"Americans spent as much on 'plastic Santa Clauses,' tinsel and other holiday purchases last year as they will for defense in the coming year, the Army's top general said Wednesday, lamenting complaints about the military's budget requests.

Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, told reporters: 'I just don't understand. ... What's the problem?' "

Let's see who reminds us this time of the importance of civilian control of the military.

---

"The CIA has operated more than 1,000 secret flights over EU territory in the past five years, some to transfer terror suspects in a practice known as "extraordinary rendition", an investigation by the European parliament said yesterday."