Mr. David Corn,

Another Great post!

Thanks

Kirk

Quit pestering Bush. He's already so chocked full of antidepressants that he can't talk right.

Novak is just a gasbag anyways!

If Bob Novak was a patriotic American, he would give us the name. Novak is full of nauseous gas.

"I'm confident the president knows who the source is," Novak

a shocking expozay - just shocking

me? I'm confident that the president knows exactly what struck the pentagon on 911, since it was so obviously NOT a 757.

pay no attention to the man behind the curtain

"I'm confident the president knows who the source is," Novak

a shocking expozay - just shocking

me? I'm confident that the president knows exactly what struck the pentagon on 911, since it was so obviously NOT a 757.

pay no attention to the man behind the curtain

I have always lacked the stomach necessary to endure Robert Novak on TV, I have never gotten very far into one of his columns either.

I must be weak.

capt

Ethics questions dog California congressman; Owned cabin with Air Force Secretary
Miriam Raftery

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has come under fire from constituents for accepting nearly a quarter million dollars in campaign contributions from missile defense contractors over the past five years. Hunter has also drawn criticism for accepting $46,000 from un-indicted co-conspirators implicated in bribing Hunterճ friend and San Diego colleague, Randy ҄ukeӠCunningham, who resigned from Congress after pleading guilty.

But Hunter’≥ ties to the defense industry go even deeper.

More.

***************

See Duncan Hunter.
See Duncan Hunter defend Duke Cunningham this morning on Washingtoon Journal.
See Duncan Hunter run...

How was it for you?

Five years ago today Al Gore phoned George Bush to formally concede the presidency. Since then the United States has suffered it's worst ever terrorist attack, become embroiled in a disastrous foreign war and bungled the response to a natural catastrophe. So what is the Bush legacy after half a decade? Is he a ruthless Machiavellian or a bumbling puppet? A devout idealist or a cynical opportunist? A disaster or a mild disappointment? Here, six top American commentators - from the left and the right - deliver their verdicts

Tuesday December 13, 2005
The Guardian

Jacob Weisberg

George Bush seems less likely to be remembered as a disastrous American president than as an ultimately insignificant one. Despite his ambition to reshape American politics and society in the order of a Reagan or a Thatcher, Bush has presided over a period of national and economic drift that more closely resembles the forgettable reign of his father.

The main goal of the Bush presidency was to transform the American electorate by creating a durable Republican majority. Karl Rove, the architect of Bush's political career in Texas and Washington, has drawn an implicit analogy between his own role and that of the legendary fin-de-siècle political boss Mark Hanna, who served President William McKinley in the 1890s.

Hanna was McKinley's political brain in the way Rove is Bush's. McKinley was an affable, not-too-bright former congressman when Hanna helped to elect him governor of Ohio. In 1896, Hanna raised an unprecedented amount of money, and ran a ruthless and sophisticated campaign that got McKinley to the White House. One could go on with this analogy. McKinley governed negligently in the interests of big business and went to war on flimsy evidence that Spain had blown up the USS Maine.

*****end of clip*****

Worth a whim and a skim. Five different perspectives.

capt

Reid to oppose Patriot Act, will join efforts to block bill

12/14/2005 @ 12:24 pm
Filed by John Byrne

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will vote against the updated Patriot Act and will join with senators who are seeking to block the bill from coming up for a vote, RAW STORY has learned.

Reid has told aides he will vote against cloture -- a Senate procedure which requires that 60 senators support a bill being brought before the Senate before it is brought to a final vote. In essence, voting against cloture means supporting a filibuster.

"Senator Reid has several concerns including the National Security letters, the library provision, and some of the habeas corpus aspects which have nothing to do with terrorism," an aide told RAW STORY.

Sen Russ Feingold (D-WI) has previously said he will filibuster the revised version of the act. In voting against cloture, Reid will be supporting Sen. Feingold's efforts.

About a dozen senators have expressed opposition to the new version of the Act. The Senate moved to strike various controversial aspects from the Patriot Act when it was brought up for renewal, but those aspects -- including a "sneak and peek" provision which allows law enforcement officials to review library records -- were readded when congressmembers from the House and Senate met in conference to come up with a bill both chambers could agree upon.

*****end of clip*****

Maybe the petitions and calls to our senators and rep’s are doing something!

I will never get all hopeful but I admit to a warm feeling if they stand their ground. If they do not do so now, they will look very bad.

capt

Dear Mr. Corn,

I've just finished reading your recent posts down to your recollections on working for gun control after Lennon's assasination. I'm quite moved by them, especially your piece on the National Security Archives. I also particularly enjoyed your take on the antiwar movement's rejection of ANSWER. I absolutely agree that the ultra-left's unquestioning support of certain dictators is self-defeating. You are an amazing journalist, always interesting, always chalk full of meaty tidbits. Please keep up your excellent work. Us lefties need and rely on you.

Thank-you so much for all of your diligent efforts. I come from a journalist family and know good journalism when I see it. You are it. Journalism in this day and age must constantly be reminded of the rules of good research and writing, and remember that reporters are not mouthpieces. By the way, I was named after Carey McWilliams, an old family friend. Ill never forget meeting him for the first time here in San Diego during the seventies.

Sincerely,
Carey Self Hickman

Fitzgerald briefs grand jury Wednesday

"Rove failed to tell investigators at the time that he had spoken about covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper and conservative columnist Robert Novak, who first published her name and CIA status in a July 14, 2003 column. Rove had been a source for both journalists. Cooper and Novak later cooperated in the case. Luskin said Rove had forgotten about the conversation."

*****

I hope they have that right.

capt

Burying the Lancet report . . . and the children
By Nicolas J S Davies
Online Journal Contributing Writer
Dec 14, 2005, 01:26

Over a year ago, an international team of epidemiologists headed by Les Roberts of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health completed a "cluster sample survey" of civilian casualties in Iraq. Its findings contradicted central elements of the narrative of the war that politicians and journalists had presented to the American public and the world.

After excluding the results from Anbar province as a statistical anomaly and half the increase in infant mortality as possible "recall bias," they estimated that at least 98,000 Iraqi civilians had died in the previous 18 months as a direct result of the invasion and occupation of their country. They also found that violence had become the leading cause of death in Iraq during that period (51 percent or 24 percent with or without Anbar). However, their most significant finding was that the vast majority (79 percent) of violent deaths were caused by "coalition" forces using "helicopter gunships, rockets or other forms of aerial weaponry," and that almost half (48 percent) of these were children, with a median age of eight.

When the team's findings were published in the Lancet, the official journal of the British Medical Association, they caused quite a stir, and it seemed that the first step had been taken toward a realistic accounting of the human cost of the war. The authors made it clear that their results were approximate; they discussed the limitations of their methodology at length and emphasized that further research would be invaluable in giving a more precise picture.

A year later, we do not have a more precise picture. Soon after the study was published, American and British officials launched a concerted campaign to discredit its authors and marginalize their findings without seriously addressing the validity of their methods or presenting any evidence to challenge their conclusions. Today the continuing aerial bombardment of Iraq is still a dark secret to most Americans, and the media still present the same general picture of the war, focusing on what appear in the light of this study to be secondary sources of violence.

Les Roberts has been puzzled and disturbed by this response to his work, which stands in sharp contrast to the way the same governments responded to a similar study he led in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2000. In that case, he reported that about 1.7 million people had died during 22 months of war, and as he says, "Tony Blair and Colin Powell quoted those results time and time again without any question as to the precision or validity." In fact, the U.N Security Council promptly called for the withdrawal of foreign armies from the Congo, and the U.S. State Department cited his study in announcing a grant of $10 million for humanitarian aid.

Roberts conducted a follow-up study in the Congo that raised the fatality estimate to 3 million, and Tony Blair cited that figure in his address to the 2001 Labor Party Conference. However, in December 2004, Blair dismissed the epidemiological team's work in Iraq, claiming that, "Figures from the Iraqi Ministry of Health, which are a survey from the hospitals there, are in our view the most accurate survey there is."

This statement by Blair is particularly interesting because the Iraqi Health Ministry reports, whose accuracy he praised, have in fact confirmed the Johns Hopkins team's conclusion that aerial attacks by "coalition" forces are the leading cause of civilian deaths. One such report was cited by Nancy Youssef in the Miami Herald on September 25, 2004, under the headline "U.S. Attacks, Not Insurgents, Blamed for Most Iraqi Deaths." The Health Ministry had been reporting civilian casualty figures based on reports from hospitals, as Mr. Blair said, but it was not until June 2004 that it began to differentiate between casualties inflicted by "coalition" forces and those from other causes. In the three months from June 10 to September 10, it counted 1,295 civilians killed by U.S. forces and their allies and 516 killed in "terrorist" operations.

More.

******************

What will it take to impeach the whole Bush regime?
By Bev Conover
Online Journal Editor & Publisher
Dec 14, 2005, 01:35

But, I thought bush assured everyone that if the leak came from the WH, that person would be taken care of. Now novak says bush knew who it was all along? Now bush will be obliged to award the medal for super-duper service! How else do you thank a traitor?

That report was bona fide and their methods sound from what I have read elsewhere. Worse the 100k could have been on the low side.

We know the numbers they will admit to are not reliable.

capt

Posted on Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - 03:42 pm:

From: Black Box Voting.org

Wed. December 14, 2005: Due to contractual non-performance and security design issues, Leon County (Florida) supervisor of elections Ion Sancho has announced that he will never again use Diebold in an election. He has requested funds to replace the Diebold system from the county. On Tuesday, the most serious hack demonstration to date took place in Leon County. The Diebold machines succumbed quickly to alteration of the votes. This comes on the heels of the resignation of Diebold CEO Wally O'Dell, and the announcement that a stockholder's class action suit has been filed against Diebold by Scott & Scott. Further hack testing on additional vulnerabilities is tentatively scheduled before Christmas in the state of California.

Finnish security expert Harri Hursti, together with Black Box Voting, demonstrated that Diebold made misrepresentations to Secretaries of State across the nation when Diebold claimed votes could not be changed on the memory card (the credit-card-sized ballot box used by computerized voting machines.

A test election was run in Leon County on Tuesday with a total of eight ballots. Six ballots voted "no" on a ballot question as to whether Diebold voting machines can be hacked or not. Two ballots, cast by Dr. Herbert Thompson and by Harri Hursti voted "yes" indicating a belief that the Diebold machines could be hacked.

At the beginning of the test election the memory card programmed by Harri Hursti was inserted into an Optical Scan Diebold voting machine. A "zero report" was run indicating zero votes on the memory card. In fact, however, Hursti had pre-loaded the memory card with plus and minus votes.

The eight ballots were run through the optical scan machine. The standard Diebold-supplied "ender card" was run through as is normal procedure ending the election. A results tape was run from the voting machine.

Correct results should have been: Yes:2 ; No:6

However, just as Hursti had planned, the results tape read: Yes:7 ; No:1
------------
Diebold cheat?? Well I never!

So let's see:

No stories about Phase II

No stories about Diebold

No stories about Sibel Edmonds

But a denunciation of A.N.S.W.E.R.

That was important.

I'm getting sicker by the moment.

Novak is the arch villian here. Let's remember that of all the people who were talking about Plame being CIA, Novak is the only reporter to publish the information. He did it even though the CIA tried its best to tell him Plame was covert. He did it without contacting Joe Wilson or Valerie Plame to get their side of the story, as any first-semester journalism student would know to do.

Then Novak immediately cut some kind of deal with Fitzgerald and left the more ethical reporters like Matt Cooper and Judith MIller twisting in the wind.

(Omigod, did I just call Judith Miller 'ethical'? Let's rephrase that--"slightly less loathesome")

Unlike Miller and Viveca N., Bob Novak has never said anything useful about what he testified and why he outed a CIA agent. He should have been charged with aiding and abetting treason. You say the law, such as it is, excludes journalism? Then call him an 'enemy combatant' and throw him in the slammer.

If Novak can't take the "snowballing," the way out is to come clean. No one is speculating about Matt Cooper anymore--he told what he knows. A couple of days after Viveca's column discussing her role, the media/blogger herd has moved on. Novak is still in the game because he's still a question mark.

Bush probably knows more than he's saying, and if anyone wants to put his feet to the fire, more power to them. But the idea that we should take a cue from this bloviating sack of shit makes me want to retch.

Or am I going too easy on him?

And no real investigation into 9/11, other than to call those of us that believe the US Govt. was complicit conspiracy theorists. What's up David?

I LOVE AMERICA!!! I love America because she is such a transparent country. We go into Iraq to defeat a cruel and inhumane ruler and in America we have in Bush a cruel and inhumane ruler. The more things change the more they remain the same.

AIR MARSHALLS on MASS TRANSIT
_______________

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal air marshals are expanding their work beyond airplanes, beginning counterterror surveillance at bus and train stations and mass transit facilities in a three-day test.
________________

It is a good thing that nobody ever displays "unusual behavior" on mass transit, otherwise I'd be worried about a repeat of the deadly fiasco at MIA!

-T

Robert and Saladin-

You have been sold out. Thanks for playing though. The veneer of "progressive" is peeling off Mr. Corn faster than DU goes into a water supply. You can get a much better idea of why 40% of the nation supports Bush when you look at how the good Captain supports Mr. Corn.

Oh brother, is it that easy? Just saying "Bush" fogs logical minds like "Hillary" does for right wing ideologues? Novak deployed an effective deflection. Maybe ten people know. Twenty? How about asking the prosecutor? But Bush may or may not know. Let's be certain - we know one person who certainly knows - none other than Bob Novak. I doubt "Bush knew" unless it was one of the reasons Colin Powell or George Tenet were let go.

The ANSWER coalition are a bunch of fruitcakes. I know, I have spent time around them. I bothered to get off my fat ass and go to the rally on September 24, and ANSWER was just one of a great many organizations who showed up to protest Bush's campaign to turn the United States into some sort of plutocratic medievil serfdom. I think it would be great if the Democratic party and the press were actually doing thier job we would not have to wait for moonbats like ANSWER to organize opposition to an immoral and illegal government. Your piece about the Anti Bush rally still sucked Mr. Corn. Wether or not you were right about ANSWER you were wrong about everything else. So save your "I told you so " for the rest of your rich gas bag friends over in D.C. I wish I could use your hot air to pay my medical bills and get my buddies back fom Iraq. Since I can't, I will show up at the next anti- Bush rally, even if it hosted by Tom Cruise and the scientoligist's. All of your writing did not do jack shit to prevent Bush from being elected the last two times. If you elitist clowns continue to bash people who care about and are trying to save thier own country, I can promise you another four years of big business, war mongering, poor people hating, politicians running our nation into the ground in 2008. I will gladly say "I told you so".

new poll started on AOL...

Is it important for the president to admit to having used faulty intelligence?
Yes, very 62%
At this point, no 38%

Do you think 'victory' is possible in Iraq?
No 61%
Yes 28%
I'm not sure 11%
Total Votes: 5,380

It is almost cute when readers of the Corn Blog actually think that a FOX News contributor and a FOUNDING member of Pajamas Media gives a rats ass about them or their concerns. It's all about the money. I don't begrudge Mr. Corn a penny of it but, really, did you expect a different result?

# 13 Bush later revised his position to , "if anyone in my administration broke the law they will be taken care of".

I still don't get why Fitzgerald didn't charge Libby and Rove with violating the statute in question. They clearly (IMO) outed a covert agent. Anyone have clarity about that?

My theory is, Fitz is using this distraction to keep us preoccupied so we won't look at the serious crimes. But I am looking at the serious crimes, outing Plame was bad, outing Brewster-Jennings was serious. The AIPAC trial is serious, Phase II is serious, Israeli spies are serious, the forged Niger document is serious. Fitz will have to prove his honesty and integrity to me.

"Truth" squad:

If you are all about the truth, you are shilling for the wrong political party. Karl Rove has made lying and distortion an art form. I think its cute how these neoconservative dirt bags try to act like such good born again Christians and then lie thier fat greedy asses off all day long.

Robert Novak turns "sarcasm" into a verb, but, in this case, he is likely correct.

The "Original Sin" was Bush's big lie at the beginning of things. He most likely knew who, what, when, where, and why from the very start. If he didn't, it's just because he was too distracted in the meeting where he was told to pay attention to what was being said.

The problem is finding a truthful staffer.

Fitzgerald is correct. The indictment of people for false statements and such things is important. They are hindering our having information about the biggest treason in our history.

This is not "Plamegate." It's "Nigergate," and that's the thread that needs to be followed to its origin...

Imagine, for a moment, that the Iraqi elections on Friday come off without a hitch. No one is killed, maimed or intimidated into voting for a particular candidate by having a gun barrel put to his head. There are no hanging chads, no mayhem or madness. What will the Iraqi and American people get out of the incredible blood and treasure we have poured into this conflict?

We will get an Iraqi government dominated by known and notorious terrorists. We will get an Iraqi government dominated by Iran.

The Shia will walk away from Friday with the lion's share of control over the Iraqi government. The two most powerful Shia political parties, the ones that will come out of this with the big wins, are the Dawa Party and the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, which is known by the initials SCIRI. Both were founded and funded by Iran in the 1980s. Both have a history of spectacular violence against the United States and other nations. "These guys are murderers," says former CIA agent Bob Baer, who dealt with Dawa during the 1980s. "They were the core element that blew up our embassy in Beirut in 1983."

William Rivers Pitt

Lurker/ Care to elaborate on how I am shilling "for" any party?

PATRIOT ACT UPDATE
By Russ Feingold

Yesterday there was a press conference opposing the Patriot Act reauthorization bill headlining Bob Barr and the ACLU, an impromptu debate between Senator Specter and me, and announcements from Senators Reid and Leahy that they will oppose cloture. Today, the Senate may formally take up the conference report. Sen. Frist announced on the floor this morning that he will seek a time agreement to limit debate on the Patriot Act in the Senate. I will object to that. Extended debate on this reauthorization bill is needed.

Dec 14, 2005 -- 03:14:01 PM EST

The History of the
House of Rothschild

There are now only 5 nations in the world left without a Rothschild controlled central bank: Iran; North Korea; Sudan; Cuba; and Libya.

I'll bet the Rothschild at the Central Bank of Yemen did something really really bad to earn his posting like using the wrong fork to eat a Christian child at Yom Kippur.

Saladin, Do you have reason to not trust Fitzgerald? I've never heard anything negative about him, have you?

34 ha you're a phony

kaff, my #1 reason is that he is a republican appointee! I don't trust any of those guys as far as I could pick one up and toss him. But seriously, when he came back with only one indictment, and that for the heinous crime of "lying", (show me a politician that ISN'T guilty of that!) while seemingly ignoring the very real crime, as Mickey pointed out, of Nigergate, after two long years, I must say, I am suspicious. I have reserved judgement so far, I am hoping and waiting for justice, just not holding my breath. As I said to Kathleen, the survivors of the USS Liberty have been waiting nearly 40 years, that is shameful. WTF is wrong with our Govt. that they would allow such a crime to be committed without any recompense or even a decent inquiry whatsoever? It is a slap in the face to our armed forces. So yes, I have my doubts. Hope I'm wrong this time.

#26 I still don't get why Fitzgerald didn't charge Libby and Rove with violating the statute... clarity about that?

I think Fitz is working his way in that direction. If it's true what they say about him,then he's a stickler for details and 'by the book'is his way. Don't indict until you can prove it in court/build your case on facts/'roast' the roadblocks till you get through/then plod on to the next tier. It's my opinion Rove is very much still in his crosshairs, and I'm betting Chain-ee is coming into view too. I might be naive (and some people wouldn't disagree with that), but that's what I'm hoping for.

Scientist says Kong all wrong

By EYDER PERALTA
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Robert T. Bakker doesn't really buy King Kong.

"King Kong should have been a giant tortoise," says Bakker, the world-renowned paleontologist who famously argued that dinosaurs were warm-blooded creatures.

What Bakker is saying is that a real-life King Kong could never happen, because big, warm-blooded animals need more food than cold-blooded ones. They're incapable of dealing with the scarcity of food on an island.

"Islands are totally weird; the usual rules of nature are turned 180 degrees," says Bakker, who is now a visiting curator at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. "What's big on land gets small on islands, what's small on continents gets big on islands. Lizards get big on islands; so do turtles.

"During the Ice Age, when Texas had saber-toothed cats, Australia had a 1-ton carnivorous lizard."

Bakker also cites the inspiration for the 1933 King Kong as an example. He says that director Merian C. Cooper was inspired by the island of Komodo, home of the famous giant lizard the Komodo dragon. But "(Cooper) got it upside down," Bakker says, in envisioning a larger-than-life ape on such an island. But conceding to the need to awe audiences, Bakker admits that the thought of a tortoise taking hold of Fay Wray is downright comical.

Earle probes DeLay tie to California donor
Congressman's lawyer dismisses subpoena that may broaden the investigation

By MICHAEL HEDGES
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - The Texas prosecutor who obtained an indictment against Rep. Tom DeLay is now looking at connections between the former House majority leader and a defense contractor linked to the bribery of a California lawmaker.
---
---
Earle's subpoenas also sought records from Max Gelwix, founder of Perfect Wave, now a unit of Wilkes Corp.

# 33 Neil (previous thread)
# Capt...I am truely sorry about your family members. Death awaits us all, and none of us know just how it will take us. I have not lost a parent but I have lost 5 good friends to cancer. Two of them had young children at the time. It is brutal to watch yet a privilige to serve a loved one at this time.

I found Elizabeth Kubler Ross's book called "Death and dying" so helpful/ Also Stephen Levines' books were insightful.

As difficult as it is during these times LOVE COMPASSION LOVE PRAYER COMPASSION LOVE PRAYER COMPASSION LOVE. I found I grew a great deal (inside) by serving the ones I love during difficult times. i will pray for you and your loved ones.

#12 Robert...It was shocking how quickly the Lancet Report was swept under the rug over a year ago. The american people really do not want to know how many Iraqi people have been killed since the invasion and the american media is more than willing to oblige.

#15 Robert I agree what is with David's focus on ANSWER at this time. Who cares. Most of the people who were out on the streets protesting the upcoming invasion did not care who the hell was putting on the march. Just that some one was. The media would not have covered the marches fairly one way or another.

#27 Saladin..Fitzgerald told the public that his investigation was not focused on the pre-war intelligence. That this was the job of the congress. He told us that for those who thought that the Plame leak would suffice for investigating that intelligence that those people were up for a big let down.

Fitzgeralds focused on the Plame Leak...hopefully spilling over into the Niger Documents. I trust this guy I am not sure why...that folks are saying...the way he handled himself... his choice of words...his actions...

it is up to us pushing pressuring hammering our representatives to investigate all of the intelligence and to hold people accountable. It is up to us ..we need to do our part.

IT IS UP TO PEOPLE LIKE DAVID CORN TO WRITE ABOUT MORE RELEVANT ISSUES THAN INTERANTIONAL ANSWER AT THIS TIME.
Matthews asked tonight why the Democrats have not stayed focused on the false pre-war intelligence. This should be the focus of the media and the public. Holding those responsible for the false intelligence accountable. This is the blue dress...This is the evidence...

Since I am tired of not reading about the developments of Phase II in the mainstream, I called the Senate Intel office today as I have on several other occasions.

First I spoke with a Daren Dick 202-224-1732 an attorney at the office. He said that the investigation is on going even though it is slow. That the staff can not say anything that has not been authorized.

He disagreed when I repeated what I had read that not much movement has taken place over the last year and a half. He said "that is inaccurate". Darren said a great deal had taken place during that time period. I then asked him to tell me specifically what had been investigated over this past year. He was unable to answer.

I then called back 202-224-1700 and spoke with Mike Davidson. This guy was far more friendly and informative. I asked him if my understanding was correct. That the "Office of Special Plans has been "off limits" to Phase I. He was more specific. He said that it was the "terroism analysis" of the OSP that had been made "off limits". When I asked him what type of movement was taking place he said there was "activity"

Now that answer was not particularly encouraging, but it does sound like there is some movement.

The letters that Senators Rockerfeller, Levin and Feinstein wrote to Senate majority leader Bill Frist and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on November 4th and November 14th, 2005 are both at the "Think Progress website". I tried to pull them over to this site but was unable to.

These letters are informative. Senators Levin Rockerfeller and Feinstein expressed dissapointment that Chairman Roberts requested that the Dept of Defense Inspector General "undertake an investigation inot whether the intelligence activities of this office (the OSP) were unlawful or improper". They went on to say "the focus of the Inspector General review requested by the Cahir man, while important, is more limited than the task before their committee".

They were basically saying that Roberts continues to stonewall. Go read these letters.

At times I do think the Democrats and many in the media have gone off track on this important issue. Today David Corn writing about the Answer issue really makes me wonder.

CALL SENATOR PAT ROBERTS OFFICE TELL HIM YOU EXPECT PHASE II TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO BE THOROUGH. CALL YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIVES LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU EXPECT ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED WITH CREATING AND DESSIMINATING THIS FALSE EVIDENCE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.....

What The Senate Intel Commitee Found: Bush Admin Manipulated Case For War Ƞ
Today, President Bush attempted to defend his manipulation of pre-war Iraq intelligence by citing the Senate Intelligence Committee’≥ report.

BUSH: These critics are fully aware that a bipartisan Senate investigation found no evidence of political pressure to change the intelligence community’≥ judgments related to Iraq’≥ weapons programs.

As has been previously documented by ThinkProgress and others, the answer to whether there was political pressure was left to phase II of the investigation and was not addressed in the report.

What the Senate Intelligence Committee did report, however, is that there was plenty of evidence demonstrating that the intelligence assessments made by intel officials WERE changed.

The Los Angeles Times (7/10/04) reported, қI]n the unclassified version of the NIE Ѡthe so-called white paper cited by the Bush administration in making its case for war Ѡthose carefully qualified conclusions [in the classified version] were turned into blunt assertions of fact.ӊ
Here’≥ what the Senate Intelligence Committee reported about the administration’≥ use of intelligence:

The intelligence community’≥ elimination of the caveats from the unclassified white paper misrepresented their judgments to the public, which did not have access to the classified National Intelligence Estimate containing the more carefully worded assessments.

Essentially, the Bush administration took the intelligence that was presented to them in the classified NIE and twisted it to present a stronger case for war in the public version of the NIE. Here are some examples: expand post Ƞ

Classified NIE: ҁlthough we have little specific information on Iraqճ CW stockpile, Saddam Hussein probably has stocked at least 100 metric tonsӠof such poisons.
Unclassified NIE: The phrase ҡlthough we have little specific informationӠwas deleted. Instead, the public report said, ғaddam probably has stocked a few hundred metric tons of CW agents.ӊ[Senate Intel Cmte Report]

Classified NIE: ҉raq has some lethal and incapacitating BW [biological weapons] agents and is capable of quickly producing ɠa variety of such agents, including anthrax, for delivery by bombs, missiles, aerial sprayers and covert operatives.ӊUnclassified NIE: The words Ұotentially against the U.S. homelandӠare inserted at the end of the statement.
[Senate Intel Cmte Report]

Classified NIE: Stated Iraq was developing unmanned aerial vehicles Ұrobably intended to deliver biological warfare agents.ӊUnclassified NIE: A footnote in the classified version from the Air Force stating its disagreement with this claim was eliminated. The Senate Committee report stated the public NIE missed Ҵhe fact thatɠ[the] agency with primary responsibility for technological analysis on UAV programs did not agree with the assessment.ӊ[Senate Intel Cmte Report]

Classified NIE: Included a reference to State Department’≥ Bureau of Intelligence and Research dissenting view on whether Iraq would have a nuclear weapon this decade.
Unclassified NIE: Did not contain any mention of INR’≥ dissent.
[Senate Intel Cmte Report] Ǡcollapse post

Filed under: Iraq, Intelligence
Posted by Faiz November 11, 2005 1:47 pm

Permalink | Comment (167)

# 33 Neil (previous thread)
# Capt...I am truely sorry about your family members. Death awaits us all, and none of us know just how it will take us. I have not lost a parent but I have lost 5 good friends to cancer. Two of them had young children at the time. It is brutal to watch yet a privilige to serve a loved one at this time.

I found Elizabeth Kubler Ross's book called "Death and dying" so helpful/ Also Stephen Levines' books were insightful.

As difficult as it is during these times LOVE COMPASSION LOVE PRAYER COMPASSION LOVE PRAYER COMPASSION LOVE. I found I grew a great deal (inside) by serving the ones I love during difficult times. i will pray for you and your loved ones.

#12 Robert...It was shocking how quickly the Lancet Report was swept under the rug over a year ago. The american people really do not want to know how many Iraqi people have been killed since the invasion and the american media is more than willing to oblige.

#15 Robert I agree what is with David's focus on ANSWER at this time. Who cares. Most of the people who were out on the streets protesting the upcoming invasion did not care who the hell was putting on the march. Just that some one was. The media would not have covered the marches fairly one way or another.

#27 Saladin..Fitzgerald told the public that his investigation was not focused on the pre-war intelligence. That this was the job of the congress. He told us that for those who thought that the Plame leak would suffice for investigating that intelligence that those people were up for a big let down.

Fitzgeralds focused on the Plame Leak...hopefully spilling over into the Niger Documents. I trust this guy I am not sure why...that folks are saying...the way he handled himself... his choice of words...his actions...

it is up to us pushing pressuring hammering our representatives to investigate all of the intelligence and to hold people accountable. It is up to us ..we need to do our part.

IT IS UP TO PEOPLE LIKE DAVID CORN TO WRITE ABOUT MORE RELEVANT ISSUES THAN INTERANTIONAL ANSWER AT THIS TIME.
Matthews asked tonight why the Democrats have not stayed focused on the false pre-war intelligence. This should be the focus of the media and the public. Holding those responsible for the false intelligence accountable. This is the blue dress...This is the evidence...

Since I am tired of not reading about the developments of Phase II in the mainstream, I called the Senate Intel office today as I have on several other occasions.

First I spoke with a Daren Dick 202-224-1732 an attorney at the office. He said that the investigation is on going even though it is slow. That the staff can not say anything that has not been authorized.

He disagreed when I repeated what I had read that not much movement has taken place over the last year and a half. He said "that is inaccurate". Darren said a great deal had taken place during that time period. I then asked him to tell me specifically what had been investigated over this past year. He was unable to answer.

I then called back 202-224-1700 and spoke with Mike Davidson. This guy was far more friendly and informative. I asked him if my understanding was correct. That the "Office of Special Plans has been "off limits" to Phase I. He was more specific. He said that it was the "terroism analysis" of the OSP that had been made "off limits". When I asked him what type of movement was taking place he said there was "activity"

Now that answer was not particularly encouraging, but it does sound like there is some movement.

The letters that Senators Rockerfeller, Levin and Feinstein wrote to Senate majority leader Bill Frist and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on November 4th and November 14th, 2005 are both at the "Think Progress website". I tried to pull them over to this site but was unable to.

These letters are informative. Senators Levin Rockerfeller and Feinstein expressed dissapointment that Chairman Roberts requested that the Dept of Defense Inspector General "undertake an investigation inot whether the intelligence activities of this office (the OSP) were unlawful or improper". They went on to say "the focus of the Inspector General review requested by the Cahir man, while important, is more limited than the task before their committee".

They were basically saying that Roberts continues to stonewall. Go read these letters.

At times I do think the Democrats and many in the media have gone off track on this important issue. Today David Corn writing about the Answer issue really makes me wonder.

CALL SENATOR PAT ROBERTS OFFICE TELL HIM YOU EXPECT PHASE II TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO BE THOROUGH. CALL YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIVES LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU EXPECT ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED WITH CREATING AND DESSIMINATING THIS FALSE EVIDENCE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.....

What The Senate Intel Commitee Found: Bush Admin Manipulated Case For War Ƞ
Today, President Bush attempted to defend his manipulation of pre-war Iraq intelligence by citing the Senate Intelligence Committee’≥ report.

BUSH: These critics are fully aware that a bipartisan Senate investigation found no evidence of political pressure to change the intelligence community’≥ judgments related to Iraq’≥ weapons programs.

As has been previously documented by ThinkProgress and others, the answer to whether there was political pressure was left to phase II of the investigation and was not addressed in the report.

What the Senate Intelligence Committee did report, however, is that there was plenty of evidence demonstrating that the intelligence assessments made by intel officials WERE changed.

The Los Angeles Times (7/10/04) reported, қI]n the unclassified version of the NIE Ѡthe so-called white paper cited by the Bush administration in making its case for war Ѡthose carefully qualified conclusions [in the classified version] were turned into blunt assertions of fact.ӊ
Here’≥ what the Senate Intelligence Committee reported about the administration’≥ use of intelligence:

The intelligence community’≥ elimination of the caveats from the unclassified white paper misrepresented their judgments to the public, which did not have access to the classified National Intelligence Estimate containing the more carefully worded assessments.

Essentially, the Bush administration took the intelligence that was presented to them in the classified NIE and twisted it to present a stronger case for war in the public version of the NIE. Here are some examples: expand post Ƞ

Classified NIE: ҁlthough we have little specific information on Iraqճ CW stockpile, Saddam Hussein probably has stocked at least 100 metric tonsӠof such poisons.
Unclassified NIE: The phrase ҡlthough we have little specific informationӠwas deleted. Instead, the public report said, ғaddam probably has stocked a few hundred metric tons of CW agents.ӊ[Senate Intel Cmte Report]

Classified NIE: ҉raq has some lethal and incapacitating BW [biological weapons] agents and is capable of quickly producing ɠa variety of such agents, including anthrax, for delivery by bombs, missiles, aerial sprayers and covert operatives.ӊUnclassified NIE: The words Ұotentially against the U.S. homelandӠare inserted at the end of the statement.
[Senate Intel Cmte Report]

Classified NIE: Stated Iraq was developing unmanned aerial vehicles Ұrobably intended to deliver biological warfare agents.ӊUnclassified NIE: A footnote in the classified version from the Air Force stating its disagreement with this claim was eliminated. The Senate Committee report stated the public NIE missed Ҵhe fact thatɠ[the] agency with primary responsibility for technological analysis on UAV programs did not agree with the assessment.ӊ[Senate Intel Cmte Report]

Classified NIE: Included a reference to State Department’≥ Bureau of Intelligence and Research dissenting view on whether Iraq would have a nuclear weapon this decade.
Unclassified NIE: Did not contain any mention of INR’≥ dissent.
[Senate Intel Cmte Report] Ǡcollapse post

Filed under: Iraq, Intelligence
Posted by Faiz November 11, 2005 1:47 pm

Permalink | Comment (167)

and one more from the local paper...

High court observers see redistricting case as pivotal
Political expert says a look at gerrymandering could be 'historic'

By PATTY REINERT
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court, historically reluctant to wade into what it has called the "political thicket" of redistricting cases, has now jumped in with both feet.

Legal and political experts said Tuesday that the implications for Texas and the nation, not to mention for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, could be enormous.
========================
hey hey, let's keep them walls closing in on 'em from all directions.

Who's going to be "our" presidential nominee?

McCain and Bush Remain at Impasse on Detainees
Filed at 9:21 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a symbolic move, the House endorsed a Senate-passed ban on cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of foreign terrorism suspects Wednesday as negotiations between the White House and Sen. John McCain over the provision appeared at an impasse.

Approved 308-122, the procedural vote puts political pressure on House negotiators -- but does not require them -- to include the ban and another provision standardizing interrogation techniques used by U.S. troops in a final wartime military spending bill.
---
---
But progress on any compromise was thrown into question just hours later when the House GOP took up the nonbinding effort by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., that put the House on record supporting McCain's provisions. Endorsing the provisions were 200 Democrats, 107 Republicans and one independent.

Congress Cuts Research, Education Spending

WASHINGTON - Congressional Republicans made progress on twin tracks Wednesday toward their end-of-year budget goals, passing a bill freezing or cutting back spending on medical research and education and nearing agreement on cuts to the Medicaid health care program for the poor.

The first measure, a $602 billion bill funding a wide variety of health, education and labor programs, passed the House on a 215-213 vote. It would cut federal aid to education for the first time in a decade, and spread about $1.4 billion in cuts across the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education....

...Democrats harshly attacked the bill as an assault on children and the poor.

"The holidays are supposed to be a time of generosity - a time when Santa Claus fills children's stockings," said Rep. David Obey (news, bio, voting record), D-Wis. "Instead, this Congress is emptying them in order to provide a tax cut that gives 50 percent of the benefit to people making more than $1 million."
---------------------
Who is the backbone of this country anyway?

Jeanne, the whole point is to break the backbone. Hasn't that become obvious by now? Our country is on the most wanted list, our empire is to be a short lived one.

Bush Job Approval at 38% After edging above 40%, it fades again

President Bush's job approval rating languishes under 40%, despite an upturn in the economy and a public relations onslaught defending the role of the U.S. military in rebuilding Iraq, a new telephone poll by Zogby International shows.

Just 38% of Americans said they approve of the job the President is doing, down from 41% in a national Zogby America survey conducted last month....

...Mr. Bush won re-election last year with solid support among those who live in 'red' states, but 55% who live there now said he was doing only a fair or poor job. Just 31% of those living in a politically 'blue' state approved of his performance in this latest survey.

Mr. Bush still has problems with much of his political base. While 85% who consider themselves 'very conservative'say he is doing a good job, just 73% of 'conservatives' gave him good marks –†this as he has taken recent steps to burnish his conservative credentials. While he won re-election last year with the support of 91% of Republicans, just 77% of GOPers now approve of his performance. Just 11% of Democrats approve, and only one in four independents (24%) approve...

..."Perhaps most ominous for the President is that only 52% of self-described born-again Protestants give him a positive job performance rating," said John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. "Despite his aggressive campaign on the war in Iraq, the President is still a victim of events on the ground there. If the election in Iraq goes smoothly and stability looks to be possible, then the President's support among his base may increase. But improvements in events on the ground is a big if, and to date, his efforts are falling short."
-------------------
I just don't see the support ever coming back. If Rove is indicted I think the curtain closes on this tragedy. Unfortunately we will be sitting in the audience waiting for the next play for 3 more years.

Top-secret cronies
Bush has stacked his foreign advisory board with his Texas business pals, who stand to profit from access to CIA and military intelligence.
By Robert Bryce

No discussion of cronyism in the Bush administration would be complete without talking about PFIAB, short for the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. George W. Bush's latest appointments to the PFIAB, which advises the president on how various intelligence agencies are performing, represent a who's who of the Halliburton-Texas Rangers-oil business crony club that made Bush into a millionaire and helped propel him into the White House.

On Oct. 27, an announcement by the White House made it clear that despite the disastrous intelligence failures that have been driving Bush's policies over the past few years, he's not going to put up with any independent voices on the PFIAB, especially from anyone who might actually know something about foreign intelligence, like, say, Brent Scowcroft.
----------------
Stay the course, George. Stay the course.
Those guys sound like the keystone cops.

My first thought when I read Bob Novak's remarks was that his sources in the WH are drying up because of his involvement in LEAKGATE and he's decided to get even.

When you think about it, he has potentially put bush into a very uncomfortable situation --THAT IS IF THE MEDIA FOLLOW UP AND PUT THE SCREWS TO BUSH. Afterall, bush assured us that he was going to get to the bottom of this affair and people would be dealt with blah blah blah -- but, of course, we have found that those were empty, lying words too.

Novak could have done the country a favor by providing this OPENING -- that is, if the media follows up on it. He's also given the Dems an opportunity to go balls to the wall.

I won't hold my breath on the media or the Dems carrying the ball(s).

Our country is in a permanent state of cognitive dissonance.

Look it up. Cognitive dissonance 'r us.

...represent a who's who of the Halliburton-Texas Rangers-oil business crony club that made Bush into a millionaire and helped propel him into the White House.

*the same people that killed JFK to get their guy in... but this time they got a complete idiot/puppet to 'play'

ha! f**k you govt! someone has been saying for quite some time that the plane that struck WTC2 south tower was NOT a 767, but was in fact a 737. this conclusion was arrived at by someone who viewed these photos of the engine that blasted all the way thru the tower and plummeted to the sidewalk below::
911 street engine
engine again
3rd time engine

now someone's conclusion has been reinforced by none other than Karl Schwarz, the former GOP operative who was one of the lead orchestrators in the Republican Party takeover of congress during the Clinton administration.

one time GOP insider sez...

the implications this conclusion leads to are staggering if true, so I'll take this opportunity to say once again:: F**K YOU GOVT!

lol Shop here for a GOP gift certificate. Have your special someone pick out his own gift to make it special. A congressman? how 'bout a cushy FEMA contract? At their K-Street location only.
GOPøMart

Rice cons Reid

Good short clip of Reid explaining how Condi dodges a classified meeting to avoid having to 'face the music' on torture.

did y'all see this ad from the DCCC?

response to GOP attack ad

candidates debate

save this for work and kill a couple of minutes

haha

#25 TruthSquat "Corn does not give a rats ass about his blog readers"

Give it a rest. No one is biting on your lame pys op

A little Thursday Morning humor (via DKos):

"Iraqi officials have imposed a nighttime curfew for the elections and I think that's a great idea, because if there's one thing the insurgents won't monkey with, it's a curfew."
--David Letterman

Ah, the blessing of Democracy and Freedom....

"A rumor is circulating that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will retire next year. Today, Rumsfeld denied it, saying if you've seen my work in Iraq, you know I don't plan that far ahead."
--Conan O.

yeah, that crazy Field Marshall von Rumsfeld....

"There was so much snow in Washington, D.C. that Dick Cheney had to take the chains off a detainee and put them on his car."
---Jay Leno

Lucky for us in San Antonio, we don't have that problem.

And some doctored pixies are funny and others are downright hilarious.

Ooof. Gettin' by on 4 hours o' sleep makes ya' giggly all day long. Time to make the donuts.

Oh, My!

Do evangelicals really care about something and someone other than Bush and the cheneygod? Have they finally found God?

Have my posts on Shalom been heard and read by evangelicals? Are they now admitting that we are all brothers and sisters in God?

You can always find in Sriptures a passage to misquote for almost anything. Jim Inhofe, Okie repug

Does this mean that evangelicals quote those passages that meet their needs but forget Matthew 25:31-46? Or, Matthew 5:1-12?

Oh, My! Oh, My! Oh, My!

God does work in mysterious ways!!!

I started a bubble boy picture fun but only got as far as:

Just hearing what you want to hear is not loyalty. Loyalty is something the bubble boy cannot see from inside his life in a bubble that makes him a joker, an uninformed one at that!

Opting Out?

A bit more holiday fun:

Merry Fitzmas

Roves War

"Roves War" is a 12 minute clip from a movie. Even dial ups should down load it. I think the movie looks pretty good.

capt

Empires come and go, ours is on the way out, get out of the way. Going to be an interesting next three years, enjoy the new lifestyle, might actually be an improvement. Shorter work hours, debt relief, and more free time. Yep, could be a good thing. Wonder what they are going to call it?

"No one can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices." Edward R. Murrow

All Americans are accomplices in Bush's murders and war crimes.

"All Americans are accomplices in Bush's murders and war crimes."

Monkey-boy is just dancing to the organ grinders music. You cannot see the organ grinder hiding behind a group of Carlyles!

(or is it a Burton of Halli's) HA!

capt

Posting

Writing these posts reminds of the person who kept hitting his head against the brick wall. Someone asked him why do you hit your head against a brick wall? He answered by saying because it feels so good when I stop. To stop posting will mean that I will have to focus on our fascist state and it would hurt me. Posting is reverse of heading my head against a brick wall.

I know the direction that America is heading. I post to try and make a difference but in reality nothing will change with the posting. Not posting leaves the extra time for depression to take hold. Posting holds off the depression but in the end the fascist state will be here.

2008 will mark a new America forever with no elections, no democracy, no freedoms, no rights, and no future except to be in the military service to fight the endless Bush wars.

The Deaths of Children

This is a must read article that I had to repost it.

ExxonMobil reports record-breaking profits and STILL gets tax breaks!

In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, the Bush administration and Congress are struggling to pay for the needed but costly rebuilding efforts along America's Gulf Coast.

Meanwhile, ExxonMobil recently announced a record breaking $9.9 billion in quarterly profits, on top it’≥ $25 billion in 2005 profits. Despite that success, Congress recently gave the oil and gas industry, including ExxonMobil, $10.7 billion in tax breaks. It simply does not make sense for taxpayers to subsidize an incredibly profitable multi-billion dollar industry while Congress slashes programs for the most needy.

That's why the Union of Concerned Scientists is joining a coalition of 21 groups demanding that ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond decline the recent federal tax breaks and subsidies. Many members of Congress have already stepped up and offered to cancel road building and other projects earmarked for their districts in order to fund hurricane relief projects.

Please urge ExxonMobil to be a responsible corporate citizen and decline the billions of dollars of unneeded tax breaks and subsidies. To learn more click here.

*****end of clip*****

Another petition, some keyboard activism if you agree with the content.

capt

This juggernaut is rolling and the only thing that will happen is that history will run it's course. We cannot stop anything our power is null, posting might help us individually or get your name on a government list of enemies of the state. Either way the country we used to know is fast receeding into the black hole of fascism, but hey it ain't all bad, remember you can pass all the laws you want, then you have to enforce them, and prosecute the lawbreakers, or just go for group roundups and then camps, but still it is a logistical nightmare. Plus I have the utmost confidence that this crowd is incompetent and inept as hell, so no worries, they couldn't organize a BBQ much less a take over of this country. People will just start to take care of them selves, and to hell with the federal government. THink they could roll into small towns and round up everyone and nothing happen? Don't think so, and even if they got one or two of them the word would spread so fast that it wouldn't be safe to be a fed. Nope, I have confidence in the american citizen, they will come forward when it is time.

The coming economic holocaust, and other tricks of the trade.

After the economic holocaust, we will have this to look forward to.

Privatize Me, Corporatize
Me, Blackwaterize Me...By Jason Miller 12-15-5

...As you contemplate Blackwater and its relationship with the US government, consider the inherent danger and ethical conflicts involved in using public funds to engage a private corporation (which exists to generate profit) to supplement (or perhaps to supplant) the military in its role to "provide for the common defence". Alarming issues leap to mind like a panther springing upon its prey.

More frightening still, the Social Darwinists sitting atop the food chain in the wealthiest, most powerful nation in humanity's history now have access to their own paramilitary force. They can unleash their private army on the "unfittest" when the need arises, whether it be within America's borders or otherwise. New Orleans is a prime example. 150 highly trained Blackwater quasi-military professionals openly armed with assault weapons descended on a tragedy-stricken city. As hurricane victims taking necessities were called "looters" and shoot to kill orders were in effect, those who value property over people saw to it that their interests were well-protected. Thankfully, Blackwater was there to protect the patrician class from the "savages" from the Lower Ninth Ward who had the audacity to attempt survival.

Martial Law No Longer On The Horizon: It's Already Here - Part One
Militarized Federal Police All Over The Streets With The Precedent to Kill

The latter half of this year has seen a significant shift. For a long time we have been reporting that Martial Law is coming to America. We do not believe this to be the case anymore. Unfortunately this is because IT HAS ARRIVED.

So many individual incidents have contributed towards the shift towards a police state and away from freedom in America and across the globe.

With the reports of December 14 stating that VIPER Teams are to Patrol Mass Transit Facilities, we can no longer hold back and suggest that we can prevent martial law from happening. We now have to progress with the peaceful revolution of information in order to OVERTURN the police state.

The Associated Press reported that Federal air marshals are expanding their work beyond airplanes, launching counterterror surveillance at train stations and other mass transit facilities in a three-day test program.

This involves Federally brainwashed goons stomping round with machine guns and vicious dogs, getting in everyone's face and randomly grabbing and searching people on the subway.

This is to be implemented NATIONWIDE: "The so-called "Visible Intermodal Protection and Response" teams or, VIPER teams, will patrol Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and Los Angeles rail lines; ferries in Washington state; bus stations in Houston; and mass transit systems in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore."

We reported over and over again that former Homeland Security Tsar Tom Ridge said the airport provisions were going to go nationwide everywhere. He also said that security provisions including fingerscanning and biometric face scanning would spread from airports. No doubt this next stage will be implemented after the next terror scare.

We reported in July that in the immediate aftermath of the London tube bombings it was revealed that passengers may soon have to undergo FULL body scans. The technology, that is now being used in airports will scan through clothes to reveal a naked picture of the person.

The VIPER teams have nothing to do with preventing terrorism, they are there to get people to cower and accept they are under control. Air marshal spokesman David Adams has commented that there is no new intelligence indicating that terrorists are interested in targeting transportation modes.

The move into martial law comes one week after the incident in Miami where reportedly mentally unstable man Rigoberto Alpizar was gunned down on board American Airlines Flight 924 for "saying he had a bomb".

We exposed the fact that witnesses reported that Alpizar never screamed that he had a bomb and passengers related that they were more frightened of Air Marshals putting guns to their head and threatening them not to look at what was taking place. The incident was a primer for the move to put Federal militarized police on the streets and all over transport networks.

The two separate events set a precedent: YOU WILL FALL DIRECTLY INTO LINE should the military police deem your behaviour suspicious and wish to question you because if you don't they will KILL YOU.

So, for example, should you attempt to help someone out by selling them a spare token you have, that may be deemed as suspicious behaviour and you will be cuffed and taken away. If you resist you will be shot.

There's no half way here, that is Martial Law.

Last month we reported that Miami cops are to stage sieges, randomly check ID's, ride buses and trains and stop anyone they choose for no reason.

The Miami model is the very definition of a pervasive police state based on the fear of terrorists and the fear of being identified as a terrorist if you do not comply with every demand, no matter how much it brutalizes every notion of what it is to live in a free society.
------------
Might as well get used to it. We have been asleep far too long, the dream we were having now becomes the nightmare reality.

Yup, just in time for christmas or the holidays whichever you prefer. Mexico isn't any better but they aren't as organized so it is not as pervasive. Well, it was a nice country while we had it.

I am SO glad I live in the middle of nowhere! We have nothing anyone wants, but if the shit really starts hitting the fan, this is where the crowds will come.

"I am pretty sure Bush knows."

speculation conjecture and intrepretations of past events with a biased eye to slam the president at any change, the hall mark of a corn nut.

Keep it up Cornnuts, the best friend the GOP ever had.

President Bush,

I urge you support Russia's membership into the WTO. I realize that Russia needs to make additional efforts to crackdown on intellectual property piracy, and that Russia maintains certain economic data as state secrets, but in the long term view, Russia will move towards financial transparency and respect of international property rights. Rome was not built in a day. As Russian political leaders become more confident in their own democracy, Russia's reactionary control attempts over free speech will be reduced. It is only a matter of time before Russia fully understand the benefits of free, fair, open, and transparent politics and economics. Sure, Russia's political and economic systems need improvement, but lets not "throw the baby out with the bath water", as President Putin has recently said about the non-government organizations (NGOs). Russia is simply to important to keep out of the WTO, and its inclusion will further join east and west in common trade, global political cooperation, and world peace. On other concerns, I also understand Russia is proposing laws regarding registration of NGOs, but really, do you think that the Russia government could possible keep secret international analysis of Russia's progress and the teachings of the long term benefits of a free and open society? The Russians are concerned about undue foreign influence, similar to Nixon's outside agitators, that was largely deemed a ghost of a concern. History repeats itself. The Russians will learn over time that censure of international and domestic political thought is unnecessary and largely counter-productive. Just give Russia some more time to fully understand the benefits of political dissent, a necessary part of any democracy. As Russia becomes more confident with their own democracy, and confidence in the Russian people to be capable of deciding issues by the vote, Russia will see little need to restrict political thought, from either international sources or domestic political opposition leaders. Sure, Russia has a political and cultural history of secrecy and centralized control, but in this day of the internet, democracy's world wide march, and instantaneous global news, these reactionary control attempts will eventually be deemed by the Russians themselves to be counter-productive in the long run. As Russia is taking its baby steps into democracy and free economics, in a relatively short amount of time, it is natural they would have fits and starts, mostly from a lack of confidence in themselves, and their new world of democracy. But full integration of Russia into the world economy with transparent and fair participation is inevitable, and Russia will move towards that inevitable full, free, fair and transparent participation over time. Russia's membership in the WTO will help move Russia towards free, fair, and transparent economic and political orientations, and this is a good thing for the world community, even though the Russian to not yet meet our standards. Please FULLY SUPPORT President Putin at the up coming G8 meeting in St.Petersburg Russia, and fully support and urge Russia's immediate membership into the WTO.

Sincerely, and Most Respectfully,
Derrick Michael Reid

President Bush,

Liberating 50,000,000 from tyranny and oppression, and now an elected parliment in Iraq, who would have ever thought it in the days of the butcher of Bagdad..

You are a true hero! Thank You for hanging tuff, providing leadership, and doing the right thing for world peace. YOU ARE THE MAN!!!! I am so glad to have lived in these days, when W was president!!!!!.

Derrick Michael Reid
Laguna Beach CA

GOP,

OK, I think I finally got it. President Bush laid low during the summer and fall this year, while the Iraq situation stabilized with continued road-side bombs, picking off US troops one-by-one while leading to parliamentary elections, during which time the Democrats, unable to stomach any losses, got into their cut-and-run mentality, feeding on perceived weakness of Bush in the polls.

I think the Republicans, and particularly Carl Rove, set them up for the big 06 fall. While laying low, the republicans baited the screeching Democrats into their Cut-and-Run policy, and now are set up for the 06 sheering, as American hate a coward and a lost war but love a victor and winner in war, especially where 50,000,000 are liberated from tyranny and oppression.

I think this lay-low baiting of the democrats is working well, intended or not, and the Pelozi, Dean, and Muldah gang-of-thugs fell right into the republican trap, and none of their mid-06 change-of-heart, war-hawk rants will save them, in 06.

The net result: The conservatives will hold the Whitehouse, the Congress, and in 06 the supreme court, and there is nothing the democrats can do to save their sorry political-pandering butts in 06.

Rove is so goooooooooooodd

Derrick Michael Reid

GOP,

Dr. Rice is energized, she just keeps on going, DOING A GREAT JOB.

From the Russkies, to Israel-Palestine, to EU trips, SHE IS A WINNER!!!!


Derrick Michael Reid

President Bush, FYI, CC:Dr.Rice

Iran Daily,
I heard this day that: "America can take part in international bidding for the construction of Iran's nuclear power plant if they observe the basic standards and quality," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in a news conference. This suggestion may have promise, to get the USA in supporting Iran's "peaceful" nuclear program. It is clear that: Israel will not accept a nuclear armed Iran, and would preemptively strike; the USA will not accept a nuclear armed Iran as that would destabilize the Middle East; and the UN will not accept a nuclear armed Iran in violation of nuclear proliferation. Yet, Iran rightfully seeks to develop "peaceful" nuclear capabilities. So, it seems that a deal should be reached without armed Israel conflict, or USA blockades, or UN sanctions, if Iran would be understanding of western fears and cooperate with the UN. There is nothing inherently wrong nor demeaning in allowing international inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities. This should not be a big problem for Iran, if it only wishes to develop "peaceful" nuclear capabilities. It would be great if Iran would accept international inspections to calm world-wide fears, while allowing the USA to bid on construction contracts, and in so doing, open up full diplomatic and economic intercourse between Iran and USA with inspection and cooperation. We Americans strongly wish to be friends with Iran in a stabilized and peaceful Middle East. It is only a matter of trust and negotiated resolutions. The USA and Iran can be very good friends in trade and cooperation. Friendship now is only a matter of understanding and verification. I pray for friendship. God Willing.
Derrick Michael Reid
Laguna Beach California USA.

President Bush,

I prefer Senator's Jon Kyl (R-AZ) immigration plan, (over the house plan) to be proposed to the senate. I particularly like temp work visa and internal enforcement. Please support Kyl's plan!!

Derrick Michael Reid

President Bush, FYI

Your Excellency, President Putin
I would like to further my comment to you regarding the registration of NGO (non-governmental organizations) in Russia regarding your statement "The main achievements of modern Russia are the democratic process and civil society, and we must make sure that we do not, as they say, throw the baby out with the bath water". While registration and funding transparency may be good, Russia must not stifle free, fair, and open debate and discussion, the core function of any democracy.
Sir, with kind due respect, it is the DIRTY WATER, (that you seek to throw out) that makes democracies so great. When the political party or organization not in power, such as the NGOs, function as a "watch-dog", as a source of constructive feedback and criticism, democracy progress is INSURED!! It is exactly this opposition criticism, this constructive feedback, that is often viewed as negative feedback by the party in power, that makes democracies so strong and adaptable to changing times. So any party or person in power should not be so sure of themselves that they are willing to cut-off debate, to cut-off free _expression, to cut-off proposals of alternative approaches. Democracies work best when the party or NGO not in power regularly provides the opposing views without fear of state retaliation.
Russia nor you need a bunch of back-slappers and yes-men only telling you praise, and what you want to hear, as there is NO BENEFIT in this. What Russia needs, and what any democracy needs, is the negative feedback, to provide constant re-examination of policies, so that, Russia is not locked-in to one ideology, but rather remains open to opposing views, and to adaptations that allows flexibility.
Sir, please take note, that when you decide to THROW OUT THE DIRTY WATER, you effectively throw out the MOST INPORTANT moving force in any democracy. Sir, be confident in the intelligence of the Russia people, to reject bad ideas and to accept good ideas, regardless of the source and the nature of the idea. When bad ideas are debated they will be rejected by the Russian people and Russia moves forward to other issues. Sir, please don’t be afraid of the future nor open debate from all views, because, in the long term analysis, Russians can understand these issues and provide rejection or acceptance as Russia advances.
Sincerely
Derrick Michael Reid
Laguna Beach CA USA
=================================
Your Excellency, President Putin,
I enjoyed reading your comment: "The main achievements of modern Russia are the democratic process and civil society, and we must make sure that we do not, as they say, throw the baby out with the bath water," said Putin.
I can fully understand why any government would want firm control, so as to promote citizen activities consistent with governmental policies. However, do not under-estimate the value of the watch-dog abilities of common people, and will scrutinize every move the government makes, as constructive feedback.
Coming from the American prespective, I do not like when there is criticism against Government policy that I support, and while it may appear to be unhelpful, it is actually very helpful, to have a robust counter evaluations, so as to make corrective action. One should never be so confident that one refuses to listen to opposing views, and then, you shut off possible good advise that may right a wrong. I have found that when all political views are expressed, the people are good at deciding what is the correct course. It is, after 230 years of democracy, the view that THE PEOPLE are intelligent enough to make good decisions, though at times, in retrospect, some decision were not the best. It is the continuation of education and open debate that leads people to the best decision. What I see in Russia is an infantile fear of what the people will do or say or believe that is inconsistent with government plans. When you put it all in the people hands, during the vote, the people will have to live with its decisions, and if a mistake is made, they can make adjustments. Over the long run, the people ability to openly debate all issue and vote is the driver toward long term prosperity and civil health.
So why the limitation of political expressions? What is the Russia Bear so afraid of?? When you are confident in your position, you should invite, not discourage wide ranging debates, and in this way, the debate will discount bad views and highlight good views. I understand Russia has problems. Dont we all!!! But, the better track is to allow free __expression and let the people decide in elections. The Russian people are intelligent and can decide issues. When the people decide, you avoid appearing as a dictator and avoid the contempt of those not having an outlet to express their view. I would suggest you encourage all political debate, without fear, and let the people decide in votes, and I think you will find that the Russian people are up to the job of voting so as to lead Russia toward a better future, which should be the objective.
Sincerely
Derrick Michael Reid
Laguna Beach CA USA

smooches!

Russian Federation Police
c/o President Putin,
Russian Fraud Scheme perpetrated on Americans
I am a US Citizen, and I have received emails, from one purportedly associated with Yuko Oil, seeking to transfer US$15M out of Russia. This reminds me of the Diamond Fraud schemes coming out of Africa in the mid 1980s. Then, I collected as much information as possible and then contacted the South African Government to assist them in prosecuting these crooks trying to defraud Americans. I can tell by the grammar use of language that the author is RUSSIAN. I will play along and try to gain as much information as possible. If I can be of any assistance to prosecute these crooks, please advise.
Sincerely,
Derrick Michael Reid
Laguna Beach CA 92651
CC President Bush
Galina
Privet! Kak du la?
I would love to see MOSCOW, if you would like to meet me in person.
California Driver's License: E0698069
Derrick Michael Reid
26 La Costa Court
Laguna Beach CA 92651

galina wrote:

Dear Friend,

I got your email from our local chamber of commence and since need a partner in a foriegn country,i decide to contact you for asistance.

The process is a simple one since you would not come to Russia.I will process the documents to secure the release of payment in your name as a non resident contractor in Russia for the supply of crude oil to my company Yukos.
Once that is done we would apply for the transfer of the money to your account,you would be compensated 5% of the US$15M.Copies of the documents would be sent to you for your record purpose

Please forward to me any form of ID like your international passport or driver's licence for identification.
Thank you and hope to hear from you.
Galina.
emilss199@virgilio.it

Dear Friend, INTRODUCTION OF MY SELF: I am GALINA ALOYOSHENKA, a personal secretary to Mikhail Khodorkovsky and owner of the following companies: Chairman CEO: YUKOS OIL (Russian Most Largest Oil Company) Chairman CEO: Menatep SBP Bank (A well reputable financial institution with its branches all over the world) Due to the political and economical motivated attacked on my boss who is currently serving jail, i have a profiling amount in an excess of US$15M, which I seek your partnership in accommodating for me. You will be rewarded with 5% of the total sum for your partnership. Please i seek your partnership on this. SOURCE OF MONEY: The documents of the above funds was handed over to me to be used in payment of an oil merchant for his last oil deal with my boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Already the funds have been deposited with Bank Menatep Russia where the final crediting is expected to be carried out. While I was on the process, My Boss got arrested for his involvement on politics in financing the leading and opposing political parties (the Union of Right Forces, led by Boris Nemtsov, and Yabloko, a liberal/social democratic party led by Gregor Yavlinsky) which poses treat to President Vladimir Putin second tenure as Russian president. You can catch more of the story on this http: //newsfromrussia.com/main/2003/11/13/51215.html YOUR ROLE: All I need from you is to stand as the beneficiary of the above quoted sum and I will arrange for the documentation which will enable Bank Menatep Russia transfer the sum to you. I have decided to use this sum to relocate to your country and never to be connected to any of Mikhail Khodorkovsky conglomerates. The transaction has to be concluded in 2 weeks since Mikhail Khodorkovsky my boss has left instruction with me to get the money out of Russia before he was jailed. Please reply this email at emilss99@excite.com Thank you very much and hope to hear from you. Regards

James Ha, I am not that way. Though I live in laguna tuna land, I am not a rump-ranger.

LOL

Death of the Dollar- Iran Switching Dollars to Euros
Source: willthomas.net/
URL Source: http://www.willthomas.net/Convergence/Weekly/US_Dollar.htm
Published: Nov 29, 2005
Author: willthomas.
Post Date: 2005-12-14 18:39:17 by Itisa1mosttoolate

In the year of Allah 1385, a 2,500 year-old Islamic nation will begin pricing its oil in euros. With the launch of the Iranian oil bourse (IOB). Just about everyone on the planet will benefit, except the United States.

Branded by Bush as an Axis Of Evil in 2001, Teheran converted more than half of Iran's Forex Reserve Fund assets from dollars to euros the following year, with dramatic consequences for both currencies, called products, in inner banking circles, which continued their movement in opposite directions. The MIBs (Men In Banks) were delighted. As Iranian Parliamentarian Mohammad Abasspour explained, the rising parity of the euro against the dollar will give the Asian countries, particularly oil exporters, a chance to usher in a new chapter in ties with European Union's member countries.

Outside an imploding Fortress America, economists fed-up with that nation's global bullying, and anxious over America's endless wars are hailing the pre-emptive impact of the Iran oil bourse on the US dollar and economy as more devastating than if Iran launched a direct nuclear attack.
But their glee could be short-lived, if Iran's announced move to a petroeuro triggers a long-expected Israeli-American attack. As The Guardian warns, even a conventional weapon fired at a nuclear research center whether or not a bomb was being made there - would almost certainly release radioactivity into the atmosphere, with consequences seen worldwide as a mini-Hiroshima.

With their recently demonstrated capability to reach Israel, Iran's modern missiles must be launched on warning or risk being destroyed in place. Are they nuclear-tipped? We may soon find out. As al Jazeera warns, without some form of U.S. intervention, the euro is going to establish a firm foothold in the international oil trade.

THE IRAQ EURO WAR No mullah in Teheran will soon forget the fate of Saddam Hussein, after Iraq's dictator moved the world's second biggest oil reserves from the dollar to the euro in November 2000. With the euro reaching record lows as it traded at 82 cents to the dollar down 30% since its launch the previous year, white House officials collapsed with laughter over Saddam's seeming ineptitude. The move will cost Iraq millions in lost revenue, advised European pundits. Currency traders say they don't expect a rebound soon.

The laughter stopped when the euro zoomed to over $1.05.

Saddam sealed his fate when he decided to switch to the euro in late 2000, and later converted his $10 billion reserve fund at the UN to euros, William Clark observes in his landmark essay, The Real Reasons for the Upcoming War With Iraq the reason why the corporate-military-industrial network conglomerate wants a puppet government in Iraq's so that it will revert back to a dollar standard and stay that way.

But the Federal Reserve's greatest nightmare was OPEC following suit and switching its international transactions from a dollar to a euro standard. Once and for all, the fundamentalists in the White House saw that conquering the ruins of Iraq could be an OPEC breaker. They never dreamed their ill-advised invasion could be like the Soviets in Afghanistan before them, US breaker.

WHY WORRY? America's greatest vulnerability is its own government's ineptitude and an economy tied to the dollar's supremacy as the world's reserve currency. More than two-thirds of national foreign exchange reserves are currently held in greenbacks.

The assumption by many Americans that the strength of the US dollar rests on their country's economic output is erroneous, PD Scott continues in his incisive essay, Oil, Petrodollars, And The Opec Euro Question. Instead, it's the $600- to $800 billion petrodollars funneled from OPEC every year that is buying America and keeping that insolvent economy afloat.

This ultimate Ponzi scheme, printing US greenbacks virtually for free, and forcing the world to use them to buy non-US oil, so that the proceeds can be used by America to purchase a rising torrent goods from abroad's brilliant! At least, as long as its heavily armed perpetrator can get away with it.
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Did I mention economic holocaust? Iran's days are numbered, they will soon enjoy democracy, Amerikan style. Maybe armegeddon IS for real!

Well, apparently the Bush Administration believes books are so threatening it is rolling out its thuggish lobbying effort to renew the [Un]Patriot Act that will, among other violations of our Constitutional rights, continue to allow the FBI to force libraries to disclose what books we checked out. And the Republican House went along on Wednesday with the Stalinist interest of the Busheviks in ferreting out our book reading habits.

But does the [Un]Patriot Act prevent potential terrorists from buying guns? No, of course not. Because the [Un]Patriot Act isn't about making us more secure. It is about creating Soviet style secret police powers to ensure that the Republicans can stay in power indefinitely. No, that's not an exaggeration.

According to a March 8, 2005, New York Times article: "Dozens of terror suspects on federal watch lists were allowed to buy firearms legally in the United States last year, according to a Congressional investigation that points up major vulnerabili