Iraq...dangerous? Who would've guessed!

Well, we've already seen that Iraq is more dangerous for the UN and various aid organizations than it was before the US "liberated" it (see previous posts for links). And US and British soldiers continue to die every day (along with some from other countries that the US media doesn't care about, like Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, etc...again see prvious posts for links).
Now we learn that Iraq is even more dangerous for the Shiite minority that suffered such terrible oppression under Saddam. So, it begs the question once again...is ANYONE better off since the US invasion? Oh...right...silly me. Haliburton and other Republican-owned companies that drill for oil and produce weapons.

Also of interest--and pointed out by many independent media sources and bloggers already, yet ignored by the "mainstream" media--is the fact that the Bush Regime's fictitious claims of Al Qaida connections in Iraq before the war are now becoming true. (See the AP stories about Al-Qaida connections to the three major bombings in Iraq this week.) So, I guess we can add one more group of people to the list of those who've benefited from the US invasion of Iraq: Terrorists.


Iraq, Shmiraq...did you see the MTV VMA's?
But why worry about all this depressing stuff...did you see those hot chicks kissing each other on MTV...now THAT'S newsworthy!


Bush violates the law again...this time he's defacing the flag!
Normally I could care less about such a trivial matter; I'm far more concerned with the actual liberties for which it stands, and the fact that they're being tread upon right and left by Ashcroft and his new McCarthyites. But considering the way the Bush Regime has wrapped itself in the flag, this story about how Bush and Chenney continue to break the law is entertaining in the usual, shake-your-head-with-disgust kind of way. (Thanks to Jen at the LRC for this link).

An Arnold Update...Tony Takes the Stand

Okay...just a couple short items from the TV news. I don't have any links for these, because I saw them on CNN tv and am just logging onto the net for a sec before leaving on a two-day vacation.

I saw that the Republican tacticians got ahold of Arnold and hardened his official stances on several key issues. They were unable to sway him from his sensible positions on abortion and gun control, but they did get him to oppose gay marriage and support prayer in public school (yikes). However, he did also say he wanted to stop off-shore oil drilling! I figure that'll wrankle the Republican big-whigs as much as his being pro-choice.
But, in short, he's sounding more like a Republican--and certainly more like a politician--so he's losing his appeal quickly.

In other news, Tony Blair took the stand in the investigation into David Kelley's suicide and how much the government lied about Iraq. I don't have any specific comment on that, but I'm having little, hopeless fantasies about seeing Bush in a similar position.

Can you just IMAGINE him on the stand, being asked questions...not being able to follow a carefully prepared and practiced script written by Condie or some other aide!

US standing alone against World Justice...again.

The United States stood in direct opposition to the rest of the World once again at the UN, impeding the passage of a resolution condemning terrorist attacks against international aid workers. Why? Same old reason: because the Bush Regime refuses to accept any resolution that even mentions the World Court, which it refuses to acknowledge, lest Americans be held to the same laws as other people around the world.

Unfortunately, the UN kow-towed to the US and removed any mention of the World Court, weakening the overall message of the resolution.


This is "news"?
But never mind all that...don't worry yourself with such depressing news, America. Here's a REAL news story: don't worry...Georgie may not understand all his gadgets, but he's not SCARED of them!
(While the story about the UN resolution was on a back page, this little gem of reporting is on the main page at cnn.com)

Worse and Worse...at home and abroad.

It just gets worse and worse in Alabama.

Somebody really needs to erect a monument to Buddha or the Koran or something and see how fast all these idiots decrying the way the 1st amendment is being used to "crush religion" do a three-sixty and shit a brick. The only difference between these christian fundamentalists and the Taliban is the name they give their god.


In Iraq, the body count continues to rise. But hey...wasn't it cool when the "president" landed on that ship in that plane! Remember that?


And now for some GOOD NEWS

Not only did a judge throw out the ridiculous lawsuit the Fox "News" network had filed against Al Franken, but he also laid down a little common sense.

You can bet this soundbite won't make the cable propoganda network:
"It is ironic," Chin said of the Fox suit, "that a media company that should be seeking to protect the First Amendment is seeking to undermine it by claiming a monopoly on the phrase 'fair and balanced.' "

He also mentioned that Fox seemed to think its own viewers were stupid, because it was asserting that they might be fooled by the cover and buy the book, thinking it was a piece of Fox-authorized propoganda.

Holes in deFence

What's more important for the Bushies: Homeland security or month-long vacations and fund-raising for four more years? If you still think it's Homeland Security, check out this data Matt gathered at The Daily Outrage.
In short, a key aspect of the holes in the intelligence system that Bush's own people said facilitated September 11th STILL HASN'T BEEN FIXED. Why?...not because of lack of money or difficulties with legality or anything like that...but simply because the government can't figure out how to combine information from different database softwares!

They can compile lists on Americans who donate to Planned Parenthood or the ACLU, participate in peaceful protests against unjust war, or write their congressperson to voice opposition to the Patriot Act, but they can't compile one list of known terrorists who shouldn't be allowed into the US!

More on the sad state of the Union

Bush Vs Clean Air
Well, there's one battle "President" Bush IS winning, and that's his war against clean air. This article details how LA had its first smog alert in five years, proving that Bush's commitment to destroying the environment is real.


I'm adding The Smudgereport to my list of blogs (it's where I found the story above), and of particular interest
is the regularly updated Top Ten List of Conservative Idiots.

Conservative Blame Game
A common myth among right-wing bloggers and propogandists is that Sept 11th was Bill Clinton's fault for neglecting the "Intelligence" community and defence. This phantasy, of course, ignores the fact that it was a Republican-led witch-hunt that tied up the nation's leaders and law-makers (as well as costing us all millions of dollars) simply trying to prove that the President got a blowjob from an intern (interesting that the revisionists on many conservative blogs refer to her as an "underage" intern...she was 22 years old). It also ignores the fact that the Clinton administration was monitoring Bin Laden and did try to kill him on at least one occasion (for which Clinton was chided by Republicans who said the attack was only done to draw attention away from his private life).
There was a good article in Time Magazine in 2002 that spoke about this, and here's an online source I found: The Clinton administration, when passing over control of the nation to the Bush Regime, told the Bushies that Bin Laden and Al Quada were the biggest threat to the US at the time. However, the Bushies had their own agenda.

--"Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, was more interested in the national missile defence plan, and the new attorney general, John Ashcroft, was more interested in using the FBI to fight the "war on drugs" and clamping down on pornography."--

Certainly, looking back, few Americans took the threat of terrorism on US soil as seriously as they should have. But for the Republicans--who's "moral crusades" against homosexuality, the President's adultry, and pornography (remember Ashcroft spening 8,000 dollars to cover up the Spirit of Justice statue's exposed breast...talk about symbolic!) as well as an obsession with spending billions of dollars on the Reagan phantasy of "Star Wars" diverted attention and funds from true defense--to point the finger at another group is the height of hypocrisy.

Another Voice
Finally, for those who haven't read enough about how Bush lied to everyone to start his war in Iraq, here's another summation from a new source, The Village Voice.

Looking around the News Today...
So, I just perused CNN and the following stories caught my eyes.

Hey...anyone remember that little "war" in Afghanistan? That's right, it's number one on the list of places the Bush Regime has "cleaned up".

The people of Australia--following the lead of the British public--are waking up to the fact that they were lied to about the danger Saddam posed to the world. That only leaves the US public (and media) who continue to happily keep wool pulled over their eyes.

More on the US's attitude toward the UN in regards to Bush's New Emperialism: "We attacked in defiance of your approval and laws, we kept all the spoils for ourselves, we won't allow non-US businesses to drill Iraqi oil, but hey...wanna send some troops so some people other than Americans can start dying?"
(Hesiod over at counterspin has a good piece on this, too. See "Something for Nothing")

And finally: Once again, we must all thank god for the NRA. If they weren't protecting us all from the evil, liberal gun-haters, this sportsman might have been denied his god-given right to hunt.

(Note: I use CNN as a source from time to time to battle the "liberal media" BS that conservatives like to sling. After their Tow-the-Party-Line coverage of the War in Iraq, no one can reasonably argue that CNN is a member of that mythical "liberal media". Of course, there are still nuts out there--a frighteningly high number of them--who'll argue anything to the left of the Fox propoganda network is "the liberal media", but those people are beyond my ability to reach.)

Oh yeah, and on the entertainment front: Here's a movie the Pope doesn't want you to see. That's about all the encouragement I need!

UN targeted in Iraq

Okay...is there anyone out there who still believes that the US invasion and occupation of Iraq made it any safer? It's not only a dangerous quagmire for Iraqis and the US soldiers who've been hung out to dry by the Bush Regime, but now it's even more dangerous for international groups trying to actually HELP the Iraqis. It's quite telling that it was in the US's wake of destruction that the UN suffered the single worst attack in its history.

As I mentioned a few days ago, this policy of "we'll bomb it to smithereens...you other guys can clean up the mess" will eventually start to piss off the civilized countries who try to restore peace.

As Kofi Annan lamented, rather understatedly, at a news conference in Stockholm, "We had hoped that by now, the coalition forces would have secured the environment for us to be able to carry on. That has not happened."

Kofi Annan knows it. The Iraqis know it. The families of the 125 US soldiers who've been killed since "hostilities ceased" (61 by enemy fire, 64 by accidents) and the 400 who've been injured know it. The families of the several dozen international soldiers who've died and scores who've been wounded know it. I know it. You know it. The British people raising hell at Tony Blair know it. So...I'm looking at the US, and I'm asking myself once again (to borrow a phrase from, of all people, Bob Dole) "Where is the outrage in this country".

At a minimum, every American should shake their head in disgust at the nerve and hypocricy of George Bush to call anyone else a killer or an enemy of peace. At best, they should be writing their congresspersons and demanding he be held accountable.

More on Arnold

I'm watching Arnie's press conference right now on life TV, and I have to say I'm impressed. As I've already commented on in previous posts, this is one seriously UN-republican Republican. Among other things, he stressed that You HAVE to attack the deficit (ahem...Mr. "President", are you listening?). He also said "Does that mean Education is Under attack...NO". Then, after added a time-honored Republican promise (I won't raise taxes), he followed it up with some sound common sense (exactly what George Bush I didn't show): after a question from a reporter, he said "You can never say never. I can't stand here and say I will NOT raise taxes ever, because I don't know what might happen in a year."

And, an issue I wrote about before, he talked strongly and passionately about after school initiatives he's backed. Listening to him talk about the importance of helping families, especially poor families, and knowing that he's given millions of dollars and many hours of his own to that cause, I'm thinking: this guy can not only teach other Republicans a lot, he can teach ALL politicians.

Oh yeah...and he's not accepting any campaign contributions. If that's true...well, my hats off to him.

Toning it Down

Yep...I've realized that finding info for this blog on a near-daily basis is just way too depressing; it's getting me back to being the anger-or-despair-filled creature I was back when I was unforunate enough to LIVE in the US. So, I think I'll just post once or twice a week now.
I don't think anyone's reading it anyway.

For today's shake-your-head-in-disgust story, check out Matt's article at The Daily Outrage to see how Dick Chenney is sending you the bill for a millionare party he attended while on vacation. Oh, and he didn't drive there, and he didn't just fly in a jet...he took TWO blackhawk helicopter, TWO airforce luxury jets, and an airforce transport full of luxury cars.


US vs Them
Looking around the net at "regular" news sites and other blogs, it's disgusting to see how thoroughly the Bush Regime has succeeded in convincing Americans that they are alone against the world.

The spite and vehemence with which people from the US are mocking the French and even celebrating their suffering is horrible by itself. Then, couple it with the way people are acting like a 24-hour power loss in the US is a national tragedy (I actually saw a headline "New Yorkers Remember Personal Experiences During Tragedy"!), and it's just hideous.

Accepting repsonsibility...
It's sad when your country can take lessons on responsibility and accountability from LIBYA, but that's what the US is looking at right now.

As the Libyan government has accepted full responsiblity for the 1988 bombing of the Pan Am flight that crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland and agrees to pay reparations to the family members, we must ask: when will the US government do the same for the 1986 bombing of Tripoli, which also killed civilians (and sparked the '88 bombing in retaliation). Not only will the US NOT apologize, though, they're reportedly not even going to lift sanctions.

The East Coast Blackout
Ok, the blackout in NYC and other places in the Eastern US and Canada has raised some important issues. As usual, the mainstream (conservative) media isn't focusing on any of them, but rather is only repeating that this does not SEEM to be an act of terrorism (YET) and, wow, aren't New Yorkers great and orderly and kind and respectful...

Buzzflash has a great summation of Bush and the Republicans' history of voting down attempts to upgrade the power grid, which Bush said on television yesterday he has supported "...all along".
I was going to write something about this, but after seeing the complete and concise job they did at Buzzflash, there's no reason to do anything but link you there. Please go there. It's another example of Bush LYING outright to the American people, complete with the hard evidence to prove it.

The other point to be brought up is this: Iraqis have been without power for nearly FOUR months now, and the temperature there regularly climbs above 110 F (43 C).