Friday digest

- As part of her inaugauration week, incoming Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi is going to be attending Mass. Leaving aside her personal politics vis-a-vis Catholic teachings, isn't this an egregious breach of the principle of separation of church and state?

Surely the liberal ACLU will be rapping Pelosi's knuckles, no?

- Joe Lieberman recounts what he saw during a recent visit to Iraq, here, and calls for an increase in troop strength while Barack Obama has called for Iraqis to take control of the situation themselves. I also think this editorial's conclusion is the right one concerning the execution of Saddam, but I think it's great that the Pollyanna-ish Iraq Study Group report has been shelved, not least because it recommends bringing the likes of the deplorable Syria in as a partner for peace in the region.

- According to Daniel Pipes, the three biggest dangers to the West right now - all internally generated, too - are pacifism, self-hatred and complacency. Meanwhile, in a positive development, Ethiopia seems to be taking control from Islamists in Somalia.

- Staying with Africa, here's an interesting piece on the oil trade in the Niger Delta.

- Laughter through tears: a Quebec woman, shackled by the chains of socialist health care, has taken out an ad in a newspaper to obtain a family doctor.

- Finally, if anyone cares, Jean-Pierre Kingsley has resigned as Canada's chief electoral officer and I think it's long overdue because of the simple fact that his son served as Paul Martin's press secretary during the first months of Martin's Prime Ministership. Conflict of interest, anyone?