January Archives

Securicy forces have closed all of Iraq's borders in order to prevent insurgence from entering the country and disrupting the elections.

One marine was killed and four other Americans were wounded in combat in Babil Province, which lies immediately south of the capital.

Schools/polling stations continue to be bombed at alarmingly increasing rates. Insurgents determined to disrupt the vote carried out a series of attacks on voting stations killing at least 12 Iraqis and one US Marine.

Posters were put up flyers declaring that the streets will swim with the blood of those who dare to vote in Sundays elections.

There are new allegations out of Guantanamo Bay saying prisoners were subjected to sexual humiliation by female prison guards in order to break their will.

An Iraqi national guardsman was killed in Ramadi when insurgents attacked American and Iraqi forces guarding a school to be used as a polling center.

The Associated Press reported that a bomb went off in the Tikrit killing one Iraqi bystander and narrowly missed an American military convoy.

Insurgents also killed a police officer from the Hamadini tribe in a drive-by shooting west of the northern city of Mosul.

A suicide car bomb in Samarra exploded near an Iraqi Army patrol, killing an Iraqi soldier and two civilians, and wounding four Iraqi soldiers and two civilians Reuters reported, citing an American officer.

In Baquba, under the watch of the First Infantry Division, a suicide car bomb exploded near the governor's office in the city center, killing a captain in the Iraqi National Guard and wounding four others.

CNN.com reported that a video of the death of candidate Salem Jaafar al-Kanani was posted by a group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. This appears to be one of the most direct strikes yet against Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's party to date. Mr. Kanani appears as No. 150 in a list of candidates led by Dr. Allawi. In the video Mr. Kanani looks into the camera and says "I advise all young men not to back the enemy occupiers and ask them to serve the people of their homeland," he continues saying "I was captured by the mujahedeen. They treated me very well." The video then showed Mr. Kanani lying face-up on a floor as an insurgent fired three bullets into his chest.

Thirty Marines and a Navy corpsman were killed in a helicopter crash close to Iraq's border in with Jordan, bringing the number of U.S. troops killed Wednesday to 37. This makes wednesday the deadliest day for U.S. forces since the start of the war in Iraq.

Four U.S. Marines who were assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force were killed during combat in Iraq's Anbar province

Two U.S. soldiers were killed in attacks in the Baghdad area, according to the U.S. military.

A U.S. soldier was killed and two others were wounded when insurgents attacked a combat patrol with grenades near Ad Duluiyah, military officials said. The injured were taken to a military hospital for treatment; one was in serious condition.

A roadside bomb killed another U.S. soldier and wounded two others in the southern Baghdad district of al-Rashid, according to the 1st Cavalry Division.

Four multinational soldiers were wounded Wednesday morning when a car bomb exploded near a convoy in southwestern Baghdad along the road to the airport, a source with the 1st Cavalry Division said.

In Tamin province three car bombs within an hour killed five Iraqis and injured six other people.

In al-Nahrawan, a southeastern suburb of Baghdad, city council leader Karim Sarhan was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on his way to work, Iraqi police said.

At a White House press conference president Bush said that "I firmly planted the flag of liberty". He then promised to pursue democracy in Iraq and elsewhere around the world.

In a CNN Qickvote poll the question of the day was : Would you be willing to sacrifice your own life to create a democracy in Iraq?

Bush has just asked for an additional 80 billion dollars for the war in Iraq. This brings the total amount spent on the war, in the 2005 fiscal year, to 130 billion dollars. This is 2.5 time the total amount put into the homeland security budget.

Bush has just doubled the reward for the capture or killing of Osama Bin Laden from 25 million dollars to 50 million dollars

Judge Qais Hashim al-Shonmari A high-ranking official in Iraq's Justice Ministry, and his son were gunned down as he was leaving his home southeast of Baghdad. Insurgents are targeting officials and police seen as cooperating with the U.S. occupation, labeling them "infidels."

Six U.S. soldiers have been killed, one in a roadside bombing, and five in a Bradley Fighting vehicle accident.

An audio-taped statement attributed to Islamic militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi declared Iraq's upcoming elections a "big American lie," and that "We have declared a bitter war against the principle of democracy and all those who seek to enact it,". His followers then appeared to kill an Egyptian hostage in public in a video posted on an Islamic Website. The murdered Man has been identified as an Egyptian truck driver who had been driving supplies to American troops in Ramadi.

The American Civil Liberties Union released documents yesterday accusing the military of not thoroughly investigating cases describing complaints of serious abuse of Iraqi civilians, including reports of electric shocks and forced sodomy.

Another leading US-based human rights group named Human Rights Watch has issued reports of unlawful arrests, torture and the long-term isolated detention of detainees - including children - are "routine". "The Iraqi interim government is not keeping its promises to honour and respect basic human rights" says Sarah Leah Whitson the executive director of Human Rights Watch. She continues : "The people of Iraq were promised something better than this after the government of Saddam Hussein fell.

......President Bush's defense of the expenditure of 40 million dollars on the inaugural balls was that it was for the troops. It is a celebration of their service to the country, he stated, and then proceeded to attach titles to the balls such as Constitution Ball, Freedom Ball, Independence Ball, Liberty Ball, Democracy Ball, Patriot Ball, and Stars And Stripes Ball. The one thing that I found odd about the whole inauguration was if it was supposed to be a celebration of the U.S. soldiers why didn't he mention the word Iraq in his inaugural speech..... even once? He certainly used the occasion to allude to the possibility of undertaking new wars in new places..... Maybe North Korea, Syria or perhaps BushCo might Bomb Iran which Dick Cheney mentioned was "right at the top of the list" in his appearance on the MSNBC program Imus in the Morning earlier in the day. Freedom this tyranny that, liberty that and justice this. The entire speech was an indirect threat that the U.S.A. would invade any country it felt like if it didn't live up to Bush's standards of Democracy. I bet the soldiers were happy about that..... How about on top of your three tours of duty in Iraq we throw you three more tours in Iran..... Same thing only one different letter!
......Why the hell are we having parties anyway. I have no problem with the inaugural ceremonies but come on. 1400 dead American troops, a conservative estimate of 100,000 dead iraqis, and no end to this quagmire of a war in site.... and people dance. What are they dancing about? Why not solemn dignified ceremonies as dedications o the bravery of the men and women who have given their lives to this cause they believed in. Doesn't anyone feel that that would have been more appropriate. If I were the parents of a child who had died in Iraq I'd be livid. If I were a soldier serving a tour of duty in Iraq and My Humvee wasn't armored correctly and I had no bullet proof vest I might think a couple million out of the 40 might be spent more prudently.
......But the republicans saw fit to dance on the graves..... Um, I mean,.... They saw fit to dance for the bravery.... Yeah, the bravery of the troops instead. A tribute to their commitment to serve and die for the WMD's..... um no,...... Chemical weapons..... no not that........ for the ties to Al Qaeda and September 11th..... nope not that either...... What are we fighting for this week? Oh yeah, to liberate the Iraqis who are blowing our troops up every day to show their gratitude. Makes Republicans wanna dance.... Makes everyone else wanna puke.

......A suicide bomber drove and ambulance loaded with explosives into a wedding party killing 4 and injuring 14 including the bride and groom.

......Abu Musab al-Zarqawi beheaded an Iraqi soldier in broad daylight leaving behind a note pinned to the body stating that they "sold their religion and honor for the pleasures of life" A second soldier was beheaded as well. A Video of the murders were then posted on a islamist website.

......U.S. soldiers opened fire upon a car approaching a checkpoint in the northern Iraqi town of Talafar. In the car were 6 children and their parents. The mother and father of the children we killed instantly. The blood-soaked children were whisked away and taken to a shelter. The orphaned children, now in the custody of the oldest teenager.

......Iraqui insurgents opened fire on an Italian military helicopter in southern Iraq today, killing one solider aboard, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

......A car bomb killed 14 Iraqis and wounded 42 outside of a mosque while they celebrated a major Islamic holiday called "The Feast of the Sacrifice".

......15 gunmen attacked a police station and stole all of the weapons housed there.

......American soldiers killed two more Iraqis in a gun fight

......A U.S. soldier was killed during a military operations on rebel hide outs.

......Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, has released a tape telling the insurgence to prepare for a long and bloody holy war and to be prepared for the conflict to take years not months ending with their victory...... oh and Allah has promised him that it was so.

9 days till the Iraqi election.... The same number of inaugural balls that Bush danced at last night.

* www.counter-inaugural.org *

facilitating protest around the 2005 presidential inauguration

January 20, 2005
CounterInaugural Demonstration in Washington DC
initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition

Boycott Bush's inauguration by not spending any money on inauguration day

Jazz Funeral For Democracy

"A Wake for Peace"
January 20, 2005 New Orleans, LA

The Idea Is Simple.
Just Like The President.

This January 20th:
- Call in sick to work
- Don't buy anything
...and write to your newspaper, your senator and your representative to tell them why.

What you need to know for Inauguration Day

RISE Against Bush*
SHINE For A Peaceful Tomorrow
Click the banner below for more info about DAWN's j20 events

"I Have A Dream"
by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,

Bush Administration Comments On WMDs

......Recently online I found a list of comments made by Bush administration before and after the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 on Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. The statements , which were compiled by the Associated Press , show just what a pathetic bunch of lying weasels those in the Bush administration are...... and how stupid some of us are for buying into their lies.

BEFORE THE WAR

"Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us." - Vice President Dick Cheney, Aug. 26, 2002.

"The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." National security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Sept. 8, 2002.

"After 11 years during which we have tried containment, sanctions, inspections, even selected military action, the end result is that Saddam Hussein still has chemical and biological weapons and is increasing his capabilities to make more." - President Bush, Oct. 7, 2002.

"Saddam Hussein is a man who told the world he wouldn't have weapons of mass destruction, but he's got them." - Bush, Nov. 3, 2002.

"The gravity of this moment is matched by the gravity of the threat that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction pose to the world." - Secretary of State Colin Powell, Feb. 5, 2003.

AFTER THE WAR

"Although we have not found stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, we were right to go into Iraq. ... We removed a declared enemy of America who had the capability of producing weapons of mass murder." - Bush, July 12, 2004.

"We got it wrong. We have seen nothing to suggest that he had actual stockpiles." - Powell, Oct. 1, 2004.

"We were all unhappy that the intelligence was not as good as we had thought that it was. But the essential judgment was absolutely right. Saddam Hussein was a threat." - Rice, Oct. 3, 2004.

"It turns out that we have not found weapons of mass destruction. Why the intelligence proved wrong I'm not in a position to say, but the world is a lot better off with Saddam Hussein in jail." - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Oct. 4, 2004.

"He retained the knowledge, the materials, the means and the intent to produce weapons of mass destruction and he could have passed that knowledge on to our terrorist enemies." - Bush, Oct. 7, 2004.

"Based on what we know today, the president would have taken the same action because this is about protecting the American people." - White House press secretary Scott McClellan, on Wednesday.

Monday 5:33 am 1/17/05

A message from Robert Redford about the Arctic Refuge

Monday 4:32 am 1/17/05

Inauguration Insanity

       On January 20th Washingtonians will experience this nation's 55th presidential inauguration. It will be the first one held since 9/11, and taking a glimpse at the litany of security precautions the Bush cabinet thinks it warrants, perhaps you might want to sit this one out. Dozens of federal and local law enforcement agencies and military commands are planning what they describe as the heaviest possible security. Everyone within eyesight of the president will go through a metal detector or receive a body pat-down. Thousands of police officers and military personnel are being brought to Washington from around the country for the four-day event. Sharpshooters will be deployed on roofs and bomb-sniffing dogs will work the streets. Electronic sensors will be used to detect chemical or biological weapons. Almost 40 agencies are involved including The Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region, which was created two years ago which will provide more than 4,000 troops to the debacle. Washington, D.C., police chief Charles Ramsey has sent embossed invitations to police departments across the country inviting them to send squads of officers to help with inauguration security (just kidding, they're not embossed). The federal government, meaning us, is paying for officers' hotels, meals and air travel. Several thousand officers are expected from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Bradenton, Fla., Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C., the North Carolina state highway patrol, several law enforcement agencies in Texas and other parts of the country. These extra officers from around the country will free up Washington police officers so that they can form "mobile platoon civil disturbance units" to prevent protest demonstrations. So much for free speech.
       Members of anti-war and anti Bush organizations have complained that large sections of the parade route have been set aside for Bush's political supporters and monetary contributors (see below) and will be closed to the general public. Even the anti-abortion Christian Defense Coalition, which is also planning a demonstration, has threatened to sue the government because the Secret Service recently added crosses (chuckle) to its list of objects that are banned from the parade route." I think it's censorship no matter how you look at it," said the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the defense coalition. Oh shut up Patrick. Here are other items banned from the parade route : all weapons, coolers, folding chairs, bicycles, pets, papier-mâché objects, displays such as puppets, mock coffins, props and "any items determined to be a potential safety hazard to the president. Yes, that means the truth will be confiscated as well.
       Parade performers said they also have been warned to expect unprecedented security. Thousands of performers will be bused early in the morning to the Pentagon parking lot across the Potomac in Virginia where they will be made to go through metal detectors, bomb-sniffing dogs will search the buses. Then everybody will get back on the buses for a trip to the National Mall, where they will spend most of the day in heavily guarded tents. Participants have been warned that they will not be allowed to leave the tents except to go to portable toilets accompanied by a security escort. Other instructions given performers include a warning not to look directly at Bush while passing the presidential reviewing stand, not to look to either side and not to make any sudden movements. It sounds like Bush has graduated from the president of the united states to some aging hollywood diva?
       On a final note I just wanted to remind everyone that the inauguration and it's balls will cost over 40 million dollars in private donations and over twelve million dollars will come out of our, the tax payers, pockets. So below I have provided you a list of companies and persons that have contributed of their own volition...... So if you wanted to...... Um..... I don't know....... boycott them or something.

Major Donor Information

A.G. Spanos Stockton CA $250,000

AFLAC, Incorporated Columbus GA 100,000

Al Hoffman, Jr. Fort Myers FL $100,000

Alexander F. Treadwell Westport NY $100,000

Altria Corporate Services, Inc. New York NY $250,000

American Bankers Association Washington DC $25,000

American Chemistry Council Arlington VA $25,000

American Financial Cincinnati OH $250,000

American Health Care Association Washington DC $50,000

Ameriquest Capital Corporation Orange CA $250,000

Andrew C. Taylor St. Louis MO $100,000

Argent Mortgage Company Orange CA $250,000

AT&T Washington DC $250,000

Bank of America Corporation Charlotte NC $250,000

Bensco, Inc. Metairie LA $100,000

Benson Football Metaire LA $100,000

Benson Mineral Group, Inc. Denver CO $100,000

Beverly Enterprises, Inc. Fort Smith AR $50,000

Bill G. Hartley Tyler TX $25,000

BlueCross BlueShield of Florida, Inc. Jacksonville FL $100,000

Boone Pickens Dallas TX $250,000

Bradford M. Freeman Los Angeles CA $100,000

Bristol-Myers Squibb Washington DC $250,000

Broadcast Music, Inc. Nashville TN $25,000

California Farm Bureau Federation Sacramento CA $100,000

Carl H. Lindner Cincinnati OH $250,000

Cherie and Robin Arkley Eureka CA $100,000

CheveronTexaco Concord CA $250,000

Cinergy Corporation Cincinnati OH $250,000

Computer Associates International, Inc. Islandia NY $100,000

Corporate Capital, LLC New Orleans LA $250,000

Cove Partners, LLC Santa Monica CA $100,000

Cove Partners, LLC Santa Monica CA $25,000

Direct Supply, Inc. Milwaukee WI $25,000

Dr. Miriam Ochshorn Adelson Las Vegas NV $250,000

Duane Acklie Lincoln NE $100,000

Dwight C. Schar McLean VA $100,000

Elliott Broidy Los Angeles CA $250,000

Exxon Mobil Corporation Washington DC $250,000

First Data Corporation Greenwood Village CO $250,000

Ford Motor Company Dearborn MI $250,000

Frank Baxter Los Angeles CA $100,000

Frederick R. Meyer Dallas TX $25,000

GMAC Horsham PA $100,000

Golden Eagle Industries, Inc. Charlotte NC $250,000

HSBC USA Inc. Mt. Prospect IL $25,000

Hunt Consolidated, Inc. Dallas TX $250,000

Hunter Engineering Company Bridgeton MO $100,000

Ilene L. Flaum and David M. Flaum Rochester NY $100,000

Independent Community Bankers of America Washington DC $100,000

International Paper Memphis TN $100,000

Intervest Construction, Inc. Daytona Beach FL $100,000

J. Ronald Terwilliger Key Largo FL $100,000

Jack Overstreet Englewood CO $100,000

James A. Haslam, II Knoxville TN $50,000

JM Family Enterprises, Inc. Deerfield Beach FL $25,000

John L. Kemmerer, III Morristown NJ $100,000

John W. Childs Boston MA $100,000

KB Home Los Angeles CA $100,000

Kenneth J. Kies McLean VA $25,000

Kojaian Ventures, LLC Bloomfield Hill MI $250,000

Lawrence Auriana Greenwich CT $100,000

Linger Longer Development Co. Greensboro GA $100,000

Long Beach Acceptance Corp. Paramus NJ $250,000

Lydian Asset Management $25,000

Marc S. Goldman Hoboken NJ $100,000

Marriott International, Inc. Washington DC $250,000

Marriott Vacation Club International Washington DC $250,000

Matthew R. Simmons Houston TX $100,000

MCI Ashburn VA $25,000

Michael W. Murphy El Dorado AR $25,000

Microsoft Corporation Redmond WA $100,000

Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Dallas TX $100,000

Nancy and Rich Kinder Houston TX $250,000

National Association of Home Builders Washington DC $250,000

National Association of Realtors Chicago IL $50,000

Ned L. Siegel Boca Raton FL $100,000

New Breed Corporate Services, Inc. Greensboro NC $25,000

New Century Mortgage Corporation Irvine CA $100,000

New Energy Corp. South Bend IN $250,000

Northrop Grumman Los Angeles CA $100,000

Nuclear Energy Institute Washington DC $100,000

Occidental Petroleum Corporation Los Angeles CA$250,000

Office of the Commissioner of Baseball New York NY $100,000

Oracle Corporation Rocklin CA $100,000

Peabody Holding Company, Inc. St. Louis MO $100,000

Pepsi-Cola Company Purchase NY $100,000

Pilot Corporation Knoxville TN $50,000

Qualcomm Incorporated San Diego CA $100,000

Retzer Resources, Inc. Greenville MS $25,000

Rick J. Caruso Los Angeles CA $100,000

Robert Frank Pence McLean VA $100,000

Robert W. Johnson, IV New York NY $100,000

Rooney Holdings, Inc. Tulsa OK $250,000

S. Davis Phillips High Point NC $250,000

Sallie Mae, Inc. Reston VA $250,000

Sam & Marilyn Fox St. Louis MO $100,000

SBC Communications, Inc. Washington DC $100,000

ServiceMaster Memphis TN $25,000

Sheldon G. Adelson Las Vegas NV $250,000

Southern Company Atlanta GA $250,000

Stephens Group, Inc. Little Rock AR $250,000

Strongbow Technologies, Corp. Burtonsville MD $250,000

Susan and Michael Dell Austin TX $250,000

TC Management Partners IV, LLC Washington DC $100,000

The Boeing Company Arlington VA $100,000

The Coca Cola Company Washington DC $100,000

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. New York NY $100,000

The Home Depot Washington DC $250,000

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC Chevy Chase MD $250,000

Thomas F. Petway, III Jacksonville FL $100,000

Thomas F. Stephenson Atherton CA $225,000

Time Warner New York NY $250,000

Titus Electrical Contracting, Inc. Austin TX $100,000

Tom Benson Metairie LA $50,000

Town and Country Credit Irvine CA $250,000

TRT Holdings Inc. Irving TX $100,000

Tyson Springdale AR $100,000

Union Pacific Corporation Washington DC $100,000

United Parcel Service Roswell GA $250,000

United Technologies Hartford CT $250,000

UST Inc. Greenwich CT $250,000

Valhi, Inc. Dallas TX $100,000

Waite, Schneider, Bayless et al, LPA Cincinnati OH $10,000

Waste Management Service Center Houston TX $100,000

Well Care Health Plans, Inc. Tampa FL $100,000

William Earl Riggs Pleasantton CA $100,000

William O. DeWitt, Jr. Cincinnati OH $100,000

* UPDATED AS OF FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2004

Saturday 6:12 am 1/15/05

A stunningly good article by Mr. Rich!..... READ IT!

All The President's Newsmen - By Frank Rich - 1/13/05

Friday 9:25 am 1/14/05

Oh Happy Day!

In case it flew under your radar I just wanted to inform you that early yesterday the Bush administrations formaly announced that they have ended the search for wepons of mass destruction.........? ALL RIGHT! This is great news for all of the dead soldiers families. Now they have proof positive that their loved ones died for absolutely no reason at all. By the way the official search for the WMD's ended a month ago..... Weird how that coincided with end of the election. I mean, you wouldn't want something like the fact you lied to American people so you could take the country into an unjust war coming out right in the middle of your campaign for the presidency.... Now would ya'.

Thursday 8:25 am 1/13/05

The CBS & Rathergate Hypocrisy

       I am getting nauseatingly tired of the feigned indignity over the CBS Rathergate story. "Everyone got off easy" shouts the media's right wing usual's such as heavy breather Bill O'Reilly, spineless (literally) right wing hack Joe Sacarbourough and Mr. slobbering Magoo-esque figure Bob Novak,.... Let's see, they forced Dan Rather to step down early from his post at CBS Evening News and then fired the producer of the report Mary Mapes, Executive Producer Josh Howard, Senior Broadcast Producer Mary Murphy and Senior Vice President of Prime Time Betsy West. On top of these who were asked to resign, a senior producer Esther Kartiganer, who had more than 40 years at CBS was reassigned and Yvonne Miller, an associate producer who joined the story late, was reprimanded. Even though those who were fired and disciplined were not at the top of the CBS food chain it still seems quite sufficient punishment in my judgment. I noticed that no right wing pundit was fired when they reported the "Swift-boat Veterans For Truth" lies about John Kerry as solid fact? They trotted that shit out day after day touting it as gospel and still do! This is despite the fact that the majority of their campaign was lies, it was proven that not one of those vindictive pricks was even on the same boat as John Kerry and that the majority of the "Swifties" were in bed with the Bush campaign!
       Now let's get down to brass taxes and REALLY put this farce into perspective shall we. Lets say someone got over 1,400 American soldiers killed under false pretenses...... Would we have him fired? Would we have him imprisoned? Would we have him put to death! No... no we wouldn't. What would we do....? We would re-elect him of course. In case you didn't know who I was referring to it's George W. Bush, who is directly responsible for the deaths and injuries of all of the brave American troops he sent over to Iraq to fight for his lies, his oil and his ego. What makes it even more disturbing is that he would never have entertained the thought of serving Iraq himself.... Ironic since this is the topic of the Rathergate memorandum. Furthermore, those who should also be held personally responsible such as : Dick Cheney, Condoliza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenant, Paul Wolfowitz, Colin Powell, Tommy Franks, Paul Bremer and on and on and on and on down the line aren't exactly taking up residence on the unemployment line last time I checked. Ask yourself... Has any one of these lying chicken-hawks even been reprimanded let alone lost their jobs? Fuck no!!!! Tenet, Franks and Bremer where even given Medals Of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor?!?!?! How the fuck does that work I ask you?
       So in a final response to all the right wing pundit punks who say Dan Rather should have vetted the memorandums until he was sure they were valid.... All I can say is so should have Bush with the WMD intel. Slam-dunk that assholes! Dan Rather has been doing his job 10 times longer than George Bush and I'd back his record any day over Dubya's as far as fuck up's and lies go. On top of that the story Rather ran was true, only the memos were dubious. One final truth.... No one died in the aftermath of Rathergate!

Here is an illustrated guide to the Swift-boat Veterans For Truth ties to the Bush administration!

Tuesday 8:27 pm 1/11/05

"The Salvador Option"

Over the weekend a senior military officer told NEWSWEEK. "We have to find a way to take the offensive against the insurgents. He continued by saying "Right now, we are playing defense. And we are losing and that the Pentagon is intensively debating an option of utilizing the still-secret (?) strategy of death squads". This lovely tactic was utilized in the Reagan administration ’s battle against the leftist guerrilla insurgency in El Salvador. Now Bush and his neo-con lunatics are at the end of their rope concerning the ever worsening situation in Iraq and are seriously considering Salvadorian style death squads as their key to victory in the middle east! One Pentagon proposal would send Special Forces teams to advise, support and possibly train Iraqi squads, most likely hand-picked Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shiite militiamen, to target Sunni insurgents and their sympathizers. What's even more insane is that they want these assassination squads to cross the border into Syria, a state we have normalized relations with. I guess they think it would be another big get for them if they were to capture Saddam Hussein’s half-brother who has reportedly afforded himself safe harbor across the border in a Syrian sanctuary. Oh these must be desperate times for Bush-Co. I cannot believe that they would be dumb/crazy enough to even entertain the possibility of starting yet another war with a third country!. Sniff, sniff.... ahhh yes, that's the unmistakable smell of the returning draft!
Newsweek then reports that it remains unclear, however, whether this would be a policy of assassination or just so-called "snatch" operations, in which the targets are sent to secret facilities for "interrogation". The current thinking is that while U.S. Special Forces would lead operations in Syria, activities inside Iraq itself would be carried out by Iraqi para-militaries.
One military source involved in the Pentagon debate explains the reasoning behind resurrecting the death squads as this..... "New offensive operations are needed that would create a fear of aiding the insurgency. The Sunni population is paying no price for the support it is giving to the terrorists," he further explained.... "From their point of view, it is cost-free. We have to change that equation." Newsweek then goes on to say that the Pentagon sources emphasize there has been decision yet to launch the Salvador option. Last week, Rumsfeld decided to send a retired four-star general, Gary Luck, to Iraq on an open-ended mission to review the entire military strategy there. But with the U.S. Army strained to the breaking point, military strategists note that a dramatic new approach might be needed—perhaps one as potentially explosive as the Salvador option. Weeeeee, isn't this fun. I love the 80's! We, as a nation, are in danger of becoming what we are fighting against......again.

Tuesday 4:56 am 1/11/05

Cycle Of Hate

       Ok. Concerning the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales for attorney general this is all I have to say. When we as a people say we want to win the "war" on terrorism we must realize that we aren't going to achieve victory by killing all the terrorists. It's just not possible. The more that we kill through our policies, our sanctions, our guns and bombs the more terrorist there will be. Case in point : The war on Iraq. If you hadn't noticed since we started the occupation of Iraq there has been a huge influx of what Bush and his neo-con cronies like to call "Insurgents". Bullshit! They're TERRORISTS... at least they are now, and they want all of us dead. Once again my point is you can't win this "war" with bullets and body counts. Victory will only be reached through our actions. A good point to reference off of is the Tsunami relief. It hurt us that Bush dragged his feet, that he didn't say a damn thing for four days, that he had to be shamed into ponying up the big money. This only garnered us scorn and much deserved loathing..... But what happened when he finally did these things. Good will was afforded to us from the world community and by the mostly Muslim population that was directly affected by the catastrophe. What we do, what our actions portray, is what in the end will eliminate the terrorist threat. So what do you think will be going through the hate-filled minds of those who want to destroy us when we appoint to the office of attorney general, Alberto Gonzales. A man who literally green lighted the torture of their Muslim brethren in Guantánamo Bay and Abu Ghraib? Good will and peace? No my friends, only more and more of the same dark spiraling hatred. The kind president Bush and his chicken-hawk cabinet have brought out in them with their unnecessary war in Iraq, their lack of compassion for the tsunami victims and, the case in point here, their callous disregard for the muslim prisoners of war. I'm not suggesting that if we recognizing what Gonzales did was wrong will automatically fire the magic bullet that will inoculate us from the widespread infection of terrorism...... but, the cycle of hate has to stop somewhere.
       Now understand something else. Gonzalez has done this kind of thing before for George W. Bush. He was his counsel when he was the governor of Texas. During his tenure there Bush decided it would be a good P.R. move to serve jury duty in his state. What Bush didn't foresee was that he would be put on a case involving a drunk driver.... Uh Oh!!!! Why Uh Oh.... Well in serving on this case Dubya would have had to divulge in a questionnaire given to all jurists that he had in fact been arrested for drunk driving. What to do..... well, he called in Alberto Gonzalez to give him what was tantamount to a note from his mommy that he couldn't play with the rest of the children due to Bush's special circumstances. Just like that George was off the Jury duty hook. Now you ask how this pertains to the Yoo_Delahunty Memorandum of January 9, 2002 and the Bybee Memorandum of 22 January, 2002 and finally The Alberto Gonzales Memo January 25, 2002. These in effect gives George Bush immunity against being prosecuted for war crimes stemming from Prisoner torure/abuse/death in the present and all the foreseeable future. Just like how Bush got a get out of jail free card in Texas Bush is getting a free pass on any war crimes committed during and after his tenure as commander in chief.
       Now for all that Gonzales has done for him it is quid pro quo time and Bush has to deliver to Alberto in the form of a high ranking position in his cabinet. One hand washes the other,.... But at what expense. I'll tell you. It's at the expense of the safety of our troops on the ground in Iraq and our standing in the world community, especially in the Muslim world. I can make this crystal clear to you if you visualize something for me. Imagine if you will the if the roll of the Muslim prisoners in Guantánamo Bay and Abu Ghraib were exchanged with our U.S. military. Imagine viewing images of our troops being urinated on by their captors. Imagine viewing images of our troops being mauled by attack dogs at the hands of their captors. Imagine viewing images of our troops being subjected to water torture at the hands of their captors. Imagine viewing images of our troops smeared in their own feces at the end of the leash of one of his captors. Imagine viewing one of our troops being made to orally copulate one of this platoon buddies upon the threat of death at the hand of his captors.... Are you starting to get the picture.... Are you starting to understand how our the Muslim community might feel.... Are you starting to understand by condoning the behavior of the torturers/abusers/killers by appointing Alberto Gonzalez it only enflames the hatred of our already sworn enemies. Like i said before the cycle of hate has to stop somewhere.... Why not now?

Sunday 9:17 am 1/9/05

Just For The Record......Bob Novak And Kate O'Birne Are Morons!

I just watched Bob Novak and Kate O'Birne defend the indefensible on CNN's Capital Gang. Novak claimed that Bush didn't speak out for three days after the tsunami disaster because he didn't want it to appear that he was "Jumping on a tragedy"........? Like, for instance, if someone were to wrap them-self in the "Tragedy" of September 11th and use it as the battle cry for his re-election campaign? Kate O'Birne proudly chirped That she was proud that George W. Bush because he didn't give in and join the other countries in there "Compassion Competition". She then said that Bush shouldn't have to speak out because it should be obvious to everyone around the world that we cared after a disaster of such enormous proportions.
I have to admit that even for these two right wing hacks their excuses are quite a stretch. I just hope they are getting paid as well as Armstrong Williams is to be such enormous appologist shills for Bush.

In the past I have stated how much I despise hypocrisy. I makes my skin crawl. This probably explains why Republicans make my skin crawl. Case in point. I am sure you have heard that just today Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and California Senator Barbara Boxer along with 31 members of the house filed a formal objection to the validity of Ohio's 20 electoral votes. Immediately after the objection was voiced the Republican controlled congress voted it down. At about 4:20 p.m., I came across Ohio's Republican Rep. Rob Portman on CNN's Inside Politics wailing like a bitch about how the democrats were trying to delegitimize the election by questioning veracity of the vote in Ohio. Portman whined that Democrats were disrupting all the good work the republicans were trying to achieve in congress (they just reconvened today!?!?), and that they were giving "voice and encouragement to those who do believe in the conspiracy theories". Give me a break! As usual and always on cue the other usual right wing shills (O'Reilly, Carlson, Novak) have all chimed in to imply that the Democrats must be "delusional and or deranged" to want to find out why everyone's vote wasn't counted. The entire right wing cabal seem to say "why can't Democrats just accept that Dubya was chosen by god to lead our people out of these dark and immoral times and who are you to question him"! no voter discrimination, if there was no ballot tampering, if there were no voting anomalies.... What the fuck are you upset about! Are you afraid something might turn up if there is a closer look taken at Ohio, which by the way, is completely controlled by Republicans. All the state-wide offices, the state legislature are Republican run. Even the secretary of state of Ohio, J. Kenneth Blackwell is a Republican who, on top of that, served as the co-chair of the Bush campaign in that state. Yeah what could possibly go wrong with this set up. Methinks you doth protest too much Republicans.
Now let me return to the original subject of this particular rant.... Hypocrisy! OK, so after all this pissing and moaning about the Democrats questioning the Ohio vote and wanting a recount, these two faced GOP cry-babies are contesting the Washington gubernatorial race vote and, I shit you not,...... WANT A RECOUNT!!!!!! When all the votes in Washington were counted it turns out that their man Dino Rossi lost to his Democratic opponent Christine Gregoire! Now whose not accepting reality? Oh snap! It hurts me just to think about quantity and quality of their hypocrisy. You really have to be a economy size box of shit to pull that kind of sleaziness out of your ass!

I haven't watched The O'Reilly factor in a while so today (1/3/04) I thought I'd stop by and give him a quick visit. Man oh man has he gone nuts! He is slopping out the kool aid like there is no tomorrow! As his show progressed it dawned on me just what he had done. To my amazement/amusement he has implemented the same strategies Karl Rove brought to the Bush re-election bid. He knows, like Bush, he is either loved or despised and has therefore decided that rather than try to sway any new viewers by being bipartisan he chosen instead to energized his base by preaching to the lowest common denominator. Therefore ensuring him his core viewer-ship. In amazement I watched as O'Reilly railed against the French, the Germans, the Chinese (communists), the Saudi Arabians, the Israelis, liberal judges, homosexuals and secularists.... ALL IN ONE SHOW! If you were a right wing, homophobe, Christian, evangelical, wing-nut who lives in fly-over country, I would liken sitting in your lazy-boy watching O'Reilly's diatribe to that of a fat pig happily slopping around in Bill's insanely divisive shit! My guess is that O'Reilly's ratings took a hit due to his phone sex scandal so he felt he had to shore up the ratings. It's almost a direct parallel to what Dubya did after his reputation and credibility took such a huge hit after the Iraq WMD debacle. All I can say is O'Reilly must be thanking his lucky stars that his fan base is so unintelligent and unsophisticated that they can't see what he is doing.... Not unlike when Bush thanked his lucky stars when Rove pulled the shroud over his bases glazed eyes.
Now don't get me wrong. I've got nothing against a guy doing what he's got to do to make a living, but one does have to have some standards and morals. After watching O'Reilly's show I can safely say he has neither. I say this not so much for the slanted partizan hackery he espoused last night but more because of what he didn't say and or do. What was most appalling to me was that O'Reilly neither payed his respects or even gave the slightest of mention to the untimely passing of either Shirley Chisholm or Robert T. Matsui. Shirley Chisholm, who passed at the age of eighty, was the first-ever African-American woman to serve in Congress. She served seven terms as a Democrat in the House of Representatives, and was a vocal advocate for the rights of minorities and women. Robert T. Matsui of California, who passed at the age of sixty-three, was a top Democrat in Congress re-elected overwhelmingly in November to a 14th two-year term. He was also survived being placed in a Japanese internment camp at the age of one, due to WW II xenophobia. Just about every newscaster who was on television and radio yesterday payed their respects to them. The flag at the U.S. Capitol was flown at half mast for the two of them. I guess O'reilly doesn't acknowledge democrats no matter how special they were. It shows what a classless, base and shallow human being (using the term lightly here) he is.

Well it's never too early to take advantage of an international tragedy! George Bush will be sending what he calls a delegation to the areas affected by the tsunami. I like to call it the Republicans wet dream for the 2008 GOP presidential ticket. I shit you not, they have decided to send Jeb "Jebediah" Bush and Colin Powell to be our emissaries of good will. You say it's beneath them, but mark my words, these slimy parasites in the white house (Karl Rove) are not above leaching onto this horrific event to start some early campaigning for the next election. What a special kind of scum : )