ARCHIVED LINKS OF THE WEEK from 25 OCT 2008

a) Wealth Gap Creating a Social Time Bomb: Growing inequality in US cities could lead to widespread social unrest and increased mortality, according to a new United Nations report on the urban environment.

b) Note to Obama: The British command, the Taliban, and the Afghani government all agree that the recent start of talks in Mecca are more likely to lead to peace than a military victory brought by an escalation of US force.

c) This week brought a leaked final draft of the U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement.  If passed by the Iraqi parliament–which is highly questionable considering the amount of Shia opposition–it will determine the length and terms of the U.S. occupation.  According to one analysis, there is now little chance either way that any residual US forces will remain in Iraq beyond 2011, despite the Bush Admin’s original wish for a client state with US military bases.  [Update: Following the US strike in Syria that killed 8 people, the Iraqis want to renegotiate to insure that their country is not used as a base for further aggression.]

d) McCain campaign calls Obama a "socialist"–but why is that a smear in US political culture?  Democracy Now! interviews Rick MacArthur, president and publisher of Harper’s Magazine.  Check out the video, or listen to the audio only.

---