Weekend Wonk

(Read time: at your leisure.)

Grab a cup of coffee and check out the headlines you might have missed during the week. If you click on links, hit the “backspace” button to return to blog.

* Aspirin may lower death risks for women. LINK
* Northern Ireland’s bitter enemies reach historic pact. LINK
* Top 5 video role-playing games – RPGs. LINK
* Wynonna Judd files for divorce after husband’s arrest. LINK
* North Carolina man keeps 80 sheep in his home. LINK
* Department of Justice mistakes allow tax cheat to keep $100 million. LINK
* World’s tallest man gets married. LINK
* Last female WWI veteran dies. Only five WWI vets remain. LINK
* Bush gets laughter, applause at annual press dinner. LINK Transcript: LINK Video: LINK
* Bubbly and small talk with Her Majesty. LINK

A GOOD QUESTION:

CNN’s Jack Cafferty, “The Situation Room,” 29 March 2007, 4 p.m. ET, introducing his question of the day (LINK):

“Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, a good buddy of the president's, is calling the U.S. military presence in Iraq an ‘illegitimate foreign occupation.’ The king, of course, a good friend with all the Bush family, told leaders at the Arab League meeting that unless Arab governments settle their differences, foreign powers like the U.S. will keep dictating the region's future.

“And, that's not the only sign there could be problems between Saudi Arabia and the Bush administration. King Abdullah also called on the West to end its financial embargo against the Palestinians, a boycott that both the U.S. and Israel support.

"And, there's more. Abdullah invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Riyadh earlier this month. The Saudis have been willing to negotiate with Iran and Hezbollah in trying to bring some stability to Lebanon. That's something the United States is unwilling to do.

(…)

“The U.S. rejected Saudi Arabia's claim today, saying that American troops are in Iraq under a U.N. mandate and at the invitation of the Iraqi people.

“Remember back when they sent the note saying, ‘Please invade us?’ ”

Cafferty’s question: “What message does it send when Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah calls the U.S. presence in Iraq an ‘illegitimate foreign occupation?’”

READ OF THE WEEK:

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah turns down Bush’s state dinner invitation. For an analysis of “Bush’s Royal Trouble,” read Jim Hoagland’s op-ed column, The Washington Post, 28 March 2007. LINK

Saudi king blasts U.S. on Iraq “occupation.” CNN, 29 March 2007. LINK