The People's Prince rides again "The Gillard camp portrayed Rudd as a wrecker loathed by his colleagues, who had mistimed his run, and lost momentum. But they have nothing on Kevin Rudd or his media chutzpah when it comes to changing the story line." (Laura Tingle)
Will Labor keep marching off the cliff? "Julia Gillard may treat the other 102 caucus members respectfully. She may master her brief and navigate the hung parliament with skill. But in the broader community she is electoral poison: disliked, distrusted and dismissed. That is why Kevin Rudd is on a plane flying home to Australia today."
Still searching for a strategy to oust Assad "Western decision-makers are not quite sure just who the Syrian opposition would be - there is no single leadership that speaks on behalf of those fighting the regime on the ground in cities across Syria. And also, it's far from clear just how arming rebel forces would, in fact, 'stop the slaughter' and not intensify it."
Postscript: Marie Colvin, 1957-2012 "Clearly, and without hype, Colvin described how every house in Homs had been hit, including the top floor of the house where she was taking refuge. Of Bashar al-Assad's armed forces, Colvin said, 'It's a complete and utter lie they're only going after terrorists. The Syrian Army is simply shelling a city of cold, starving civilians.'"
Now hiring: Prime Minister of Australia "You will report to Her Excellency the Governor General, the people of Australia, backbenchers, the Leader of the Opposition, faceless men, and Alan Jones..."
