Stolen emails again demonstrate how the defence and political establishments do business in the US.
Politics / The World / United States
Rundle12: Santorum takes bad speeches to a new multiverse
Down in Colorado, they have a problem with black bears.
RBA could increase rates if there’s a sharp rise in inflation
Lots of mea culpas this morning from business economists and media pundits who got the Reserve Bank rate decision horribly wrong yesterday, write Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane.
Kohler: trouble in a carry trade paradise
Keynesian purists are all clutching their foreheads, but actually it’s pretty fabulous that Australia’s politicians are competing with each other to promise budget surpluses.
Rundle12: the return of Santorum opens the Republican race
Republican candidate Rick Santorum may be on the way to either victory or a close second in the Minnesota and Missouri contests tonight, throwing the smooth coronation of Mitt Romney into fresh doubt.
How to make a commercial for Uncle Sam
Setting itself apart from a raft of comedy advertisements, one of the creators of the already-legendary Chrysler Super Bowl spot (starring Clint Eastwood) discusses how to make a commercial for the US federal government.
Guy Rundle: Compared to these guys, Obama is Howard Zinn on bad acid
With five primaries and caucuses done, with party favourite Mitt Romney leading, and with the next four contests before Super Tuesday favouring him, the 2012 race for the Republican nomination is beginning to slip quietly away from the top of the news agenda.
The Tea Party is dead. Long live the Tea Party
The GOP spent months pondering the effect the Tea Party would have on Republican primaries, and the answer was: not much at all. One Tea Party leader has described the movement as “dead” and “gone,” reports Patricia Murphy.
Russia goes its own way over Syria
Last week there was some hope that Russia might be coming on board with the need to do something about the steadily increasing bloodshed in Syria.
Rundle12: Ron Paul beckons the lost boys and girls of Las Vegas
The sweet, sweet paradox of Ron Paul is that a large slice of his support comes from those who carefully and cheerfully disregard his foreign policy reviews altogether, writes Guy Rundle in Las Vegas.
Rundle12: vigorous primaries toughen candidates like fire tidies a room
With the exception of Colorado, each contest is getting some attention.
The Power Index 
Julian Assange: Australia’s most powerful thinker
Townsville’s most famous former computer hacker is changing how the media and diplomats operate. Julian Assange speaks Tom Cowie about the role of WikiLeaks and its power.
The risk of leaving Afghanistan early
The US Defense Secretary said overnight that US and NATO were aiming to end all combat in Afghanistan by the end of next year. But what will the earlier withdrawal mean for Afghanistan? asks David Ignatius.
Guy Rundle: Mitt in a canter, thank god for enthusiastic amateur night
Well, that was quick. Polls closed in Florida at 8pm (noon AEST), and CNN declared victory for Mitt Romney at 8.30pm.
Gingrich: it ain’t over
Despite being widely tipped to be trampled by Mitt Romney at the Florida primary, Newt Gingrich has assured supporters the Republican race is “a long way from being over,” reports Seema Mehta.
Axis of Evil still relevant 10 years on
David Frum helped to write George W Bush’s iconic “Axis of Evil” speech a decade ago. That speech was heavily criticised at the time, but Bush’s claims have all been proved true, says Frum.
Rundle12: no one understands how utterly unconservative Newt Gingrich is
In Gingrich you see something triangulate between Marx, Mussolini, Toffler and sundry others, an investment in nation and species, an utter disinterest in the fate of the individual. None of his supporters really understand that, or how utterly unconservative he is.
Maley: Bernanke holds a housing ace
Investors face a nervous few months as they try to work out when US central bank boss Ben Bernanke will play his last remaining trump card — buying up long-term mortgage bonds in an effort to revive the ailing US housing market.
Only faint hope for a deal with Iran on nukes
For a couple of months things have been looking pretty bleak on the Iranian front.
Rundle 12: it’s great to watch, this real pirate movie
Through the wide, night streets of Tampa came the pirates — tens of thousands of them, some in full regalia, tricorne hats and eye patches, plastic cutlasses and black velvet coats, girls in low-cut frilly white shirts and face paint.
UN begins nuclear inspection in Iran
In what could prove a turning point in US/Iran relations, UN nuclear inspectors began a mission to investigate rumours of a secret weapons program in Iran, reports The Associated Press.
The Stephen Colbert carnival continues, raising calls for campaign financing reform
The murky blend of corporate profit-taking and political interference was the focus of Stephen Colbert’s second spook campaign attack ad, which has given raise to widespread calls for campaign financing reform, writes Robin Cameron.
Guy Rundle: Emergency Republican scenario includes another Bush
So it’s on. And if Gingrich wins he’ll take all Florida’s delegates, 50 in total, which will put him way ahead in the delegate count.
Rundle12: down Florida way, Newt’s about to tear Mitt a fresh one afresh
They’re off the blocks in Florida today, for the fourth Republican primary (OK three primaries, one caucus) with a debate tonight in Tampa, and both Romney and Gingrich ripping each other new ones.
