David Corn Online
 

July 12, 2006

Novak Speaks--Finally

From my "Capital Games" column at www.thenation.com....

Robert Novak finally speaks--in a way.

In a column published in newspapers today, the conservative columnist finally discloses that he cooperated with the investigation of the CIA leak. Novak, of course, outed Valerie Wilson (aka Valerie Plame) as a CIA officer in a July 14, 2003 column on her husband's now-infamous CIA-assigned trip to Niger. In disclosing Valerie Wilson's employment status at the CIA--which was classified information--Novak cited two senior administration sources. After I read the original Novak column, I wondered if these leaks meant that Bush administration officials had violated the Intelligence Identities Protection Act and wrote the first article that suggested the leaks might be evidence of a White House crime. (That article was posted on The Nation's website two days after the Novak column appeared.)

Novak's latest column answers only a few of the lingering questions. It has long been obvious that he cooperated with special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald--otherwise, he would have been subpoenaed by Fitzgerald, as had Judy Miller, Matt Cooper, Tim Russert and Washington Post reporters. The only question was the manner of Novak's cooperation. In public, he had proclaimed he would not give up his source. So what did he disclose to the investigators?

It turns out that when FBI agents on October 7, 2003, first called on Novak, they already knew who his sources were. They did not need Novak to ID the senior administration officials. And Novak cooperated to an extent. As he writes, "I did disclose how Valerie Wilson's role was reported to me, but the FBI did not press me to disclose my sources."

Three months later, he was questioned by Fitzgerald at his lawyer's office. Fitzgerald arrived wielding waivers signed by Novak's two sources. Most journalists did not accept such waivers--which were blanket statements signed by Bush administration officials under the threat of dismissal. Novak, too, did not believe these waivers, as he writes, relieved him of his "journalistic responsibility to protect a source." But since Fitzgerald already knew the identity of his sources (how Fitzgerald knew this Novak does not say), Novak discussed them by name--and avoided being subpoenaed and threatened with jail. He later testified about his sources before the grand jury.

Other reporters later took less accommodating stances. Even after Time magazine turned over emails indicating that Karl Rove had leaked information about Valerie Wilson to correspondent Matt Cooper, Cooper refused to cooperate with Fitzgerald. He only did so after his lawyer had extracted a personal waiver from Rove. Judy Miller went to jail rather than reveal that Scooter Libby had been a source, though Fitzgerald clearly knew Libby had spoken to her.

Novak took a different approach--which kept him out of jail and allowed him to duck a confrontation with Fitzgerald. He did not ask his sources for personal waivers. He confirmed for the prosecutor--even if begrudgingly--who his sources were without obtaining their permission to do so.

The leak case raised plenty of questions about reporter-source confidentiality and what journalists should do to protect sources--and how laws and ethics affect such decisions. Purists argued that reporters should never cooperate and not recognize either blanket or personal waivers. Others--such as reporters who faced jail sentences--advocated a sliding standard of sorts: they would go to prison to defend a confidentiality agreement with a source but would accept a personal waiver to avoid such trouble or to get out of jail. Novak found an even murkier middle ground: he would talk about a source whom the prosecutor had identified without first consenting with that source.

As a journalist who would not fancy doing hard time to protect an administration official, I am reluctant to judge another journalist's decision on such a matter. But, clearly, Novak's actions are not likely to win him many First Amendment awards.

Novak's new column also offers further proof that Karl Rove leaked classified information. This is no news flash. The Libby indictment pointed the finger at Rove. Rove's own lawyer has confirmed that his client confirmed the Valerie Wilson leak for Novak. And in the summer of 2005, Newsweek disclosed a Matt Cooper email that detailed how Rove had told Cooper that Wilson's wife worked at the CIA. (There is no question that Valerie Wilson's employment status at the CIA was classified. Fitzgerald stated so at a press conference last October.)

Still, despite all this evidence, the Bush White House has not honored the vow made early on in the leak investigation: anyone involved in the leak would be dismissed. Rove still is gainfully employed as George W. Bush's top strategist at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. There are no signs that he has even been disciplined or denied access to classified information. During the investigation, the president refused to say anything publicly about Rove and the probe. And after the investigation, the president has refused to say anything publicly about Rove's participation in the leak.

Novak's column is an explanation of how the columnist wiggled out of a legal jam. More important, it is a reminder of how the stonewall strategy mounted by the White House and Rove succeeded.

Posted by David Corn at July 12, 2006 01:30 PM

Comments

1

Mr. David Corn,

Novak said he would reveal all?

I have not believed a word from him in ages. Never really listened to him and could not stand reading his stuff.

Great post! As always.


Thanks for all of your work!


Kirk

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 01:47 PM

2

The notion that reporters must protect sources in all circumstances is a holdover from a time when reporters and governmnet officials did not collude to deceive the public. Bushco has used this journalistic principle to manipulate the news.

Judith Miller is the most obvious case in point: Cheney's office leaked information on WMDs to her. A reporter with integrity would have asked, if this information is correct, why leak it instead of announcing it? An editor with integrity would have asked, why does the White House have to leak information that supports its policy goals? The only possible answer is that the source knows the information is false and does not want to be responsible for it. But Miller and her paper did not ask these questions because they wanted the scoop and they wanted the information pipeline, as tainted as they knew it was, to continue. After the story runs, Cheney then got on the weekend political shows and used the report the HE LEAKED to bolster his WMD claims. Miller, seeing this, did not make the obvious connection that she had been used to funnel false information to the public in order to make a phony case for war.

The rule of thumb should be that sources can never be anonymous if the information supports the source's public goals. A reporter who accepts this has sacrificed his or her true mission of telling the public the truth. This is so obvious that it's embarrassing to have to state it. But reporters, even good ones like David and formerly great ones like Bob Woodward, are so cozy with their politico cocktail buddies that they can't see the harm they have done. And they wonder why people don't trust the media.


Posted by: eggman at July 12, 2006 02:44 PM

3

Wayne Madsen

The original reason for the CIA leak was Ambassador Wilson calling Bush's major reason for invading and occupying Iraq -- that nation's supposed desire to obtain yellowcake uranium ore from Niger -- an outright misrepresentation of the truth. That White House lie, which Wilson called them on, has resulted in the deaths of over 2500 American military personnel, the wounding of 40,000 military members, the deaths of nearly 150,000 Iraqis, and the transformation of Iraq, the Cradle of Civilization, into a hell zone. That is not a case of mere political corruption and corporate fraud. Mr. Fitzgerald especially owes an explanation for his molasses-like investigation to the families of dead and wounded U.S. servicemen and women about his failure to carry out justice is a timely and forthright manner. Fitzgerald may be an honorable man. But he is dealing with the most dishonest and reprehensible people to ever hold public office in this country. The Special Counsel should stop giving the White House breaks or resign and provide a full explanation of what has transpired to the American people. For it is the American people, not Mr. Bush, not Mr. Cheney, not Mr. Rove, not Mr. Luskin, and not Bush's attorney Jim Sharpe, to whom Mr. Fitzgerald is ultimately responsible for his actions.

Sounds to me like an elaborate ruse to cover the treachery and illegality of the WH, pretending to act on this issue all the while pleasing his reichfuherer.

So long my beautiful country, I will miss you.

Posted by: DEN at July 12, 2006 03:02 PM

4

Israel launches offensive inside Lebanon

7 Israeli troops die in fighting; soldier kidnappings called an act of war


MARJAYOUN, Lebanon - The Israeli army on Wednesday said seven soldiers were killed in fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas after a cross-border raid in which the Lebanese group captured two other soldiers and dozens of Israeli troops crossed the frontier with warplanes, tanks and gunboats to hunt for the captives.

Israel's Channel 10 reported Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz authorized a campaign of air strikes targeting Hezbollah guerrilla installations and Lebanese civilian infrastructure a second front in the fight against Islamic militants by Israel, which already is waging an operation to free a captured soldier in the Gaza Strip.

The report described the planned blitz as part of Israel's response to the capture of two of its soldiers and killing of several others in a Hezbollah border raid earlier in the day.

More HERE

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

I hope calmer heads prevail and this does not escalate. If it gets out of hand - I do not want to even think . . .

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 03:25 PM

5

Texas Tribe Sues Abramoff, Reed

It's still unclear whether Ralph Reed has anything to fear from Justice Department prosecutors, but he's not going to get away without at least one legal headache.

Jack Abramoff hired Reed to squash any competition to his casino owning tribal clients. Now one of those tribes wants to get even. So they're suing him, along with Abramoff and other members of his team, for "fraud and racketeering."

The basis of the tribe's suit against Reed seems mainly to be that he's a hypocrite. I'm not sure what chance they have of winning, but I do anticipate the prospect of Ralph Reed being forced to explain under oath that, even though he was being paid by a rival casino, the work was really motivated out of Christian virtue. That would be a fun cross-examination to watch.

More HERE

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

Ralph Reed NOT Lt. Gov., not even a SGT-Gov.!

Just another demagogue two faced political criminal GOPher operative hiding behind his fake Christianity while he steals millions. I hope the tribes clean his clock.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 03:51 PM

6

Robert Novak, traitor to his country; traitor to his profession

_________________

The upshot here appears to be that Novak lied to everyone in order to betray his country on behalf of Rove and company. First he revealed the name of an active CIA officer, blowing any and all operations with which she has ever been involved, costing the country millions, and possibly endangering lives despite the specific request from the agency that he not do so. Thatճ all here.

Harlow, the former CIA spokesman, said in an interview yesterday that he testified last year before a grand jury about conversations he had with Novak at least three days before the column was published. He said he warned Novak, in the strongest terms he was permitted to use without revealing classified information, that Wilson's wife had not authorized the mission and that if he did write about it, her name should not be revealed.

Harlow said that after Novak's call, he checked Plame's status and confirmed that she was an undercover operative. He said he called Novak back to repeat that the story Novak had related to him was wrong and that Plame's name should not be used. But he did not tell Novak directly that she was undercover because that was classified.
____________________

...and he's got BUSH-y eybrows, too!

-T

Posted by: Hajji at July 12, 2006 03:55 PM

7

Karl Rove is a perfect example of what is wrong with our legal system and why the poor and the middle class are incarcerated and not the rich and the powerful. Libby will not see a day in prison.

Posted by: Gerald at July 12, 2006 03:57 PM

8

Halliburton: The End of An Era

Today's Washington Post brings big news: the Army has decided to end a multi-billion open-ended contract with Halliburton ($7 billion last year) for logistical support. Halliburton also lost a $1.2 billion contract to restore Iraqi oil fields.

Why? Was it because of audits that turned up $1 billion in "questionable costs?"

Because the Defense Department's investigative wing thought Halliburton's oil contract was so sketchy it deserved the attention of criminal prosecutors?

According to the Army's flack, they just decided that it's better not to have "all our eggs in one basket," because, the Post paraphrases, "multiple contractors will give them better prices, more accountability and greater protection if one contractor fails to perform."

You might call that a tacit admission that maybe this whole Halliburton thing hasn't worked out so well. Either that, or the Army has just discovered the advantages of competitive bidding.

More HERE

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

Guaranteed! Halliburton will not be the name of the company that will rip us off at the trough of public money for the wealthy. Carlyle Group? Bechtel? Call it anything it will be the same criminals. Call the Soprano's the Alto's - Tony would still get his. Same for the Bush's, Rumsfeld's, Cheney's et al.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 03:58 PM

9

FCC combing air tapes for dirty words
Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:34 AM ET
By Brooks Boliek

WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - In its continuing crackdown on on-air profanity, the FCC has requested numerous tapes from broadcasters that might include vulgar remarks from unruly spectators, coaches and athletes at live sporting events, industry sources said.

Tapes requested by the commission include live broadcasts of football games and NASCAR races where the participants or the crowds let loose with an expletive. While commission officials refused to talk about its requests, one broadcast company executive said the commission had asked for 30 tapes of live sports and news programs.

"It looks like they want to end live broadcast TV," said one executive, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity. "We already know that they aren't afraid to go after news."

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

"Fuck, shit, piss, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits," once said George Carlin, "and tits doesn't even belong on the list."

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 04:09 PM

10

Why are so many repugnants guilty of treason???

Posted by: Gerald at July 12, 2006 04:09 PM

11

#9 Robert Schwartz, will the FCC add such dirty words as Bush, Chainey, Rummie, Condi, Alberto Gonzales. Colin Powell, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, and Hannity to the list???

Posted by: Gerald at July 12, 2006 04:14 PM

12

Good article David, you just left two things out-

NO ONE WAS INDICTED OR FOUND GUILTY OF LEAKING VAL PLAMES IDENITY.

You also left out the original source of Novaks article-

LYING JOE WILSON!

Keep pushing the Bush said he would punish, blah blah blah, cuz that's all you got!

HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 04:14 PM

13

I once mentioned the seven words to a pal, he had no idea what I was talking about. Made me feel old.


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 04:19 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 12, 2006 04:22 PM

15

Keywords from the link at #9:
contemporary community standards

The question is which community? There are so many across the country. If they pick a conservative enough standard say goodbye to the Axe and Tag commercials, or maybe even Dancing with the Stars because a few find dancing to be indecent.

Posted by: eyes_open at July 12, 2006 04:23 PM

16

Lord Levy arrested

The cash-for-peerages affair took a dramatic twist tonight, as Labour's chief fundraiser, Lord Levy, was arrested by police.

Lord Levy, a tennis partner of Tony Blair's and the PM's personal envoy to the Middle East, was later released on bail without charge, with his spokesman complaining the police had over-reacted.

He "vigorously denies any wrongdoing", his spokesman added.

Lord Levy becomes the second person - and the most closely connected to the prime minister - to be arrested by Scotland Yard in its inquiry into the allegations that Labour lenders were recommended for peerages.

More HERE

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

Not just here but everywhere. These lying cheating politically connected make me sick.

He "vigorously denies any wrongdoing", his spokesman added.

That is what a hired mouthpiece is suppose to say.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 04:24 PM

17

It's about time.

Yesterday, the White House reversed its irresponsible detainee policy when it announced that all prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay are protected by U.S. law and the Geneva Conventions.

Of course, it took a Supreme Court rebuke of George Bush's illegal military tribunal system to get even this mild concession. The White House would have you believe that their secret tribunals, which allowed evidence obtained by coercion and gave suspects virtually no legal protections, are a vital part of the War on Terror. Here's what they don't want you to know. Nearly five years later, these military tribunals have not resulted in a single trial or a single conviction.

This is the definition of incompetence.

For more than four years, the Bush-Cheney Administration has invited the ire of the world over its treatment of terrorist detainees at Guanatanamo. Our ability to win the hearts and minds of Muslims across the world has been irrevocably damaged. For what? No trials. No convictions. And now we are back to square one.

I am outraged.

This week, the U.S. Senate begins hearings on creating a legal framework for trying terror suspects. I wish I could say I'm confident that Republican senators will support a responsible policy that keeps terrorists behind bars without undermining the rule of law. But a six-year record of rolling over at the behest of George W. Bush suggests otherwise.

You already know how Republicans are going to respond to Democratic efforts to rein in this runaway White House. They'll wrap themselves in the flag and say that we're weak and that we want to coddle terrorists. This, from the same people who have desecrated the meaning of the American flag by countenancing torture, illegal detention and illegally spying on our citizens. The same people who have now disbanded the special task force to hunt down Osama bin Laden.

No one disputes that we are at war with a ruthless and intractable enemy. But this is America. And in America, we don't judge ourselves by the standards of our enemies. Our behavior is governed by a higher standard, and anything short of that is an assault on the core values on which this country was built.

We need competence and accountability in Washington. And that won't happen until Democrats retake the Senate. I've heard about the work that you, the DSCC's online community, have done to help our cause. Believe me, we'd never be able to win without your support.

We cannot afford two more years of an unchecked Bush Administration. Their incompetence and their disregard for the rule of law have done untold damage to this country at home and abroad. The future of America is at stake.

Sincerely,

Sen. Patrick Leahy, DSCC

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 04:26 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 12, 2006 04:31 PM

19

Eye's,

"The question is which community?"

I just found out a week or two back that here in ABQ we have an law against cheerleaders baring their midriffs? OMG? What next?

This is not America, not even close.


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 04:39 PM

20

Enron witness found dead in park

A body found in north-east London has been identified as that of a banker who was questioned by the FBI about the Enron fraud case.

Police said they were treating the death in Chingford of Neil Coulbeck, who worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2004, as "unexplained".

He had been interviewed by the FBI as a potential witness.

Three ex-workers of RBS subsidiary NatWest are being extradited to the US on Thursday to face fraud charges.

The extradition has sparked a political row, with opposition parties and human rights groups claiming the treaty under which they are being sent to the US is one-sided as the Americans are yet to ratify it.

More HERE

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

I wonder how many more bodies will turn up?

Seems Enron is a poison pill, a silver bullet that might still be finding its mark.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 04:42 PM

21

Gerald, #11, their indecent visages will continue to haunt our t.v. screens...

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 04:48 PM

22

#21, their faces on our t.v. screens are even worse than the words.

Posted by: Gerald at July 12, 2006 04:54 PM

23

I applaud David's honesty by saying:
"As a journalist who would not fancy doing hard time to protect an administration official, I am reluctant to judge another journalist's decision on such a matter."

Yes-but-however....does he mean only THIS admin's officials or does he mean all generic admins' officials??? IF the former, is he limiting his Bushco sources' willingness to leak to him? IF the later, limiting future admins' officials' willingness to leak to him?

No matter, a gutsy & admirable statement! Reminds me of my tiff w/Citizen X on shooting threatening people in the back (where he wouldn't hesitate).

This whole Plame/Wilson thing isn't as `murky' as some alleges! I concluded long ago, now confirmed by Novak, it all started inadvertently. It is totally plausible that a remark was made during a long interview w/Novak's "primary source" on Wilson's Niger trip being his CIA-wife's idea! No one involved checked to see if her employment was "classified" info! Joe Wilson is about as dumb as can be to ?inadvertently? lead to his wife's outing! On the other hand, he could've been incredibly cunning to `out' his wife, leading to publicity and his wife's fat book deal!

I suppose "..Karl Rove leaked classified information.." is technically true but in the real world, to confirm something when others contact me is very different than if I proactively gossiped/leaked something (that turned out to be confidential)! e.g.: Those of us that have/had employees, are often asked to confirm employment!

Posted by: Happy speaks, again at July 12, 2006 05:03 PM

24

eggman #2,

Great, succint comments. I couldn't agree more.

The rule of thumb should be that sources can never be anonymous if the information supports the source's public goals.

This would indeed be a good rule of thumb. At the very least, if a source lies or purposely provides bad information to a reporter, the source should then be publicly identified and discredited.

Posted by: Don at July 12, 2006 05:08 PM

25

It's The Conservatism, Stupid

Ask a conservative what the biggest problem in America is today, and you'll get answers like overtaxation, a sexualized culture, lack of respect for authority, insufficient church-going or big government running amok. But if you then asked the conservative what the real source of the problem was the beating heart pumping blood to each and all of these socio-politico-cultural wounds you'd get the same answer: liberalism.

On the other hand, you could ask a liberal a hundred questions about the problems facing our country before you'd get to an answer that placed conservatism at the heart of the nation's ills.

And conservatives learn these messages when still young. What does a "campus liberal" do? Well, it depends what his or her issue is: fighting sweatshop labor, or environmental degradation, or the Iraq war, or any of a dozen other problems about which liberals are concerned. What, on the other hand, does a "campus conservative" do? Fight liberals and liberalism.

More HERE

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

This piece does explain quite a bit (including some for the so-called Cons that post their hate here)

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 05:10 PM

26

I keep trying to get a point across, this is what I get as a reply:

On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence. We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions. Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House is unable to respond to every message, and therefore this response is an autoreply.

Thank you again for taking the time to write.

*****

Well no kidding, I have a sneaking suspicion that Bunnypants cannot spell "response" let alone the other difficult multi-syllabic words above.

HA!


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 05:19 PM

27

Yes, David, they successfully stonewalled -- as they have in the past and will surely do in the future. (Think Cheney stonewalling GAO!) Bob Novak is a pal to lots of Repugs.

Hey, let's remember that some of these thugs are alums from the Nixon Administration, where stalling and stonewalling worked for months, getting them past one election before all hell broke lose. Rove et al. know that stalling always creates the possibility for other events to change the dynamics as a potential scandal unfolds.

The bush administration is riddled with people who have no shame; the sleaze factor is no big deal to them because their constitutents are just as sleazy. Totally unethical is okay with them. Technically legal is okay with them. Illegal is okay with them. Whatever works.

Puh-thetic! (I can't say that as well as Hajji does.)

Posted by: micki at July 12, 2006 05:20 PM

28

Confluence of Hurdles Hampers Panels Iraq Probe
By Tim Starks, CQ Staff

A Senate panel investigation into the use of intelligence leading up the the Iraq war remains in limbo after almost three years of politically charged clashes over the content and conclusions of the inquiry.

Nonetheless, Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, set still more deadlines Tuesday for finalizing some of the work despite those differences.

With midterm elections looming, the investigation is mired in fundamental issues, such as lawmakers squabbling over the scope of the investigation and whether it should draw conclusions. It is also slowed by intelligence community resistance and a pending Pentagon inspector general investigation, lawmakers said.

Even under the new deadlines, the investigation would have virtually no chance of being completed before the fall elections.

More.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 05:20 PM

29

micki, from the previous thread: I know essentially nothing about stem cells, and furthermore I know that I know essentially nothing, and furthermore I know that I know that I know...

Posted by: David B. Benson at July 12, 2006 05:27 PM

30

The world rebuilds it, Israelis destroy it - again and again and again

What's wrong with this picture?
Beit Hanoun's veteran bridge builder shrugged off his latest misfortune: the Israelis destroyed the main span into town three years ago. The European Union rebuilt it. And overnight the Israelis destroyed it again.

"I'm sad but what can I do," said Wagih Elbity, the city's 59-year-old civil engineer, after an air strike jolted him out of bed on Tuesday morning and turned another of his beloved concrete bridges into a steaming mound of rubble and sewage.

Elbity said Beit Hanoun, a northern Gaza town of 20,000, would appeal again to the EU for funds to rebuild. But with the Hamas-led Palestinian government facing a Western aid boycott, he said: "This time, they cannot give us any money."
I have a novel idea. Make Israelis pay for it.

The air and ground offensive has also devastated Gaza's infrastructure, compounding Palestinian hardships and upsetting international donors who have poured millions of dollars into rebuilding it after earlier Israeli offensives.


* * *


Swedish, British and other envoys have stepped up pressure on Israel in recent days. Even the United States, Israel's staunchest ally, is complaining about strikes against bridges and power stations, some built with U.S. taxpayer money.
Israelis are allowed to kill women and children with impunity, but when it affects bankers' pockets the world takes a stand.

Since the bombing began on June 28, two of the largest donors to the Palestinians -- the European Union and Japan -- have seen several large projects destroyed or damaged. The Japanese government just launched a $19 million programme to rehabilitate and widen Gaza's Salahudeen Road, badly damaged by previous Israeli raids, when the Israelis bombed it again.

Not even Washington has been spared. Gaza's main power plant, bombed on the first night of the offensive, was insured for up to $48 million by an arm of the U.S. government.
Why not? As long as someone else picks up the tab.

"This is frustrating," said Eliasson of Sweden, whose government provided two of the six electric transformers that were destroyed on June 28 -- at a cost of $1 million each.

"We are very concerned that installations we financed for the well-being of the people of Gaza are being wasted," he said.

Former Palestinian public works minister, Abdel-Rahman Hamad, said international reconstruction projects will have to be put on hold until Israel agrees not to strike them in future. [which they will never do]

"How do you convince donors to fund a bridge when the Israelis are going to just destroy it again?" asked Hamad as he peered through the gaping holes blasted in the Beit Hanoun bridge. "It is a waste of time and money."
That's the whole plan. Reduce Palestinians to a slave race with no economy of their own and nowhere to turn for assistance.

With more than $300,000 in EU funding, the four-lane bridge was just two years old when it was bombed on Saturday.

But one lane survived. Early Tuesday morning, Israel finished the job with two missiles, witnesses said.

Now only one bridge remains standing in Beit Hanoun. "After two or three nights, maybe Israel will destroy this bridge too," Elbity said.
You can count on it.
--------------
Armageddon is brewing and you are writing about Novak, AGAIN? Karma is waiting for Israel. As you sow, so shall you reap.

Posted by: RedAlert at July 12, 2006 05:29 PM

31

Micki,

I posted this a couple of days ago, but it bears repeating, and since you mentioned the Nixon Alumna...

U.S. reaps what the Army sows
David R. Irvine

Recent headlines from Iraq are ugly: Marines charged with murdering Haditha civilians. A crippled man killed by Americans, who then planted a rifle and shovel near the body as if he had been burying roadside bombs. And a particularly gruesome charge that U.S. soldiers raped and killed an Iraqi woman, killed her family, and burned the bodies to cover the crime.
If these atrocities are carefully investigated, the likely deficiency may be sufficient command leadership and discipline. A recent book (May 2006) speaks to the issue of leader accountability with stunning eloquence. Tiger Force is a documented account of 120 U.S. soldiers who, between May and November of 1967, rotated through an Army special operations platoon. This platoon, Tiger Force, wreaked its vengeance in the vicinity of Duc Pho and Chu Lai in South Vietnam.
Operating largely on their own and only passingly accountable to a chain of command that rarely ventured into the jungles and paddies, these soldiers ruthlessly murdered hundreds of unarmed men, women and children. One soldier cut off a baby's head with a knife. Victims' ears were regularly sliced off, collected and fashioned into necklaces which some soldiers proudly wore. Other victims were scalped. Some were tortured. Teeth were kicked out to retrieve the gold from fillings. Virtually all of the civilian deaths were reported as "Viet Cong," even though, oddly, no weapons were ever found and none were ever reported. No officer in command ever questioned this glaring disparity.
That part of Tiger Force is grim enough. What the Army then did with the evidence is shocking, and what was covered up in 1974-75 may have sowed the headlines we are reaping in 2006. One of the most thorough Criminal Investigation Division (CID, the Army's internal FBI) investigations ever conducted, meticulously gathered the facts surrounding the war crimes committed by Tiger Force. The evidence was voluminous, certain and had been obtained at the risk of a few investigators' lives.
In 1974-75, Richard Cheney was a special assistant to President Ford. Ford's chief of staff was Donald Rumsfeld. The secretary of defense from 1973-75 was James Schlesinger. The case was made to disappear by these men who served presidents Nixon and Ford - probably out of considerations of politics. There were never any charges filed against the soldiers or the officers who ordered and participated in the routine killing of civilians.
The only reason the case file ever became public was that the CID officer who directed the investigation, and who later commanded the Criminal Investigation Division, kept a copy of the investigation file, and prior to his death in 2002 made provision for the file to be delivered to a reporter with the Toledo Blade.
Thirty years later, Mr. Rumsfeld refuses to discuss the Tiger Force case. Mr. Cheney declines to discuss much of anything. Mr. Schlesinger conducted one of the see-no-evil investigations at Abu Ghraib. The senior leadership of the Army and the nation prefers to characterize war crimes as the work of a few "bad apples." My Lai was pinned to Lt. William Calley, who suited the bad apple role.
Tiger Force was far larger, killed three times as many people, but involved too many "bad apples" and too much gore to maintain the right story line.
The common thread which runs from Tiger Force through My Lai, to Guantanamo, Bagram and Abu Ghraib, to a hundred episodes of sadistic brutality inflicted by U.S. soldiers in Iraq, is the remarkable fact that the official responsibility for all these tragedies never runs higher than the lowest-level trigger-pullers or body-stackers.
But suppose in 1975 that Mr. Rumsfeld and Mr. Cheney had made a different decision. Suppose the CID Tiger Force investigation had been permitted to charge the perpetrators and their superior officers with war crimes. Suppose a court-martial inquiry had asked why no battalion commanders bothered to check out the reports of Tiger Force ear collections? What if a colonel or two had been found guilty of failing to adequately control the troops under their command? For starters, those cases and leadership lessons would have been part of today's core curriculum in ROTC and at West Point.
This administration never holds anyone in senior positions accountable for derelict performance. However, unless there is full accountability for the war crimes of Iraq - wherever the evidence leads - there is a high probability that the lessons today's lieutenants and captains need to learn about the law of war and command leadership will never be sufficiently absorbed to make the crucial difference when those men and women become colonels and generals.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 05:30 PM

32

I am afraid this is a pretty lame retreat by David and an attempt change the subject.

David was the one proclaiming a violation of the law. He was wrong. And it now sounds like the ones most responsible for Novak's disclosure are Armitage, the CIA media guy, and Wilson himself lising his wife's name in the Who's Who publication, which is not anything like what David alleged and has pushed all these years.

For him to now attempt to change the subject to Novak's behavior in the investigation and his mischaracterization of Bush's pledge (while phrased inartfully at times, it in substnce was if someone violated the law they would be fired), is hardly an straightforward approach on issue on which, overall, David was wrong.

Posted by: brian at July 12, 2006 05:40 PM

33

#29 Dr. B! How refreshing! I love it when people willingly admit to not knowing something rather than pretending or being willfully ignorant.

#31 RS - thanks. I'm going right now to read that article.

Posted by: micki at July 12, 2006 05:43 PM

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 05:44 PM

35

Has anyone actually seen that listing in Who's Who?

Posted by: micki at July 12, 2006 05:44 PM

36

DB,

That means you are wise. That is worth more than a bunch of stuff. I do not really know, and I know I do not really know, but that is what I think! HA!

Micki,

"I can't say that as well as Hajji does."

Nobody can, Hajji RAWKS! (you do too)


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 05:47 PM

37

Micki,

It can be accessed very easily (Marquis Who's Who) offers a one week free trial.

I did not set up an account because I know it has Valerie Plames name in it, it does not have nor has Novak claimed it had her NOC status or employement - Just her name.

Read Novak's BS piece (of crap) he says that is where he got her name, nothing else - a not-so-red herring.


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 05:50 PM

38

#34,

I think that might actually touch on the truth. No leak of the magnitude is "accidental" not even!


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 05:53 PM

39

#31 "...In 1974-75, Richard Cheney was a special assistant to President Ford. Ford's chief of staff was Donald Rumsfeld. The secretary of defense from 1973-75 was James Schlesinger. The case was made to disappear by these men who served presidents Nixon and Ford - probably out of considerations of politics. There were never any charges filed against the soldiers or the officers who ordered and participated in the routine killing of civilians....

But suppose in 1975 that Mr. Rumsfeld and Mr. Cheney had made a different decision. Suppose the CID Tiger Force investigation had been permitted to charge the perpetrators and their superior officers with war crimes. "
++++++
Robert S -- well for one thing, Rumsfeld and Cheney wouldn't be sitting where they are today if the case had seen the light of day back in 1975.

Posted by: micki at July 12, 2006 05:54 PM

40

A SMOKING GUN: PRESIDENTS CLAIM THAT TAX CUTS PAY FOR THEMSELVES REFUTED BY ADMINISTRATIONS OWN ANALYSIS
By James Horney

In remarks on July 11 touting revised deficit projections in the Mid-Session Review of the Budget, President Bush once again claimed that tax cuts pay for themselves:

Some in Washington say we had to choose between cutting taxes and cutting the deficit.Todays numbers show that that was a false choice. The economic growth fueled by tax relief has helped send our tax revenues soaring. Thats what has happened.[1]

These remarks mirror previous statements by the President, the Vice-President, and key Congressional leaders that the increase in revenues in 2005 and the increase now projected for 2006 prove that tax cuts pay for themselves that the economy expands so much as a result of tax cuts that it produces the same level of revenue as it would have without the tax cuts.[2]

Economists and budget analysts outside of the administration have explained that these claims are not supported by data or economic theory.[3] Now a Department of Treasury analysis presented in the Mid-Session Review itself confirms what outside experts have consistently said tax cuts do not come remotely close to paying for themselves.[4]

More, and footnotes.

******************************8

Speaking of More, here's another Pink Floyd song off the Album, More.

Cymbaline

The path you tread is narrow
And the drop is shear and very high
The ravens all are watching
From a vantage point nearby
Apprehension creeping
Like a tube-train up your spine
Will the tightrope reach the end
Will the final couplet rhyme

And it's high time
Cymbaline
It's high time
Cymbaline
Please wake me

A butterfly with broken wings
Is falling by your side
The ravens all are closing in
And there's nowhere you can hide
Your manager and agent
Are both busy on the phone
Selling coloured photographs
To magazines back home

And it's high time
Cymbaline
It's high time
Cymbaline
Please wake me

The lines converging where you stand
They must have moved the picture plane
The leaves are heavy around your feet
You hear the thunder of the train
And suddenly it strikes you
That they're moving into range
Doctor Strange is always changing size

And it's high time
Cymbaline
It's high time
Cymbaline
Please wake me

And it's high time
Cymbaline
It's high time
Cymbaline
Please wake me

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 06:02 PM

41

Oliver Laurence North was a member of the United States Marine Corps who achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He rose to national prominence because of the Iran-Contra Affair, during which he was a key Reagan administration official involved in the clandestine selling of weapons to Iran in order to generate proceeds to support the Contra rebel group in violation of the law specifically, a provision known as the Boland Amendment.

In November 1986, President Reagan fired North, and in July 1987 he was summoned to testify before televised hearings of a joint Congressional committee formed to investigate Iran-Contra. During the hearings, he admitted that he had lied to Congress, for which he was later charged among other things. He defended his actions by stating that he believed in the goal of aiding the Contras, whom he saw as freedom fighters, and said that he viewed the Iran-Contra scheme as a "neat idea".

North was tried in 1988 in relation to his activities while at the National Security Council. He was indicted on sixteen felony counts and on May 4, 1989, he was convicted of three: accepting an illegal gratuity, aiding and abetting in the obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and destruction of documents by his secretary, Fawn Hall, on his instructions. U.S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell sentenced him on July 5, 1989, to a three-year suspended prison term, two years probation, $150,000 in fines, and 1,200 hours community service.

Nothing to see here, move along. . . Just another covert Republican criminal operating out of the White House.

Posted by: Carrie at July 12, 2006 06:11 PM

42

RS,

Great posts (always informative)

Excellent lyrics - I am a Floyd fan.


Thanks

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 06:13 PM

43

#39 - well for one thing, Rumsfeld and Cheney wouldn't be sitting where they are today if the case had seen the light of day back in 1975. - Micki

You'd at least like to think so, but I'm not quite sure. After all, My Lai made the papers, and Lt. Calley was tried, convicted, and even briefly imprisoned but an Army Major who was complicit in the cover up of the incident went on to become Sec. of State - Colin Powell.


Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 06:15 PM

44

Terrorist pilot Mohammad Atta blew up a bus in Israel in 1986. The Israelis captured, tried and imprisoned him. As part of the Oslo agreement with the Palestinians in 1993, Israel had to agree to release so-called "political prisoners."

However, the Israelis would not release any with blood on their hands. . .

Thus Mohammad Atta was freed and eventually thanked the US by flying an airplane into Tower One of the World Trade Center. This was reported by many of the American TV networks at the time that the terrorists were first identified. I was censored in the US from all later reports.

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 12:37 PM
-------------------

Please link to your source or STFU.

Posted by: Ailes at July 12, 2006 06:18 PM

45

Excellent lyrics - I am a Floyd fan. - Capt.

Me too. And I'd been looking for a vinyl of "Piper at the Gates of Dawn," at a reasonable price for a while now...oh well.

Records still rock.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 06:21 PM

46

#2 eggman

I agree with you up to a point.

Sources should always be able to keep their anonymity if they fear repercussions. Some leak because they believe they are serving the public good, but whistleblowers can have their whole lives destroyed. The Bush Administration is known for it's vengeful, juvenile behavior. So are many others such as the U.N. Secretary John Bolton.

In this particular CIA leak case, it became clear that your arguments did indeed apply. Reporters had a civic duty to release their sources because the leaked information threatened national security and the lives of those involved with Valerie Plame's work. There has been more than just dark talk about how murders have occurred as a result of Rove's, Cheney's and Stephen Hadyn's (sp?) leaks. This is where the line has to be drawn on the rule of thumb for revealing sources. The public good outweighs the individual's good, in this case. The whole fiasco was poltically motivated and despicable.

On Judith Miller, one has to wonder. I think her huge ego got in the way of her thinking and reasoning capabilities. And her politics. She most likely assured her New York Times editors that her leaked information was johnny-on-the-spot. She did get it from the top.

You remember some of those leaked letters "Scooter" wrote her in jail. They were pals. You can't be pals with your sources.

Reporters have to hobnob with their sources to a certain degree or they'll never get anything worth reporting. I was an old-style journalist, raised by old-style journalists. Only at the local level though. Still, hobnobbing yielded grand results, while sticking to old-fashioned, truthful journalistic rules and ethics. It can all be fused together. It's not that hard. Laziness in journalism cannot be tolerated. That's what riles you and it is rampant in today's journalistic circles.

Posted by: Carey at July 12, 2006 06:22 PM

47

Carrie,

To this day, Oly says he lied to congress because he is a patriot.

What a slug, eh?


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 06:24 PM

48

#44 - Ailes, LBH will do neither, if convention holds.

But, I've been gotten to thinking of him as:

Arnold Layne...

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 06:25 PM

49

From the previous thread:

#146 TurdBlossom

Yeess! Oh God, I loved him. He was such a jazz to watch, slicking back his hair and forever checking himself out in that ever-present mirror. Music was hot too. Morris Day. He's gotta be still around?

#148 Gerald

You are such a good soul. I completely understand your need to post--I share that with you. Realize that it comes from a real love of humanity. I'm sure you know that.

Posted by: Carey at July 12, 2006 06:28 PM

50

Oliver North is the living embodiment of all things icky.

Posted by: Carey at July 12, 2006 06:33 PM

51

eggman, nice-sounding but absolutely ridiculous statement! Sorry, you faux pased! Tell your buddy at #24 that you are sorry that he fell for it!

#2 eggman: "The rule of thumb should be that sources can never be anonymous if the information supports the source's public goals."

I'll wager all my $worth that in EVERY instance, a source/leaker has "public goals". I'll also bet that in most cases, the sources/leakers also have private goals.

Posted by: Happy to Move Along Now at July 12, 2006 06:37 PM

52

It lokoks like the progressive bottom feeders are feeding on one of their own... Where will you Cornnuts get your news now?


Is the Daily Kos About to Implode?


Real Clear Politics ^ | July 11, 2006 | Noel Sheppard

It appears that the post-Yearly Kos month from hell is continuing for Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, the proprietor of the Internet's premier liberal blog Daily Kos. After receiving some extremely negative press from major publications such as the New York Times, The New Republic, and Newsweek immediately following his seemingly successful bloggers' convention in Las Vegas, Kos is now faced with an even greater challenge: dissension within his ranks.

Such internal squabbling comes at the same time that many prominent Democrats seem to be privately expressing concern about the direction the "netroots" - the self-described Internet grassroots movement of liberal bloggers and their loyal followers - are taking the Party. This seemingly inconvenient planetary alignment is not only threatening the long-term viability of this crusade, but also is putting Kos in an uncomfortable position just as his notoriety is skyrocketing.

As reported here on June 30, revelations about Kos's friend and former business partner Jerome Armstrong - from stock fraud allegations to accepting consulting fees from not so liberal candidates - have cast a cloud over the blog and its leader. This pall has also undermined the stellar relationship Kos has had with the traditional media up to this point.

Yet, maybe more important, these revelations - along with the way Markos and his Kossacks reacted to them - have caused some prominent DKos bloggers to question the behavior of Zuniga and his devotees. Such a civil war within the liberal blogosphere certainly has the potential to further discredit it, while likely making the mainstream media as well as the candidates they revere less apt to associate with this developing train wreck.

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 06:37 PM

53

Is the Daily Kos taking a cue form Cornnutland?

Isn't this how you lefties forced poor Saladin off the site?

Can't we all just get along? Ha Ha!!

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 06:41 PM

54

109
LBH -- get a life.

Senator Al Gore of Tennessee was not a member of the United States Senate Select Committee on Secret Military Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan Opposition and therefore did not take part in the questioning of any witnesses before the Committee.

Your asinine screed was debunked YEARS AGO! Lies, lies, lies. You'd better update your GOP Talking Points Notebook.

Posted by: micki at July 12, 2006 12:55 PM

- - - - - -
LBH is a lying dollop of whaleshit. The lowest of all excrement. It sinks to the ocean floor.

Posted by: O'Reilly at July 12, 2006 06:46 PM

55

This is how Murtha wants to bring our troops home:

Irey to Murtha: Do you Approve of Using Fallen Soldiers as Democratic Fund-Raising Tools?

Irey for Congress ^ | July 12, 2006 | Irey for Congress

(MONONGAHELA, July 12) Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey responding to a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraising video using images of caskets of fallen American soldiers today released the following statement:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this week sent out a fundraising video using images of caskets of fallen American soldiers. Raising campaign cash off the deaths of our honored dead is revolting. Nancy Pelosi and Rahm Emanuel should be ashamed of themselves and so should any Democrat who stands for this.

Consequently, I have a new question for Jack Murtha today: Do you approve of exploiting fallen American heroes for political fundraising purposes? If not, will you join me in demanding that Nancy Pelosi and Rahm Emanuel apologize, and then insist that the DCCC forward any funds raised off this disgusting solicitation to appropriate charities?

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 06:49 PM

56

Part 1

The Rest of Murtha's FBI Tape

By David Holman
Published 7/12/2006 12:09:33 AM

What is on the rest of Congressman Jack Murtha's now infamous FBI tape? Much more than the available video reveals.

Thanks to the diligent efforts of conservative media and blogs in January and February of this year, many readers now know or remember that Congressman Murtha was an unindicted co-conspirator in the "Abscam" investigation of the late 1970s and 1980. (I wondered where the mainstream media's outrage was over Murtha's murky lobbyist relationships, besides the L.A. Times's lone, forgotten piece on the subject.)

In recent weeks, Murtha's Abscam past has enjoyed renewed attention in the higher echelons of conservative media, with even Rush Limbaugh and Bob Novak joining the chorus.

Still, only a brief, 13-second snippet of a tape of the FBI's undercover meeting with Murtha is widely available. The agent tells him, "I went out, I got the $50,000. OK? So what you're telling me, OK, you're telling me that that's not what you know...." Murtha replies, "I'm not interested. I'm sorry. At this point [emphasis Murtha's]."

In his column, Novak hinted at the content of the tape. "The videotape showed Murtha declining to take cash but expressing interest in further negotiations, while bragging about his political influence." We have seen him declining the cash and expressing interest, but not the bragging. What is on the rest of the tape?

An article from the August 6, 1980, Washington Post, inexplicably unavailable on LexisNexis, fills in some of the gaps. Written by Jack Anderson, the sometimes controversial yet Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative columnist, the article details Murtha's conversation with the investigators and sheds further light on his status as an unindicted co-conspirator. Anderson's reporter, Gary Cohn, apparently reviewed the tapes.

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 06:55 PM

57

Part 2

Anderson framed Murtha's performance as "perhaps the saddest scene on the secret Abscam videotapes.... He refused to take the money, but his reason was hardly noble." The column continued:

"I want to deal with you guys awhile before I make any transactions at all, period.... After we've done some business, well, then I might change my mind...."

..."I'm going to tell you this. If anybody can do it -- I'm not B.S.-ing you fellows -- I can get it done my way." he boasted. "There's no question about it."...

But the reluctant Murtha wouldn't touch the $50,000. Here on secret videotape was this all-American hero, tall and dignified in a disheveled way, explaining why he wasn't quite ready to accept the cash.

"All at once," he said, "some dumb [expletive deleted] would go start talking eight years from now about this whole thing and say [expletive deleted], this happened. Then in order to get immunity so he doesn't go to jail, he starts talking and fingering people. So the [S.O.B.] falls apart."...

"You give us the banks where you want the money deposited," offered one of the bagmen.

"All right," agreed Murtha. "How much money we talking about?"

"Well, you tell me."

"Well, let me find out what is a reasonable figure that will get their attention," said Murtha, "because there are a couple of banks that have really done me some favors in the past, and I'd like to put some money in....["]

The dialogue continued as follows:

Amoroso: Let me ask you now that we're together. I was under the impression, OK, and I told Howard [middleman Howard Criden] what we were willing to pay, and [This is where the available videotape begins]I went out, I got the $50,000. OK? So what you're telling me, OK, you're telling me that that's not what you know....

Murtha: I'm not interested.

Amoroso: OK.

Murtha: At this point, [This is where the available videotape ends] you know, we do business together for a while. Maybe I'll be interested and maybe I won't.... Right now, I'm not interested in those other things. Now, I won't say that some day, you know, I, if you made an offer, it may be I would change my mind some day.

It is damning stuff. But the mainstream media has yet to question Murtha aggressively about that short snippet of tape, much less the full reel. After my February article questioned Murtha's ties to defense contractors while chairing the defense appropriations subcommittee, John McLaughlin interviewed Murtha on his obscure One on One program. Besides suggesting that my article originated with a "sinister genius at the White House," McLaughlin asked Murtha about the tape:

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: ...Murtha was approached by an undercover FBI agent, and you're on tape telling the agent, quote, unquote, "I'm not interested." Is that true?

REP. MURTHA: Not only that, John; they pulled a drawer out and they had $50,000 there and I said, "I'm not interested." I said, "I'm interested in investment in my district, period."

Not interested, period? The only "period" that Anderson reported Murtha using in the conversation was, "I want to deal with you guys awhile before I make any transaction at all, period." No wonder Murtha has kept a generally low profile through most of his political career.

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 06:56 PM

58

This is how Murtha wants to bring our troops home: - LBH

He then proceeds to post about a video with images of caskets.

Are you saying that Murtha wants our servicemembers dead?

As far as fundraising goes, in the effort to unseat the warmongers, images of caskets are the real-dead costs of this folly, and are legitamate to use.

Far better that than refusing to show the war dead, keeping reporters away from Dover, so no images allowed.

The WAR is the Obscenity, not the images...

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 12, 2006 06:57 PM

59

hmmm, it seems to me that someone on this blog has said many times that another terror attack would occur and this time be blamed on a joint iranian/syrian op as a pretense for bombing the tar out of both countries (look at maps of the region) - anyway, i don't recall who's actually said that many times and it's not important who really, but i would imagine that right about now that person is saying "i told you so".
---
ROSTOCK, Germany (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday demanded the immediate release of two Israeli soldiers captured by Lebanon's Hizbollah guerrillas and blamed Syria and Iran for the attacks.

"We condemn in the strongest terms Hizbollah's unprovoked attack on Israel and the kidnapping of the two Israeli soldiers," said Frederick Jones, spokesman with the White House National Security Council.

"We call for immediate and unconditional release of the two soldiers," Jones told reporters in Germany, hours before President George W. Bush was to arrive for meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"We also hold Syria and Iran, which directly support Hizbollah, responsible for this attack and for the ensuing violence," Jones said.
---------
wow. syria and iran sure must be morons to practically invite a sound recrimination by way of a massive bombing campaign. morons.

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 07:06 PM

60

RS - I agree with your post. I'd like to remind you and everyone here lbh isn't here to engage in anything more than piffle, distraction and prevarication. If it gives you some satisfaction, tear him a new one but don't waste your time and energy responding unless you get something out of it.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 07:21 PM

61

I attribute the climb in fortunes to my personal genius despite the failures (all that ball dropping) of the Bush Administration. This is where I'd put one of those sidewise smiley faces. I don't do sidewise smiley faces.

You don't do peronal genius either. When are you going to learn to link? Show us some of that personal genius. No one expects it. Try it. My money's on you. Pande says you can't learn it. He thinks you're learning disabled.

Posted by: Ailes at July 12, 2006 07:32 PM

62

It's The WRONG ATTA!

Following the September 11, 2001 Attacks in the United States it was initially thought that Mahmoud Mahmoud Atta was one of the hijackers on board the first plane to hit the World Trade Center. This led to the harsh questioning of US immigration authorities and the intelligence community, because it was felt that they had failed to stop a known terrorist from entering the country under his true name. However his identity was confused with the Egyptian militant leader Mohammed Atta who was actually on board the flight.

Mahmoud Mahmoud Atta's current whereabouts are unknown.

More HERE

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

Memories must be short. This is standard boiler plate troll. Distract with information they KNOW to be false.

Please quit posting to them, even asking for clarification. None will ever clarify, they just muddy up the water.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 07:35 PM

63

If you feed the trolls you can expect them to show up for food.

They do not post anything that contributes to the discussion or is even informative. That is unless you think "wetback" and "idiots", personal attacks and useless invective are what passes for political discourse? (they do if you let it happen)

You can do the math. Ignore the ignorant it is the only right thing to do.

But what do I know?


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 07:39 PM

64

From the Terrorist ATTA's Wiki

Mistaken identity

Initially, Mohamed Atta's identity was confused with that of a native Jordanian, Mahmoud Mahmoud Atta, who bombed a bus in 1986 on the Israel-occupied West Bank, killing one and severely injuring three. Mahmoud Mahmoud Atta, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was subsequently deported from Venezuela to the United States, extradited to Israel, tried and sentenced to life in prison. The Israeli supreme court later overturned his extradition and set him free; his whereabouts are unknown. He is 14 years older than Mohamed Atta. After the September 11 attacks, a general furor arose over the supposed failure of immigration authorities and the U.S. intelligence community to stop a known terrorist from entering the country under his true name. Eventually, The Boston Globe reported details from records at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals detailing the detention and subsequent extradition of Mahmoud Mahmoud Atta from the U.S.

More HERE

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

Understand why the trolls just post spew, never link or cite their source is because in doing so they expose the fact that they are WRONG - something they cannot admit without a tantrum.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 07:46 PM

65

My sister (bless her GOP heart) sent me the email about Atta, they pass this kind of disinformation to each other in "chain letters" it is too pathetic for words. (also very creepy)

The fact that they believe the crap they are spoon fed offends anybody that has respect for what it right or what is factual or appreciates the truth. They do not think - they believe - that way they do not have to conflict with reality.

They are a waste of time. Well a waste of my time.


capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 07:50 PM

66

Re #64: capt, even with a tantrum.

Posted by: David B. Benson at July 12, 2006 07:55 PM

67

News of the Day: Late Edition

The permanent members of the U.N. Security Council agreed to refer Iran to the Security Council for possible punishment, after becoming fed up with Tehran's refusal to begin "serious" negotiations.

The Israeli military mobilized armored vehicles and tanks on the Lebanon border in response to the killing of seven Israeli soldiers and the kidnapping of two by Hezbollah. Israel's Prime Minister said the militant's attack was an "act of war." The kidnapping is the second such event in recent weeks.

The French soccer star who may have cost his team victory in the World Cup by head butting an Italian player apologized publicly "to all the children." Zinedine Zidane said that the Italian defender had insulted his mother and sister, but declined to reveal the specific insult.

A U.S. Treasury official said that the Bush administration wants U.S. banks to turn over all data on customers international wire transfers. Such data used to be kept secret. The change in policy, however, will go through a public comment period, unlike the previous effort to acquire wire transfer data sent through the international banking system called Swift. Republicans yesterday attacked the White House for failing to brief them on the formerly secret Swift program.

After a piece of concrete fell and killed a woman, a full review of Boston's "Big Dig" has been ordered.

Virginia's governor pardoned a woman convicted of witchcraft through a "witch ducking trial" 300 years ago Tuesday. The Witch of Pungo, Grace Sherwood, was convicted in 1706 after colonists threw her in the Lynnhaven River and she floated a clear indication of witchcraft. Sherwood served seven years in jail and lived to be 80. Former pig farmer Belinda Nash worked to secure Sherwood's much belated pardon by threatening to call the governor's office every two hours unless a pardon was issued.

More HERE

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

All of these topics - fresh and pretty interesting. Yet the troll brings the "Joe Wilson frog walk" and an Atta that has be exposed as the wrong Atta for YEARS? WHY?

To distract not discuss, not learn no the troll says he teaches? Again we all know the math on that! HA!

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 08:00 PM

68

DB,

Touche'


HA!

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 08:00 PM

69

No one forced anyone off this site. Each one of us makes our own decisions.

Posted by: Observer at July 12, 2006 08:07 PM

70

This is how Murtha wants to bring our troops home: - LBH

He then proceeds to post about a video with images of caskets.

Are you saying that Murtha wants our servicemembers dead?


He's making money off it isn't he? I say join me in asking him to stop making money off our dead soldiers. What an asshole!!

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 08:25 PM

71

The WAR is the Obscenity, not the images...

Murtha is the obscenity, not the images....

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 08:27 PM

72

My sister (bless her GOP heart) sent me the email about Atta, they pass this kind of disinformation to each other in "chain letters" it is too pathetic for words. (also very creepy)

The fact that they believe the crap they are spoon fed offends anybody that has respect for what it right or what is factual or appreciates the truth. They do not think - they believe - that way they do not have to conflict with reality.

They are a waste of time. Well a waste of my time.

capt

Capt, I only posted this to show how fucking loony you guys are in posting bullshit 9/11 conspiracies, Rove being indicted, Cheney going to jail, blah blah blah! All lies that you trolls have told with no truth to them what so ever. I believe the crap sent in an email as much as any crap you've ever posted on this site.

At least your sister got the brains in the family! Ha!

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 08:34 PM

73

Pande says you can't learn it. He thinks you're learning disabled.

I know, Pandy likes to discriminate against black people and the disabled. Whats new?

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 08:36 PM

74

I get a kick out of your Liberals and your conspiracy theories. If you can't win something or prove something, there has to be a conspiracy. WHen you have to face the real world and realize that most of America is not like you, you may have to face the ugly truth. You are not mainstream America. You are left-wing nuts and a very small minority in America. If the amount of regular posters on this site is indicative of numbers, I fear nothing from the Liberal movement. Is that why you keep calling yourselves Progressives? Don't like the fact that your ideas are truly Liberal?

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 08:40 PM

75

Capt,

Heres a good one:

It's been said, by some, that Clinton let Atta stay the night in the Lincoln bedroom for a small campaign donation.

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 08:49 PM

76

All of these topics - fresh and pretty interesting. Yet the troll brings the "Joe Wilson frog walk" and an Atta that has be exposed as the wrong Atta for YEARS? WHY?
Capt

Actually the French soccer story is very interesting. It shows what a bunch of friggin babies with no sportsmanship qualities soccer players are and then they still get the best player award. Sounds like the UN was in charge.

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 08:53 PM

77

"The power of the executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgment of his peers, is in the highest degree odious, and the foundation of all totalitarian government whether Nazi or Communist." ~~Winston Churchill

=
"The mission of the Gestapo expanded steadily as, from 1933 onward, 'political criminality' was given a much broader definition than ever before and most forms of dissent and criticism were gradually criminalized. The result was that more 'laws' or lawlike measures were put on the books than ever." - -- Shelia Fitzpatrick - Source: Accusatory Practices: Denunciation in Modern European History, 1789-1989, 1997

=
"Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity." Lord Acton - [John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton] (1834-1902), First Baron Acton of Aldenham - Source: Letter, 23 January 1861

===

Thanks ICH Newsletter!

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 08:55 PM

78

LBH is a lying dollop of whaleshit. The lowest of all excrement. It sinks to the ocean floor.

By OReilly

OReilly is the bottom feeder that laps up the whale shit like it's candy and can't get enough!

Posted by: LBH at July 12, 2006 08:57 PM

79

I even get a bigger kick out of the fact that very few of you on this site will even admit you are Liberal. That is how rotten that way of thinking has become. I am Conservative and proud of it. Notice that it is only the left who try to label conservatives other than to who they are and Liberals are the ones who label themselves something other what they truly are. Funny a liberal can only come up with neo-conservative. Yet, for themselves, they change the whole word. Why not neo-Liberals? Nah!

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 09:00 PM

80

What is up with the nutmeg quotes? Trying to prove you are not a Liberal or trying to prove you are? Original thoughts please. Copy/Paste, quotes, etc are boring. Links, I enjoy.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 09:03 PM

81

Pinochet 'sold cocaine to Europe and US'

Augusto Pinochet's $26m (?14m) fortune was amassed through cocaine sales to Europe and the US, the general's former top aide for intelligence has alleged.

In testimony sent to Chilean Judge Claudio Pavez, Manuel Contreras alleges that Pinochet and his son Marco Antonio organised a massive production and distribution network, selling cocaine to Europe and the US in the mid-1980s.

According to Contreras, once Pinochet's ally and now a bitter enemy, Pinochet ordered the army to build a clandestine cocaine laboratory in Talagante, a rural town 24 miles from Santiago. There he had chemists mix cocaine with other chemicals to produce what Contreras described as a "black cocaine" capable of being smuggled past drug agents in the US and Europe.

Pinochet denied the charges. His son also denied the charges and said he would sue the former head of intelligence whom he called "a liar" and "a monster".

More HERE

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

Drugs? You mean like illegal drugs? Well that come with a criminal enterprise. Why do you think they keep drugs illegal? Because they can turn a better (off books) profit. The ends justify the means so anything goes!

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 09:25 PM

82

I hate to have to break this news to you David, but Liberals do not buy books. Especially those on this site. They let the government buy them for them and then use their local library to check them out. That is the Liberal way. Good luck on sales, otherwise. That is the Capitalist way.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 09:29 PM

83

Military Justice Idea Rejected for Alleged Terror Defendants

WASHINGTON -- Bush administration lawyers today rejected congressional suggestions to try alleged Al Qaeda and Taliban war criminals in the U.S. military justice system, saying military courts provide protections for defendants that are unwarranted in the war on terrorism.

In their most detailed description of administration policy since the Supreme Court struck down the Pentagon's special war crimes tribunals last month, the lawyers said their ability to introduce evidence gathered through coercion or through sensitive intelligence sources would be compromised if they were forced to use the Uniform Code of Military Justice to charge Al Qaeda defendants.

Key lawmakers in the debate Ѡincluding Republicans such as Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina Ѡhave argued that the Supreme Court ruling directed them to use the military code as the legal framework for war crimes courts. They have offered to amend the code to deal with some of the administration's concerns.

Lawyers from the Defense and Justice departments told a House Armed Services Committee hearing today that such a plan was unworkable. They urged lawmakers to adopt wholesale the system put in place by President Bush four years ago, despite the court's finding that it did not provide the accused with the basic rights that are guaranteed by U.S. law and the Geneva Conventions.

Daniel J. Dell'Orto, the Pentagon's principal deputy general counsel, said hundreds of changes to military laws would be required if Congress insisted on using the military code as the basis for new war crimes courts. "That is a gutting of the manual for courts-martial and the Uniform Code of Military Justice," Dell'Orto said.

The insistence that Congress readopt the administration's old war crimes commissions is the latest sign that Ѡdespite the historic Supreme Court ruling and Tuesday's acknowledgment that the Geneva Conventions apply to all Pentagon detainees Ѡthe administration is likely to be just as aggressive in asserting its authority over detainee treatment as it has been in the past.

More HERE

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

These neocon-men will not listen to anything or anyone that does not already agree with them. That is the problem with true believers.

"They were so strong in their beliefs that there came a time when it hardly mattered what exactly those beliefs were; they all fused into a single stubbornness." ~ Louise Erdrich

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 09:43 PM

84

Pink Floyd's Barrett dies

Syd Barrett, a founder of Pink Floyd and one of the legendary lost souls of rock 'n' roll, has died at his British home.

He died "several days ago" of complications from diabetes, said a family spokesman. He was 60 and had not recorded for many years.

Barrett formed Pink Floyd in 1964 with classmate Roger Waters, Nicky Mason and Rick Wright, and was widely considered the main force behind the band's unique early sound.

His sweeping electronic compositions often ran 20 minutes or more and helped usher in the the era of free-form "psychedelic" rock with songs like "Interstellar Overdrive."

Barrett also embraced the psychedelic drugs that were part of that culture, including LSD, and he began zoning out in concerts, strumming one chord for an entire evening or just staring at the crowd.

In 1968, after he had walked out of a recording session, he was asked to leave the band.

Producer Richard Buskin later said he had suffered a "complete mental breakdown," and he disappeared for almost 20 years before he turned up living with his mother.

More HERE

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

Rest in peace. A very sad day.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 09:51 PM

85

Here is a perfect example of Liberal damned if you do, damned if you don't idiocy. That is why Liberalism is becoming extinct.

MSNBC

My guess is the writer of the article is also an idiot. There is usually a bush behind every skirt unless you are a cross-dresser.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 09:51 PM

86

I even get a bigger kick out of the fact that very few of you on this site will even admit you are Liberal

Liberals do not buy books.

emmerson, i'm not even sure what a liberal is so why don't you define it for me and i promise that if i am one i will admit it ok? but for the record, i live in a house full of books. in fact there are so many books here that i will never ever run out of firewood. but back to being liberal; you define it, i'll cop to it if i am one. deal?

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 10:01 PM

87

82 I hate to have to break this news to you David, but Liberals do not buy books. Especially those on this site. They let the government buy them for them and then use their local library to check them out. That is the Liberal way. Good luck on sales, otherwise. That is the Capitalist way.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 09:29 PM

----------
emmerson, what do YOU know about what liberals have in their libraries?

You claim to know things you have no way of knowing.

Here's something you could know but you probably don't: How is the public library in your city financed?

Since you want to disparage davidcorn liberals for not buying his books, do you own one? I don't think so. There's a link on this page (top right) where you can buy it. Why don't you buy it... or not. Either way, shut fuc% up.

You're a lying liar... "My friend Bill just got back from Iraq. He writes 'Did you know... blaa blaa"

No one here believes you anymore.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 10:12 PM

88

I do not have to define it, it has already been defined long before I became of political age. Either you are one or you are not. That is your choice, not mine.

New show on CBS this fall

Desperately Outing Housewives

Hosted by Joseph Wilson who is described as a former Ambassador when he was never an Ambassador and featuring his former covert CIA wife who has not been covert for many years and whose name was found in the Who's Who in America by a reporter. What is discovered is that it was the Bush Administration who had never heard of Joe Wilson or Valerie Plame but many in the D.C. Liberal dinner invitation circuit knew who they were. That is how Novak found out that Valerie worked for the CIA. He only confirmed the information with the CIA before reporting it. Since she was not "covert" they had no reason not to admit it.

Next show, Hillary admits all. Bill raped Juanita, fondled Kathleen, and smoked a soggy cigar after an encounter with Monica. Jennifer already got her money so she dismisses it as usual. Liberals respond positively and forgive her for her stance in the war on Iraq. Hillary still loses in 2008. Better luck in 2012.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 10:15 PM

89

ACLU get Oliver North's Conviction Overturned
On July 20, 1990, with the help of the ACLU , North's conviction was overturned by a three-judge appeals panel in advance of further proceedings on the grounds that his public testimony may have prejudiced his right to a fair trial. The Supreme Court declined to review the case, and Judge Gesell dismissed the charges on September 16, 1991, after hearings on the immunity issue, on the motion of the independent counsel.

======
STOP the ACLU !!!!!

Posted by: Happy about GOP corruption at July 12, 2006 10:19 PM

90

I know what Liberals have in their library and I don't have to go into their houses to find it. I have seen posts on this site from people who have admitted that they have reserved a book that had already been checked out at the local library. Did I strike a nerve? And why are you posting to me anyway? Are you not following the orders of your captain?

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 10:19 PM

91

How many times have the different definitions of Liberal been posted here over the years? What is wrong with giving a shit about your fellow man and your country? When the ignorant trolls get on that word you have to wonder about their motive, or more importantly, their sanity. IGNORE THEM! That Paul Waldman article posted above was excellent.

Posted by: Carol at July 12, 2006 10:19 PM

92

Philosophy of American liberalism

The philosophy of classical American liberalism owes a great deal to thinkers such as Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine, both quoted below. It favours restricted government and liberty of the individual.

Views about classical American liberalism
The philosophy of American liberalism is a celebration of the common man, and a recognition that honest, hardworking, law abiding Americans contribute more to society than kings and princes.

John Adams wrote, "Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right... and a desire to know." (1765); "A government of laws, not of men." (1774); "The happiness of society is the end of government. (1776);

Samuel Adams wrote, "Driven from every other corner of the earth, freedom of thought and the right of private judgment in matters of conscience direct their course to this happy country as their last asylum." (1776)

Thomas Paine wrote, "Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil." (1776)

Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Were it left to me to have a government with no newspapers, or newspapers with no government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. (1787); "Experience declares that man is the only animal which devours his own kind; for I can apply no milder term... to the general prey of the rich upon the poor." (1787); "The care of human life and happiness ... is the first and only legitimate object of good government." (1809); "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." (1816) "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Some positions associated with American liberalism
freedom of the individual
freedom of the press
the rights of man
separation of church and state
equality for all regardless of race, age, religon, income, sex and sexual orientation.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 10:26 PM

93

Acceptance of the New York Liberal Party Nomination

What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?" If by "Liberal" they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of "Liberal." But if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." ~ JFK

More HERE

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

Liberal is not a bad thing but it is a label. I think most people are all over the spectrum of possibilities indexed by issue. The binary logic is too limited for reality. That is why the binary stinkers are not "base 36 thinkers."

Not to mention I am a liberal in many ways and yet am far more conservative than any I have heard that support this insult of a politician in the WH.

Not that it matters, my being a liberal also does not make any of the trolls a conservative so why would it matter to anybody except the most simplistic mind incapable of nuance and unable to hold two conflicting ideas in their heads at any one time.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 10:32 PM

94

I know what Liberals have in their library and I don't have to go into their houses to find it.
LIE # 2867

I do not have to define [Liberal], it has already been defined
LIE # 2868

My friend Bill just got back from Iraq...
LIE # 2869

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 10:19 PM

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 10:37 PM

95

1213=XP


Anyone?

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 10:40 PM

96

No thanks Capt. Thanks for asking.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 10:49 PM

97

I do not have to define it, it has already been defined... Either you are one or you are not. That is your choice, not mine.

oh i have to admit to something that you don't have to define? i did say that i wasn't sure what being a liberal actually entails but luckily for you emmerson, and myself, mr . @92 has defined it for us and even provided examples! do you agree with that assessment? i have to tell you that i always thought of myself as conservative as i strive to keep the books balanced and to pay as i go so to speak. i don't see the merit in cranking up a bunch of debt to be paid off later just so i can have loads of fun now. isn't that the basis of being a conservative? so i must be a conservative! on the other hand i see mr .'s examples of positions associated with liberalism and realize that i have always prided myself on abiding by those fine standards as well, so i must be a liberal! hmmm. am i a liberal conservative or a conservative liberal? is that actually a conundrum? it might be if i actually dwelled on it.
----
emmerson were you thinking of tricking me by saying "aha!" or something like that? because if so it won't work now as i'm hip to your little connivance!

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 10:50 PM

98

96 - ha ha! you threw that back right in his face!

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 10:58 PM

99

1213 = XP

The solution is posted on the thread above.

Another case of doing the math?

capt

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 11:01 PM

100

emmerson, who knows what books I own and what books spy on this! owns despite never have entered either of our homes or ever having been briefed by us. HE'S A CLAIVOYANT!

What am I thinking emmerson?

That's right. You ARE a dick AND a liar.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:02 PM

101

Way to go captain. JFK was a Liberal. But there are few of them today that was like him. That is why they now call themselves Progressives. JFK believed in lower taxes, strong national defense, yet believed in government as the source of relief for societal ills. He and Nixon agreed on two of three things, on only the last of the three did they differ. JFK only won the nomination in '60 because he threatened to back Nixon if it wasn't given to him. He would not back the favorite of his own party, Lyndon Johnson. Source? Chris Matthews' book.

Call yourselves what you want, the sixties liberals after JFK gave you a bad name, not me, when they decided the War Hawk Johnson needed to pull troops out of Nam and the '68 nominee Humphrey, would not bow to the far left and commit to it. It is in your history, it is in your blood. Cut and run is inherited. That is why you have cut and run from the Liberal tag. Progressive is worse, it is only more cowardly than JFK, Johnson and Humphrey.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:04 PM

102

hold your horses there capt - are you saying that
1213=XP is merely a matter of doing the math?

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 11:08 PM

103

The spelling is Clair Voyant. I went to grade school with her. Maybe you know the same person I do. Oh well, I must be off.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:08 PM

104

The neocons steal and kill

Posted by: JUDY at July 12, 2006 11:09 PM

105

Nixon was a "LIE and DIE" conservative and despite his protestations, he was crook.

He ran twice on the I'll get us out of vietnam. Twice!

But as a crook, Nixon doesn't even some close to Bush, Cheney, Safavian, Rumsfeld, DeLay, Abramoff, Reed, Cunningham.

My friend Bill just got back from Iraq...

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:09 PM

106

Does Bill talk about his experiences?

Posted by: JUDY at July 12, 2006 11:12 PM

107

wait emmerson! are you saying that these principles: believed in lower taxes, strong national defense, yet believed in government as the source of relief for societal ills are examples of "progressive" policies?
if so then that means i am a progressive liberal conservative. that's it!

i hereby declare myself to be a conservative liberal of the progressive persuasion!

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 11:16 PM

108

Go to Google and type in the word Santorum and then laugh

Posted by: JUDY at July 12, 2006 11:17 PM

109

Emmerson at #101, don't ANYONE respond to that post. He missed EVERY point in #92. Don't waste time on psycho morons. WAR, WAR, WAR...YEAH! Phyttt....

Posted by: Carol at July 12, 2006 11:18 PM

110

Go to their 3/13 FA Red Dragons website and ask him yourself. He is the Commander, William Miracle. I previously posted it, they are in Fort Sill, OK. His son, is still in Iraq on his tour of duty. I don't have made up friends, unlike most of you here.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:19 PM

111

Thank me for the hits later David. I thought there was a captain on this website to discourage this behavior. Oh, I forgot. He does it also. I love a good laugh at the expense of progressives who will never admit they are liberals unless it is tied to any other word to make it politically palatable. Not that I would ever want to taste it.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:23 PM

112

emmerson wait don't go yet! i admitted i was a liberal, a conservative AND a progressive. i fell right into your little trap!
emmerson come back.....sidewise frowny face.

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 11:23 PM

113

william miracle? dude, my brother's name is johnny miracle! what are the odds?

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 11:26 PM

114

Mr. Spy lives in a houseful of books, guess that explains why he knows not the first thing about capital letters in writings!

All those books also explain his simpleton understanding of conservatism as balancing budgets and to pay as one goes. Lets' add some knowledge to his narrow grasp: conservatives like elephants and are red blooded!

(while liberals like donkeys and are always blue in the face)

Posted by: some little connivance! at July 12, 2006 11:27 PM

115

Santorum: Man on Dog
When the Associated Press reporter asked whether homosexuals should not then engage in homosexual acts, Santorum replied, "Every society in the history of man has upheld the institution of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. Why? Because society is based on one thing: that society is based on the future of the society. And that's what? Children. Monogamous relationships. In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing. And when you destroy that you have a dramatic impact on the quality".

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:29 PM

116

Judy, I wonder how that got to be the first thing to come up? I mean, Santorum's site you'd think would be first. Isn't it the sites that get the most hits that move up the ladder?

Posted by: Carol at July 12, 2006 11:30 PM

117

Oh now I am to believe you have a brother named Johnny Miracle? Like you believe I have a friend named Bill? Just another hit David. I'm working overtime here!

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:30 PM

118

yay i am set straight at last by the smartest blogger ever!(114) are you saying that conservatives don't value a balanced budget and don't see the merit in pay-as-you-go financing?
well then who does? if it's not conservatives then it must be liberals and/or progressives, ya?

(in fact the capital letter button on my commodore64 does not seem to work properly)

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 11:35 PM

119

emmerson, how do you claim to boost the hits here?

LIE #2870

My friend Bill just got back fom Iraq and wrote me this letter. Do you know this, Did you know that. Liar liar.

emmerson's credibility + 1 = 1

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:35 PM

120

Name one book in my library. Not all my books, just one.

Good night emmerson. Goodbye emmerson.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:36 PM

121

I'll wager all my $worth that in EVERY instance, a source/leaker has "public goals". I'll also bet that in most cases, the sources/leakers also have private goals.

Of course it's all about motivation, Hapless. Journalists and their editors are supposed to be smart, professional people. They should be able to determine exactly what motivates a source and act accordingly. Regardless, sources who lie or otherwise manipulate the press to deceive the public or obfuscate the issues deserve no protection.

I'm always...well, happy to help those with comprehension problems.

Posted by: Don at July 12, 2006 11:37 PM

122

Hits are one thing, visitors are another. 50% of Corn hits are capt/gerald posting. The other 50% are trolls, responders to trolls and those wondering what the hell they are doing on this site. If David benefits, I am all for it. I am a proud Conservative and believe in Capitalism. If David makes money from all of us who post here, I welcome that.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:39 PM

123

by the way capt, i think i figured out what 1213=XP is but i don't want to spoil it for anybody else who might be scrambling for the answer as we speak

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 11:39 PM

124

Spy! Can you come over for a bbq friday night. you brother johnny's comin and he thought you were free too. Good food, plenty of ice cold beer.

Did you hear Bush is at the G8 summit? He thought it was convenstion on vegetable juice.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:39 PM

125

Johnny Miracle? I knew it was a lie. Now I cannot believe one thing you ever post. Thanks, David.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:41 PM

126

please emmerson. this blog has had threads with upwards of 500 comments on a regular basis. we're barely at like 125 right now -

Posted by: spy on this! at July 12, 2006 11:44 PM

127

120

Catcher in the Rye

Thanks David. The more hits, the more I gits!

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:44 PM

128

Oliver North (pic) taking an oath to tell the truth before testifying to congress. After which he was indicted, tried and found guilty of lying. . . later overturned on appeal by the ACLU.

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:45 PM

129

True, when David posts on Friday and not again until Monday. That is fine with me. I get my cut. I wish David all the success he can muster.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:47 PM

130

David is making so much per hit, he can hire emmerson for .03 a hit.

emmerson, how long before you have enough to buy a ticket to the new Pirates movie? By November, you'll have enough for popcorn too.

thanks David. ;)

Posted by: . at July 12, 2006 11:48 PM

131

Mmmmm I could have had a V8!

Posted by: capt at July 12, 2006 11:53 PM

132

You go to the movies? You really are a Liberal. Conservatives don't go to movies. The last "first run" movie I have seen is "Pet Cemetary." That is also the last movie I have seen in a theater. Hollywood is nothing but crap, why do you pour your hard earned money in a toilet? An actor/actress makes millions for a movie, you pay to see it, you have a 50/50 chance you will like it and yet you go back again and again. You Liberals are so gullible, and funny.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:55 PM

133

Thoughts from one of the resident cornblog BLEEDING HEART LIBERALS

Liberalism is an optimistic philosophy, one that espouses that all things are possible (well, many things...) Liberals believe that freedom means many things -- liberals believe in the free exchange of ideas. Liberals believe that progress is good and that progress can lead to a better life for all humanity. Liberals and progressives = good things for the greater good, the common good.

Liberals believe that the rule of law is the basic framework for a workable society, a society with justice. When crimes are committed, there should be punishment. Liberals believe that the Rule of Law applies to all -- including government agents.

Liberals believe in CIVIL RIGHTS, that all people are equal under the law. We believe in a free and civil society where there is NO room for any type of discrimination based on enthicity, religion, race, disability, sexual orientation or gender.

Liberals believe that all Americans should have access to a basic education -- and that education should be consistent with maintaining an informed citizenry.

Liberals believe in tolerance of differences -- and we must respect those differences as long as life choices do not infringe on the rights enjoyed by other citizens.

Liberals believe in a social safety net, not as a permanent lifestyle but as a helping hand when it is needed.

Liberals believe that each one of us is responsible for our actions. Liberals believe that with rights come responsibility.

Liberals believe that the relationship between an employer and an employee is part of the "glue" that holds communities together.

Liberals believe that environmental protection is the responsibility of all citizens. Liberals believe that it is possible to protect the environment and sustain economic growth -- they are not mutually exclusive.

Liberals believe in strong families. Liberals believe that when government makes policy it should keep in mind that families are the most important social unit in America.

Many of us are proud to call ourselves LIBERAL. Thanks to liberalism, our country has achieved some pretty remarkable things -- even though the Reichwingers are now doing everything within their corrupt power to dismantle/decimate many of them. Americans have benefitted from the following -- all of which had their genesis in LIBERALISM:

GI Bill
era: 1950's

Labor Laws
era: 1930's-present

Marshall Plan
era: late 1940's-1950's

Environmental Laws
era: 1970's-present

Food safety laws
era: 1910's-present

Workplace safety laws
era: 1930's-present

Social Security
era: 1930's-to present

Economic Growth
era: 1950's-1960's
Liberalism and economic prosperity go hand-in-hand. Unlike the pseudo-boom of the 1980's, the 1950's and 1960's were a period of sustained and real growth for all sectors of the economy and all social classes. Taxes were fair, government worked, and America prospered under both Democratic and Republican administrations

Space Program
era: 1950's-present

Peace corps
era: 1960's-present

Civil rights movement
era: 1950's-present

The fight against Totalitarianism
era: always

The Internet
era: 1960's-present
Not a liberal program per se, but rather a government one, which many equate as the same thing. The internet is a good example of what a government program can do when allowed to work.

The Tennessee Valley project
era: 1930's

Women's right to vote
era: 1920's-present

Universal Public Education
era: 1890's-present

National Weather Service
era: 1930's-present

Scientific Research
era: 1940's-present
Much of the great discoveries in science have come about through grants from the government. This is not to say that scientific genius depends on Washington, but the fact remains that pure science is expensive, and private industry will often not fund experiments which don't have a direct commercial potential. From Salk's polio vaccine to todays Human Genome Project and Hubble Space Telescope, the government is an important partner in scientific discovery.

Product Labeling/Truth in Advertising Laws
era: 1910's-present

Public Health
era: 1910's-present

Morrill Land Grant Act
era: late 1800's
This act is the reason why nearly every state in the Union has a large public university. These centers of learning have educated untold millions of Americans. If you went to a school with a state name in it, then you were helped by liberalism.

Rural Electrification
era: 1930's-1960's

Public Universities
era: 1890's-present day

Bank Deposit Insurance
era: 1930's-present day

Earned Income Tax Credit
era: 1970's-present day


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
era: 1940's-present day

Family and Medical Leave Act
era: 1993-present day

Consumer Product Safety Commission
era: 1972-present day

Public Broadcasting
era: 1930's-present day

Americans With Disabilities Act
era: 1990-present day

Posted by: micki at July 12, 2006 11:58 PM

134

Time for the capt/gerald show.

Posted by: emmerson at July 12, 2006 11:58 PM

135

Bush leanred V8 was high in anti-oxidents. He said, "I haven't met her yet."

Posted by: . at July 13, 2006 12:02 AM

136

i hate going to the movies too! - i told you i was a conservative (and a liberal and a progressive!) but you didn't believe me - the last movie i saw in the theatre was starwars episode4 the moron menace (or whatever)

Hollywood is nothing but crap,

dude i live in hollywood too! you should come over and check out my fine commemorative nascar jelly jar collection! i live on gardener street, what street do you live on?

Posted by: spy on this! at July 13, 2006 12:03 AM

137

13 Thanks micki.

Posted by: . at July 13, 2006 12:03 AM

138

Micki,

A fine list.


capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 12:06 AM

139

I read movie reviews to choose the good takes and watch them at home (netflix) it's cheap. I never watched movies when I was a card-carrying member of the ACLU but when I became a conservative libertarian in the Pat Nixon mold. . .

Posted by: . at July 13, 2006 12:12 AM

140

Abuse Report From Guantanamo.

An excerpt:

The plight of the people who have had limbs amputated is among the saddest of the conditions of this ugly camp. I have twice been housed next to prisoners with prosthetic limbs. It was one of the most depressing experiences I have endured. The prisoners were effectively blackmailed by their interrogators who said that they had to cooperate in order to get their prosthetic devices back. They are denied the toilet chairs, the sticks they need to walk and even the cream they need to ensure that the wound will not become infected and inflamed. The pain is apparently particularly great when they are denied the necessary prosthetic socks, so that the wounds are exposed to the extreme cold of the cells.
------
Most of the people in Guantanamo were innocent bystanders.

And we fucked them up good.

Doesn't it make you feel proud to be an American?

Posted by: spy on this! at July 13, 2006 12:14 AM

141

#133 micki, great post!!! Please keep it in the bullpen to repost! We need to be reminded of great laws!!!

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:21 AM

Posted by: Carol at July 13, 2006 12:24 AM

143

Saw the Springteen "Seger Sessions" video on PBS tonight. Last time I saw Springsteen was at the Old Boston Gardens.

My friend Brian was there that night (lots of "unplugged" stuff that tour) and we sat (hardly sat at all) with Doug Flute.

Tonight Brian and his family came for dinner, they're vacationing nearby.

Interesting how a true friend just fits right back in, with no effort at all.

Just sayin'

-T

Posted by: Hajji at July 13, 2006 12:28 AM

144

You are UhuraUhura
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70%
Geordi LaForge
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70%
Will Riker
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70%
An Expendable Character (Redshirt)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70%
Mr. Scott
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
65%
Jean-Luc Picard
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
60%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
55%
Worf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
55%
Chekov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50%
James T. Kirk (Captain)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
45%
Beverly Crusher
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
45%
Spock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32%
Deanna Troi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30%
Data
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15%
Mr. Sulu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5%
_______________________

Uhm...I'm jes' gonner beam myself to be.

(I DO have Uhura's legs, btw...)

g'nite,

-t


Posted by: Hajji at July 13, 2006 12:35 AM

145

You are Beverly Crusher (Carol Crusher) Beverly Crusher
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70%
Deanna Troi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
60%
Jean-Luc Picard
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50%
James T. Kirk (Captain)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40%
Uhura
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40%
Chekov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40%
Will Riker
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35%
An Expendable Character (Redshirt)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30%
Geordi LaForge
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30%
Mr. Scott
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25%
Mr. Sulu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25%
Spock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22%
Data
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15%
Worf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10%


Posted by: arol rusher at July 13, 2006 12:43 AM

146

Just read your post Spy/James. Guantanamo is an atrocious blight on world history that we will never live down. We keep adding to that list exponentially during the Bushco administration.

Just peeking in, and am only at the beginning of the thread.

Capt.
If it's Halliburton by any other name, it must be criminal.

Did you see that Rudy Guiliani campaigned for Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania? Whoa. Santorum's so far down (18 points) it probably won't mean much to Guiliani's tentative presidential campaign.

Not only that, Rudy campaigned for RICK REED!! How low is he going to go to attract the extreme right-wingers?

#10 Gerald

Your response to Robert S. was astute and funny.


Here's a petition that we should all sign. I know that it definitely affects me and all the petitions and letters I send to Congress, including campaign letters, once I start working on a campaign.

DEFEND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS: DON'T LET CONGRESS BLOCK YOUR EMAIL.

Last month Congressional offices began to adopt new software that blocks the delivery of emails their constituents send from a wide range of nonprofit organization websites.

LINK-PETITION

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 12:45 AM

147

#62 & 63 Capt and the person with the dot as signature.

I tend to agree with this. Try not to post too often to these troll people, they don't use normal rules of discourse or debate. Just like most of the GOPers on TV and their abundant oft-quoted soundbites.

#59 Spy baby

It does seem odd doesn't it? I previously wrote that all hell was breaking loose because of Israel's domestic politics and because the Israelis (in power) don't give a shit about peace with the Palestinians. Never have, never will.

But suddenly we have Lebanon (Hezbollah--hence Iran) and Syria in the target lines. "Isn't that convenient?" as Church Lady would say.

It appears highly suspicious doesn't it?

The person you refer to, perhaps Den or someone else--I can't remember either--I believe saw these future bombings as contrived, instigated by an act of the U.S. (for domestic political reasons and greed--oil again) or their allies, Israel or both jointly. What a surprise! It serves both regimes well as far as their respective administrations go.

And the train bombing in Bombay? Or shall I say Mumbai? The group allegedly responsible has denied it. Hmmm.

Veery interesting.

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 01:20 AM

148

#65 Capt

So that's how you recognized that chain letter I sent you a while ago!?

Bless certain family members GOP hearts is right. They mean well. My New Orleans brother-in-law really hasn't figured out my politics yet, even though he knows I worked for Kerry in 2004. You'd think.

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 01:24 AM

149

#77 Capt

Excellent quotes and quite apt for today's news.

Political criminality is now labeled mental illness or crazy by China and Russia. It still means jailtime.

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 01:29 AM

150

#81 Capt

Well that and the powerful pharmaceutical lobby. All criminals in the end....

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 01:31 AM

151

#83 Capt

Pande brought up the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which the administration abruptly stated that they still wanted to go on treating the Guantanamo prisoners as they always have.

They are animals. No, I take that back. Animals have souls.


So sorry about Sy Barrett.


Well, I glanced ahead and saw the math equation. Uh, I'll stay out of that. I'm certainly not going to discuss what's in my library!

Good night all.

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 01:38 AM

152

#91 Carol

Hi. Right on to that tremendous outburst! What has gotten into you though? You post too much and too often.

And you post too late. I'm going to bed!

Tee-hee

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 01:42 AM

153

no, i am beverly crusher! (hear me roar)
but in a previous life i was an expendable red shirt character.

Posted by: spy on this! at July 13, 2006 03:09 AM

154

I am 80% Spock!

That is just not logical!


I should be Captain Kirk? HA!

capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 03:55 AM

155

spock bite! ha ha

Posted by: spy on this! at July 13, 2006 04:20 AM

156

Oh yeah, 1213 (decimal) = XP in Base 36

Here are the numbers:


10010111101 Base 2 (binary)
2275 Base 8 (octal)
1213 Base 10 (decimal)
4BD Base 16 (hexadecimal)
XP Base 36


capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 05:09 AM

157

allinternal - allinternal creampie. Join Now!
http://allinternal.imsn.biz/ - 30 bucks for signup!

Posted by: allinternal at July 13, 2006 06:02 AM

158

American Soldiers

2,853 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan for Bush and his lies.

18,500+ American soldiers have been maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan for Bush and his evil lies.

55,000+ of the 140,000 American soldiers are suffering from PTSD. Stress disorder has increased and the percentage is now around 40%.

Over 350,000+ Iraqis have been killed in Iraq since Bush declared shock and awe bombings on March 19, 2003.

Contamination from depleted uranium may have affected 125,000+ American soldiers and several million Iraqis.

Are you feeling more safe and secure with Bush in the WH and Cheney as his chief hatchet man overseeing Nazi America and her citizens?

Our military men and women are used as cannon fodder for a terrorist Nazi American government.

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, AND NEITHER DO WE. George W. Bush, August 5, 2005

Rigged elections doom American democracy. American soldiers are being killed and maimed TO PROMOTE A NAZI AMERICAN STATE.

Henry Kissinger says that military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.

Nazi America is a mirror image of Hitler Bush.

Nazi Americans continually justify sin.

Nazi Americans are accomplices with Bush for his murders and war crimes.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 09:50 AM

159

A Personal Plea

Dear Hitler Bush:

Since you do not listen to anyone, my personal plea will probably fall on deaf ears. I am pleading with you to not appoint any more Catholics to help you destroy my country. For example, your appointments of Roberts and Alito to the Supreme Court and your appointment of Gonzales to the Justice Department are in positions to destroy my country.

We have enough Catholics who are in positions to destroy America. For example, here are some names outside governmental appointments that are doing a good job of destroying my country. Their names are O'Reilly, Hannity, Krauthammer, Pat Buchanan, and Kate O'Beirne.

I am a Catholic and I love my country. Many Catholics are not the likes of the above-mentioned persons.

Sincerely,

Gerald

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 10:25 AM

160

Spy HA!--You live on Gardner? Well, that beats Cherokee and Yucca. I used to live at the corner of Franklin and Orchid.

Small world.

Posted by: TurdBlossom at July 13, 2006 10:25 AM

161

I see we have another graduate of Troll U.

Funny thing about trolls is their relentless discriminatory word assaults.

First we are all "Liberals" Pande is a "Wetback" and on and on. Perhaps they have forgotten we live in the USA where anyone can express an opinion openly. Choosing to denegrate others as a method to that free speech is a lack of personal honor on the trolls part.

Being paid to denegrate others is a wonderfull career choice is'nt it?

Polish up your jackboots trolls, press those brown shirts. Soon you will be called upon to "Bust some liberal, homosexual, jew, heads" for your fuhrer. You know you will enjoy every minute .

Posted by: DEN at July 13, 2006 10:31 AM

162

Our reichfuehrer loves global tensions

Just like most Nazi Americans!!! We are one sick country.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 10:58 AM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:03 AM

164

One of Gerald's foxes writes about: A Maverick Media Mogul Takes on Mainstream Spinelessness

Gerald, forgive me if you've posted this. I've had some busy days.

I hope this new idea in media has legs.

Posted by: caroline at July 13, 2006 11:05 AM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:06 AM

166

WTF? 50% Kirk & 45% Worf?

These...tests, they're...ridiculous...must stop...losing my TEMPER and being...so...so MELODRAMATIC!

Posted by: Don at July 13, 2006 11:09 AM

167

#165 caroline, good articles are worth repeating. Several patriots on this website will repeat exceptional articles.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:12 AM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:19 AM

169

Israel bombards Beirut amid spiraling attacks
_____________________

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Israeli warplanes bombed Beirut's international airport and the navy blockaded Lebanon's ports in a sharp escalation of its military campaign Thursday.

Hezbollah guerrillas fired scores of rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel in the most intense bombardment in years.

The missiles killed one woman and at least 10 others were hurt in the attack on Safed, about 13 miles (20 kilometers) from the Lebanese border, which local officials said not been hit by Hezbollah rockets since 1972. (Watch the rocket's explosion and town chaos -- 1:45)

Beirut's main airport was forced to close after Israeli fighter jets hit all three of its runways, leaving huge craters and making them unusable.
_______________

Too Far Gone?

Posted by: Hajji at July 13, 2006 11:20 AM

170

Jeanne, I wonder how your friend Harry feels about this. Looks like Vladimir has a long memory and is not amused...the G8 should be interesting.

Putin hits back at Cheney with 'hunting shot' jibe

Associated Press in Moscow
Thursday July 13, 2006
The Guardian

President Vladimir Putin called US vice-president Dick Cheney's criticisms of Russia "an unsuccessful hunting shot", according to a transcript of a television interview released yesterday by the Kremlin.

The remark, from an interview given to the US television network NBC, apparently referred to the errant shot by Mr Cheney on a hunting trip that wounded a companion.

Mr Cheney, in a May speech in the ex-Soviet republic of Lithuania, accused Russia of cracking down on religious and political rights and of using its energy reserves as "tools of intimidation or blackmail".

Posted by: micki at July 13, 2006 11:29 AM

171

From the article, Shelley's fantastic prank -

Millions to fight compell'd, to fight or die
In mangled heaps on War's red altar lie . . .
When legal murders swell the lists of pride;
When glory's views the titled idiot guide.
It is the "cold advisers of yet colder kings" who have "the power to breathe / O'er all the world the infectious blast of death".

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:31 AM

172

Putin Rips Cheney's Verbal 'Hunting Shot'

Cheney, in a May speech in the ex-Soviet republic of Lithuania, accused Russia of cracking down on religious and political rights and of using its energy reserves as "tools of intimidation or blackmail."

Asked about Cheney's remarks, Putin said, "I think the statements of your vice president of this sort are the same as an unsuccessful hunting shot."

Both Cheney's criticism and Putin's caustic response underline the tensions that exist between the United States and Russia as both countries prepare for the Group of Eight summit, beginning Saturday in St. Petersburg.

Posted by: micki at July 13, 2006 11:35 AM

173

Hearing Novak whine 'from the right' on Crossfire all those years and watching him look down his nose contemptuously at the guests on the left is enough to form a lasting impression.

The self-righteous and pejorative voice in his columns is cement.

Novak's cooperation with the investigation by testifying about his conversations with sources (with only a coerced consent release in hand) is not simply a citizen doing his duty, motive aside, and it also unethical from the perspective of his profession but then again, so was his disclosure of Valerie Plame's name for political purposes.

Could it be any more apparent that Robert Novak is completely comfortable being a tool of the Republican propaganda machine?

That Fitz is not prosecuting Novak for breaching the official secrets act, tells you that Fitz has a much better grasp of the priciples on a healthy functioning democracy than does the Bush adminstration, which wants to try the New York Times for treason.

Posted by: O'Reilly at July 13, 2006 11:36 AM

174

Have Nazi America and Israel become members in the axis of evil? What I do not understand centers around the question of why Israel would have such close ties to a Nazi country? I thought that the memory of WW II would be left in the dust?

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:44 AM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:49 AM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:53 AM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 11:55 AM

178

A paragraph from Nazi America has taught Israel well -

We present this clear message: If Israel will not allow Palestinians to live in peace, dignity and national integrity, Israelis themselves will not be able to enjoy those same rights. Meanwhile, our right to defend ourselves from occupying soldiers and aggression is a matter of law, as settled in the Fourth Geneva Convention. If Israel is prepared to negotiate seriously and fairly, and resolve the core 1948 issues, rather than the secondary ones from 1967, a fair and permanent peace is possible. Based on a hudna (comprehensive cessation of hostilities for an agreed time), the Holy Land still has an opportunity to be a peaceful and stable economic powerhouse for all the Semitic people of the region. If Americans only knew the truth, possibility might become reality.

Nazi America does not want the Middle East to be an economic powerhouse!!! Nazi America is glorified through global tensions.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:02 PM

179

War is a narcotic.

War is a narcotic. War gives certain people a high. Bush is a drug addict who says he has recovered but the Iraq war is an addictive narcotic that gives bush his daily high. He says that he has recovered but you never recover from an addictive personality. The longer a war lasts the more power goes to the government.

We start hating through language and from language we start to want to kill people. War gives the addictive personality meaning. Bush cannot exist without war. The state begins to define our being. The state must control us in order for us to kill. We cannot look at another person as part of humanity. Friends do not want war. You must, in war, want to kill and a person cannot be a friend to a person whom he is out to kill. People become intoxicated in war toward killing. You lose yourself and your identity as a human person in war.

If you oppose war, you court physical violence to yourself by the nationalists who desire and crave killing and war. You need moral courage to oppose war in America, a land that is overrun by nationalists who want killing and war.

Human beings do not want to kill other human beings. bush and cheney are not human beings because they want to kill human beings. bush and cheney turned away from people who had empathy for us after 9/11. We had an opportunity to build friendships but we became racists.

The republican party possesses extremists who are doing great damage to our relations in the world. Once you become violent, you hang onto and remain violent because you cannot behave any other way. Violence comes back to haunt a country. Our violence to other countries will come back to haunt us. We do not have the right to control other people.

I TRULY BELIEVE THAT BUSH AND CHENEY ARE PLANNING A TERRORIST ATTACK INSIDE THE USA THROUGH A COVERT OPERATION WITH THE JACKALS (CIA) SO THEY CAN REMAIN IN CONTROL AND IN POWER FOREVER.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:05 PM

180

I just watched David Corn being bullied on Fox today, by a right wing nutcase. Corn could not get in a word. Corn kept saying Joe-Joe-Joe. It was pathetic!

Posted by: Bugs at July 13, 2006 12:06 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:12 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:16 PM

183

Economic Hit Men

I listened to the John Perkins interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now. It was a great interview. America works in three stages to control a country.

Stage One
Economic hit men go into a country and they offer loans to help build up the country. If the country cannot pay back the loan, we take over the majority of the resources for our giant corporations like Bechtel and Halliburton. If the leader of a country does not want to deal with us, we send in the jackals.

Stage Two
The jackals are CIA operatives who are sent into a country to assassinate the leader and overthrow the government. If that does not work, we send in the military.

Stage Three
The military goes into control a country like in Desert Storm. Saddam Hussein did not want to accept loans and become a puppet of the American government. Desert Storm was to soften up Saddam Hussein but he remained a hardliner and so in 2003 shock and awe bombings commenced. I thought it was for the oil but John Perkins said that Iraq also has the water, such as the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers. There is also a feeling that the House of Saud is losing control and Iraq would be a good strategic base for American interests. We are really not spreading our democracy we are spreading our corporate influences over these countries.

What is truly amazing is that Stages One, Two, and Three are overt today and not covert. America has accepted bush as her god and so he can do whatever pleases him.

Americans, for some reason, believe that other countries are corrupt but we are not corrupt and Americans just cannot believe that we are the empire that leads in corruption. America is the most corrupt country on planet, Earth.

America and China are on a collision course toward the end time and the rapture that should make the Nazis and Taliban of America very happy. A nuclear holocaust will bring on the end time and the rapture.

I know that there are people who want to muzzle my posts but I am only sharing information and I am only the messenger. The messages hurt but they must be conveyed to you.

May God have mercy on America!

P.S. Nazi America is an evil and vile country.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:21 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:24 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:29 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:32 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:37 PM

188

Where are the true Republicans when we need them? Where are the true Republicans fighting for state rights? If a state has a law that better protects its citizens, such as in the area of public health, then that law should override a federal law that intends to kill off American citizens.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 12:56 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 01:12 PM

190

Aside from the legal issue is the underlying ethical issue of Novak's decision to reveal Valerie Plame's status despite express CIA objections.

I haven't followed every twist and turn closely enough to know if Novak has ever addressed that particular issue. But I think he needs to be called to account on that score once again in the wake of all the brouhaha about the NY Times and its "treason" in disclosing the surveillance of SWIFT transactions. How many senators stood up and accused Bob Novak of treason when he jeopardized CIA undercover operations and personnel and how transparent a double standard is that?

Posted by: Darrell Delamaide at July 13, 2006 01:51 PM

191

Hey Don and RS, what's up with your hero Hugo?

Hey Gerald, here's your real Hitler!

Venezuela Bishops Concerned by Chavez's Militarization

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Hugo Chavez Limits Gas Supplies to U.S.

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Roman Catholic leaders Wednesday criticized what they called the militarization of Venezuelan society and the persecution of government opponents.

The comments the Venezuelan bishops' conference are the latest by a church body that has been among President Hugo Chavez's most vocal critics, accusing him of accumulating too much power.

"Venezuela is seeing with astonishment and moral disapproval the promotion of a war-like environment and the militarization of society, including the creation of civilian militias," said Bishop Ovidio Perez, reading from a document outlining the concerns of the Venezuelan bishops' conference.

Posted by: LBH at July 13, 2006 01:58 PM

192

Just jumped in to report the news on the Mideast escalation. As you all probably know, Israel took out three runways at the Beirut airport about six hours ago.

The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) have now committed a second attack against the reserve fuel tanks at the Beirut Airport.

Shit, people. Here goes the big boom Den.

I'll check in later today.

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 02:50 PM

193

Capt., James, Den, Jeanne, Micki, O'Reilly, Robert, Don, Gerald, Alan, all of you. We knew this was coming.

Israel did the start-up by pressuring Hamas which lead to the kidnapping of the Israeli soldier. I would say our predictions were pretty much on target.

The rest is to be expected. Syria's involvement etc.

This isn't good, is it?!

For your viewing pleasure, Ann Coulter will be on Hardball tonight. I say this with forked tongue.

Posted by: Carey at July 13, 2006 02:57 PM

194

#30 Red Alert. It will be interesting.. whether we witness David write about the "disproportionate response" by Israel.

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 03:12 PM

195

Isn't it lovely how the Mr. Bush (41) went and paid his respects to the dearly departed Kenny Boy. Isn't it telling how Babs and Mr. Baker also went.

Cronyism lives on. Even beyond the grave.

A little historical note to LBH, who no doubt doesn't care a fig.

The Catholic Church in South America has been bifurcated for a long time between the fascist supporters of the likes of Pinochet, and the supporters of the liberation theology, such as Archbishop Romero, who was gunned down while celabrating Mass.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 13, 2006 03:16 PM

196

#I hope and pray Rove had to turn on Cheney. This seemed to be the only way he could get off Fitzgerald's hook.

#In 6 years Bush said a few things that I agreedw with. He has stated on numerous occasions that Israel should immediately stop the expansion of illegal settlements. Although he has not done anything at all to pressure Israel to stop their persistent illegal and inflammatory behaviour.

"However, Erakat welcomed Bushճ call on Israel to stop the expansion of settlements.

҉ believe this is the key to everything,ӠErakat said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. ҆ailure to adhere to the president's call to stop all settlement activity literally means we will not be able to talk about the two-state solution, vision or no vision.ӊ

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 03:21 PM

197

Note to DMR -

I'd wager that 99.7% of readers here will do just as I have and scroll right through all your message.

Succinctness has its place.

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

Wilson: Novak, admin 'completely distort' Plame facts

Robert Novak, some other commentators and the Administration continue to try to completely distort the role that Valerie Wilson played with respect to Ambassador Wilson's trip to Niger," Wilson said in a statement today. "The facts are beyond dispute."

Wilson re-iterates what he contends to be the facts in the Plame Affair.

"The Office of the Vice President requested that the CIA investigate reports of alleged uranium purchases by Iraq from Niger. The CIA setup a meeting to respond to the Vice President's inquiry. Another CIA official, not Valerie Wilson, suggested to Valerie Wilson's supervisor that the Ambassador attend that meeting. That other CIA official made the recommendation because that official was familiar with the Ambassador's vast experience in Niger and knew of a previous trip to Africa concerning uranium matters that had been undertaken by the Ambassador on behalf of the CIA in 1999. Valerie Wilson's supervisor subsequently asked her to relay a request from him to the Ambassador that he would like the Ambassador to attend the meeting at the CIA. Valerie Wilson did not participate in the meeting."

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 13, 2006 03:22 PM

198

Israel has all ready lost their integrity by continually refusing to abide by UN resolution 242 and 338. They have all ready lost any integrity that they "may" have had as they continue to refuse to sign onto the NOn-Proliferation Treaty that they demand others abide by.

When Israel continually "disproportionately responds" they do not improve their situation they only turn world opinion against them. They only perpetuate the violence.

HMMMMMM maybe this is just what the U.S. and Israel want.

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 03:28 PM

199

"I'd wager that 99.7% of readers here will do just as I have and scroll right through all your message."

You are correct, sir. Ha ha ha.

PS: No, you didn't win.

Posted by: Ed McMahon at July 13, 2006 03:29 PM

200

DMR many of us appreciate well thought out opposing views.

Coulter is not a good example for well thought out opposing views. She is a radical viper, her only wish is to get media attention.

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 03:32 PM

201

SURE ISRAEL WANTS PEACE..RIGHT.....
Israel blockades Lebanon
Thu Jul 13, 2006
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Israel blockaded Lebanese ports and struck Beirut airport and two military airbases on Thursday, expanding reprisals that have killed 55 civilians in Lebanon since Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers a day earlier.

Hizbollah fighters rained more than 80 rockets on northern Israel in their heaviest bombardment in a decade, hitting Israel's third largest city, Haifa, the Israeli army said.

Israeli ambassador to the United States Daniel Ayalon told reporters in Washington the strike on Haifa was a "major, major escalation" but Hizbollah, a group backed by Iran and Syria, denied it had fired on the port city.


There were no immediate reports of casualites in Haifa, a city of 250,000 people. One woman was killed and 43 people wounded in the other rocket attacks, Israeli medics said.

The violence was the fiercest since 1996 when Israeli troops still occupied part of south Lebanon. It coincided with a major Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip to try to retrieve a captured soldier and halt Palestinian rocket fire.

President Bush voiced concern about the fate of Lebanon's anti-Syrian government, but offered no direct criticism of the punishment Israel is meting out.

"Israel has the right to defend herself," he said in Germany. "Secondly, whatever Israel does should not weaken the ... government in Lebanon."

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack later reiterated the U.S. charge that Iran and Syria were to blame for the escalation, calling Hizbollah "subcontractors" in terrorism for the two countries.

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 03:35 PM

202


THIS IS WHAT ISRAEL IS UP TO.
Clean Break:
A New Strategy for Securing the RealM
Following is a report prepared by The Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studiesՠ"Study Group on a New Israeli Strategy Toward 2000." The main substantive ideas in this paper emerge from a discussion in which prominent opinion makers, including Richard Perle, James Colbert, Charles Fairbanks, Jr., Douglas Feith, Robert Loewenberg, David Wurmser, and Meyrav Wurmser participated. The report, entitled "A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm," is the framework for a series of follow-up reports on strategy.

Israel has a large problem. Labor Zionism, which for 70 years has dominated the Zionist movement, has generated a stalled and shackled economy. Efforts to salvage Israelճ socialist institutionsѷhich include pursuing supranational over national sovereignty and pursuing a peace process that embraces the slogan, "New Middle East"ѵndermine the legitimacy of the nation and lead Israel into strategic paralysis and the previous governmentճ "peace process." That peace process obscured the evidence of eroding national critical massѠincluding a palpable sense of national exhaustionѡnd forfeited strategic initiative. The loss of national critical mass was illustrated best by Israelճ efforts to draw in the United States to sell unpopular policies domestically, to agree to negotiate sovereignty over its capital, and to respond with resignation to a spate of terror so intense and tragic that it deterred Israelis from engaging in normal daily functions, such as commuting to work in buses.

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 03:38 PM

Posted by: caroline at July 13, 2006 03:41 PM

204

Coulter is not a good example for well thought out opposing views.

I seen her lie her azz off in a clip I watched last night. The question was a perfect one... let's go back a few years, you have half a trillion bucks to spend on the war on terror, would you spend any of it by invading Iraq? (thas paraphrasing the question... it's not word-for-word)... and she said YES! She tried to support that by lying about Saddam again, that he was a threat to us, etc... She even brought up Jamie Gorelick (sp ck) and "the wall"... more lies. The bitch needs an enema or something, cause she's completely full of shyt. There were other b/s answers of course, in a 25-minute interview, but those were two of the blatant ones.

Posted by: Alan at July 13, 2006 03:42 PM

205

SURE LOOKS LIKE THE ISRAELI MOSSAD IS AT IT AGAIN. BUILDING UP REASONS FOR MILITARY ACTIONS AGAINST IRAN. THEY MUST BE SAD NOT TO HAVE "ISRAELI FIRSTER" JUDITH MILLER TO HELP SPREAD THEIR LIES AT THE NEW YORK TIMES ANY LONGER. MAN THOSE RADICAL RIGHT WINGERS WILL STOP AT NOTHING. THE TRUTH IS ALWAYS DISPENSABLE


WHEN WILL THE ISRAELI GOVERNMNET SHARE THE "CONCRETE EVIDENCE" THAT HEZBOLLAH PLANS TO MOVE THE ABDUCTED ISRAELI SOLDIERS TO IRAN. OR WOULD THAT EVIDENCE BE SOME MORE HOGWASH AS USUAL.

13/07/2006
Israel: Hezbollah plans to move abducted IDF soldiers to Iran
By Amos Harel and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondents

Israel has concrete evidence that Hezbollah plans to transfer the two Israel Defense Forces soldiers abducted Wednesday to Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Thursday.

"We have concrete evidence that Hezbollah plans to transfer the kidnapped soldiers to Iran. As a result, Israel views Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran as the main players in the axis of terror and hate that endangers not only Israel, but the entire world," AFP quoted Deputy Director General of the Foreign Ministry Gideon Meir as saying.


Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 03:47 PM

206

Cut The Traitor Talk

Tell Republicans to Cut the Traitor Talk and Chart a New Course. We Need a Real Plan for Victory No More Just Sitting and Watching.

We hope to deliver 50,000 names to the Speaker of the House, asking them to cut the traitor talk and start to get a change of direction in Iraq if you believe this Republican Congress has abdicated its responsibility long enough, please join us.

More HERE

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

We should help the war hero. I will sign the petition. I hope all of you do too!

capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 03:54 PM

207

Caroline,

Would have been a jinx but I had to scroll past a nearly 7,000 word dump from someone that send his letters to the president here?

capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 03:58 PM

208

Will the Israeli attacks on Lebanese civilian infrastructure be a factor at the G-8 meeting, I wonder. Indicators seem to point to the U.S. being kind of passive on this event -- I wonder when bush is going to send an envoy to help defuse this situation, instead of passively sitting by and watching things escalate (further) out of control --in similar fashion to what John Murtha said about Rove sitting on his fat behind and watching the debacle in Iraq get worse.

(The bushevikian cheerleaders are lunatics, IMO.)


Posted by: micki at July 13, 2006 03:59 PM

209

To the blog in general:

I enjoy opposing views but will not post to a serial blog abuser.

I am offended that anybody does. Why encourage that sort of a thing?

I would hope for an opposing view that is reasonable. 7,000 words in back to back posts within minutes of each other is an abuse of the blog not a "reasonable opposing view" (IMHO)

It is the same as a single post. Same abuse as before.

I guess I am being unreasonable?

capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 04:00 PM

210

U.S. Finishes A 'Strong Second' In Iraq War

BAGHDADсfter 19 months of struggle in Iraq, U.S. military officials conceded a loss to Iraqi insurgents Monday, but said America can be proud of finishing "a very strong second."

"We went out there, gave it our all, and fought a really good fight," said Gen. George W. Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq. "America's got nothing to be ashamed of. We outperformed Great Britain, Poland, and a lot of the other top-notch nations, but Iraq just wouldn't stay down for the count. It may have come down to them simply wanting it more."

American tanks and infantry surged out to an impressive early lead in March 2003, scoring major points by capturing Baghdad early in the faceoff. The stage seemed set for a second American victory in as many clashes with Iraq, with commentators and generals alike declaring the contest all but decided with the fall of Tikrit in April 2003.

"In spite of jumping out to an early lead and having the better-trained, better-equipped team, I'm afraid we still came up short in the end," Casey said. "Sometimes, the underdog just pulls one out on you. But there's no reason for the guys who were out in the field to feel any shame over this one. They played through pain and injury and never questioned the strategy, even when we started losing ground."

"The troops were great out there," Casey continued. "It's not their fault the guys with the clipboards just couldn't put this one away."

More HERE

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

Old news, we never came in second because we are going to be last. The coalition was - what - four or five countries? So we will be about fourth or fifth.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 04:07 PM

211

Former CIA officer sues Cheney over leak
The lawsuit accuses Cheney, Libby, Rove and 10 unnamed administration officials or political operatives of putting the Wilsons and their children's lives at risk by exposing Plame.

I predict near silence from the SCLM.

Posted by: eyes_open at July 13, 2006 04:12 PM

212

How do I make a hyperlink?

A link is done with something called the Anchor tag.

The anchor tag looks like this:

 <A HREF="pagename.html">Link Here</A>

Anything that appears between the begin and end anchor tags will take you to the specified destination when clicked.


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

Anybody who wants to learn how to hyperlink and cannot use the above, drop me an email I would be happy to help.


capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 04:14 PM

213

Eye's,

That is some welcome news but I assume Cheney will invoke national security and quash any suit, a lawsuit will threaten their job security on a national level.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 04:17 PM

214

Capt,
Or maybe they get very light taps on the wrists so that could somehow be distorted into the fullfilling of Bush's vow to taking care of those involved in the leak.

Maybe it's time to once again remind some visitors that we are allowed to post here on David Corn's dime? If you have something long to post that isn't already online there are many free webspace providers to upload and then link to so as not to waste bandwidth here.

Posted by: eyes_open at July 13, 2006 04:24 PM

215

Plame sues White House figures over CIA leak

Former CIA officer and husband file lawsuit against Cheney, Libby, Rove


WASHINGTON - The CIA officer whose identity was leaked to reporters sued Vice President Dick Cheney, his former top aide and presidential adviser Karl Rove on Thursday, accusing them and other White House officials of conspiring to destroy her career.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Valerie Plame and her husband, Joseph Wilson, a former U.S. ambassador, accused Cheney, Rove and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby of revealing Plame's CIA identity in seeking revenge against Wilson for criticizing the Bush administration's motives in Iraq.

Several news organizations wrote about Plame after syndicated columnist Robert Novak named her in a column on July 14, 2003. Novak's column appeared eight days after Wilson alleged in an opinion piece in The New York Times that the administration had twisted prewar intelligence on Iraq to justify going to war.

More HERE

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

More national security issues. I think too many took the SCOTUS too seriously. Busheney did not and will not. What other court will have ANY effect? None as far as I can tell.

They are above the law. That is what happens when you have a POTUS "asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution."

Obviously this WH and the GOPhers will be screaming "constitutional crisis" and continue to assert except because of war time powers.

This might get a little interesting.

I wonder if the military had to choose who would they listen to? It is suppose to be three co-equal branches. Even during wartime. Maybe this is just part of a momentum that will sort some of the issues.

capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 04:26 PM

216

Israel is on the warpath over what? Three soldiers? I would not put it past them to have abducted the soldiers just to start this mini-war on two fronts.

It is no wonder they are hated in the region. Well armed bullies with the blessings of the US.

Their actions speak louder than their words. THUGS!

Posted by: DEN at July 13, 2006 04:27 PM

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 04:39 PM

218

It is no wonder they are hated in the region. Well armed bullies with the blessings of the US.

Their actions speak louder than their words. THUGS!

Den

What an idiot! They were attacked and are responding. You people are hopeless........

Posted by: LBH at July 13, 2006 04:40 PM

219

Two articles from the #218 article -

The ongoing saga has once again demonstrated the absurdity of unilateralism as a viable and secure solution. And yet, the Olmert government is using the kidnapping of the soldier to undermine the historic agreement Hamas has reached with PA President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party over a unity government and de facto recognition of and negotiations with Israel, its sworn enemy.

Whether we like it or not, Hamas, like Hezbollah, is mostly a byproduct of an oppressive occupation, not the other way around. That's why refraining from excessive use of force and concentrating all efforts on a negotiated end to the occupation is paramount. Otherwise, Israel will only increase Hamas's popularity and push it back to clandestinity and war.


Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 04:45 PM

220

Eye's,

Tap on the wrist is right no matter what the outcome. Look back on the Iran-contra scandal, convicts are pardoned and are still in the loop. Some still working in government.

*sigh*

Seems like there is a snowballing effect of trouble for Busheney that I never thought would happen.

Time will tell but I bet this WH has every slot in their master week-at-a-glance filled in. After the midterms they will be unleashed.


capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 04:47 PM

221

These days are truly glorified times for the devil incarnate nation, a.k.a. The United States of America.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 04:47 PM

222

Whether we like it or not, Hamas, like Hezbollah, is mostly a byproduct of an oppressive occupation, not the other way around.

Gerald

Ted Bundy was abused as a child, should we excuse his behavior? Should his parents be responsible for his murders?


Gerald, so you condone suicide bombings? What kind of Catholic are you?

Posted by: LBH at July 13, 2006 04:50 PM

223

Capt I appreciate your linking, but give up the unnecessary criticism. If I post a few partial articles which take up a bit of space..give it up. Your linking takes up plenty of space. People can respond to whomever they please.

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 04:52 PM

224

There is one MAJOR difference between Nazi Israel and Nazi America. Nazi Israel cares about her soldiers. Nazi America sees her soldiers as cannon fodder.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 04:53 PM

225

I agree LBH being oppressed is often the reason for knee jerk and violent responses.

You gave the example of Ted Bundy being abused as a child. That that is not an excuse for his pathological and criminal behaviour. It does help one understand the behaviour.

This thinking also applies to Israel's violent, illegal, and disproportionate responses.

later

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 04:57 PM

226

I am a sinful Catholic who hopes to be a work in progress as a Christian. I believe in dialogue. I believe in forgiveness. I believe in love and mercy. I believe in justice and peace. I believe in Shalom. I believe in The Beatitudes.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 04:57 PM

227

capt, thank you for reminding people about linking. You were my teacher. Maybe I never stopped to thank you. Well, it's never too late. Thank you!

Posted by: caroline at July 13, 2006 04:58 PM

228

#217 Den. I would not putting anything pass Mossad or the Israeli Firsters.

Place your bets will David Corn write anything about this conflict?

Posted by: kathleen at July 13, 2006 04:59 PM

229

I believe in the true God and in nonviolence.

Vow of Nonviolence

Recognizing the violence in my own heart, yet trusting in the goodness and mercy of God, I vow for one year to practice the nonviolence of Jesus who taught us in the Sermon on the Mount: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. You have learned how it was said, "You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy"; but I say to you, "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. In this way, you will be daughters and sons of your Creator in heaven."

Before God the Creator and the Sanctifying Spirit, I vow to carry out in my life the love and example of Jesus
ቢy striving for peace within myself and seeking to be a peacemaker in my daily life;
ቢy accepting suffering rather than inflicting it;
ቢy refusing to retaliate in the face of provocation and violence;
ቢy persevering in nonviolence of tongue and heart;
ቢy living conscientiously and simply so that I do not deprive others of the means to live;
ቢy actively resisting evil and working nonviolently to abolish war and the causes of war from my own heart and from the face of the earth.

God, I trust in Your sustaining love and believe that just as You gave me the grace and desire to offer this, so You will also bestow abundant grace to fulfill it.

Posted by: Gerald at July 13, 2006 05:06 PM

230

Caroline (and others that have learned)

If I helped I am a happy camper! I truly enjoy being of some utility other than serving as a verbal punching bag for some that are a bit defensive.

You are all sincerely welcome and thanks really goes to Chris and Pande who helped me to learn.

H/T to the Mac daddy and our Chris (currently MIA)


capt

Posted by: capt at July 13, 2006 05:21 PM

231

What kind of Catholic are you?
Posted by: LBH at July 13, 2006 04:50 PM

Pande thinks LBH has a learning disability and cannot learn to link. I don't think LBH is stupid, I think he's ignorant.

Posted by: . at July 13, 2006 07:11 PM

232

David,

You seem to have left out an important fact; Joseph Wilson indicated his wife was a CIA officer in his submission to Who's Who well before the publication of the article by Novak. Novak has stated on several occasions for the media this fact. So, although other sources may exist, Joeseph Wilson is source #1. This alone voids the current civil lawsuit against Libby, Rove, and Cheney; unless Joseph Wilson and his legal team desire to sue - Joseph Wilson?

Posted by: Scott at July 14, 2006 09:28 AM

233

I think everyone needs to understand the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and that this is not a 19th, 20th or 21st century struggle. If you want to be educated, please refer to the timeline at Ohio State University: http://aaas.ohio-state.edu/projects/ehistory/middleeast/timeline.cfm Note that Israel was started in 1125 BC. Muhammad was not born until 570 AD who claimed Palestine to be holy to Muslims and designated Jerusalem as the first qibla, which is the direction in which Muslims face when praying. So, based on history, Jews have the historical right to Paltestine and have been gracious to unoccupy Gaza and parts of the West Bank to allow the formation of the Palestinian State. Hamas and Hezbollah backed by Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and most notably Iran really have a single goal, which is the comlete elimination of Israel and the Jewish people.

Posted by: Scott at July 14, 2006 09:56 AM

234

Stating that something is "classified" and that, therefore, any disclosure about that thing whatever should be some sort of decapitating offense is hardly actionably precise. For example, to attend the annual air show at Andrews Air Force Base one must view many classified contraptions, an F-117 here, a B-2 there, etc. To write a sentence describing these machines as "black" in color, one has disclosed information about a classified program. A ham sandwich can both be indicted and classified "secret" in Washington, D.C. Ms. Plame's name may appear on classified documents, no doubt. That does not mean that she, herself, is a classified or secretly held identity. Lack of action from Mr. Fitzgerald on this point speaks volumes.

Posted by: Dan Riordan at July 14, 2006 10:42 AM

235

What an absurd circus at the so-called National Press Club today. Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson held what has to be called an "announcement" since it can't be called a "press conference" in spite of the fact of the venue and the presence of multiple crews of 'The Press'. It can be deduced that the true purpose of the 'announcement' was a trolling exercise seeking free publicity as the principals sought staff for their vessel and legend for the mission to come. The fetching Plame's spirit burned brightly with the obsession of an Ahab as she held forth from the poop deck before those in attendance upon the USS P-Club (pronounced 'Pequod') ,conveyance of many a glorious quest and well-known White Whaling vessel. They could only watch as she explained Her Motivation, a mighty White, rogue force of Nature, was on the loose. It had eaten her identity, on purpose. This particular whale knew what it had done and it needed to be harpooned. Inciting lust for the chase, the distressed damsel displayed an avenging ardor and presented an inspiring iconic image of a Knight all in Bill Blass White pursuing her prey. As yet it is unknown if the P-Club, carrying around all those 'anchors' will be able to catch the offending quarry, reputed to have magical means of transport, and maintain focus upon the legitimacy of the chase itself as the seasons pass. Ishmael, oh, Ishmael.

Posted by: Dan Riordan at July 15, 2006 02:16 AM

236

Listen, anybody who's been paying attention knows that Plame outed herself. And it's common knowledge around D.C. that her husband often introduced her at cocktail parties as "my wife Valerie Plame, CIA NOC and WMD specialist."

So look, if the Wilson's had a shred of integrity, they'd sue themselves. Sort of like when Sheriff Bart took himself hostage in Blazing Saddles. End of story. Got that, pinkos? Now go burn a flag and kiss a terrorist, you weak, worthless scum.

Posted by: Elmer F. at July 15, 2006 04:23 AM

237

What seems to keep getting lost in all the Plame/Wison/Administration chatter is the fact that Joe Wilson was right - Iraq did not attempt to get yellow cke from Niger and the documents spurring his trip ored to be forgeries. It's like a playground drama. "oh yeah, well you're wife's a CIA agent!" I wish someone with a bullhorn would remind everyone that Wilson was right and the suit he and his wife filed is just more distraction to allow Bush et al to continue changing the debate.

Posted by: MI Angola at July 15, 2006 11:10 PM

238

Wrong. Iraq did ATTEMPT to get Uranium out of Niger, but did not actually get any.

Posted by: Scott at July 16, 2006 05:20 PM

239

In this great country at the highest level of our government, a group called the The White House Iraq Group was formed and was led by the Vice President of the United States.

This WHIG decided to discredit an Iraq war critic, and in the process out his wife, a CIA agent with non-official cover and classified status. In addition, her non-official cover Brewster Jennings was destroyed at no small cost to Americans in time, taxes and intelligence capability in nuclear weapon proliferation.

The Republican noise machine is so loud and effective, they've got patriotic americans cheering for the corrupt government war policy, for the petty politics of destruction, for the reporter who published classified information; and against the victims, two lifetime public servants.

Posted by: O'Reilly at July 17, 2006 06:43 PM

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