Paul Crassnerd Scoops World Press

Ragblog exclusive correspondent Paul Crassnerd sent us this dispatch from what he says is "the mountains in the soon-to-be state of Independent Kurdistan":

The other day (Dec 3rd or 4th or so) when I saw Bush gladhanding Al-Hakim after dissing Nouri Maliki, and after the anti-Maliki "leak" by Cheney's chief "security" slut Stephen Hadley, I strongly suspected Mr. Maliki was on the way out as Iraqi PM, and Mr. al-Hakim on the way in. So I called Hunter (still in hiding in Wales, where the future is so easy to see it's scary), and he confirmed that that indeed would take place. "A done deal," said Hunter.

So I reported what Hunter [Thompson] said had actually occured as the CheneyBush-Maliki meeting progressed: frat boy Bushtwig calling Maliki a pendejo, and suggesting in Spanish that Maliki was "already gone" and that al-Hakim would soon be the CheneyBush's new puppet, or "fool by the whirlpool," to borrow a phrase from Bob Dylan.

That story, with photos of the meeting and CheneyBush's quotes, was posted a day or so later (Dec 5) on the Rag blog.

Today, Dec 11th, an AP story carried on the front page of the Austin paper, and likely elsewhere as well, suggests that the Ragblog was just about a full week ahead of events when the pendejo story was posted.

Today's AP story (Page A1, Austin American-Statesman) says "Major partners in Iraq's governing coalition are in behind-the-scenes talks to oust Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki amid discontent over his failure to quell raging violence, according to lawmakers involved."

"The new alliance would be led by senior Shiite politician Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who met with President Bush last week," says the AP story. No jive, folks. Google it.

You want news from the future? Look ahead. Ask Paul Crassnerd. Read the Ragblog daily.

I await my Pulitzer. OUR Pulitzer, I should say.

Hunter says we should accept the cash part only in Euros, yuan, or yen. Not dollars.