News Nuggets 987

DAYLEE PICTURE: A damselfly in Belgorod, Russia.  Form the Daily Mail of the UK.

Drone Strike Killed No. 2 in Al Qaeda, U.S. Official Says from the New York Times
"Abu Yahya al-Libi, the Qaeda deputy leader who escaped American custody in 2005, was killed in a drone strike in Pakistan on Monday, according to an American official."

Stuxnet Part of Obama's Broader Cyberattack Plan, Book Alleges from CBC News [of Canada]
"Computer virus developed by U.S., Israel to target Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment plant."

Mystery Iranian Deaths Amid Shadow War from United Press International 
"At least 10 high-ranking officers in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps are reported to have died recently, apparently in violent circumstances. But only two of the deaths have been made public, raising suspicions the officers may have been assassinated by Iran's enemies. The unusually large number of deaths among senior IRGC commanders followed a disclosure by Israel's military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, in April that covert Special Forces operations against "enemy countries" were becoming more intense."

Party Like It's 1989 (Perry Link) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Why China's post-Tiananmen political model is running out of steam."

U.S. Reopening World War II Bases in Pacific (Joshua Keating) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"As part of its emerging "Air-Sea Battle" concept, (see Robert Haddick for more on that) and the strategic pivot to the Pacific, the U.S. military is planning to brush out the cobwebs on a number of long-disused facilities for potential use during a new Pacific conflict."

The Obama Paradox (David Rothkopf) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"A conversation with David Sanger, author of a new book on Obama's secret wars."

The End of Germany's Illusions (Stefan Kaiser) from Der Speigel [of Germany in English]
"Germany's booming economy and plummeting unemployment has long insulated the country from the euro crisis on Europe's periphery. Those times, however, are coming to an end. The German economy is now showing it is vulnerable after all, and Chancellor Merkel will now be forced to make sacrifices."

It Can Happen Here: Europe’s Screwed Generation and America’s (Joel Kotkin) from the Daily Beast
"As the boomers have held on to generous jobs and benefits, their children have given up on raising families, writes demographer Joel Kotkin."

Lying To a Judge ... What Was George Zimmerman Thinking? (Mansfield Frazier) from the Daily Beast
"The man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin appeared to be in good position to beat the murder charge against him … until the court learned that he and his wife had lied during his bond hearing. Mansfield Frazier asks why."

America’s Worst Colleges (Andrew Leonard) from Salon
"How badly are for-profit schools serving young people? Corinthian Colleges embodies the industry's worst trends"

Can Liberals Cure Stupidity? (Thomas Schaller) from Salon
"One of the greatest obstacles to progressive causes is how ignorant Americans are about them."

Fear Factors: What Worries Romney Backers from Politico
"President Barack Obama’s campaign is threatened most by events he can’t control: a European financial catastrophe, an Israeli attack on Iran that could goose gas prices, economic stagnation. Mitt Romney’s campaign is threatened most by the man himself."

Wisconsin Recall: Two Potential Surprises from the Washington Post 
"... regardless of what happens between Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D), the results could be a split decision in a couple of ways. The first and far more likely scenario: Democrats lose the governor’s race but win control of the state Senate."

For GOP Grown-Up, a Tax Pledge Too Far (Daniel Ruth) from the Tampa Bay Times
"Jeb Bush blithely dismissed Norquist's bona fides as an influential player in national politics. A handful of other Republican candidates also have decried the pledge as absurd. Now the scion of one of the party's most revered families was undermining Norquist's dubious reputation as a power broker."

The New Normal? (Josh Marshall & a TPM reader) from Talking Points Memo 
"What really scares me is political consequences of this recession. Republicans have perfected an electoral strategy in which they almost never seem to be blamed for obstructing the economy to achieve their party’s electoral goals. That is terrifying. With no discussion of their role (or lack of it) in returning the economy to normal employment, the American electorate seems to have conceded that they just don’t care if one party tries to damage the economy for their own electoral gain."

A Generational Biography in “Barack Obama: The Story,” by David Maraniss (T.J. Stiles) from the Washington Post
"“Barack Obama” is not, in fact, an argument for or against the reelection of the president. It is an argument for the necessity of the book itself — the book as a medium. This biography possesses a richness and scope that cannot be captured in short-form journalism, magazine excerpts or a mere review. Maraniss has written a global, multigenerational saga that culminates in the emergence of a young man who is knowable, recognizable and real."

INTERESTING HOMES NUGGET!!
Homes with Unique Paint Jobs: A Slideshow from The Week
"Begone, safe shades that ensure maximum resale value. Here are five house exteriors that recklessly embrace the bright side."