Maybe I'm a bit crazy

but isn't it big news that the Iraqi government has just today formally asked for, and received,an extension of the UN mandate authorizing the continued occupation of Iraq by US and coalition troops? I mean, given the fact that Iraq's "duly constituted sovereign government" could theoretically ask for an end to the occupation at any time, shouldn't it be important that it didn't, both to the Bush administration (which is probably nearly passed out in relief) and to the anti-occupation Westerners, like me (who is deeply disappointed). Maybe neither side wants to publicize the event for its own reasons and so no news is no news.