BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIX MIX -- DC.
THE OUTGOING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DONALD RUMSFELD WENT OUT WITH A BANG TODAY.
BACKED BY SLASH, DUFF AND WHAT DICK CHENEY SAID WAS "SOME HOBO THEY PULLED OFF THE STREET," DONALD THE RUMSFLED SAID GOODBYE IN SONG AND AIR GUITAR:
SHED A TEAR 'CAUSE I'M MISSING YOU
I'M STILL ALRIGHT TO SMILE
IRAQ, I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERY DAY NOW
WAS A TIME WHEN I WASN'T SURE
BUT YOU SET MY MIND AT EASE
THERE IS NO DOUBT YOU'RE IN MY HEART NOW
AMERICAN PEOPLE, TAKE IT SLOW
IF A FEW THOUSAND MORE DIE THAT'S JUST FINE
ALL WE NEED IS JUST A LITTLE PATIENCE
FROM THE TCI WIRE:
Starting with peace news within the United States. Kyle Snyder is currently traveling the West coast speaking out against the illegal war. Snyder was heavily and repeatedly targeted by a recruiter who promised the moon and delivered nothing. Because verbal agreements can be broken . . . on their end. On leave from Iraq, Snyder self-checked out and went to Canada in April of 2005. Happy there, speaking out, a job he enjoyed working with disabled children that paid well. Snyder began to consider returning to the United States. As October drew to a close, he did just that and on October 31st, turned himself in at Fort Knox only to self-check out again after discovering that the military that lied to him before had lied yet again.
On KPFA's Flashpoints yesterday, Nora Barrows-Friedman interviewed Snyder. Barrows-Friedman noted his Army Corps of Engineers training and Snyder explained that he thought he'd be in Iraq doing construction "asphalt and concrete, laying foundations for schools, hospitals, roads." Instead, they made him a gunner and "an escort for high ranking officials." He saw a number of things in Iraq, reconstruction wasn't one of them.
Kyle Snyder: The things that I saw there for instance, you know, when we're told that we're liberating the people of Iraq and we're doing positive things you know I expect to at least see the civilians and stuff, you know, accepting us more. And basically accepting what we're doing. But children were flipping us off, they were begging for food and water almost all the time when I was out. I had seen people killed, I had seen people injured and it's just basically what led me to leave the war in the first place were the policies that drove the war. You know, when the Bush administration in 2004 and 2005 were saying 'We're liberating the people of Iraq' like I said I expect to see some of that happening. You know, no matter what rank you are, I think that we deserve to know why we're fighting. And basically it felt like a lie. It felt like a lie. And mainly because we couldn't explain what the mission was.
Despite a warrant for his arrest, Snyder's "going around speaking to povertized areas, mainly African-American and Latino communities, around the country because they're targeted by recruiters and I think that recruiters should tell people the truth." He didn't have that himself. No one was warning him. The mood of the country then was still Rah-Rah, he was targeted heavily in high school (recruiter evern came to his graduation) and he grew up in foster homes. Snyder knows what it's like to think some adult's really interested in you, really concerned about you, only to realize after they were just trying to hit their month's target goal.
Nora Barrows-Friedman: And Kyle, if you were speaking with a young person who was considering joining the military right now, they were weighing their options, what advice would you have for them and what would you talk about with their families?
Kyle Snyder: . . When a recruiter comes up and talks to you, it's not because you're a special kind of person. It's not because you have any type of thing that some other human being doesn't. And a lot of 17 and 18-year-olds assume that, you know? 'Oh a recruiters talking to me because I have some kind of special ability that no other person has.' And they over-glorify it making you know basically the Army into Rambo-like figures and things that you know are in action movies when that's not the case. They really need to look at what they'll be doing. . . . You're a gunner, medic, driver or, you know, an escort. Those are the only four jobs that are in Iraq regardless of what you sign up to do. I'd say, you know, if somebody signed up no matter what branch of service, I'd say it's about an 80% chance you're going to Iraq as long as the Bush administration is in power. So they really need to look at that and understand that, yes, they're going to Iraq as long as, like I say, the Bush administration has their say, the war's going to last. So they just need to understand that. And I can understand people that do join the military and that believe in what they're doing but they need to understand people like me as well --that are lied to to get into the military. And, you know . . . I don't know. That's basically all I can say.
Kyle Snyder is a public US war resister. He is part of a resistance movement within the military that also includes Darrell Anderson, Ehren Watada, Joshua Key, Ivan Brobeck, Ricky Clousing, Mark Wilkerson, Camilo Meija, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Jeremy Hinzman, Corey Glass, Patrick Hart, Clifford Cornell, Agustin Aguayo, Joshua Despain, Katherine Jashinski, and Kevin Benderman. Those are some of the war resisters who have gone public and over thirty US war resisters are currently in Canada attempting to be legally recognized.
When asked to speak about this movement, Kyle Snyder noted, "There's over 8,000 AWOL soldiers in the United States right now, 200 in Canada, 38 have applied for refugee status in Canada and I'm hoping, you know, that they start coming out. And I know that some of them are going to be coming out in the next few months. . . . I could use Bush's words, 'Are we going to solve this problem now or are we going to wait for the next president 5 years from now, 10 years from now when 8,000 Iraq veterans are homeless or hiding in a corner because it wasn't taken care of like it could have been?'"
[Rebecca wrote about Snyder's interview here.]
Information on this movement of war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Appeal for Redress is collecting signatures of active duty service members calling on Congress to bring the troops home -- the petition will be delivered to Congress next month.
Tina Kim (WorldNow) reports on Appeal for Redress and notes that Jonathan Hutto and others involved with the appeal will be holding a news conference next Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. to raise awareness on the project which is gathering signatures of active duty service members calling for the US troops to be brought home. The appeal will be presented to Congress in January. Jonathan Hutto was a guest last week on WBAI's Law and Disorder. [Mike noted it here.]
Today begins the National Days of Action to Support GI Resistance, called for by Courage to Resist, which run through Sunday the 10th. Indybay IMC notes: "Other Bay Area Events: On Friday, December 8th, 7:30pm at the College of Marin in Kentfield, segments of the film 'Ground Truth' will be shown, and Iraq combat veteran-turned-war-resister Darrell Anderson will speak. Also that evening, at 7:30pm at the Buena Vista United Methodist Church in Alameda, the film 'The Ground Truth' will be shown, and there will be a panel with Rev. Michael Yoshii, and Bob Watada and Rosa Sakanishi. That night in San Jose, there will be a reception and fundraiser for Kyle Snyder at 6pm at the San Jose Friends Meeting House. On Saturday December 9th, there will be a peace vigil in support of Lt. Ehren Watada, in front of the MLK, Jr. Library in San Jose from 12-4pm. Read more about these events."
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"And the war drags on"
"NYT: 'With Foe's Change of Heart, Iraq Watchdog Is Likely to Survive' (James Glanz)"
"Other Items"
"A rare solo entry"
"kyle snyder, nora barrows friedman, the james bake..."
"Law and Disorder, Cedric and other stuff"
"Kyle Snyder on KPFA's Flashpoints right now"
"THIS JUST IN! WHAT'S HE MEAN "WE"?"
"Collective blame "
Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
THIS JUST IN! WHAT'S HE MEAN "WE"?
AFTER A LEISURELY THURSDAY AFTERNOON SPENT IN THE ROSE GARDEN PLAYING FETCH WITH BARNEY THE WHITE HOUSE DOG AND TONY BLAIR THE WHITE HOUSE POODLE -- BARNEY CAUGHT MORE STICKS IN THE AIR AND YAPPED FAR LESS -- BULLY BOY EMERGED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
WHILE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK BOBBY GATES FIRED UP PATTI LABELLE'S "NEW ATTITUDE" ON THE JAM BOX ("WE'RE LETTING HIM BE IN CHARGE OF TUNES FIRST," EXPLAINED SECRETARY OF STATE & ANGER CONDI RICE. "THEN WE'LL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT HE'S UP TO THE JOB OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE."), A NATION SCRATCHED ITS HEAD AND WONDERED:
"WHAT'S HE MEAN WE?"
AFTER LYING A NATION INTO AN ILLEGAL WAR AND REFUSING TO RECOGNIZE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST GOING TO WAR, AFTER DUBBING HIMSELF "THE DECIDER," SUDDENLY -- WHEN THERE'S BLAME TO BE HANDED OUT, BULLY BOY WANTS TO TALK "WE"?
Starting with peace news. As Thomas Watkins (AP) observes, "For a wanted man, Pfc. Kyle Snyder is keeping a remarkably high profile." Recapping, Snyder self-checked out of the US military while on leave after serving in Iraq. He went to Canada in April of 2005. There he spoke out publicly and, following the return from Canada of US war resister Darrell Anderson, Snyder made the decision to return as well. On October 31st, turned himself in at Fort Knox only to self-check out again after discovering the military had lied yet again. Since then Snyder has been underground, surfacing to speaking out against the war.
Watkins reports that, despite a warrant being out on Snyder, he's traveling the West coast and speaking out such as in San Diego at the start of the week where his speech included, "Seeing children begging for food and water after two years of occupation, you really start to question if you are the good guy." Speaking with Snyder is war resister Darrell Anderson and, Watkins notes, "a mobile chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War".
As Indybay IMC noted, "Friday, December 8th, 7:30pm at the College of Marin in Kentfield, segments of the film "Ground Truth" will be shown, and Iraq combat veteran-turned-war-resister Darrell Anderson will speak. Also that evening, at 7:30pm at the Buena Vista United Methodist Church in Alameda, the film "The Ground Truth" will be shown, and there will be a panel with Rev. Michael Yoshii, and Bob Watada and Rosa Sakanishi. That night in San Jose, there will be a reception and fundraiser for Kyle Snyder at 6pm at the San Jose Friends Meeting House. On Saturday December 9th, there will be a peace vigil in support of Lt. Ehren Watada, in front of the MLK, Jr. Library in San Jose from 12-4pm." [Bob Watada is Ehren's father and Rosa Sakanishi is Ehren's step-mother.]
These events are part of the National Days of Action to Support GI resistance and GI rights" that Courage to Resist is calling from this Friday (Dec. 8th) through Sunday (Dec. 10th).
David Zeiger (Common Dreams) writes of these actions and notes the importance of these actions: "Today the new GI resistance movement is growing -- more soldiers are going public with their opposition, thousands are going AWOL, the first GI coffeehouse opened recently (with internet!), and the antiwar movement is realizing that supporting these soldiers is the next step. It's time for us to escalate public pressure and action in support of the growing movement of thousands of courageous men and women soldiers who have in many different ways followed their conscience -- upholding international law, taking a principled stand against unjust, illegal war and occupation and standing up for their rights. Widespread public cupport and pressure will help create true support for courageous troops facing isolation and repression, and help protect their civil liberties and human rights."
Zieger is the director of Sir! No Sir! which documents that war resistance within the military during Vietnam and, for those planning house parties, is highly recommended. (Click here for a community review.)
Right now, events are known to be scheduled in Alameda, CA; Honolulu, HI; Kentfield, CA; Long Beach, CA; Maui, HI; Missoula, MT; Montpeiler, VT; Nanuet, NY; New York, NY; Olympia, WA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; Santa Barbara, CA; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; Tallahassee, FL; Vancouver, B.C. Canada; Worcester, MA.
1) Support for War Objectors
2) Protect the Right to Conscientious Objection
3) Protect the Liberties & Human Rights of GI's
4) Sanctuary for War Objectors
As Thomas Watkins (AP) notes, "The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have seen some 19,000 troops total go AWOL since 2001." Kyle Snyder, Darrell Anderson and Ehren Watada are among the US war resisters who have gone public. They are part of a resistance movement within the military that also includes Joshua Key, Ivan Brobeck, Ricky Clousing, Mark Wilkerson, Camilo Meija, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Jeremy Hinzman, Corey Glass, Patrick Hart, Clifford Cornell, Agustin Aguayo, Joshua Despain, Katherine Jashinski, and Kevin Benderman. Those are some of the war resisters who have gone public and over thirty US war resisters are currently in Canada attempting to be legally recognized.
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Appeal for Redress is collecting signatures of active duty service members calling on Congress to bring the troops home -- the petition will be delivered to Congress next month.
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Appeal for Redress is collecting signatures of active duty service members calling on Congress to bring the troops home -- the petition will be delivered to Congress next month.
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"Wednesday was one of the deadliest days for US troops in Iraq, but NYT missed that story"
"Other Items"
"cindy sheehan on trial means we're all on trial"
'John R. MacArthur on the "Centrists"'
"Peace"
"Guns and Butter"
"Other Items"
"cindy sheehan on trial means we're all on trial"
'John R. MacArthur on the "Centrists"'
"Peace"
"Guns and Butter"
"'Centrist' Democrats Want It Both Ways"
"THIS JUST IN! 216-YEAR-OLD SPINE MISSING!"
"The missing spine"
"THIS JUST IN! 216-YEAR-OLD SPINE MISSING!"
"The missing spine"
Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
THIS JUST IN! 216-YEAR-OLD SPINE MISSING!
BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIX MIX -- DC.
A $60,000 REWARD IS BEING OFFERED TO ANYONE WHO CAN DISCOVER A 216-YEAR-OLD SPINE.
THE SPINE WAS LAST THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN SEEN SOMETIME BEFORE 1994 THOUGH SOME SWEAR IT HAS BEEN M.I.A. SINCE THE MID-SEVENTIES.
AT ONE POINT, IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
THE FIRST TUESDAY OF NOVEMBER, THERE WAS AN OPERATION THAT ATTEMPTED TO GRAFT THE SPINE BACK ONTO THE PARTY AND EARLY INDICATIONS WERE THAT THE SURGERY TOOK.
HOWEVER, YESTERDAY'S ARMED SERVICE COMMITTEE HEARING AND FINDING PROVED THAT THE SPINE WAS STILL AS LARGE.
ANY INFORMATION OR LEADS ON THE MISSING SPINE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO
(202) 863-8000.
$60,000 ISN'T A LARGE AMOUNT FOR A REWARD BUT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONFESSES THAT THEY'RE REALLY NOT SURE THEY WANT THEIR SPINE RETURNED YET.
FROM THE TCI WIRE:
Wednesday, December 6, 2006. Chaos and violence continue in Iraq, the James Baker Circle Jerk finally spews, Dow Jones reports ten US soldiers dead in Iraq today from two IEDs, and the Democrats demonstrate that "bipartisan" is Beltway Latin for "Screw the voter."
Starting with the vocab lesson first, for all the gas bagging after the election by The Elector (in all their forms) and all the talk of "change" and "listening to the people," Democrats -- swept into power by voters wanting change -- demonstrate that "bipartisanship" is just Beltway Latin for "Screw the voter." First up was the character assassination took John Murtha out of the running for the post of House Majority Leader and allowed War Hawk Steny Hoyer to be installed. Last week Dems were supposed to be cheerleading around the nation over Silvestre Reyes who was being installed as House Intelligence Committee chair. "Yeah, Silvestre!" was the kind of "critique" the public got as the gas bags of the left (and 'left') tried to paint over the fact that others were (again) passed over. Now, Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!) notes an interview Reyes gave to Newsweek where he expressed his desire to send an "up to 30,000" additional US troops to Iraq.
The vocabulary lesson is not limited to House Dems, Democrats on the Senate Armed Service Committee collectively stated, "Screw the voter." As Robert Parry (Consortium News) observes, "Despite winning the Nov. 7 elections largely due to public anger over the Iraq War, congressional Democrats crumbled in their first post-election confrontation with President George W. Bush on the future direction of that conflict."
As elected Dems attempt to 'educate,' the mainstream press attempts to present the marginalized as the norm. Though polls repeatedly demonstrate US citizens want US troops out of Iraq, though polls repeatedly demonstrate that Iraqi citizens wants US troops out of Iraq, Big Media thinks they can pull one over on the public again.Tossing Judith Miller onto the stake and burning her as the public scapegoat is supposed to satiate the masses and allow War Pornographer Michael Gordon to get off scott free again. (Gordo was Miller's writing partner quite often including on one story that was mentioned in the Times' mini-culpa.) Norman Solomon (Common Dreams) observes that Gordo and David Sanger have both contributed articles pushing the "the US must stay myth" and concludes: "What's now going on in mainline news media is some kind of repetition compulsion. And, while media professionals engage in yet another round of conformist opportunism, many people will pay with their lives."
It's not limited to the New York Times, but to stay on Gordo and the Times, FAIR notes that, on November 15, 2006, Gordo was on CNN telling Anderson Cooper "while the politicians in the United States would like to see a withdrawal of forces, particularly on the Democratic side, that's simply not realistic given how precarious the security situation is at this point in time" and drawing a comparison between Democrats who actually call for a withdrawal (there are a few of those) and 'insurgents': ". . . there are a significant number of players in Baghdad today who don't mind if the Americans withdraw. These are the militia leaders. They would be happy if the United States withdrew . . ." Now does any of that sound anything like a policy judgement or recommendation?
Because when attempting to foist his bad book off on the public, Gordo refused to weigh in on the war itself, telling Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!), "Well, that's a policy judgement and a political judgement that's really beyound the scope of our book."
But now, he can can make those judgements? Of course he can, he made them during the invasion as well -- in fact, he made them on CNN. March 25, 2003, Gordo took the CNN airwaves (Aaron Brown's now cancelled show) to cheerlead a US attack of a civilian target, a TV station, stating, "And personally, I think the television, based on what I've seen of Iraqi television, with Saddam Hussein presenting propaganda to his people and showing off the Apache helicopter and claiming a farmer shot it down and trying to persuade his own public that he was really in charge, when we're trying to send the exact opposite message, I think, was an appropriate target." Three year later, Juan Gonzalez (Democracy Now!) noted to Gordo that his [Gordo's] remark were "condemned by many journalism organizations around the world" and Gordo sputtered: "Well, I think, when -- you know, I don't know what was in General Franks' mind . . ." Blah, blah, blah. Gordo can't own his own mistakes, neither the can the paper.
Judith Miller was one person. The dog pile on her while others were ignored created a climate of impunity. Ditch digger Dexy is outed as a the go-to-boy (outed by a mainstream daily) for the US military and, if noted, it's reduced to an aside. While everyone obsessed and dog piled on Judith Miller's pre-war 'reporting' (which included co-writers), there wasn't time to call sob sister Dexy out. Even now, as the paper's attempts to marginalize US public opinion is called out, who's noting the story, filed from Iraq, that couldn't find a single Iraqi who wanted the US to withdraw (a position held by the majority of Iraqis)? No one. Miller's departure changed nothing at the paper. But bash-the-bitch and golden oldies did allow many to feel, three years later, that they were 'commenting' as they again trotted out the name "Judy Miller." The only thing surprising about Gordo is that his war porn has taken so long to be called out.
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"NYT: 'At Least 5 Marines Are Expected to Be Charged in Haditha Deaths' (Paul von Zielbauer)"
"Other Items"
"Jim Lafferty, Law and Disorder, peace movement"
"the hearing"
"Zohra Yusuf Daoud, Sunita Mehta, Women For Afghan Women"
"Hype express hits a pothole"
"Bobby Gates goes to a Democratic cotillion"
"THIS JUST IN! GATES ATTENDS A DEMOCRATIC SOCIAL!"
A $60,000 REWARD IS BEING OFFERED TO ANYONE WHO CAN DISCOVER A 216-YEAR-OLD SPINE.
THE SPINE WAS LAST THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN SEEN SOMETIME BEFORE 1994 THOUGH SOME SWEAR IT HAS BEEN M.I.A. SINCE THE MID-SEVENTIES.
AT ONE POINT, IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
THE FIRST TUESDAY OF NOVEMBER, THERE WAS AN OPERATION THAT ATTEMPTED TO GRAFT THE SPINE BACK ONTO THE PARTY AND EARLY INDICATIONS WERE THAT THE SURGERY TOOK.
HOWEVER, YESTERDAY'S ARMED SERVICE COMMITTEE HEARING AND FINDING PROVED THAT THE SPINE WAS STILL AS LARGE.
ANY INFORMATION OR LEADS ON THE MISSING SPINE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO
(202) 863-8000.
$60,000 ISN'T A LARGE AMOUNT FOR A REWARD BUT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONFESSES THAT THEY'RE REALLY NOT SURE THEY WANT THEIR SPINE RETURNED YET.
FROM THE TCI WIRE:
Wednesday, December 6, 2006. Chaos and violence continue in Iraq, the James Baker Circle Jerk finally spews, Dow Jones reports ten US soldiers dead in Iraq today from two IEDs, and the Democrats demonstrate that "bipartisan" is Beltway Latin for "Screw the voter."
Starting with the vocab lesson first, for all the gas bagging after the election by The Elector (in all their forms) and all the talk of "change" and "listening to the people," Democrats -- swept into power by voters wanting change -- demonstrate that "bipartisanship" is just Beltway Latin for "Screw the voter." First up was the character assassination took John Murtha out of the running for the post of House Majority Leader and allowed War Hawk Steny Hoyer to be installed. Last week Dems were supposed to be cheerleading around the nation over Silvestre Reyes who was being installed as House Intelligence Committee chair. "Yeah, Silvestre!" was the kind of "critique" the public got as the gas bags of the left (and 'left') tried to paint over the fact that others were (again) passed over. Now, Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!) notes an interview Reyes gave to Newsweek where he expressed his desire to send an "up to 30,000" additional US troops to Iraq.
The vocabulary lesson is not limited to House Dems, Democrats on the Senate Armed Service Committee collectively stated, "Screw the voter." As Robert Parry (Consortium News) observes, "Despite winning the Nov. 7 elections largely due to public anger over the Iraq War, congressional Democrats crumbled in their first post-election confrontation with President George W. Bush on the future direction of that conflict."
As elected Dems attempt to 'educate,' the mainstream press attempts to present the marginalized as the norm. Though polls repeatedly demonstrate US citizens want US troops out of Iraq, though polls repeatedly demonstrate that Iraqi citizens wants US troops out of Iraq, Big Media thinks they can pull one over on the public again.Tossing Judith Miller onto the stake and burning her as the public scapegoat is supposed to satiate the masses and allow War Pornographer Michael Gordon to get off scott free again. (Gordo was Miller's writing partner quite often including on one story that was mentioned in the Times' mini-culpa.) Norman Solomon (Common Dreams) observes that Gordo and David Sanger have both contributed articles pushing the "the US must stay myth" and concludes: "What's now going on in mainline news media is some kind of repetition compulsion. And, while media professionals engage in yet another round of conformist opportunism, many people will pay with their lives."
It's not limited to the New York Times, but to stay on Gordo and the Times, FAIR notes that, on November 15, 2006, Gordo was on CNN telling Anderson Cooper "while the politicians in the United States would like to see a withdrawal of forces, particularly on the Democratic side, that's simply not realistic given how precarious the security situation is at this point in time" and drawing a comparison between Democrats who actually call for a withdrawal (there are a few of those) and 'insurgents': ". . . there are a significant number of players in Baghdad today who don't mind if the Americans withdraw. These are the militia leaders. They would be happy if the United States withdrew . . ." Now does any of that sound anything like a policy judgement or recommendation?
Because when attempting to foist his bad book off on the public, Gordo refused to weigh in on the war itself, telling Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!), "Well, that's a policy judgement and a political judgement that's really beyound the scope of our book."
But now, he can can make those judgements? Of course he can, he made them during the invasion as well -- in fact, he made them on CNN. March 25, 2003, Gordo took the CNN airwaves (Aaron Brown's now cancelled show) to cheerlead a US attack of a civilian target, a TV station, stating, "And personally, I think the television, based on what I've seen of Iraqi television, with Saddam Hussein presenting propaganda to his people and showing off the Apache helicopter and claiming a farmer shot it down and trying to persuade his own public that he was really in charge, when we're trying to send the exact opposite message, I think, was an appropriate target." Three year later, Juan Gonzalez (Democracy Now!) noted to Gordo that his [Gordo's] remark were "condemned by many journalism organizations around the world" and Gordo sputtered: "Well, I think, when -- you know, I don't know what was in General Franks' mind . . ." Blah, blah, blah. Gordo can't own his own mistakes, neither the can the paper.
Judith Miller was one person. The dog pile on her while others were ignored created a climate of impunity. Ditch digger Dexy is outed as a the go-to-boy (outed by a mainstream daily) for the US military and, if noted, it's reduced to an aside. While everyone obsessed and dog piled on Judith Miller's pre-war 'reporting' (which included co-writers), there wasn't time to call sob sister Dexy out. Even now, as the paper's attempts to marginalize US public opinion is called out, who's noting the story, filed from Iraq, that couldn't find a single Iraqi who wanted the US to withdraw (a position held by the majority of Iraqis)? No one. Miller's departure changed nothing at the paper. But bash-the-bitch and golden oldies did allow many to feel, three years later, that they were 'commenting' as they again trotted out the name "Judy Miller." The only thing surprising about Gordo is that his war porn has taken so long to be called out.
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"NYT: 'At Least 5 Marines Are Expected to Be Charged in Haditha Deaths' (Paul von Zielbauer)"
"Other Items"
"Jim Lafferty, Law and Disorder, peace movement"
"the hearing"
"Zohra Yusuf Daoud, Sunita Mehta, Women For Afghan Women"
"Hype express hits a pothole"
"Bobby Gates goes to a Democratic cotillion"
"THIS JUST IN! GATES ATTENDS A DEMOCRATIC SOCIAL!"
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
THIS JUST IN! GATES ATTENDS A DEMOCRATIC SOCIAL!
BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIX MIX -- DC.
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS APPEARED SEMI-AWAKE IN THE MORNING BUT BY NOON THEY ALL APPEARED TO NEED A NAP.
"NOT TRUE!" SNAPPED SENATE MAJORITY-ELECT HARRY REID.
"LOOK, WE JUST GOT TIRED OF EVERYTHING BEING BULLY BOY'S," HE EXPLAINED. "HE GETS TO SPY ON AMERICANS ILLEGALLY, HE GETS TO WRECK THE ECONOMY. WE'VE ANALYZED THE ELECTIONS AND THE AMERICAN VOTER WANTS TO SEE DEMOCRATS DO SOMETHING. BY ROLLING OVER ON ROBERT GATES NOMINATION FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY, WE'VE JUST GRABBED THE ILLEGAL WAR! IT'S NOT BULLY BOY'S WAR ALONE NOW!"
WHEN ASKED IF THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY A GOOD THING, HARRY REID APPEARED TO PANIC, SLAPPED HIS FOREHEAD AND RAN OFF CRYING.
Starting with the American troop fatality count. On Sunday, ICCC made the call that 2900 US troops had died in Iraq since the start of the illegal war. Yesterday, Sandra Lupien noted the 2900 mark on The KPFA Evening News. Today, Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!) notes: "The US death toll in the war has topped 2900." CNN's counts 2,901 while also reporting 2899. The latter figure is what the Defense Department goes with as well, 2899. ICCC reports the number is 2906 (which is what we'll go with).
Does the number matter? It should. It should matter especially if you're appearing before Congress. Robert Gates, who would like to replace Donald the Rumsfled as Secretary of Defense, cited another number: 2892. Testifying today, he goes with 2892? If this is Gates "on the ball," let's all worry.
KPFA's Larry Bensky and Aaron Glantz are anchoring the gavel-to-gavel coverage of Gates' confirmation hearing and it's being carried live on KPFA, WBAI, KPFT, KPFK, KCFC and at
at the Pacifica website. Those not in broadcast range can listen online at any of the links provided in the previous sentence. (And if you missed the live coverage, you can use the links for an archived broadcast.) While Pacifica Radio covers the hearings live NPR decided to 'hit hard' by covering the celebrity auction of Dick Clark.
So along with grasping that Gates doesn't care enough about the job to use any accepted figure for the US military's fatality toll, what else have we learned? Bob Dole did standup early on. The former US senator was one of two walking Gates down the aisle. Who gives Gates away? Dole and Doren. Dole told a joke about how the phone rang asking that "Senator Dole" introduce Gates and, too late, Bob Dole realized they meant Elizabeth Dole (his wife who is currently a US senator). Having wowed 'em like he hasn't since he schilled for Pepsi with Britney Spears, Dole stepped aside for the Senate's own Norma Desmond: David L. Boren.
Boren was supposed to be introducing Gates but instead seemed lost in the past, a murky one, that needed to be reclaimed unless we were are prepared to "ultimately destroy the fabric" of the country. Boren couldn't shut up about the past including "15 years ago." So let's take a look at the Senate when Boren still served on it.
Boren did sometimes work with people on the other side of the aisles: Democrats. Though supposedly a Democrat, he was usually to be found triangulating with Republicans. Boren's 'bipartisanship' resulted in many things, a greatest hits reel can't be provided here. But two highlights. Boren voted to confirm Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. The country still suffers as a result. Boren was among those who put "civility" above the truth regarding Iran-Contra and, it can be argued since many of the same players repeat today, that doing so implicates him in today's illegal war.
Possibly, he shouldn't grab that white Bible with his bloodied hands? White Bible? Oh, the one he used to publicly swear that he wasn't gay back when those rumors floated. Today's heart-felt intro recalled a great deal of the drama of that 1979 moment.
Robert Gates told Senator John Warner that he felt the Bully Boy wanted him "to take a fresh look and all options are on the table" regarding Iraq. But some things do not require a "fresh look," apparently. On the issue of remaining in Iraq, Gates stated that it seemed to him that the US would "have to have some presence in Iraq for a long time." He then offered the WRONG number and mentioned a woman who approached him to declare, "I have two sons in Iraq. For God's sake, bring them home safe."
After that, it all got even zanier as there appeared to be a contest among Republicans to see who could look the most insane as they attempted to scare Americans and spin the illegal war.
Honorable mentions go to the following:
Jeff Sessions who declared both the need to "reach out and grasp each other's hands" (stay of the cloakroom) went even touchier-and-feelier, soaring into clouds that the laughable Peggy Noons (Noonan) couldn't even approach as he spoke of US troops who had died in Iraq: "I talked to their families. I talked to those who lost their lives."
No word as to whether "those who lost their lives" talked back to Jeff Sessions.
Pat Roberts wants the troops home but frets over how it could be done "the wrong way." See, pulling them out too soon, bringing them home, could cause problems. Such as? Roberts didn't know. He was suddenly discussing "sleeper cells in this country" and terrorists of a second generation. If he truly believes there are "sleeper cells" in the United States, one would assume that the troops might be needed in the US. But Roberts was busy trying to frighten America and that appeared to be the Republican game plan.
Joe Lieberman (officially billed these days as "Independent") attempted to work through his own issues, publicly, in front of the committee. He warned of what could happen "if we end up leaving Iraq in chaos" because, apparently Joe Lieberman has missed the fact that Iraq is in chaos and has been. "Bipartisanship" was a buzz word for NoMentum as well and he wanted the entire nation to band together to go after all the enemies he sees elsewhere in the world ("everybody around the world who wishes us evil") which demonstrated that Lieberman hasn't lost his sense of persecution.
But the winner? James Inhofe in the first round. Inhofe's never met a fact he can't fudge or mangle. His statements were concerned with pushing the illegal war except when he went into alarmist mode of Chinese computer hackers and raged that others (on the Senate? in the United States?) "don't seem to read these, they don't seem concerned about this!" What Inhofe was concerned primarily with was noting that "the mass graves [in Iraq], that's not taking place anymore."
Oh Inhofe, apparently you're not reading what you need to read. November 30, 2006, the US military announced the discovery of a "mass grave" with 28 bodies in it. And, no, it's not from the era of Saddam Hussein.
The Democrats? Evan Blah showed what a suck up he could be, Carl Levin probed and Hillary Clinton appeared to be setting up for the next round of questioning. (The hearings are on a lunch break. During that Pacifica will be offering analysis.)
The big news is supposed to be that Gates noted (the obvious fact) that the US isn't "winning." (Nor can it, unsaid by Gates.) What should be noted is how often he couldn't remark, he didn't know enough, his "view is too uninformed," "I'm not well enough informed at this point to make a decision" blah, blah, blah. This is the man who was sitting on the James Baker Circle Jerk, right? He was tasked with recommendations the US should take re: Iraq, right?
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"Gavel-to-Gavel coverage of today's Gates' hearing on KPFA, WBAI (Pacifica)"
"NYT: '4 Die in Marine Helicopter Accident in Iraq' (Semple)"
"robert gates & dennis prager, both disgusting"
"Law and Disorder, Marjorie Cohn, The Third Estate ..."
"Dave Matthews, Mark Wilkerson"
"Alex de Waal, Alexander Cockburn"
"Bolton swings out"
"THIS JUST IN! NOT ENOUGH ACTION FOR SWINGIN' BOLTON"
"NYT: '4 Die in Marine Helicopter Accident in Iraq' (Semple)"
"robert gates & dennis prager, both disgusting"
"Law and Disorder, Marjorie Cohn, The Third Estate ..."
"Dave Matthews, Mark Wilkerson"
"Alex de Waal, Alexander Cockburn"
"Bolton swings out"
"THIS JUST IN! NOT ENOUGH ACTION FOR SWINGIN' BOLTON"
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
Monday, December 04, 2006
THIS JUST IN! NOT ENOUGH ACTION FOR SWINGIN' BOLTON
BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIX MIX -- DC.
U.S. AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON GOT A LITTLE CONFIRMATION SHY AND TOOK HIMSELF OUT OF THE RUNNING.
EARLIER, THE CONFIRMATION PROCESS HAD BEEN BY-PASSED AS A RESULT OF A RECESS APPOINTMENT. FACED WITH STANDING BEFORE CONGRESS, SWINGING JOHN BOLTON DECIDED HE DID NOT WANT ALL THAT ATTENTION.
PICTURED BELOW IN BETTER TIMES, JOHN BOLTON ONCE HAD HIGH HOPES FOR WHAT HE TERMED "MY OWN KIND OF 'RELATING,' IF YOU FEEL ME."
AS HE EXITED THE PUBLIC STAGE, JOHN BOLTON WAS HEARD TO DECLARE, "WITH ALL THOSE NATIONS, ALL THOSE PEOPLE, I REALLY THOUGHT I'D GET A LITTLE ACTION ON THE SIDE, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU KNOW A LITTLE SEX, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU KNOW A LITTLE **** ***** AND SOME ***** SOMETHING-SOMETHING. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN."
FROM THE TCI WIRE:
Meanwhile, in the US, war resistor Mark Wilkerson finds inspiration and support from the past -- specifically from his great-grandfather. Writing at his website, Red, White & Blurry: My Life As An AWOL Soldier, Wilkerson explains that his grandmother passed on a letter to him, one that his great-grandfather wrote then-US-president Calvin Coolidge when his son (John F. Hemphill) died in Nicaragua. Wilkerson reproduces the letter as his site and notes:
"When I read this for the first time, I couldn't help but crying. Because through this letter, I can't help but feel that my great-grandfather would be proud of what I'm going through, and could relate with me on many levels. I feel that reading this somehow connected me again to a part of my family that I haven't been close to much lately, and I'm thankful for that. I also feel more now, than ever, that as a veteran, it is my obligation to speak out when I feel that an injustice is being done in our country today through this so-called War on Terrorism."
Mark Wilkerson self-checked out of the US military for approximately eighteen months before, August 31st, announcing at Camp Casey III that he would be turning himself in. Speaking with Dennis Bernstein on KPFA's Flashpoints the same day, Wilkerson explain that he had applied for c.o. status but been denied and told that he could not begin the rebuttal process until after he completed his second deployment in Iraq.
Wilkerson is part of a movement within the military of war resistance that also includes
Kyle Snyder, Ehren Watada, Joshua Key, Ivan Brobeck, Darrell Anderson, Ricky Clousing, Camilo Meija, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Jeremy Hinzman, Corey Glass, Joshua Casteel, Clifford Cornell, Agustin Aguayo, Patrick Hart, Joshua Despain, Katherine Jashinski, and Kevin Benderman. Those are only some of the names of those resisting who have gone public.Information on war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, Soldier Say No!, the War Resisters Support Campaign, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters.
Their actions are helping to end to the war as are the actions of others demanding an end to the illegal war. Today on WBAI's Law and Disorder, co-host Michael Ratner spoke with Marjorie Cohn (president of the National Lawyers Guild) about the need to press Congress but also the need to do much more. Cohn agreed and noted that the advances of the Civil Rights era weren't a gift that a generous Congress just decided to offer, they resulted from demands, protests and activism. Mike will be addressing the broadcast later today at his site Mikey Likes It! (The four hosts of the program are Ratner, Dalia Hashad, Heidi Boghosian and Michael Smith.)
And finally, tomorrow on KPFA (airwaves and online):
KPFA Special Broadcast: Robert Gates Confirmation HearingTuesday, December 5th, 06:00amLive, gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Robert Gates Secretary of Defense confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. With Larry Bensky, Aaron Glantz and our guest experts.
This will also be carried at the Pacifica website. For more background on Gates see Consortium News and for Robert Parry's latest click here. Gates shouldn't be back-patted and glad-handed with his history. Danny Schechter the News Dissector notes: "Sadly, I saw John Kerry on CNN say he will vote for Gates because the country doesn't need a debate now on his appointment as the new Rummy Dummy. Huh?"
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"And the war drags on"
"NYT: 'Annan Adds His Voice to a Growing Chorus That Is Calling the Situation in Iraq a 'Civil War'' (Wong)"
"Other Items"
"The 2900 mark"
"Ruth's Report""Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts 'Bully Parkerr'"
"NYT: Kirk Semple reports on Iraq, Cloud & Gordo visit fantasy camp"
"NYT: Bully's got no plans but a lot of starter sets (Sanger & Wong)"
"Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Kim Gandy, Bay Fang"
"written on breaks"
"Dave Zirin, Iraq"
"Decking the Friedman"
"Waldorf Salad in the Kitchen"
"Melanie"
A Note to Our Readers
Editorial: Return of the Toad, Robert Gates
TV: Big Rip Off
What happened in Amman?
The One About The Nation
Yes, RadioNation with Laura Flanders did air
Worst Video Collection
NYT: Wednesday Repeats
Highlights
Iraq Study Group Calls for All US Troops to Leave ...
"Bully Boy channels Whitney Houston"
"THIS JUST IN! BULLY BOY, GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT"
U.S. AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON GOT A LITTLE CONFIRMATION SHY AND TOOK HIMSELF OUT OF THE RUNNING.
EARLIER, THE CONFIRMATION PROCESS HAD BEEN BY-PASSED AS A RESULT OF A RECESS APPOINTMENT. FACED WITH STANDING BEFORE CONGRESS, SWINGING JOHN BOLTON DECIDED HE DID NOT WANT ALL THAT ATTENTION.
PICTURED BELOW IN BETTER TIMES, JOHN BOLTON ONCE HAD HIGH HOPES FOR WHAT HE TERMED "MY OWN KIND OF 'RELATING,' IF YOU FEEL ME."
AS HE EXITED THE PUBLIC STAGE, JOHN BOLTON WAS HEARD TO DECLARE, "WITH ALL THOSE NATIONS, ALL THOSE PEOPLE, I REALLY THOUGHT I'D GET A LITTLE ACTION ON THE SIDE, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU KNOW A LITTLE SEX, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU KNOW A LITTLE **** ***** AND SOME ***** SOMETHING-SOMETHING. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN."
FROM THE TCI WIRE:
Meanwhile, in the US, war resistor Mark Wilkerson finds inspiration and support from the past -- specifically from his great-grandfather. Writing at his website, Red, White & Blurry: My Life As An AWOL Soldier, Wilkerson explains that his grandmother passed on a letter to him, one that his great-grandfather wrote then-US-president Calvin Coolidge when his son (John F. Hemphill) died in Nicaragua. Wilkerson reproduces the letter as his site and notes:
"When I read this for the first time, I couldn't help but crying. Because through this letter, I can't help but feel that my great-grandfather would be proud of what I'm going through, and could relate with me on many levels. I feel that reading this somehow connected me again to a part of my family that I haven't been close to much lately, and I'm thankful for that. I also feel more now, than ever, that as a veteran, it is my obligation to speak out when I feel that an injustice is being done in our country today through this so-called War on Terrorism."
Mark Wilkerson self-checked out of the US military for approximately eighteen months before, August 31st, announcing at Camp Casey III that he would be turning himself in. Speaking with Dennis Bernstein on KPFA's Flashpoints the same day, Wilkerson explain that he had applied for c.o. status but been denied and told that he could not begin the rebuttal process until after he completed his second deployment in Iraq.
Wilkerson is part of a movement within the military of war resistance that also includes
Kyle Snyder, Ehren Watada, Joshua Key, Ivan Brobeck, Darrell Anderson, Ricky Clousing, Camilo Meija, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Jeremy Hinzman, Corey Glass, Joshua Casteel, Clifford Cornell, Agustin Aguayo, Patrick Hart, Joshua Despain, Katherine Jashinski, and Kevin Benderman. Those are only some of the names of those resisting who have gone public.Information on war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, Soldier Say No!, the War Resisters Support Campaign, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters.
Their actions are helping to end to the war as are the actions of others demanding an end to the illegal war. Today on WBAI's Law and Disorder, co-host Michael Ratner spoke with Marjorie Cohn (president of the National Lawyers Guild) about the need to press Congress but also the need to do much more. Cohn agreed and noted that the advances of the Civil Rights era weren't a gift that a generous Congress just decided to offer, they resulted from demands, protests and activism. Mike will be addressing the broadcast later today at his site Mikey Likes It! (The four hosts of the program are Ratner, Dalia Hashad, Heidi Boghosian and Michael Smith.)
And finally, tomorrow on KPFA (airwaves and online):
KPFA Special Broadcast: Robert Gates Confirmation HearingTuesday, December 5th, 06:00amLive, gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Robert Gates Secretary of Defense confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. With Larry Bensky, Aaron Glantz and our guest experts.
This will also be carried at the Pacifica website. For more background on Gates see Consortium News and for Robert Parry's latest click here. Gates shouldn't be back-patted and glad-handed with his history. Danny Schechter the News Dissector notes: "Sadly, I saw John Kerry on CNN say he will vote for Gates because the country doesn't need a debate now on his appointment as the new Rummy Dummy. Huh?"
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"And the war drags on"
"NYT: 'Annan Adds His Voice to a Growing Chorus That Is Calling the Situation in Iraq a 'Civil War'' (Wong)"
"Other Items"
"The 2900 mark"
"Ruth's Report""Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts 'Bully Parkerr'"
"NYT: Kirk Semple reports on Iraq, Cloud & Gordo visit fantasy camp"
"NYT: Bully's got no plans but a lot of starter sets (Sanger & Wong)"
"Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Kim Gandy, Bay Fang"
"written on breaks"
"Dave Zirin, Iraq"
"Decking the Friedman"
"Waldorf Salad in the Kitchen"
"Melanie"
A Note to Our Readers
Editorial: Return of the Toad, Robert Gates
TV: Big Rip Off
What happened in Amman?
The One About The Nation
Yes, RadioNation with Laura Flanders did air
Worst Video Collection
NYT: Wednesday Repeats
Highlights
Iraq Study Group Calls for All US Troops to Leave ...
"Bully Boy channels Whitney Houston"
"THIS JUST IN! BULLY BOY, GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT"
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