What Caught My Eye Today

Georgia - Russian tanks roared deep into Georgia, launching a new western front in the conflict, and Russian planes staged air raids that sent people screaming and fleeing for cover in some towns. Georgia's president said his country had been sliced in half with the capture of a critical highway crossroads near the central city of Gori. Georgia had pledged a cease-fire, but it rang hollow. The problem with a cease fire agreement is that both sides have to agree to it. And why would Russia want to agree to anything when things are so obviously going its way? The world's seven largest economic powers urged Russia to accept an immediate cease-fire agree to international mediation. Again, why would Russia have any interest in doing so now? In a statement President George Bush said there was an apparent attempt by Russia to unseat the pro-Western Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. He said further Russian action would conflict with Russian assurance its actions were meant to restore peace in the pro-Russian separatist areas. Meaning what exactly? Meanwhile Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized the United States for viewing Georgia as the victim instead of the aggressor, and for airlifting Georgian troops back home from Iraq. Here's a little piece of trivia for you. After the U.S. and Great Britain, Georgia has the third largest contingent of troops in Iraq. Who knew?

Pakistan - Lawmakers in Pakistan's most powerful province accused President Pervez Musharraf of gross misconduct and demanded he step down, an opening salvo in the ruling coalition's campaign to oust the defiant former army chief. Legislators in Punjab province's assembly voted overwhelmingly, 321-25, for the anti-Musharraf resolution, even drawing support from 35 members of the main pro-Musharraf party. Sounds like a mighty big salvo to me. The resolution calls on Musharraf to seek a vote of confidence by the federal and provincial assemblies or to resign. Otherwise the Punjab assembly will ask Parliament to impeach him. The other three provincial assemblies are expected to vote on similar resolutions in the coming days, after which an impeachment motion would be brought up in Parliament. Musharraf seized power in a 1999 military coup and dominated Pakistan for years, but he grew increasingly unpopular, especially after he removed dozens of judges and declared emergency rule last year. He has been largely sidelined since his foes won February's parliamentary elections. No president has been impeached in Pakistan's turbulent 61-year history, but the coalition argues it will succeed in getting the two-thirds majority required in a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament to strip Musharraf of the presidency. Here's an interesting notion--impeaching a president on charges of being unfit to lead. I was under the impression that you only impeached a President because you didn't like him or because he was engaging in a little extra-curricular hankie pankie with comely looking interns. I guess that sort of thing only happens in the United States.

Iraq - This is what you might call one of those 'boring but important' news items. Jordan's King Abdullah II held talks with Iraq's prime minister after coming to Baghdad on an unannounced visit, the first by an Arab head of state since the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. Abdullah called on Arab governments to "extend their hand to Iraq" because a strong Iraq "is a source of strength for the Arab nation." I'm thinking 'strength' is code for 'oil', but that's just me. Ties between the two neighboring countries had been strained since the fall of Saddam because of Jordanian fears that Iraq's Shiite-led government was too friendly with Shiite-dominated Iran. Jordanian officials have been concerned about Iranian influence in Iraq and the loss of discounted oil. See what I mean? Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told the king that Iraq wanted to improve relations with all Arab countries. Well sure, why limit who you sell oil to when there is so much demand for the stuff?

NASA - One wondered when NASA was going to get around to making this announcement. NASA has abandoned plans to get its replacement for the retiring U.S. space shuttles into service by 2013 because of a lack of additional funds and technical issues. The U.S. space agency had hoped to fly astronauts to the International Space Station aboard a new spaceship called Orion as early as September 2013, well before its formal deadline or goal of March 2015. The United States will be without a means to transport people to and from space after the shuttle fleet is retired in 2010 until the new ships are ready to fly. It intends to rely on Russia to ferry crews to the space station and on private companies to deliver cargo during the gap. Gee, that should be fun. And not to dwell on the previous story too much, but how much do you think this will complicate U.S. relations with Russia, now that we find ourselves in the enviable position of having to rely on Russia to get to and from the International Space Station.

Olympics - US swim legend Mark Spitz won't be on hand in Beijing if Michael Phelps breaks his record of seven gold medals at a single Olympics -- because, he says, no one bothered to invite him. Can you say, "sour grapes"?Spitz said the International Olympic Committee, a US television network or FINA -- the international body that governs world swimming -- should have brought him to the Games this year, with Phelps making a go at his record. Spitz became one of the most famous athletes in the world at the 1972 Munich Olympics, winning seven gold medals -- with seven world records -- in what many consider to be one of the greatest achievements in all of sport. Phelps is aiming to better that mark in Beijing, hoping to bring home eight golds. And Spitz cannot understand why he wasn't asked along to see the show. "They voted me one of the top five Olympians in all time. Some of them are dead. But they invited the other ones to go to the Olympics, but not me," he said. "Yes, I am a bit upset about it." I never would have guessed. Spitz also thinks he could have won eight golds himself in Munich if only he had had the chance. "I won seven events. If they had the 50m freestyle back then, which they do now, I probably would have won that too," he said. Now see, its attitude like that that likely deterred most folks from extending an invitation to Spitz. Dude, this isn't about you, Marky-mark. The more you try to make it about you, the more you are going to fade into obscurity. Lighten up already, will you?