Damned Empire

Is America Brave Or Stupid Enough To Keep The Status Quo?

2006-11-07T00:13:00.000-08:00

Like many others, I have also gotten a few of the "Robocalls" instigated by Rove and his associates. My unwanted calls came from...

Conquest Communications
phone: 804-358-0560. FAX: 804-213-0797.
2812 Emerywood Parkway, Suite 103, Richmond, Virginia 23294.

Early voting in Florida had voters discovering that the Democrat they voted for suddenly switched to the Republican candidate instead when they tried to confirm their votes.

Connecticut has weird stuff going on as does Ohio...

The Head of the Election Board in Missouri, I think it was, was told three times by an election worker that she would have to show a picture ID in order to vote even tho the state's Supreme Court made it very clear that photo IDs were not required to vote. The Election Board officer happened to be a Democrat...go figure.

Bush, Cheney and the Republicans are now asking "What will the Democrats do to win in Iraq?" It's a sorry ploy to undermine the minority.

I've got a better question for America...

What are the Republicans doing to "win" in Iraq?

Answer...NOT A DAMN THING.
What are the Republicans doing about the high cost of Health care?

Answer...Letting drug companies and Insurance companies write legislation that hurts most Americans while lining very few pockets to a massive profit margin.
What are the Republicans doing about the high price of fuel?

Answer...ALLOWING OIL CORPORATIONS TO SLIDE ON ROYALTIES THEY OWE THE GOVERNMENT, ALLOWING HALLIBURTON TO DEFRAUD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND GIVING THEM MORE TAX BREAKS EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE MADE RECORD PROFITS.

I know people who have to cut back on groceries to afford enough gas to go back and forth to work while Exxon's last CEO draws over $190,000 a day in his retirement package...am I the only one who sees a problem with this?
What are the Republicans doing about giving the country a raise in minimum wage?

Answer...DOING EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING WHILE GIVING THEMSELVES A RAISE ALMOST EVERY YEAR.
What can Americans do?

Do you want the truth or a Rove fantasy?
Answer...
Hold the Republican party responsible for corruption, lack of accoutability, and putting our country at financial risk. There will be NO ACCOUNTABILITY as long as Republicans hold the Congress AND Senate.

The Congress and Senate should not be a rubber stamp for an out of touch White House and America would not stand for our Constitution being subverted like it is if we really were brave.

I suppose we shall soon see whether America is truly brave...or if stupidity wins out yet again.

Added 11/14/06...

With hope for the first time in 6 years, I am proud of America.
The Rubber Stamp Is No Longer Available.

Even with the purging of voters, dirty tricks and scare tactics...the Republicans who have had total control to devastate America, Afghanistan and Iraq are no longer in control.

With any luck, there will now be at least some accountability.

THAT is the best I can hope for...THANK YOU AMERICA...

Genocide At The Hands Of Israel Has Not Stopped

2006-09-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

One has to wonder how and why Israel gets such a free ticket to slaughter those it does not want to get along with but it looks obvious enough...if Israel suffocates all of the Palestinian people (the ones they do not murder) they will have nothing to stop them from taking the land left behind.

Gaza is dying. The Israeli siege of the Palestinian enclave is so tight that its people are on the edge of starvation. Here on the shores of the Mediterranean a great tragedy is taking place that is being ignored because the world's attention has been diverted by wars in Lebanon and Iraq.

A whole society is being destroyed. There are 1.5 million Palestinians imprisoned in the most heavily populated area in the world. Israel has stopped all trade. It has even forbidden fishermen to go far from the shore so they wade into the surf to try vainly to catch fish with hand-thrown nets.

Many people are being killed by Israeli incursions that occur every day by land and air. A total of 262 people have been killed and 1,200 wounded, of whom 60 had arms or legs amputated, since 25 June, says Dr Juma al-Saqa, the director of the al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City which is fast running out of medicine. Of these, 64 were children and 26 women. This bloody conflict in Gaza has so far received only a fraction of the attention given by the international media to the war in Lebanon.

The above article can be found here in The Independent.

Just another in your face slap to the world and anyone who wants to believe that the American, British or Israeli government believes in or abides by democracy.

Millions of people are starving, men, women and children...all because the three countries that preach democracy did not agree with who was DEMOCRATCALLY ELECTED in the Palestinian elections so the U.S and U.K. cut off all financial aid and now they are letting their Middle Eastern bulldog...Israel...kill off any chance of the Palestinian people making ANY kind of life.

It was on 25 June that the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was taken captive and two other soldiers were killed by Palestinian militants who used a tunnel to get out of the Gaza Strip. In the aftermath of this, writes Gideon Levy in the daily Haaretz, the Israeli army "has been rampaging through Gaza - there's no other word to describe it - killing and demolishing, bombing and shelling, indiscriminately". Gaza has essentially been reoccupied since Israeli troops and tanks come and go at will. In the northern district of Shajhayeh they took over several houses last week and stayed five days. By the time they withdrew, 22 Palestinians had been killed, three houses were destroyed and groves of olive, citrus and almond trees had been bulldozed.

Fuad al-Tuba, the 61-year-old farmer who owned a farm here, said: "They even destroyed 22 of my bee-hives and killed four sheep." He pointed sadly to a field, its brown sandy earth churned up by tracks of bulldozers, where the stumps of trees and broken branches with wilting leaves lay in heaps. Near by a yellow car was standing on its nose in the middle of a heap of concrete blocks that had once been a small house.

His son Baher al-Tuba described how for five days Israeli soldiers confined him and his relatives to one room in his house where they survived by drinking water from a fish pond. "Snipers took up positions in the windows and shot at anybody who came near," he said. "They killed one of my neighbours called Fathi Abu Gumbuz who was 56 years old and just went out to get water."

Sometimes the Israeli army gives a warning before a house is destroyed. The sound that Palestinians most dread is an unknown voice on their cell phone saying they have half an hour to leave their home before it is hit by bombs or missiles. There is no appeal.

But it is not the Israeli incursions alone that are destroying Gaza and its people. In the understated prose of a World Bank report published last month, the West Bank and Gaza face "a year of unprecedented economic recession. Real incomes may contract by at least a third in 2006 and poverty to affect close to two thirds of the population." Poverty in this case means a per capita income of under $2 (£1.06) a day.

There are signs of desperation everywhere. Crime is increasing. People do anything to feed their families. Israeli troops entered the Gaza industrial zone to search for tunnels and kicked out the Palestinian police. When the Israelis withdrew they were replaced not by the police but by looters. On one day this week there were three donkey carts removing twisted scrap metal from the remains of factories that once employed thousands.

"It is the worst year for us since 1948 [when Palestinian refugees first poured into Gaza]," says Dr Maged Abu-Ramadan, a former ophthalmologist who is mayor of Gaza City. "Gaza is a jail. Neither people nor goods are allowed to leave it. People are already starving. They try to live on bread and falafel and a few tomatoes and cucumbers they grow themselves."

Again, Israel has knocked out the electric power station in Gaza, destroying civilian infrastructure as they did in Lebanon, which is yet another item counted as a WAR CRIME.

Where are those who preach about democracy and human rights? Why are they not putting a stop to Israeli terrorism? They are sitting on their couch hoping Israel will enpty out parts of the region so they can empty out the rest. Curse every single one of them and for every innocent killed, may they be haunted and plagued by their complicity.

Many people get testy with me for stating something that calls Israel terrorists. Not all Israelis are terrorists but many are. If you do not believe that it is possible, maybe you should check your actual history...

History actually acknowledges that plans to create Israel began before 1917 in Britain. I have read some history...it starts with WWI and The Balfour declaration. In fact, the Balfour declaration was seen by many as a betrayal of promises made to the Arab people by Britain itself...a contradiction of agreements made to the Arabs.

In his November, 2002 interview with the New Statesman magazine, the UK Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, has blamed Britain's imperial past for many of the modern political problems, including the Arab-Israeli conflict.

"The Balfour declaration and the contradictory assurances which were being given to Palestinians in private at the same time as they were being given to the Israelis—again, an interesting history for us, but not an honourable one," he said.

The "League of Nations" exercise was nothing more than a British plan set into motion.

Britain placed a ban on Jewish immigration to Palestine before WWII ended. The ban prevented a massive influx of Jews to an already tense Arab/Jewish living arrangement. The ban was kept up after the war ended and the Zionist apparently saw fit to assasinate British officials and commit acts of terrorism upon British entities which led to Britian turning over Israel's welfare (mandate) to the U.S. in 1948.

It is ABSOLUTE FACT that Israel is fully capable of terrorism and uses terrorism to achieve any goal it deems necessary...otherwise why would they have committed acts of terrorism on the very people who manipulated to give them what they wanted...

Israel's instigation in Lebanon...

2006-08-21T15:39:00.000-07:00

Israel is at it yet again...violating Lebanon's airspace and now killing three who "looked" threatening.

An Israeli army spokesman said on Monday evening: "A force identified armed gunmen coming toward them in a threatening way. The soldiers fired at them and identified three hits."

It is unclear if the men were killed in the shooting which is one of the most serious incidents since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah began on August 13.

The above article can be found at AlJazeera.net.

Israeli publications even admit that Israel is instigating as this quote from Haaretz states...

Even if the tasks that the multinational force will undertake will not meet Israel's requirements, or address all the articles of Resolution 1701, it will force both Lebanon and Israel to recognize the fact the UN decisions have practical significance. Lebanon needs this force because it is meant to assist the government and will not only act to deter Hezbollah, because it has undertaken to help UNIFIL, but it will also be a deterrent against Syrian and Iranian involvement in the country. From Israel's point of view such a significant force could show perhaps the sole diplomatic gain in this war, and may even allow the continuation of certain Israeli-instigated operations inside Lebanese territory.

LOOKED threatening?? What is this...PRE-EMPTIVE INSTIGATION????You used to have to make some type of threatening ACTION before being killed during a cease fire. I guess George's policy of pre-emptive strikes also means Israel has the right to pre-emt their behavior in someone else's country as well.

I can not understand why the "white powers" of the world insist on blaming those who have defended against Israeli aggression as the "terrorists" when it is more than obvious that it is Israel who has caused the conflicts over and over again...seeing the Middle East as theirs by right as the "chosen people of God".

It is more amazing still that the International Community has allowed Israel to get away with the same, if not worse, actions that Arabs and Muslums are accused of and persecuted for.

It is a severe double standard and is severely wrong. If Israel wishes to terrorize it's neighbors as it does, it should be held accountable. If Israel is allowed Nuclear technology for domestic use, Iran should have the same right. If Israel violates U.N. resolutions, they should be made to suffer the consequences...

...but they literally get away with murder...

It's easy to see why many think Israel has no right to exist.

Israel Violates Cease Fire Resolution 1701

2006-08-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

Who would have ever gurssed that Israel, instead of Hezbollah, would violate the cease fire so soon?

Considering the Israeli publications were expounding before the cease fire about how Israel would be back in Lebanon soon...to finish what they started...I have expected this.

According to Haaretz The Israeli forces were wearing military clothing of the Lebanese army and also driving their vehicles...

The raid was authorized in a meeting Olmert and Peretz held with the IDF senior command on Wednesday.

Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said the unit was transported by helicopter before dawn, and was being driven in two vehicles to raid the office of senior Hezbollah official Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek in the village of Bodai before being discovered by Hezbollah militants. A battle gunbattle erupted and the troops were forced to retreat, Hezbollah TV said.

Lebanese sources said the troops were carried in two Lebanese army vehicles and were wearing Lebanese army uniforms.

How can this not be seen as a flagrant and willful violation of the cease fire is anyones guess. If that were not enough...

Earlier Saturday, Israeli aircraft fired several rockets at a target in a Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon, a Lebanese security source said.

Not only a planned covert raid but missiles fired as well. You can find this article HERE.

Other articles from this publication go on and on about how Israeli did not violate the cease fire but it is obvious they did. In fact, what they have done is give Hezbollah an excuse, if they should want it...and nobody could rightfully hold them accountable as the aggressor.

If Israel truly wanted to PROTECT itself they would not be willfully giving Hezbollah or anyone else reason to fire on them. It really appears as if all Israel can truly claim in it's actions is that they want total domination in the ME and security is no more than an afterthought and excuse for their aggression.

I still can not see any difference between Israel DETAINING Palestinians and the KIDNAPPING of three Israeli soldiers...the only difference is the word used but it is still the very same, absolutely identical action.

Israel has just "detained" more of the Palestinian government. I emphasize...WHEN YOU CROSS YOUR NEIGHBOR'S BORDERS AND "DETAIN" ONE OF THEIR CITIZENS, IT IS KIDNAPPING.

Hezbollah and Hamas are not guilty of anything that Israel has not done to them. Without Israel's aggression, there would be no Hezbollah or Hamas.

There is a nasty similarity between Israel and the U.S here, though, that shines a brilliant light on policies shared by both countries. Neither believes in democrasy. They both tout it and expound on it but both countries react to it the same...

If Israel and/or the U.S does not like the people that are democratically elected in another country, both feel free and obliged to undermine, interfere with or even distroy the democratically elected government of that country.

Israel and the U.S also are identical at the present for their aspirations to make the population afraid in order to force bad policy into play.

I do not need or wants Bush/Cheney's "Fear Factor"...I refuse to be terrorized by my faux government.

I am an American. I am a Patriot. I am strong with or without Bush/Cheney. I would rather die standing than live on my knees as they would have me do.

Israel and the U.S. do not care or desire a democrasy of a nation's people, the people's will and votes are meaningless. The only people entitled to choose who runs any government are the arrogant leaders of the U.S and Israel...in that order.

Middle East Remoldeling...Courtesy of the U.S, U.K. and Israel.

2006-08-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

Not bad for someone who is not in the political spectrum at all...I have done well Yoda.

I saw the truth as it unfolded (so far) and did not buy the horse manure the U.S government has been shoveling.

Bush stated recently the Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria and Iran are the problems...NOT HARDLY. If THEY were the problems, THEY would not be STUPID enough to do something, lie about it and then expect that no one would ever find out.

ANOTHER BUSH ADMINISTRATION LIE...

A spokesperson for the Bush administration has stated that Bush had no knowledge of Israel's war plans but before that statement was made the Jerusalem Post stated that the U.S. government had expressed their interest in having Israel attack Syria...
BUSTED

The fact appears to be that Bush gave the green light to Israel in May and it had been planned as an appetizer for the U.S. to attack Iran. Unfortunately, Olmert tried to use the same "Shock and Awe" type of campaign that Bush and Co. used in Iraq with as much success as the U.S. had...NOT MUCH.

Like the Iraq stupidity, Israel murdered hundreds of innocent people, destroyed much of the civilian infrastructure, caused a major ecological disaster to the Mediteranian Sea, poluted Lebanon with Depleted Uranium (not to mention evidence of the use of chemical weapons - both courtesy of their friends Dick and George) and made the people of Lebanon refugees in their own country...which, BTW is a war crime to target civilian infrastructure.

The really interesting part is how Israel and Bush say that Hezbollah provoked it by kidnapping two soldiers (if Israel does it they are detaining/arresting, NOT kidnapping).

Three days after the May 23 summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George W. Bush, a car bomb killed two officials of Islamic Jihad in the Lebanese city of Sidon.

Immediately, Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, denounced the murder of brothers Nidal and Mahmoud Majzoub and pointed the finger at Israel as the prime suspect. On June 10, a man named Mahmoud Rafeh was arrested for the car bombing and, according to the Lebanese army, confessed that he was a Mossad agent.

Rafeh, a 59-year-old retired police officer, belonged to a “terror network working for the Israeli Mossad,” which had smuggled a booby-trapped door into Lebanon from Israel for use in the assassination, the Lebanese army said.

In retrospect, the Majzoub assassination looks to have been part of a larger U.S.-Israeli strategy – following the Olmert-Bush summit – to encourage a tit-for-tat escalation of violence that would ratchet up pressure on Palestinian and Lebanese militants – and through them their allies in Syria and Iran.

A 'Pretext' War in Lebanon

The above article come from a seasoned reporter who uncovered many of the details of another illegal U.S. fiasco...the Iran - Contra Affair.
Israel drew the first blood and provoked Hezbollah as an excuse.

Israel does commit terrorism, as often if not more than anyone else, yet Bush with his Chutzpah rhetoric state that Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria and Iran are all in the "TERROR" thing together with al Qeada against us (the good guys).

I am really starting to think Israel had something to do with 9/11...the FBI has no solid evidence on AQ/bL being responsible and this administration, like Israel attacking Lebanon, had to come up with an excuse to get us to war. It is obvious that we have not been told the truth about anything and that coupled with the lack of evidence, etc...the fact that Israel has attacked Americans before without even a slap on the hand and Bush willingness to plot with Israel...that is the only scenario that makes any reasonable sense.

You give me an excuse to go to war and I'll give you what you need to do the same...together we can remodel the Middle East in our own image...

Yet America and Israel are the main culprits in trying to destroy democrasy in other countries, either by use of force, interfering with the voting process, intimidation or a down and dirty coup (there is always funding the opposition to go with other underhanded activity).

If we (US and Israel) do not like those who are democratically elected, we find a way to replace them. Hell...people in America can not have all their votes counted for those in charge believe they have some type of divine entitlement and they will do anything to hang on to that control...even at the expense of U.S. citizens. The U.S can not spread democracy if it is always working to undo it, at home and elsewhere.

Israel did NOT win this war of choice with Lebanon. They showed their callousness and inhumanity (not to mention arrogance and stupidity...sounds like someone else we know, does it not?).

Hezbollah did NOT lose in the war that Israel provoked. Intelligent people rallied for them

America, in general, has to be absolutely stupid beyond reckoning to buy Bush's horse sh*t (sad to say when I live here but, hey...I did not buy it at all).

Since "BIG BROTHER" is so busy spying on American citizens and labelling any dissent as "terrorist sympathizers" or "enemy combatents" I might end up disappearing for expounding the truth and expressing what USED TO BE my Constitutional Right...
I would do it again in a heartbeat.

No more fun with Dick and George...awwwwwwwwww, shucks...

Despite Israel's Acceptance of Resolution, More Civilians are dying.

2006-08-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Something is seriously wrong with this scenario. The U.N. Security Council agreed unanimously on the resolution to stop the killing but as soon as it was agreed to, Israel expanded it's terroristic efforts, not only in Lebanon but Gaza as well.

Would anyone in a civilized world accept the idea that another country has a right to call you, tell you to leave your home and everything you own because they are going to bomb you and then either distroy your home or not?

The call that tells you: run, you're about to lose your home and possessions

That is terrorism and Israel is doing it...and has been for a while. It is psycological warfare amounting to torture.

Would an American be willing to suffer that from anyone? The answer is a resounding NO!.

Israeli apologists who use the pathetic excuse that Israel is trying to minimize civilian casualties need to wake up and smell what they are rolling in...and it sure ain't rose petals.

I have been reading two Israeli websites quite a bit over the past couple weeks...Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post...and if I had a say about my tax dollars going to Israel I would not be sending half of what I have to.

I never held any belief in some of the things I have heard about Israel but as more of a realist I have to wonder where their self rightous "we are the victim" ideology comes from. There are a few things that I have read that were written by people who ARE realistic but those few people are condemed as an anti-semite or a "self hating Jew". One comment over one such realistic post was from a woman calling herself "Daisy" who justified the civilian deaths and destruction in Lebanon by way of claiming that the whole region really belonged to the Jews anyway...the "Holy Land" belonged to God's chosen people (Jews) and that was all the justification needed.

It angered me to the core to read on both websites how the U.S. was giving them unprecedented leeway for their bombing of the Lebonese people...America is very much complicit in the murder of innocent civilians.

When we have military personnel that refuse duty as a Conscientous Objector, it is normally because they do not want to participate in killing that they consider morally, legally and ethically wrong...and they normally end up in confinement of some sort.

I read in both above publications that they have had objector released from fighting in Lebanon over their belief that lands Israel occupied (stole) should have not been released...area like Gaza. NO JAIL, just dismissal. Settlements that were illegal, according to Internation opinion are Israel's rightful property and that the legality of it was rectified is insult to many Israelis. How screwed is that.

Before buying my property, I rented it. When getting ready for purchase my property was surveyed. It was only then, after 2 1/2 years with the same neighbor behind me, did I find out that my neighbor behind me had taken it upon himself to annex almost half of my back yard right before I had moved in. He claimed much of my yard but had not purchased it from the owner. I reclaimed my property with some difficulty but was harassed for it until they moved out. Would any other American just GIVE their property to someone who decided to "squat" on it? Again a resounding NO! To make it more ironic, the man who decided to annex half of my back yard is supposed to be a preacher...head of the local Southern Baptists. Religion is an excuse to take what is not yours (steal), get out of responsibility for your actions, murder the innocent, discriminate and/or manipulate those who have given up the right to think for themselves.

To reiterate...religion is not of any God, it is man made and politicall based to allow only a few to have power in order to use the masses to their own political purpose. Very few religions, even fewer monotheistic religions of which there are three, have heirarchies that do not live in splender while the masses live considerably less well off...and God has not a damn thing to do with that. The Pope is a fabulous example.

I now have a much more interesting view of "Dark Helmet"...a character in the movie "Spaceballs".

He is apparently fashioned after reality by the looks of it.

STOP THE ISRAELI AGGRESSION AND TERRORISM!

Terror In The Skies...Foiled Plot or More Fake Fear Factor?

2006-08-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

I knew something did not ring true in the lastest "Fear Factor" attempt by the Bush administration.

Just like the guys arrested in Florida for talking big, apparently the Brits accused of trying to blow up planes coming to America hadn't purchased airline tickets, some didn't have passports and the real evidence the Brit Authorities could have gotten if given more time to investigate (looking for solid evidence) was thwarted by none other than the Bush administration.

Source: U.S., U.K. at odds over timing of arrests

A senior British official knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.

In contrast to previous reports, the official suggested an attack was NOT IMMINENT, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets. In fact, some did not even have passports.
It appears that the Neo Conservatives are again attempting to make a mountain out of an anthill in the hopes of scaring America into re-electing Republicans in November by saying they are "keeping us safer than the Democrats would. Considering the Brits were trying to get real evidence and the Bush administration prevented them from doing so, in what way have they kept America safer? Looks like they blew it again.

The source did say, however, that police believe one U.K.-based suspect was ready to conduct a "dry run." British authorities had wanted to let him go forward with part of the plan, but the Americans balked.

At the White House, a top aide to President Bush denied the account.

"There was unprecedented cooperation and coordination between the U.S., the U.K. and Pakistani officials throughout the case," said Frances Townsend, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, "and we worked together to protect our citizens from harm while ensuring that we gathered as much info as possible to bring the plotters to justice. There was no disagreement between U.S. and U.K. officials."

Another U.S. official, however, acknowledges there was disagreement over timing. Analysts say that in recent years, American security officials have become edgier than the British in such cases because of missed opportunities leading up to 9/11.

Aside from the timing issue, there was excellent cooperation between the British and the Americans, officials told NBC.

The British official said the Americans also argued over the timing of the arrest of suspected ringleader Rashid Rauf in Pakistan, warning that if he was not taken into custody immediately, the U.S. would "render" him or pressure the Pakistani government to arrest him.

British security was concerned that Rauf be taken into custody "in circumstances where there was due process," according to the official, so that he could be tried in British courts. Ultimately, this official says, Rauf was arrested over the objections of the British.

So the Bush administration not only interfered with the investigation but they also added strings that would, if these guys were actual terrorist, aid them in court to get off on technicalities. No solid evidence, no "dry run", no airline tickets, no passports and no DUE PROCESS. Add these to the things that make you go "hmmmmm"...

Do not forget...THERE WAS NO IMMINENT THREAT...just another fabrication of Bush/Cheney.

Why would the Bush administration interfere with a serious Brit investigation and then LIE about it?

Like Chertoff stating to the Press that he has no definate association with these guys and al Quada but turns around and makes a statement that it looks like an AQ setup,

BTW...on June 5, 2006, FBI spokesman, Chief of Investigative Publicity Rex Tomb said, "The FBI has no hard evidence connecting Usama Bin Laden to 9/11."

We have been told for years that bin Laden was responsible. Who is not being honest here? No evidence means the Idiot in Chief needs to get his facts straight. No actual evidence that al Queda had anything to do with 9/11 either, according to the FBI. Could it be that AQ is nothing more than a fantasy group of the Neo Cons, useful to scare the hell out of those easily led and gullible? Naw...George, Dick and Donald would not even THINK of lying to us, right? You could believe that but they have been caught on tape doing just that.

If the Republican machine really does keep us safer than anyone else, why is it that the misinformation we are spoon fed can be proven as inacurate?

Lies and manipulation does not make America safer.

Interfering with a legit investigation does not make us safer. Allowing Israel to kill a thousand innocent civilians and watching Arab countries fume does not make us safer. Double standard policies for Israel and then the rest of the Middle East doesn't make us safer, Profiling all Muslums is not fair or acceptable, making harsh rules for just those of Arabic discent causes animosity and doesn't make us safer.

The Bush administration has not made us safer...they have made America and every American citizen a bigger target.

Israeli Aggression Intensifies Despite the Unanimous U.N. Resolution

2006-08-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

Forces in Lebanon tripled as IDF pushes north

Israel has nearly tripled the number of forces in Lebanon as part of its expanded ground war in Lebanon, and expects to fight for another week, despite a United Nations cease-fire resolution, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz on Saturday.

Halutz said IDF troops would stay in Lebanon until an international force arrives.

"We have almost tripled our forces that are operating in Lebanon," Halutz told reporters.

UN Middle East envoy Alvaro de Soto told Reuters on Saturday the UN force could begin deploying in seven to 10 days, suggesting there is still some time before the "immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations," as called for in the resolution, actually comes into force.

Before ANYONE tries to say that I am trying to use Muslum or Islamic information to critisize Israel, you should take a look at where this info comes from...HAARETZ is an Israeli publication. There is also mention in this article that more Lebanese civilians have lost their lives due to Israeli stupidity.

The same scenario as Bush with his Mission Accomplished photo op, Olmert thought he could wipe out Hezbollah in a snap when, in fact, Israel has not even dented Hezbollah but has killed almost 1000 civilians, targeted civilian infrastructure and caused an environmental disaster...all this is a violation of International Law.

There is another juicy piece...sounds like a mark to me that Bush has let Israel run amok by choice...also from HAARETZ.

Isreal Must Win

The fact that the United States has spent major diplomatic capital providing Israel with an unprecedented window of opportunity to deal with Hezbollah, facing down both its European allies and the Arab League, and complicating efforts to launch multilateral sanctions against Iran, makes matters even worse.

This is especially true when U.S. domestic political developments are taken into account. In the past, Israel could depend upon a basic consensus among both Republicans and Democrats that it was a valuable, indeed indispensable, ally that occupied the moral high ground. The political sands, however, are shifting. Anti-Israeli sentiments are rife among Democrats - 59 percent want the U.S. to be more "evenhanded" in the Middle East - some of whom appear to be convinced that the Bush administration's deposition of Saddam Hussein was masterminded by "neo-conservatives" in Israel's interest.

The next setence sounds as if they may have been the speech writers for Cheney and Lieberman...

Senator Joseph Lieberman's August 8 loss in the Connecticut primary, and the evident triumph of the Democrats' neo-McGovernite wing, signal trouble ahead.

More civilian deaths according to the Jerusalem Post when a refugee convoy is attacked. How can the people of Lebanon flee if Israel will not let them?

IDF drone fires on refugee convoy

An IDF drone fired at a convoy of refugees fleeing southern Lebanon on Friday night, killing at least seven people and wounding 22, an Associated Press photographer said.

The army said it was investigating the incident.

The attack on the convoy was the most dramatic on a day of fighting Friday that saw air strikes pound south Beirut and border crossings to Syria, killing at least 15 others as ground fighting picked up intensity in the south of the country.

Lutfallah Daher, the photographer, was with the convoy when it was hit near the Bekaa Valley town of Chtaura, about 30 miles north of the Litani River. Israel has said it would attack any vehicle on roads south of the Litani, assuming it was carrying Hizbullah weapons or fighters.

The photographer said that when the convoy left the south Lebanese town of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon, it was made up of more than 600 civilian vehicles in addition to vehicles carrying 350 Lebanese soldiers and police. A few vehicles had left the convoy before it was hit, the photographer said.

How can they win an aggresive war of choice when they, like the Bush administration, ignore reality and facts in leiu of their "Divine Rightousness"? Like the Bush administration, all they have accomplished is to multiply the number of extremists and compound the hatred for Israel, the UK and the US.

There are extremists in all religions. Religion was borne of man and it is molded to the political purposes of those in power. Whatever you want to call it, it is no more than fascism...to use extreme force to take what belongs to someone else. Israel wants all the land that politicians of old labelled as "The Holy Land", they started advancing on the borders of their neighbors in the late 60s and are now trying to retake what they stole before...South Lebanon. The US wants control of ME oil thinking it will give them "World Domination".

It is also pathetic that every time someone disagrees with Israel, they are labelled "Anti-Semite" Let me clue you in...

The Holocost was beyond horrible but it was a long friggin time ago. Just like whites that rage on the stupidity that they are superior, blacks who still want to rag about slavery and supposed Christians deciding that the divine right of moral judgement entitles them to discriminate against those who hold beliefs different to theirs...

Get over your self victimization...especially when you partake in similar treatment of others.

Israel and America Terrorizing The Middle East

2006-08-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

Damn you George Bush...

All it would take to stop the terrorizing of the people of Lebanon is a friggin phone call from you to Olmert.

I did not like Ronald Reagan very much but at least he was man enough to call Begin (Israel's PM) and stop the Israeli carnage 20 years ago. George, you have inescapably proven that you are a lesser man than either Reagan or your father.

This is what is happening in Lebanon. Lebanon Documentary "The Fog of War" Since I was fortunate, or rather unfortunate, enough to be born an American, it puts me in the realm of partial responsibility for the carnage and I am truly angry.

The excuses you and Israel are making for the slaughter of Lebanese civilians is as bogus as the idea that you got into the Guard without your "daddy's" help. Israel has made a very small impact on Hezbollah and, in fact, had been planning their invasion for over a year before the three soldiers were kidnapped (one in Gaza, two by Hezbollah). How many prisoners does Israel hold? Do you even know...probably not. Do you have any idea how young some of them are? I doubt that you even care.

You obviously enjoy being the Commander in Terrorism since you and your stooge, John Bolton, have fought against putting an end to Israeli aggresion. What's wrong...are you trying to give them a chance to commit as much damage as possible to repay them for all the Gold Teeth your grandfather got from the Nazis? After all, it is on record that your grandfather and the Nazis had a real tight working relationship...or, like when you wimped out of serving your country, you just enjoy the idea of seeing other people die for stupidity.

Or were my earlier opinions correct that the unmitigated sadism of the Neoconservatives wish to have Israel help the U.S. annihilate any Arab who stands in your way of total world domination by way of controlling ALL of the ME OIL?

John Bolton, who has no business representing any democrasy, has already made public statements that tell the world that the Lebanese civilian lives lost have no value...this man needs to be on strong medication because those Lebanese who have died from Israeli terrorism are worth more than any of America's so called leaders.

It comes down to the fact that the Neoconservatives have one agenda...to creat fear. The only way the masses in the U.S. could be led by the nose ring you brandished them with is to create a never ending cycle of fear. You would lose control if you lost the "FEAR FACTOR" so you consistently have to create more terrorism (even if you had to make it up or commit it yourself), create more hatred, chaos and death. That is all you know and all you want. In the process you have sold out the American people and our country for the sakes of your own hunger for divine power, to line your own pockets and the pockets of your personal friends.

You are not representing me nor are you representing the virtues of the Christian Bible. You have appointed yourself and your cronies as prophets of God and have chosen to force feed your judgements to those who pay your salery.

Screw you, your administration and your buddies. No living person has the right to appoint themselves as any God's personal judge. You do not represent me or my friends. Maybe you represent the bigoted, discrimination prone "Crackpot Christian's" but the last time a group followed an idiot so closely is when they all drank poison kool-aid, murdering their own children.

May you, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bolton and all the rest of you like minded self rightous pricks have to bear the burden of every child killed by munitions you so willingly send to Israel.

May you all burn in the very hell you are creating.

Israel's Inhumanity and U.S. Complicity in Genocide

2006-08-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

The United States and France were supposed to be coming up with a reasonable way to end the crisis in Lebanon. I say "supposed to" because it obviously was not John Bolton's desire to end the crisis and the longer he insists on giving Israel everything it wants, the longer Israel has to smother an entire soveriegn nation...kill off the whole of Lebanon - women, children and all - for it's delusions of entitlement to posess the land that the Lebanese people have.

New York Times article
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 8 — Dr. Nadim Cortas saw the destruction wrought by Lebanon’s 15-year civil war, and the shortages of medical supplies that went with it.

But, he says, he never thought he would face a situation like this: the respirators and critical medical equipment in his hospital could soon come to a halt.

“This is the doomsday scenario,” said Dr. Cortas, dean of the faculty of medicine at the American University of Beirut and vice president for medical affairs. “We have about 10 days of power left,” he said.

Almost one month into the siege of Lebanon, with a land, sea and air blockade by Israel choking off the country, fuel reserves have all but dried up.

Two ships that were to offload more than 30,000 tons each of diesel fuel and fuel oil to crank the country’s power plants and generators have languished in Cyprus, unable or unwilling to enter Lebanese waters.

A large stockpile of fuel oil at the Jiyeh power plant, just south of Beirut, was lost when Israeli warplanes bombed it on the second day of the war, sending oil seeping into the Mediterranean Sea or catching fire, sending a thick plume over Beirut.

Even when authorities have been able to scrounge up diesel fuel to power generators, trucks have not been able to deliver it to hospitals in the south of the country because of bombed out roadways and continuing air strikes.

The most pessimistic estimates have the country running out of fuel for its power plants in a week; the most optimistic give Lebanon less than a month before the blackout.

It is bad enough that John Bolton refuses to allow any Arab input and is rejecting everything fair in this horrible demonstration of greed, but he actually allowed the Israelis to help draft the resolution which gave them all they wanted out of it. They can still ocupy Lebanon and continue doing damage as long as the U.S. refuses the call for an immediate ceasefire.

Nowhere have the shortages been more critical, though, than in Lebanon’s hospitals, many of which have been forced to close departments or turn away all but the most critical cases.

Kidney dialysis supplies have been running out, as have stocks of heart medications and nuclear medicine for diagnostic tests, Dr. Cortas said.

The potential loss of electrical power — both from the national utility, Électricité du Liban, and from in-house generators — poses the most catastrophic problem, he and others said.

“A hospital won’t stop working because it’s missing one or two medications — you simply find substitutes,” said Sleiman Haroun, head of Lebanon’s association of hospital owners, which has scrambled to find fuel and keep supply lines running. “But a hospital will grind to a halt if it’s out of fuel.”

The American University Hospital, the region’s pre-eminent medical research and treatment center, never closed its doors during the civil war or during numerous Israeli bombardments that followed. But even here, doctors and personnel have begun to fear a possible shutdown.

“We never thought we could get to ground zero in such a short time,” said George Tomey, who became acting president of the university when the school’s American and European staff evacuated at the beginning of the war. “I have been here for 40 years and this is the worst it has ever been.”

By Monday, 200 of the hospital’s 325 beds were occupied. There were between 8 and 12 patients in intensive care, 22 babies in critical condition in the neonatal ward and at least 37 casualties from the bombings in the south.

It could take up to 20 tons of diesel fuel a day to keep the hospital running if the main utility shuts down, says Dr. Haroun, the hospital association official. Even smaller hospitals need hundreds of gallons of diesel per day to stay powered, quantities that are becoming harder find.

“Hospitals typically store 20 day’s worth of fuel — now many have only two or three days,” Dr. Haroun said. “Sure you can eventually find one or two days’ worth. But then what?”

In Beirut, hospital administrators have agreed to funnel utility power to Beirut’s four largest hospitals and leave smaller hospitals powered by generators, said Dr. Cortas, the medical school dean.

That decision ensures diesel supplies remain with those hospitals, buying perhaps several more days. More drastic plans include gathering critical patients at one hospital that will get priority for diesel.

American University Hospital officials have also begun to lobby the United States to pressure Israel to allow oil tankers to sail into Beirut. The ships’ captains have refused to enter Lebanese waters without Israeli and United Nations guarantees. So far, however, the Israelis have not granted the ships safe passage, Mr. Asr said.

So this is our big plan for the Middle East? We shall have Israel kill off the Lebanese and Palestinians, that will eventually draw Syria and Iran into it and then we can jump in, irradiating every square inch of the ME with DU weapons like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan (which Israel is now doing, thanks to us) and kill off every Arab dissenter who believes that his/her home is worth fighting for.

America used to be the country to jump in and help to stop the insanity but now George W. Bush has his own entitlement delusions...
Middle Eastern oil is ours...the Arabs just occupied our fields before we got there.

The "Crackpot Christian's" or American Taliban...extremist Evangelicals...are looking forward to Armegeddon and thanking Bush for it. They see Israel's actions as rushing in the "second coming" of Jesus. Let us be clear on this...the MAN IS DEAD. There will be no redemption because of Israel's U.S. approved genocide. Any God who would approve of the actions of Israel is not a God of any kind of morality. Get over it and check your meds.

You can get your self rightious undies in a twist all you want and you can also call me whatever you like. I do not shrink from religious labeling because I know for a fact that any person with real faith and devotion to their beliefs will not stoop to playground rules and childish name calling. If that's the best you can do you are wasting your time.

Any person supporting Israels land grab is a traitor to humanity.

Lieberman's Loss

2006-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight before the final tally of the CT. Democratic Primary, Joe Lieberman announced that he would run for his seat again as an Independent.

Now I consider myself a moderate, I try very diligently no to be extreme about too much...of course, I did argue to a friend last year that Tom Delay would be gone before his term was up and even won a whole one dollar bill from it (some things can be seen through Pagan eyes). Mostly, I say "to hell" with anything partisan because first and foremost I am an American, even if that is not much to be proud of anymore. Lieberman has proven one thing above all...

He does not give a rat's ass about what the people said loud and clear...they do not want him to represent them any longer (over 50% of registered voters turned out to send that message).

All Joe Lieberman's efforts are strictly about his wants. The wishes of the people do not count, their votes do not count, their trust does not count and his disloyalty does not count.

Is it that he wishes to help the Republican party in November by taking votes away from the Primary winner?

Is it because he has delusions of granduer that he is entitled to his office even if the people do not want his representation anymore?

Is he entitled because he is Jewish? He did spout off a while back that Jews should vote for him (and there was mention of those who didn't being Anti-Seme
itic).

Does he think that his religion entitles him to do anything he pleases, no matter how harmful, just like Israel and their campaign against the civilian people of Gaza and Lebanon?
NOT HARDLY...

I, unlike many others, am not afraid of labels or slurs so you can call me anti-semitic if you choose. My problem is not with a person for their religion but their actions.

Lieberman appears to be a traitor simply for the fact that his conceding statement basically told the voters...the people of Connecticut...that they do not matter because what Joe wants is more important. That is what is terribly wrong with those who are running America into the ground, profiting from wars of choice and gutting America's bank book.

Use religious excuses if you choose, it only shows you more for what you are...pathetic.

So long, Joe...you should have followed Ney's example (even if the GOP forced the issue).

The people of America are starting to voice it with gusto...
This country belongs to the people and no politician is entitled.

America's Empirical Aspirations...

2006-07-30T17:21:00.000-07:00

Oh, what the hell...let's destabilize the whole Middle East!

No wonder there is growing hatred for the U.S., our double standard policies and aiding Israel with weapons (our weapons are murdering the innocent in Lebanon), money (welfare for them when people in the U.S. are struggling) and carte` blanche to do as much damage as possible.

For years, many Americans have thought that Israel and the Bush administration had their own agenda for the Middle East. It appears that it might be more true than anything.
"Defense officials told the Post last week that they were receiving indications from the US that America would be interested in seeing Israel attack Syria."

The paragraph above was taken from an article in The Jeruselem Post, dated July 30, 2006.

We have invaded Iraq and can not use fabricated intelliigence to get into Iran (would not work a second time) so if we can talk Israel into attacking Syria we will finally have motivation to attack Iran because they would not sit by and allow Syria to be hit by Israel.

In another artcle in which the subject is whether or not it is too late for a full invasion of Lebanon, also dated July 30, the article mentions how some considered Hezbollah weakened and unable to fight (sounds like Dick Cheney saying the insurgentcy of Iraq is in it's "last throes"), only to be reminded that Hezbollah is just as strong as it was before.

That was before Sunday became the day that the most Katyusha rockets - more than 140 - were fired at northern Israel since Operation Change of Direction began on July 12. The officer also spoke before six soldiers were wounded in clashes with Hizbullah guerrillas in close-quarter gunbattles in the southern Lebanese village of Ataybeh. After this day of 140 rockets, a weakened Hizbullah seemed to have been only an illusion.

Three weeks into the war and it is still being fought right along the border. IDF troops from the Nahal Brigade swept into the villages of Al-Adisa and Ataybeh just north of Metula on Sunday in search of Hizbullah guerrillas. While the soldiers did have some success and killed a number of terrorists, Hizbullah was able to continue firing rockets and short-range mortars at Metula, Kiryat Shmona and the rest of northern Israel.

Then there is what IDF officers called Sunday the "recurring nightmare of Kana." Exactly 10 years ago, the IDF was forced to suspend Operation Grapes of Wrath after it accidentally killed over 100 Lebanese in that same village. On Sunday it apparently happened again, although this time it doesn't seem to be having the same effect. The IDF is determined to continue with its offensive, even under the threat of international condemnation.

Acknowledging that the operation's days were numbered, senior officers in the Northern Command said that this Wednesday would be decisive. That is the day when the tens of thousands of reservists called up under the cabinet decision last Thursday will be ready for battle and, if the political echelon permits, the military will recommend sweeping through southern Lebanon in a last-ditch effort to get something out of this campaign.

Get something out of this campaign? I'm sorry but the kidnapping of three does not entitle anyone to go on a mass killing spree of innocent civilians. Then we have the massacre at Qana. 37 or so were children. The IDF warned everyone to leave but where were they supposed to go? Israel was bombing the roads out of town so trying to leave was extremely dangerous.

What does Israel expect to get out of their own terrorist behavior? They still have not answered for their terrorist attack on a U.S. Navel ship 40 years ago...over 34 dead and over 100 wounded...according to surviving witnesses of the crew, they knew it was a U.S. vessel and attacked us without provocation. It was covered up and swept under the rug. Our dead and wounded deserve justice against the terrorism...even if the perpetrator was Israel.

What should they get out of this campaign?

Hopefully retribution...

Additional input
...it appears that the weapons used at Qana were MADE IN THE U.S. U.S. Weapons Used In Qana

The U.S. equivalent to the Taliban, Extremist Evangelical Christians, can now add more murders to their shopping list of Empiracal Aspirations. The Taliban in Afghanistan are well known for forcibly submitting others to their will and beliefs and Democracy is nothing more than ideals that lead to persecution.

That is EXACTLY what the Evangelical political stupidity has done to America. Freedom and Democracy died horrible deaths while zealots and fascists spring forth from the U.S. to devastate the world.

We deserve nothing less than we have created...to be knocked from the pedestal we put ourselves on.

American Victims Of A Corrupt Presidency

2006-07-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

The news of the NSA domestic wiretapping is now known in almost all corners of America. The Bush administration has claimed that this is a tool for fighting terrorism and has attempted to squelch any lawsuits or harnessing of their percived "Presidential Power" run amok.

What if this was another example of fabrication and/or misinformation in order to manipulate our once great country and use it for selfish political opportunity?

Before you break out your flags on Tuesday to celebrate the birth of America, you should consider what we have allowed to be done to her. If you are still a Bush/Cheney fan and not angry as hell, you really should think of mental health programs and just what kind of "Christian values" it is that has forsaken America and made a mockery out of all who have sacrificed their blood for the freedoms that the GOP has so willingly stripped from us for their own political gain and dominance.

Just like the Downing Street Memo, there is now proof that the NSA program is nothing more than a sorry excuse to spy on and manipulate America.

Spy Agency Sought U.S. Call Records Before 9/11, Lawyers Say
June 30 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. National Security Agency asked AT&T Inc. to help it set up a domestic call monitoring site seven months before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, lawyers claimed June 23 in court papers filed in New York federal court.

The allegation is part of a court filing adding AT&T, the nation's largest telephone company, as a defendant in a breach of privacy case filed earlier this month on behalf of Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. customers. The suit alleges that the three carriers, the NSA and President George W. Bush violated the Telecommunications Act of 1934 and the U.S. Constitution, and seeks money damages.

``The Bush Administration asserted this became necessary after 9/11,'' plaintiff's lawyer Carl Mayer said in a telephone interview. ``This undermines that assertion.''

The lawsuit is related to an alleged NSA program to record and store data on calls placed by subscribers. More than 30 suits have been filed over claims that the carriers, the three biggest U.S. telephone companies, violated the privacy rights of their customers by cooperating with the NSA in an effort to track alleged terrorists.

``The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that AT&T may neither confirm nor deny AT&T's participation in the alleged NSA program because doing so would cause `exceptionally grave harm to national security' and would violate both civil and criminal statutes,'' AT&T spokesman Dave Pacholczyk said in an e-mail.

U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Charles Miller and NSA spokesman Don Weber declined to comment.

Pioneer Groundbreaker

The NSA initiative, code-named ``Pioneer Groundbreaker,'' asked AT&T unit AT&T Solutions to build exclusively for NSA use a network operations center which duplicated AT&T's Bedminster, New Jersey facility, the court papers claimed. That plan was abandoned in favor of the NSA acquiring the monitoring technology itself, plaintiffs' lawyers Bruce Afran said.

The NSA says on its Web site that in June 2000, the agency was seeking bids for a project to ``modernize and improve its information technology infrastructure.'' The plan, which included the privatization of its ``non-mission related'' systems support, was said to be part of Project Groundbreaker.

Mayer said the Pioneer project is ``a different component'' of that initiative.

Mayer and Afran said an unnamed former employee of the AT&T unit provided them with evidence that the NSA approached the carrier with the proposed plan. Afran said he has seen the worker's log book and independently confirmed the source's participation in the project. He declined to identify the employee.
This story can be found at Raw Story or by going to Bloomberg.com

I get emails from The Wasington Post every day and the story was also in today's email.

Now...IF the domestic wiretap program launched by Bush and the NSA were ONLY for tracking terrorists as they claim, then WHY were they attempting to initiate such a program as soon as Bush was placed in the Oval Office...seven (7) months before Sept. 11, 2001?

We have had the Republican controlled Congress and Senate frantically trying to find a way to make Bush's actions legal (retroactive) but with this new information finding the light of day how can this be justified in the slightest?

The Supreme Court, which Bush wanted to stack, has smacked him to the carpet and ruled that he overstepped his presidential authority when he attempted to set up military tribunals for Gitmo detainees and now is attempting to get his lapdogs in Congress to find a way to let him do it anyway.

Does this kind of behavior not tell us something about those running our country into the ground?

Bush wants to give nuclear technology to India but in the same breath tell Iran that they can not have it. Is it just me or is there a double standard here?

Oh, I'm sorry...Iran has oil and we have to control it (like Iraq) so they can not switch their oil currency to the Euro. Sad how we only got interested in "liberating" the Iraqi people after Saddam tried to switch Iraq's oil currancy to the Euro which would have weakened the U.S. dollar even more than the Republicans in control.

Too bad we are more interested in helping ourselves and the only things we "liberate" are those things we want.

Americans want to bitch about how our soldiers are killed and sometimes mutilated by the Iraqis...we are just now seeing news of what we have been doing to them since we invaded...murder, rape, etc. Would you not be furious if your country were invaded, stripped and your friends and family treated as such? They are more rightous than the U.S. has been.

Our soldiers should never have been sent on a self rightous crusade and those who are killed do not necessarily share the horrible traits of some who find it easy to abuse civilians. Not all deserve what they get in return but the fault lies with a corrupt U.S. administration, corrupt war profiteers and individuals who take with them the worst traits of America and have little, if any respect for human life or decentcy.

We condemn others for terrorist associations and sit on our hands when Isreal carries out acts of terrorism. Now they have forcibly kidnapped (we call it arrested) elected members of another country's government and I've heard they have threatened to kill the Palestinian PM if they do not turn over a missing soldier.

The West took land from the Arabs to create an Isreali state...theft. Now we condemn others while allowing Isreal to commit terrorist acts. They have never been held to account for the attack on a U.S. naval vessel and the murders of over 30 men on the ship they tried to distroy and they are never held to account for murders they commit. Collusion with the self ritghous means they are above the law, just like Bush with his signing statements and fabrications.
Think about this on July 4th. We no longer have such reason to be proud

Last thoughts in closing...
In 2003 Gearge W. Bush was at a rally, in Ohio I believe but can not remember, where he defaced several American flags by signing his name on them as "autographs". Our Republican controlled government should remember things like this before wasting the time and money of American taxpayers trying to add amendments to the Constitution in an attempt to curtail any freedom of expression we may have.
Same issue of "English" being America's national language after getting your undies in a twist over the National Anthem being sung in Spanish, when in fact, George W. Bush attempted to sing the anthem in Spanish for a rally in Texas when he was Governor.
Lastly, the pathetic excuses for not allowing the American people to have an increase in mimimum wage when several states have a set minimum wage higher than the national minimum wage...and then giving yourself a raise AGAIN. At least Harry Reid had a decent idea...block political raises if those who pay your salery are not entitled to a raise themselves.

America's WWIII, Oil and the Second Depression...Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You.

2006-05-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

Get ready for WWIII

Iran has been planning to start it's own oil exchange...and the preferred currency is EURO.

Before invading Iraq, Saddam was attempting to switch all oil money to Euros instead of US Dollars...so we invaded. Now Iran has their own plans of doing so and with the stupidity of the Bush regime you can bet they will use any excuse they can to stop the Iranians from switching oil currency.

America will see days as bad, if not worse, than the 1930s and the Hoover administration. Any way you look at it, we lose due to the corruptness and greed in the White House.

Petro-Euro: A reality or distant nightmare for the U.S.?

I would like to take this opportunity to say to anyone who voted for Bush or the corruption plaqued Republicans that have shielded the White House from accountability that when the U.S. economy crashes and our soldiers are dying in mass numbers more in tune with Iraqi and Afghani citizens, when you find yourself being forceby evicted when you can not pay your rent/mortgage, when you can not afford medication or food on the table and our nation faces a second depression with an armed services that can no longer repel outside attack because Rumsfeld is incompetent...you have no need or right to bitch or complain because you helped to bring this state down on all of us.

9/11 Questions Still Unanswered

No matter how you look at it, there are two conspiracy theories about the attacks of 9/11.

The official conspiracy which claims that al-Queda hit us...which was linked to Saddam and led us to war in Iraq...don't forget that those links the Bush administration pounded us in the head with were completely false.

Then we have the conspiracy theory that the Bush administration was, at the very least, complicit in the murders of 3,000 American citizens...which actually makes more logical sense.

9/11truthbristol

You decide...

Christianity and Islam...Respect

2006-04-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

It is disgusting that any American would show their stupidity so outrageously by disrespecting the memory of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq.

NASHVILLE, April 11 — As dozens of mourners streamed solemnly into church to bury Cpl. David A. Bass, a fresh-faced 20-year-old marine who was killed in Iraq on April 2, a small clutch of protesters stood across the street on Tuesday, celebrating his violent death.

"Thank God for Dead Soldiers," read one of their placards. "Thank God for I.E.D.'s," read another, a reference to the bombs used to kill service members in the war. To drive home their point — that God is killing soldiers to punish America for condoning homosexuality — members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., a tiny fundamentalist splinter group, kicked around an American flag and shouted, if someone approached, that the dead soldiers were rotting in hell.

Story to be found here.

These people are supposed to be Christians? They would celebrate the deaths of our soldiers because we are not as narrow minded of a country as they are personally?

Laws are being enacted in several states to keep protesters at a decent distance from funerals like this...about time. These people obviously have no respect for life of any kind and kind of re-enforces the fact that extremists operate in all religion.

Christianity is an excuse for many to do the unthinkable. It can be callous, disrespectful, cruel, spiteful and extremely narrow minded. It can be used as reasoning for murder, abuse, torture, thievery and any other ill behaviour and also used for justification of such.

The Great Crusade to make everyone on the planet believe and behave as you do...not a decent legacy in any sense of the word.

I have never had anyone try to shove Islam down my throat as in Christianity. Islam is, in fact, a very peaceful religion.

It seems that Islam is actually more respectful of life than what the Christian of America has turned out to be.

America's disgrace looms even larger.

Iran and Complicity in Murder

2006-04-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

Let us ponder this statement by George W. Bush as we think about the possibility of him leading our country to bomb yet another soveriegn country who has done nothing to merit being attacked...

"The threat from Iran is, of course, their stated objective to destroy our strong ally, Israel," Bush said. "That's a threat, a serious threat. . . . I'll make it clear again that we will use military might to protect our ally Israel." Article from The Washington Post

I'm sorry...wasn't it the supposed Christian leader, Jerry Falwell who recently stated on National TV that we should "blow them all away in the name of the Lord"?

Falwell apparently wishes to put blood on the hands of the Christian God...maybe it is to make it moral or spare the false prophets of the right fringe the guilt of murder (if Christ also gets bloody).

Pat Robertson calls for assasinations of the leaders of other countries. Considering Chavez actually funded a program on America's East Coast this past winter in order to sell our most vulnerable citizens inexpensive heating oil so they would not have to freeze to death...I believe Robertson has showed his backside as yet another false prophet.

America is full of false prophets.

Back to Bush's statement. The only real intelligence we have on Iran is sparse but not urgent. The only urgency here is that ISRAEL wants Iran knocked about. Constant repetition of the rhetoric does not make their fantasy turn into reality unless you are completely stupid.

Let me pose a serious question as to what makes Israel a strong ally...could it be the spying they do on us? Selling our military secrets (to China no less)?

Maybe it is the FACT they they have been allowed to get away with MURDERING U.S. CITIZENS? Sailors upon the USS Liberty to be exact. Google search USS Liberty.

Hey...if your STRONG ALLIES are not willing to murder your military personnel, what kind of ally can they be?

For those of you who believe that the U.S Government would not stand by and allow U.S. citizens to be murdered...THINK AGAIN.

As surely as Roosevelt knew of the impending attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese (as much as 11 months beforehand) and did nothing but sacrifice 2400 American lives for a political agenda, the crew of the Liberty were expendable for our "ALLY", Israel. Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act have proven that Roosevelt and his administration were complicit in the murder of our citizens and destruction on our military bases in Hawaii. That banner waving, blind excuse for patriotism does not change the facts.

I guess now we can finally see a parrelel between George W. Bush and Roosevelt...it is the only similarity I can find...COMPLICITY IN MURDER. The tragedy of 9/11 killed more than Pearl Harbor.

Saddam's Fault Iraq Is A Mess?

2006-03-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

Since many stupid people who do not care about the state of our country only want to pimp themselves in the comments section, all attempts at self pimping have been deleted and comments are now moderated. You would think America could not possibly be this stupid or inattentive. No wonder America and our freedom have died.

Did we miss something here?

Saddam is not the one responsible for the way Iraqis view Americans. Saddam did not have the kind of guerilla fighting as there is in Iraq at present. Our own PENTAGON issued a report putting the U.S. invasion of Iraq as being the reason that Iraq has become a terrorist hotspot...if you do not believe it, look it up for yourself or I can post a link to the pdf file. The list goes on for things that the US has done to provoke violence...

Yet George W. Bush says...

Iraq's instability "is the legacy of Saddam -- a tyrant who exacerbated ethnic divisions to keep himself in power."

REALLY... considering that the Bush administration has done that very thing here at home, I do not see him doing anything more than attempting to blame Saddam for the havok his administration has caused.

"I know that the work in Iraq is really difficult," Bush said, adding that a free Iraq in the Middle East is important to the security of America.

How will a free Iraq make the U.S. safer? They were not a threat before we invaded them, no matter what stupidity Bush and Co. tried to make us believe that they fabricated...WMD, mushroom clouds, etc.

If troops were withdrawn now, Iraq would turn into a safe haven for terrorists, who could arm themselves with weapons of mass destruction and could attack moderate governments in the Middle East

SURE...Israel is a MODERATE government...they got nukes of their own. Once again...WE made Iraq a hotbed for terrorists...our own government studies have indicated this as FACT.

We will now attempt to frighten America again with threats of imagined WMD like we did before so we can do what we want because Americans are incredibly stupid and gullible (all we have to do is find Jesus long enough to make more money and quickly lose him again when the camera is turned off.)

The quotes I have posted came from an article here.

Our founding fathers created our government to work for and take care of the people. It is beyond understanding why the Republican party has turned that concept completely around. It is now the people's job to take care of and provide for the politicians of the U.S. government.

To blame the previous dictator (which we installed) after we invade a soveriegn country and unseat him (he was going to sell Iraq's oil to everybody but the U.S.) is beyond asinine...and this is who the Republican party has turned on the citizens of America for? Did he ever graduate from Kindergarten?

Does not sound like it.

"Pre-emptive strike is not a monopoly of U.S."

2006-03-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

Thank you, George.

North Korea Touts First-Strike Capability

By JAE-SOON CHANG, Associated Press Writer Tue Mar 21, 2:42 PM ET

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea suggested Tuesday it had the ability to launch a pre-emptive attack on the United States, according to the North's official news agency. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the North had built atomic weapons to counter the U.S. nuclear threat

"As we declared, our strong revolutionary might put in place all measures to counter possible U.S. pre-emptive strike," the spokesman said, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "Pre-emptive strike is not the monopoly of the United States."
The United States urged North Korea to return to international nuclear negotiations instead of making inflammatory statements. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States has no plans to invade or attack North Korea.

Last week, the communist country warned that it had the right to launch a pre-emptive strike, saying it would strengthen its war footing before joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises scheduled for this weekend.

The North's spokesman said it would be a "wise" step for the United States to cooperate on nuclear issues with North Korea in the same way it does with India.
Earlier this month, President Bush signed an accord in India that would open some of its atomic reactors to international inspections in exchange for U.S. nuclear know-how and atomic fuel.

The accord was reached even though New Delhi has not signed the international Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. North Korea has withdrawn from the treaty and condemned the United States for giving India "preferential" treatment.

"If the U.S. is truly interested in finding a realistic way of resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, it would be wise for it to come out on the path of nuclear cooperation with us," the North Korean spokesman said.

The North's announcement that it has a nuclear arsenal risked escalating tensions in the prolonged standoff over its program and threatened the prospect of resuming six-nation talks on the dispute.

"We have built nuclear weapons for no other purpose than to counter U.S. nuclear threats," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

It is rare for North Korea to mention its nuclear capabilities in such an explicit manner. The communist state usually refers to its "nuclear deterrent force."
North Korea first declared last year that it has nuclear weapons, although the claim could not be confirmed independently. Experts believe the North has extracted enough plutonium from its main nuclear reactor for at least a half-dozen weapons.

Full Story

When are the flag waving idots in America going to wake up? North Korea DOES have WMD that Iraq did not. The Bush administration KNEW IRAQ DID NOT. Now, since the Yahoos in the White House have insisted on using the threat of violence against all who do not fall in line, we now have other countries with CREDIBLE nuclear weapons announcing to the world that we are just as vulnerable to being bullied.

Let's hear it for self rightous war mongers using "God" as their excuse to invade, justify wars and killing based on fabricated stories, steal what we want, threaten and bully the world into submission.

Hey...it's the American way.

If anyone wants to comment...you are invited to do so. If you want to loose the same neocon, self rightous bullshit that put these criminals in charge of this coountry or you want to start spouting the same religious toxins that have created this fascist police state...SAVE IT.

Religion is man made, only faith is of any "God". "God' is not responsible for war mongering and prejudices that this administration or the right fringe has led this country to.

"God" was not of any political party...especially those who "find" Jesus when it will score them political points but CONVENIANTLY "lose" him when he is inconveniant.

Ladies and Gentlemen...I give you the Bush administration.

Executive Order Allows Cheney To What?

2006-02-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Cheney told Brit Hume on National TV that there was an Executive Order that permits him to declassify information at will...

Was he admitting that he gave Scooter Libby the Plame information to damage her husband? To be able to legally declassify at will within the U.S. government is impossible because of how the information could be used. National security, etc. would be at the whim of an idiot with an attitude.

Every American citizen has a right to know...

WHICH EXECUTIVE ORDER MIGHT THAT BE?

Backroom Deal With DPW and U.S. Port Sales?

2006-02-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

Has everybody forgotten what effect CRONYISM played in the hurricane disasters of Katrina and Rita?

W aides' biz ties to Arab firm

Apparently that is posible because of one or two pieces of information not widely realized by the public...one of the officials of DP World was appointed to a prominent post within the Bush administration in January, 2006...

DP WORLD EXECUTIVE NOMINATED FOR PRESITIGOUS [sic] US GOVT POSITION

Dubai, 24 January 2006: - Global ports operator DP World today welcomed news that one of its senior executives, Dave Sanborn, has been nominated by US President George W. Bush to serve as Maritime Administrator a key transportation appointment reporting directly to Norman Mineta the Secretary of Transportation and Cabinet Member.

The White House has issued a statement from Washington DC announcing the nomination. The confirmation process will begin in February.

Mr Sanborn currently holds the position of Director of Operations for Europe and Latin America for the Dubai-based company

Mohammed Sharaf, CEO, DP World said: “While we are sorry to lose such an experienced and capable executive, it is exactly those qualities that will make Dave an effective administrator for MarAd. We are proud of Dave’s selection and pleased that the Bush Administration found such a capable executive. We wish him all the best in his new role.”

Ted Bilkey, Chief Operating Officer, DP World said: “Dave’s decades of experience in markets around the world, together with his passion for the industry and commitment to its development, will allow him to make a positive contribution to the work of the Maritime Administration. We wish him well for the future.”

Mr Sanborn, a graduate of The United States Merchant Maritime Academy, joined DP World in 2005. He previously held senior roles with shipping lines CMA-CGM (Americas), APL Ltd and Sea-Land and has been based, besides the US, in Brazil, Europe, Hong Kong and Dubai during his career. He has also served in the US Naval Reserve.

Mr Sanborn is due to take up his new role based in Washington DC later in 2006.

OK...how long ago was this deal planned and who will benefit from it? I do have to give credit to some that have stuck to the GOP line to protect Bush at all cost (like Frist and Hastert) for standing up against this transaction.

My discontent has not a thing to do with DPW being an Arab company but the appointment one month before, the validation of less than 25 days and the threat of Bush to veto any legislation to block it. Another secret deal was made in the closet to cheat the American people out of something...without adequate research into it, the rest of the government's input and with a massive rush and threat of veto to push it through. If it smells like sh*t, it probably is.

For years the GOP has blocked anything that would hold the Bush administration accountable while the wealthiest get tax breaks and social programs for the less fortunate are cut. Now George believes he can do anything he wishes, no matter what anyone else thinks.

The GOP created this Frankenstien...stop blocking efforts, work with the people and hold him and his cronies accountable.

Bushenstien is a conservative creation and will remain thus unless common good is put above party lines.

Your ball...

Cheney and his gun...

2006-02-19T19:52:00.000-08:00

Does anyone really want to give us the whole truth about the "accident" in which the V.P. of the United States shot his hunting pal? Apparently Not...

I do believe it was an accident. That is about all I believe of the official story.

If everything was honestly laid out in the first place, why does the story keep changing?

1. There was no alchohol involved at all...then there was. According to Cheney, there was one beer for lunch. Armstrong first claimed there had been absolutely no drinking but later stated that there might have been a couple of beers in the mix. YES...the woman who announced the "Shot Heard Round The World" is a registered lobbiest...which does not bode well (the V.P. hunting on the property of a lobbiest makes you wonder what he is going to do for those she represents). Did the Bush administration not learn anything from having dealings with Abramoff? The influence peddling and corruption within the GOP is staggering...

2.According to all reports, the victim's injuries were on the wrong side of his body...according to the official diagram drawn up in the accident report.

3. There is still no reasonable explanation of why it took 21 hours for the information to be given to the public...and when it was made public, it was done so by a LOBBIEST instead of the U.S.V.P. There is a great deal wrong with this scenario...the Vice President shoots a hunting partner while hunting on the property of a lobbiest after a beer or two for lunch...and the lobbiest is the one who breaks the news to a local media source, not national news?

4. Why is it that law enforcement did not speak to Cheney for 14 hours after the shooting? Waiting for the beer to wear off, maybe...

5. I have shot several shotguns in my life with several different forms of ammo. You can not make me believe that there was 30 yards between Cheney and the lawyer...the spray would have been too wide. The wounds on this guy was more consistent with something quite a bit less than 30 yards...I would be amazed if it were as much as 10 yards.

6. I also do not believe the U.S. taxpayers should be required to help fund Cheney's hunting trips. We pay for his Secret Service guards, we pay for medical staff to follow him in the woods plus every time he uses Air Force II to get there, we have to foot the bill.

Bush may be satisfied with his answer but as V.P. to this nation he owes the citizens of this country more than what he has given us.

There has been a couple of songs rewritten on behalf of Cheney's latest fiasco...they are rather entertaining...

You can sing along to Cheney's Got a Gun by Bob Rivers (buy it at MSN) The tune of Aerosmith's "Janie's Got a Gun".

Dick Cheney's got a gun
Dick Cheney's got a gun
The safety's come undone
He's squintin' in the Texas sun
What did our leader do?
Who'd he put a bullet through?
They said when Cheney goes To Texas
You'll find him huntin' fish and game
His buddy had it comin'
Cuz when Cheney's got a gun
He's just not that good at takin' aim
Cheney's got a gun
Dick Cheney's shot someone
Cindy Sheehan better run
Better watch her liberal buns
Tell him that the war's not through
He'll probably put a hole in you
He tracked a little bitty birdy
Hopin' to blow out its brains
They say the spell that he gets under
From double barrel thunder
Makes his eyes pop out like he's insane
Run away, run away from the Vice President
Run away, run away, run from Dick Che-ee-ay-ee-nee
Dick Cheney's got a gun
Cindy Sheehan better run
He a weapon of mass destruction

We also have a parody of Cheney's victim...
All Shook/Shot Up

Our public officials owe us more respect...this country does not belong to Bush, Cheney and the GOP exclusively. From what I know about Jesus, he would not feel a need to lie, obfuscate or cover up his actions so what is the excuse for the Bush administration?

No Soveriegnty with Bush leading the way...

2005-10-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

I've been sitting back, watching the GOP self destruct.

Rove, Bush's Chief of Staff, and Libby, Cheney's Chief of Staff, are both implicated in the outing of a covert CIA agent. Both have denied it and it has even come to light that Bush KNEW that Rove was involved. Both have had serious inconsistensies revealed in their testimony over the past two years and according the the Washington Post Rove is now saying that Libby gave him the info on the agent...cowards always have to have someone to pin it on. Cheney has been implicated, himself, as being involved.

Bush stalling on Katrina aid while giving more tax cuts for the wealthy a lot of thought.

Republican controlled government that wants to slash domestic programs that millions of people need in order to save the tax cuts for the wealthy...why not lay all the burden of GOP fiscal irresponsibility on the poor...sorry, me bad, the GOP does not believe there are poor people in America.

Tom Delay indicted, not once but twice and his replacement in the House involved in the same kind of money laundering schemes.

Bill Frist being brought in for questioning under an investigation by two agencies for insider trading.

Bush's pick in the Procurement office very quietly resigns on a Friday and is arrested on the following Monday.

The list goes on.

I have to hand it to the GOP...the Contract For America gimmick worked well...at least until greed got to big for them to handle. Now that egos have gotten outrageously out of hand, everyday people are paying a very dear price...

What did the GOP deliver under the Contract For America? I can tell you many things they delivered, most of which benefits the wealthiest, corporate and cronies of the GOP while everyone else loses more every day and has no way to recoup their losses.
First Iraq, Now Syria

OK, Boys and Girls...can anyone tell me by what authority the U.S. has invaded Syria to fight?

I do not recall Congress giving the Bush administration to go into Syria uninvited. Nor do I recall the U.N. Security Counsel even meeting about it, let alone giving us a green light to forcibly invade another soveriegn country.

No country in the world has a right to soveriegnty while idiots run our country and we will have no right to bitch when the come here for vengeance.

I found an article that sums it up very well.

Invade Syria? Insane

Using the Iraq war as an excuse to invade Syria is no different than when Nixon used Vietnam as an excuse for going into Cambodia...all it will cause is greater loss of life for more fabrication.

Death for reasons that have nothing to do with protecting the American people...
Added

I heard this morning that now the Bush administration is pressuring the U.N. Security Council to act on Syria. If no action is taken on the U.S. for going into Syria to use military force without an invitation and being held accountable, what gives the U.S. the right to demand that Syria be held accountable for something there is no solid proof of?

Condi Rice needs to either seal up that hole in her face or grow a brain...to go on about holding Syria accountable when the Bush administration has not been held to account and to bluster about respecting the soveriegnty of other nations when we have invaded Iraq, Afghanistan and now Syria is a severe oxy-moron.

Abuse and desecration of the dead are only a part of the wonderful vacation offered on the U.S. Invasion Tour...naw...we don't do that, do we?

This time it was caught on film by someone who is not intimidated by the catch phrase of UnAmerican.

And yes...since our ultimate goal in Afghanistan wasn't really to kill bin Laden after he orchestrated the murders of almost 3000 innocent American lives, you have nothing left but invasion and a coup`...at least Jeb and Unocal got the oil pipeline they had been striving for...

Third World America Courtesy of Compassionate Republicans

2005-09-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

It appears that the Bush administration is busy showing the American publiic, not to mention the entire world, that America's citizens are no more important to them than those who have been subjegated or killed in Iraq. The proof is in the policy...

President Bush suspends part of the law protecting wages paid by federal contractors in rebuilding effort. CNN video, Katrina wage outrage

Bush signed an Executive Order for an OPEN ENDED waiver (entire Gulf Coast devastated region) of the laws that protect a worker from wage discrimination and exploitation. He has even included areas in Florida that did not suffer damage from Katrina. The same laws that protect workers are not being waived in leui of Federal contractors such as Halliburton, who have seen massive profits over the past few years. The Rebublican controlled government has given themselves NINE raises since the last raise in minimum wage for America...when gas cost less that 95 cents a gallon. Bush is effectively choking the less fortunate of America and bolstering the wealthy yet again. It is odd that this, along with several stories concerning the underhanded tricks going on seem to be disappearing off the internet very quickly. This is more important that hearing about Natalee Holloway after she walked off with three stangers...this is a natural disaster that qualifies as a NATIONAL DISASTER and Bush and his Republican controlled Congress are going to squeeze the life out of us if we allow them to.

I did not vote for him...

Hurricane Katrina wreaked havok on the Gulf Coast. Many were overshadowed by the devastation in New Orleans. For instance, it took eight days for FEMA to establish the FIRST aid station in Biloxi, Mississippi. On National television and internet clips, we all saw Bush pat Michael Brown of FEMA on the back and say "Brownie, you're doin a heck of a job" The question is...what was he doing a "heck of a job" concerning? He was not helping those afflicted in the manner they needed.

Bush sent Cheney to survey the damage and an ER doctor in Mississippi did many Americans a service by pilfering Cheney with his own stones, in other words, telling him EXACTLY what he told Senator Leahey last year......go f**k yourself. Of course, off camera Cheney's thugs cuffed and detained the man for a short time. I didn't see Cheney cuffed and detained for telling a U.S. Senator the same thing. What is interesting, though, is before Cheney toured the area people were calling for Brown to be fired but Bush left him in charge. After Cheney went to the Gulf area, Brown was subsequently replaced as head of hurricane relief operations.

Does anyone doubt who is in charge?

Although the effort was trumpeted in the media as an example of grassroots ingenuity in the face of disaster, local officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have nixed an attempt by Houston activists to set up a low-power radio station at the Astrodome that would have broadcast Hurricane Katrina relief information for evacuees.
The project was unplugged even though it had key support. On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission quickly granted temporary licenses to broadcast inside the Astrodome and the adjacent Reliant Center. The station was also backed by the Houston Mayor’s office and Texas governor Rick Perry. But local officials said FEMA bureaucrats KO’d the station—dubbed KAMP “Dome City Radio”—because of “security concerns.”

“They wanted unlimited access to the buildings, which we could not give to anyone in the media,” said Gloria Roemer, a spokesperson for Harris County, which has jurisdiction over the Astrodome complex. Currently reporters are allowed in only on 15-minute guided tours.

According to Roemer, FEMA officials also believed they could not allocate “scarce” electricity, office space, and phone and Internet access to the volunteer station—even though activists say they offered to run the station on batteries and use their own cellphones.

Supporters of KAMP, which was set to launch at 95.3 FM, blame red tape and bureaucrats seeking to “manage the news.” FEMA Nixes Grassroots Radio Station for Hurricane Evacuees

What is it they do not want reporters to find out or see in the Astrodome?

The Bush administration has also called for a ban on the press when it comes to recovery of the victims who perished, claiming that it is out of dignity and respect for the families. Is that so? Then ow do you explain the lack of dignity some victims have been afforded by the military leaving them lying on the streets and conducting business around them without even acknowledging that they were laying there? They have been afforded very little dignity in death up to this point..

CNN argued before a judge in Texas saying "It is not the place of government to replace its own internal judgment for that of a free and independent media."
Because of controversy about how FEMA and other agencies handled the disaster response, CNN lawyers argued, "it is even more vitally important for the public, Congress and the administration to have an independent view of the conduct of this important phase of the operation." The "zero access" orders were withdrawn after the judge sided with CNN. U.S. won't ban media from New Orleans searches

Trying to block American citizens from knowing the truth about what is going on seems to be not so popular...or easy to get away with at home like it is in Iraq.

The federal government’s relief agency said Friday it will discontinue its program to distribute $2,000 debit cards to hurricane victims and use bank deposits instead, two days after hastily announcing the novel plan to provide quick relief.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it will scrap the program once officials finish distributing cards this weekend at shelters in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, where many of the evacuees were moved. No cards will be issued to victims in other states.
Hurricane victims at other locations will have to apply for expedited aid through the agency’s traditional route — filling out information on FEMA’s Web site to receive direct bank deposits, FEMA spokeswoman Natalie Rule said. FEMA to stop giving out debit cards

I was guessing this would only happen in Houston...a boon for Tom Delay to add money to his district and surrounding areas...but the program is cancelled after only two days? For everybody else displaced...what bank? It already seemed a pittance considering the U.S. gave every family relocated from the Gaza Strip a good deal more than that to relocate...giving them more help than our own citizens and then refusing the aid that Israel offered us in the wake of Katrina.

I suppose you could say that many in the Republican party that claim to represent all of American can not walk the walk or as my friend says they can't cash the check they are writing (her words were obviously more dramatic). For instance...

Rep. Baker of Baton Rouge is overheard telling lobbyists: "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

Good job, Baker...you and your wealthy associates that have told The Wall Street Journal that they wanted to rid New Orleans of the "black and poor"...good example of compassionate conservative are you not? Let him know what you think of his remarks...Washington DC Office: Congressman Richard Baker, 341 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-3901 - Fax: 202-225-7313. Baton Rouge Office: Congressman Richard Baker, 5555 Hilton Avenue, Suite 100, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Phone: 225-929-7711 or toll-free (in LA only) 800-892-1253 - Fax: 225-929-7688]

Republican Tom Delay visited a shelter and likened it to camping out, asking some young hurricane survivors, "Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?"

Yes Sir, Tom...they lost everything they had other than their very life...they are having a blast!

Compassion does not live in the Halls of Congress or the Oval Office.

Pundits like Rush Limbaugh with his Fraudian slip when he referred to the Mayor aof New Orleans as "Nayger"

Pundit Mark Williams of California said.....they didn't have the necessary brains and common sense to get out of the way of a Cat 5 Hurricane and then when it hit them- stood on the side of the convention Center expiring while reporters were coming and going..(speaking of the black population that could not or did not evacuate). He also expounds his ideals of what race has to do with anything...The only role race plays in this is that the American black population has been the prototype for an entire race of people being, being turned into a group of dependents of the government--trapped there, I'm using that word very loosely are screaming we want help, we want help.. You can see the clip of the interview under the heading of Mark Williams sinks to a new Low.

Shining examples of America's self rightousness...and it begins at home...

By the way, George...this was not a terrorist attack and calling upon the atrocities of 9/11 will not bolster you...
so can the comparison
.

Katrina's Coverup Has Begun...

2005-09-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

In an effort to show the world that it's finally on top of the catastrophe unleashed by Hurricane Katrina more than a week ago, the Bush administration is producing a seemingly impressive battery of statistics.

Since Friday, as criticism has mounted against the administration for its perceived failure to act sooner, officials have sought to tangibly catalog crucial results, such as "lives saved," "people assisted" and "citizens evacuated."

But a closer look at the administration's claims shows some of the most important numbers seem to contradict each other, including assertions made as recently as Tuesday afternoon about the number of people rescued from life-threatening situations.

In other cases, the numbers seem, at best, to be crude estimates, though they are not presented that way when uttered or released by administration officials.

You can find the article here...Administration's figures on response don't appear to add up

NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. agency leading Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts said Tuesday that it does not want the news media to photograph the dead as they are recovered.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, heavily criticized for its slow response to the devastation caused by the hurricane, rejected journalists' requests to accompany rescue boats searching for storm victims.

The article is here...FEMA Wants No Photos of Dead

Michael Brown of FEMA did not even think to send aid until after Katrina made landfall...WASHINGTON (AP) -- The top U.S. disaster official waited hours after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast before he proposed to his boss sending at least 1,000 Homeland Security workers into the region to support rescuers, internal documents show.

Part of the mission, according to the documents obtained by The Associated Press, was to ''convey a positive image'' about the government's response for victims.

Acknowledging that such a move would take two days, Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sought the approval from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff roughly five hours after Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29

The article is here.

According to the Denver Post, survivors are being locked and fenced in like a concentration camp. The military is stationed at entrances to the impromptu Camp Katrina.

If I didn't know better, I'd have thought I was peering through the fence at a concentration camp.

The signs on the buildings say "Community College of Aurora," though for now they're serving as an impromptu Camp Katrina. About 160 hurricane survivors are being housed in the dorms, surrounded by fences, roadblocks, security guards and enough armed police officers to invade Grenada.

There's a credentials unit to process every visitor, an intake unit to provide identification tags and a bag of clothes to every evacuee, several Salvation Army food stations, portable toilets, shuttle buses, a green army-tent chapel with church services three times a day and a communications team to keep reporters as far away from actual news as possible.

The article is here...Evacuees' stories are moving, but fence isn't

Mississippi saw their FIRST FEMA aid station EIGHT DAYS AFTER the need for it materialized and there are still people who need help that FEMA has not gotten to...but civilians volunteers have gotten to them so why can FEMA not help them?

Why is the U.S. government treating these survivors like they are almost insurgents? Trying to keep reporters away from them and fences...the whole mentality is wrong and should send a strong message to all Americans.

Considering that before we invaded Iraq, Barbera Bush posed a question in an interview as to why should I trouble my beautiful mind with thoughts of body bags and her most recent statement was that the survivors are doing well in the Houston Astrodome since they were underpriveledged anyway, are all those less fortunate to be treated with the least RESPECT we can give them?

FEMA does not want us to see the dead like Bush does not want us to see the dead from Iraq. Is America going to tolerate more Bush coverup? This is not Iraq, this is home.

Tom Delay and Homeland Security aides are again pummeling Gov. Blanco from Louisiana. She gave early warning of the need for assistence just like the officials in Alabama and Mississippi...Blanco is the only Democrat of the three. Does this seem political? It does to me.

Delay has also cancelled hearings on the Katrina "lack of aid" fiasco (article) and is blaming it on the locals. It is hard to believe people in Texas would want such a coward to represent them.

Please do not let the incompetence in DC be forgotton...or forgiven.

Katrina, The Bush Blame Game and the Stupidity of America...

2005-09-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

OK boys and girls...

According to the New York Times, Republican Aides have admitted that blaming State and Local officials for the incompetence was Rove's idea to take the heat off of Bush.
Governor Blanco asked for aid by August 28, 2005

The battered Louisiana Governor is now being blamed by the Bush administration for dragging her feet. My question is how could she have been dragging her feet to get relief for New Orleans if she asked Bush for aid to evacuate New Orleans BEFORE Katrina came ashore?

If you want to blame it on someone for dragging their feet, it was not Blanco.
The Mayor and Police Chief of New Orleans stayed with their people through it all

To try and blame these man shows blatent stupidity as well because both stayed with the people of New Orleans under the same conditions they were in. They did all they could to save lives. The Republican controlled Congress was not forgiving when they slashed budgets all across America, cutting funds for first responders and such. New Orleans' Mayor has been a rock under the worst of circumstances and any coward who would attempt to say he did not help as best he could would most likely be one who would desert everyone else to save their own skin in such a traumatic situation. The same goes for New Orleans' Police Chief.

The States of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi all sent Bush Emergency Declarations before Katrina hit because budget cuts had left all three without the means to handle all of the preparations.

NORTHCOM prepared for Katrina in order to respond to her aftermath. They had strict orders NOT TO GO ANYWHERE. All they could do is sit on their hands and watch people die because they were not allowed to go help without Bush's say-so.

If you want to cast blame, put such blame on the one's deserving of it.

It's bad enough to have American citizens being hung out to dry like this. Add to that the incompetence of this administration and then fanatical religios idiots that claim Katrina was God's retribution...Scarborough has stated that gays, our backing of Israel's pullout of Gaza, and such pissed God off so he punished us with Katrina. Christian fanatics and extremists like Scarborough or Pat Robertson are no better than Islamic extremists like Bin Laden.

Otherwise it would be preferable that you not expose American stupidity to the entire world...we look bad enough already...

Katrina Aftermath - The State of Insanity...

2005-09-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

Reading the news today and watching the live feeds from Baton Rouge is really depressing.

FEMA officials made an appearance at Bay-St. Lewis, Mississippi today. They were seen at the demolished bridge in town (what used to be town), not inspecting the damage but apparently having a kind of "class photo" of themselves next to the devastation...and then they left. They lined up for a group photo next to this ruined and unusable bridge just to take their picture and then left. At 'a boy...good job...

St. Bernard Parrish has an Environmental disaster underway with very little to no help. Some kind of oil facility has split in half and oil is leaking in masssive amounts. They are searching for the dead while looking for survivors that did not have the financial means to leave before Katrina hit...65 confirmed dead so far just there with 300 body bags ordered. Thank you Canada for the rescue crews that have come down to help there.

In New Orleans, there was some bad news, 7 people have been shot (5 of which have died) for either brandishing arms or shooting at contractors that were trying to work on the levee. With all that New Orleans has gone through, I do not think anyone can feel better about more deaths.

There have been private buses turn up under the pretense of evacuating survivors only to try and charge these victims $100.00 a head after getting on the bus...that did not go over well with locals and ended quickly.

There is good news from New Orleans being that more survivors have been found and evacuated from rooftops, etc. and there have been no deaths today at the M*A*S*H type unit at the airport but there have been three live births of healthy babies!
Bush Administration Blames Local Government

Bush and his administration is starting to place the blame for the slow response on the Mayor of New Orleans, local law enforcement and the Govenor of Louisiana. I would like to point out serious flaws in this blame game. The Bush administration made severe cuts in every state's budget and slashed between 70-80% of Louisiana's budget for the programs they had for hurricane preparedness and Emergency Management. The Feds are also heaping blame on the Govenor for not ASKING the Federal govt. for aid. WTF??? Any person with any grasp of their mental facilities had no problem seeing that help was needed...DESPERATELY. With funding severely cut by the Bush administration, any amount of common sense on the part of the Bush administration would allow them to realize that the city no longer had the ability to combat such a crisis. Blaming those who had to deal with the immediate aftermath does not get Chertoff off the hook for clearly having no idea of what he is doing, Brown off the hook for his incompetence or Bush off the hook for his delay in getting involved.

Bush has asked the Govenor to give the Federal government full control of the rescue and aid efforts which the Governor wisely refused. She then hired Clinton's FEMA Chief to advise her and to work for the State of Louisiana. I would bet that if the Federal government took over, the press would be giving us the same horse puckey that we get from Iraq...we would ONLY be told what they want us to know and we would be deliberately denied the whole truth because it would embarrass them.

It is also an outrage that when Bush flew over New Orleans, all aid was halted. It pissed people off when Bush caused delays when he showed up at a Nascar event last year but this time it could have meant life or death. Somebody needs to give George an extensive psychiatric evaluation...people were dropping dead from lack of food, water and medication and all aid is HALTED because he FINALLY decides to get involved and do his job?

It is contradictory in the highest sense that the Bush PR is going into overdrive and calls for medical help are going out, yet American doctors who have showed up to help are being turned away...>article.

Homeland Security won't let Red Cross deliver food now that the Feds came in. You can find the article here. What purpose does it serve to stop more aid from getting to those who need it? Chertoff as head of Homeland Security has proven his incompetence and disregard for the victims in New Orleans.

Tim Russert called Chertoff to the carpet on Meet The Press...about time someone did. You can find the transcript here.

The evacuees are being bused and flown out of Loisiana without being given any idea of where they are being taken. How are these people supposed to connect with surviving family members if nobody is told where they are being taken? This is an atrocious way to treat these people.

We finally are seeing how Michael Brown came to have his job at FEMA and what he did before he came to FEMA. Life before FEMA found Brown working for the International Arabian Horse Association (IAHA)...his biggest responsibility was to qualify judges for horse shows. He was asked to resign after 11 years because of a spate of lawsuits over alleged supervisory failures. Supervisory failures? Is that not what we are seeing now? That sure is great qualification for FEMA, is it not? He came to FEMA in 2001 at the suggestion of a buddy (Joseph Allbaugh, who was a colledge roommate) and was appointed the Chief of FEMA when his buddy (Allbaugh) quit in 2003. It has been said by Bush that Brown has handled more than 164 emergency situations as of 2004. Let me ask you...does that include the emergency hurricane relief funds given to a Florida County (unnamed on purpose) That did not suffer hurricane damage? Did it include those hard hit Florida Counties that got shafted and did not get as much aid as they needed? You get the idea...

Yeah buddy...Brown is da man!

It has been revealed that there was a plan for a hurricane in New Orleans...Brown chose to ignore it.

Katrina And Her Predecessor...

2005-09-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

It was a broiling August afternoon in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Big Easy, the City That Care Forgot. Those who ventured outside moved as if they were swimming in tupelo honey. Those inside paid silent homage to the man who invented air-conditioning as they watched TV "storm teams" warn of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing surprising there: Hurricanes in August are as much a part of life in this town as hangovers on Ash Wednesday.

But the next day the storm gathered steam and drew a bead on the city. As the whirling maelstrom approached the coast, more than a million people evacuated to higher ground. Some 200,000 remained, however, the car-less, the homeless, the aged and infirm, and those die-hard New Orleanians who look for any excuse to throw a party.

The storm hit Breton Sound with the fury of a nuclear warhead, pushing a deadly storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain. The water crept to the top of the massive berm that holds back the lake and then spilled over. Nearly 80 percent of New Orleans lies below sea level, more than eight feet below in places, so the water poured in. A liquid brown wall washed over the brick ranch homes of Gentilly, over the clapboard houses of the Ninth Ward, over the white-columned porches of the Garden District, until it raced through the bars and strip joints on Bourbon Street like the pale rider of the Apocalypse. As it reached 25 feet (eight meters) over parts of the city, people climbed onto roofs to escape it.

Thousands drowned in the murky brew that was soon contaminated by sewage and industrial waste. Thousands more who survived the flood later perished from dehydration and disease as they waited to be rescued. It took two months to pump the city dry, and by then the Big Easy was buried under a blanket of putrid sediment, a million people were homeless, and 50,000 were dead. It was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States.

Does this sound about right? This was not written about Katrina...it was written about her predecessor, PAM. Have you not heard about PAM? Pam was an imaginary, hypothetical hurricane invented for a simulation for the purpose of disaster preparedness scenarios for New Orleans. Too bad the Bush administration gutted the funding for Louisiana that was earmarked for shoring up the levee that broke, Emergency services/First Responders and drained the outlying marshes that have always been a barrier to help subdue the effects of hurricanes before they reach populated areas.

For George Bush and all those who are trying to assert that we could not possibly have been prepared for such a catastrophe as we are facing now, I would like to point out that this is a piece of a National Geographic article that was witten almost a YEAR ago in October 2004. If National Geographic knew, everybody knew.

George Bush needs to stop making excuses.

According to reports from Baton Rouge, there have been hundreds rescued from roofs and attics in New Orleans within the last 24 hours. There is not enough help. For those trying to deal with the rescue, some are running out of gas for the equipment they have to use. This is day 5 after Katrina...where is all the help? The situation in Gulfport as of yesterday was that they have seen absolutely no help from the Federal government. The situation in New Orleans as of this morning, Sept. 3, is that "the situation (deterioration) may be slowing"...not that it is getting better but that the rate at which the city was going to hell may be letting up. The evacuation of the Superdome has been SUSPENDED with between 2,000 and 5,000 people still waiting to get out., without any real explanation of why. People numbering in the thousands still wait in the Convention Center without any word of when they will see buses come for them. ADDITIONAL NEWS: I have just seen a report in which they have current video (live) of a conclave of school buses heading toward the Convention Center, presumably to evacuate the survivors holding there. WONDERFUL!!

Cities in Louisiana are turning away survivors of Katrina because the media has sensationalized the looting to the point that people areafraid to help...I heard this from an interview today with a City Counselman from New Orleans. Rescue operations have also stopped from time to time with the excuse of fear...news crews have walked into crowdds and walked away unscathed, so what does that say for the cowardice of some of the FEMA personnel that were too afraid to bring aid to those who need it?

To get a good idea of what it is like on the ground, it would be enlightening for you to read Notes From Inside New Orleans

Past directors of FEMA have stood to be counted in statements that the Federal government was ill prepared for a disaster. "What you're seeing is revealing weaknesses in the state, local and federal levels," said Eric Tolbert, who until February was FEMA's disaster response chief. "All three levels have been weakened. They've been weakened by diversion into terrorism." Federal government wasn't ready for Katrina, disaster experts say.
According to the Pentagon Report, completed last September but withheld until after the 2004 election, this administration's policies have created more terrorism rather than defeating it and those inflicted situations are now seeing the citizens of the United States suffering for it.

I want you to imagine what the survivors of Katrina that were holding up in the Superdome felt when they heard a remark from Dennis Hastert on a battery powered radio...Hastert made a statement that New Orleans should not be rebuilt. A prominent New Orleans lawyer heard this statement from his refuge in the Superdome and wrote Hastert a leter yesterday as he was getting ready to evacuate...he told Hastert that he once thought he had nothing but that Hastert seems to need more help than he does and he would pray for him because he had faith that Hastert obviously was lacking. It is shameful that elected officials would be so damn insensitive during such a crisis.

Bush stated today that "things are getting better by the hour". Sure...and the Feds have been doing right by the victims of Katrina since day one...

Late Addition

The appointed Chief of the running joke of Homeland Security has come out publically stating that "That 'perfect storm' of a combination of catastrophes exceeded the foresight of the planners, and maybe anybody's foresight," He also stated that it was breathtaking in it's surprise. CNN Article

Guess that means that National Geographic either knows America better than Chertoff or that they only THOUGHT they wrote the story in October 2004...everyone who has a copy or read it were hallucinating en masse.

Talk about your National Disgrace...
Chertoff proves himself incompetent, Homeland Security is a joke.

Katrina's Aftermath, Crisis and the Lack of Action...

2005-09-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

May the Powers that be show mercy to the survivors of Katrina. Day four and people are still being rescued from attics and roof tops in New Orleans. Thousands of refugees are stranded on highway overpasses and hundreds remain at the Convention Center. Desperately needed shipments of food and water finally arrived TODAY...but not everyone who needs it is getting it. Evacuations are promised but not happening and more people are dying because of bureaucratic red tape...that is unacceptable.

I have friends in Louisiana so I have been checking all the news I can and also watching live feeds from a television station in Baton Rouge, LA., in order to see what is happening...it is heartbreaking, infuriating and unforgivable to watch American citizens go through unnecessary hardship as they are after surviving the worst natural disaster of our time. Two of the hospitals just got evacuated TODAY, people are dropping dead from lack of food, water and/or medication for days, the conditions in the area are unsanitary (raw sewage and waste everywhere), no shelter...when is the Federal govt. going to take this disaster seriously?

The official version of what is happening from Michael Brown, Bush's appointment to FEMA, is almost the total opposite of the reality on the ground and unless the chief of FEMA starts to become realistic, New Orleans will have to do without a great deal more aid that they should have had already...they should not have had to wait four days for help to actually get to them in the first place. The Mayor of New Orleans has stated that the situation is a National disgrace and he is absolutely correct. Brown has defended his actions on national television but the mainstream media has busted him on it (article) and even Bush has stated that the actions of FEMA have not been enough.

I saw an interview this afternoon with the Mayor of Slidell, LA, in which he stated that FEMA had sent aid and then would not give his people access to it (generators, equipment, etc.) because of red tape (generators brought were not available because an inspector had not ok'ed the location, etc) and FEMA was actually CONFISCATING some of their supplies (gasoline, trucks, etc.) that they were using to clean up the area. Slidell is a direct neighbor of New Orleans for those of you who do not know. FEMA has actually begun confiscating loads of diesel fuel that Corporate America has bought for the normal operations of their companies...I know this for a fact.

It is embarrassing enough that America's president did not get into the situation for four days after the devastation happened, using the excuse that he did not want to get in the way. For Heaven's sake, he IS the president, his JOB is to be involved with the crisis and take care of the American people...excuses are not acceptable. Some would defend his delay in reacting but an intelligent person would know that the sooner our elected president got involved, the sooner aid would materialize for those who needed it.

Many Americans take the attitude that Nobody ever helps us so why should we care what anybody else thinks?. I can put that attitude to task in the wake of Katrina's devastation...many have stepped up to the plate to help the U.S. in this crisis, including countries we have caused a good deal of grief for like Venezuela and Cuba. I have listed some of the countries below and would like to offer my heart felt appreciation. Also the governments in Europe have agreed to open up oil reserves to help the American people with the gas crunch we are seeing. They will be sending crude oil AND gasoline to relieve our hardship.

Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Guatemala, Paraguay, Belgium, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Italy, Guyana, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia. Austria, Lithuania, Spain, Dominica, Norway, Cuba and Bahamas. Article

It appears that the ongoing crisis in New Orleans is a great distraction for our Republican controlled government...

The longer this situation continues, the more outraged I get. Today is September 2 and is the first day of real effort New Orleans has seen from the Federal government. Yesterday, September 1, the Navy hired Houston-based Halliburton Co. to restore electric power, repair roofs and remove debris at three naval facilities in Mississippi damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Halliburton subsidiary KBR will also perform damage assessments at other naval installations in New Orleans as soon as it is safe to do so.
KBR was assigned the work under a "construction capabilities" contract awarded in 2004 after a competitive bidding process. (We all know how competitive it is, the one person with the guts to stand and be counted for her honesty was retaliated against) article

KBR has not been asked to repair the levees destroyed in New Orleans which became the primary cause of most of the damage.

Is it not odd that Halliburton and it's subsidiary can be hired to fix up Naval Bases but our government had not, as of the time it hired Halliburton, even seen the devastation of New Orleans nor had they made sure the survivors had essentials for sustaining life (food and water)? It is shameful for Halliburton to get away with what it has in Iraq at taxpayer expense but this is not Iraq and these are American citizens we are talking about...why in the hell is Hallibuton's contracts more pressing than the people who need help?

I have to wonder, as any reasonable person should, why the Bush administration has dragged their feet to help our own...is it because Katrina could not be held accountable as a terrorist? ENOUGH ALREADY! Instead of jumping the gun to attack another country, how about focusing on the home front. Instead of focusing on repealing the Estate Tax, as Senator Frist plans as early as Tuesday, how about putting the focus on helping people who desperately need it instead of adding to our financial burden with more perks and easements for the wealthiest. Instead of allowing Bolton to try to derail the upcoming U.N. summit, how about trying to assist the U.N. in it's efforts for all nations instead of trying to exempt the U.S. and Israel from accountability...after all, even the U.N. has offered assistance for our hurricane survivors.

How about not letting America or it's people become the next failed business opportunity, George...

U.S. Run Amok...Christian Terrorism

2005-08-23T15:31:00.000-07:00

Some of you have actually been watching and have seen that out Olympic Bomber has now been sentenced and will never get out of prison. This man blew up abortion clinics on a mission from God in order to "embarrass the U.S. government" because he believed that his view...women have no choice and gays are not people which his ideology has proven...was the only right way of doing things. He caused loss of life and permanent injury and really did not care that he did so. He apologized for the Olympic bombing but not the Nightclub or Clinic where he murdered and injured people.

So what is the excuse we are going to get for Pat Robertson, who has recently claimed to have the Republican party in his pocket, advocating the assassination of Venuzuela's president?

Bloomberg.com ``We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come to exercise that ability,'' Robertson said yesterday on the program, an audiotape of which was posted on the Web site of the Christian Broadcasting Network, founded by the cleric and based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. ``This is a dangerous enemy to our south controlling a huge pool of oil.''

Robertson said that Chavez is going to make Venezuela a ``launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent.'' Killing Chavez, who is currently visiting Cuba, would be cheaper than starting a war, he said.

``We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one strong-arm dictator,'' Robertson said. ``It's a whole lot easier to let some of the covert operatives to do the job and get it over with.''

Hmmm...Chavez has done more for his people than the American govt. has done for Americans...I'm talking the majority of us, not corporations or "faith based" groups. Chavez seems to be less than impressed with bullying tactics and therefore less likely to be intimidated by the American Empire...and he has oil.

OK...he has oil and has threatened to sell it elsewhere if the U.S. continues the bullying and interference...GOOD FOR HIM! It's about damn time somebody showed some backbone in this world.

Let me pose a question to the Christian Right...the statement Robertson made is completely opposite of the Christian Bible's teachings...what are you going to do about it (his mouth)? Are you just going to publicly pay lip service, condemning his statement while allowing him to remain such an obnoxious figurehead...or are you going to stop allowing him to attempt the marriage of religion and politics as you should have done a very long time ago?

Once again, it appears that the Christian groups that have lots of money and try to buy their way into legislation of their own moral codes have the jailhouse religion syndrome going on...

We will profess God when necessary to get what we want but lose him quickly once we do.

Rumsfeld said "we don't do that", which is, of course, a lie but it is always covert and not publicized...anyone who sincerely argues that we do not is incredibly naive.

It was bad enough when America was embarassed by a Republican Senator who publicly stated that we should bomb Mecca (name being left unstated out of sheer National embarrassment...intelligent people could not have elected such a putz which does not say a lot for our country).

It is truly a black mark to this country when a so called Christian leader would stoop to publicly advocating the murder of another human being.

If a person, no matter what nationality, publicly advocated the assasination of Bush they would be arrested and tried for advocating terrorism. Robertson has advocated the assasination of another country's leader...he should go to jail as well.

Why not...we did it to the Native Americans and the Iraqis are being slaughtered now...

Roberts is not Supreme Court material.

2005-08-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

When Bush nominated Roberts for the Supreme Court, many of us were wondering where this was going and the rest of us had a decent idea what would follow There were very few comments and even less information about this man who would fill a lifetime position in America's highest court...that seemed instantly suspect. It is unfolding quickly at this point but even if it were not every American should be a bit aprehensive after this...

"Justice Sunday II: God Save the United States and this Honorable Court!"

Does anyone not remember the Evangelical extremists who hosted the first Justice Sunday that was primarily meant to pressure our government to put extreme judges in place and support Frist in his nuclear option campaign that would have changed our rules to allow the majority to strip any rights from the minority party? These same people are having a second show to work at getting Roberts on the Supreme Court. The story was covered by the Washington Post under the heading that Frist was not invited to this one because he stood up for stem cell research but the implications of the extreme Christian Right showing support for Roberts is much more destructive.

Be afraid, America...be very afraid.

From what we DO know
1.) Roberts supported regulatory changes that would have permitted the federal funding of discrimination against women, minorities, people with disabilities, and older Americans
2.)criticized the Supreme Court decision forbidding organized prayer in public schools;
3.)sought to expand the ability of prosecutors and police to question suspects out of the presence of their attorneys
(1, 2 and 3 Washington Post, July 26)
4.) Roberts argued that Congress should strip the Supreme Court of authority to rule on cases regarding abortion, school prayer, and certain school desegregation remedies.
5.) Roberts argued that affirmative action programs were bound to fail because they required "the recruiting of inadequately prepared candidates"
(4 and 5 New York Times, July 28)
6.) Roberts has admitted to registering as a lobbyist but ommitting that detail from his questionnaire that he submitted to the Senate. (L.A. Times, August 4)

The approach is to avoid giving specific responses to any direct questions on legal issues likely to come before the Court. I'm sorry...that is not good enough. The American people have the right to know whether he will stand fairly for all of us within the law or will he be a hero to the Christian Right by changing laws of today to satisfy ideology of a minority?
If you oppose abortion...don't have one.

Religious zealots who appoint themselves as God to force others into their views are foolish, irrational and arrogant. How many of those zealots will take care of and support those children? If a woman is realistic and knows she could not bear the burdens,...whether it be emotionally, physically or financially...what right does anyone have to force her into doing it anyway and setting her and the child up for failure? Would it be just so they could bitch about welfare lines, child abuse/neglect and juvenile delinquency down the road?
Women deserve all the opportunities that men have under the law.

The days of barefoot, pregnant and subservient are long gone, Roberts, old boy. How dare any man in the US attempt to strip what little rights we have away from us...what, you don't think we should have got the right to vote either, do you? The ORIGINAL Constitution of the US does not specify gender when it states OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE. Women deserve no less than equal opportunity. Even your Federalist Society can not pull that one out of a hat.
White male domination is idiotic, arrogant and much of America's problem

I suppose Condi Rice and Clarence Thomas can appreciate your ideas that appointing blacks would provide "inadequately prepared candidates". I may not care for either very much but it is a bit ironic. I suppose Rosa Parks should have been executed instead of jailed and blacks should have never been given the opportunities to get into college...hell, maybe you would prefer the "ownership society" that we had before Lincoln and slavery was still valid. Sure...let's not give anyone a chance for anything unless they are male and white. Again, the Constitution did not specify racial preferences when it states OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

Hey...we slaughtered the Indians because they were on our land before we got here and then forced their surviving children into Christianity. America is complacent not to see what we did by dropping bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Now we slaughter Iraqis because they were on our oil fields before we got there. Why should we have a legacy other than white dominance due to mass destruction...
Impaired AMERICANS are worthy of respect

Handicapped Americans are not disposable people. They should not be denied what they need to communicate or to be able to learn and survive. Why would you feel that a deaf student had no right to a signing translater for school? What would you have us do with handicapped people...hide them away and deny them basic resources to be productive members of society? Would you repeal legislation that benefits them?
You don't need no stinking lawyer!

Let's all go back to Draconian measures...coersion, torture, forced confessions, etc...Roberts does not believe any innocent person or anyone else would EVER need their lawyer present when they are questioned. Yeah, right... Tell that to the guy released last week after spending 19 years in prison for a rape he did not commit. Scenes of Abu Graib and Gitmo come to mind...oh no, we would never abuse anyone...especially if there was no witness to dispute us.
If you want organized prayer in school, enroll in a Christian School

I refuse to have my grandson forced into something he has not chosen for himself. If you don't like it, you can kiss something green and slimy. Religion belongs in your church, your home and your Christian Schools but it does not belong in our PUBLIC schools. I do not appreciate Christianity being shoved down my throat and I appreciate it even less when it is shoved onto children who are not mature enough to choose their own path. The same people who made themselves God in order to tell women what they can or can not do with their own bodies are the ones who push school prayer for all, yet I see those same people at the heart of it cutting programs that benefit children in all walks of life.

That doesn't even touch the fact that Roberts ommitted his lobbyist ties.

Roberts nomination is shrouded in secrecy and that should be a red flag for this country and it's people. If Roberts was an honorable man with nothing to hide there would be no need for secrecy. Since the fanatics from Justice Sunday are putting this much effort and money into his nomination you can bet that the minority will see their idea of justice while the rest of America suffers a lifetime appointment of a nominee of far right persuasion.
Roberts is dangerous and has no business on the Supreme Court.

Additions 8/6/05

Unlike his position as an assistant to Atty. Gen. William French Smith in 1981 and 1982, Roberts' later post in the solicitor general's office gave him the chance to try to reshape the law at the Supreme Court. And when teamed with Starr, he was not shy about pressing sharply ideological positions in the court.

The duty and role of the solicitor general was a subject of debate in the 1980s. Reagan's first solicitor general, Rex Lee, quit in frustration, saying he was reluctant to "press the administration's policies at every turn …. I'm the solicitor general, not the pamphleteer general."

The solicitors who followed Lee, including Charles Fried and Starr, were more willing to advocate the ideological views of the administration.

And in the Reagan and Bush administrations, that meant urging the Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

This latest article makes it very clear that our political front has been and is still being infused with the piety of the minority who believe America's laws should reflect only their choice moral values. This article is from the L.A. Times.

In 1991, Roberts personally argued a case along with lawyers for Operation Rescue. The protesters had been sued in Virginia over their abortion clinic blockades. The women who sued relied on the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, which made it illegal for a group to conspire to deprive individuals of their rights.

Roberts began by saying that he was not defending the actions of the protesters. Rather, he argued, the 19th century civil rights law did not apply to their conduct. The law only applied when people were singled out for discrimination, as blacks were by the Klan, Roberts said.

"Opposition to abortion is [not] the same as discrimination on the basis of gender," he said, adding that it was "wrong as a matter of law and logic" to make such a claim. In a 6-3 decision, the court agreed with his argument in an opinion written by Justice Antonin Scalia.

The lawyer who represented the women said the Bush administration lawyers should have stayed out of the case.

"We were greatly bothered that the federal government was in this case on the side of Operation Rescue," Deborah Ellis, a New York University law professor, said recently. "There is a right to abortion, and whether you agree with it or not, it is objectionable that women could be deprived of this right by force."

(The Supreme Court is set to hear a similar case this fall involving blockades at abortion clinics. Lawyers for the National Organization for Women won a suit against leaders of Operation Rescue for using violence and threats against doctors and patients. The court will hear an appeal from the antiabortion advocates, who say a federal extortion law does not apply to such protests.)

DUH! A woman had a legal right to abortion and they felt intimidated and threatened...the same law should have applied.

Shortly after Roberts arrived in Starr's office, the federal government also intervened in a Missouri right-to-die case.

Nancy Cruzan had been badly injured in an auto accident. She never regained consciousness, and her family petitioned a court to remove her surgically implanted feeding tube.

"The question is whether the state is going to decide this, or the person's family is going to make the decision," William Colby, a lawyer for the Cruzans, told the court.

Missouri's lawyers said they were defending the "right to life" protected by their state constitution, and Starr argued that the states deserved "wide latitude" to set their own rules.

The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, ruled for the state.

It is not the American people who make family decisions...it is those who strip us of that choice. the Bush brothers tried to do that with Terri Shaivo, too, didn't they? Neither state or federal government has a right to invade a family in such a way.

Starr and Roberts also upset women's rights advocates in 1991 when they intervened on the side of a Georgia school district in a major test of Title IX, the law that bars sex discrimination in schools and colleges.

Christine Franklin, a student, said she had been sexually harassed and abused by a popular coach, who was later dismissed. She sued the school district.

Starr and Roberts urged the court to rule that the law did not give victims of sex discrimination a right to sue. The justices unanimously rejected that view.

If women do not gain a clear picture of what we would have to look forward to with Roberts on the Supreme Coart, they are either blind or brain dead.

"He had very strong ideological views about the law, and he saw his mission in life as bringing these conservative views to bear on civil rights and anti-discrimination laws," said Susan Carle, then a lawyer in the department's civil rights division and now a professor at American University's law school.

In Starr's and Roberts' final year in the solicitor general's office, the Reagan Revolution ran aground at the high court.

They had focused on two goals that were dear to conservatives since Reagan's election: restoring prayers to public schools and overturning the right to choose abortion.

They intervened in a Rhode Island case that tested whether school officials could invite a cleric to give an invocation at graduation. The Bush administration lawyers argued that a ceremonial prayer did not amount to an "establishment of religion" and therefore should be upheld.

They also intervened in the Pennsylvania case to argue that states could make all abortions a crime.

The term ended in June 1992 with a pair of setbacks for conservatives. By 5-4 votes, the court ruled that school-sponsored prayers were unconstitutional, even at ceremonies, and upheld the right of pregnant women to choose abortion.

It is even more clear that this man does not belong on the Supreme Court.

He did stand up for men's rights, though...

But Roberts was not always on the government's side.

He intervened in a Louisiana case to argue on behalf of an inmate, Keith Hudson, who had been beaten by two prison guards while he was shackled and handcuffed.

He later sued the guards for violating his constitutional rights and won $800 in damages. But the U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans threw out the verdict and ruled that prisoners' rights were not violated by abusive treatment that did not cause a significant and permanent injury.

Roberts spotted the case and said he was troubled by the lower court's ruling. Though "frivolous" suits from prisoners were a problem, this was not a frivolous case, he said. Nor, he told the court, should the law condone the "unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain" on prisoners.

The high court agreed in a 7-2 ruling written by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Justices Clarence Thomas and Scalia dissented.

Scalia and Thomas are the biggest slaps in the face that we have in the court system...we do not need another who will set women's rights, the disabled and any race other than white back to the stone age in order to keep the white male domination of this society in place.

If you do not write and call your elected representatives to let them know you do not think Roberts is a good choice, you get what you deserve and put the rest of us in jeopardy.

If you don't care about it, you do not deserve the rights our soldiers have fought, bled and died for.

Karl Rove Violated his Nondisclosure Agreement...

2005-07-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

Section 5.5b of the amended Executive Order 12958 - Classified National Security Information states...

Officers and employees of the United States Government, and its contractors, licensees, certificate holders, and grantees shall be subject to appropriate sanctions if they knowingly, willfully, or negligently:
(1) disclose to unauthorized persons information properly classified under this order or predecessor orders...

With all the stories flying around about Rove talking to reporters in the case of Valerie Plame being outed, I wanted to point out something that is quite obvious and it has nothing to do with partisan bickering or whether Rove did the "outing".

The above section of Executive Order 12958, which you can find at ISOO (Information Security Oversite Office website) states that it is a violation to disclose classified information to an unauthorized person. Rove has testified that he had confirmed Novak about Plame, in other words, if this version is correct (we have heard for a while now that he was not involved), then he did in fact knowingly, willfully and negligently verify classified information to a person not authorized to have it.

It may not be the crime of intentionally outing an undercover CIA Operative but is is assuredly a violation of Executive Order 12958.

Section 1.1b of the same Executive Order states...

Classified information shall not be declassified automatically as a result of any unauthorized disclosure of identical or similar information.

Rove has no excuse here because even IF Novak brought it up and mentioned Plame and her position in the CIA, that did not make the information declassified, therefore Rove violated the order by verifying any classified information Novak might have had.

Section 4.1c states...

Classified information shall remain under the control of the originating agency or its successor in function. An agency shall not disclose information originally classified by another agency without its authorization...

If Rove, as Bush's advisor, wanted to verify classified CIA information he was bound to talk to the CIA first...but, of course, he did not.

There is a really interesting part here that leads to more restrictions...section 4.1a (2)...

the person has signed an approved nondisclosure agreement

OK...so let's look at the nondisclosure agreement that Rove had to sign...

Paragraph 3, for example...I have been advised that any unauthorirized disclosure, unauthorized retention or any negligent handling of classified information by me could cause damage or irreperable injury to the United States or could be used to advantage by a foriegn nation. I hereby agree that I will never divulge classified information to anyone unless (a) I have officially verified that the recipient has been properly authorized by the United States Government to recieve it: or (b) I have been given prior written notice of authorization from the United States Government Department or Agency responsible for the classification of the information or last granting me a security clearance that such disclosure is permitted. I understand that if I am uncertain about the classification status of information, I am required to confirm from an authorized official that the information is unclassified before I may disclose it, except to a person as described in (a) or (b) above. I further understand that I am obligated to comply with laws and regulations that prohibit the unauthorized disclosure of classified information.

Paragraph 4 begins with...I have been advised that any breach of this Agreement may result in the termination of any security clearances I hold; removal from any position of special confidence and trust requiring such clearances; or the termination of my employment or other relationships with the Departments or Agencies that granted my security clearance or clearances...

OK...let's put all this into perspective. Rove's lawyer is attempting to say that Rove did nothing wrong by trying to make distinctions in the Executinve Order 12958. There are no distictions that you can pull out of the hat here. The EO 12958 and the nondisclosure agreement that Rove (and all Federal employees) signed states that negligent handling of classified information is a breach of the Agreement and violation of EO 12958, so even if Rove was not the person who "outed" Plame, he is still in violation of Federal Law. Even if he only CONFIRMED the information that Novak had, he still violated the law by confirming classified information to a person not authorized to have it.

Several years ago, George H. W. Bush fired Karl Rove under suspicion that Rove leaked information to Novak (70's)...same aide, same reporter looks really suspicious.

George W. Bush has stated publically that he would fire anyone involved in this. Rove swore for two years he was not involved at all but now swears under oath that he verified a reporter's classified information, which Rove was under an Agreement not to negligently handle. If Bush is really true to his word he needs to fire Rove for the breach of his Nondisclosure Agreement and violation of Executive Order 12958.

I will wager that Bush will not do his duty and will not keep his word...too many Evangelicals seem to have put this administration on a pedestal and now they seem to believe they are all above the law...and the truth will die with the people who have fought and died for this country.

Terrorism Brought Home, "W" Is Wrong Again...

2005-07-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

To the people of Britain I express my heartfelt condolences. It is a tragedy beyond compare for any person to lose loved ones in an attack like this. Some here in the US found this out up close and personal on 9/11 when a Bush family friend hit us. I am sorry and all my hopes for your recovery is a daily exercise.

For those who get your shorts in a bunch for me mentioning Bush's family friend, you have the same shorts to get happy in because I am not stating anything that is not fact. The Bush and bin Laden families go way back. Bin Laden, at one time, was being payrolled and supplied by the US, just the same as Saddam was. Saddam apparently outlived his usefulness but bin Laden has not or else he would have been captured long ago. Instead, Bush took our troops out of Afghanistan to invade Iraq and left the search for the murderer of almost 3000 Americans with a severe lack of resources. Now his people have grown in numbers and make us all less safe.

"W" IS WRONG AGAIN...

On July 4th, Bush stated "We're taking the fight to the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at home."

I hope Blair did not give the people of Britain that same moronic line...they would have tarred and feathered him.

We will be getting ours before long...you can bet your money on it. Why you may ask. If those who believe what they are told do not seek the truth from every possible source and refuse to deal with the reality of what the Bush administration has been doing so they can believe the US is the hero, you would never understand nor would you see it coming.

George Bush has not made the world, especially us, safer. The figures that the Bush administration released last year (I will try to post it for you if I can find it again) showed a dramatic decrease in terrorism for the year but they also had to withdraw their report because actual numbers showed that terrorism had doubled.

Condi Rice's infinite stupidity had her jumping on this and denying any AQ connection. We should be used to her being clueless by now I guess.

For all the Rambo type war proponents a measure of "we told you so" is in order.

We could discuss the ironies of the situation...Bush's only high marks come from the way he deals with terrorism. If this was not so pervertted and sad, it would be funny.

More interesting reading calls it Bush's flypaper theory...The Huffington Post

I have to wonder how many of those who believe George Bush does an acceptable job on terrorism have any idea that last September (2004) the Pentagon did a report that called the invasion of Iraq a strategic mistake. Although the damning report was finished in September 2004, the Bush administration delayed publishing until around Thanksgiving...after the 2004 elections and hours before the holiday weekend, giving it more of a chance to not affect the elections and not to get much media coverage. I wonder how many Americans as a whole know about it. The report also contradicted Bush's claim that they hate us because of our freedom when in fact the report stated that they did not hate us for our freedom but instead they hated us for our double standard policies. I will post a link to the report for anyone who wants to read it or email the pdf document to them.

Iraq had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11 but Bush attempted to once again put the connections in America's mind recently in a speech meant to shore up dwindling support for the Iraq war. According to our own intelligence, Iraq has become a breeding ground for terrorists in a country where there were no links to Al Quada before we invaded...namely Iraq. I wonder if that's what George meant when he said bring it on...well Mr. Bush, they did.

We could have taken AQ out if we had stuck to Afghanistan...we had the manpower and resources. Instead, our soldier get killed in great numbers, innocent Iraqis die needlessly and our politicians in DC have fully armored vehicles when most of our troops do not.

There has been an outrageous amount of evidence that the Bush administration has manufactured us into a war that has been overlooked for 3 years. The Downing Street memos have been authenticated by Blair himself in Parlaiment session. What is it going to take for America to wake up and put an end to all of the misadventures of Bush and Co.?

The longer the GOP protects them and the American public lets them slide, the more likely we are to see a terrorism attack that makes 9/11 look like a small matter.

DU Report "Suppressed"...

2005-07-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

WHO ‘suppressed’ scientific study into depleted uranium cancer fears in Iraq

I am posting this as a direct result of all those who attempt to argue that a weapon made from nuclear waste and by products are not harmful to human beings...which in all seriousness, is a poor argument and lacks any common sense at all.

An expert report warning that the long-term health of Iraq’s civilian population would be endangered by British and US depleted uranium (DU) weapons has been kept secret.
The study by three leading radiation scientists cautioned that children and adults could contract cancer after breathing in dust containing DU, which is radioactive and chemically toxic. But it was blocked from publication by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which employed the main author, Dr Keith Baverstock, as a senior radiation advisor. He alleges that it was deliberately suppressed, though this is denied by WHO.

Baverstock also believes that if the study had been published when it was completed in 2001, there would have been more pressure on the US and UK to limit their use of DU weapons in last year’s war, and to clean up afterwards.

Hundreds of thousands of DU shells were fired by coalition tanks and planes during the conflict, and there has been no comprehensive decontamination. Experts from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have so far not been allowed into Iraq to assess the pollution.

“Our study suggests that the widespread use of depleted uranium weapons in Iraq could pose a unique health hazard to the civilian population,” Baverstock told the Sunday Herald.

“There is increasing scientific evidence the radio activity and the chemical toxicity of DU could cause more damage to human cells than is assumed.”

Baverstock was the WHO’s top expert on radiation and health for 11 years until he retired in May last year. He now works with the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Kuopio in Finland, and was recently appointed to the UK government’s newly formed Committee on Radio active Waste Management.

While he was a member of staff, WHO refused to give him permission to publish the study, which was co-authored by Professor Carmel Mothersill from McMaster University in Canada and Dr Mike Thorne, a radiation consultant.

You can not make a weapon out of a substance that is even slightly radioactive, use that weapon in very large amounts and not expect it to cause some kind of radioactive damage (along with the other damage it causes). To argue that it does not cause such is beyond ridiculous and shows a complete detachment from reality.

The study suggested that the low-level radiation from DU could harm cells adjacent to those that are directly irradiated, a phenomenon known as “the bystander effect”. This undermines the stability of the body’s genetic system, and is thought by many scientists to be linked to cancers and possibly other illnesses.

In addition, the DU in Iraq, like that used in the Balkan conflict, could turn out to be contaminated with plutonium and other radioactive waste . That would make it more radioactive and hence more dangerous, Baverstock argued.

“The radiation and the chemical toxicity of DU could also act together to create a ‘cocktail effect’ that further increases the risk of cancer. These are all worrying possibilities that urgently require more investigation,” he said.

Baverstock’s anxiety about the health effects of DU in Iraq is shared by Pekka Haavisto, the chairman of the UN Environment Programme’s Post-Conflict Assessment Unit in Geneva. “It is certainly a concern in Iraq, there is no doubt about that,” he said.

UNEP, which surveyed DU contamination in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2002, is keen to get into Iraq to monitor the situation as soon as possible. It has been told by the British government that about 1.9 tonnes of DU was fired from tanks around Basra, but has no information from US forces, which are bound to have used a lot more.

Haavisto’s greatest worry is when buildings hit by DU shells have been repaired and reoccupied without having been properly cleaned up. Photographic evidence suggests that this is exactly what has happened to the ministry of planning building in Baghdad.

He also highlighted evidence that DU from weapons had been collected and recycled as scrap in Iraq. “It could end up in a fork or a knife,” he warned.

“It is ridiculous to leave the material lying around and not to clear it up where adults are working and children are playing. If DU is not taken care of, instead of decreasing the risk you are increasing it. It is absolutely wrong.”

If we can drop this kind of stuff on other people, there is no earthly reason why they can not drop it on us.

I suppose those using it have not given that much thought...

Downing Street Document Summaries Plus Original

2005-06-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

First, my two cents...

Either you want to know if you've been lied to, or you don't..

I read a very true statement earlier which said Whether you've always opposed Iraq or recently reached that conclusion, Team Bush thinks you're irrelevant

The above statements should be a slap in the face to all Americans as we shout WAKE UP! It is exceedingly ironic...during the presidential race, Kerry was lambasted repeatedly because he voted in favor of the war in Iraq, last week the White House belittled John Conyers' after he was forced by the Republican controlled House to hold the DSM forum in a basement because he had voted in opposition to the Iraq offensive. It does appear that however someone might have voted on Iraq makes no difference whatsoever. If you are not allied with Bush, you do not matter and your two cents is not needed or allowed.

I meant to get to the other Downing Street information earlier but had a game to play...you know...when an idiot tries the distractions and then attempts to insult you in order to make you feel unsure of yourself with the sole purpose of silencing you.. I was finally asked "are you going to remove this "After Downing Street" thing?", to which I emphatically replied that I had no intention. *grin*

The Rest Of The Downing Street Document summaries are below along with the first one published by the Sunday London Times. Let us not forget that between June 2002 and March 20, 2003 when the ground war began in Iraq, the "allies had already flown 21,736 sorties (air raids) over Southern Iraq, attacking over 345 targets. The Bush administration started the war before ever going to Congress or the UN in the attempts of weakening Iraq's forces in preparation for a ground assault. This action was illegal because there is no justification for it especially if Bush was telling us he had no plans for a military assault before taking it to Congress. How much destruction did we cause and how many people lost their lives in unauthorized and illegal military actions we will never know. BTW...the destruction and death were witnessed and reported by UN humanitarian personnel on the ground in Iraq and reported every 3 months to the UN, UK and US...and not all the targets were in the "no fly zone".
March 8, 2002 - Iraq: Legal Background - Written by Legal advisors of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

"In the UK's view a violation of Iraq's obligations which undermines the basis of the cease-fire [...] can revive the authorization to use force [...]. The US [...] maintains that the assessment of breach is for individual member States. We are not aware of any other State which supports this view."
March 8, 2002 - Iraq Options Summary - Written by Overseas and Defense Secretariat, Cabinet Office

"Continue to make clear (without overtly espousing regime change) our view that Iraq would be better off without Saddam. We could trail the rosy future for Iraq without him in a 'Contract with the Iraqi people'..."
March 14, 2002 - Memo writting by David Manning, Foriegn Policy Advisor to Blair after meeting with Condi Rice.

I touched on this previosly.
Condi [Rice]'s enthusiasm for regime change is undimmed."
"Bush has yet to find the answers to the big questions: 1) how to persuade international opinion that military action against Iraq is necessary and justified 2) what value to put on the exiled Iraqi opposition 3) how to coordinate US/allied military campaign with internal opposition (assuming there is any) 4) what happens on the morning after?"
...
I think there is a real risk that the Administration underestimates the difficulties.They may agree that failure is not an option but that does not mean that they will avoid it.

This memo to Blair also raises the questions of whether Bush will send enough troops to get the job done and what will happen if it becomes an Urban War (which it has). It also questions what if "Iraqi troops don't conveniently collapse into a heap as Richard Perle and others confidently predict" Apparently the US overlooked the concerns from the UK because we did not have enough troops to succeed in the first place, it has become and urban war and the Iraqis made a liar out of Perle and his cohorts, there never were any plans for the morning after or any exit plan ever made...and there is no end in sight.
March 18, 2002 - Memo written by Christopher Meyer, British Embassy, Washington, the day after having lunch with Paul Wolfowitz

On Iraq I opened by sticking very closely to the script that you used with Condi Rice last week. We backed regime change, but the plan had to be clever and failure was not an option. It would be a tough sell for us domestically, and probably tougher elsewhere in Europe. The US could go it alone if it wanted to. But if it wanted to act with partners, there had to be a strategy for building support for military action against Saddam. I then went through the need to wrongfoot Saddam on the inspectors and the UN SCRs and the critical importance of the MEPP as an intrgal part of the anti-Saddam strategy. If all this could be accomplished skillfully, we were fairly confident that a number of countries would come on board.

In discussion, Meyer concluded that Wolfowitz was pro-IRC (exiled Iraqi National Congress) and that he was opposed to any other faction taking control of Iraq. They discussed Chalabi and how US intelligence had little use for him. That kind of makes you wonder...if the CIA had little use for Chalabi in early March of 2002, how did it come to pass that Chalabi sold us on his fabricated stories unless the intelligence and facts were being fixed around policy of the Bush administration as the minutes of the July 2002 memo stated? This memo.sets the stage for the July memo that states that intel and facts were being molded to the Bush policy.
March 22, 2002 - Memo written by Peter Rickets (Political Director)

This I have touched on but I shall reiterate the prime message in more detail.
By broad support for the objective brings two real problems that need discussing.
First, the THREAT. The truth is that what has changed is not the pace of Saddam Hussein's WMD programs, but the tolerance of them post-11 September. This is not something we need to be defensive about, but attempts to claim otherwise publically will increase skepticism about our case. I am relieved that you decided to postpone publication of the unclassified document. My meeting yesterday showed that there is more work to do to ensure that the figures are accurate and consistent with those of the US. But even the best survey of Iraq's WMD programmes will not show much advance in recent years on the nuclear, missile or CW/BWfronts: the programmes are extremely worrying but have not, as far as we know, been stepped up.
US scrambling to establish a link between Iraq and Al Quada is so far frankly unconvincing. To get public and Parlaimentary support for military operations, we have to be convincing that:
- the threat is so serious/imminent that it is worth sending our troops to die for
- it is qualitatively different than the threat posed by other proliferators who are closer to achieving nuclear capability (including Iran).
We can make the case on qualitative difference (only Iraq has attacked a neighbor, used CW and fired missiles against Israel). The overall strategy needs to include re-doubled efforts to tackle other proliferators, including Iran, in other ways (the UK/French ideas on greater IAEA activity are helpful here). But we are still left with a problem of bringing public opinion to accept the imminence of a threat from Iraq. This is something the Prime Minister and the President need to have a frank discussion about.
The second problem is the END STATE. Military operations need clear and compelling military objectives. For Kosovo it was: Serbs out, Kosovars back/peacekeepers in. For Afghanistan, destroying the Taliban and Al Quada military capability. For Iraq, "regime change" does not stack up. It sounds like a grudge between Bush and Saddam. Much better, as you have suggested, to make the objective ending the threat to the international community from Iraqi WMD before Saddam uses it or gives it to terrorists. This is at once easier to justify in terms of international law but also more demanding. Regime change that produced another Sunni General still in charge of an active Iraqi WMD programme would be a bad outcome (not least because it would be almost impossible to maintain UN sanctions to a new leader who came in promising a fresh start). As with the fight against UBL, Bush would do well to de-personalise the objective, focus on elimination of WMD and show that he is serious about UN inspectors as the first choice means of achieving that (it is win/win for him: either Saddam against all the odds allows Inspectors to operate freely in which case we can further hobble his WMD programmes, or he blocks/hinders, and we are on stronger ground for switching to other methods).

It is rather clear that regime change was what the US had to go on and it took the UK to fill in the blanks with better reasoning. It is also clear that the UK did not want unclassified documents published until they could match theirs with the US documents in detail (which did not match to this point). Another clear picture is that the UK/US wanted to have a certain amount of control over who Iraq's new leadership would be, therefore denying the Iraqi people of electing their choices and only allowing them US/UK sponsored choices. Don't you just love selective democrasy! It is also crystal clear that the idea was to pressure Saddam into doing the wrong thing (possibly denying UN Inspectors) to give us a valid reason for military action since no valid reason existed. Saddam was no imminent threat and it was known. He could not be pressured or goaded into war so when the time came, Bush denied the UN Inspectors the time they needed and plunged us into war. If he would have allowed the inspectors to do their job, no WMD would have been found and no war would have taken place. This memo was marked as: IRAQ: ADVICE TO THE PRIME MINISTER.
March 25. 2002 - Memo written by Jack Straw (Foriegn and Commonwealth Office)

In this memo to Blair, Straw brings up how 9/11 plays a big role in the US wanting to use military action against Iraq, the same history that Iraq has used WMD in the past and threatened it's neighbors (as a basis for Iraq being more of a threat than Iran and Korea, acknowleges no viable links between Saddam, AQ and 9/11, and the idea that UN Inspectors should be allowed unfettered access to help make it legal. He also mentions that a new UN mandate may be necessary but the US would most likely not be agreeable to it. The excerpt I am posting here makes a very strong statement.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY MILITARY ACTION
A legal justification is a necessary but far from sufficient pre-condition for militart action. We have also to answer the big question - what will this action achieve? There seems to be a larger hole in this than on anything. Most of the assessments from the US have assumed regime change as a means of eliminating Iraq's WMD threat. But none has satisfactorily answered how that regime change is to be secured, and how there can be any certainty that the replacement regime will be better.

It is quite obvious that while the UK fussed over how to make the war legal, the Bush administration had no plans at all other than to remove Saddam...and it appears that they did not care about much else unless you take into account later meetings Cheney had with big oil (dividing up Iraqi oil fields on a map) or Bush's meetings with different big oil execs with a plan to privatize and sell off all of Iraq's oil (which the oil industry would not agree to).
July 23, 2002 - The Minutes of the meeting with Blair at his Downing Street residence, recorded by Foriegn Policy Aide MATTHEW RYCROFT

This is the big one that was published by the Sunday (London) Times on May 1, 2005 that started it all. Being such, I will post it again. ("C" is the UK equivalent to our CIA Director)
SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY
DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02

cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John Scarlett, Francis Richards, CDS, C, Jonathan Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell

IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 23 JULY

Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.

This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a genuine need to know its contents.

John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam's regime was tough and based on extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or overwhelming. His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.

C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.

CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4 August.

The two broad US options were:

(a) Generated Start. A slow build-up of 250,000 US troops, a short (72 hour) air campaign, then a move up to Baghdad from the south. Lead time of 90 days (30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to Kuwait).

(b) Running Start. Use forces already in theatre (3 x 6,000), continuous air campaign, initiated by an Iraqi casus belli. Total lead time of 60 days with the air campaign beginning even earlier. A hazardous option.

The US saw the UK (and Kuwait) as essential, with basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus critical for either option. Turkey and other Gulf states were also important, but less vital. The three main options for UK involvement were:

(i) Basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus, plus three SF squadrons.

(ii) As above, with maritime and air assets in addition.

(iii) As above, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000, perhaps with a discrete role in Northern Iraq entering from Turkey, tying down two Iraqi divisions.

The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun "spikes of activity" to put pressure on the regime. No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.

The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force.

The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The first and second could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be difficult. The situation might of course change.

The Prime Minister said that it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in the UN inspectors. Regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was producing the WMD. There were different strategies for dealing with Libya and Iran. If the political context were right, people would support regime change. The two key issues were whether the military plan worked and whether we had the political strategy to give the military plan the space to work.

On the first, CDS said that we did not know yet if the US battleplan was workable. The military were continuing to ask lots of questions.

For instance, what were the consequences, if Saddam used WMD on day one, or if Baghdad did not collapse and urban warfighting began? You said that Saddam could also use his WMD on Kuwait. Or on Israel, added the Defence Secretary.

The Foreign Secretary thought the US would not go ahead with a military plan unless convinced that it was a winning strategy. On this, US and UK interests converged. But on the political strategy, there could be US/UK differences. Despite US resistance, we should explore discreetly the ultimatum. Saddam would continue to play hard-ball with the UN.

John Scarlett assessed that Saddam would allow the inspectors back in only when he thought the threat of military action was real.

The Defence Secretary said that if the Prime Minister wanted UK military involvement, he would need to decide this early. He cautioned that many in the US did not think it worth going down the ultimatum route. It would be important for the Prime Minister to set out the political context to Bush.

Conclusions:

(a) We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a fuller picture of US planning before we could take any firm decisions. CDS should tell the US military that we were considering a range of options.

(b) The Prime Minister would revert on the question of whether funds could be spent in preparation for this operation.

(c) CDS would send the Prime Minister full details of the proposed military campaign and possible UK contributions by the end of the week.

(d) The Foreign Secretary would send the Prime Minister the background on the UN inspectors, and discreetly work up the ultimatum to Saddam.

He would also send the Prime Minister advice on the positions of countries in the region especially Turkey, and of the key EU member states.

(e) John Scarlett would send the Prime Minister a full intelligence update.

(f) We must not ignore the legal issues: the Attorney-General would consider legal advice with FCO/MOD legal advisers.

(I have written separately to commission this follow-up work.)

MATTHEW RYCROFT

Terrorism Expertise Not Required - Apply FBI...

2005-06-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

Terror expertise not priority at FBI

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In sworn testimony that contrasts with their promises to the public, the FBI managers who crafted the post-Sept. 11 fight against terrorism say expertise about the Mideast or terrorism was not important in choosing the agents they promoted to top jobs.

And they still do not believe such experience is necessary today even as terrorist acts occur across the globe.

Does anyone see a problem with this other than me?

The FBI's current terror-fighting chief, Executive Assistant Director Gary Bald, said his first terrorism training came "on the job" when he moved to headquarters to oversee anti-terrorism strategy two years ago.

Asked about his grasp of Middle Eastern culture and history, Bald responded: "I wish that I had it. It would be nice."

"You need leadership. You don't need subject matter expertise," Bald testified in an ongoing FBI employment case. "It is certainly not what I look for in selecting an official for a position in a counterterrorism position."

WHOA HERE! If you do not need subject matter expertise it would seem you could realistically schedule an appointment with your local mechanic in order to have a heart bypass...same logic...yes it is rather ludacrous.

In a development that has escaped public attention, FBI agent Bassem Youssef has questioned under oath many of the FBI's top leaders, including Director Robert Mueller and his predecessor, Louis Freeh, in an effort to show he was passed over for top terrorism jobs despite his expertise. Testimony from his lawsuit was recently sent to Congress.

Those who have held the bureau's top terrorism-fighting jobs since Sept. 11 often said in their testimony that they - and many they have promoted since - had no significant terrorism or Middle East experience. Some could not even explain the difference between Sunnis and Shiites, the two primary groups of Muslims.

Let's see, we have a highly qualified person with great background and expertise in terrorism matters that can not serve the public in the way most beneficial for OUR SAFETY because the new makeup of the FBI (post 9/11) under Bush does not feel that expertise and understanding of the subject matter is important.

Does anyone still wonder why bin Laden is still at large?

Hell...even I can tell the difference between Sunni and Shiite.

The hundreds of pages of testimony obtained by The Associated Press contrast with assurances Mueller repeatedly has given Congress that he was building a new FBI, from top to bottom, with experts able to stop terrorist attacks before they occurred, not solve them afterward.

"The FBI's shift toward terrorism prevention necessitates the building of a national level expertise and body of knowledge," Mueller told Congress a year after the suicide hijackings, as lawmakers approved billions of new dollars to fight terrorism.
...
Daniel Byman, a national security expert who worked on both congressional and presidential investigations of terrorism and intelligence failures, reviewed the Youssef case for the court. Byman concluded the spurned agent is one of the government's most-skilled terrorism fighters and that the FBI overall remains weak in expertise on the Middle East, terrorism and intelligence liaison.

"Many of its officers - including those quite skilled in other aspects of the bureau's work, lack the skills to work with foreign governments or even their U.S. counterparts," Byman concluded.

"Knowing about counterterrorism would help a supervisor ensure a proper investigation and avoid missing important aspects of the case," he said.

Watson, who oversaw the first two years of transformation, testified he could not recall a single meeting in the aftermath of Sept. 11 in which FBI leaders discussed the type of skills or training needed for counterterrorism.

I do not have to add anything at all for the point to be made, do I?

When asked if he had any formal terrorism training that justified his appointment as the No. 3 FBI official, Bald said, "It would have been on-the-job in the counterterrorism division." Bald entered the counterterrorism division in 2003 after leading the FBI's Baltimore office during the Washington sniper case.

The assistant Bald brought in to run the division last year gave a similar account.

"It's a tremendous learning experience, the seat that I'm sitting in. You learn every single day about this," Deputy Assistant Director John Lewis testified.

When asked whether he, as the FBI's former counterterrorism chief, could describe the differences between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, Watson answered, "Not technically, no."

He also said that his assertion a few years ago that bin Laden had been killed - a declaration that conflicted with CIA assessments and fresh video evidence - was not based on fact. "It's my gut instinct," he answered.

This is so disturbing that I can not stomach any more...you can read it yourself from the link provided at the top.

Is it any wonder that we are vulnerable? This proves that Bush has NOT MADE AMERICA SAFER. His has stacked all the cards against the people of this country. Those who led us to war have no experience in war, only avoiding it. Those assigned to protect us from the terrorists that may try to harm us have no knowledge or understanding of the subject matter while those who do are squeezed out.
"...tremendous learning experience..." my ass...

I would not want my auto mechanic to do heart surgery on me and it is insulting to every American citizen that the Bush administration loads our intelligence leaders with people without any experience in what they are doing.

Is that the reason we got hit on 9/11...because Bush appointees really did not have a clue of what they were doing? If so, Bush is, at least in part, responsible for almost 3000 innocent people losing their life. Then he fabricated a connection to Saddam and helped cause tens of thousand more deaths.

This is our lives at stake, damn it!

US Used Napalm On Iraq...

2005-06-17T11:01:00.001-07:00

Every time I want to get to the other memos from Britain, I find more about ghastly behavior from the Bush administration that we were lied to about...apparently so were the British.

US lied to Britain over use of napalm in Iraq war

American officials lied to British ministers over the use of "internationally reviled" napalm-type firebombs in Iraq.

Yesterday's disclosure led to calls by MPs for a full statement to the Commons and opened ministers to allegations that they held back the facts until after the general election.

Despite persistent rumours of injuries among Iraqis consistent with the use of incendiary weapons such as napalm, Adam Ingram, the Defence minister, assured Labour MPs in January that US forces had not used a new generation of incendiary weapons, codenamed MK77, in Iraq.

But Mr Ingram admitted to the Labour MP Harry Cohen in a private letter obtained by The Independent that he had inadvertently misled Parliament because he had been misinformed by the US. "The US confirmed to my officials that they had not used MK77s in Iraq at any time and this was the basis of my response to you," he told Mr Cohen. "I regret to say that I have since discovered that this is not the case and must now correct the position."

Now, the story is that the new napalm was not used around civilians but I do not see how they can possibly defend that argument since...

1. The weapons are The MK77 bombs, an evolution of the napalm used in Vietnam and Korea, carry kerosene-based jet fuel and polystyrene so that, like napalm, the gel sticks to structures and to its victims. The bombs lack stabilising fins, making them far from precise.

2. Witnesses in Iraq, including several doctors, have reported wounds that could only be decribed as chemical burns...this includes the aftermath of Fallujah.

So, not only are we contaminating the country and people (including our people) with Depleted Uranium but we have also been using chemical weapons that are anything but precise to subjegate the Iraqi people. To top it off, we lied to our partners in crime about what we were doing.

For anyone who does not remember Vietnam, I suggest you researh and find pictures of what our napalm did to the civilian population then. Our press had a spine back then and showed us what effect these outlawed chemical weapons had.

There is one particular picture that comes to mind...two children running down the road after their village was napalmed...one of them was a little girl whose body was burning from the napalm that stuck to her skin as she ran screaming down the road.

There is now proof that we have also done the same to Iraqis.

After the docomentation that we have seen from all of the Downing Street Memos and this new revelation, I do not understand how any reasonable citizen can not be ashamed of the immorality in our Oval office.

I was always offended by the line ...
Napalm Sticks To Kids

Apparently Bush and his cohorts do not mind.
Additions to address comments posted here

LOL Some people will make all excuses they can think of just to justify this whole mess...sad.

Napalm is a mixture of benzene (21%), gasoline (33%), and polystyrene (46%). Benzene is a normal component of gasoline (about 2%).
...
Heated polystyrene softens at about 185 F. At higher temperatures it turns back into styrene, the chemical from which it was made. Styrene has been tested as toxic to rats. In air, polystyrene melts and burns with a yellow, sooty flame. Styrene itself has a sharp, unpleasant smell that is easy to recognize.

If polystyrene turns back into the chemical it was made from when it aquires enough heat (as when it explodes and burns hot enough to melt a person), how can you say it can't be classified as using chemicals?

Do not mind bursting your bubble here but NAPALM IS CLASSIFIED AS A CHEMICAL WEAPON. Look it up...Wikipedia Encyclopedia

As far as the Brit report being false...no, not false. It happened earlier and we are just now hearing about it. You can find the same denials from the US all over the place...example

The Mk 77 Mod 5 firebombs are incendiary devices with a function indentical to earlier Mk 77 napalm weapons. Instead of the gasoline and benzene fuel, the Mk 77 Mod 5 firebomb uses kerosene-based jet fuel, which has a smaller concentration of benzene. Prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom, hundreds of partially loaded Mk77 Mod5 firebombs were stored on pre-positioned ammunition ships overseas. Those ships were unloaded in Kuwait during the weeks preceding the war.

There was a report on Al-Jazeera on December, 14, 2001 that the US was using napalm at Tora Bora in Afghanistan. In response, General Tommy Franks said "We're not using -- we're not using the old napalm in Tora Bora."

The US Department of Defense denied the use of napalm during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A rebuttal letter from the US Department of Defense had been in fact sent to the Australian Sydney Morning Herald newspaper which had claimed that napalm had been used in Iraq.

The comment about White Phosphorous not being a chemical weapon...you should look something up before declaring your views beause it takes on the classification as a chemical weapon when used in the MK-77 Dirty Bomb.

So YES WE ARE USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS after denying it and it has been banned by every civilized country on the planet.

Depleted Uranium caused the same kind of contamination as Enriched Uranium if used in massive amounts (unlike EU), which we have done. Does Hiroshima ring a bell? Nagasaki? When we lit up those cities we caused rodioactive contamination that still has effect on the residents today. During the years I lived in Japan I saw some of the after effects and learned a good deal more than I wanted to know...cancer rates, contamination of water and soil. Radiation contamination pollutes all it touches.

If you believe it not harmful, let them put some in your back yard so your kids can discover the wonderful effect of DU.

BTW...where is your evidence that Saddam used DU weapons...I would like to read it?

Looks like we are the ones who are not too awfully civilized.

Making excuses and trying to justify this administration of the deaths of tens of thousands of Iraqis will not wash...no matter how you slice it.

Downing Street Memo - Forum with Sen. Conyers

2005-06-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

For the first time some in our government have taken the Downing Street Memo(s) seriously and this afternoon there was a forum in DC about it. We even made CNN

The Conyers hearings will be re-broadcast on C-SPAN 3 at 8pm tonight and on C-SPAN 2 at 8pm tomorrow night for those of you who want to watch.

There are some Senators and Representatives in the government that we can be proud of because they want to find out exactly how we were led into this mess. I should have written it all down but I was to busy paying attention. There were serious and pertinent questions raised by those who attended and it appeared that this forum is only the first. It was over 2 hours that I would gladly sit through again because the purpose of it was for our country, all of us, and it was not partisan, even though it will be called so.

Not one Republican showed. It was their choice to play partisan party line or to try and do their job of investigation the manipulation of America...they chose George over us, our soldiers who have been lost and our country.

Let it not be forgotten that there appeared to be all manner of obstruction thrown out in order to make the hearing difficult from the start.

The forum, which should have been a formal hearing to begin with, was held in a small room in a basement in the Capital. Conyers, being the ranking Democrat of the House Judiciary Committee was told that he would not be allowed to use a room in his office building so he arranged the forum in a basement. Looks like the ranking Republican did not believe Conyers had a right to hold the meeting and try to get to the truth of it all.

If the room thing wasn't enough, the Republican controlled House decided to schedule an unprecedented 11 votes today. Since one vote a day is not really commonplace in the Senate you can assume that it was by design in order to interfere with the forum over the Downing Street Memo...and you would be right.

Even so, there was standing room only with at least five camera's (broadcast news) in the back.

Thank goodness some of the media still does right by us!

If the Republicans that control the Senate block or interfere in our efforts to find the whole truth of whether or not the Bush Administration did, indeed, fix the facts around policy...America will have her own duty to perform. All we want is the truth.

Any elected official who would block or interfere in the investigations into the Downing Street Memo(s) puts themselves in the position of not doing their Constitutional duty and breaking their sworn oath of office to defend the United States of America.

Any person in DC that would do that deserves to lose his/her job in 2006 and be replaced by someone who WILL do the job.

Giving Iraqi Oil To Israel?

2005-06-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

U.S. checking possibility of pumping oil from northern Iraq to Haifa, via Jordan

The United States has asked Israel to check the possibility of pumping oil from Iraq to the oil refineries in Haifa. The request came in a telegram last week from a senior Pentagon official to a top Foreign Ministry official in Jerusalem.

The Prime Minister's Office, which views the pipeline to Haifa as a "bonus" the U.S. could give to Israel in return for its unequivocal support for the American-led campaign in Iraq, had asked the Americans for the official telegram.

Should anybody be surprised?

WARNING! DANGER WILL ROBINSON!

Apparently none of the bone heads that came up with this idea are thinking about the repercussions. With the animosity that most Arab states have for Israel, how damning will it look for the US to go out of their way to give Israel any of Iraq's oil?

No matter why they have broached this issue, they will cause more hatred for the US...any way you slice it...

GOP Targets International Red Cross...

2005-06-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

GOP Committee Targets International Red Cross

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are calling on the Bush administration to reassess U.S. financial support for the International Committee of the Red Cross, charging that the group is using American funds to lobby against U.S. interests.

The Senate Republican Policy Committee, which advances the views of the GOP Senate majority, said in a report that the international humanitarian organization had "lost its way" and veered from the impartiality on which its reputation was based. The Republican policy group titled its report: "Are American Interests Being Disserved by the International Committee of the Red Cross?"

Who could have been surprised by this move? The Bush Administration seems to like having these agencies around so he can use them to inflate himself or his policies but when they do not tote the official Bush propaganda they are deemed an enemy.

Again..."if you aren't with us, you are against us.

The congressional criticism follows reports by the Swiss-based group that have faulted U.S. treatment of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A spokeswoman at its Geneva headquarters said the organization was reviewing the report and would not comment, in accordance with its policy of keeping its dealings with governments confidential.

Two Bush administration officials declined in interviews to endorse the findings of the report but said the administration had had "concerns" about some positions taken by the ICRC since the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003.

It is very well know by now that the US HAS UNDOUBTEDLY VIOLATED THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. I believe the pictures from Abu Graib and the Army's own reports prove that without a doubt. According to Bush and Co., we have been unfairly accused of the violations.

The ICRC is the only organization mandated by international treaty to monitor the observance of the Geneva Convention governing the treatment of prisoners, and it has the right to visit prisoners. But the GOP report charges that the group has exceeded the bounds of its mission by trying to "reinterpret and expand international law" in favor of terrorists and insurgents; lobbying for arms-control issues that are not within its mandate, such as a ban on the use of land mines; and "inaccurately and unfairly" accusing U.S. officials of not adhering to the Geneva Convention.

What kind of drugs are these people on I wonder? Lobbying for arms control would stop people from being poisoned with Depleted Uranium if successful and trying to ban land mines is a serious no brainer. How about we let the children of the GOP run out to play where there have been mines planted. DUH!

The Senate aide denied that the report, released Monday, was motivated by a desire to punish the ICRC for embarrassing the United States on its treatment of prisoners. In the aftermath of the prison abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib in Iraq and elsewhere, the role of the ICRC has grown in importance, some experts said.

The more they say it ain't so...the more it seems to be.

To attempt to punish the ICRC would be doing a major disservice to the world...and that means us as well.

"For U.S. military commanders, the ICRC is crucial as their feedback loop," said Ruth Wedgwood, a specialist in international law at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. "That's how a commander knows what's happening down in their ranks — even on the night shift. We really do need that function. That's why we pay them a lot of money — not just to assist on tsunamis."

The GOP need to get over it...the American Empire is crumbling. The US is crumbling. Trying to control everything in the world with threats of less funding when they disagree with us is obvious to the world.

The GOP has turned the US into a laughing stock of arrogant stupidity.

From Downing Street...6 More Memos.

2005-06-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

Six new British memos have been released, This post will cite two of them...

This memorandum, written by Blair political director Peter Ricketts and dated Mar. 22, 2002, indicates the challenges an Iraq war would face.

The truth is that what has changed is not the pace of Saddam Hussein’s WMD programmes, but our tolerance of them post-11 September.

It gets worse...

The second problem is the END STATE. Military operations need clear and compelling military objectives. For Kosovo it was: Serbs out, Kosovars back peace-keepers in. For Afghanistan, destroying the Taleban and Al Qaida military capability. For Iraq, “regime change” does not stack up. It sounds like a grudge between Bush and Saddam. Much better, as you have suggested, to make the objective ending the threat to the international community from Iraq WMD before Saddam uses it or gives it to terrorists. This is at once easier to justify in terms of international law but also more demanding.

So it was Blair who suggested to Bush that he should use the WMD angle and keep us in a constant state of fear. I never bought into Cheney's mushroom cloud scenarios but it made America afraid. Keeping the country in fear was a way for Bush to get a blank check for whatever he wanted.

Another document released, written by Blair foreign policy advisor David Manning, the following document asserts now-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was committed to "regime change" as early as March 2002. It also outlines problems a postwar Iraq might face ("will they be willing to take the sort of casualties that the Republican Guard may inflict on them if it turns out to be an urban war?"); and indicates how seriously the British cabinet took New Yorker journalist Seymour Hersh.

Condi’s enthusiasm for regime change is undimmed. But there were some signs, since we last spoke, of greater awareness of the practical difficulties and political risks. (See the attached piece by Seymour Hersh which Christopher Meyer (Cabinet member, British Parlaiment) says gives a pretty accurate picture of the uncertain state of the debate in Washington.)
From what she said, Bush has yet to find the answers to the big questions:
how to persuade international opinion that military action against Iraq is necessary and justified;
what value to put on the exiled Iraqi opposition;
how to coordinate a US/allied military campaign with internal opposition (assuming there is any);
what happens on the morning after?

It is too bad the Brits were concerned for Hersh's accuracy but America blew him off. Guess this mention somewhat vindicates him and his reporting. You go, Seymour...

After reading all of the other four documents released, I will add them to this blog as well. America is being bombarded with evidence now. The Bush administration was PLANNING the invasion of Iraq for more than a year before the actual event. Any and all speculation that this was the case is now proven. Most of that year he was telling all of us that he had no plans to use force...more proof that he did, in fact lie to the American people and Congress.

It is also a proven fact that the excuses Bush made for invading Iraq were purposely fabricated in order for Bush's goal of regime change to be carried out.

For all the blood spilled, for all the lives lost, for the sake of two countries...Iraq and America...that have been devastated by an unprincipled,immoral, war mongering and greedy administration, it is past time. Impeachment and charges for war crimes are past due.

It is time to pay the bill, George.

Look For The Draft In The Future...

2005-06-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

One headline from Aljazeera reads what many of us had feared...

Ephraim Halevy, the former chief of Israel's Mossad intelligence service and the current national security adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, says plans have been made for a substantial U.S. military presence in the Middle East lasting decades.

The June 11 article goes on to quote his statements in an Israeli publication...

"The U.S. campaign in Iraq was perceived [in the Middle East and Washington] as a signal of long-term American commitment to do whatever is required and to 'stay in the neighbourhood' for as long as needed," Halevy stated in a lengthy op-ed column in the April 24 issue of Ha'aretz.

High-ranking U.S. policymakers have "raised the idea of establishing an American trusteeship regime in the areas of the Palestinian Authority, if it should turn out that the Palestinians are not ripe for self-rule. That arrangement would require an American operational military presence along Israel's border with the Palestinian territories."

Looks like the Bush supporters who thought this situation would be temporary are in for their own shock and awe.

We have also been told time and again by the Bush administration that there will be no draft...
No draft? Guess again...

According to Mr Halevy there is a real possibility of a draft...and you really would be foolish not to expect it given the Bush administrations propensity for causing chaos.

"In [an early April '05] visit to the United States," comments Halevy, "I was told by several well-informed observers that should one of the more severe scenarios come to pass, the United States will have no choice but to deepen its presence in the Middle East. To that end, it will have to renew the draft, to ensure that there are enough forces to deal with developing situations in countries like Saudi Arabia."

I took a look at this Isreali publication, just to see what sort of news they had on their site. Within a few seconds I found an article that verified a previous Aljazeera article (posted) about Israel selling US weapon technology to China and that the Israeli goverment figured it would just blow over like just about everything else they have done to us.

The controversy erupted over a deal Israel made to sell its Harpy Killer UAVs to China. The U.S. claims that the deal was made behind its back and against its express wishes.

This is contrary to the Israeli assumption that the crisis would blow over with the departure of the officials with whom the argument had erupted. These include Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, who already left for the World Bank, Feith and Undersecretary of Defense for Technology, Security Policy and Counterproliferation Lisa Bronson. Feith and Bronson are soon to end their tenures in the defense department.

Think I'll read it more often...news that our government gives them but will not give us...

Downing Street Memo #2 Sensibility Slap..."Significant Plans"

2005-06-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

For a change, the White House is quickly responding to another British memo leaked to the London Times, this one on July 12, 2005 This article has recieved attention from the Washington Post and mainly talked about the lack of planning for the aftermath of the Iraq invasion by the Bush administration.

In the Reuters article the Bush admininistration resonded quickly saying that "Some things we prepared for did not happen, like large numbers of refugees needing humanitarian assistance," Almacy said. "And others we did not expect, such as large numbers of regime elements fleeing the battlefield only to return later."

According to available reports, humaniterian aid is desperately needed, disease is spreading at tremendous rates especially among children (such as typhoid and cholera) from lack of sanitation, $8 billion just DISAPPEARED under Paul Bremer's nose because nobody was practicing accounting responsibility, weapons and parts for making chemical weapons and bombs were looted from various sites while Iraq was under total US control...this does not sound like planning, significant or not.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Sunday there was "significant" postwar planning for Iraq and disputed the characterization of a memo produced for British Prime Minister Tony Blair eight months before the invasion that expressed concerns about a long occupation.

The briefing paper concluded that the U.S. military was not preparing adequately for what the memo predicted would be a "protracted and costly" postwar occupation of Iraq, The Washington Post reported in Sunday's editions.

"We disagree with the characterization. There was significant postwar planning," David Almacy, a White House spokesman, said.

"More importantly, the memo in question was written eight months before the war began -- there was significant postwar planning in the time that elapsed," he said.

What is strange here, though, is that there is no denial that plans to invade Iraq were being developed as early as July 2002 while we were being told that there was no plans for military action. LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

The latest British memo states that that since regime change was illegal it was “necessary to create the conditions” which would make it legal....there was also no denial of this.

Together with the Downing Street Memo, both documents (that have been confirmed as authentic by the Washington Post) state that the justifications for the Iraq invasion were manufactured.

Of course, we have had a couple of people trying to take us all for imbiciles by saying the meaning of some statements are different in the British English translation. I hate to burst the Far Right bubble here but in Britain if you fix the facts around policy you will get the same reaction as you would in the US because the meaning is the same over there.

The silence from the White House is deafening.

Downing Street Documents Confirmed By British

2005-06-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Memo: U.S. Lacked Full Postwar Iraq Plan

I have never been so thankful for the British as I am now. More information is surfacing that validates the fact that the Bush administration had no plan for the aftermath of the Iraq invasion, thus proving what Bush critics have been saying all along.

A briefing paper prepared for British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his top advisers eight months before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq concluded that the U.S. military was not preparing adequately for what the British memo predicted would be a "protracted and costly" postwar occupation of that country.

The eight-page memo, written in advance of a July 23, 2002, Downing Street meeting on Iraq, provides new insights into how senior British officials saw a Bush administration decision to go to war as inevitable, and realized more clearly than their American counterparts the potential for the post-invasion instability that continues to plague Iraq.

In its introduction, the memo "Iraq: Conditions for Military Action" notes that U.S. "military planning for action against Iraq is proceeding apace," but adds that "little thought" has been given to, among other things, "the aftermath and how to shape it."

This document was produced two days before the Downing Street memo and provides us more validity that the Bush administration did not give much, if any, thought to the devastating impact of their actions.

Apparently the Brits saw Iraq becoming the quagmire we see today but Bush and his war crew (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Ashcroft, Rice, Powell and others) either were incompetent in their plans or else they did not care. It seems that Iraq's oil was the ONLY concern. I say this because there have been admissions from big oil execs (publisized) that Bush had asked them to figure out the best way to privatize all of Iraq's oil, to which they were not willing...they make more money if the oil is NOT privatized. Bush had to redesign his plans after two different execs from the oil industry turned him down.

Now, disclosure of the memo written in advance of that meeting (Downing Street memo) -- and other British documents recently made public -- show that Blair's aides were not just concerned about Washington's justifications for invasion but also believed the Bush team lacked understanding of what could happen in the aftermath.
In a section titled "Benefits/Risks," the July 21 memo states, "Even with a legal base and a viable military plan, we would still need to ensure that the benefits of action outweigh the risks."

Saying that "we need to be sure that the outcome of the military action would match our objective," the memo's authors point out, "A post-war occupation of Iraq could lead to a protracted and costly nation-building exercise." The authors add, "As already made clear, the U.S. military plans are virtually silent on this point. Washington could look to us to share a disproportionate share of the burden."

That memo and other internal British government documents were originally obtained by Michael Smith, who writes for the London Sunday Times. Excerpts were made available to The Washington Post, and the material was confirmed as authentic by British sources who sought anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the matter.

Here you have it after weeks of wondering...
the material was confirmed as authentic by British sources

Bush and his war mongering bully administration has lied to the American people. He has caused tens of thousands of deaths and is responsible for the devastation of a country that we had no reason to attack. He is resposnsible for a massive National debt for no other reason than to line the pockets of a choice few in his attempt to extend the American Empire.

To love your country is to impeach Bush and his crew and bring them up on charges for their war crimes. Any American who does not hold him accountable is not worthy of being an American and shares the same blood on their hands.

The Bush administration, every single one of them, are enemy combatants to the United State of America.

Downing Street Accountability...

2005-06-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

The ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee has scheduled hearings on the 2002 minutes between senior British and American officials which asserted that intelligence was "being fixed" to support the case for war in Iraq.

It has begun!

“We expect to release new documents that corroborate the Downing Street memo," a Judiciary aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, told RAW STORY Thursday afternoon. "None of the documents are as earth-shattering as the Downing Street minutes but all of them corroborate the accuracy of what it says.”

I guess there is somethin to it after all...contrary to what loyalists and nationalists have been saying. *grin*

Directly following the hearing, Rep. Conyers, Members of Congress, and concerned citizens plan to hand deliver to the White House the petition and signatures of over a half million Americans that have joined Rep. Conyers in demanding that President Bush answer questions about his secret plan for the Iraq war.

I have said that if people acted in numbers they could start the ball rolling.

Finally...the sleeping giant awakens.

Bush's Latest Crime Against The American People...

2005-06-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department has decided that most health care employees can't be prosecuted for stealing personal data under a privacy law intended to protect medical information.

The ruling could jeopardize the lone conviction obtained under medical privacy rules that took effect in 2003 and could stop federal prosecutors from pursuing some of the more than 13,000 complaints that have been filed alleging violations of those rules.

The health care industry has long sought to limit the effect of the rules and the 1996 privacy law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, on which they are based, although officials at several industry trade groups said Tuesday they did not lobby the Justice Department on this topic.

Hospitals, insurers, doctors and other health care providers that bill for their services are subject to criminal prosecution under the law, according to the June 1 memo signed by Steven G. Bradbury, the Justice lawyer who heads the office of legal counsel.

But a hospital clerk, for example, and other employees cannot face criminal penalties because the law doesn't apply to them, Bradbury wrote.

The memo was the subject of extensive internal debate within the Bush administration, with at least one federal prosecutor voicing opposition to its conclusion.

''As prosecutors in the field, we're disappointed with the opinion,'' said Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney John McKay in Seattle.

Last August, McKay's office obtained a guilty plea from a technician at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Richard W. Gibson was sentenced to 16 months in prison after admitting that he stole the identity of a cancer patient and used the information to obtain credit cards in the patient's name. Gibson bought $9,100 worth of jewelry, video games and a barbecue grill using the cards. Article

This issue has been bantered about in the White House with only one voice opposing? The case of Mr. Gibson mentioned above is a good example of what will not happen next time a clerk or other staff member commits identity theft or fraud such as this. Gibson could still withdraw his plea and has the possibility to walk away from any charges after this ruling was made. It is something the Health Care Industry has been pushing for a long time.

What the Bush administration has done in this instance is to exempt many people who have access to a person's medical information, which includes social security numbers, etc. from having to face prosecution in the event they steal identities or commit fraud on or against a patient.

Isn't it nice...the Bush administration sides again with big companies and gives them carte blanche to screw the American people yet again, in a way that could land them with endless bills, no way to pay for them and miles of red tape that still will not make the crook pay for their crimes.

Add another crime perpetrated on the American People by George Bush.

Downing Street Denial

2005-06-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

"There's nothing farther from the truth." Gorge W. Bush regarding the Downing Street Memo June 7, 2005. New York Times article

It has taken Bush more than a month to make a comment regaring this and then he did so only with Tony Blair in attendance.

If, indeed, there was "no need" to respond to the question of validity over the Downing Street Memo as Scott McClellen stated to the New York Times on 5/19/05, then why did Bush bother to say anything about it at all? If there was no truth to this official British document, why did Bush not speak out before now? Why would Bush need to wait until he could stand with Tony Blair before he would announce this?

"Look, both of us didn't want to use our military," Mr. Bush added. "Nobody wants to commit military into combat. It's the last option."

Could it be that we are being lied to again (this time only to save his backside)? This is obvious considering the facts that follow at the end of this same article...

The White House has always insisted that Mr. Bush did not make the decision to invade Iraq until after Secretary of State Colin L. Powell presented the administration's case to the United Nations Security Council on Feb. 5, 2003, which relied heavily on claims, now discredited, that Iraq had illicit weapons. But as early as Nov. 21, 2001, Mr. Bush directed Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to begin a review of what could be done to oust Mr. Hussein.

There is more contradiction in Bush's statements regarding the Downing Street Memo...

In his comments at the news conference, Mr. Bush noted of the memorandum that "they dropped it out in the middle of his race," indicating that he thought it had been made public last month to hurt Mr. Blair's chances for re-election.

When in fact (in the same article)...

Mr. Blair, who spoke frequently about the memorandum during his campaign, said it was written before the United States and Britain went to the United Nations seeking a resolution to justify military action in Iraq.

Essentially, Blair has stated to his own people that the memo (minutes) was written before the UK and US went to the UN over Saddam. When the memo was released, Blair's Parlaiment responded as saying it was "nothing new" but not until now has anyone claimed that it was not valid. The document (minutes of a high level Parlaiment meeting) was written by Matthew Rycroft, a top aide to Mr. Blair.

Now they say it isn't true?

What about the air raids that the US and UK were doing in and out of the no fly zone in an attempt to provoke Saddam into firing back? These attempts were to goad Saddam into giving us and the UK an excuse to go to war (we could call it self defense). These air raids were witnessed and even documented by UN personnel on the ground at least two months before we went to the UN and as many as six months prior.

There was substantial devastation and loss of life in those air raids. We had no legal right to fire on anything outside the no fly zone but we did. More indiscriminate killing with no validity...more war crimes of the Bush administration.

I have heard people defend Bush over this and it is striking how Nationalism, one of the beginnings of fascism, has replaced patriotism in such a way that some are not concerned that their elected officials might devastate our country and others, cause countless loss of life, corrupt our government and subvert our Constituion while trampling our Bill of Rights into the ground.

The same ones who would accuse those who do not follow the official Republican line of being Un-American are, in fact, the same ones who are in no way patriotic but instead are selfish, inhumane and immoral.

It is not difficult to see that those who push for the American Empire are not interested in America, only their own pettiness...what better examples of Un-American can you get than a blatent traitors to the United Staes of America?

I give you the Bush Administration

Rumsfeld again blames others, shifting responsibility.

2005-06-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

Is it not sad how the bad policies of the Bush administration and the incompetence of Donald Rumsfeld are always blamed on others in order to get out of any and all responsibility? Rumsfeld is good at it...he does it so often...

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has alleged that Aljazeera is encouraging armed Islamist groups by broadcasting beheadings of foreign hostages in Iraq.

I have tried to pay close attention on this one because I never did believe all the rhetoric about Aljazeera. It is odd that I (nor anyone else I know) has ever seen any kind of video or even pictures of a beheading on Aljazeera's website

Aljazeera's media spokesman, Jihad Ballout, said.."Aljazeera has never ever shown a beheading of any hostage."

Article from Aljazeera

I have to side with the media on this one. I challenge anyone to show me footage of a beheading that was broadcast by Aljazeera. I do not believe you will find even one instance to support Rumsfeld.

What is encouraging insurgents in Iraq is the brutal occupation of their country, lack of basic necessities, unemployment as high as 50%, lack of promised reconstruction and lies, just to start a list.

Rumsfeld was one of those mentioned as having a part in fixing facts around policy and it seems obvious that he would rather take the coward's way out and blame others than take responsibility for his own actions.

States Have No More Rights...

2005-06-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

...and the vote of the American people no longer count for anything, not just general elections.

Again, we see that the so called "conservatives" who supposedly stand for less government are once again interfering with a State's right to make and enforce their own legislation...Reuters Article

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The federal government has the power to prevent sick patients from smoking home-grown marijuana that a doctor recommended to relieve their chronic pain, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday in a setback for the medical marijuana movement.

The high court ruled that a federal law outlawing marijuana applied to two seriously ill California women, even though California is one of at least nine states that allow medical use of marijuana.

Justice John Paul Stevens said for the court majority that the federal law, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, was a valid exercise of federal power by the Congress "even as applied to the troubling facts of this case."

First, it was the tragic case of Terri Shaivo that Bush and his Republican bullies thought to interfere with. Even after every judge declined to overturn the State of Florida's judiciary, Jeb Bush had the audacity to spit on the judges' orders and send state troopers to the hospice to collect Terri...against judges' orders! That is showing severe contempt for the laws of this country. Attempting to overrule a State's judiciary by the Federal government is also a breach of State's right as spelled out within US law and is also unconstitutional, not to mention that writing legislation that only benefits one family (the Shindler's) out of the hundreds of millions of citizens of the United States could be construed as a bit off..

Michael Shaivo was demonized in the press by all with the exception of one small article in the Washinton Post that made us aware that he was the darling son in law of the Shindlers' until he refused to share the money a judge awarded him after Terri's heart attack...that's when the Shindlers started the campaign to take custody of Terri...only after they did not get money from Terri's settlement.

Sad how all the loudest voices in that one seemed to have a motive...Delay wanted to distract attention from his bad press, Bush wanted to distract from real business, Frist makes a medical prognosis from a video tape on a person he has never seen, in a field of medicine alien to him (I'd be afraid to have someone like that as my doctor) and the man who took his son to protest and allowed his son to be arrested is actually a registered sex offender. Remember the Republican memo that said Terri's case would be a boon for the Evangelical vote and all those who desperately tried to spin it as bogus? It wasn't bogus after all was it?

Now the Bush administration has sought to overturn a law passed in Californis (and other states) that allows for the strict use of marijuana for severly ill patients. Some of these patients have had their homes raided and been threatened with jail time. Does this do justice for any of us? Not in the real world. Just like the Shaivo intervention, this is meant to play to the extremist Christian Right and it does not hold the needs, wants or desires of any other American to light. Bush has no problem sending our family and friends to die in his war-of-choice but he will not allowed embryos slated for disposal to be used to find CURES for awful diseases, either...another cause most Americans approve of.

The ruling was a victory for the Bush administration, which appealed to the Supreme Court after a federal appeals court in California said that marijuana used for medical purposes was different from drug trafficking.

Justice O'Conner nailed it, supported by Clarence Thomas and Rehnquist, himself...

Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Clarence Thomas dissented.

"This case exemplifies the role of states as laboratories," O'Connor wrote.
"Relying on Congress' abstract assertions, the court has endorsed making it a federal crime to grow small amounts of marijuana in one's own home for one's own medicinal use," she said. "This overreaching stifles an express choice by some states ... to regulate medical marijuana differently."

Is Israel A U.S. Allie...I think not...

2005-06-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

Just a day after Defence Department official Larry Franklin was arrested on charges of passing classified information in the service of Israel, America's Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte was the guest at a pro-Israel event, where he praised Israel as an American ally.

Such is the degree of America's blindness to Israel's espionage activities in the United States.

Had this occurred in the USSR during the Cold War, diplomats would have been declared persona non grata. Even when long-term American ally France was caught in commercial espionage, the public repercussions were greater.

The silence about this case of Israeli espionage was so deafening that even The Jerusalem Post noted: "The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) seems to be breathing a sigh of relief and is expecting Washington to go about business as usual."

And, in fact, that is what has happened. AIPAC, the Israeli lobbying organisation alleged to have taken the documents from Franklin, is holding a conference on 22-24 May 2005 and politicians of every political stripe will be speaking to assure the Israelis that they remain solidly behind them.

Article from Al Jazeera

Before anybody gets discriminatory ad naseum...Al Jazeera has been demonized for no other reason than it did not tow the Bush party line. I have watched and read and see nothing that makes me believe the White House rhetoric that they demonize the US to inspire hate. They just print stories, no different to US media. By listing the source of the link, nobody can say I was deceptive. If you do not like the fact that I read from Al Jazeera, it means two things...
1. I am most likely more informed than you believe yourself to be and
2. You have the same underwear to get happy in.

I have to wonder...what is it that makes it possible for Israel to spy on the US time and again with no repercussions whatsoever? They have done it repeatedly during my lifetime.

Why is it that Israel can sell China information on US Patriot Missiles, which they have recently done, and nobody is held accountable for it? Talk about a loophole in National Security... If an American did this...BOOM...Federal prison and never seeing sunshine again. Why is it that no other country in the world could spy on us or sell our secrets and be allowed to slide?

I did a few searches for Israeli Espionage and I was stunned. A Google search brought up more than 237,000 items.Yahoo search gave me 150,888 items. Ask Jeeves seach bowled me over with a whopping 63,100 items. There are cases of Israel spying on us that date back 40 years and longer!

With all the evidence out there, the latest flab and knowing that Israel sold our military secrets to China, why is Israel treated with such honor considering their dishonorable behavior to the US...supposedly their closest ally?

Appears that the terrorist of choice program also runs along the same lines as spies of choice.
ADDENDUM

Almost 40 years ago, the USS Liberty came under Israeli attack in which 34 American sailors were killed and 172 wounded. It was brushed off as a case of mistaken identity by the US government and the investigation was stopped. Ward Boston, Jr., Captain, JAGC, USN (Ret.), Senior Counsel to the USS Liberty Court of Inquiry, has given a public declaration as of January 09, 2004, claiming that the official story of the USS Liberty was twisted and/or whitewashed and that he and Admiral Isaac Kidd believed the attack on the US vessel was deliberate. US soldiers died horribly and after seeing what he believed was the rewriting of history and the coverup of a deliberate attack, Boston could not, in good conscience keep silent any longer. With the evidence at hand, he and Kidd, along with the surviving sailors, believed this to be an intentional attack on an American Naval ship, meant to have no survivors.

Bush Loves To Change The Rules...

2005-06-04T05:57:00.000-07:00

We have seen how the Bush administration and the Republican controlled Congress like to change the rules in order to get their way...changing ethics rules to cover Tom Delay and then stacking the panel with Delay's backers and trying to assert the failed nuclear option just to name two. Now it seems, Bush is rearranging things again.

Our government has a set of rules for just about everything. We have a Chain of Command for every top post for the simple reason that if the people at the top become incapacitated, their job will fall on the shoulders of the person in the next highest seat. For instance if Bush could not perform his duties in the Oval Office, Cheney would fill his shoes...*shudder at the thought*.

We have a break in that Chain when it comes to the position of Secretary of Defense. Rumsfeld holds the top position even though he seems terribly unqualified, he is not realistic and he deferred out of any chance to serve our country when he had the chance and has no inkling about what war entails on a personal basis. Even so, he holds the top position. When Wolfowitz (another inexperienced proponent of war) left his position as Rumsfeld's deputy, it left a break in the Chain of Commend. If anything should happen to Rumsfeld there would have been no back up for his job.

Until rules get changed...

The presidential executive order spelling out the line of succession to act as defense secretary says no one in that line can become the acting secretary if he holds his own position in an "acting" capacity.

With this in mind, it seems a bit odd that Bush would, in fact, seek to install the acting Navy Secretary, Gordon England, to the post instead of finding someone who could put all of their efforts into the Deputy position.

The only way England could assume the job with Rumsfeld travelling abroad is by having Bush change the rules...and that is exactly what he did.

Bush alters Pentagon line of succession

I have to wonder, yet again, when is the United States going to stop the Bush administration from remaking the whole of our government into their own old boys' club? Why is it that other officials have had to follow the rules but Bush and his bullies do not, instead they just reform our government in their own image.

We stopped the nuclear option for now, thank goodness. My opinion of Frist is not at all rosy. When, as his constituent, I have voiced my concerns he has done little more than ignore my concerns in lieu of giving me the Bush line and how Bush deserves this, etc. My concerns are thrown down the toilet for the official paty line. His allegience should be more to the people who vote than to Bush but I can personally witness that this is not the case.

Maybe we have to crumble and have the American Empire fall before America wakes up...too bad.

Forgotten Headlines Are Open Wounds In Fallujah

2005-06-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

We can expect to see more pictures and even video of the abuses and torture at Abu Graib now that the ACLU has won it's latest FOIA lawsuit with the Army. The court gave the Army 3 months to produce the evidence.

It seems a bit oxy-moronic, though, for the government attorny to claim that producing the evidence would violate the Geneva Conventions. Letting America know the truth about what our people have done is not violating the Geneva Conventions, exposing the truth is being transparent. The violations of the Geneva Conventions happened when those in charge of this war-for-choice put out policies that allowed Americans to mistreat other human beings, then tried to cover it up and then refused to acknowledge it was policy, prosecuting only those at the bottom of the totem pole. It will see more headlines considering there are so many pictures and enough videotape to show it is a systematic occurance and not just a few rogue soldiers.

Fallujah - The fat Lady hasn't Even Cleared Her Throat Yet...

Here's another topic that has faded from the headlines. I would bet that most Americans have no idea that there is still fighting going on in this once thriving city. Dahr Jamail writes his Iraqi Dispatches as an unembedded reporter from inside Iraq and is an American reporter, born and raised in the USA. If you want a true visual of what is going on, this would be a good place to start. His latest story is dated June 03, 2005 and gives a much different picture of Fallujah than what we have been told...

"There are daily war crimes being committed in Fallujah, even now," said Mohammed Abdulla, the executive director of the Study Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Fallujah (SCHRDF). His organization works within the destruction of Fallujah, trying to monitor the plight of residents, bring them reconstruction aid, and document the war crimes and illegal weapons that were used during the November siege.

"Now we have none of the rebuilding which was promised, which people need so desperately in order to get their lives back in order," said Abdulla during a recent interview with Asia Times Online in Amman.

Doctors working inside the city continue to complain of US and Iraqi security forces impeding their medical care. Along with the continuance of strict US military checkpoints, residents in the city say the treatment they receive from both the US military and Iraqi security forces operating inside Fallujah is both degrading and humiliating. This treatment is also being perceived by most as intentional.

"The checkpoints are too obstructive," said Dr Amer Ani, who volunteers at Fallujah General Hospital. "Fighting has resumed inside the city, because in the last two weeks there have been man-to-man clashes in different districts of the city. This has caused ambulances to have difficulty entering and exiting the city, especially the main hospital.

"I work in the refugee camp on the border, and because of the checkpoint on the outskirts of the city, no patients from that camp can enter the city," said Ani. "Thus, they are forced to go to another clinic 14 kilometers from them, whereas the closest treatment in the city is less than one kilometer from them."

Ani went on to add that the main hospital and several primary health clinics in the city need rebuilding, but the building materials are being prevented from entering by US forces.

Dr Riyad al-Obeidy, who works in Ramadi, is also currently volunteering inside Fallujah. "Previously, the Ministry of Health was delivering aid into the city, but now this is prohibited, for unknown reasons," he said. "Thus, now there are shortages of external fixators, surgical sets for operations, and trauma equipment. There is really a humanitarian health problem. People are living as refugees inside their city, living in tents - so we have lack of clean water and hygiene, so there is rampant spreading of typhoid. With summer coming, this will all get worse."

It is estimated that roughly 80% of Fallujah's residents have returned, 60% of the houses and buildings inside the city sustained enough damage to make them inhabitable, so they either live in tents or amid the rubble of what once was their homes. 2/3 of the city has no power, medical aid is being hampered and reconstruction is not happening unless the residents do it themselves. There is an estimated $6 million worth of damage and the US Army seems to think that offering someone $500 should be sufficient to rebuild their lives...some "adventure".

The Army has taken over seven of the primary schools so children get their schooling in tents if they get it at all.

"There are plenty of women in Fallujah who have testified they were raped by American soldiers," said Abdulla. "They are nearby the secondary school for girls inside Fallujah. When people came back to Fallujah the first time they found so many girls who were totally naked and they had been killed."

Would you be angry if a foriegn government and soldiers did this to your people?

Dr Fawzi, who is also reporting to the SCHRDF, expressed concern about the number of people missing from Fallujah. "For deaths, we counted over 750 at first," he commented. "There are so many missing people and it is so difficult to have the figures of dead and detained, even though we know so many more were killed. People are afraid to admit their son might be detained because the Americans might arrest or retaliate against the rest of the family."

Thus, the suffering of the residents of Fallujah continues as fighting simmers once again within the devastated city and the drastic heat of summer approaches.

"The Americans have committed a very big massacre to the people of Fallujah. The crime of Fallujah is the greatest crime ever," Abdulla said sternly. "This will remain as a black spot in American history forever. Whatever the American people will do, even if they get rid of those liars who are in their government, they will need a long time for people to forget what they have done in Iraq and in Fallujah in order for us to deal with them as a civilized people who have humanity."

Abdulla, like residents of the city, wondered why the US military will not let unembedded media into Fallujah. "Why have they not let the media inside Fallujah," he asked. "If America says she is right, then why did she stop two UN investigators from getting inside Fallujah?"

With the initial justification for the siege of Fallujah being that the military operation was conducted in order to bring security and stability for the elections of January 30, it is clear that this goal was not obtained. Scores of Iraqis died on that day alone, and the situation throughout Iraq has only continued to deteriorate since.

Now they have the new offensive being put in place throughout Baghdad and the residents are on edge about it. We have distroyed most of what we have touched in Iraq.

The actions of the US in Fallujah have caused great resentment, anger and frustration that has spread thoughout Iraq. It is not going to get better...it can only get worse.

The Blame Game, Iraqi or Foriegn?

2005-06-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

One of the lines that we are being fed is that most, if not all, of the suicide bombers in Iraq these days are foriegners and not Iraqi...Official White House line. It seems amazing in light of the Official line that Iraqi officials, along with US personnel actually in Iraq, say that the majority of the suicide bombers are most likely home grown...Iraqis fighting against the occupation.

Suicide Attacks Rising Rapidly

Saad Obeidi, a retired Iraqi major general and security expert, suggested that President Bush had invited Islamic extremists to bring their fight against America here.

"One aim of the U.S. military once it invaded Iraq was to lure all insurgents and terrorists from all over the world to confront them here," he said.
The first suicide bombings of the insurgency were attributed to foreign infiltrators, mostly Palestinians, Yemenis, Syrians and Saudis. But Obeidi believes that has changed.

Some U.S. officials agree.

"There's a kind of axiom out there that says Iraqis aren't suicide bombers," Gen. George W. Casey, commander of multinational forces in Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad this year. "I'm not sure that's the case. I believe there are Iraqi Islamic extremists - that are very capable of getting into cars and blowing themselves up."

Other U.S. officials say they still believe that foreign fighters are responsible for most of the suicide attacks, which have increasingly targeted Iraqis.

"There is no evidence this is being done by Iraqis," said U.S. Maj. Gen. John DeFreitas III, intelligence chief for the multinational mission that has about 150,000 troops in Iraq. "In every case we've seen, the driver has been a foreigner."
Coalition officials acknowledge, however, that the numbers show an Iraqi-dominated insurgency. Fewer than 5% of those killed or captured were foreigners, one official noted. He also described the influx from abroad as making up a "very, very small part" of the estimated 12,000 to 20,000 insurgents.

A General IN Iraq that sees what's going on states he believes Iraqis are capable and doing it. A Maj. General NOT in Iraq and who does not see what actually goes on in Iraq says it has to be foriegners.

Are we still expected to believe that most, if not all, Iraqis are glad that we have occupied their country and that they would be throwing flowers at our soldiers' feet...if it were not for foriegn suicide bombers, that is?

The article states how witnesses have claimed bombers to be Iraqi, both by the way they spoke and their appearance. It is disheartening when so many who have no clue, be it experience in combat or ever being in a war zone, will follow someone else's suggested rhetoric without having any personal knowledge or understanding at all.

The people who brought us this war lead the way of no idea.

The Difference 4 Days Can Make...

2005-06-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

May,31,05
Bush Says Pleased With Progress In Iraq

``I believe that the Iraqi government's going to be plenty capable of dealing with them (insurgents), and our job is to help train them so that they can,'' Bush said.

In just four (4) days, how can he go from being so pleased about the progress to them actually asking for more support and stating that we have backed too far out? Could it be that Bush really does wear the proverbial rose colored glasses in order to make everything look rosy or is he attempting to save face in front of America by flat out fabricating how things really are...or he could be assuming that all of us are stupid since some decided to vote for him in November.

I believe he thinks the masses are stupid...

Foreign Minister Zebari warns that the United States has withdrawn too much, leaving the new government struggling to cope and endangering the long-term prospects for Iraq's success.

June 03,2005
In general, Zebari said the United States has pulled back too much in Iraq, after what many Iraqis considered heavy-handed leadership during the 14-month U.S. rule of Iraq. "There is something between too much and not enough," Zebari said. Washington, he said, now needs to be "more focused and more engaged" and not say "this is yours, hands off." Failing to meet established deadlines for the democratic transition would be "the end of trying to transform Iraq," he warned.

So...they can handle it? Sounds as if the Iraqi government is not as capable as Mr. Bush wants the citizens of the US to believe...but then again we have not been told the truth in many instances according to information and evidence that has surfaced of late so we should not be surprised..

Zebari also asked the United States for additional staff and resources to accelerate the creation of a new Iraqi army and police force, particularly with insurgent attacks increasingly targeting the new Iraqi security forces.
Finally, the Iraqi government asked Washington to speed up the confirmation of its new ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad. Iraq has been without a top U.S. envoy since John D. Negroponte returned to Washington in mid-March to become the administration's new director of national intelligence.

The US leaves them WITHOUT an ambassador for two month...slick move...

Then we have the ultimate admission from one of our own former CIA analysts...

"We're in a dilemma. We want it to appear that the Iraqis are making all the decisions -- and pretty much they are. As long as U.S. interests are not directly at stake, we've allowed Iraqis to run the show and make their own mistakes and be responsible. The problem is when there aren't results, we're blamed," said Judith Yaphe, a former CIA analyst now at the National Defense University.

As long as U.S. interests are not directly at stake, we've allowed Iraqis to run the show

For the first time we get honesty and transparency...IF our interests are not at stakes, we will LET another country's government run their own show.

Who says the Bush administration is not striving for total dominance for their American Empire...maybe arguing that it is not true makes one look more idiotic than those trying to pull it off.

Downing Street Revisited...

2005-05-31T18:58:00.000-07:00

I began this blog with commentary on the Downing Street Memo (May 01, 2005 London Times) that stated that the Bush administration had decided in the summer of 2002 that Saddam was on the short list for removal...this while Bush was telling America that he had no plans for military action. The memo also stated that "facts were being fixed around policy". The memo added validity to statements made by ex Bush administration officials that intelligence was "cooked" or fabricated to justify the invasion of Iraq.

On May 29, 2005, The Sunday Times of Briton printed more information that is, at the least distressing if not wholly obscene. British and US officials, using air raids, were attempting to goad Saddam into giving them a reason to go to war.

The article states...

Tommy Franks, the allied commander, has since admitted this operation was designed to “degrade” Iraqi air defences in the same way as the air attacks that began the 1991 Gulf war.

It was not until November 8 that the UN security council passed resolution 1441, which threatened Iraq with “serious consequences” for failing to co-operate with the weapons inspectors.

"The briefing paper prepared for the July meeting - the same document that revealed the prime minister's agreement during a summit with President George W Bush in April 2002 to back military action to bring about regime change laid out the American war plans.

They opted on August 5 for a hybrid plan in which a continuous air offensive and special forces operations would begin while the main ground force built up in Kuwait ready for a full-scale invasion.

The Ministry of Defence figures, provided in response to a question from Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, show that despite the lack of an Iraqi reaction, the air war began anyway in September with a 100-plane raid.

The systematic targeting of Iraqi defenses appears to contradict Foreign Office legal guidance appended to the leaked briefing paper which said that the allied aircraft were only entitled to use force indefenseefence where such a use of force is a necessary and proportionate response to actual or imminent attack from Iraqi ground systems."

Now we can see that George Bush has his war plans made as early as April 2002 AND he was actually pushing military force in Iraq before the UN came up with Resolution 1441. America has sat on their laurels for 31 days after the Downing Street Memo was printed. Now, there is more damning evidence of High Crimes and Misdemeanors on the part of George Bush. What is wrong with this country? Do you enjoy the killing so much that you are willing to sacrifice your sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, friends and your entire country with everything it was built on and USED to stand for? Why would we let this go? Is it religious or moral piety? Arrogance that we are the greatest nation in the world...or the one with the biggest guns? What is it?

A church along the Eastern side of the US had a marquee that read "The Koran should be flushed." Next time I see a Bible maybe I should give it the same treatment. I do not subscribe to Christianity and I have not for a long count of years simply because in Sunday School we were taught to treat others as we would want to be treated...looking at my country over the past few decades I had to face the bitter truth that that lesson only applies when convenient for most. I guess the Muslums have a right to bomb the innocent, torture and abuse anyone they see fit to detain and flush the Christian Bible as well. Religious piety is worthless and proves nothing more than stupidity.

Moral piety does not wash here as well...death, torture, abuse, indiscriminate killing, greed, polluting Iraq and Afghanistan with DU weapons that, dropped in sufficient amounts, poison the soil, water, air and people...including US personnel...permanently.

Arrogance in thinking we are better than others is a sin according to the Christian Bible so that doesn't wash at all.

The machismo that we are the toughest and have the biggest guns should be beneath everyone over 12 years old...period.

The GOP would go to extremes to impeach a Democrat for being a bad husband and lying about it.

I'm sorry but scheming to go to an unneccessary war and lying about that seems a bit more extreme.

Iraq has been devastated, oceans of blood spilt and America is on a fast track to going bankrupt financially

Morally we already have...

Absurd Absurdities...

2005-05-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

Considering all the recent publicity about abuses in US detention centers all over the globe that we have been hearing about for the last two years plus like Abu Graib, renditions, etc., not to mention the recent report from Afghanistan over two deaths perpetrated by US personnel on two Afghan detainees, it seems even more ridiculous for George Bush to passionately defend the detention practices of the US.

In an article from the New York Times today, Bush seemed a bit flustered with the most recent report from Amnesty International which stated that the US detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had become "the gulag of our times."

Regarding the treatment at Guantanamo Bay of men detained during the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mr. Bush said, "I'm aware of the Amnesty International report and it's absurd - it's an absurd allegation."

The group had also spoken of "atrocious" violations in the United States' handling of prisoners.

President Bush took strong exception to Amnesty's charges. "The United States is a country that promotes freedom around the world," he said, and then repeated, "It's an absurd allegation."

The language was insistent and unusually sharp for the president, but it echoed an earlier comment by Vice President Dick Cheney, who had said he was "offended" by Amnesty International's description. Both men suggested that freed detainees were spreading mistruths to harm the United States.

Let me get this straight...everyone who ever claimed abuse and/or torture at the hands of American captors (or jailers, as it were) is lying and every one of them has made it up? The photos that hit us from Abu Graib were not evidence of abuse? If not, why were a handful of soldiers (excluding all superiors, of course) tried and convicted? Was the most recent Army report a fabrication with it's stories of how two detainees died? Are all the reports just made up? According to George Bush and Dick Cheney they are. What is wrong with this picture...correction...severely wrong with this picture?

The executive director of Amnesty International USA, William F. Schulz, minced no words today in his reply to Bush..."What is 'absurd' is President Bush's attempt to deny the deliberate policies of his administration, which has detained individuals without charge or trial in prisons at Guantanamo Bay, Bagram Air Base and other locations," he said in a statement. "What is 'absurd' and indeed outrageous is the Bush administration's failure to undertake a full independent investigation...This administration never finds it 'absurd' when we criticize Cuba or China, or when we condemned the violations in Iraq under Saddam Hussein."

Well...yeah. Bush and Cheney really need to take a cold, hard look in the mirror. The world does not work on the premise of "do as I say, not as I do" You can not lead and be a good example for others if you see no need to refrain from doing what you preach at others not to do. The US has not been a good leader or role model under this administration and the record speaks volumes.

Bolton

According to Bush, Democrats are "just stalling" on the Bolton nomination (they have asked the White House for documentation that has been denied and refused repeatedly). Appears that they should be a bit concerned why Bolton would be seeking classified information on other officials...we all should be.

Polls have even shown Bolton as the UN pick for representing the US is not favorable to most Americans, but it appears that Bush's agenda is more important than the rest of the country's.

If you look at the press clipping, articles and official tow line for the Bush administration over the past several years, there seems to be a vivid pattern of the Neocon and GOP attempting to tear down any and every part of the UN that they do not agree with...it's there, all you need do is look. Is that why it is so important for Bush to install Bolton, to help dismantle it from within? Makes sense.

If Bolton was installed at the UN, how much pressure would he be able to exert on other representatives to do things the US way...things he has apparently done to his subordinates? He would be in a better seat in which to subvert intelligence to coincide with what the White House wants to do...same as he has already done in his current capacity (although it did not turn out the way it was intended from the way it looks). It is not difficult to see why most Americans would not want this man to represent them but it boggles the mind why the president would...unless, of course, his motives were not as "moral" as he would want us to believe.

The Empire is already starting to crumble...even with the top ten floors of the UN building still in tact against Bolton's wishes.

Catapulting Propaganda...

2005-05-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

Apparently Mr. Bush is admitting that if he repeats something enough times, it becomes the truth. Note paragraph #38.

"Now, a personal savings account would be a part of a Social Security retirement system. It would be a part of what you would have to retire when you reach retirement age. As you -- as I mentioned to you earlier, we're going to redesign the current system. If you've retired, you don't have anything to worry about -- third time I've said that. (Laughter.) I'll probably say it three more times. See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." (Applause)

As of now, May 29, 2005 3:30 PM this is still pasted on the official White House website.

He has already publically stated that personal accounts will not help to fix the situation.

I'm sorry but repeating rhetoric, or "catapulting it" as Bush calls it, will not make it fact.

Joseph Goebbels, Hiter's Nazi Propaganda Minister, found that out the hard way after he said "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

President Participates in Social Security Conversation in New York

Rewarding those who created the Iraq fiasco...

2005-05-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

Any doubt behind the infamous "Downing Street Memo" should be gauged with the individuals who caused the most damage and have been praised and/or rewarded since the invasion of Iraq. In doing so, any semi intelligent person can see a pattern of honoring those who have led the US down the devastating path we are on.

Remember those "Medals of Freedom" that Bush passed out earlier to three of his favorite aides of the war...Tenet, Franks and Bremer? Let's look at why they may have deserved such prestigious recognition.

George Tenet was convinced that the removal of Saddam would be a "slam dunk". He supplied bad intel to the fiasco in making.

Tommy Franks is such an honorable and faithful trooper that he attempted to bomb Iraq back to the stone age and then told the world that we do not count Iraqi casualties, which is one of the duties of our US military when they are engaged in combat.

Paul Bremer, this piece of work was responsible for putting the US government's interest ahead of the Iraqi's once we took over and is responsible for billions of dollars in Iraqi funds and US taxpayer funds evaporating under his watch. He also was in charge of the new law written for Iraq that exemts any US personnel from facing criminal charges in Iraq, for say...anything. If a foreign fighter raped your daughter or shot your children, for the simple reason that they could, I do not believe American citizens would be complacent with the offending soldiers or their government.

Note to all those who would attempt to degrade my honor for saying this. To love your country does not mean to look away, cover your eyes or bury your head in the sand to the realities of war. These things happen and have happened in Iraq. Not all of our soldiers do reprehensible things but many do and the US media does not print or show you because the realities of war would turn most against it. The people who have led us into this war do not want sentiment to turn against their action as it did in Vietnam because of the reporting of it. When you wave that "America is righteous" banner and think of others as "Un-American" because they are opposed to the invasion of Iraq, you are mistaking Nationalism with being a Patriot...and in turn proving yourself to be on the fringe of fascism. Look the words "nationalism" and "fascism" up in the dictionary and then look in the mirror. That is not loving your country.

Back to the issue at hand...

In a Washington Post article yesterday, it was revealed that yet two more of our "fiasco architects" were rewarded.

"Two Army analysts whose work has been cited as part of a key intelligence failure on Iraq -- the claim that aluminum tubes sought by the Baghdad government were most likely meant for a nuclear weapons program rather than for rockets -- have received job performance awards in each of the past three years, officials said.

The civilian analysts, former military men considered experts on foreign and U.S. weaponry, work at the Army's National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), one of three U.S. agencies singled out for particular criticism by President Bush's commission that investigated U.S. intelligence."

Now, of course the Pentagon has not held them accountable and their bosses say that the awards were for their overall performance but is it not a bit odd that all these people that have been rewarded have helped push and cause devastation not only in Iraq but the financial devastation of the US? That does not even begin to account for blood spilt, people crippled and lives lost.

Do not forget that those in charge of the places where abuse and torture have come to light have been promoted while the bottom of the chain of command is held accountable...nothing more than stepping stones and cannon fodder.

A good parent teaches their children that all action has consequences...good for good and not so good for negative.

I ask America this...have we become so complacent in our arrogance that we have become stupid and are willing to be led by the nose without accountability?

So Much For The War On Terrorism...

2005-05-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Reuters article

You can not stand against terrorists/terrorism while embracing it and attempting to get yourself and your terrorist of choice off the hook.

"The United States rejected on Friday Venezuela's first move to extradite a Cuban exile wanted for an airliner bombing, in a case that could challenge the U.S. commitment to fight all forms of terrorism."

The excuse, of course, is that Venezuela did not supply enough "evidence" for their request of extradition but the statement below kind of renders that a bit...idiotic, don't you think?

"CIA and FBI files show U.S. investigators believed Posada was involved in the airliner plot, and Posada himself told The New York Times he was behind bombings of Havana hotels in 1997 that killed an Italian and wounded others."

If our CIA and FBI have files on this man linking him to terrorism, not to mention his own admission to a US media source, it appears that it is clear that he is a terrorist.

In the article, a US official states that there is not enough evidence and perhaps Venezuela did not supply what was needed in order to "embarass" the United States. Did we just get out of Kindergarten here?

The possibility was also mentioned that if the US could find a third country to send Carriles to, the US could send him to a place other than Venezuela and get us off the hook.

EXCUSE ME? What happened to decent foriegn affairs? A formal request for extradition was made by the legit government of another country. If the US refuses to extradite a self proclaimed terrorist, how in the hell can we expect other countries to expedite people back to the US? Columbia, for instance, has recently arrested several of our soldiers on charges ranging from running guns to drugs. What would they think of our next request for extradition if we do not play by the same rules that we expect others to abide by? Columbian jails will see their population grow with American criminals... and we will deserve it.

Makes one wonder if there was any validity to the idea that bin Laden has not been caught by design...

Downing Street Memo

2005-05-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Years ago, at least two Americxans blew the proverbial whistle concerning the Bush administrations plans in the summer of 2002 of invading Iraq...plans which George Bush stated to the public that he did not have. The Downing Street Memo has given validity to their attempts at telling the truth. They also tried to tell the US that the intelligence was being "cooked" for the issue, which also has gained validity though the DS memo. Those who attempted to label the whistleblowers as "disgruntled" have been smacked in the face, and those who still carry the conspiracy theme make themselves appear desperate. If the link does not work you can find a copy of the memo at http://gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=426&row=1
The Brits have declared the memo as "nothing new" and Scott McClellen, spokeman for the White House, has stated to the NYT that there is "no need" to reply to House Democrats (89 of them) who wrote a letter to the White House inquiring about the memo's validity. Neither government has denied the contents of the memo.

My question is how McClellen can stand with a straight face and claim there is "no need"?

No need? No matter what your politics are, if you are an American citizen, there should be great need in this situation. If, in fact, this memorandum from the British government is accurate, it means that the Bush administration is guilty of offenses that are more worthy of impeachment than getting caught with your fly open. The American people spend close to $5 billion a month for Iraq, yet domestic programs have been slashed when we need them the most. The whole country is scrounging for funds to make ends meet. Our national deficit will still be astronomical for at least two more generations according to recent independent projections. Having to watch our society deteriorate from within, knowing that the respect once held for the U.S. has evaporated and knowing that tens of thousands of people have lost their lives, including our soldiers. That does not even scratch the over 22,000 Americans who have suffered injury and were shipped back home.

My question is, why is there no need to be honest with the American public? If this memo is indeed accurate, it means that George Bush
1. Willfully lied in his capacity as president of the United States in order to manipulate us in what would be undeniably an illegal war, a war in which the "facts were fixed around policy".
2. It means that everyone in this country who has put on the Patriot Hat was duped.
3. It means that we have been paying out of the nose for two years for a group of men to profit from assets of another country.
4. It mean that the Bush administration knowingly fabricated a threat that was non existent.
5. It means that the Bush administration has willfully used fear as a way to control not only the US but everyone else as well.
6. If the memo is accurate, it means that all the blood spilt was for no other reason than the personal gain of a few.

I beg to differ, Mr McClellan, the ones that have been lost deserved to know and the ones they left behind do, too.