Lock it up in Guantanamo!

“Climate Change Seen as Threat to U.S. Security” – Headline in New York Times, August 9.

I know all about it

“I think it’s torture when I have to ride in the car with my kids and they have loud rap music on.” – John Brennan, a former CIA official under George W. Bush and now a member of President Barack Obama’s National Security Council, explaining why he thinks CIA “enhanced interrogation” isn’t so bad.

Rugged independence

“... the medium-term future of GM’s foreign operations will depend on whether they generate sufficient revenues and attract enough government subsidies to be self-sustaining.” – Anne Davies in the Sydney Morning Herald, June 2.

Lost billions? Have some more

“We are going to be doing things which ultimately – in order to get the credit flowing again – are going to benefit the institutions that are at the core of the problem.” – Timothy Geithner, former president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank and now US Treasury secretary.

And wings to pigs

“This is a historic opportunity afforded us to give capitalism a conscience.” – French President Nicolas Sarkozy, prior to the April 2 G20 London summit.

Swiftness

“Complaints are taken seriously and acted on swiftly.” – Ian Macdonald, NSW primary industries minister, on two Sydney KFC restaurants being fined for cleanliness and pest violations committed between May 2007 and February 2008.

Sorry, but could you explain the irony?

“Ironically, it now falls to social democracy to prevent liberal capitalism from cannibalising itself.” – Kevin Rudd in his essay in the Monthly.

And take the rap if they didn’t?

“The question they want answered is whether we can build automated weapons that would conform to the laws of war.” – British robotics expert Colin Allen, who has been hired by the US Navy to advise on the programming of military robots.

The optimist

“If you print enough money, you can create inflation.” – Kenneth S. Rogoff, a former IMF chief economist, on trying to prevent deflation and economic stagnation.

The realist

“The undercurrent in the market is one of absolute terror.” – a US stockmarket “veteran trader”, quoted in the November 21 Wall Street Journal.

There’s a difference?

“Is this the US Congress or the board of directors of Goldman Sachs?” – US Democratic member of Congress Dennis Kucinich, speaking on the US$700 billion bailout of Wall Street.

Overcoming difficulties

“Privatisation, of course, has always been a difficult issue for the Labor Party.” – Anthony Albanese, Labor MP and federal infrastructure minister.

He moves in mysterious ways

“This is why God made banks, for this kind of transaction.” – A surprised US factory owner, whose bank unexpectedly refused him a loan to expand his business.

Just created a ‘big-business friendly’ political environment

“The United States government has stayed out of the matter of awarding the Iraq oil contracts. It’s a private sector matter.” – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, June 29.

There are times when it isn’t?

“At times downright malicious and dishonest.” – NSW Shires Association president Bruce Miller, describing the state Labor government.