Around the Web

I may have more of my own later today. But, in the meantime, here are some links to some good and important pieces published elsewhere on the web in recent days.

First, a few links on pieces about the Downing Street Memos and related issues:

• Cindy Sheehan's heartbreaking testimony before the Democrats' unofficial hearings on the Downing Street Memo. (via)
• Tom Engelhardt and Mark Danner on the reporting of the Downing Street Memos, then and now
• Billmon on the forthcoming scapegoating of antiwar liberals. (Update here.)
• Publius on finding out why we invaded Iraq.
• The Medium Lobster refuses to divulge why we invaded Iraq.

Second, a few pieces on Senator Durbin's recent condemnation of American torture and the reaction to it:

• Slacktivist on Thresholds (also a good related piece here, with bonus Buffy quoting)
• Orcinus on the eliminationist reaction to Durbin's remarks
• Patrick and Teresa Nielsen-Hayden on why we can't rule out Nazi analogies.

Finally, a few random other pieces:

• PZ Meyers on whether religion is a threat to religious beliefs and on the Planet of the Hats.
• Brad Plummer on who is really middle class in America.

Enjoy! (Well, they're not all really enjoyable: but "Benefit from!" isn't really idiomatic English...)