Reich does have a point. The Dems should not go overboard with Bush payback. But a few investigations into the abuses and excesses of the Bush years (say, the corruption in contracting in Iraq) would be justified and warranted. Yet Dems should realize that congressional hearings on policy matters (as important as they can be) are not likely, as Reich notes, to "help America dream again."

You know, David, if I break the law, I get arrested, they try me, and if they find me guilty I go to jail. Nobody asks if trying me is going to "help America dream again."

Why is George W. Bush any better than me?

Good point Don. But why go after only Bush. How many others have broke the law on both sides? The only way to "help america dream again" is to clean all the corrupt people out.

Reich goes to far and needs to get out on the streets and into the malls. Reich needs to hang out at a few gas stations and talk to the people.

Americans.. Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike ( I have engaged thousands of people on the streets in conversations by knocking on doors for other reasons like registering voters). They want to witness this Republican controlled congress (soon to change) hold someone or someone's accountable, especially for the false pre-war intelligence that was used by the Bush administration to illegally invade the sovereign nation of Iraq. Where are the results of Phase II of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence? Is Republican Senator Pat Roberts still stonewalling? Will Senator Reid have to shut down the Senate again to put this back on the media's radar?

If a Republican controlled congress found it important enough to hold a President accountable for lying about a BLOW JOB I can tell you David they are waiting waiting waiting for this Republican controlled congress to hold those accountable for the INTELLIGENCE SNOW JOB that has resulted in tens of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians and soldiers and American and coalition soldiers.

Many of the same individuals (Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, James Woolsey, Cheney, Micheal Ledeen) who lied our nation into this quagmire in Iraq have not been held accountable. In fact because they have not been held accountable they have been able to inflame the situation with Iran pushing the Bush administration towards military action in there.

This Republican controlled congress has clearly demonstrated to the American Public what their priorities are....BLOW JOBS...not INTELLIGENCE SNOW JOBS. They have to go.
( Ohio Republican Senator Dewine has been one of the most negligent, he sits on the Intelligence committee,)

Reich has gone too far with his theory. I encourage him to get out and talk to more American citizens.

David I am talking to the elderly they are pissed. The Democrats should not play it too cool, when the people are hot under the collar about this group of right wing radicals. They do need to select their words carefully.

ACCOUNTABLITY IS THE KEY WORD AND ACTION.

Accountability is one aspect of good government. A two-prong approach might work best; new policies and public reckoning on the most grevious violations of our systems of laws.

If you gotem on the Ropes, keep em on the Ropes. I say kick em in the head if you gotem down!!

Since when has "justice" become political pay-back?

I guess that happened when telling the truth and following the constitution became seditious. Maybe back when counting the votes - all of the votes - was just another kind of political ploy. Way back when we cared about the morals and values of the chief executive and his sex life. Back when the issues of peace and America as a non-aggressor nation were part of our national identity and civic pride.

But hey, we should give monkey-boy a pass on everything because it might not sell well with some of the more sensitive Americans, you know the ones that hate truth and justice?

Sounds too much like relative morals and personified justice. Is that what we should be doing? Allow the little king a pass? Let him violate any law, let him dictate what laws he and his minions will and will not obey?

Does that set the right standard? What should the next president be allowed because keeping it legal might not "play well" or might violate political cover.

Truth and justice (like peace) are the hard jobs and no such thing as cutting corners.

"In the part of this universe that we know there is great injustice, and often the good suffer, and often the wicked prosper, and one hardly knows which of those is the more annoying." ~ Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

We either hold Bush to account or he will rub our collective noses in his BS - we have yet too see his real lame duck side. I bet after the midterms we will all wish something had been done if for no other reason - keeping the warmonger too busy to start another conflict based wholly on his previous catastrophic successes.

capt

Accountability is not going to happen, why when it gets mentioned at all it is the word following terrorist. Think that all the effort going into the last five years is going to be thrown over just because people are pissed? Nope these guys have the hubris of roman emperors and will never willingly give up their power. If they aren't reinstated by these fraudulent elections, then they will go underground and try again by the back room deal route, no matter what the only way to root out this problem is by a large scale purging of this type of politics, and it doesn't look like that is likely. Besides the dems are all beside themselves with Hillary. Why I ask? Is this just another wet dream of the bush/clinton junta that wants to control the US for the foreseeable future? How much more of this has to go on before the sheeple wake up and figure out that if you change the cover you don't necessarily change the book. Is Hillary a palatable alternative for anyone with a brain? Not for me, I reckon the local plumber would make at least as good a president as any one of the current crop of wannabes. Hell at least then the pipes might not leak. And his cousin would get the contract not Halliburton. It is just going to be a matter of which shithead you want to be in the white house, and the way the economic outlook is I don't think it really matters.

You'll be sorely tempted to showcase the Bush administration in all its lurid awfulness. Imagine an endless parade of witnesses offering shocking details of....

and it WOULD be an endless parade of shocking details, and that would be just scratching the surface. no, better to ignore all of it and hope that it just eventually goes away.
after all, the worst is over. right?

as we run from the sun
and we harbour the lies
and we leave things undone
as we cover our eyes

STAYING THE COURSE OF COURSE!
- bushco '08

HRC is not the right person for the job.

Whether the DNC runs her or someone else we the people will have the same choice as always - between dumb and dumber - between this figurehead or that - between two that qualify and gain the important endorsement of the energy oligarchs.

I hope I am wrong.

capt

I'm still keeping my eyes, and especially ears, on Russ Feingold.

David,
I am not so quick to jump on the wagon with Riech. His message to pull back back is not shared by me.
Isn't it accountability that provides the checks and balances of the US system of governance? Accountability and governance are not mutually exclusive. The difficulty would be for the Democrats to priortize which one of Bush's trangressions to investigate. Remembering a thread you posted some months ago..."So many scandals..." Do we citizens just shrug and walk away? KKkRove hopes that is exactly what we do. I realize coming back from vacation has you a little rusty, but come on David! You of all people should be providing a pulpit in which to hold officials in this misadministration accountable for their lies and incompetence.

But thanks anyway, I suppose being a journalist in the beltway has been fatiguing for you. I do appreciate the forum you provide me and others to rant.

Later,
th

If I Was President

Dear Cornposters:

This is an open letter on If I Was President.
1. I would carry on more dialogue and less talk of shock and awe bombings or nuclear destructions.
2. I would see to it that our troops would have the equipment to fight a war but I would not start a war.
3. Loved ones like wife and children would have decent housing, schools, and recreational areas.
4. Our troops would be well paid and if they are killed or maimed their loved ones would receive full military pay of their husbands. If they had children money would set aside for financial aid to go to college or a trade school until the sons and/or daughters were 25 years old. Medical plan would the same as the Congressional medical plan or even better.
5. Every time Congress receives an increase in salary, the minimum wage would increase and so would the increase in soldiers' salaries or for their loved ones if the soldier was killed or maimed in the military service.
6. I would have a mothers committee of no more than twenty mothers to give recommendations about going to war or not going to war.
7. I would have Cindy Sheehan and Karen Kwiatkowski in my cabinet as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense respectively.
8. I would eliminate the Supreme Court because they are irrelevant. States have their Supreme Court and they are closer to the people; plus, the justices have to run for an elected position.
9. Congress would be given more say in passing laws.
10. I would tax the rich more because they have the most to lose.
11. If the military draft would be reinstated, the sons and daughters of the rich would be drafted first.
12. All athletic contests would be stopped in time of war because overpriced athletes should also sacrifice.
13. I would eliminate financial television and radio stations in time of war because I have heard too much talk about is war good for the economy?
14. The Supreme Court building would be renovated into a museum for the holocaust victims of Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine.
15. I would match the money that is given to Israel with Arab countries but not Saudi Arabia.
16. I would eliminate offshore tax shelters for the rich and for corporations.
17. I would tax religious organizations like those of Falwell, Robertson, Hagee, and Dobson.
18. Corporations with rigged electronic voting machines would be tried for treason.
19. I would work closely with countries and governments so they would improve the quality of life for all their citizens.
20. CEO salaries would be similar to the CEO salaries in Japan.
21. Our beautiful environment will be protected and a quality education will be available for all students, K-12 grades. Higher education and trade schools will be affordable for all students.
22. Employers who hire illegal immigrants would be heavily fined, such as $250,000 per illegal immigrant. Employers would also receive a jail sentence of one year per illegal immigrant.
23. I would put Christ back into the word, Christianity. I would not be afraid to say the word Jesus because it might offend someone. People who came to the White House during Christmas would be able to see the Christ child in plain view and not given an obscure setting. Our soldiers in Saudi Arabia would be permitted to show the Cross on Saudi soil.
24. I would encourage Israel to be the Light to the World. I would also encourage the Palestinians to work closely with Israel because they could transform their land in a similar way to be beautiful. I would also hope that Lebanon could again be the Paris of the Middle East.
25. I would help to end America's perpetual nightmares and I would help America dream again of love, mercy, justice, and peace.

These are some things that I would do If I Was President.

Sincerely,

Gerald

This is a third world war, International Islamic Terror has made its objectives and aims very clear.

-- Efraim Halevy, Mossad director from 1998 to 2002, told The Globe and Mail in an interview.

International Islamic Terror
IIT - what is that, a new corporation?

the nerve of those evil other guys, maniacally attacking us over there.

I'm somewhat pessimistic about the Dems chances in November, but with that said, if they do win the House, instead of spending the next two years on ugly recriminations, they should focus on getting our nation back on track. Show the American people and the world that the United States can recover from the awful maladministration of the busheviks.

Then in 2008, the voters would have a feeling of hope and perhaps a moderate could take the WH. After the presidential inauguration in January, 2009, the new administration could show the country and the world at large that we, as a nation, will hold people accountable for their actions. Those people (the bush gang) are not

There's a middle ground between "payback" and "letting 'em off the hook" -- developed properly, the effort to hold the scoundrels accountable does not have to be all about politics.

#16 slight change...

I'm somewhat pessimistic about the Dems chances in November, but with that said, if they do win the House, instead of spending the next two years on ugly recriminations, they should focus on getting our nation back on track. Show the American people and the world that the United States can recover from the awful maladministration of the busheviks.

Then in 2008, the voters would have a feeling of hope and perhaps a moderate could take the WH. After the presidential inauguration in January, 2009, the new administration could show the country and the world at large that we, as a nation, will hold people accountable for their actions. Those people (the bush gang) are not off the hook just because they are out of office.

There's a middle ground between "payback" and "letting 'em off the hook" -- developed properly, the effort to hold the scoundrels accountable does not have to be all about politics.

Justice and politics are not two sides of the same coin. They are comletely different entities.

One does not offset the other. How could they?

capt

Speaking of going too far...

I'm waiting for all of you conspiracy theorists to publicly admit here that your first (and always first) inclination to see terrorist threats as something manufactured by the President IS DEAD WRONG and morally indefensible!

It is truly disgusting to read the tripe some of you post on this issue. If I had the time, I'd go back and quote a few of the more outrageous claims made here recently.

I am referring, of course to the news of the arrests in the U.K. as well as the mounds of evidence uncovered so far that show without a doubt the threat was very real (and immediate!)

It's just a sign of the times that so many (?) people immediately doubt our government and law enforcement in general when it comes to the seriousness of the terrorism threats we face.

Well? Let's hear it folks.

...it could be about ethics, honesty, accountability, open government, laws (not men)....

Then I woke up...

"Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice, without constraint." ~ Alexander Hamilton (1755 - 1804)

#18 Yeah, I know. But it's called "perception" in the minds of the unperceptive..

Dear Cornposters, please, please go to smirkingchimp.com and read the many great articles for August 22, 2006. These articles are great reads!!!

Tim,

Don't worry about it. Most of these people are totally useless. They are the Democrats' worst nightmare. The American middle see them, and they have no alternative but to vote for Republicans, no matter how incompetent those Republicans are.

Fortunately, most of the posters do nothing but sit in front of their monitors railing at injustices, rather than trying to do something about them. They are the impotents of society, totally unproductive. They are to be pitied, not berated.

"Justice is truth in action." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

"Justice delayed is democracy denied." ~ Robert F. Kennedy (1925 - 1968)

"Justice is the greatest interest of man on earth." ~ Daniel Webster (1782 - 1852)

"Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

"Fraud is the ready minister of injustice." ~ Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)

Jobs in America?

Considering the loss of good jobs, the high debt burden, and the dependence on imports, it is unclear what will enable America to pull herself out of the next recession.

Perhaps growing ranks of the unemployed will become cannon fodder for Bush's wars in the Middle East.

Cannon fodder for Hitler's endless wars must come from somewhere!!!!!

It is now time to start killing them in large quantities.

Posted by: factchecker at August 13, 2006 11:41 PM

OFFICIAL! 9/11 Comic book!
(only $30.00 get one while it's hot!)

see the R-RUMBLE of wtc1&2 as the they mysteriously dissolve into powder while giant steel beams are ejected upwards and outwards!
marvel at the BLAMM! of flight77 slamming into the pentagon after skipping over the ground while not actually touching the ground!

oh IIT evil other guys, what have you done?

Factchecker,

Yes, you are right, but I just got my ire up while reading an article about the arrests today.

I can't pity them, however, because they say what they say with malice. I'll just remember to call them out when inevitably they start to spout off again after the next terroristic threat is thwarted by the forces for good.

Bush lied to start the illegal and unwise invasion of Iraq.

When the true believers wake up to THAT fact - moving forward with all the things the troll cannot straighten out on the own could be addressed.

Not before because to not admit the simple truth that Bush lied - there is not enough common ground or reality shared.

So how about those Bush lies? David wrote a book on it years ago, since then only more lies have been confirmed.

WSY?

capt

I am referring, of course to the news of the arrests in the U.K. as well as the mounds of evidence uncovered so far that show without a doubt the threat was very real (and immediate!)

Well, Tim, I don't know how immediate the threat was - some of these guys didn't even have passports yet. There are also reports that the Bush administration, needing some "good" news (Imminent terrorist threat! Hide under the bed and get Idiot Boy-King to protect us!), pressed British law enforcement officials to make their arrests earlier than they would have liked.

It's just a sign of the times that so many (?) people immediately doubt our government and law enforcement in general when it comes to the seriousness of the terrorism threats we face.

Perhaps if the Bush administration didn't shit the bed so much, people wouldn't "immediately doubt our government and law enforcement." The Bush administration and it's supporters use the threat of terrorism for political purposes; it is they who do not take terrorism seriously.

Spy,

Looks like the "comic book" format is just wha tht e doctor ordered for you simple-minded morons.

Maybe if you read it you'll get it.

Closing in on the Crawford Crimelord

For years -- years -- we have bashed and banged and clanged the bell on this theme over and over here at Empire Burlesque, and in the Moscow Times, and CounterPunch and anywhere else they'd let us come in with the hammer: George W. Bush and his minions are committing crimes -- actual crimes, clear-cut violations of American and international law, genuine offenses in the most literal sense, not just metaphorical transgressions against some moral law or political ideal. They are criminals by their own admission, have even boasted about their offenses: the unprovoked invasion of Iraq and all the putrid horror that has followed in its wake; the kidnapping of captives off streets all over the world and their "rendition" to secret prisons and foreign torture chambers; the "extrajudicial killing" -- i.e., murder -- of uncharged, untried individuals, including at least one American citizen; "taking the gloves off" on torture techniques that were carefully considered, in detail, in formal legal documents seen and signed by the highest government officials; and on and on.

Well, it's about time!!! Someone is finally hearing or reading my comments!!!

Don,

Just keep on dreaming. The clear of mind will let you know when it's time to wake up.

Gerald your just a useless piece of shit, no more, no less.

Tim,

That's all you got?

Lame.

Press Release
IHA/1224

Department of Public Information News and Media Division UN New York

Humanitarian Factsheet for Lebanon
The following has been prepared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): -- 1,183 dead and 4,054 wounded (according to Lebanon’≥ Higher Relief Council (HRC)). -- Approximately 140,000 returnees from Syria (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Governor of Homs ( Syria)).
Humanitarian Activities
Three Humanitarian Convoys Dispatched Today:
-- Beirut to Masnaa -- Six United Nations Children’≥ Fund (UNICEF) and 10 UNHCR trucks.
-- Beirut to Beiteddine -- Two World Food Programme (WFP) trucks.
-- Beirut to Majdil Silim -- Seven WFP trucks.
-- Total convoys to date: 52 humanitarian convoys have been dispatched since 26 July 2006 (WFP).
Tyre Humanitarian Hub:
-- Clean drinking water is priority concern -- 42 out of 70 villages have no water supply. Most villages’†water tanks and pipe networks have been destroyed or damaged. No villages have electrical power to operate water pumps.
-- Also, immediate need for mattresses, blankets, kitchen sets, jerry cans, hygiene kits, soap, lanterns and baby formula in the heaviest damaged areas.
-- Municipal authorities have requested construction materials, indicating that one-room units to be built by the community with support from humanitarian agencies.
Saida ( Sidon) Humanitarian Hub:
-- Entire region (except Marjayoun) heavily contaminated by unexploded ordnance; demining will take up to six months in the region of Nabatiye alone. -- Needs include bottled water for 200,000, as well as water storage tanks; supplementary food rations for 150,000; and household items and tents for 20,000.
-- Electricity still being rationed, which is affecting water supply -–†situation unlikely to improve in short-term. -- 460,000 people fed by WFP to date (2,621 metric tons of food), including 335,000 people in Lebanon and 125,000 Lebanese returnees from Syria. -- UNICEF provided essential drugs for 70,000 people and carried out a vaccination campaign against measles for 13,000 children and against polio for 9,000. -- UNICEF also delivered water for 135,000 (35,000 in Beirut, Aley, Metn and Chouf and 100,000 in Rmeish, Hasbayya and Tyre), as well as water kits for 80,000 throughout the country. -- United Nations has facilitated entry of 135,000 metric tons of fuel for the Government and aid agencies into Lebanon between 2 and 17 August. -- United Nations agencies have worked with the Government on a public awareness campaign on the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance -- TV and radio spots aired; 100,000 leaflets and 10,000 posters distributed.

Lebanon Flash Appeal
-- To date, just under $88.9 million committed to the $165 million Flash Appeal for Lebanon -- 54 per cent of requirements. Additional $6.4 million in pledges.

Erling,

I already gave to the Lebanon relief effort when I filled up my Suburban last week...

I can't pity them, however, because they say what they say with malice
- tim

It is now time to start killing them in large quantities.

Posted by: factchecker at August 13, 2006 11:41 PM

Don,

I just respond in kind. When you decide to post a serious response, you will likely get a serious reply.

Spy,

Apples do not equal Oranges... Well, duh!!!

God Willing

Dear Cornposters:

David Corn in his recent blog gives us Robert Reich's take on how the Democrats should deal with Bush. I have no problem with Mr. Reich's thoughts. However, I am not a politician and I am only a patriotic America who loves his country.

If God is willing and He permits me to live to 2010, I will come after the Nazis in the WH, Congress, and Supreme Court with reckless abandon with my posts. I will not let the Nazis in the WH, Congress, and Supreme Court continue to spew their demented, depraved, deranged, and diabolical ways upon the American public.

I will come after them like a junkyard dog with my fair and balanced posts!!!

Sincerely,

Gerald

Bush's Arab Dream Palace
Is it Narcissism?

Bush said again on Monday that he would keep US troops in Iraq until 2009 and argued that for the US to withdraw would send a bad message to reformers in the region. He said he is concerned about that talk of civil war in Iraq and seemed to admit that he isn't very happy most of the time about the way things are going, but added that he doesn't expect to be joyous in wartime. He admitted again that Saddam Hussein did not "order" 9/11, but went on to again link Baathist Iraq to the threat of terrorism against the US, an unproven charge.

More HERE

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

Whatever a shrink might call it Bush is not grounded in reality.

capt

OK, then David,

Just which list of attrocities should we not pursue?

Manufacturing "intelligence" and massaging information "stovepiped" to them to cow an already bovine congress and "Murkun Sheeple" into standing aside while driving this nation into an illegal and evil-gotten invasion of Iraq?

Howzabout the clear violation of the constitution that this malAdministration continues to engage in by spying on its own people without proper legal process?

Maybe just stay mute about the multiple "midnight renditions" of citizens and others to foreign nations for the purpose of torture?

Speaking of torture, should we forgive and forget the backlash of sentiment towards our nation coused by the policies of humiliation and torture, as an instituted policy in Guantanamo, Abu Garaib and elsewhere?

And lets not forget the utter (and hardly spoken of, lately) Clusterfornication that the federal gummint made of the destruction of New Orleans, post Katrina...

ETC, ETC, ad infinitum, ad nauseum....

Yeah, Mr.Reich, Mr. Corn...why would we want to persue JUSTICE for the hundreds of thousands of deaths, the destruction of billions of dollars in private property, the elimination of entire families and local cultures caused by the blatent MALmanagement of these traitorous criminals? I mean, why bother, there IS an election at stake!

Puh-Thetic!

-T

Oh, and thanks for the forum!

-T

ignored by the official 9/11 comic book is the fact that a 3rd skyscraper fell that day: wtc7.
wtc7, despite NOT being hit by an aluminum airplane with a plastic nosecone, and being subjected to minimal fires only, valiantly held out for 5 hours before collapsing in a heap, straight down thru the path of MOST resistance in 7 seconds flat. since wtc7 was a 47 story building, that means that it collapsed at a rate of 6.71 floors per second.

what did wtc lease-holder larry silverstein have to say about this extraordinary event?

I remember getting a call from the, er, fire department commander, telling me that they were not sure they were gonna be able to contain the fire, and I said, 'We've had such terrible loss of life, maybe the smartest thing to do is pull it.' And they made that decision to pull and we watched the building collapse.

what did wtc lease-holder larry silverstein mean by "pull it"? surely by pull it he meant pulling our leg.

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Lord Acton

Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.

Richard Armour

duh

Lieberman and Lamont Tied in Connecticut

Joe Lieberman and Ned Lamont are in a statistical tie in the race for United States Senate in Connecticut according to the latest survey from the American Research Group. Among likely voters in November, 44% say they would vote for Lieberman, 42% say they would vote for Lamont, 3% say they would vote for Alan Schlesinger, and 11% are undecided.

Lieberman leads Lamont 57% to 18% among enrolled Republicans and 48% to 38% among unaffiliated (independent) voters. Lamont leads Lieberman 65% to 30% among enrolled Democrats.

A total of 56% of likely voters have a favorable opinion of Lieberman and 41% have an unfavorable opinion of Lieberman. A total of 47% of likely voters have a favorable opinion of Lamont and 34% have an unfavorable opinion of Lamont.

More HERE

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

Some fun with numbers - reading the article I thought it read like a numbers game.

capt

In a Bible study class the deacon said that in order to be close to God we must love. The reason is that God is Love. Choose love over hate! While we are on the path to meet our Father, we must keep in mind that God will be the final judge. He will be waiting for us. Will He have His hands stretched to welcome us? Will the Supreme Creator of the Universe say "Welcome home My good and faithful friend. Come I have prepared a place for you."

If there is one word that I would want to hear from my Creator, the word is "friend". For the Supreme Creator of the Universe to call us "friend" is beyond comprehension. Or, for our God to say to us "I have come not to be served but to serve." That thought is also beyond comprehension. Remember the words of St. Ambrose "I shall pass this way but once, any good that I shall do let me do it now for I shall not pass this way again."

It's not where you start the race; it's where you finish the race. The race that I am talking about is the race to be with God. Being with God you will be declared a winner. God is a Winner and when you are on His team, you are a winner.

When we grown in love for God, we will need to be more concerned for the people at the bottom of the social scale, such as the poor and needy. We will never be able to truly love God until we do care for the poor and the needy of America and of the world. We do have a daunting task before us but with our love for God we will make our world a better place for all human beings.

Always remember that when we pray, we should pray to a God of mercy. Never pray to a God of justice. When we die, we want a merciful God to judge us. If God is a merciful God, we will all have a chance for salvation but if God is a just God, very few of us will have a chance for salvation.

Please keep your eyes on the prize. The prize is to have God's arms out stretched to hug us and say, "Welcome home My dear friend."

George Warmonger Bush is insane!!!!!

Mr. Corn, we've had this discussion already. If I'm a crooked politician, and see what Bush gets away with, why should I worry about anything bad happening to me? If he can do it, I can do it. Emboldened with the knowledge that the public is asleep and the talking heads discourage legal action, I can do whatever I want, up to and including: starting a false war on phone pretenses (with rampant torture!), dismantling civil liberties, and consolidating the military industrial complex in the hands of the few and the greedy - just to name a few. What's in it for the public? How do we fit in? How do we fight the people who own our lives? What say do we have when atrocities are committed in our names? You would have us roll over and hope for a better administration next time. Mr. Corn, this is nonsense. Stop thinking with this DC logic before it's too late.

#52 goob, Americans are the mirror image of Hitler Bush!!!

What say do we have when atrocities are committed in our names? You would have us roll over and hope for a better administration next time. Mr. Corn, this is nonsense. Stop thinking with this DC logic before it's too late.

yes mr. corn - your bushco tolerance smacks of enablement. you should write a new book:
"The Sort-Of Lies Of George W. Bush"

Return of the Taliban

But there is another reality which also helps the Taliban. When the Americans arrived in Kandahar, they also brought money, rebuilding projects, jobs and the hope of stability. Power was restored and the city had electricity, especially during the summer, when temperatures reach 55C. But the Americans also left the drug mafia and warlords intact. The former Kandahar governor, General Gulagha Shirzai, and the President's brother, Wali Karzai, who now heads the Provincial Council, have been accused of drug trafficking. They, and others like them, were America's allies.

Under the American administration, "warlordism" and poppy cultivation soared. Kandahar owed its new wealth in part to drug money. But with the shift from US to Nato forces, there came a "War on drugs" and Nato launched a relentless campaign to stop poppy cultivation. Using Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army, the Canadians and the British started to destroy the poppy fields, a policy which faced opposition from both the traffickers and the farmers.

Someone, again, has to clean up Bush's mess

When he was young, caretakers picked up his toys. When he was a dissolute adult, protectors covered up for his seedy, irresponsible behavior and dereliction of duty. When he was older, his father's friends cleaned up after his business failures.

Someone has always cleaned up Bush's messes for him. He's never had to or been able to do it himself.

Violent Crimes Rise

"The Bush administration has repeatedly cut federal funding for law enforcement, and I don't think the rise in violent crime we've seen recently is a coincidence," Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a written statement. "Because of these shortsighted budgeting decisions, the Bush administration has effectively abandoned our front-line defenders against crime and terrorism."

The Bush's budget is working hard for another 911!!!

"The Lies Of George W. Bush: that I have overlooked so as to avoid rocking the boat."

Neocons Are Busy Covering Their Asse(t)s

When you see the president of the bank headed out the door with one hand holding a satchel full of cash and the other his family pictures, it might be time to make a withdrawal yourself. If you hear your town's mayor has put his house up for sale, it may be time to unload your place as well.

The NeoCons claim their policies of endless war and huge deficits are going to preserve the "American way of life," but their personal actions must make anyone wonder whether they believe what they're telling the American people. If their policies sink the U. S., don't expect them to go down with the ship. They'll be enjoying the safety and stability of Europe where they're now stashing money and buying houses.

Maybe it's time you began to cover your asse(t)s.

The Nazi Americans are so transparent!!!

"There is no shame in not knowing; the shame lies in not finding out." ~ Russian proverb

"It is better to be defeated on principle than to win on lies." ~ Arthur Calwell

"I must stand up in search of the truth, if I don't I only roll with the flow of the lie and make it stronger." ~ Sovereign

"After all is said and done, a lot more will be said than done." ~ Unknown

It would be craven for Dems to suddenly call for impeachments on information that has been known for months or years, just because they have a House majority. John Conyers and Russ Feingold have already taken this stand and their Dem colleagues hid under rocks, just as many of them did in the run-up to this ill-advised war.

There's also the problem of which crime to focus on. Bush has done so many things that are arguably criminal or impeachable -- where does one start? My vote would go to the warrantless wiretapping which was so plainly illegal. But what about breaching the Geneva Conventions prohibition of torture, an international war crime? Outing a CIA agent? Criminal negligence of the poor people of New Orleans? Conspiring to fix the 2000 (and/or 2004) election? Plotting the 9/11 attacks? (I don't believe that one, but a third of Americans do--probably not the same third that approve of Bush's performance though).

Then you've got the favorite of the finger-in-the-wind Dems: Lying us into war. As far as I'm concerned, both parties and most media outlets are co-conspirators on that one.

The Declaration of Peace

The Declaration of Peace Pledge reads in part as follows:

I join with the majority of U.S. citizens, the people of Iraq, and people around the world in calling for a comprehensive end to the U.S. war in Iraq. I solemnly pledge to

Call on the Bush administration and Congress to immediately withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq, with no future redeployments;
Urge my congressional representatives to adopt a bring-the-troops-home-now position, and to establish a concrete, comprehensive withdrawal plan no later than Sept. 21, 2006, International Peace Day, just days before Congress adjourns;
Participate in marches, rallies, demonstrations and other peaceful strategies to establish this plan
Engage in nonviolent civil disobedience, as conscience leads me, if this plan for a comprehensive withdrawal is not established and activated no later than Sept. 21, 2006.

Some prominent organizations have already signed on: Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Call to Action, CodePink, War Resisters League, and the Network for Spiritual Progressives.

The time has arrived for just such a systematic, organized national campaign to demand peace with Iraq. The time has come to employ the old movement weapon of civil disobedience. Every major movement for peace in our history was able to turn a corner finally when its members disrupted the big business of war, illegally and nonviolently.

Spy,

We need to change your name to "clueless."

You've apparently swallowed the dis-information concerning WTC-7, my friend. Try doing some research on your own!

For example. There were major fires in that building which suffered some significant damage from falling debris during the collapse of the twin towers. There is documented evidence, eyewitness accounts and photographs that establish these things as known facts.

Why do you think they had to abandon the building in the first place? Well, duh! The situation inside WTC-7 became untenable - too dangerous to remain.

You should read the volumes of solid, scientific and engineering data regarding what most likely caused the actual collapse of the building instead of repeating pure speculation.

New Zogby Poll: It’≥ Nearly Unanimous

Voters Insist On Right To Observe Vote Counting
Plus Other Findings From This Unique Poll

A recent Zogby poll documents ground breaking information on the attitudes of American voters toward electronic voting. They are quite clear in the belief that the outcome of an entire election can be changed due to flaws in computerized voting machines. At a stunning rate of 92%, Americans insist on the right to watch their votes being counted. And, at an overwhelming 80%, they strongly object to the use of secret computer software to tabulate votes without citizen access to that software.

The American public is clear in its desire for free, fair, and transparent elections. An 80%-90% consensus on the right to view vote counting and opposition to secrecy by voting machine vendor is both rare and remarkable in American politics. If only the public knew that these options are virtually non existent in today’≥ election system.

More HERE

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

92% IS enough for a revolution. We should all get together on elections!

capt

I love it! Cornnuts turning on their master!

Still haven't heard from the terror conspiracy crowd re. their baseless smearing of our President and the law enforcement community.

Oh yeah, I forgot that some of the wackos here can dish it out, but can't stand the heat. It's funny how they are always spouting off that "eventually the truth will comes out!" when they are referring to their wild conspiracies, but when the truth ACTUALLY DOES COMES OUT, they are STRANGELY SILENT.

Hmmmmm. mebbe they's asleep right now...

Timeee,

You're being rather shrill... I can understand how you, "the conservative" need something...anything...to hang your straw boater on these days, but seriously, dude...must you be so rude?

-T

65-Why dont you provide a link to where you get your info? You have proven yourself full of shit before. Why would now be any differnt?

You've apparently swallowed the dis-information concerning WTC-7, my friend. Try doing some research on your own!

You should read the volumes of solid, scientific and engineering data regarding what most likely caused the actual collapse of the building instead of repeating pure speculation.

more blogging genius from the genius blogger!
nice link to all the volumes of solid, scientific and engineering data!

Government officials often shape the official version of major events to fit
their needs at the time. 90 years after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake a
historian concluded the official death toll had been minimized so it would be
easier to get support for rebuilding the city on the San Andreas Fault.

The current source of innumerable conspiracy theories is 9/11. Not since the
assassination of President John F. Kennedy has there been such a flurry, such a
rich choice of conspiracy theories. And they're all out there in the blogs.

One woman in rural Pennsylvania is a blog target because she says she took a
photo of the smoke rising from Flight 93's crash site.

Arguments over the official report are debated endlessly online. Some sites such
as 911truth are focused only on the latest activity around the anti-official
versions of what happened or may have happened. Why did the World trade Tower
collapse? Did the U.S. shoot down Flight 93 in Pennsylvania? Did a plane really
hit the Pentagon? Pick your doubt...
________________

make up your own minds! don't let the govt/media make up your minds for you. don't be swayed by govt/media wannabees either. if the official 9/11 fairytale is true then you should determine that for yourselves!

Reich might have a point that democrats should not be too investigation-happy if they gain control of the House.

His reasoning is flawed, though. Using the Republican congressional attacks on Clinton as an analogy misses the fundamental issue: those attacks were vindictive and WITHOUT MERIT.

Investigating the Bush administration is fully with merit, due to evidence of corruption, deceit, and criminal activity (example: violating FISA is a felony).

Congress needs to provide checks and balances to the Executive. If a Democrat-controlled Congress fails to provide lawful oversight and enforce accountability, it will be no better than the current dysfuntional Congress.

I want my Constitutional government back!

I'm not doing any homework for any of you conspiracy theorists! Do it yourself.

My credibility doesn't depend on how many links I provide. That's pointless. For example, I could challenge someone to "prove" with links the outrageous assertions of the 9-11 conspiracy wackos, but they would simply re-gurgitate the opinions of the clueless posted on some web site.

WHAT I WANT (sorry Hajji) is for people to actually do the research, digest the information, make plausible arguments and support their conclusions! I know this is too much to ask for such a forum, but at a minimum it would be great if people would just stop repeating garbage that is in direct contradisction of known facts.

The facts are out there folks, but I am doubtful that many of you care to know what they are.

McCain faults administration on Iraq
_________________

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), a staunch defender of the Iraq war, on Tuesday faulted the Bush administration for misleading Americans into believing the conflict would be "some kind of day at the beach."

The potential 2008 presidential candidate, who a day earlier had rejected calls for withdrawing U.S. forces, said the administration had failed to make clear the challenges facing the military.

"I think one of the biggest mistakes we made was underestimating the size of the task and the sacrifices that would be required," McCain said. "Stuff happens, mission accomplished, last throes, a few dead-enders. I'm just more familiar with those statements than anyone else because it grieves me so much that we had not told the American people how tough and difficult this task would be."

Those phrases are closely associated with top members of the Bush administration, including the president.

Bush stood below a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished" on May 1, 2003 after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. The war has continued since then, with the death of more than 2,600 members of the U.S. military. Vice President Dick Cheney said last year that the Iraqi insurgency was "in its final throes."
____________________

I think it was on last night's NBC news that Tim Russert said that the Whitehouse (Rove) has given the go-ahead to local, state and national repugnants to feel free to fault Bush and the Pentagon for the Iragwmire, but not for the misconception as a whole.

hmm....

-T

Kathleen, from the last thread: I just saw what you posted regarding my misundestanding of your comment. I apologize for mischaracterizing your remark as "testy" -- I take your word for it that it wasn't. How can I not? Sometimes on blogs (as in emails), one gets the wrong impression. Cheers!

right!
send in the clowns!
--
cue the link to an official report by an official govt entity stating in no uncertain terms that the govt officially did not lie to us about 9/11 and there was nothing at all amiss about 3 massive steel buildings being hit by 2 aluminum airliners (with plastic nosecones!) and explosively crumbling into powder in the same length of time it would take a billiard ball to fall to the ground from the same height.
nothing to see here - move along!

besides, reading some wack job's skepticism on this blog (wholly inappropriate!) is infinitely annoying and counter-productive to discussions of official govt malfeasance anyway.
right democrats? right. you should just shut up james!

What good are investigations if bush gets the retroactive immunity he's been seeking? And if dems like pelosi have anything to say about it I doubt if they get more than a slap on the wrist anyway.

spy,

Suit yourself: remain clueless. You have proven to me that trying to discuss serious issues with a willfully ignorant fool is pointless.

My credibility doesn't depend on how many links I provide. That's pointless. For example, I could challenge someone to "prove" with links the outrageous assertions of the 9-11 conspiracy wackos, but they would simply re-gurgitate the opinions of the clueless posted on some web site.
- tim the conservative.

oh excellent rebuttal tim! are you the same tim who told us all that you were well qualified to pronounce judgement on all issues aeronautical? i'm still waiting to hear why there is no crash debris in the official photos of the flight93 crash crater.

here. these guys are no doubt included in your all-encompassing sweeping declaration of clueless:
scholars for 9/11 truth
just to be fair and present both sides, here is a link to the official antithesis:
journal of debunking 9/11 conspiracy theories

as tim the conservative says:
WHAT I WANT is for people to actually do the research, digest the information, make plausible arguments and support their conclusions!

ironically enough, that's what i want as well!
maybe tim the conservative and james ha the other conservative are on the same side after all!
will wonders never cease?

The war that keeps on killing
Eli Stephens, Left I on the News

August 21, 2006

Israel has broken the ceasefire once again, killing four Lebanese children and wounding 21 in the last few days. What, you haven't read about it? That's because these deaths were caused by weapons fired before the ceasefire went into effect: cluster bombs. According to the U.N., these weapons, not illegal per se but illegal when fired into urban areas as they were, were fired largely in the last few days of the war, as (and these are my words, not the U.N.'s) Israel lashed out in vengeance to kill as many Lebanese as possible before it was forced to stop its deadly assault, at least temporarily.

Now those unexploded cluster bombs litter the villages of southern Lebanon, just waiting for the small children to pick them up and die, or perhaps just be crippled for life, like Sukna, Hassan and Merwa Saleh.

And, please promise not to be shocked, but the origin of these weapons...is the United States.

"You see what America is sending us," [Aisa Hussain] said bitterly. "This is their idea of democracy."
===========
They hate us for our freedoms. The freedom to democratically distribute cluster bombs and DU poisoning.

Saladin,

And which government was it that warned people NOT to return to Southern Lebanon?

C'mon, you know! Be honest about it and post the answer.

Saladin,

And who was it again that rained 4,000 rockets down upon innocent men, women and children?

You know the answer!

TIM the conservative YOU ARE MIGHTY!

US extends credit line to Israel -
Bush administration agrees to extend by three-year loan guarantees for Israel given to Israel in 2003; Israel has used USD 4.9 billion of a total USD 9 billion.
The Bush administration has agreed to an Israel demand that a loan guarantee deal be extended by an additional three years, until 2011.

The Congress needs to approve the move.

Posted Aug 22, 2006 08:39 AM PST

M. Rivero
The simple math tells me that Israel has another 4.1 billion (with a b) dollars' worth of America's tax revenue to play with until 2011.
And notice that Israel has 'demanded' that the loan guarantee deal be extended by an additional 3 years, even though Congress must approve (which we know they will) the deal.

I have to wonder about what that money could do to improve the quality of life for our vets who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
===========

Billions of dollars going to the terrorist state of Israel while our vets get their benefits cut to the bone and the Katrina victims are still living in trailers.

Katrina rhetoric fails to calm growing storm
The harrowing scenes, reminiscent of a third world camp, exposed an urban, black underclass that appeared to have been abandoned, literally and metaphorically, by the wealthiest nation on earth. For a brief period, the US was shamed into a national debate about its racial and economic divisions.
President George W. Bush acknowledged the deep, persistent poverty experienced by many blacks and blamed it on a history of racial discrimination that cut off generations from the opportunity of America.

We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action, he said.

But 12 months later, the business-as-usual atmosphere at the refurbished convention centre demonstrates how quickly the issue of social justice has fallen off the national agenda.
============
Apparently social justice means using US taxpayer money to slaughter Israels neighbors.

Saladin,

And which side is it that hides among CIVILIANS so as to ensure the deaths of civilians in a conflict?

Yes, you know the answer! C'mon we're waiting with baited breath...

spy on this,

I see where you take issue about my call for the wholesale killing of Islamofascists who intend to destroy our very existence.

I also believe in the righteousness of killing Germans and Japanese in World War II. I also believe in killing the British and Hessians in the American Revolution. I also believe in the killing of Southerners during the Civil War.

Do you believe it was wrong to kill any of the above?

Or do these thoughts offend your tender sensibilities?

Are you weak, traitorous, cowardly, or all of the above?

Yeah!

DON'T try to go home! Do NOT attempt to re-build your town! You might get 'yerself blowed up by these nifty little unexploded devices we left behind...

Same as settin' a minefield, poisoning the wells...salting the ground so it can't be cultivated. It is murder, all of it, plain and simple.

-T

Tim the so-called conservative is an idiot with a severe case of tunnel vision, which is why I don't answer him.

Saladin,

To paraphrase (correctly) "Apparently social justice means using Iranian oil revenue to slaughter innocent Israelis."

And which country is it that is taking in BILLIONS of dollars a MONTH on oil revenue and sponsoring terror in Southern Lebanon.

Why Saladin YOU KNOW the answer! Let's hear it!

Saladin,

Uh, no. The reason you don't answer is that you don't want to be shown for the Hezbollah apologist that you are.

No Hajji, not when Israel, the chosen people of God, do it! When they tell you to stay the hell out of your own country, you better listen up. Now, if Lebanon were to move 30 KM to the south and tell the Israelis that they better just back off because if they get blown up by a cluster bombs it is their own fault, well then you will hear the banshee screams and wailing from the moon!

"baited breath?" What a perfect analogy! Rotten stinking bait breath. Get a dictionary dude.

Saladin,

And which country is it that has given back terrority and still been attacked?

C'mon, you are too modest! Please share the answer with us.

BUSH: IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - FreeMarketNews.com

President Bush was in the midst of explaining how the attacks of 9/11 inspired his freedom agenda and the attacks on Iraq until a reporter, Ken Herman of Cox News, interrupted to ask what Iraq had to do with 9/11. Nothing, Bush defiantly answered. To justify the war, Bush informed Congress on March 19, 2003 that acting against Iraq was consistent with continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.-ThinkProgress
==========
Another one of those bush non-lies. Question is, was he lying then, or is he lying now?

"Freedom Agenda." You know, the one where you agree to a virtual police state so king george can keep you safe from those mean, scary, conniving muslamiacs!

what. are you referring to this?:

It is now time to start killing them in large quantities.

Posted by: factchecker at August 13, 2006 11:41 PM

were you referring to islamo-fascists?
IIT = International Islamic Terror corp.
you should have made that clear on the 13th when you said it. instead you led us to believe that all lebanese will be considered to be terrorists unless they evacuate south lebanon so that the israeli cowards can move the border over to include the only source of fresh water in that region.

are you mighty just like tim the conservative? (see #84)

LOWERING THE COST OF HEALTH CARE

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Ron Paul

As a medical doctor, I’∂e seen first-hand how bureaucratic red tape interferes with the doctor-patient relationship and drives costs higher. The current system of third-party payers takes decision-making away from doctors, leaving patients feeling rushed and worsening the quality of care. Yet health insurance premiums and drug costs keep rising. Clearly a new approach is needed. Congress needs to craft innovative legislation that makes health care more affordable without raising taxes or increasing the deficit. It also needs to repeal bad laws that keep health care costs higher than necessary.

The following are bills Congress should pass to reduce health care costs and leave more money in the pockets of families:

HR 3075 provides truly comprehensive health care reform by allowing families to claim a tax credit for the rising cost of health insurance premiums. With many families now spending close to $1000 or even more for their monthly premiums, they need real tax relief-- including a dollar-for-dollar credit for every cent they spend on health care premiums-- to make medical care more affordable.

HR 3076 is specifically designed to address the medical malpractice crisis that threatens to drive thousands of American doctors- especially obstetricians- out of business. The bill provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit that permits consumers to purchase "negative outcomes" insurance prior to undergoing surgery or other serious medical treatments. Negative outcomes insurance is a novel approach that guarantees those harmed receive fair compensation, while reducing the burden of costly malpractice litigation on the health care system. Patients receive this insurance payout without having to endure lengthy lawsuits, and without having to give away a large portion of their award to a trial lawyer. This also drastically reduces the costs imposed on physicians and hospitals by malpractice litigation. Under HR 3076, individuals can purchase negative outcomes insurance at essentially no cost.

HR 3077 makes it more affordable for parents to provide health care for their children. It creates a $500 per child tax credit for medical expenses and prescription drugs that are not reimbursed by insurance. It also creates a $3,000 tax credit for dependent children with terminal illnesses, cancer, or disabilities. Parents who are struggling to pay for their children's medical care, especially when those children have serious health problems or special needs, need every extra dollar.

HR 3078 is commonsense, compassionate legislation for those suffering from cancer or other terminal illnesses. The sad reality is that many patients battling serious illnesses will never collect Social Security benefits-- yet they continue to pay into the Social Security system. When facing a medical crisis, those patients need every extra dollar to pay for medical care, travel, and family matters. HR 3078 waives the employee portion of Social Security payroll taxes (or self-employment taxes) for individuals with documented serious illnesses or cancer. It also suspends Social Security taxes for primary caregivers with a sick spouse or child. There is no justification or excuse for collecting Social Security taxes from sick individuals who literally are fighting for their lives.
============
Some good first steps.

Saladin,

O.K., ya got me on that one!

*************************************************
"What does the phrase..'waiting with baited breath' mean, and what is it's orgin?

It is "bated breath," as in holding your breath. From Merriam-Webster online:

Main Entry: 1bate
Pronunciation: 'bAt
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): batᥤ; batᩮg
Etymology: Middle English, short for abaten to abate
Date: 14th century
transitive senses
1 : to reduce the force or intensity of: RESTRAIN

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

Saladin,

But in my own defense: From www.phrases.org.uk

*************************************************
Baited breath

Meaning

Breathing that is subdued because of some emotion or difficulty that is being experienced.

Origin

Which is it - bated or baited? We have baited hooks and baited traps, but bated - what's that? Bated doesn't even seem to be a real word, where else do you hear it? Having said that 'baited breath' makes little sense either. How can breath be baited? With worms?

There seems little guidance in contemporary texts. Search in Google and you'll find about the same number of hits for 'baited breath' as 'bated breath' - around 100,000 each. In one of the best selling books of all time - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, (whose publisher could surely afford the services of a proof-reader), we have:

"The whole common room listened with baited breath."

As so often, help is found in the writings of the bard. The earliest citation of the phrase is from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, 1596:

"With bated breath, and whispring humblenesse."

Bated is just a shortened form of abated (meaning - to bring down, lower or depress). So, 'abated breath' makes sense and that's where the phrase comes from.

Geoffrey Taylor, in his little poem 'Cruel, Clever Cat', 1933, used the confusion over the word to good comic effect:

Sally, having swallowed cheese
Directs down holes the scented breeze
Enticing thus with baited breath
Nice mice to an untimely death.

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

It appears I'm in good company...

oh salting the fields and wells! i forgot all about that - what an effin cowardly tactic! only an israeli could've come up with such a cowardly tactic.
remember how brave the israeli bulldozer was when it ran over the cowardly rachel corrie and then backed up again to ensure that her cowardly life was exterminated?
remember how the brave israelis sneak attacked the evil uss liberty and then were protected by an equally brave neo-cover-up?

wow tim the conservative is dwelling on the importance of good oral hygiene! hooray for tim the well qualified judge of all things aeronautical conservative!

hey if there was an official photo of what we were told was an official tube of toothpaste, but there was no tube of toothpaste to be seen in the official photo, would it still be considered to be official?

The freedumb agenda

BAA bans all passengers' cosmetics

David Millward / London Telegraph | August 22 2006

Britain's main airport operator yesterday banned all cosmetics from passengers' hand luggage unless the items were bought at shops in the departure lounge.

Under the new restrictions, imposed by BAA, travellers are forbidden to take talcum powder, lipstick, eyeliner and mascara through security control.

These items had been exempted from the ban, while other cosmetics such as lip gloss had been banned from the start of the terrorist alert. The move was designed to end confusion, said a spokesman for BAA which owns Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports.

Transatlantic passengers found their position unchanged with all cosmetics and liquids banned from the flight cabin, even if they were bought at duty free shops before boarding.

It emerged last night that the BAA directive was its interpretation of the instructions issued last week by the Department for Transport.

Some airports were taking a different line. Cardiff, for example, allowed passengers to take talcum powder, lipstick and eyeliner through security as long as they were X-rayed before being allowed into the departure lounge.

Birmingham airport's website said it was still allowing passengers to take lipstick on board. However, it explicitly banned gel-filled bras.
===========
Every self respecting muslamiac knows you can easily take talcum powder, lipstick, mascara, eyeliner and gel from your bra and make a powerful explosion in the airplane bathroom! Add a little baby milk and you could potentially blow up an entire city!

I intend to write a paper and submit it for peer review entitled "Great Explosive Materials In A Pinch!"

Looks like a spokesman for the reich has all the info on BAIT but little else, ho hum, yawn! scroll, scroll.

Sal, it looks like a business BOOM for the food providers of the airlines. I wonder how long it will take them to start selling toiletries and other banned items to folks on those looooong trans-oceanic flights.

Normally I would just ignore troll comments, but I couldn't resist that one, it was just SO perfect! Baiting breath, baited with bait most would avoid. HAHAHAHA!

Thanks for proving my point Tim

DEN, they say A-OKAY to cosmetics bought from airport shops! Glory be to the free market!

BOOM! ha ha! that one is worthy of the official 9/11 comic book.

the Dr. Pepper Bandits! starring Keanu Reeves and Charlie Sheen. coming to a theatre near you.

What if someone had an oxygen tank? Will they make them leave that behind?

I will post this again in case anyone missed it from the proir thread:

Dear Dennis,

Many times I have asked for your help, and you've come through every time. Never before have I asked for your help on a matter of life and death. Before one more child is tortured, before one more woman is raped, we must urge President Bush to lead the effort to create a NATO force to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Sudan began a genocide against tribes of small farmers in its Darfur region three years ago. Militia groups backed by the Sudanese government have slaughtered an estimated 400,000 people and driven 2.5 million people from their homes. U.N. troops are on their way, but will take at least five more months to arrive in Darfur. NATO forces -- if the U.S. stepped up to moral leadership -- could end the conflict immediately.

Tell George Bush to lead the effort to create a NATO force for Darfur NOW.

America was once trusted and respected around the world. People around the globe expected us to provide moral leadership and inspiration to make their lives better. It's no secret that our reputation has been tarnished over the past six years. The Bush Administration put our country's military strength and vast resources behind a reckless war in Iraq and turned a blind eye to people around the world that desperately needed our help. The U.S. military's unique assets -- our airlift capabilities, logistical support and intelligence operations -- can and must be used to assist NATO peacekeeping in Darfur.

The Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of over 100 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations, has already sent one million postcards to President Bush asking for the immediate deployment of a robust peacekeeping mission. Clearly, many, many more voices are needed to get his attention -- we cannot allow the Bush Administration to stand by for five more months while thousands of civilians are dying in Darfur every month.

In May, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel called Darfur "the capital of suffering." He called on all of us to "tell the victims they are not alone." And just last week a senior United Nations official alerted the Security Council that Sudan seems to be preparing a significant military operation in the Darfur region that will leave aid workers increasingly in danger and hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.

Please speak up for them and urge President Bush to take quick and decisive action.

Tell George Bush to lead the effort to create a NATO force for Darfur NOW.

The people of Darfur cannot wait five more months for U.N. troops to arrive. At the current rate of violence and destruction, another 30,000 civilians will die and another 300,000 people will become refugees over the next five months. In addition, as the international community stands by, violence and chaos is spreading to neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic. More than 100 Chadians were hacked to death in a single incident earlier this year.

I admire the African Union troops stationed in Darfur. They have done their jobs courageously and deserve the world's gratitude. But they need help. The African Union peacekeeping troops, which number just 7,000, have been unable to protect civilians or enforce a 2004 ceasefire. In the meantime, security has deteriorated dramatically.

At a time when the world is questioning U.S. sincerity and motives, what better way for the Bush Administration to show that we still believe in human rights and still have the moral authority to lead, than to step up and do our part to stop the genocide in Darfur? Tens of thousands of lives hang in the balance. So does our nation's moral credibility.

The time to act is now.

Thank you,

John Edwards

P.S. We need to raise every voice possible against the genocide in Darfur. Please forward this message to friends and family and urge them to contact President Bush immediately.

SIGN HERE

Sal, Think about this, Young suicidal Arab puts explosive chemicals into innocent lotion bottle, inserts the lotion bottle(with detonator in the cap) in the checked baggage. Halfway accross the ocean presses a single speed dial number on a cell phone and BOOM!

What could have been done to stop the event?

“Reich does have a point. The Dems should not go overboard with Bush payback."

I like many posters on this site do not necessarily believe the GOP will lose their majority. The dirty tricks of the modern political season (not to mention Diebold) have not even begun yet and the "liberal" media is already trying to scare us all into "staying the course". If bye some miracle the democrats where to take back the house or senate or both, they should do what the constitution mandates them to do, follow the law, provide oversight, politics be dammed. Maybe if Bu$chco were held accountable for some of their misadventures, they just might "change course" and actually prevail in Iraq. But maybe not.

It's funny how they are always spouting off that "eventually the truth will comes out!" when they are referring to their wild conspiracies, but when the truth ACTUALLY DOES COMES OUT, they are STRANGELY SILENT

- tim the ironically silent conservative

#7 Capt "Since when has justice become political payback?" Such a great point.

Reich is wrong.
He needs to get out and talk to some "common" folk. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike are terrified by the direction of this country under the reign of the Bush administration. They are also very pissed off about being lied to about Weapons of Mass Destruction by everyone in the Bush administration.

The Democrats need to figure out a way to constructively harness that righteous anger and come down hard, and in a level headed way on this Republican controlled congress that has not held one person or the Office of Special plans accountable for the LIES that are the direct reason for the tens of thousands of lives that are no longer.

TAKE THIS GROUP OF RADICALS OUT BY DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY....

AMERICANS ARE READY TO WITNESS THIS GROUP OF PATHOLOGICAL LIARS/KILLERS WIPED OUT BY A DEMOCRATIC TIDAL WAVE. ( There are tons of Republicans who will be voting for Congressman Ted STricland for Governor of Ohio). All Republicans are not radicals

STAYING THE COURSE OF COURSE!
- bushco '08

#111

Looks like Dufar is not the only problem.

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
27 January 2006

A top U.N. official is warning that action must be taken to prevent conflicts in several African countries from turning into genocide. Juan Mendez tells VOA the situation is particularly dangerious in Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Uganda, and Sudan's conflict-ridden province of Darfur.

Juan Mendez is special adviser to the U.N. Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide. He visited Darfur in October 2004 and in September 2005. He says that although the international community has never determined whether genocide actually occurred in Darfur, he has no doubt that war crimes have already been comitted there, and he does not rule out the possibility that Sudanese-backed militia are intent on exterminating a whole race of people in Darfur.

"The situation is very tense and very complicated and all the elements that could lead to genocide are very much in place in Darfur today. So, the task of preventing genocide is by no means complete," he said.

Mendez says early warnings of a genocide include the spread of religious intolerance, racism and xenophobia. He says his job is to monitor countries to see whether these signs are present and to issue warnings to the world community to prevent genocide.

Besides the Darfur region of Sudan, Mendez says another danger area is the Ivory Coast, where there are signs of growing intolerance against immigrants. The intolerance extends even to people who have been born in the country, but are not considered true Ivorians.

"The problem as well is that the tension is so high and there are armed militias and there is extensive hate speech, all of which creates a situation of tension that can quickly derive into mass violence and mass violence in which these so-called non-Ivorians are at risk," he said.

Mendez says he is also keeping close watch on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has a long history of mass slaughter.

"That is the one factor that every expert says is something to look at. When a country has experience with genocide or genocide situations, you look particularly at it to prevent things from happening again. In the DRC, the problems right now are happening in the eastern part and they by in large involve armed militias and guerrillas and armed movements. But, in an important way, it affects the civilian population in that area."

U.N. genocide expert Mendez says other countries of concern include northern Uganda, Myanmar, West Papua in Indonesia, Central Asia and the Caucuses and Colombia, where, he says, indigenous populations are at risk of extinction.

i have water and cans of beans stored up in case the democrats take over!

David Corn, crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted. Period. Congress needs investigations to help determine if new or different laws are required. So while moving forward, we hope, it is also necessary to clean up. I've HAD ENOUGH and I am sure I am far from alone in this.

Briefly, I do not agree with that involuted inside-the-beltway attitude!

The Democrats need to ride this Tidal Wave with a focus on accountability.. They should not be Bushcocky.

CLEVELAND -- A SurveyUSA poll taken this past weekend shows Democrat Ted Strickland has widened his lead in his race against Republican Ken Blackwell.
Strickland, currently representing Ohio's 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, gets 57 percent of the vote. Blackwell, currently Ohio Secretary of State, gets 35 percent.

Compared to an identical SurveyUSA tracking poll released two months ago, Strickland is up four points, Blackwell is down two.

More take-aways:

Strickland had led by 16, today leads by 22.

Among males, Strickland had led by 4, now 15.

Among younger voters, Blackwell had been tied, now trails by 35.

Twenty-two percent of Republicans cross over to vote for Democrat Strickland; only 6% of Democrats crossover and vote for Republican Blackwell.

Independents break 5:2 for Strickland.

Conservatives vote overwhelmingly for Blackwell, but Strickland leads among moderates 7:2.

Incumbent Republican Governor Bob Taft is term-limited. The seat is open. The election is in 13 weeks, on 11/7/2006.

Remind me to steer clear of your place when those beans start going off! YIPES!

Generally, the airline provides (online -- no code sharing services allowed) inflight oxygen service for passengers requiring supplemental oxygen -- regs differ somewhat, but the passenger is required to give 2 business days' notice that inflight oxygen is needed. A passenger cannot bring on his/her own tank(s) -- there was a time when that was possible, but that changed quite a while ago. There is a fee.

Speaking of going, I must be. Shift change @ the asylum.

crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted -- Yes, as long as they stick with crimes and not go off on tangents and wildgoose chases for payback.

no need to steer clear DEN. since the democrats are in no danger of taking over, the cans of beans that i have stored up will not have to be employed.

Robert Reich's biography is impressive, I have seen/heard him on George Stephanpolous's Sunday program "This Week". I know he is smarter than me but I still say he should get out on the streets, into the malls and senior centers take the temperature and then reconsider his conclusions.

" Robert Reich is a longtime friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, going back to their days together at Oxford and Yale Law respectively, he was invited to head Clinton's economic transition team. He later joined the administration as Secretary of Labor. During his tenure, he implemented the Family and Medical Leave Act, fought sweatshops, successfully promoted increasing the minimum wage, improved workplace safety, successfully lobbied to pass the Pension Protection Act and the School-to-Work Jobs Act, and launched a number of job training programs.

At the same time, he lobbied Clinton to address big issues like the increasing advancement of the poor. He had moderate success until the 1996 presidential campaign began, when Clinton, heeding the advice of political advisor Dick Morris, shifted right and promoted policies that appealed to the suburban swing voter."

65 Spy,We need to change your name to "clueless."
You should read the volumes of solid, scientific and engineering data regarding what most likely caused the actual collapse of the building instead of repeating pure speculation.
Posted by: Tim at August 22, 2006 03:51 PM

74 I'm not doing any homework for any of you conspiracy theorists! Do it yourself.
Posted by: Tim at August 22, 2006 04:40 PM

Too bad. We thought you actually knew something.

bush' poll numbers are turning around!

good i say! if his poll numbers take a turn for the better all on their own maybe the terrorist wont attack us again forcing bush to react with another pre-emptive defensive strike against some other strategically placed arab location thus giving his poll numbers a boost.
go team!
STAYING THE COURSE OF COURSE!

bushco '08

Last night I started reading the September issue of Scientific American. Each Spetember the entire issue is devoted to a particualr topic. This year it is alternate means of energy generation to avoid global warming. I do encourage you to acquire a copy and read the articles.

Here are some extremely important matters which, in part, congress needs to address. I just wish I could feel more optimistic than I do...

#124 Micki,

"crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted -- Yes, as long as they stick with crimes and not go off on tangents and wildgoose chases for payback."

Just out of curiosity which crimes to you believe should be investigated?

it's hard to be optimistic when it comes to matters of congress - but now that they got the voting themselves another raise out of the way maybe they can actually get down to business....

Bush should be impeached because he deserves to be impeached.

Under the Dems in control of the House Scenario:

I agree w/David's being leery of House sessons on trade or health care policies "will capture the imagination of the electorate"!

What is far more EXPLOSIVE is Reich's advice on handling Iraq: "Instead of... whether we should have invaded Iraq, make it how to partition Iraq into Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish zones while America gets out"

No, not the first part...but the advice to focus on "how to partition" Iraq! I frankly can't believe Reich is actually serious that 435 American politicians, infidels at that, should decide how to `partition' Iraq! Am I just `off' or what? Does that sound imperial to anybody else?

IF Iraq, for all practical intent and purposes, ceases to exist as a single functioning country, let the factions duke it out as to their territories! Hell, they may even beg us to return or stop our pullouts!

David's: "I'm dubious the (Dem) party can come up with a core policy approach to Bush's mess in Mesopotamia."

I agree basically....but, but, but....if the Dems do come up with a "core" policy, I'm dubious that it will be the Right Policy!

I wonder if Osama Bin Laden will make an appearance just before the election to keep the Republicans in? He likes it when so many people around the world are pissed off about U.s. foreign policy ,the invasion of Iraq and Israel's invasion of Lebanon.

Will OBL provide the Republicans with more fuel for terrorizing the American public?

Is Reich protecting someone?

Iraq, for all practical intents and purposes, has ALREADY ceased to exist as a single FUNCTIONING country. Read Michael Schwartz on TomDispatch. Read Juan Cole. Etc...

I'd put money on it that Reich would want the pre-war intelligence and all of those involved with creating and dessiminating it held accoutable if his two sons were serving in Iraq or had died in Iraq. I wonder if he would want the Democrats to "cool it" then?

US Marines recalled for conflict deployment
Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Tuesday August 22, 2006

Washington- US President George W Bush has authorized the recall of 2,500 Marines to meet manpower needs in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marine Corps said Tuesday. The Marines can be ordered back into service for a period of 12 to 18 months.

Bush's recent decision comes amid a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan and an upswing in violence in Iraq, and as the US military struggles to meet recruiting goals.

The group included in the authorization are Marines who have been on so-called inactive duty after serving four years of their contract, when they are allowed to return to civilian life but still have a contractual obligation to the service.

#135 kathleen,

While I don't like to perpetuate conspiracy theories, your post has a lot of relevance. OBL and the current administration have very similar agendas. While the eventual outcomes they both seek are quite different, their methods are very similar. They both have nothing to offer but fear, and it seems to work well for both of them.

...

I just wish I could feel more optimistic than I do...
Posted by: David B. Benson at August 22, 2006

You want to be optimistic and you sound optimistic. . . I think you're om your way and I believe others will be right behind you.

O'Reilly, the more I read about climate and its important role in ending civilizations, the more I read about ever more environmental degradation, the more I see impotence, ignorance and denial about these matters inside the beltway, the less optimistic I become.

Jared Diamond's "Collapse" is, in some sense, a history book --- until the last chapter. That one will begin one depression in a hurry...

ys, maybe OBL will speak out in support of the democrats (from his undisclosed location) thus ensuring the republican's continued politico good fortunes!

but, but that would entail some kind of conspiracy!

The biggest conspiracy theorist of all are in the Bush administration. Does anyone Remember the WMD Conspiracy?

Yesterday's thread had a post regarding Greenland ice melting. According to the posted study, Greenland's ice has been melting for 100 years. No surprise. The beginning of global warming began about 100 years ago. Also, for the last 100 years, the ocean sea stand, as it is called, has risen by 1 mm per year.

The current concern is determining just how fast Greenland's ice (and Antarctic ice) is melting. Each new study seems to indicate that the answer is: faster than the previous study. In other words, on average, each year faster than the year before.

And what is being done about all this inside the beltway?

By Golly DEN 112, if it's THAT easy, what are they waiting for? You don't think we've been mislead, do you?
David B. 119, crack me up, you of ALL people!
spy 125 "the cans of beans that i have stored up will not have to be employed."
I was thinking "deployed" might be a better description. ;-)
David B, denial inside the beltway? I believe I posted a very good article regarding the power consumers have to bring about change. Supply is all about demand. Whether or not people agree that humans are bringing about global climate change is beside the point. We are all in this together and there is no doubt that combined human activity, with no thought to future consequences, is a prescription for disaster. Be a wise consumer, write to companies that offend your sense of conservation, don't support polluters with your dollars, and tell them why. Demand recycled containers, support organic farmers, stop spending money in the industrial meat and produce market. Eat seasonally or grow your own. There are many things consumers can do to make change. Read "The Omnivores Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. It is a worthy investment of time.

DB, I hear you. There are many people that value their opportunity to accumulate wealth more than any concern about the threat of damagng our atmosphere beyond the point of no return.

Momentum is in favor of those who take the threat seriously. If Bono can convince the most conservative Senator in the US Senate that Jesus would have chosen to assist aids victims wordwide then I believe Americans will recognize the concern and choose to address it.

To steal phrase from a leader; in this decade, we will power our automobiles with low carbon emmisions fuels, not becuase it is easy but because we can and because we must.

"I'm often amazed at the way politicians, who spend hours poring over opinion poll results in a desperate attempt to discover what the public thinks, are certain they know precisely what God's views are on everything.": Simon Hoggart

=
"Going to church no more makes you a Christian than sleeping in your garage makes you a car.": Garrison Keiler

=
There are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or some illicit advantage, or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be most ready to lament and condemn. In these critical moments, how salutary will be the interference of some temperate and respectable body of citizens, in order to check the misguided career and to suspend the blow meditated by the people against themselves, until reason, justice and truth can regain their authority over the public mind: James Madison. Federalist No. 63.

=
The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny." James Madison. Federalist 47.

===
Thanks ICH Newsletter!

Saladin --- All those things are good economy or 'feel goods'. Serious change in electric power generation and transportation will require government regulation. Indeed, some states and localities have taken the lead in these matters. More is required and some of that must occur inside the beltway. I am not encouraged just now.

? And what about #119 cracked you up? It was certainly no change in my positions.

the govt. is hopeless in producing what the lobbyists are working against. I am so sick of this worthless govt. regulating bullshit I could scream. After all the regulations we are burdened with already why are you not encouraged? If the people don't demand change there will be no change, feel good policies are driven by necessity. I have full confidence that when we are left with no other choice, the people will learn to adapt. As for your comment at 119, I was thinking of, oh, nevermind.

#147

Kyoto 95-0! Talk about a bi-partisan approach. I trust private enterprise a lot more than the govt. to affect change. There is a lot of money to be made from alternative fuels and THAT is what is going to make a change. Well, that and getting India and China to at least pretend they are concerned about the environment.

A rather profound question from Nicholas Kristof

"What did you do during the African Holocaust?"

How many of us really look forward to answering that question from anyone?

The days of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade are over. Those heroes must be rolling in their graves.

Saladin & MP5 --- The question is HOW FAST people and private enterprise adapt. It needs to be NOW, not 10, 20, 50 years from now. For this, action is required inside the beltway. As I said, I am not encouraged just now, but I am going to go and finish reading the September issue of Scientific American.

David-

If you are looking for a solution inside the beltway you have every right to be depressed. Until we have serious reform, not this McCain Feingold crap, there will be no change.

what exactly is the beltway?
is that the same as the heartland?
----
i agree that it seems as if nothing is being done about global warming - other than putting it off until a later date.
there's plenty of "oh the climate has changed many times in the past...bla bla bla"
but never before has the ecosystem been subjected to modern man in all his technological brilliance.
the sooner humans are extincted the sooner the world can get on with it's ever-changing life.

as for 119, i admit to finding it hugely ironic, considering the source!

Change inside the beltway? Not going to happen. They all campaign one way in their distict/state to garner votes, and then pass through a vote detector on their way to the Congress, where they are stripped of votes to enable them to be pure for the influence of lobbyists. We elect them, others buy them. And if any of you disagree, do any of you ever think you have received the same amount of "ear time" with your representative as a lobbyist with a full pocket of money and favors to hand out?

TRH

It would be simple to fix.

1. Limit all donations to no more than $100. During and after the election. To include meals, travel etc. No money from outside the area you are attempting to represent.

2. Iowa model for congressional districts.

3. Franking privileges for any party’s nominee (that garnered more than 3% of the vote in the last election) within the area they wish to represent.

Simple? Who makes law in this country? The people don't have the money, the lobbyists do. That recomendation would go down to a 535-0 defeat. Not because it is not a good idea, it limits the slimebags options.

158 & 159
there you go! it WOULD be simple to fix and it WOULD never even be considered!
politico taking care of business as usual.

Said it was simple, not that it will happen soon. However I think that things are getting so far out of wack, 40 competitive congressional races?!?, that there is a remote chance that it could happen.

Lobbyists are on the same level of class action lawsuits. They claim to represent many who agree with their or cause or have been injured when in fact the rank and file rarely do and many have not suffered any injury. That is wrong with this country today. Lawmakers making it easy to sue, courts not throwing out frivoulous claims. Lobbyists lining the pockets of all sides. If they get it in the behind, it may be gentle because they contributed.

With redistricting, it is only competitive if you get enough voters to cross over. Each redistricting move is geared toward registered voters of a particular party. Both parties do it and it is largely successful for both.

I must be off now before capt accuses me of also being mp5.

Democrats should differentiate themselves from the opposition. Be honest, avoid name calling, and quietly influence one fence sitter to vote for the better candidate.

These guys are owners of musical instuments! They own them well, Awesome.

Jam Night

#131 Just out of curiosity which crimes to you believe should be investigated?

All crimes.

#166 micki:

Can you be more specific? Do you have some crimes in mind?

I have a little friend, 9-YO, who is very bright. As we were working in my garden today, she told me that "sometimes I'm in the mood to talk back."

She filled a birdbath, looked at me and said, "But, I better know what I'm talking about if I do that."

uncledad, wherever there's the taint of corruption -- not just a difference in policy -- it should be investigated. What's your point?

Micki,

I ask a honest question. I know we like to get partisan and nasty on this site occasionally, but I am really curious if you think George and Company have screwed up in any way. I believe they screwed up by underestimating (or misunderestimating) what it takes to convince an entire population that what they believe is wrong is right. We all know that this invasion of Iraq was a mistake. But the real problem (given the bad intelligence) is G.W's apparent unwillingness to change direction. The fact that everyone can see a problem, but G.W. says stay the course. I as most liberals don't want to walk away from Iraq, we want to win.

So what crimes do you think should be investigated?

Saladin, I see you finally spoke on the subject of terrorism as it relates to commercial aircraft. Unfortunately, you might as well have kept your trap shut. Instead of admitting you are on the wrong side of the issue, not to mention the facts, you resort to making lame "jokes" about how to blow up a plane. PATHETIC.

#170 but I am really curious if you think George and Company have screwed up in any way.

Hello! I think they screw up every day of the week, but unfortunately they get away with it. Their "screw-ups" don't seem to register with enough of the people.

I guess you don't read my posts.

I disagree with Reich, I dream of the day that Conyers has hearings. I also want a new 911 investigation. I think the country is hungry for the truth and more importantly, things have to be straightened out. Dems should not be timid, we need to go for it. Have all the investigations and the nation will love it. This administration must be exposed and voters must be reminded never to let this happen again. People need to be held accountable for all the death and deception that has happened under this precidency. These are disasterous times and bold actions are needed.

Question: How many cornnuts does it take to blow up an airliner? Answer: None. They will let their friends, the Islamic terrorists do it for them. Just a little joke to illustrate the fact that if you are actively trying to undermine our efforts to thwart the aims of the terrorists, then you are no better then them! In fact, you are worse. I have a suggestion for Saladin and the rest of the terrorist lovers here: get the hell out of MY country, put on your headgear or burkha and go live over there with them!

Micki:

I've read some of your posts. But I seek an answer to one in particular:

"crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted -- Yes, as long as they stick with crimes and not go off on tangents and wildgoose chases for payback"
Posted by micki on 08-22-2006

That's all no big deal.

Want to scare your kids or grandkids before bed?

Point of No Return?
By Thomas Sowell
August 22, 2006

....Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran and North Korea mean that it is only a matter of time before there are nuclear weapons in the hands of international terrorist organizations.....suicide bombers cannot be deterred.

.....The endlessly futile efforts to bring peace to the Middle East with concessions fundamentally misconceive what forces are at work.

Hate and humiliation are key forces that cannot be bought off by "trading land for peace," by a "Palestinian homeland" or by other such concessions that might have worked in other times and places.

Humiliation and hate go together. Why humiliation? Because a once-proud, dynamic culture in the forefront of world civilizations, and still carrying a message of their own superiority to "infidels" today, is painfully visible to the whole world as a poverty-stricken and backward region, lagging far behind in virtually every field of human endeavor.

....Israel's very existence as a modern, prosperous western nation in their midst is a daily slap across the face. Nothing is easier for demagogues than to blame Israel, the United States, or western civilization in general for their own lagging position.

What kind of people provide a market for videotaped beheadings of innocent hostages?....throw an old man in a wheelchair off a cruise liner into the sea, simply because he was Jewish?....fly planes into buildings to vent their hate at the cost of their own lives?

These are the kinds of people we are talking about getting nuclear weapons....

Do we understand that the world will never be the same after hate-filled fanatics gain the ability to wipe whole American cities off the face of the earth?.....

Even ruthless conquerors of the past, from Genghis Khan to Adolf Hitler, wanted some tangible gains for themselves or their nations -- land, wealth, dominion. What Middle East fanatics want is the destruction and humiliation of the west.

Their treatment of hostages, some of whom have been humanitarians serving the people of the Middle East, shows that what the terrorists want is to inflict the maximum pain and psychic anguish on their victims before killing them.

.....The terrorists need not start out by wiping our cities off the map.....

After we, or our children and grandchildren, find ourselves living at the mercy of people with no mercy, what will future generations think of us.......

We are fast approaching the point of no return.

Copyright 2006 Creators Syndicate

Words fail me to describe the disgust and contempt I feel towards apologists for the Islamic terrorists in this world.

I wish that people who feel that Americans are always the bad guys would finally become so disenchanted with our great country that they would LEAVE.

But you see, they won't and here's why. They are more than willing to use the freedom they have to express their opinion and do all sorts of things to TEAR DOWN our country, but they are unwilling to support the very institutions and the nation that protects them.

Well, I've said all I care to tonight.

Bush, in Minnesota, orders federal health data disclosed

At a health care panel discussion in Minnetonka this afternoon, President George W. Bush pushed for medical liability reform, greater electronic record keeping and health savings accounts that would permit taxpayers to set pre-tax dollars aside for health costs.

He also signed an executive order that would require federal agencies to compile and disclose medical claims records that would allow for cost comparisons.

...Bush is in Minnesota for political as well as policy purposes. He is now attending a fundraising reception in Wayzata for state Sen. Michelle Bachmann, a congressional candidate in Minnesota's Sixth District.

Bachmann told the Star Tribune that she has raised in excess of half a million dollars from the event.
------------
That's what it's all about isn't it Michelle? At least I can say that the Democrats work hard to raise money by going to the people. It's one dollar at a time. The Republicans have wealthy people sit down to a big steak dinner that costs them $1000 dollars.

.....The terrorists need not start out by wiping our cities off the map.....

you're right happy!
it's much more likely that the terrorist will destroy crucial parts of our infra-structure such as a major electrical grid forcing our poor beleagured govt to step in with no-bid contracts for their cronies and rebuild it.
get with the program!
when there is a terror action on u.s. soil it will only benefit bushco cronies. mark my words.

Happy, it is a very scary world we have created. Violence begets violence. How sad. Noone wants this kind of world. That's why it's so important that we change the leadership in this country. It will be the point of no return if we don't do something about it.

#181

Let me get this straight, GWB and crowd created violence in the world?

I wish that people who feel that Americans are always the bad guys would finally become so disenchanted with our great country that they would LEAVE.
- tim the well qualified to judge all matters aeronautical! conservative.

tim, it's not that some of us think americans are always the bad guy - it's that some of us refuse to look the other way when our fearless american govt (bushco) turn out to be the bad guys.
by the way, did you figure out yet why there is no crash debris in the photos of the official crash site?

Words fail me to describe the disgust and contempt I feel towards apologists for the corrupt bushco criminals in this world.

Tim, I don't feel the American people are the bad guys; I feel this administration is leading us in the wrong direction. How can you possibly say things are better today then they were in 2000? Be serious, noone loves terrorists, I just disagree with the way this president is dealing with it. You don't make more friends by bombing them. That is also terrorism. How do you think families feel that are lying in their beds listening to the bombs? I think it is absolutely small minded to believe that the only way to resolve conflict is through war. War does not equal peace contrary to what Bush tells you. Use your mind, think.

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David B, the people need to take responsibility for their actions and stop expecting the govt. to bail them out, besides, the govt. sucks at that. The first step is getting the truth of the situation out to John and Jane doe, I think if the people have accurate information they will be able to make sensible decisions. In all the years the feds have been regulating everything under the sun here we are, in this hellhole. Climate change is not a phenomenon of the past 5 years, it is ongoing, all the regulating in the world won't stop or change it. Habits must be changed, but they will never change as long as people depend upon the govt. to do their work for them. No pain, no gain, that is the way of things. And as long as the corporate monster calls the shots, because the lazy people support them with their money, the longer it will take to realize progress. Give the people a real estimation of the choices and I believe they will invest in their own well being. Humans are as dedicated to self preservation as any other creature, they are simply predisposed to the easy way out. We must work to improve upon that situation.

Under Fire! U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst Targeted For Suggesting New Independent 9/11 Investigation

According to unnamed military sources contacted by The Iconoclast, SFC Buswell "used his Government issued email account to send messages disloyal to the United States …" Because of these statements, SFC Buswell could soon find himself dishonorably discharged, court marshaled, or worse.

used his Government issued email account to send messages disloyal to the United States

disloyal to the united states? wow. what exactly did he say? let's find out!

The issue is, 911 was filled with errors in the ‘official report’ and ‘official story’ of that day, and, what happened that day. We all know and saw 2 planes hitting the WTC buildings, we didn’t see the 757 hit the Pentagon, nor did we see the plane crash in Shanksville PA. Both the PA and Pentagon ‘crashes’ don’t have clues and tell-tale signs of a jumbo-jet impacting those zones!

The Pentagon would have huge wing impacts in the side of the building; it didn’t. Shanksville PA would have had debris, and a large debris field; it didn’t.

wow what a traitor! and he's a sgt. in the intel gang no less! wow hang 'em high!

Sun uvva beeyoch. Would somebody get Timmiee a qualude and a glass of chardonnay? Whatever the NSA stuck up your butt, pull it out, Tim. It seems to have driven you over the edge. You are seeing spooks and kelpie all over the place and you obviously feel like they're dragging you under. If you're off to bed, get yer jammies and relax.

What you need is a little spiritual uplifting. Maybe you could join this troupe of Wrestlers for Jesus. If you don't have the time or energy to get your inner Jacob on, you could just check out these wunnerful church signs: Don't let life get you down; even Moses started out as a basket case.. Get it? Basket case. Remember, the bulrushes? M'kay....

I know. The whole Joe Foxborough thing has you spooked also. He just won't give up on what an idiot the president has become (has become, where has he been for the last 15 years?). Joe's so disgusted that he's accusing Bush's staff of sending the President out unprepared to purposely make him look like an ass. Check out this video. See what happens at about 1:34. You know what that means... he's drinking again (Dave Letterman). If that weren't bad enough, there's the freaky banter mixed with John Gibson massaging Ignatius' sweaty calves immediately afterward. They are both soooo oblivious of the spectacle that they are making of themselves.

They say there are 10K reasons that civilization is Doomed. Check out number 26 (coming in right after bottled water and Ann Coulter!). I am downright perplexed about the fact that the FBI didn't make the list.

And Bush's tombstone, we've got the epitaph. The 5ives website is a trip all on its own.

Jeanne, James, check this guy out. He's Charlie Brown's friend Pigpen and DaVinci all rolled into one.

Happy, You can relax a little about your misguided backing of Joe Lieberman. Talent is back in the lead in MO; so that gives the GOP a little breathing room. I take that back cause Corker just gave up his lead in the battle to take over Frist's old seat. And Macaca-head Allen had a 17 point lead over his opponent (Webb) but it's down to 3 points, trending the wrong way, bigTime. And speaking of trends.... Joe's lead over Lamont is shrinking again, down to 2 points, well within the MoE, as Capt. said, a dead heat. Give more money! Give till it hurts. Strickland over Blackwell? O-hi-O.

We all know and saw 2 planes hitting the WTC buildings,

actually we didn't. we saw the 2nd plane hit the 2nd tower over and over and over again. wait, actually we didn't! we saw the 2nd plane (a shadowy black silhouette even in the direct sunlight) from several miles away as it disappeared behind the 1st tower and exploded out of the camera's view. then later in the day we all saw on TV the images of the 2nd 767 actually hitting the south side of the south tower. what we didn't see at the time was that when you slow these videos down to a rate that the eye can discern what is happening, the images of the aluminum 767 (with a plastic nosecone) slip right thru the massive steel wall of the south tower like casper the ghost without any of the 767 breaking off, or indeed, even bothering to slow down in the slightest. WACKYNESS!
http://thewebfairy.com/911/
then only after the aluminum 767 (with a plastic nosecone) had disappeared entirely into the wtc2, an explosion occurred which left an oddly plane-shaped hole in the wtc2 which unfortunately was smaller than a real 767.
http://nineeleven2001.t35.com/

notice that i didn't say that there were no planes or anything wacky like that, nor did i even say that 9/11 was an inside job. i just merely presented the events of the wtc2/flight175 in the order that they occurred. with actual visual recordings to use as visual aids.

STAYING THE COURSE OF COURSE!
- bushco '08 (death to all terrorist!)

Uncledad, I said ALL crimes, but if that doesn't satisfy you, I will elaborate: Relating to the current administration, if any person, singularly or collectively, has committed an act that is forbidden -- or has ignored a duty commanded by public law -- that makes that person, the offender, liable to punishment under the law, it should be investigated, and if facts clearly suggest that prosecution and punishment is warranted, then the process should be used to the fullest extent available.

Holy know it all! I think my young friend has more common sense that a lot of people here. I repeat:

168
I have a little friend, 9-YO, who is very bright. As we were working in my garden today, she told me that "sometimes I'm in the mood to talk back."

She filled a birdbath, looked at me and said, "But, I better know what I'm talking about if I do that."

TB, from a while back, re - the ties between Dawa and Hezbollah.
Remember the old Arab proverb: My brother and me against my cousins, my cousins and me against my village, my village and me against my tribe, my tribe and me against the world. (via Billmon)

Seems human nature, but what do the clodhoppers in the Bush Administration know about human nature (other than to scare the crap out of dimwits like Timmiee)?

Word History: The trademark Quaalude for the sedative and hypnotic agent methaqualone is an example of how a product name is carefully chosen for a positive public response. Methaqualone was developed in the 1960s by William H. Rorer, Inc. At that time, the company's best-known product was Maalox, a digestive aid that derived its name from its ingredients, magnesium and aluminum hydroxides. To enhance the product recognition of their new sedative drug, the company incorporated the aa of Maalox into the name Quaalude. The other elements of the name are presumed to be a contraction of the phrase "quiet interlude," a soothing, even poetic description of the drug's effect.

Micki, speaking of prosecuting crimes. What about prosecuting firearms violations regardless of skin color?

So, James, didja check out the Mencia videos?

Is he getting better?

Ok, don't gag. Go here and vote.

here's a sample...

How would you describe Bush's performance?
Poor 49%
Excellent 22%
Good 22%
Fair 6%
Total Votes: 336,764

not yet pandemoniaco but i saved them for when i have time for waiting for them to load -
the dial-up dilemma!

Robert Greenwald, the director of last year’s wildly influential Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, has a new film from Brave New Films, “Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers,” to be released this October, and we want you to get involved in its premiere.

Micki:

I can see you have lost either your identities, to troll haters, or you refuse to engage my question. You made the statement “crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted -- Yes, as long as they stick with crimes and not go off on tangents and wildgoose chases for payback.”

Please tell me what "crimes need to be investigated" That's all I ask. And if in fact the "shift changing trolls" have co-opted your identity, than I am sorry. And I certainly know what their answer would be: Stay the Course. It’s very familiar now days.
Jam Night

I have a suggestion for Saladin and the rest of the terrorist lovers here: get the hell out of MY country, put on your headgear or burkha and go live over there with them!
- tim the well qualified (but ironically uninformed) conservative

you're either with us or you're with the terrorist!
- gw bush

I went to see the movie World Trade Center today. Y'all should see it.
Bring some tissues.

Not Your Average Photos

Cool slideshow of unique pictures.

dust art

When the dust gets thick on the back window of his Mini Cooper, Scott Wade uses it as a canvas to create temporary works of art. Among his creations was a copy of C.M. Coolidge's 'A Friend in Need,' better known as dogs playing poker.

at #200 above, the #4 picture is "Let's get Kinky in Austin".
The dude lives off an unpaved road in San Marcos, Tx. Hence the dust accumulation on his car.

Ahhh.... the finer points of Islamic Law. The US gives them $2,000,000,000 a year and they can't even get a fatwa right. All the Jews in Egypt must be sleeping easier tonight.

CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt’s Muslim authorities have stepped in to keep a wave of anti-Semitic sentiment from getting out of control, disowning an edict by a firebrand cleric calling for Israeli Jews to be killed.

On the eve of last week’s truce in the month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah, cleric Safwat al-Higazi issued an edict calling on worshippers to kill “any Zionist anywhere in wartime”.

Speaking on the religious satellite network Al-Nas, the Cairo imam specified that the use of “fire arms, knives and poison” should be preferred to suicide bombings “in order to spare innocents”.

Higazi later limited the edict to Israeli Jews, whom he said were all reservists in the army and therefore legitimate targets.

“I myself am ready to slash the throat of any Israeli I meet,” he told the Sawt al-Umma newspaper. ...

Al-Azhar mosque, the leading theological authority for many Sunni Muslims, had to step in with a counter-fatwa and banned Higazi from preaching at Friday prayers.

“Killing Jews on the Egyptian territory would be a terrorist act,” said the edict, issued three days after Higazi’s.

However, the Al-Azhar fatwa said nothing about killing Jews in other countries.

#198
"I went to see the movie World Trade Center today. Y'all should see it.
Bring some tissues."

I cannot think of one reason to make such a movie (Capitalizing on others sorrow). And I certainly would not give them one dime of mine. What should we see in a movie that we haven’t already lived? If anyone needs to be reminded of 9-11 than they were just not paying attention. What is the point of the film? Is their something about 9-11 that we don’t know? Something that the 24hr cable news junkies have not informed us of? No the film is a “drama”. A simplistic look at a horrible day, and I will not be attending, I don’t need to.

#202 MP5:

Can you "link" us to any of those whackey quotes?
Example:

“I myself am ready to slash the throat of any Israeli I meet,” he told the Sawt al-Umma newspaper. ...

or maybe this gem:

“Killing Jews on the Egyptian territory would be a terrorist act,” said the edict, issued three days after Higazi’s.

Those are very inflammable statements, can you back them up, provide a link?

A simplistic look at a horrible day, and I will not be attending, I don’t need to.

Suit yourself UncleDad. It is a very good human interest story. First responders, and the people that loved them. It spent more time on their families, than with the trapped P/A police officers. It brought tears to my eyes many times, not the least of which is when the Marine first found them. When the one trapped cop pleaded with him not to leave them, his response was "We aren't going to leave you. You are our mission."
Well, I guess you had to be there.

Lets listen to some music now, liberal music

#204

Sure thing

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060822/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictegypt

Whackey quotes? LMAO!! You have not spent much time in Egypt have you?

#205 Alan:

"First responders, and the people that loved them. It spent more time on their families, than with the trapped P/A police officers. It brought tears to my eyes many times, not the least of which is when the Marine first found them"

That is exactly the reason why I will not attend the film. We all know that many people and their families suffered that day. I do not need to see "Hollywood’s" recreation. If you or someone else gets something out of the film then great. I was only thinking about myself, and I do not need Hollywood’s version of terror. I think the film is ill-conceived and untimely. That’s my opinion

interesting...
Army: Doubting Official 9/11 Story Is ‘Disloyal To The United States’

thanks spy.

The Missing Links

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, August 22, 2006; 3:00 PM

It's ironic that at the same press conference where President Bush flatly acknowledged that there was no link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11, he was putting forth -- largely unchallenged -- a new and equally specious linkage between Iraq and terror.

Bush's new assertion -- and it is apparently going to be his central message in the run-up to the November elections -- is that pulling out of Iraq would embolden terrorists and lead them to strike here again.

It's a politically potent message, that's for sure. But the more you know about what's really going on in Iraq, the less sense it makes.

TEXT

Bryan Bender writes in the Boston Globe: "White House aides said yesterday's press conference was the beginning of a more aggressive plan to help Republicans convince the public that, despite setbacks in Iraq, Democrats don't understand that success in Iraq is critical to the broader war against terrorism. . . .

" 'The Republicans are planning to make national security their issue, as they have before, and they are very brazen in how they do it,' said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history at Boston University who is writing a book on national security and politics. 'Republicans want to link Iraq to homeland security -- that is the core issue,' he said. 'Democrats want to separate the issues and argue Iraq is not a part of the homeland security strategy.' "

The Secret Downing Street Memo
-----
SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY
DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02
cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John Scarlett, Francis Richards,
CDS, C, Jonathan Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell
IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER’S MEETING, 23 JULY
Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.
This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a
genuine need to know its contents.
John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam’s regime was tough and based on
extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried
and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or overwhelming.
His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale
was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now
seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justifi ed by the conjunction of terrorism
and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fi xed around the policy. The NSC had no patience
with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record. There was little
discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.
CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4
August.
The two broad US options were:
(a) Generated Start. A slow build-up of 250,000 US troops, a short (72 hour) air campaign, then a move up to
Baghdad from the south. Lead time of 90 days (30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to Kuwait).
(b) Running Start. Use forces already in theatre (3 x 6,000), continuous air campaign, initiated by an Iraqi casus
belli. Total lead time of 60 days with the air campaign beginning even earlier. A hazardous option.
The US saw the UK (and Kuwait) as essential, with basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus critical for either option.
Turkey and other Gulf states were also important, but less vital. The three main options for UK involvement
were:
(i) Basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus, plus three SF squadrons.
(ii) As above, with maritime and air assets in addition.
2
(iii) As above, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000, perhaps with a discrete role in Northern Iraq entering
from Turkey, tying down two Iraqi divisions.
The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun “spikes of activity” to put pressure on the regime.
No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was
January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.
The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had
made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam
was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran.
We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would
also help with the legal justifi cation for the use of force.
The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were
three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The fi rst and second
could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be diffi cult. The situation
might of course change.
The Prime Minister said that it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in
the UN inspectors. Regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was producing
the WMD. There were different strategies for dealing with Libya and Iran. If the political context were right,
people would support regime change. The two key issues were whether the military plan worked and whether
we had the political strategy to give the military plan the space to work.
On the fi rst, CDS said that we did not know yet if the US battleplan was workable. The military were continuing
to ask lots of questions.
For instance, what were the consequences, if Saddam used WMD on day one, or if Baghdad did not collapse
and urban warfi ghting began? You said that Saddam could also use his WMD on Kuwait. Or on Israel, added
the Defence Secretary.
The Foreign Secretary thought the US would not go ahead with a military plan unless convinced that it was a
winning strategy. On this, US and UK interests converged. But on the political strategy, there could be US/UK
differences. Despite US resistance, we should explore discreetly the ultimatum. Saddam would continue to play
hard-ball with the UN.
John Scarlett assessed that Saddam would allow the inspectors back in only when he thought the threat of military
action was real.
The Defence Secretary said that if the Prime Minister wanted UK military involvement, he would need to
decide this early. He cautioned that many in the US did not think it worth going down the ultimatum route. It
would be important for the Prime Minister to set out the political context to Bush.
Conclusions:
(a) We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a
fuller picture of US planning before we could take any fi rm decisions. CDS should tell the US military that we
were considering a range of options.
3
(b) The Prime Minister would revert on the question of whether funds could be spent in preparation for this
operation.
(c) CDS would send the Prime Minister full details of the proposed military campaign and possible UK contributions
by the end of the week.
(d) The Foreign Secretary would send the Prime Minister the background on the UN inspectors, and discreetly
work up the ultimatum to Saddam.
He would also send the Prime Minister advice on the positions of countries in the region especially Turkey, and
of the key EU member states.
(e) John Scarlett would send the Prime Minister a full intelligence update.
(f) We must not ignore the legal issues: the Attorney-General would consider legal advice with FCO/MOD legal
advisers.
(I have written separately to commission this follow-up work.)
MATTHEW RYCROFT
(Rycroft was a Downing Street foreign policy aide)

In the Los Angeles Times, Peter Wallsten had a very interesting look at the press conference and Bush's use of the media: "Democrats are eager to score points with voters this fall by talking about President Bush's handling of the Middle East, Hurricane Katrina and gas prices. On Monday, Bush showed that he too is eager to discuss those knotty topics -- but he framed them as winners for Republican candidates in November, even if polls show voters disagreeing now. . . .

"Bush underscored GOP strategists' hopes that even a president plagued by low approval ratings can use his bully pulpit to fill the airwaves with a message designed to help the party's candidates. . . .

"Although he has often been accused of avoiding critical questioners, Bush's appearance suggested he was settling into a pattern of regular, wide-ranging interactions with reporters in which he can appear confident and presidential."

O'Reilly! Has there been any research in the US as to why so many countries around the world, for years now, have been going against your country? I mean, what could be the original source(s) for what we witness to day? I'm not without knowledge of history, how the US in many ways have been supportive of dictatorships, especially in Latin America, for many years (Chile, El Salvador etc. etc.). When was the turningpoint from being a helpful nation to a large part of the world during, and after wwII, to become a nation wich has ended up in the mess we see to day? Is there a simple answer, or is it to complex to even try to answer this issue.

Eugene Robinson writes in his Washington Post opinion column that "when you try to impose your simplistic, black-and-white template on a kaleidoscopic world, and you end up setting the Middle East on fire, either you're surprised or you're not paying attention."

Two new polls have Bush's approval rating up to 42 percent, a move in the right direction for a president facing an otherwise overwhelmingly gloomy picture of public opinion.

Susan Page and David Jackson write in USA Today: "The arrest of terror suspects in London has helped buoy President Bush to his highest approval rating in six months. . . .

"Terrorism is the only area in which Bush has a positive standing and the only one that significantly changed. His rating is below 40% on six other issues."

CNN reports on its poll: "Fewer than half of respondents (44 percent) said they believe Bush is honest and trustworthy, with 54 percent saying they do not believe he is. . . .

"In addition, a mere 35 percent favor the war in Iraq, while 61 percent oppose it -- the highest amount of opposition to the war in any CNN poll since the conflict began in 2003.

UN official paints grim picture of Palestinian situation; urges renewed international effort

USG Ibrahim Gambari briefs Security Council
22 August 2006 –†Briefing the Security Council today on the situation of Palestinians in the Middle East, the top United Nations political officer painted a grim picture of developments over the past 12 months, warning that the vision of Israel and Palestine living peacefully side-by-side has slipped further away, and stressing the need for a renewed international effort in the region. In an open meeting of the Council, which also heard speeches from almost 30 countries, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, listed six main reasons why the situation had changed so much from a year ago, when Israel was disengaging from Gaza and part of the northern West Bank and the world community was working to ensure both sides would return to the Road Map for the region. Far from advancing towards the vision of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security, we have seen that vision slip further away during the past year. Listing the reasons for such developments, he said the first was the political positions and actions of the parties, noting that the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority has not fully committed itself to basic principles of the peace process, while Israel has itself failed to implement Road Map obligations, including freezing settlement activity. Mr. Gambari also highlighted the financial difficulties faced by the Palestinian Authority, but said that the most terrible measure of the state of the peace process was the death and destruction from violence, as he cited examples of the suffering on both sides.
The cycle of attack and counter-attack leads only to increased human suffering which is intolerable on all sides in the past year a total of 41 Israelis have been killed, and nearly 480 injured, by Palestinian violence. In the same period, over 450 Palestinians have been killed, and over 2,500 injured by Israeli violence. He highlighted also that no progress has been made in securing the release of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, despite calls for his unconditional release, while efforts to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners have also been unsuccessful. A fourth reason for the lack of progress towards a negotiated two State solution, said Mr. Gambari, was the fact that settlement activity continues and so too does the building of The Barrier, large parts of which are on occupied Palestinian territory.
He also highlighted the high degree of poverty, noting that impoverishment in the Palestinian territories is more severe now than it has ever been, but concluded by saying that perhaps the most worrying development of the past year was in the attitudes of ordinary people. The sixth measure of the state of the peace process is perhaps the most worrying development difficult to quantify, but easy to discern –†in the attitudes of ordinary men and women. Opinion polls suggest a woeful decline in confidence in the peace process and in the prospects for a negotiated settlement on both sides.
Positions may be hardening, and could harden further unless a credible political process is somehow revived, he said, as he emphasized the importance of Security General Kofi Annans recent call for greater global involvement and the need to look at peace in the whole Middle East region as a whole. There are many concrete steps, some immediate, which need to be taken in order to get out of the current crisis and back towards a political path. And as the Secretary-General stressed on 11 August, something more is needed a renewed international effort, in which the various crises in the region are addressed is part of a holistic and comprehensive effort, sanctioned and championed by this Council.

------------------------------

Let's not forget the Palestinian issue.

"Official State Department calendars, provided to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act, show then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage held a one-hour meeting marked 'private appointment' with Woodward on June 13, 2003."

Matt Apuzzo and John Solomon write for the Associated Press: "The No. 2 State Department official met with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward in mid-June 2003, the same time the reporter has testified that an administration official talked to him about CIA employee Valerie Plame.

hippy cool

hippy cool

Mideast Echoes Of 1938

By Richard Cohen
Tuesday, August 22, 2006; Washington Post

In his upcoming book about the horrors of the 20th century, "The War of the World," the British historian Niall Ferguson has a chapter called "The Pity of Peace." It is about 1938, when World War II loomed, and Britain -- especially and importantly Britain -- did precious little to stop it. The warnings of Churchill -- "believe me, it may be the last chance . . ." -- were ignored, and the government under Neville Chamberlain obstinately pursued a policy that forever after made the word appeasement one of the most odious in history. Somehow, though, it looks like 1938 all over again. The events in the Middle East are often compared to 1914 and the start of World War I. That war -- the Great War, the war to end all wars -- is actually the all-purpose war. It not only began for what seemed like a trivial reason (the assassination of someone who wasn't a head of state) but it was fought with tenacity and brutality for what now seems no reason at all. In the end, millions died and the world was utterly changed. Why? But when it comes to the Middle East, 1938 is also a pretty instructive year. At the moment, the United Nations has committed itself to maintaining peace in Lebanon. It has done so by saying it will interpose an armed force between Israel on the one hand and Hezbollah on the other. At the same time, the Lebanese army will -- as it has already started to do -- invade its own country (gasp!), securing the south for the first time in decades. A critical part of that plan is the establishment of the international peacekeeping force. It is supposed to have 15,000 troops, who will join 15,000 Lebanese troops to ensure that Hezbollah is not rearmed with Iranian and Syrian missiles and that Israel not only pulls out of Lebanon but stays out. The backbone of the international force is supposed to come from Europe, particularly France. It was France, in fact, that was most insistent on the establishment of the force. Now France is having second thoughts . . . or cold feet . . . or mere questions. If it is the last, that's understandable. The French military is said to worry about the command structure, since this was a problem with the U.N. force in Bosnia in the 1990s. Command structure, though, was not nearly the whole problem in the Balkans. After all, Dutch soldiers were on the spot when Bosnian troops massacred Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica. It is hard to this day to account for what happened. If only questions about the command structure vexed the French, there would be little cause for worry. But there are ample signs that more is at work here than a table of organization. Maybe the French and other Europeans have just plain lost the political will. The upshot is that now there is no international force worth its name in Lebanon -- certainly not one willing and able to shoot.
This inability of Europe to get its act together is what suggests 1938. Back then, Winston Churchill was hardly the only one who thought Hitler was intent on war. After all, the German leader was an ideological zealot and a murderer to boot. Still, England did little. Similarly, you don't have to have Churchillian prescience to see that what happened once in Lebanon can happen again. Hezbollah's avowed aim is to eradicate Israel. Listen to what it says. Pay attention. It will renew its attacks the first chance it gets. This is why it exists.
When George Bush used the term "Islamic fascists," he had a point. But it's futile to use colorful language when, in reality, you're out of the conversation altogether. This is another baleful consequence of the Iraq war. The United States is not only preoccupied, it is loathed. The leadership it once was able to exert -- especially in the Middle East -- is a thing of the past. If its credibility is to be restored, another president will have to do so. In the meantime, as we always learn, Europe without American leadership is a mere tourist destination. What's striking about Ferguson's account of 1938 is the almost total absence of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The American president is almost never mentioned -- sidelined by the Great Depression and, more important, American isolationism. That year, too, Europe was left on its own, and England, pathetically, was not up to the job. Now, by default, the leadership of Europe has slipped to France. We can all sense war coming and a kind of crazy chronology forming like storm clouds for all to see -- 1938 becoming 1914.
Oui ?

hippy cool

What a Moronic Presidential Press Conference!
It's clear Bush doesn't understand Iraq, or Lebanon, or Gaza, or
By Fred Kaplan
Posted Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2006, at 5:48 PM ET
George W. Bush at a press conference
Among the many flabbergasting answers that President Bush gave at his press conference on Monday, this one about Democrats who propose pulling out of Iraqt triggered the steepest jaw drop: "I would never question the patriotism of somebody who disagrees with me. This has nothing to do with patriotism. It has everything to do with understanding the world in which we live."
George W. Bush criticizing someone for not understanding the world is like well, it's like George W. Bush criticizing someone for not understanding the world. It's sui generis: No parallel quite captures the absurdity so succinctly. This, after all, is the president who invaded Iraq without the slightest understanding of the country's ethnic composition or of the volcanic tensions that toppling its dictator might unleash. Complexity has no place in his schemes. Choices are never cloudy. The world is divided into the forces of terror and the forces of freedom: The one's defeat means the other's victory. Defeating terror by promoting freedom it's "the fundamental challenge of the 21st century," he has said several times, especially when it comes to the Middle East. But here, from the transcript of the press conference, is how he sees the region's recent events: What's very interesting about the violence in Lebanon and the violence in Iraq and the violence in Gaza is this: These are all groups of terrorists who are trying to stop the advance of democracy. What is he talking about? Hamas, which has been responsible for much of the violence in Gaza, won the Palestinian territory's parliamentary elections. Hezbollah, which started its recent war with Israel, holds a substantial minority of seats in Lebanon's parliament and would probably win many more seats if a new election were held tomorrow. Many of the militants waging sectarian battle in Iraq have representation in Baghdad's popularly elected parliament. The key reality that Bush fails to grasp is that terrorism and democracy are not opposites. They can, and sometimes do, coexist. One is not a cure for the other. Here, as a further example of this failing, is his summation of Iraq: I hear a lot about "civil war" [But] the Iraqis want a unified country. Twelve million Iraqis voted. It's an indication about the desire for people to live in a free society. What he misses is that those 12 million Iraqis had sharply divided views of what a free society meant. Shiites voted for a unified country led by Shiites, Sunnis voted for a unified country led by Sunnis, and Kurds voted for their own separate country. Almost nobody voted for a free society in any Western sense of the term. (The secular parties did very poorly.) The total number of voters, in such a context, means nothing. Look at American history. In the 1860 election, held right before our own Civil War, 81.2 percent of eligible citizens voted the second-largest turnout ever. Another comment from the president: "It's in our interests that we help reformers across the Middle East achieve their objectives." But who are these reformers? What are their objectives? And how can we most effectively help them? This is where Bush's performance proved most discouraging. He said, as he's said before, "Resentment and the lack of hope create the breeding grounds for terrorists." This may or may not be true. (Many terrorist leaders are well-off, and, according to some studies, their resentment is often aimed at foreign occupiers.) In any case, what is Bush doing to reduce their resentment? He said he wants to help Lebanon's democratic government survive, but what is he doing about that? Bush called the press conference to announce a $230 million aid package. That's a step above the pathetic $50 million that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had offered the week before, but it's still way below the $1 billion or more than Iran is shoveling to Hezbollah, which is using the money to rebuild Lebanon's bombed-out neighborhoods—°nd to take credit for the assistance. As for Iraq, it's no news that Bush has no strategy. What did come as news and, really, a bit of a shocker—©s that he doesn't seem to know what "strategy" means. Asked if it might be time for a new strategy in Iraq, given the unceasing rise in casualties and chaos, Bush replied, "The strategy is to help the Iraqi people achieve their objectives and dreams, which is a democratic society. That's the strategy. Either you say, 'It's important we stay there and get it done,' or we leave. We're not leaving, so long as I'm the president."
The reporter followed up, "Sir, that's not really the question. The strategy quot;
Bush interrupted, "Sounded like the question to me." First, it's not clear that the Iraqi people want a "democratic society" in the Western sense. Second, and more to the point, "helping Iraqis achieve a democratic society" may be a strategic objective, but it's not a strategy—°ny more than "ending poverty" or "going to the moon" is a strategy. Strategy involves how to achieve one's objectives or, as the great British strategist B.H. Liddell Hart put it, "the art of distributing and applying military means to fulfill the ends of policy." These are the issues that Bush refuses to address publicly that means and resources are to be applied, in what way, at what risk, and to what end, in pursuing his policy. Instead, he reduces everything to two options: "Cut and run" or, "Stay the course." It's as if there's nothing in between, no alternative way of applying military means. Could it be that he doesn't grasp the distinction between an "objective" and a "strategy," and so doesn't see that there might be alternatives? Might our situation be that grim?

#209,

What a website? All I can say is support the troops, really support them.

Support them when they come home, support them while their away, support them good or bad, support them whatever they say. But don't lie to them, don't let them down. Don't sell their mission, to the highest bidder.

EGYPT: EXTREMIST IMAM BANNED FROM COUNTRY'S MOSQUES

Cairo, 16 August (AKI) - Egyptian religious authorities have banned an extremist imam from the country's mosques. Safwat el-Higazi will no longer be allowed to preach during Fridays' prayers, due to a 'fatwa' he issued on the 13 July, exhorting Muslims to "kill Zionists, wherever they may be". Clerics from al-Azhar University - the most authoritative theological centre for Sunni Muslims - on Tuesday took an official stand against the preacher, who had pronounced his edict during a programme of the Islamic television channel al-Nas last month.

"Killing Jews within Egyptian territory would be a terrorist act", says al-Azhar's counter-fatwa, which seeks to prevent violence against Jews following Israeli attacks on Lebanon. However, the document says nothing about killing Jews outside Egypt's borders.

The banned imam has defended his position explaining that "in wartime, every Zionist Israeli is a possible substitute for his army's regular soldiers". Also, Higazi denied having instigated suicide attacks, rather saying that "only firearms, knives and poison are allowed, so as not to risk harming innocent people". He pointed out that his invitation to kill would only refer to Israeli Jews, while Israeli Muslims or Christians, as well as American or European Jews were to consider exempted.

In recent weeks, Egyptian public opinion has strongly rejected the offensive by the Israeli army, which led to the death of hundreds of civilians including many women and children. Some opposition MPs repeatedly asked for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Egypt and for the scrapping of the Camp David Accords - a treaty signed in 1978 which turned Egypt into the first Arab State to ever negotiate peace with Israel.

More HERE

Bush faces revolt on Iraq

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush has defiantly reaffirmed his "stay-the-course" message on Iraq, even as some of the unpopular war's strongest defenders have turned critical ahead of key November elections.

With just over two months before voters decide who controls the US Congress, Bush took pains on Monday to confront candidates, overwhelmingly opposition Democrats, who want to set a timetable for a US withdrawal.

"Any sign that says we're going to leave before the job is done simply emboldens terrorists," he said at a press conference. "We're not leaving, so long as I'm the president. That would be a huge mistake."

But more than a few politicians and commentators once firmly in Bush's camp have joined the doubters on the war, which has cost hundreds of billions of dollars and the lives of more than 2,600 US troops.

More HERE

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"We're not leaving, so long as I'm the president. That would be a huge mistake."

Yeah, it would be an admission of his abject failure to achieve anything except getting Saddam and his sons.

He is admitting that no matter what happens on the ground, no matter what changes, no matter if the Iraqis ask us to leave, we will be staying in Iraq until it is no longer his problem.

What a GUY? Such a steely resolve to deny his screw-up in the face of all evidence to the contrary he will kill as many as needed to let him pretend he was right all along.

2,000, 3,000 or 3,000,000 dead troops or collateral "loses" - the numbers have nothing to do with the Bush doctrine of his presidential infallibility and Bush will "stay the course" because his other option is reality and THAT is never going to happen to HIS manufactured version where he runs the world without error and does not have to justify anything to anybody, he is the decider and that is his choice.

Have I mentioned Impeachment lately?

capt

Up to 2,500 discharged Marines face recall to duty

Move is Corps' first since Iraq invasion

WASHINGTON -- Up to 2,500 Marines will be recalled to active duty to make up for a critical shortage of specialists to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marine Corps said yesterday, the first time since the invasion of Iraq three years ago that Marine commanders have taken the extraordinary step of drafting back into uniform those who have left the ranks.

The former Marines, who had been trained for positions ranging from military police to combat engineer, will be returned to service for up to 18 months and are expected to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in 2007, officials said. They are among tens of thousands of former military personnel who have been discharged from the service and entered civilian life, but who may be required to return in an emergency for as long as eight years after leaving the service.

The announcement was made a day after President Bush vowed to keep US forces in Iraq for the remainder of his presidency, warning that withdrawing the estimated 138,000 American troops prematurely would be a ``disaster." Nevertheless, the involuntary call-up was unexpected and served as a reminder of the strain on US ground combat units, which have served multiple tours in both conflicts and have suffered the brunt of US casualties. There are 22,000 Marines in Iraq.

More HERE

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Marines? "first since Iraq invasion"?

Maybe Bush is sure he must keep the troops in Iraq because we are going to war with Iran? I smell something and it is not good.

capt

Same-sex marriage is surely a civil right

Many blacks oppose such unions for religious reasons, but bigotry is bigotry, even if it's cloaked in faith. Blacks should know this better than most.

As the debate rages over whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry, I'm disappointed whenever I hear other African-Americans say, "No, they shouldn't."

We're more opposed to same-sex marriage than whites are, according to a June survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, which found that 65% of African-Americans are against it compared with 53% of whites.

More HERE

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Hate is hate and bigotry is bigotry. There are always the breathless protestations about how "Gay marriage" threatens the institution of marriage. They never say how, they just imply an erroneous choice between false options. Like gay marriage will destroy the institution? As if gay marriage will mean no marriage?

I always like to try the "on the other hand" exercise. If the government can tell me who I cannot marry it is just as able to tell me who I have to marry. It is not the governments business to tell anybody not to make a commitment to another. It is the governments business to protect and defend the rights of all citizens under the law. Gay and lesbians are just the latest incarnation of the 3/5 citizen. Gay and lesbians have the same inalienable rights we are all born with as Americans. They are just not respected as such by those who choose to hate.

Some people like to say sexual orientation is a choice? I say the homophobes are the ones that have a choice, they choose to hate and fear others. They need to get past their choice to hate.

capt

Another 9/11 Coverup in the Making?

The author of a new book about the mistakes that led to 9/11 accuses the National Geographic Channel of diluting a documentary about the book in order to protect the government.

''The FBI allowed the chief spy for al-Qaeda to operate right under their noses,'' Lance said. ''They let him plan the bombings of the embassies in Africa right under their noses. Two hundred twenty-four people were killed and more than 4,000 wounded because of their negligence."

Lance contends that when Pentagon officials realized how embarrassing it would be if it were revealed that bin Laden's spy had stolen top-secret intelligence (including the positions of all Green Beret and SEAL units worldwide), they decided to bury the entire Able Danger program. Lance further states that his book also contains evidence that Patrick Fitzgerald (of later Scooter Libby/Valerie Plame fame) covered up key al-Qaeda intelligence in 1996, when he was then an assistant U.S. attorney in New York. To Lance, Fitzgerald was "one of the principal players in the government's negligence, who engaged in an affirmative coverup of key al-Qaeda-related intelligence in 1996."

Lance believes "Fitzgerald was hopelessly outgunned by Mohamed, a hardened al-Qaeda spy, who was bin Laden's personal security advisor." Despite two face-to-face meetings with Mohamed, whom Fitzgerald called "the most dangerous man I've ever met," he left him on the street, which allowed Mohamed -- who actually planned the surveillance for the African Embassy bombings -- to help pull off that simultaneous act of terror in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998, in which 224 died and more than 4,000 were injured.

There is also a chilling tie-in in the book to the airliner-bombing plot revealed last week by the British intelligence. Much of the key intelligence that Fitzgerald helped to bury in 1996 was directly related to the Bojinka plot, a scheme by original WTC bomber and 9/11 architect Ramzi Yousef to smuggle small improvised explosive devices aboard up to a dozen U.S. bound jumbo jets exiting Asia.

More HERE

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A cover-up is a cover-up. If the governments version was the truth they would not have to cover-up anything.

We have not been told the truth and a real investigation will happen - sooner or later. There is much yet to be revealed.

capt

Judge blocks logging in sequoia monument

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Bush administration plan to allow commercial logging inside the Giant Sequoia National Monument violates environmental laws.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer sided with environmental groups that sued the U.S. Forest Service over its plans for managing the 328,000-acre preserve, home to two-thirds of the world’≥ largest trees.

Breyer had already issued a preliminary injunction, in September 2005, to halt further logging in the national monument created by President Clinton in 2000.

More HERE

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Thank all that is good and right in the world. I hope they keep their darned hands off of the giant sequoias. Of all the things on the planet I am emotionally connected to the giant trees. No matter where you live, if you do not experience the giant sequoias firsthand you should try to, they are awesome in the truest sense of the word.

The giants have small cones that only release their seeds when there is a forest fire. To prevent fires in the giant forest is to stop them from releasing their seeds. It is the dumbest thing anybody could do.

capt

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In the White House, home is where the fart is

Paul Bedard of U.S. News & World Report raised a few eyebrows this week when he went public about President George W. Bush's fondness for . . .well . . .farts.

Yep. The President farts - a lot. He farts in front of other White House staffers. He likes to joke about farts, cusses constantly and laughs with glee at the misfortune of others.

Writes Bedard:

He loves to cuss, gets a jolly when a mountain biker wipes out trying to keep up with him, and now we're learning that the first frat boy loves flatulence jokes. A top insider let that slip when explaining why President Bush is paranoid around women, always worried about his behavior. But he's still a funny, earthy guy who, for example, can't get enough of fart jokes. He's also known to cut a few for laughs, especially when greeting new young aides, but forget about getting people to gas about that.

We've heard the same from others. In fact, the President's fondness for spicy Mexican food leads to farts that can clear a room.

Bush is not the first crude President nor will he likely be the last.

More HERE

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There is clearly too much information in the above. I am sure all presidents have normal bodily functions. Some a bit more lizard-like but that is beside the point.

capt

When American troops die in vain

Does President Bush expect his troops can stop a civil war that is at once religious, ethnic, factional and historical _ the civil war he was warned about by elders who served his father and whose wisdom he ignored? We don't know because he wasn't asked. ABC's Martha Raddatz tried to get there, noting the civilian deaths and asking if it was time for a new strategy. The commander-in-chief, however, confused strategy and tactics in his answer: "You know that the Pentagon is constantly adjusting tactics because they have the flexibility from the White House to do so."

Raddatz interjected: "I'm talking about strategy." Bush never blinked: "The strategy is to help the Iraqi people achieve their objectives and their dreams, which is a democratic society. That's the strategy. The tactics _ now, either you say, yes, it's important that we stay there and get it done; or we leave. We're not leaving so long as I'm the president. That would be a huge mistake."

Strategy has seemed to be MIA ever since Saddam Hussein was toppled. Strategy for securing Iraq either never existed or it failed. Bush brushed aside recommendations for twice as many troops. Rummy disbanded Iraq's army. Arsenal looters armed evildoers. Foreign terrorists infiltrated. And all as the president peacocked on an aircraft carrier festooned with "Mission Accomplished."

Today, Bush rightly says we must not pull out and allow Iraq to collapse into dysfunction, leaving it to be a haven for terrorists to mobilize and plot new attacks against us.

But Americans must brace for this unspoken truth: We may no longer be able to prevent that painful outcome even if we stay _ as civil war expands all around our troops, giving catastrophic new meaning to harm's way.

More HERE

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We should not have any of our troops taking sides in the civil war. Certainly not just because Bush refuses to face the truth and take responsibility for his screw-up. Nobody can "win" an occupation, not even the USA. We cannot stay on a fouled course.

capt

Burrito

The 30-inch burrito story came from the Yahoo News Service. Yahoo did not mention whether or not the burrito was an all bean burrito. An all bean burrito would have put the burrito in the WMD category.

In fact the all bean burrito may be our answer to an alternative energy source. When people eat the all bean burrito, the gaseous emissions from our human bodies may offer an important research project to keep Americans away from their gluttonous and voracious appetite for oil that places our country in a constant war mode.

It is my understanding that cheney and his band of goons and thugs have now a patent on caked animal and human dung that can be used as an alternative fuel source for Americans in northern states. The sale of caked animal and human dung should be on the shelves before the winter months commence. An insider says that the hold-up for announcing the sale has to do with the settled price for the sale of this dung. The insider also says that the settled price for caked animal and human dung will qualify cheney and his band of goons and thugs for the "Golden Fleece Award."

If folks are interested, C-Span has James Ridway from Mother Jones on who recently wrote an article about the investigations that a Democratic congress would have control over if they get in.

Ridway focused quite a bit on Phase II of the SSCI. If you have any comments or questions for Ridway call C-SPAN AT 202-737-0002 OR GO TO C-SPANS WEBSITE AND GO TO WASHINGTON JOURNAL AND SUBMIT A QUESTION. RIDWAY COMES ON AT 9:30.

IF YOU ARE CALLING TRY TO START AT 9:25..PUNCH REDIAL. BE POLITE AND CLEAR WITH THE SCREENER.

Sorry... James Ridgeway

Would some Nazi please pass this listing of farts to Hitler Bush?

Nazi/Taliban Farts

Democrats are not perfect but they do not have an air about them.

Here are some laughing points regarding the Nazis and the Taliban whom I consider murderers and war criminals.

Nazis/Taliban have an air about them. They really do have an air about them.

Nazi/Taliban are synonymous with the bushits, the neocons, and the kkkristian evangelicals.

Their farts remind me of their attitudes and policies. Here are some examples.

1. Vain fart –†Nazis/Taliban love the smell of their farts.

2. Proud fart –†Nazis/Taliban think their farts are exceptionally fine.

3. Impudent fart –†Nazis/Taliban boldly fart out loud and then laugh.

4. Strategic fart –†Nazis/Taliban fart and then conceal it with loud coughing.

5. Sadistic fart –†Nazis/Taliban fart in bed and then pull the cover up over their partner's head.

6. Unfortunate fart –†Nazis/Taliban try really hard to fart, but they poop instead.

7. Honest fart –†Nazis/Taliban admit they farted but offer good medical reasons.

8. Dishonest fart –†Nazis/Taliban fart and then blame the dog.

9. Thrifty fart –†Nazis/Taliban always keep a couple good farts in reserve.

Old Fart

I should know something about farts because I have four or five books on farts. There are all kinds of farts. Old farts really do smell but the worst kind of fart is in the car with the windows up on a very cold day. That fart really smells because the smell lingers on endlessly. I believe that the cold air insulates the smell to remain inside the car.

Since I have such a keen interest in farts, maybe I could be president?

U.S. poll shows Iraq and terror divide

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. sentiment has shifted to where the war in Iraq and the battle against terror are no longer part of the same effort, a New York Times/CBS News poll says.

The newspaper said as recently as June, opinion was split at 41 percent among those who said the war in Iraq was a major part of the fight against terror, and 41 percent who said it was not. In the most recent poll, conducted by telephone Thursday through Monday with 1,206 adults, 32 percent consider Iraq a major part of the terror fight, while 12 percent rate it a minor part.

While U.S. President George Bush received a 4-point jump to 55 percent in approval of his handling of terrorism, 53 percent of respondents said going to war in Iraq was a mistake, up from 48 percent in July. On progress in Iraq, 62 percent said events were going "somewhat or very badly."

Bush's overall standing was unchanged from last week, with 57 percent disapproving and 36 percent approving, the Times said.

More HERE

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"the war in Iraq and the battle against terror are no longer part of the same effort"

This is significant. How long have we been waiting for the rest of the country to wake up? The ongoing occupation of Iraq works against our goals in the "war on terror" and people know the difference.

capt

Poll: 74 percent in U.S. expect attack

ATLANTA, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Nearly three-quarters of U.S. residents in a CNN poll said al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is plotting a major attack on the United States.

The poll of 1,033 people for the network by Opinion Research Corporation found 30 percent felt the attack would be successful, while 44 percent said it would not.

However, public confidence in the possible capture of bin Laden has fallen, CNN said.

In 2001, a similar poll found 76 percent of people were confident of a capture. In 2004, that number fell to 66 percent, and down to 58 percent in the most recent telephone poll, conducted Aug. 18-20.

Respondents were nearly evenly split on whether the U.S.-led war in Iraq has hampered the nation's ability to capture or kill the terror leader.

The poll's overall margin of error was 3 percentage points, CNN said.

More HERE

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Again, some good news here. Seven in ten are aware that Bush has not made any of us any safer with his Iraq invasion. No polling service would dare ask if people expected a false flag operation but I expect the number would be substantial.

capt

Perfume

We need to lighten up. The neocons are pissed because they do not have all the money only 90% of it. The fundamentalists are pissed because the end time and rapture has not occurred with our planet being blown up by a nuclear holocaust. True American patriots are pissed because they see America goose stepping herself into hell.

This story is my favorite story that reminds me of American Nazis, especially rich American Nazis.

A little old lady is riding the elevator in a very lavish New York City Office Building.

A young and beautiful Nazi woman gets into the elevator and smelling like an expensive perfume turns to the little old lady and says arrogantly, "Giorgio Beverly Hills, $100 an ounce!"

The next young and beautiful Nazi woman gets on the elevator and also very arrogantly turns to the little old lady and says, "Chanel No. 5, $150 an ounce!"

About three floors later, the little old lady has reached her floor and is about to get off the elevator. Before she leaves, she looks sideways at both beautiful women in their eyes and bends over and farts. She says to them, "Broccoli –†59 cents a pound!"

Tories open nine-point lead as Labour drops to 19-year low

David Cameron is on course for a possible general election win, according to a Guardian/ICM poll published today that shows support for the Conservatives climbing to a lead that could give them a narrow majority in the Commons, while Labour has plunged to a 19-year low.

The Tories have gained over the last month while support for Labour has fallen heavily in the wake of the recent alleged terror plot against airlines. An overwhelming majority of voters appear to pin part of the blame for the increased threat on Tony Blair's policy of intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ministers - including Mr Blair - have repeatedly denied that there is a connection. But 72%, including 65% of Labour voters, think government policy has made Britain more of a target for terrorists. Only 1% of voters believe the government's foreign policy has made Britain safer, a devastating finding given that action in Iraq and Afghanistan has been justified in part to defeat Islamist terrorism.

More HERE

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"Only 1% of voters believe the government's foreign policy has made Britain safer"

1% that is some statement about Blair? I wonder are the Brits better informed about Iraq or just smarter?

capt

#234 and #237 Can not be Gerald.

This video is a must watch. So clever..

Sorry to ask again would someone link this for me. It is at Raw Story.
Video: Daily Show sees Iraq violence as misplaced appreciation for the US
RAW STORY Published: Tuesday August 22, 2006
After a New York Times report that President Bush has expressed frustration that Iraqis have not expressed appreciation for the sacrifices that the United States has made in Iraq, The Daily Show has launched its own investigation.

The Daily Show's Baghdad Bureau Chief, Aasif Mandvi, joined host Jon Stewart to examine the gap between the president's expectations and the behavior of the Iraqi people. Mandvi explains that the violence in Iraq is simply misplaced appreciation for their liberation and continued security. Mandvi says that "as three years have gone by it has become harder and harder to find the right way to say 'thank you.'"

Aug 22 has come and gone. I guess Iran forgot they were supposed to unleash nuclear armegeddon on us and wipe Israel off the map. Maybe next year.

Video: Daily Show sees Iraq violence as misplaced appreciation for the US

After a New York Times report that President Bush has expressed frustration that Iraqis have not expressed appreciation for the sacrifices that the United States has made in Iraq, The Daily Show has launched its own investigation.

The Daily Show's Baghdad Bureau Chief, Aasif Mandvi, joined host Jon Stewart to examine the gap between the president's expectations and the behavior of the Iraqi people. Mandvi explains that the violence in Iraq is simply misplaced appreciation for their liberation and continued security. Mandvi says that "as three years have gone by it has become harder and harder to find the right way to say 'thank you.'"

Video HERE

More HERE

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A do not miss!

capt

Sal, I guess God never got the e-mail.

damn computers!

#245 ... and what ever happened to that oil bourse? The deadline has passed for that, too.

Well, maybe "they" are using the French Revolutionary Calendar or something.

Report: Iran wields influence in Iraq

LONDON - Iran wields more influence than the United States in Iraq and has established itself as America's chief rival in the Middle East, a British think tank said in a report released Wednesday.

London-based Chatham House attributes Iran's influence to diplomacy, charitable efforts and the removal from power of regional rivals Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

"While the U.S. has been playing poker in the region, Iran has been playing chess," said Nadim Shehadi, a fellow in the Middle East program at Chatham House, an independent group that analyzes international issues.

"Iran is playing a longer, more clever game and has been far more successful at winning hearts and minds," Shehadi said.

More HERE

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If we do not stop Bush from starting another illegal war we will be faced with more of the same outrageous failures. He might as well try to set-up the caliphate from Spain to wherever - with him in charge it will never happen.

capt

He violated his oath of office and he broke federal laws. How can he not be impeached and removed from office?

Yea, watsupwitthat? sez the lurker.

Alternatives to the Collapsed WTO Doha Round Talks

[...]

The US may face still further obstacles as Russia, China and Iran have announced or signaled their intentions to shift a portion of their dollar reserves away from the US currency into others like the euro. Russia also plans to make its ruble convertible into the other major currencies, and Iran intends to open an oil bourse, (its scheduled opening now delayed several times) and sell at least part of its oil in euros. China, in fact, just did it by opening its Shanghai Petroleum Exchange on August 18, began trading in gasoline, announced bitumen, methanol and glycol will follow and soon thereafter will trade in other petroleum and chemical products including crude and refined oil and liquified gas. The announcement didn't mention what currency trading would be done in, but likely initially at least it will be in the Chinese yuan with possible euro trading to follow.

More HERE

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I think Iran has been talking more than doing anything about it - so far.

capt

launching your own oil trade is not even remotely comparable to launching nuclear armegeddon.

Iranian Oil Bourse nearly ready to open
TEHRAN, June 5 (UPI) -- The Iranian Oil Bourse is in its final stages, Iran's Fars news agency reported Monday.

According to the Fars report, the board of directors of the International Bourse Co., which is charged with establishing the bourse, will review the final draft of the articles of association of the Iranian bourse this week.

The International Bourse Co. was registered last month, with an initial capital of $2,000, and is charged with setting up the Iranian Oil Bourse on Kish Island. The IBC is owned by the National Iranian Oil Co., which has an 80 percent stake, and by with Kish Free Zone Organization and the Mostaz'afan and Janbazan Foundation, each of which hold 10 percent stakes.

Once the IBC finalize the draft, the articles of association will be sent to the body in charge of securities for review.

The bourse will be established in phases; following discussions of the first phase, rules and bylaws involving the establishment, running, equipping and opening of the bourse will be negotiated.
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This is not spoken of in the MSM any more then saddams plans to sell Iraqi oil in euros was. But the sword rattling against Iran has gotten noticeably louder wouldn't you say?

Pande, yes, a proper investigation (and prosecution) of The Shooter's firearms' violations would be a good start. I wonder if some enterprising individual in Texas can look into that? Hey, those guys in the WH love to yak about states' rights -- how 'bout going after The Shooter in the state where he committed the crime? (Well, that crime -- there are more.)

Maybe when Kinky is gov... ;-))

Nuclear Apocalypse milder than expected

Thomas C Greene / The Register | August 23 2006

Update The Register is pleasantly surprised to learn that humanity continues to muddle along after a leading Islamic scholar predicted its abrupt destruction on 22 August.

Academician Bernard Lewis, a specialist in Middle-Eastern culture and politics, and one of Dick Cheney's favorite thinkers, appeared to have it all worked out in an op-ed piece published by the Wall Street Journal. After a careful reading of scripture, and a bit of arithmetic, Lewis was able to determine the ideal day for Iran to nuke Israel, initiating the atomic Armageddon that we've all been worrying about.

Iran was expected to ignite World War III on the anniversary of the prophet Muhammad's journey to Heaven, which this year fell on 22 August. Oddly, the Iranians seem to have had other things on their minds, and marked the occasion with an overture toward negotiating with the West over their controversial nuclear weapons research and development program.

Of course, it's entirely possible that the professor misplaced a decimal point somewhere along the way, and that the Apocalypse is still being arranged for some equally important but perhaps less pleasant occasion in the Islamic calendar.

The predictions business can be tricky, as everyone knows (The Simpsons' episode "Thank God It's Doomsday" illustrates this nicely, as Homer needs two attempts at calculating the end of the world).

We will of course continue to bring our readers all breaking news regarding the end of civilisation. We regret to remind those who bought Gulfstreams, Lamborghinis, etc., on the strength of Professor Lewis's prior prediction, that they're liable for payments until the debt is satisfied or Armageddon commences, whichever comes first.
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Poor, poor, gullible sheeple.

Check on Gods work HERE.

One of these days, Norton....

Okay, so it was in the GOP primary, but Alaska's current governor, who said he expected to win, got only 19 percent of the 3-way vote yesterday. Looks like Alaska GOPers are not happy with the guy, to say the least.

The GOP primary winner, Sarah Palin, got 51 percent of the vote -- an indication of a "throw the bums out" attitude?

Tissue transplant "plant" shut down by FDA because of "serious deficiencies"

Yesirree! To hell with regulations. No need for guvmint bizzy bodies.

Sorry but if a Democratic Congress does some stupid dog and pony show and doesn't hit this white house with the ferocity of the law that it deserves they will lose the respect of many, many people. I hate to say it but there is a sizable percentage of this country that wants revenge, plain and simple, and are looking for a Democratic Congress to take that revenge. A Republican Congress in the 90's impeached Bill Clinton with almost nothing to go on. Now we've got a staggering litany of violations and if nothing is done then a precedent will be set that we will take decades to recover from. Sorry, David, usually I think your column is spot on but this time you're dead wrong. You're talking like the same Democratic advisers that helped Gore lose in 2000 and helped Kerry lose in 2004 and it truly disgusts me. If the Democrats take back Congress I want flesh torn out of that man who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and nothing less.

This is strictly a personal, gut level reaction, but, I do not agree.

Wrongs should be addressed and righted or Hisorty is cheated, and we fail to learn from past mistakes.

Lobbies and outrageous campaign finance shinanagins have brought us to this sorry point in history.

I think the Democrats have a perfect opportunity to take back the Congress, and having done so, should impeach those who broke our laws and subverted our system of government.

Truth told, what they did to Valerie Plame was Treason, and it was premeditated, timed, and launched like an add campaign.

The same one that brought us Fart boy, via Turdblossem.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck its a duck. If it sounds like poop, and it smells like poop it's..............
Poop. Which is often preceeded by a comical, if juvenile, fart.

Think about it,... a STEWART/COLBERT ticket!

I am seriously encouraged by the number of Iraq vets running for office.

I applaud Utube and MTV for hosting video clips from our actual fighting men and women.

The Internet is under attack by the Right, legislation is pending. Research this issue , blog this issue, and bother the hell out of your Representatives on this issue. IT IS BIG.