Iraqi democracy in Action: So a new puppet prime minister has been appointed in Iraq. Iyad Allawi was a former Saddam Ba`thist and member of Saddam's intelligence service. His group (the National Accord) comprises former Saddam's henchmen. Yet, the profile of Allawi in NYT today left out that important fact and merely said that Allawi had "joined the [Ba`th] party's youth branch." Youth Branch? He was into his thirties in the party and in Saddam's secret police, and may have engaged in "dirty tricks" on behalf of the regime in London in the 1970s. The silly Washington Post had the most ridiculous allegation: that "Pick Appears to Catch Bush Administration Off Guard". Off guard? In fact, notice this account of NYTimes: "Iraqi council members said the council unanimously endorsed Dr. Alawi. L. Paul Bremer III, the chief American administrator here, then entered the room to congratulate Dr. Alawi." And as the Guardian reports, "UN sidelined in choice of Iraqi leader"