A decade after the Pentagon declared a zero-tolerance policy for racist hate groups, recruiting shortfalls caused by the war in Iraq have allowed "large numbers of neo-Nazis and skinhead extremists" to infiltrate the military, according to a watchdog organization.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks racist and right-wing militia groups, estimated that the numbers could run into the thousands, citing interviews with Defense Department investigators and reports and postings on racist Web sites and magazines.

"We've got Aryan Nations graffiti in Baghdad," the group quoted a Defense Department investigator as saying in a report to be posted today on its Web site, www.splcenter.org. "That's a problem."

A Defense Department spokeswoman said officials there could not comment on the report because they had not yet seen it.

The people I know who have been to Iraq are in neither of these groups. They just wanted money for college and to supplement their incomes, but this is sort of frightening. Having lived abroad, many places don't like us anyway, and with this being reported, I can't help but think this won't make a good impression.

Let's just bring the troops home as soon as possible.

Now, please Mr. Bush. By the way, Happy Birthday. By the way, you're neither.

"When history looks back, I'd rather be judged as solving problems and being correct, rather than being popular," Bush said.

"The president that chases the opinion poll is the president that will have failed policy," Bush said in an exclusive joint interview along with his wife, Laura, at the White House.

Argh. I'm going on over to read Weeky World News or Gawker or George Noory because this makes my noggin hurt.

  ¶ 7/07/2006 12:57:00 PM