when asked about political freedom, 53% of Shias and 54% of Sunni Arabs say that things are worse now, and less than a third of each group believes that things have improved. As for personal security and safety, there is an overwhelming consensus among both groups (81% of Shias, 88% of Sunni Arabs) that it is worse than before, which is hardly surprising. The responses on economic development/employment are almost as lopsided and negative: 74% of Shias and 80% of Sunni Arabs say that things are worse. In every category except religious freedom, Shia and Sunni Arabs are in agreement that things have become worse since the U.S. invaded. Overall results show that there is only one category (religious freedom) in which there are more respondents reporting improvement over the pre-invasion state of affairs, and even this is just a 39% plurality. Keep these numbers in mind when you next hear some dead-ender complaining about how ungrateful the Iraqis are for all that “we” have done for them.

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I Get Lost In My Mind

Lost In My Mind by The Head and the Heart off of The Head and the Heart.

Right-Wing Donations Dominate 2012

Yes, Obama has one heckuva pile of campaign donations. However it is interesting to note that 17 of the 20 highest donations have been made by conservatives. Food for thought.