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    Tuesday, May 31, 2005

    Darfur

    Great article about Darfur in The New York Times today by Nicholas Kristof.

    A reader from Eugene, Ore., wrote in with a complaint about my harping on the third world: "Why should the U.S. care for the rest of the world?" he asked. "The U.S. should take care of its own. ... It's way past time for liberal twits to stop pushing the U.S. into nonsense or try to make every wrong in the world our responsibility."

    And while that reader wasn't George W. Bush, it could have been. Today marks Day 141 of Mr. Bush's silence on the genocide, for he hasn't let the word Darfur slip past his lips publicly since Jan. 10 (even that was a passing reference with no condemnation).

    Please read the whole thing. Call your senators and your representative. Donate money to savedarfur.org and Oxfam. Call the President. Call Kofi Anan.

    Make a difference. Be a liberal twit with me.

    Sunday, May 29, 2005

    Downing Street Memo and Now This

    Happy Memorial Day. It's good to know that our sons, daughters, husbands, wives, mothers and fathers are dying for a series of lies.

    The Sunday Times - Britain
    May 29, 2005
    RAF bombing raids tried to goad Saddam into war
    Michael Smith

    THE RAF and US aircraft doubled the rate at which they were dropping bombs on Iraq in 2002 in an attempt to provoke Saddam Hussein into giving the allies an excuse for war, new evidence has shown.

    The attacks were intensified from May, six months before the United Nations resolution that Tony Blair and Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, argued gave the coalition the legal basis for war. By the end of August the raids had become
    a full air offensive.

    The details follow the leak to The Sunday Times of minutes of a key meeting in July 2002 at which Blair and his war cabinet discussed how to make “regime change” in Iraq legal.




    Here is the complete Downing Street Memo

    Why don't we all print it out and send it to our Congressmen and Senators. Don't forget to sign Representative Conyers' letter.

    Saturday, May 28, 2005

    Action action we want action

    Go here and sign Representative Conyers' letter to President Bush to investigate the Downing Street Memo.

    Email or call Representative Conyers and thank him for standing up for us.

    Up is Down

    NEW YORK - A federal judge has told the government it will have to release additional pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, civil rights lawyers said.

    Judge Alvin Hellerstein, finding the public has a right to see the pictures, told the government Thursday he will sign an order requiring it to release them to the American Civil Liberties Union, the lawyers said.


    Government lawyer Sean Lane argued that releasing pictures, even if faces and other features are obscured, would violate Geneva Convention rules on prisoner treatment by subjecting detainees to additional humiliation or embarrassment. He said the emotional wounds would be reopened because detainees could identify themselves and because the public would learn their identities.

    Uh, Sean, excuse me, but haven't we already violated the Geneva Convention rules by torturing the prisoners? I'm no a lawyer so I may be confused. But I believe your boss, Alberto Gonzalez, said the Geneva Convention rules were "quaint" and didn't apply to terrorists.

    Gotta love the Bush Administration. What they said yesterday has nothing to with what the say today. What they need is a continuity person, or entire crew. Maybe that would help. We would have an entire battalion attached to Scott McClellon. Those poor bastards would be working overtime every day.

    Friday, May 27, 2005

    Blowing in the Wind

    From over at Crooks and Liars:

    WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Everyone agrees that Ligaya Lagman is a Gold Star mother, part of the long, mournful line of women whose sons or daughters were killed in combat for the U.S. armed services. Her 27-year-old son, Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman, was killed last year in Afghanistan when his unit came under fire during a mission to drive out remnants of Taliban and al-Qaida forces.

    But the largest organization of such mothers, the American Gold Star Mothers Inc., has rejected Lagman for membership because _ though a permanent resident and a taxpayer _ she is not a U.S. citizen. "There's nothing we can do because that's what our organization says: You have to be an American citizen," national President Ann Herd said Thursday. "We can't go changing the rules every time the wind blows."

    Hey, Ann? Guess what, someone's son dying is not the wind blowing.

    Email them at Goldstarmoms@yahoo.com.

    Tell them they show no compassion, try not to use bad words.

    Thursday, May 26, 2005

    I'm here to tell you some GOOD NEWS!

    OK, here's what I've got.

    Tom DeLay:

    The treasurer of a political action committee formed by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay broke the law by not reporting hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, a judge ruled Thursday in a lawsuit brought by Democratic candidates. State District Judge Joe Hart said the money, much of it corporate contributions, should have been reported to the Texas Ethics Commission.

    Oh, Tommy, ain't that some shit? But wait, there's more! Tom is upset that on Law and Order they used his name on an episode about murdering judges. Yeah, try and distract us with that, good try!

    Kraft Foods, sponsor of the Gay Games:

    "It can be difficult when we are criticized. It's easy to say you support a concept or a principle when nobody objects. The real test of commitment is how one reacts when there are those who disagree. I hope you share my view that our company has taken the right stand on diversity, including its contribution to the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago."

    Love them.

    Big Shout Out to Walter Jones from North Carolina

    Walter Jones, the Republican congressman for North Carolina who was also the brains behind french toast becoming freedom toast in Capitol Hill restaurants, told a local newspaper the US went to war "with no justification".

    Although he voted for the war, he has since become one of its most vociferous opponents on Capitol Hill, where the hallway outside his office is lined with photographs of the "faces of the fallen".

    "If we were given misinformation intentionally by people in this administration, to commit the authority to send boys, and in some instances girls, to go into Iraq, that is wrong," he told the newspaper. "Congress must be told the truth."

    Call him and thank him 202 225-3415.

    So, overall I think it's been a pretty good week. Bolton is on Hold, the filibuster remains and Microsoft fired Ralph Reed (no relation - believe me!).

    Happy Memorial Day!

    Monday, May 23, 2005

    LAME ! DUCK!

    Okay everyone is covering this fillibuster compromise just fine. Crooks and Liars is - as always - near perfection. I do want to make a few points -

    1. over all the gang of 14 did a fine job of perserving small r republican principles today. some nut jobs are going to get through. that sucks. But W still has a long way to go before he catches Clinton in appointments.

    2. Not pro big business enough to ever be a GOP. But 2 cheers for McCain - he actually took some action to regain his party today. Anyone remember the GOP version 2.1 - the one that had people like Gerry Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, and IKE? Not really my kinda pro labor pols - but at least they had sense. They did not think liberal scientitsts made the dinosaurs up.

    3. Dob son of Frist LOST. BIG. Frist who is not running again in 06 is now a lame duck. He blew it. A moderate ripped the rug out from underneath him today. What a treat. Always thought he was a wimp, now we all know it.

    4. Bush LOST. don't mis underestimate the importance of this. He began to unravel the moment he got on the plane from Crawford to sign the forced feeding tube law - and has been fading with every S.S. rip off stop - and now we have a BUSH LOSS on record. May it be the first of many.

    I beleive the right wing nut job wave crested today.

    Friday, May 20, 2005

    my interview Scott McClellan

    I ran in to Scott McCLellan over at the Jack in the Box at Sunset and Vine. On the spot - I asked Scotty for an interview - and, since he's been so gracious with media since the Koran story broke - he agreed. Here it is in total.
    LR: Laura Bush said today that the riots in Afganistan could not be blamed entirely on Newsweek. Any response?
    SM: Well, then CBS is to blame.
    LR: CBS?
    SM: Everything bad is because of CBS or Newsweek.
    LR: What about the photos of Saddam in his skivvys?
    SM : CBS
    LR: Huh, I thought the Sun tabloid bought them from an American soilder
    SM: That was Howard Fineman in a scout leader uniform.
    LR: OH. Hmm. That's news to me.
    SM: Stop watching news. Only watch me. Only listen to me.
    LR: So the President's social security plan is falling flat - Any explanation.
    SM: Newsweek.
    LR: Really. I don't follow.
    SM: If Bush is unpopular for any reason it is the fault of Newsweek.
    LR: Really? What if mistakes were made in the White House?
    SM: Not Possible.
    LR: Okay- what about the lack of WMD's?
    SM: CBS took them after we invaded and hid them. There are under the Price is Right set.
    LR: Is Bush concerned about the explosion of the deficit under his leadership?
    SM: The deficit was caused when Newsweek and CBS robbed Fort Knox. Dan Rather is sharing the money with Fidel Castro.
    LR: Today Bush said photos don't cause people to murder - and yet you seemed to blame Newsweek for causing the deaths of a score of rioters.
    SM: Newsweek has ruined America's image abroad. Newsweek caused the hurricanes in Florida. Newsweek took out the feeding tube. Newsweek caused the war of 1812. Newsweek is responsible for all pot holes on every street in every city in the whole world.

    At this point his voice trailed off and he looked out the window longingly at Ameoba records. Then sipping on his Coke he said - "It's flat. Damn CBS. The liberal elite has ruined all fountain drinks. During the 50's fountain drinks were never flat. Bill Clinton took the bubbles. If people beleive in evolution all Coke goes flat. This is in the bible. Lyndon Johnson is alive in an undisclosed location secretly running the New York Times and betting on cock fights. Only bush knows the truth. Only bush is a true leader. Only bush can save us from Dan Rather, and Newsweek, LBJ, and evolution and the gays, and...and.."

    Then he broke down. And I left.

    It was, after all, such a nice day.

    Valarie Plame

    I think we all realize that we shouldn't know Ms. Plame's name. Robert Novak, the douche bag, let us all in on a secret. How is he not in jail, I don't know.

    Anyway, the Smirking Chimp has a great article by John Dean. Check it out.

    The Plame leak is a very serious one. It is an especially nasty case of revenge for truth-telling: To go after Wilson's wife, for his Op Ed, is dirty business indeed. Even more important, for Valerie Plame (and possibly others who covertly associated with her abroad, and were outed when she was outed) this leak could be life-threatening.

    It is way past time to get to the bottom of the Plame leak. It deserves both the pitiless light of publicity, and the laser focus of prosecution. One can only hope that the paperback edition of Joe Wilson's book, with its new material, will create more public pressure to uncover the truth.


    Social Security, Nuclear Option, Live Grenades, Newsweek, Newsweek, Newsweek.

    The Administration committed a crime and no one cares. It will get buried until after the midterm elections.

    Just for the record my money is on Ari Fleisher being one of the leakers.

    Save Darfur

    Save Darfur CoalitionWeekly News Summary

    Darfur Summit Rejects non-African InterventionMay 17, 2005 - CNN.comIn a statement issued at the end of the two-day meeting, leaders of Egypt, Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Sudan, Gabon and Eritrea decided to "reject any foreign intervention in the Darfur problem and dealing with it should be through its African framework."
    African Union calls on NATO for fast Darfur help May 17, 2005 - Reuters AlertNetThe African Union asked NATO to support its forces in Sudan's Darfur region with transport, communications and other facilities on Tuesday, but stressed there was no role for the military alliance on the ground.
    In Divided Darfur, a Shared Will to FightMay 17, 2005 - Washington Post Cover StoryNow, there are growing fears that Darfur's struggle may join the list of long, intractable conflicts on the African continent, including northern Uganda's 19-year war and Burundi's 12-year civil war, in which sporadic fighting has continued despite several peace plans.
    The Mournful Math of Darfur May 18, 2005 - The New York TimesIs the death toll between 60,000 and 160,000, as Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick told reporters during a recent trip to the region? Or is it closer to the roughly 400,000 dead reported recently by the Coalition for International Justice, a Washington-based nongovernmental organization that was hired by the United States Agency for International Development to try to determine whether the killing amounts to genocide.Whatever the actual figure, it is undoubtedly a moving target. People are still dying from sickness, starvation and exposure at rates that experts say are higher than the already elevated rates at which they died before the conflict began in early 2003. And although Darfur has long been known for its lawlessness, violent deaths are regarded as far higher than normal, as well.
    Broken region of Darfur facing 'inevitable' famineMay 17, 2005 - USA Today Cover StoryThe rains should come any day now, but this year Ibrahim, 35, has no fields to plant. She, her husband and their six children languish in a refugee camp whose 20,000 residents survive almost entirely on international food aid - aid that will be difficult to deliver once the seasonal rains turn West Darfur's dirt roads into quagmires.
    Connecticut State Senate Passes Resolution Condemning Atrocities in DarfurMay 11, 2005According to the Anti-Defamation League, the resolution calls upon "Connecticut's Congressional delegation and other federal authorities to act to cause the government of Sudan to halt all violence in the region, restore stolen lands, reconstruct destroyed villages and return displaced persons to their communities."
    Illinois General Assembly Passes Legislation to Suspend State Investment in SudanMay 18, 2005Senate Bill 23 prohibits the State Treasurer from depositing funds or contracting with any financial institution doing business in the Sudan. The bill also prohibits State retirement systems and pension funds from loaning or investing in any company that invests in or does business with the African nation. Presently, two of the state's five pension systems have approximately $1 billion invested in 32 companies doing business in Sudan.
    mtvU Darfur Activism Awards AnnouncedMay 11, 2005Student groups at Georgetown University and the University of Florida won $50,000 in grant money from the Darfur Activism Awards sponsored by mtvU and the Reebok Human Rights Foundation. The groups were chosen from an impressive field of college advocacy organizations that MTVu describes as demonstrating "the strength of coordinated student activism and the power of caffeine."

    Opinion pieces
    A Time for Action in DarfurMay 16, 2005 - Magic City Morning StarUS Representative Michael Michaud writes "This foot-dragging must stop. The entire Congress and the President have all recognized that this is a case of genocide. This is truly a matter of life and death for hundreds of thousands of people. The Congress should pass the Darfur Accountability Act immediately, not only for its substance, but also to send a message that the United States is truly engaged in ending this crisis."
    Africa Can't be a World ApartMay 19, 2005 - Christian Science Monitor Editorial"A tsunami of hunger is washing over sub-Saharan Africa this year, caused by drought, conflict, and inept government. More than 20 countries are in need of food aid, especially 2.6 million refugees from Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur province.Donor nations shouldn't just give more when a crisis plays well on TV. African needs may not be all that visual, but they are huge."
    Once AgainMay 15, 2005 - Washington Post Guest EditorialPolitical science professor Paul F. Diehl writes "It's been 15 months since a top U.N. official called Sudan 'the killing fields of our generation' and labeled the situation in Darfur 'ethnic cleansing.' It's been 10 months since the U.S. Congress passed a resolution branding Darfur a genocide. Yet by the time the African Union increases the number of its troops in Darfur to 12,300 next spring, nearly three years will have passed since violence broke out. [...] Given all the obstacles, talk of an international humanitarian intervention force may be nothing more than an academic exercise. But for the people destined to be the victims of the next genocide, the question of how to assure intervention is anything but academic."
    Beyond DarfurMay 15, 2005 - Washington Post Editorial"It will take a common effort from the United States, Europe, Russia and (most awkwardly) China to pressure the Sudanese regime into changing its ways. But the diplomatic effort is worthwhile: The stakes are bigger even than the awful genocide in Darfur."
    There's just no way I can walk away May 17, 2005 - Salon.com Guest EditorialProfessor Julia Scott writes "In July 2004, Congress led the world in unanimously declaring the violence in Darfur a genocide, as the Bush administration also subsequently did. And Congress is considering the Darfur Accountability Act, which would take strong steps against the Khartoum regime and provide support for the meager African Union monitoring force that is now in Darfur.But recent media reports suggest the Bush administration may be backing off its earlier genocide determination, and even trying to neuter the Darfur Accountability Act."

    Thursday, May 19, 2005

    Take Action

    OK, looking for some help here. I love the blog-o-sphere but I don't feel we're proactive enough. It's wonderful to find like minded people but if we're just shouting into an echo chamber, what GOOD are we doing? My friend, John, and I had an interesting chat about this today. He is a very smart boy and he has suggestions for all of us.

    Imagine, if you will, if all of us who read Americablog, Crooks and Liars, Digby and Atrios wrote into Hardball...on the same day...demanding better coverage of something like Galloway. What do you think would happen? Don't you think the religious fanatics on the right do it every day? They have collations to complain about boobs. The only boobs I'm concerned about are running this country.

    It feels like we are all fed up. Digby has the great speech from Network on his blog and I'm telling you, it really is time for us to go to our emails and say we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore.

    So any suggestions, Wake Up Wednesday, Talk to the Tuesday, Thrashing Thursday, anything. There's too many of us not to make a difference.

    W stands for coward

    And now to repeat the obvious and well known: W's events promoting his Social Security Plan are well planned stage shows in which he never hears any thing he does not want to hear - or anything that contradicts his views. Not news.

    A piece in today's LA TIMES points out the lengths the W house goes to ensure uniformity of agreement - here's a piece of it -

    "Yet a memo circulated this week among members of one group, Women Impacting Public Policy, illustrates the lengths to which the White House has gone to make sure that the right points are made at the president's public appearances.
    "President Bush will be in Rochester, N.Y., for an upcoming event and has called on WIPP for help," the memo to members stated. It went on to describe several types of workers the White House wanted to appear on stage with Bush, starting with a young wage-earner "who knows that SS could run out before they retire."

    What's wrong with this? Not much - except this man never seems to hear anything that is remotley disagreeable to him. and what does this mean? Well, it means he is a coward. Yup, that's right he is a coward. There is no other way to describe this. Real leaders have no fear of opposing views. This man is terrifed of them. That is cowardly. W is a coward. Nuff said.

    Wednesday, May 18, 2005

    Chariots of Fire

    Ok, let me go on the record that I have always had a thing for a man with a Scotish accent. I love all Bill Forsythe movies, I had a giant crush on a boy named Kai Turnbull (hottie) so I want you to know that I am biased. OK, complete honesty here.

    So it should not come as a surprise that I have found my new dream date. George Galloway.

    Check this out. Enjoy!

    It is completely refreshing to see someone call a liar a liar. We need someone like Mr. Galloway in the Democratic party.

    Timmy!

    There's a new book out about South Park Conservatives. I loved the movie. And with the White House blaming Newsweek for the rioting all I can think of is "Blame Canada".

    Let's just see what the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thinks, shall we?

    Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Voice of America and other news agencies on May 12 that the report - which claimed that interrogators at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, facility holding suspected Islamic terrorists tossed the Muslim holy book into a toilet - had little if anything to do with the protests.

    Myers said he spoke with Gen. Carl Eichenberry, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, who played down reports that the demonstrations were caused by anger over the alleged Koran incident.

    "It is the judgment of our commander in Afghanistan, General Eichenberry, that in fact the violence that we saw in Jalalabad was not necessarily the result of the allegations about disrespect for the Koran, but more tied up in the political process and the reconciliation process that President (Hamid) Karzai and his Cabinet are conducting in Afghanistan," Myers said. "He thought it was not at all tied to the article in the magazine."


    Our previous post was that the Koran-toilet story had been reported many times before as far back as 2003. Now, we have General Myers saying don't blame Newsweek.

    Once again, being a Republican means not letting the facts get in the way of your reality. Sing it with me now, Blame Canada, Blame Canada.

    Tuesday, May 17, 2005

    Why I Love Kos

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/16/22041/0834

    Here are a few tidbits from the Kos post. So I am supposed to believe that Newsweek had it all wrong?

    August 5, 2004
    The Independent (London)

    In the report, released in New York, Asif Iqbal, Rhuhel Ahmed and Shafiq Rasul - the so-called Tipton Three - said one inmate was threatened after being shown a video in which hooded inmates were forced to sodomise each other. Guards allegedly threw prisoners' Korans into toilets, while others were injected with drugs, it was claimed.


    August 5, 2004
    Daily News (New York)
    Byline: By James Gordon Meek and Derek Rose.

    They say that rats and scorpions had free run of their sweltering cages, loud rock music was used to drown out the sound of prayers, and sleep deprivation was common.

    "They would kick the Koran, throw it into the toilet and generally disrespect it," Asif Iqbal wrote.

    Pentagon spokesman Michael Shavers said the military "operates a professional detention facility at Guantanamo" and does not condone abuse of detainees.


    January 9, 2005
    Sunday FINAL EDITION HEADLINE: Nightmare of Guantanamo

    U.S. prison camp in Cuba has become legal black hole, reporter says BYLINE: John Freeman Special to The Denver Post

    "They pepper sprayed me in the face, and I started vomiting; in all I must have brought up five cupfuls. They pinned me down and attacked me, poking their fingers in my eyes, and forced my head into the toilet pan and flushed. They tied me up like a beast and then they were kneeling on me, kicking and punching. Finally they dragged me out of my cell in chains ... and shaved my beard, my hair, my eyebrows."

    And earlier this year, that process finally began. In March, the government released five British men from Guantanamo after nearly three years. They had been captured in Afghanistan, where they had gone to offer humanitarian aid. Rose interviewed them that same month, two months before the allegations of Abu Ghraib first surfaced, and yet they described a period of captivity eerily similar to that of the Iraqis in Abu Ghraib.

    In August Mr Ahmed, Mr Rasul and Mr Iqbal issued a 115-page dossier accusing the US of abuse, including allegations that they were beaten and had their Korans thrown into toilets.*
    (*Also published in The Hartford Courant (Connecticut), January 16, 2005.)


    March 26, 2003
    The Washington Post
    Final Edition SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A12 HEADLINE: Returning Afghans Talk of Guantanamo; Out of Legal Limbo, Some Tell of Mistreatment BYLINE: Marc Kaufman and April Witt, Washington Post Staff Writers

    The men, the largest single group of Afghans to be released after months of detainment at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, gave varying accounts of how American forces treated them during interrogation and detainment. Some displayed medical records showing extensive care by American military doctors, while others complained that American soldiers insulted Islam by sitting on the Koran or dumping their sacred text into a toilet to taunt them.

    Ehsannullah, 29, said American soldiers who initially questioned him in Kandahar before shipping him to Guantanamo hit him and taunted him by dumping the Koran in a toilet.


    August 4, 2004
    CNN.com
    SECTION: LAW HEADLINE: British men report abuse from Guantanamo BYLINE: By Jonathan Wald CNN DATELINE: NEW YORK

    U.S. soldiers "would kick the Koran, throw it into the toilet, and generally disrespect it," Iqbal said.


    June 28, 2004
    Financial Times Information Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire InfoProd Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

    One of the men, Timur Ishmuratov of Tatarstan, told ORT on 24 June -- prior to the release -- that he had been captured by Northern Alliance forces shortly after the beginning of the U.S. military action in Afghanistan and "sold" to the Americans for $ 3,000-$ 5,000. Former prisoner Airat Vakhitov told ORT about alleged mistreatment while he was at Guantanamo. "They tore the Koran to pieces in front of us, threw it into the toilet," Vakhitov said. "When people were praying, they forced their way in and put their feet on people's heads and beat them."

    Monday, May 16, 2005

    Rice should say "sorry" Not Newsweek.

    Oh my my my. Now it is Newsweeks fault that 15 people died in riots. And the lie factory at the white house went into full swing and they buckled. Ever notice how all these media "mistakes" always benefit Bush?

    Only COUNTDOWN on MSNBC covered today's retraction distraction with any balance. The reason Muslims rioted is because of 5 years of relentlessly stupid Bush/Rummy/Rice policy. Not because of a Newsweek Periscope blurb. That smarmy bitch Rice should apologize for the dead teen-agers who were told they were fighting a monster with the BOMB. She should beg military family’s forgiveness. They should all apologize for the children not yet born who are financing this idiotic war. God knows, we are not paying for it.

    The W brigade is shameless. Without shame. Liars of the first order. IF we can recover from this President it will take years.

    I cry for my country.
    George W. Bush, our president who wants everyone to know he is the commander in chief, has yet to attend a single funeral for any of the soldiers he sent off to die for our country.


    Cpl. Roberto Abad, 22
    Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Los Angeles, California
    Died of injuries received from enemy action in Najaf, Iraq, on August 6, 2004

    Cmdr. Joseph Acevedo,46
    Assigned to Commander, Logistics Force, Navy Central Command, Bahrain
    Bronx, New York
    Died in a non-combat incident in Bahrain on April 13, 2003

    Sgt. Michael D. Acklin II, 25
    Battery C, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
    Louisville, Kentucky
    Killed when two 101st Airborne Division UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters collided in mid-air over Mosul, Iraq, on November 15, 2003

    Spc. Genaro Acosta, 26
    Battery B, 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
    Fair Oaks, California
    Killed when his Bradley fighting vehicle hit and detonated two roadside bombs while on patrol in Taji, Iraq, on November 11, 2003

    Pfc. Steven Acosta, 19
    Company C, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
    Calexico, California
    Died from a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baquba, Iraq, on October 26, 2003

    Capt. James F. Adamouski, 29
    Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
    Springfield, Virginia
    Killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq on April 2, 2003

    Pvt. Algernon Adams, 36
    Company C, 122nd Engineer Battalion, South Carolina Army National Guard
    Aiken, South Carolina
    Died of non-combat related injuries at Forward Operating Base St. Mere, Iraq, on October 28, 2003

    Sgt. Brandon E. Adams, 22
    1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division
    Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
    Died on September 19, 2004, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., of injuries sustained when a grenade exploded as he was clearing a house in Falluja, Iraq, on February 16, 2004.

    Spc. Clarence Adams III, 28
    91st Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division
    Richmond, Virginia
    Died on September 7, 2004, of injuries sustained a day earlier when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq

    Sgt. Leonard W. Adams, 42
    105th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, North Carolina Army National Guard
    Mooresville, North Carolina
    Died of non-combat related injuries at Camp Bucca, Iraq, on January 24, 2005

    1st Lt. Michael R. Adams, 24
    A Troop, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
    Seattle, Washington
    Killed when the barrel of the .50 caliber weapon mounted on his tank struck him in Al Asad, Iraq, on March 16, 2004

    Pfc. Michael S. Adams, 20
    Company C. 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division
    Spartanburg, South Carolina
    Died of injuries sustained in a fire during a small-arms fire exercise. The fire began when a bullet ricocheted and ignited a fire in the building in Baghdad, Iraq on August 21, 2003

    Lt. Thomas Mullen Adams, 27
    U.S. Navy exchange officer assigned to A Flight, 849 Squadron, British Royal Navy
    La Mesa, California
    Killed when two British Sea King helicopters collided over the Persian Gulf on March 22, 2003

    Spc. Jamaal R. Addison, 22
    507th Maintenance Company
    Roswell, Georgia
    Killed in an Iraqi ambush at Nasiriya on March 23, 2003

    Lance Cpl. Patrick R. Adle, 21
    6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Marine Forces Reserve
    Baltimore, Maryland
    Killed when a roadside bomb exploded as his Humvee passed by the device in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 29, 2004

    Pfc. Christopher S. Adlesperger, 20
    Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
    Died due to enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on December 9, 2004

    Lance Cpl. Jeramy A. Ailes, 22
    3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Gilroy, California
    Died as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 15, 2004

    Capt. Tristan N. Aitken, 31
    Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division
    State College, Pennsylvania
    Killed in action in Iraq on April 4, 2003

    Spc. Segun Frederick Akintade, 34
    Company A, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment, New York National Guard
    Brooklyn, New York
    Killed when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using a roadside bomb and small-arms fire in Abd Allah, Iraq, on October 28, 2004

    Capt. Paul C. Alaniz, 32
    Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
    Corpus Christi, Texas
    Died when the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutba in western Iraq on January 26, 2005

    Lance Cpl. Nickalous N. Aldrich, 21
    2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Austin, Texas
    Died from a non-hostile vehicle accident in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on August 27, 2004

    Spc. Azhar Ali, 27
    Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division, New York Army National Guard
    Flushing, New York
    Killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his military vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 2, 2005

    Cpl. Stephen John Allbutt, 35
    Queen's Royal Lancers
    Stoke-on-Trent, England
    Killed when his tank was struck by a shell from another British tank on March 25, 2003

    Spc. Ronald D. Allen Jr., 22
    502nd Personnel Service Battalion, 43rd Area Support Group
    Mitchell, Indiana
    Died of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident that occurred while he was conducting convoy operations near Balad, Iraq on August 25, 2003

    Sgt. Glenn R. Allison, 24
    Company C, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division
    Pittsfield, Massachusetts
    Died during physical training in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 18, 2003

    Spc. Jeremy O. Allmon, 22
    Company C, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
    Cleburne, Texas
    Killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his military vehicle in Taji, Iraq, on February 6, 2005

    Lance Cpl. Michael J. Allred, 22
    2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Hyde Park, Utah
    Killed when a suicide car bomb exploded next to his military vehicle while on patrol on the outskirts of Falluja, Iraq, on September 6, 2004

    Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24
    33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
    North London, England
    Killed in attack on British vehicles in southern Iraq on March 23, 2003

    Capt. Eric L. Allton, 34
    2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
    Houston, Texas
    Killed when he was struck by a mortar round in Ramadi, Iraq, on September 26, 2004

    Cpl. Nicanor Alvarez, 22
    1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    San Bernardino, California
    Died from injuries received due to hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on August 21, 2004

    Cpl. Daniel R. Amaya, 22
    Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Odessa, Texas
    Died from hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 11, 2004

    Pfc. John D. Amos II, 22
    Company C, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Light)
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Killed when a car bomb exploded at a temporary checkpoint near the Kirkuk Police Academy on April 4, 2004

    Lance Cpl. Brian E. Anderson, 26
    2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division
    Durham, North Carolina
    Killed in a vehicle accident west of Nasiriya, Iraq, on April 2, 2003

    Airman 1st Class Carl L. Anderson Jr., 21
    3rd Logistics Readiness Squadron, 3rd Mission Support Group
    Georgetown, South Carolina
    Died as result of hostile action near Mosul, Iraq, on August 29, 2004

    Pfc. Danny L. Anderson, 29
    Company F, 26th Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division
    Corpus Christi, Texas
    Died of injuries sustained from small arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 27, 2005

    Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael C. Anderson, 36
    Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14, 3rd Naval Construction Regiment
    Daytona, Florida
    Killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on May 2, 2004

    Cpl. Michael D. Anderson, 21
    Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Modesto, California
    Died as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on December 14, 2004

    Cpl. Nathan R. Anderson, 22
    1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
    Howard, Ohio
    Died as the result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 12, 2004

    Lance Cpl. Nicholas H. Anderson, 19
    1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Died in a vehicle incident while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 12, 2004

    Spc. Michael Andrade, 28
    115th Military Police Company, Rhode Island Army National Guard
    Bristol, Rhode Island
    Died of injuries received when a five-ton truck hit the Humvee he was riding in in Balad, Iraq, on September 24, 2003

    Pvt. Ruslan Androschuk, 24
    Ukrainian peacekeeping forces
    Kolodianka, Ukraine
    Androschuk was injured during a battle for a Tigris River bridge in Kut, Iraq, and died during evacuation to the Ukrainian military base in Kut on April 6, 2004

    Capt. Serhiy Andrushchenko, 29
    72nd Motorized Brigade, Ukrainian Army
    Zhytomir region, Ukraine
    Killed along with eight other soldiers in an explosion while detonating ordnance at an ammunition storage point near Suwayrah, Iraq, on January 9, 2005

    Pfc. Krystian Andrzejczak, 24
    16th Pomeranian Mechanized Division
    Bogaczewo, Poland
    Killed when a car bomb exploded near his military convoy in Hilla, Iraq, on August 21, 2004

    Spc. Yoe M. Aneiros, 20
    Company C, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division
    Newark, New Jersey
    Killed when his patrol vehicle came under attack by enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades in Sadr City, Iraq, on September 7, 2004

    Lance Cpl. Levi T. Angell, 20
    11th Combat Service Support Group, 1st Force Service Support Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    St. Louis, Minnesota
    Died due to injuries received from hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 8, 2004

    Army Spc. Edward J. Anguiano, 24
    Company A, 3rd Combat Support Battalion
    Brownsville, Texas
    Went missing on March 23, 2003, when his convoy was ambushed; his remains were recovered on April 24

    Pfc. Michael A. Arciola, 20
    Company D, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
    Elmsford, New York
    Died of injuries sustained from enemy small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq, on February 15, 2005

    Cpl. Bradley T. Arms, 20
    4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve
    Charlottesville, Virginia
    Died as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 19, 2004

    Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Todd Arnold, 30
    Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade
    Spring, Texas
    Killed when a rocket-propelled grenade launcher he was firing for familiarization malfunctioned at firing range near Kut, Iraq, on April 22, 2003

    Lance Cpl. Alexander S. Arredondo, 20
    Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Randolph, Massachusetts
    Killed as result of hostile action in Najaf, Iraq, on August 25, 2004

    Spc. Richard Arriaga, 20
    Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
    Ganado, Texas
    Killed when his unit was ambushed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Tikrit, Iraq, on September 18, 2003

    Staff Sgt. Jimmy J. Arroyave, 30
    Combat Service Support Group 11, 1st Force Service Support Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Woodland, California
    Died in a non-combat related vehicle accident northeast of Ramadi, Iraq, on April 15, 2004

    Spc. Robert R. Arsiaga, 25
    Company A, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
    Midland, Texas
    Killed when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 4, 2004

    Sgt. Evan Asa Ashcraft, 24
    Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
    West Hills, California
    Killed when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade during an ambush of a military convoy north of Hawd in northern Iraq on July 24, 2003

    Cpl. Russell Aston, 30
    156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
    Swadlincote, Derbyshire, England
    Killed in a firefight in Majar al-Kabir, Iraq, on June 24, 2003

    Lance Cpl. Trevor D. Aston, 32
    Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve
    Austin, Texas
    Died as a result of non-hostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on February 22, 2005

    Pfc. Shawn M. Atkins, 20
    Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 4th Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division
    Parker, Colorado
    Died as a result of a non-combat injury in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 14, 2004

    Maj. Jay Aubin, 36
    Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
    Waterville, Maine
    Killed in a U.S. CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crash on March 21, 2003

    Master Sgt. Steven E. Auchman, 37
    5th Air Support Operations Squadron, 1st Air Support Operations Group
    Waterloo, New York
    Died of injuries received when multiple rocket-propelled grenades struck his location in Mosul, Iraq, on November 9, 2004

    Capt. Matthew J. August, 28
    Company B, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division
    Warwick, Rhode Island
    Killed in an improvised explosive device attack in Khalidiyah, just east of Ramadi, Iraq, on January 27, 2004

    Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Austin, 21
    Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Sunray, Texas
    Killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 26, 2004

    Lance Cpl. Andrew Julian Aviles, 18
    Headquarters & Service Company, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion, 4th Marine Division
    Tampa, Florida
    Killed when an Iraqi artillery round struck his amphibious assault vehicle near Baghdad, Iraq, on April 7, 2003

    Pfc. Eric A. Ayon, 26
    2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
    Arleta, California
    Killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 9, 2004

    Pfc. Lionel Ayro, 22
    73rd Engineer Company, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team)
    Jeanerette, Louisiana
    Killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive inside the mess hall at Camp Marez in Mosul, Iraq, on December 21, 2004

    Sunday, May 15, 2005

    Retraction distraction

    Letter to Newsweek:

    Editor,

    I wish i believed your retraction of the story about the desecration of the Koran. I truly do. But I do not. I believe the original Periscope story. Nothing about what you originally reported falls outside of the scope of what we already know to be true about our own military's interrogation tactics. Nor does the "retraction" seem surprising or credible. The American news media, along with the Bush Administration, has lost all its credibility and all too often seem to be working in tandem.

    This, unfortunately, is what we have come to. The truth is too often what is shortly to be announced as a mistake. And the retraction becomes the story that then covers for, and distracts us from, the consequences of the truth. Call this technique: Retraction distraction. We all know that the Bush National guard memos were faked. Lost in the retraction distraction was any analysis of the contents of the memo. This, of course, was quite convenient for the President.

    Why did Newsweek's fact checking suddenly breakdown in the Periscope column? And why- after days of riots in Islamic countries -did the "source" become questionable? And if the story does turn out to be absolutely true - will Newsweek run the story?

    Democracy depends on the fourth estate. Period. Nothing about this "retraction" has any of the hallmarks of a free and responsible press. In fact, it has all the hallmarks of a news organization that buckled to outside pressure.

    Shout Out to Chris Matthews

    On the Chris Matthews Show today his editorial was about Darfur. He asked everyone to call congress and put the heat on our representatives to DO SOMETHING. It was wonderful to see someone in the press actually talking about Darfur.

    I cannot thank him enough. If you saw it send him an email and thank him, too.

    Now, if we could get Lou Dobbs on this...

    Saturday, May 14, 2005

    Same as it ever was

    My friend John who writes this blog with emailed me last night to watch Hardball because Mia Farrrow was on talking about Darfur. The transcript isn't up yet but as soon as it is we'll post it here.

    We are doing nothing. It makes me crazy. We are allowing people to be murdered. We are standing by while women are held in rape camps. And it's not like it just started.

    Please write your Senators, your congressman, the president, Kofi Anan.

    You can donate at Oxfam or at Savedarfur.org. Wear a wristband, tell your friends, watch the Hotel Rwanda and know that every moment that goes by someone else is dying because we refuse to get involved.

    http://www.savedarfur.org/

    This week marks the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe. The end of the Holocaust. We must never forget and we must act to end the genocide in Darfur.

    Friday, May 13, 2005

    Let's talk about Iraq, baby

    Thanks Fanatical Apathy for pointing this little tid bit out:

    Women soldiers in the U.S. Army would be barred from serving in combat support units under language added to a defense bill Wednesday. Proponents of the measure said it would affect only a small number of women, while opponents said over time, it
    would drastically alter the face of the modern army.


    Now, let me think, why would they want to bar women from serving in combat...I don't know...could it be a draft? As liberated as we are, could we as a country draft women to fight?

    From The L.A. Times - those people we're going to draft? Well they'll be going to a war that was planned almost a year before.
    The leaked minutes sum up the July 23, 2002 meeting, at which Blair, top security
    advisors and his attorney general discussed Britain's role in Washington's plan to oust Hussein. The minutes, written by Matthew Rycroft, a foreign policy aide, indicate general thoughts among the participants about how to create a political and legal basis for war. The case for military action at the time was "thin," Foreign Minister Jack Straw was characterized as saying, and Hussein's government posed little threat.


    Labeled "secret and strictly personal — U.K. eyes only," the minutes begin with the head of the British intelligence service, MI6, who is identified as "C," saying he had returned from Washington, where there had been a "perceptible shift in attitude. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and [weapons of mass destruction]. But the intelligence and the facts were being fixed around the policy."

    Aren't we all just shocked? No WMD, no connection to 9/11, 1615 American's killed as of today and over 100,000 Iraqis killed.

    They suck.

    Thursday, May 12, 2005

    I don't know how much more of this I can take

    President Bush denigrated both Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill last week, comparing them to Chamberlain.

    That takes balls. All four of President Roosevelt's sons served in WWII, which, by the way, he and Prime Minister Churchill WON. They didn't fly over to an aircraft carrier 100 yards off shore and declare Mission Accomplished. They actually won the war. There were no pictures of Roosevelt's daughters on the internet changing into a bikini on the beach, flashing her last name. But the President loves him some freedom and apparently Roosevelt and Churchill didn't.

    Pat Buchanon, the arbiter of reason, has jumped even further into the fray

    If the objective of the West was the destruction of Nazi Germany, it was a "smashing" success. But why destroy Hitler? If to liberate Germans, it was not worth it. After all, the Germans voted Hitler in.

    Not worth it. Hey Pat, do the words Dachau and Auschwitz mean anything to you? Yeah, what are a few Jews, gypsies, gay people and mentally retarded people to you? Maybe you can find some Zyclon B and get the party started here you piece of shit.

    What is wrong with these people? Really, I would love to know. I don't understand how any news show could have Pat Buchanon as a talking head, or Robert Novak. Where is the shame?

    Now that Iraq is turning into a civil war with over 70 suicide attacks per day and over 1600 dead Americans AND the memo that proves that this administration bent the intelligence to meet their need to invade Iraq I wonder when we will Impeach.

    Oh, but a plane flew into Washington airspace and Macaulay Culkin testified at the Michael Jackson hearing. Isn't that much more important?

    Wednesday, May 11, 2005

    They don't need to kill the filibuster

    Will the filibuster matter? Not if laws can be enacted that cannot be scrutinized by Judical Review. Oh come on, you're saying, you are wearing your Oliver Stone suit. No, I'm not. This passed last night as part of the Real ID bill.

    Check this out

    II. Waiver of Laws to Facilitate Barriers at Border44 Section 102 of the IIRIRA generally provides for construction and strengthening of barriers along U.S. land borders and specifically provides for 14 miles of barriers and roads along the border near San Diego, beginning at the Pacific Ocean and extending eastward. IIRIRA § 102(c) provides for a waiver of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA)45 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)46 to the extent the Attorney General determines is necessary to ensure expeditious construction of barriers and roads...

    H.R. 418 [the Real ID Act of 2005] would provide additional waiver authority over laws that might impede the expeditious construction of barriers and roads along the border. H.R. 418 would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive any and all laws that he determines necessary, in his sole discretion, to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads under IIRIRA § 102...

    Section 102 of H.R. 418 would amend the current provision to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive any law upon determining that a waiver is necessary for the expeditious construction of the border barriers. Additionally, it would prohibit judicial review of a waiver decision or action by the Secretary and bar judicially ordered compensation or injunction or other remedy for damages alleged to result from any such decision or action.


    What's great is that there was no debate about this, it didn't go through committee and garnered very little publicity. They just attached it to the appropriations bill for the Troops. Now, I support the troops, I give to the USO and Books for Soldiers. Granted, I don't do enough and I know I should do more. But I don't use the troops to back door legislation that will end all checks and balances in our country. You want to support the troops? Try honoring the constitution that they swear to uphold.

    Kids, this is fucking scary. Wake up and get pissed.

    Tuesday, May 10, 2005

    Starrs are falling

    A little quote from the San Francisco Chron about the power grab of Frist and W:


    "Kenneth Starr — an appeals court judge on the D.C. circuit from 1983-1989 — came out against the Republican plan to ban judicial filibusters on Monday. He told CBS Evening News that it is a "radical, radical departure from our history and our traditions, and it amounts to an assault on the judicial branch of government."

    That would be the same Kenneth Starr that ruthlessly attacked the Clintons for 6 years. Not exactly a left wing loon.

    This GOP asault on American institutions is now scaring even the GOP. The GOPs are after total control. They must be stopped. These people on the right are bullies. If you hand over your lunch after getting beat up monday - they will come back and beat you up again on tuesday. Thoughtful, patriotic Americans must stand up to these bullies. The GOP right wing is corrosive and is eroding the fabric of our society.

    Monday, May 09, 2005

    Hagel deserves a hand

    just Hagel's quote from THIS WEEK - it deserves it's own blog - thank you to Crooksandliars

    "The Republicans' hands aren't clean on this either. What we did with Bill Clinton's nominees - about 62 of them - we just didn't give them votes in committee or we didn't bring them up."

      Senator Hagel on This Week.


    finally, a voice of sanity in the GOP ranks.

    New Color Coded System

    Since the color coded terror system has worked so well I want to propose one for lying.

    Puce for outright, indefensible lies.
    Grey for lies of omission, where you tell part of the story but leave the "bad" stuff out.
    Charcoal for slight obfuscations.


    Let's, once again, look at this weekend's Meet the Press.

    Mary Matalin was on and she had this to say about the nomination of John Bolton:

    The people who're coming out of the woodwork are avowed, outspoken Bush bashers. The woman that came out of Texas who was chased down the hall, allegedly, which there's no other contemporaneous witnesses, is Mothers Against Bush. See, these are Bush bashers. These are against Bush policies. They're not against the whole policy.

    Now, is she in the puce zone or the gray zone?. Carl Ford, who came out strongly against Mr. Bolton in the committee hearing is a conservative Republican who supports President Bush. So, Ms. Mattlin didn't say "all" people against Mr. Bolton are Bush Bashers so is she in the clear? I think not. Did Mr. Russert follow up? Of course not.

    Ms. Matalin had a couple of interesting things to say about judges:

    ...but that the secular left has behaved imperialistically--there's no other word for it. They have subverted the democratic process by taking their issues to the judiciary. What the so-called religious right has done has taken their petition and their concerns into the democratic process, into the public square.

    Really? 2000 Election come to mind for anyone? Or the fact that the Republicans tried to overrule the courts' decisions on Terri Schiavo? The courts were not activist enough for the Republicans. And, really, what issue are we, the secular left, taking to the judiciary? I suppose the big one is Roe v Wade but that was over thirty years ago. Separation of church and state? Maybe, I'll grant you that, but I don't have an issue with it. I understand if you do but not everyone is Christian so perhaps a little compassion for the Jewish kid who would be sitting down when everyone else in class is praying to Jesus would help.

    She went on to say:

    If they want to debate these judges, the qualifications of these judges, all of whom have received the "gold standard," according to the Democrats, the highest regard from the ABA.


    So, the Democrats are saying that ALL of the judges have received the gold standard. Really? Now, is she saying they've all be ranked well qualified? No, she uses the term gold standard and she does say the highest regard from the ABA. As mentioned in a previous post...that is an outright lie. I'm going to rank this one as puce.

    I wrote Mr. Russert an email asking him to please push people to tell the truth.

    I'll let you know how that works out.

    Saturday, May 07, 2005

    OUT THEM ALL!

    So the gay bashing GOP mayor of Spokane was/is seducing young men for sex on - line. Does this surprise anyone? How many of these bozos have to be outed before they get it? ALL THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE OUTED! Anyone who bashes gays in public and has same sex sex in private deserves to be dragged through the media spotlight... Enough! These vultures do unspeakable damage to gay people, straight people, ALL PEOPLE.

    The GOP agenda is so wrong -headed that it all but forces this type of revelation. People simply do not live the way the wing nuts think they should. In a normal, REAL, world this disturbed man could have all sorts of political views and be gay - because that would not/should not matter. But the right wing fiends need to scare people. They need to insist on a fantasy world (this fantasy usually looks like the pretend world of the 1950's - that they created with Look magazine photos from 1956) where men go to work, women make babies, and no one has any sort of sex that is in any way HUMAN.

    In a LEFT WING world (JESUS HELP US CREATE THIS!) I would question this mayor's seeming seduction of a minor - but not his gayness. One does not equate to the other, for the record.

    On a lighter note - I am reading the bible again - king james - my my my what a good read. The first book alone is full of concubines and incest and a rather petulant character called "the Lord" who smotes everyone one day and gives them wives and land the next. Today we would call him bi-polar. Now - I LIKE THIS BOOK. Very very important and compelling. But if you need a simple reason to fight the fledgling fascist movement on the Right - read the Bible. They simply deduct whatever doesn't suit them - (who knew Abraham had a harem?) and frankly - the real tragedy is that they refuse to see the metaphorical beauty of it. Mostly because of a lack of imagination.

    Friday, May 06, 2005

    more bias

    Only one news show - Countdown on MSNBC - is covering this story: A minister at a Baptist church in North Carolina has forced those who voted for Kerry out of the congregation. I work at home I watch MSNBC and CNN all day. Today- endless crap about the BRIDE, some stuff about North Korea and various updates about Michael Jackson. Oh, and some BASH Hilary fun - to sort of lick their chops before 08. The media's unwillingness to focus for long on anything that makes the Right look bad is appalling. Male whores in the White House - not a story. Some one in the white house outs a CIA agent - no follow up.
    Those 2 stories alone would have amounted to months of shit thrown if they had happened in the Clinton years. And trust me if Hillary does run the media will suddenly find it's footing again.

    So now Baptists ministers are kicking out parishioners... These people are crazy. And the media is turning a blind eye because of their Right Wing bias.

    Thursday, May 05, 2005

    World Tour 2005

    So, how's our foreign policy going?

    Well, North Korea apparently can nuke the us. That's new. And according to General Myers we don't have the capability of a quick win due to our troops already being stretched and the fact that we used so much equipment in Iraq.

    Myers reported to Congress this week that the armed forces would have more trouble this year than last in quickly winning a new major combat operation and would suffer higher casualties.

    The depletion of stockpiles of precision weapons and the availability of pre-positioned equipment, including vehicles and reserve units, were cited as reasons why the military would have a harder time dealing with additional conflicts.

    The good news, I suppose is that we have don't excess equipment for our troops and we just aren't giving it to them. Then, of course, there's the slight problem with recruiting. We have not met our quotas. Even with the falsification of potential recruits' records. That can't be good. You have to wonder what are we going to do about it?

    Nicaragua? The President of Nicaragua, Enrique Bolanos, has actually been a supporter of the US. They sent a small contingent of troops to Iraq. Good, right? But, because the US is insisting that they destroy all of the Surface to Air missiles left over from the Contra/Sandinista "situation" we have managed to unite the country...against us. We have frozen military aid to Nicaragua until they do it but they have their own national security concerns, especially Honduras. Once again, we show a lack of diplomatic finesse.


    Iraq?
    The latest indication of that came Wednesday when investigators released a report
    saying $96.6 million in cash could not be properly accounted for. The total included more than $7 million that was simply gone, according to the report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
    .

    Mmmmm, that can't be good. What's almost $100 million out of the $200 billion? Drop in the bucket. But imagine what that money could do in Darfur. The money we're freezing in aid to Nicaragua is $3.3 million.

    Or maybe, take that $100 million and put it in a lock box for social security? Pay down a drop of the debt? Just some ideas.

    Monday, May 02, 2005

    lie down with dogs.

    not to turn this blog into one in which W's peeps are called to task for lying - there is not enough room in all of cyberspace -

    But the GOP goon on Hardball tonight repeated the standard GOP goon lie about the filibuster "no judges have been fillibustered in the history of the Senate." This is a lie. Abe Fortas was fillibustered when LBJ put him up for Chief Justice until the nomination died. Mathews corrected him - FINALLY - small moment - but telling - the lies from these right wing people have been relentless. It is not that they do not know the truth - it is that the truth does not matter to them.

    Last week's favorite: "studies show that children in same sex couple families are more likely to be abused." No truth. That is a lie. no study shows this. did not matter to the woman who said it. attacking gay men and women is too important to allow truth to get in the way.

    Pants on Fire

    On Meet the Press yesterday Tim Russert interviewed Andrew Card, the President's Chief of Staff.

    Mr. Card said that all of President Bush' nominees were rated well qualified by the ABA.

    Really?

    President Bush has nominated 21 judges to the 109th congress. Four are rated Qualified/Not Qualified. Three are rated qualified and one is rated Not Qualified. If you're smelling smoke it's because Mr. Card's pants are on fire because he is a liar. Now you would think Mr. Russert would be all over this as an upstanding member of the fourth estate, trying to educate and elucidate the American people. Kidding, I'm a kidder. Of course he didn't.

    Mr. Card went on to say that America has the fastest growing industrial economy in the world.

    Google Fastest Growing Economy in the world. Come back, I'll wait...You didn't see our name listed did you? You can even Google Fastest Growing Industrial Economy. La, la, la. Once again the United States didn't show up? Perhaps China could be called an emerging economy, I'll give you that. But it begs at least a question from Mr. Russert based on the sluggish growth in the first quarter what is Mr. Card basing his assertion on? I'm curious. I'd like to know.

    Why is Jon Stewart on Comedy Central the only person on TV calling people on their bull shit? Senator Dodd was on Meet the Press as well and he has my new favorite quote: You are entitled to your own opinions; you are not entitled to your own facts.


    Thank you, Senator Dodd.

     

     
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