Feinstein: I Wasn’t Briefed On Bank Records Program Until Administration Knew NYT Was Publishing
Feinstein: I Wasn’t Briefed On Bank Records Program Until Administration Knew NYT Was Publishing
During the last week, President Bush and other members of the administration have lashed out at the New York Times for printing a story about a government program that monitors bank records. Bush has insisted that Congress was briefed appropriately on the program:
Q Sir, several news organizations have reported about a program that allows the administration to look into the bank records of certain suspected terrorists…if neither the courts, nor the legislature is allowed to know about these programs, how can you feel confident the checks and balances system works?
THE PRESIDENT: Congress was briefed…And the disclosure of this program is disgraceful. We’re at war with a bunch of people who want to hurt the United States of America, and for people to leak that program, and for a newspaper to publish it does great harm to the United States of America. What we were doing was the right thing. Congress was aware of it…
Today on ABC, Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that she wasn’t briefed until after it was clear the New York Times was publishing the story. Watch it:
The administration is required under law to brief the entire intelligence committee on all intelligence programs.
Transcript:
STEPHANOPOULOS: The White House said they briefed the Congress on this matter and there is no law called into question. Do you believe that a law is called into question and that this program might have been illegal?
FEINSTEIN: Well, I’m on the Intelligence Committee. I can tell you when I was briefed and when the committee was briefed — and that was when it became apparent that the New York Times had the story and was going to run it. And that’s when and why they came to us and briefed us.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you knew nothing about it before the New York Times was asking questions?
FEINSTEIN: That’s correct.
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In the Bush administration, Democrats are the first to go and the last to know.
July 2nd, 2006 at 12:12 pmI’m sorry Senator Feinstein but saying you were briefed when you were briefed was a secret. Revealing that there is no oversight and that our administration only reacts when caught is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. I say prison to any member of congress who embarasses the president.
July 2nd, 2006 at 12:13 pmThats because Senator Feinstein is a terrorist sympathizer. Nobody but Bush knows what is good for USA. Constitution is old and has no meaning. This is perfect time for dictatorship. We must eport our democracy to Iraq and import the dictatorship.
July 2nd, 2006 at 12:30 pm“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.” T. Jefferson
July 2nd, 2006 at 12:49 pmLie, Lie, Lie…once again georgie boy shows that all he or the gloms that work with/for him know how to do before the American People is lie. That he told select members of congress what he was doing does not meet the requirements of the law. But then, he is above the law. Impeach Now
July 2nd, 2006 at 12:52 pmTHE PRESIDENT: Congress was briefed…
In other words,
“Yo, idiot, we told ‘em we were doin’ this, if your representatives in Congress didn’t let you know, then maybe you should take it up with them, cuz they ain’t doin’ their jobs…They were supposed to keep it secret? Well, you don’t want the terrorists finding out about it, do ya? Why do you hate America?”
July 2nd, 2006 at 12:53 pmUS government under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush nurtured and supported Saddam Hussein despite his repeated use of chemical weapons.
The work of the National Security Archive, a dogged organization fighting for government transparency, has cast light on the trove of documents that depict in damning detail how the United States,[Rummy, Bush, Reagan] working with US corporations including Bechtel [Cheney], cynically and secretly allied itself with Hussein’s dictatorship.
Dint you guys know that Goopers are nefarious constant liars?
This is many call them the LIE-O-CONS.
July 2nd, 2006 at 12:57 pmI guess it depends on what the meaning of “congress” or “was” or “briefed” is.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:02 pmEveryone knew about this program anyway, according the NY Crimes. Everyone except Dianne.
BTW, the idiots at thinkparanoid don’t even know how to spell her name correctly.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:03 pmoh boo hoo hoo to diane ‘tokyo rose’ feinstein!
congress, we don’t need no stinking congress! when will you fools understand that we are at war! drink blood from the skulls of dead iraqi children with me…the constitution is only god as my hermaphroidic tampon!
go to church today you stinking liberals!
kisses,
ann
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:04 pmAs eager as I am to slam the Fuhrer^H^H^H^H^H^HPresident at every opportunity, I’m compelled to point out one thing:
One of the chief defenses we’ve cited for the NYT is that the fact that this bank surveillance program was no surprise at all, since the President himself had alluded to the government tracking the terrorists’ money on several occasions. But now Diane Feinstein is saying she had no knowledge of the program? How exactly can a member of Congress not possess information that is clearly in the public domain?
I’m not saying that the two are mutually exclusive, since it is possible to have unofficial knowledge without having officially been briefed, but if that is the case, shouldn’t the Congress critters that were allegedly left in the dark have concerned themselves with the question? I mean, if the President is stating in public speeches that the administration is tracking the money trails of terrorists, and yet you’re unaware of any such program, shouldn’t this be a question you’re asking?
If these questions were asked, and went unanswered, the public needs to know, and this needs to be added to the ever-growing mountain of offenses that Dubya & Company has perpetrated upon this nation. If, however, the questions were never asked, this points to a dereliction of duty by Congress, and needs to be addressed appropriately.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:09 pmShowing your bias a bit there memphis minnie?
If the Senator was not briefed, if there any way to verify that? Other than a “he said, she said” scenario? Is there a record of meetings, briefings and who was present? Even if it is classified the Senators would be able to verify.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:09 pmI really don’t get the point of the trolls spewing their hate speech on progressive blog sites. It just goes to show how SCARED little sheeples they are, with no morals or personal honor - can’t think for themselves, or can’t handle anything more than sound bites, have zilch compassion, tolerance, or understanding of humanity, lets the MSM think for them, and believe all the lies, even though they have been proven wrong over and over and over, like lying over and over makes it the truth. I think they are just plain mean-spirited, human mistakes.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:10 pmShultz wanted to make it crystal clear that US criticism of the use of chemical weapons was just pablum for public consumption, meant as a restatement of a “long-standing policy, and not as a pro-Iranian/anti-Iraqi gesture,” as State’s Lawrence S. Eagleburger told Hussein’s emissary. “Our desire and our actions to prevent an Iranian victory and to continue the progress of our bilateral relations remain undiminished,” Eagleburger continued, according to the then highly classified transcript of the meeting.
So claims on weapons of mass destructiond are to be used for ‘public pablum’ when the goopers decide it fits their agenda.
Reagan took Iraq off the terrorist list so he could sell them wmd, and gas the Iranians, and look the other way.
A decade later, another war monger gooper, along with many of the same crazies in tow…
And this same ‘public pablum’ flows the mouth’s of the goopers today.
Anne Coulter loves slimy lying war mongering terrorist appeasers such as above.
Manne Coulter what a skank.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:12 pmThe vast majority pays no attention to follow-up details like this. They pay attention to initial story and move on. The N.Y. Times is evil, that’s what sticks in the casual viewer’s head.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:16 pmHow exactly can a member of Congress not possess information that is clearly in the public domain?
That answer lies in Michael Moores film.
The Senator replied “We don’t read that stuff”
The aides do all the work
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:16 pmthe sentaors do golfing and fishing trips
of course they don’t have time to read =)
TripMaster Monkey
While the fact that Bush was monitoring the bank accounts of known terrorists was general knowledge, that he was monitoring the bank accounts of a whole lot of American citizens as well wasn’t.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:18 pmHey you brilliant trolls. Cant read eh?
She did not say that she was not aware of what was going on. What she said was “I was not briefed on this program”.
Little bit of difference there, eh what?
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:27 pmre: 18: This is what I read…
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you knew nothing about it before the New York Times was asking questions?
FEINSTEIN: That’s correct.
Doesn’t make sense.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:53 pmbeep52 - she knew they were supposed to be monitoring TERRORISTS, not the average AMERICAN! IDIOT.
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:54 pmSenator Feinstein is simply goofy and besides she mostly supports Bush’s Iraq occupation fiasco > her husband has made millions off Defense contracts related to the Iraq conflict! They just purchased last year a 22 million dollar stone mansion and estate on the California coast!
July 2nd, 2006 at 1:59 pmGod help me, she’s my senator…
July 2nd, 2006 at 2:20 pmI think she’s just pissed off that she wasn’t invited into the big boy’s treehouise, It’s a little late to stand up the the junta now, Di, we could have used your support a while ago. I think she’s just playing the role of the outraged senator for the cameras.
Wrong.
The average person doesn’t even know what paper published the story. All they know is “Did you here? The government is looking into financial records.”
July 2nd, 2006 at 2:29 pmBush broke the law. IMPEACH HIM.
July 2nd, 2006 at 2:31 pmEither Bush is lying or Feinstein is lying… get rid of whoever is lying.
July 2nd, 2006 at 2:36 pmSince when did a little thing lika a law stop these corrupt bastards?
July 2nd, 2006 at 2:36 pmI don’t think junior’s crime family are making out quite as well as they had hoped.
July 2nd, 2006 at 3:52 pmThe Slime-balls are being brought out into the open.
I think Feinstein is telling the truth here.
Hell when has Bush EVER told us the truth until his shenanigans are exposed for the lies they are? Why would I believe him now? They didn’t brief anyone but a few “SELECT REPUBLICANS” on the Senate Intelligence Committee beforehand and that is what they called OVERSIGHT. You know it and I know it. If you look back this is exactly the same scenario as the domestic spying BS. The Bush Administration is made up of nothing but serial liars. I trust them with NOTHING.
It’s time to IMPEACH.
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:10 pmits time for diane to find another job.i`m a liberal yes,but this lady,shit can`t describe it,female joe lieberman.
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:20 pmHow many more years and terms it will take a Republican House, Republican Senate, Republican Executive Branch, and all three supported by a Republican appointed Supreme Court to get around to doing anything correct? While the Republicans debate gay marriage and flag burning, guess who is still alive and kicking and thumbing his nose at the neocon boobs in this inept Administration? Remind me again what the Republicans are doing to try to catch the man who murdered 3,000 Americans on American soil? Answer that, trolls.
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:38 pmFlimsy excuses…
As the fallout of the disclosure of the SWIFT banking surveillance program expands, more right-wing conservatives are jumping on the band wagon and bashing the news organizations that published the story. One of my favorite conservative blogs, the Cali…
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:38 pmAllowing the Mad King George administration to toss aside the Constitution and ignore laws prohibiting illegal search and seizure because “We are at War with Terror” is like shooting a pharmacist in the head because “We are at War with Drugs” or placing landmines in homeless shelters because “We are at War with Poverty”.
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:42 pmmighty aphrodite,
For somebody who pretends to be a lawyer, you sure don’t do a very good job at it. A real lawyer would know the difference between “knowing” about something” and being completely breif on a program as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Also, the program may be super secret in the way it is carried out, but that doesn’t mean that a lot of people know about it or that Bush has spoken about the program on International television in 2004.
None of your blather changes reality. You just confuse other stupid people like yourself.
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:43 pmKnowing that there was some type of financial monitoring going and being briefed on the specifics of the actual monitoring program as required by law are two different things. Stupid fucking Monkey!
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:48 pmBush’s neocon clown show is failing America at every turn and their only tool to make things better is to attack the press? The New York Times ain’t what’s wrong with America. Karl Rove’s bag of tricks is getting old–he’s finding out that the American people aren’t as dumb as he thinks they are. Unending war in Iraq, gas @ $3.00/gallon, spying on Americans, no Osama –this GOP will make a voter’s decision an easy one in November. A vote for the GOP is a vote for more death–debt–corruption.
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:49 pmThese are tough times to be a “conservative” particularly after the neocon crowd to over. Every damn week it’s another leak and another illegal Bush program to defend. It must be nearly impossible to keep putting a positive spin on all the neocon shit Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Rove keep putting out there for “real” conservatives to have to defend. With control of the White House, and both houses of congress–how long do you think people are going to keep believing what’s wrong with America is the Democrats’ fault?
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:58 pmwhy are they allowed to continually say were at war?
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:05 pmWhat declared war are we involved with? It starts and stops right there.
tHIS JUST SHOWS THAT bUSH IS OUT OF CONTROL. He obviously believes that all decisions are his and his alone to make. This over-reaching has to be reported somehow to the nation and we have to require him to go thru the proper steps, like letting the Congress know about his decisions.
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:15 pmShut up, cheap fascist. Disgraceful is the way you send kids to die for your freaking war, killing thousands of civilians just to put another dictator in a puppet government; just like you did before.
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:19 pmDoes this idiot sleep well at night? I doubt it: all those dead people follow him everywhere.
#34- “Insightful” observations by Spudge-Boy “Also, the program may be super secret in the way it is carried out,….”
*****Squishy - Not if the NYT has its’ way….& the fact doesn’t change that Bill Keller would deliver his own grandmother to Osama if it would ensure GWB going down in flames. You might even think it’s a GREAT idea that the NYT thought the public should see the security lens in the birdhouse flanking the entrance to the Rumsfeld property in Maryland and told us all about the Cheney’s place. They are Pigs and Hypocrites!
“…but that doesn’t mean that a lot of people know about it or that Bush has spoken about the program on International television in 2004…..”
*****OK, Squishy - your friends on Capitol Hill were saying - “Bush had been telling folks - what’s the BIG deal?” But apparently, Keller and Pinchey THOUGHT it WAS a big deal as MOST newspapers put NEWS on the FRONT page - (Apparently,Squish, you try to convice your friends and adversaries that you ACTUALLY read (!!) newspapers, - I doubt it….)
See ya’
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:21 pmIn summary, I am scared to death. Burn the Constitution if that gives me some piece.
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:25 pmComment by mighty aphrodite
peace. What an ass. Sorry.
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:29 pm#34 - Squishy’s pathetic attempt to be “insulting”: “For somebody who pretends to be a lawyer….”
****ANYBODY who is more than simply “acquainted” with attorneys (besides holding the door open for them in elevators) understands that attorneys trained in the Socratic method can argue both sides effectively AND take the oppositions’ words - and turn them - using their words.
This might be difficult to follow for someone who pretends to be an American. But maybe someone will invite you for BBQ on Tuesday….
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:30 pmthe right wing–as witnessed by the commments from same here–sees nothing wrong with the governments secret activities to protect the homeland, even when the judiciary has ruled that the government’s actions were not legal. the right has no problem with the governemnt and like the leader of the government itself, acuse the press or endangering the homeland and helpign the enemies of the homeland. the right wing attacks all those who criticize t6he government and calls them traitors and denounces them as worhty of death in the gas chamber. nazi germany 1933, amecia 2003. nazis turn on a free press, pass nuremberg laws that restrict some citizens civil rights and right to marry. germay 1933, no america 2006!
July 2nd, 2006 at 5:51 pmMA > go cook some hotdogs on your barbecue or some greasy horse meat burgers > lol.
July 2nd, 2006 at 6:02 pmThis SWIFT banking surveillance program represents only a slice of the picture of where the Bush administration has made a concerted effort to bypass the Constitutional separation of powers, Congressional oversight, and the judiciary branch of government. A good biographical article posted on http://www.truthdig.com on David Addington (Cheney’s chief of staff) goes a long way in explaining not only the motivations for the administrations (and right wing punditry’s) current outrage about the recent press publication of this story but why lawmakers on the Hill have repeatedly had to go before the media stating they were not aware or fuly informed about the recently disclosed programs. Combined with the warrartless wiretaps, data mining of phone records, outsourcing of information collection, etc. this latest revelation simply affords the administration the ability to achieve what Congress balked on early on in Bush’s first term–John Poindexters (Iran-Contra scandal) Total Infomation Awarness Program. In the above referenced article, Addington promoted (with the prodding of Cheney) the inherent power of the President and absolute secrecy (even Rice, Powell, the top military brass were not briefed about executive orders condoning torture, Gitmo, et.al. until after they were developed by Addington, aproved by Cheney, and signed by the President). Poindexters program (rebuffed by Congress on civil liberties objections) were simply broken up, assinged different names/locations and began by executive orders. It is no wonder members of Congress are left in the dark about their existence or scope of operations or that the Supreme Court had to interject themselves into the recent decision about Gitmo, tribunals, and that the President was indeed not above the rule of law, the Constitution, and Treaties the United States had signed onto. The Congress and the Judicial system were never intended to be a part of the process in the eyes and intentions of this administration. This is not, or never has been, about whether the press has the right to do investigative journalism. That right is guaranteed in the First Amendment. It is also not about whether they compromised national security. The press has bent over backward carrying the water for this administration, witheld stories for weeks to a full year (NSA), and has not published items (troop movements, sites of black prison sites, etc.) that would harm national security. Futhermore this information was bandied about by various administration officials, including the President himself (when it suited the administration politically to trump up their national secrity credentials), published in the U.N. records (2002), and on the SWIFT internet homepage (how much more public can that be–THE worldwide web). The sole reason the administration (and its group of well know right wing bloggers, pudits, and other well known “harpies”) have their britches pulled so tightly up the crack of thier backsides is it is another piece of the puzzle falling into place of how this administration intentionally decided to punk Congress and the courts (not to mention over 200 years worth of precedent) and go it alone, do what they alone saw fit ,and be damn with everything this Country has represented for their own political gain and expediancy. What you see on television is not moral patriotic outrage coming from the President, Vice-President, et.al. but the realization from a CEO that was just handed proof of looting his company, bamboozaling his stockholders, and lying to the judge about his ill-gotten gains. And to think a no-acconting, subpar, insubordinate typesetter in the front office fingered him for the crime! How embarrassing!
July 2nd, 2006 at 6:11 pmIf Congress was briefed by the president then there should be some minutes written about it, huh? You know, time and place, huh? Lets find them, and uh, and let the president know that he can’t use “National Security” as an excuse not to produce them, huh? How ’bout it, huh? Huh?
July 2nd, 2006 at 6:16 pm[…] trancript via Think Progress: […]
July 2nd, 2006 at 6:22 pm“page - (Apparently,Squish, you try to convice your friends and adversaries that you ACTUALLY read (!!) newspapers, - I doubt it….)”
Read newspapers? Media consolidation has many papers beholden to bushit, so who can trust many newspapers? It’s pretty obvious that wingnut garbage is commonly published, when it is equally obvious that it is crap. Why would anyone want to read newspapers? If newspapers were to lose readership from those who are tired of wingnut horseshit maybe they would be forced to have the relationship to readers that they should have, to play their part in our democracy.
July 2nd, 2006 at 6:48 pmHe’s lied so many times, what’s one more? He keeps getting away with the lies and no-one
July 2nd, 2006 at 6:59 pmseems to hold him accountable. Come on journalists, lets get to the truth and put it out for
the public to see.
It is revealed that this program was instituted well before 9/11. They never had time to brief the intelligence committee? How many years? Since it is the law to brief the Intelligence Committee on ALL programs, I would say the administration failed miserably and broke the law. Informing just before a news story comes out with the program the committee was suposed to already know about when it was instituted, is at best, showing the administration knew it was breaking the law, otherwise they never would have bothered telling the Intelligence Committee at all.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:01 pm[…] conradd said The program is legal and there are built in safeguards. Members of Congress have been briefed. Feinstein says that the intelligence committee wasn’t briefed until after the administration learned that the NYT was going forward with the story. So, it took the fourth estate to prompt that particular check/balance from one of the other branches. Maybe the argument here is that there are members of al Qaeda in congress? -JP __________________ Aces Full of Links is Dr. Momentum’s blog […]
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:01 pmEveryone knew about this program anyway, according the NY Crimes. Everyone except Dianne.
BTW, the idiots at thinkparanoid don’t even know how to spell her name correctly.
Comment by memphis minnie — July 2, 2006
Dianne is a joke but if you want to talk about idiots, you and aphrodite win in a walk. I’m curious, since you support obviously support Bush, which do you like more: The destruction of the constitution or the growth of Al Qaeda? Because I don’t think anyone but you’re hero could have accomplished both. Do you even know how crazy you are?
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:07 pmyour hero
Also, whatever happened to all those alerts? Even when we supposedly have guys ready to blow up the Sears tower we don’t get an alert now.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:09 pmDemocrats have always been soft on terrorism. If they want to show they’re not soft on terrorism, they need to begin impeachment proceedings against the Terrorist in Chief, Osama bin Shrubbery.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:20 pmHmm, how quicky do you think Bushie will croticize his Saudi friends for this about Somalia (from Raw Story)?
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:25 pmSaudi Arabia has become a leading financier of the Islamic takeover of Somalia. On June 29, Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer told the House International Relations Committee that despite U.S. opposition Saudi funding was reaching the Al Qaida-aligned movement in Somalia. She said another U.S. ally, Yemen, has sent weapons to the new Islamic regime in Mogadishu.
if you have a bank account in EUROPE you know what SWIFT is. Everyone has a SWIFT code number on their flippin’ bank statements!!! If the terrorists had accounts, they knew that SWIFT was watching.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:25 pmThis is stupid….
“This is stupid….”
Politics is stupid, democrats and republicans. Democracy is entertainment, haha yay!!!!!
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:37 pmThinkProgress in incorrect. The law does not require the entire intelligence committee be briefed. Under certain circumstances, rhe President of the United States, at his or her discretion, may limit the briefing on covert actions to the so-called “Gang of Eight,” comprising the leaders of each of the two parties from each of the two houses of Congress and the chairs and ranking members of the intelligence committees of each of the two houses of Congress. See national Security Act of 1947 and Intelligence Authoritzation of 1991.
The current “Gang of Eight” comprises:
J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Nancy Pelosi, Democratic House Leader
Bill Frist, Republican Senate Leader
Harry Reid, Democratic Senate Leader
Peter Hoekstra, Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Jane Harman, Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Pat Roberts, Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
John D. Rockefeller, IV Ranking Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Note that Sen. Feinstein is not among the Gang of Eight. Accordingly, her briefing was not required under the law.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:49 pmThinkProgress is incorrect. The law does not require the entire intelligence committee be briefed. Under certain circumstances, rhe President of the United States, at his or her discretion, may limit the briefing on covert actions to the so-called “Gang of Eight,†comprising the leaders of each of the two parties from each of the two houses of Congress and the chairs and ranking members of the intelligence committees of each of the two houses of Congress. See national Security Act of 1947 and Intelligence Authoritzation of 1991.
The current “Gang of Eight†comprises:
J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Nancy Pelosi, Democratic House Leader
Bill Frist, Republican Senate Leader
Harry Reid, Democratic Senate Leader
Peter Hoekstra, Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Jane Harman, Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Pat Roberts, Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
John D. Rockefeller, IV Ranking Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Note that Sen. Feinstein is not among the Gang of Eight. Accordingly, her briefing was not required under the law.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:50 pmit’s time to put on the ski mask, pick up a brick . . . and throw it!
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:52 pmThis is fascist -inspired hysteria. Not sure how it’s catching on in the hinterland. Probably not well. Most Americans understand the concept of freedom of the press, and this program wasn’t even secret. This outburst will appeal only to those who would already be foaming at the mouth against lib’rals, and no one else. A Fourth of-July orchestrated distraction. Soon to be subsumed by concerns about the sinking value of the almighty dollar, which will affect the ones now foaming at the mouth over … nothing.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:07 pmI am shocked and appalled that our President, the drunken AWOL lying coward, would be telling us something that is not true…!
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:26 pmThis is stupid….â€
Politics is stupid, democrats and republicans. Democracy is entertainment, haha yay!!!!!
Comment by God is a nihilist — July 2, 2006 @ 7:37 pm
$hit that is really good! nihilist, I’m still LOL.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:28 pm“our President, the drunken AWOL lying coward,”
Ken, you are confused…Clinton has not been president since Jan. 20, 2001.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:28 pmThere is a big difference between knowing that something is going on and knowing WHAT is going on exactly(ie…being briefed). The President has a legal obligation to BRIEF the Senate Intelligence Committee and he chose not to do that in violation of his Oath of Office. The Right can spin this anyway they want..the bottom line is that Bush violated his Oath.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:36 pmit seems that this entire congress is a joke. the administration is a dangerous sick joke. there may be a bit of hope for the supremes.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:39 pmafter reading the comments from the readers, makes one wonder whether they got in the wrong line: instead of buying lotto tickets, most managed to get in the line to have cranial chips implanted..geez!
i think some of the trolls here are being facetious. or at least i hope they are; otherwise they are sad human beings filled with hatred that really don’t understand what it means to be american. in that case i’m fine with them posting also, as long as they clearly identify themselves as either conservatives or republicans. that way normal, rational thinking people can see the right-wing whackjobs for what they are… please, ann coulter, minnie, moonbat patrol and all the rest, continue to spew forth your irrationality and hatred. there is nothing that will more effectively marginalize you faster (unfortunately).
funny how as soon as senator feinstein makes the point that bush is misrepresenting the facts about “briefing congress” the whackjobs are here to change the subject once again. this is the second senator that has indicated the briefing came only when bush knew they were going to get caught.
but go ahead, change the subject and admit that the program wasn’t secret at all. of course, that sure does make the “down with new york times” hysterics of last week look an awful lot like a totalitarian smear attack and — oh, this is a surprise — a lie.
in case you haven’t noticed, the administration has very idiotically backed themselves into a corner by embracing this ‘unitary executive’ argument. it puts them at odds with the constitution. and as we saw last week, the constitution usually wins (thankfully - as long as we still have 5 justices that are willing to put the wisdom of american jurisprudence over petty ideologies).
this is really getting funny, the gordian knot of deception republicans have constructed for themselves, that is. just about every position they’ve staked out on the war and executive authority is trying to have it both ways… “they hate us for our freedoms” vs. “we need to restrict our freedoms to fight the war on terror” … “bomb the times for exposing an ultra super top secret program” vs. “everyone knew about this program anyway, the president didn’t need to brief congress”.
frankly, they’ve been acting paranoid for quite a while now. it won’t be long before we reach critical mass as far as the public is concerned — people usually figure out who the hypocrite is when someone starts blaming everyone else (it’s the media! it’s the liberals! it’s the supreme court! they’re all terrorist-sympathizers!) and has no other strategy, no defense against the charges that are being made, and is making no effort to do anything different than the last 5 years, despite a clear public majority that desires a change in direction.
that it’s taken so long has been mind-boggling. seriously, if you were in a room with four other people and three of them pointed to the remaining one and said “that guy’s breaking the law,” to which he responded “YOU’RE ALL TERRORIST-LOVERS AND YOU HATE AMERICA!”, well, i don’t know, how long would it take you to come to the conclusion: “we need to get rid of this guy”?
because, america, i’m still waiting for the obvious answer to that question.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:44 pmYou all deserve everything that dictator does to you You fools. thats rights fools. You bend over and he sticks it to you , over and over again. Then when something does happend then you look supprised and say ah ah ah I didn’t know. You are so full of crap. Everyday you loose more and more of what used to be called Freedom. But like the song says Freedom is just another word when yo got nothing left to loose. What a joke. Hey when is that presidental dictator going to start classifling people that disagree with him or his policies and brand them a terroist also.
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:50 pmoh, i forgot the other useless canard that exley just rolled out: blame clinton. yes, that old chestnut. what can you say, exley, if it worked for 13 years… and that’s the hilarious part, because it didn’t work — clinton’s approval ratings reached their highest point while you whackjobs were trying to bring him down. you failed, and yet you still cling like a hopeless dwarf princess to the notion that you can ‘blame clinton’ your way out of this disastrously incompetent bush administration.
and i thought it was the democrats that had run out of ideas.
but go ahead, remind everyone how america was a better place when clinton was president — it’s just another thing that helps democrats. we were at peace, the economy was booming, our prestige internationally was much higher than it is now, poverty was declining, the budget was balanced. people remember that.
full disclosure: i never voted for clinton! but people like you, and the last 5 years with bush have made me wish we could have him back. we wouldn’t be in this mess.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:01 pmProgressaurus Rex…Relax, dude. You’re too tense. #67 was kind of a joke…But I notice that you focused on that instead of the fact that at #61 I utterly demolished your somehwhat ignorant assertion that Bush was “misrepresenting the facts” about the briefing of Congress…But then again, what else could you do but ignore it. The facts and the law are against now…
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:19 pmProgressaurus Rex…Relax, dude. You’re too tense. #67 was kind of a joke…But I notice that you focused on that instead of the fact that at #61 I utterly demolished your somehwhat ignorant assertion that Bush was “misrepresenting the facts†about the briefing of Congress…But then again, what else could you do but ignore it. The facts and the law are against you…
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:22 pmi can only assume that “ex” is writing from another country (as i am, admittedly — american ex-pat). so, ex, what country are you writing from, if it’s not a secret?
c’mon, now, don’t be a hypocrite. tell us where you live so that we may so fairly judge your government and your subservience to it. it’s only fair…
if we’re really “fools” like you say, you should have nothing to worry about.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:23 pmI still can’t forgive Feinstein for co-sponsoring the Flag Protection Amendment. She has lost all credibility in my book. It took clear headed Republicans to avert an extraordinary waste of time that would have completly played to the GOP’s base. Feinstein needs to know that she was out of line.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:25 pmgood joke, exley! way to distance yourself from your own idiotic comments.
also, nice debunking, exley, except for the fact that harman has also already come out and said exactly what feinstein is saying here — the president only briefed them after he knew he was caught.
that’s the reality, so i’ll let the supreme court decide where the facts and the law are. but like i was saying before, you go ahead and defend this president’s actions over the constitution and the rule of law. the administration looks crazier, more desperate and more paranoid by the day. and by extention, so do you.
“utterly demolished” — exaggerate much? your credibility is almost nonexistent.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:41 pmPoor Progressaurus Rex …I can tell you are embarassed that you didn’t know about the “Gang of Eight” provisions of the National Security Act of 1947 and Intelligence Authoritzation of 1991…But hey, don’t worry. That is why I am here. To teach the ignorant. You are welcome.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:50 pm#67 That should be deserter(AWOL > 30 days). From a veteran.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:51 pmHow does it feel to be a “conservative” in the Bush-era of neocon big government, uncontrolled spending, debt that would make Ronald Reagan blush, FEMA’s Katrina response, your “war on terror” in Iraq, and one constitutional crisis after another. Don’t you yearn for the days when “scandals” were about cum stains on blue dresses and campaign calls form the White House? These neocons in control have really stuck you “conservatives” with a stinky bag of shit to bring to the party. Republican House, Republican Senate, Republican Executive Branch, and all three supported by a Republican appointed Supreme Court—and your “man’s” approval rating is at 30% Looks like the flag burners and gays are in for another bashing come November.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:57 pmI was never a fan of Sen. Diane Feinstein until last Monday. She was wonderful during the 99% Dem committe meeting regarding pre-war intelligence. It’s all been a lie, it’s been proven before members of congress in an open meeting. WMD, a mushroom cloud, biological weapons, blah, blah, blah, all the result of Dick’s wild imagination.
Catch the pre-war intelligence committee stuff on CSPAN, then go see The Dark Side on at Frontline.org and you’re done. You know now how Dick and Rummy did it. No one really explains the “why”, but you’ll now absolutely know the truth about “how” the neo-cons did it.
Bottom line,
IT’S ALL A TOTAL LIE.
DO YOU LOVE AMERICA ? DO YOU, ON THIS JULY 4th?
THEN STOP KILLING THE BRAVEST AMERICANS FOR ABSOLUTLY NO REASON.
STOP SUPPORTING THE KILLING OF AMERICANS !!!!
IF YOU CAN’T GET ON BOARD WITH THAT, THEN — YOU — ARE AGAINST AMERICA.
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:58 pmBut speaking of Rep. Harman (one of the few Democrats who appreciates the threat posed to this nation by terrorists), did you see that she beat her left-wing, “anti-war” primary challenger June 6 by a landslide 62 percent to 38 percent … Heh! Yeah, you folks here and at Daily Kos are making reeeeeal political inroads, aren’t you???
July 2nd, 2006 at 9:59 pmLasty,
WHY IS OSAMA ALIVE?
How on Earth can you be any weaker on Terrorism than the current administration? It’s not possible. How can you be more inept? If Rep. Harman is one of the few Dems who comprehends terrorism than that’s one more person than all the GOP put together because they have done nothing. THEY ATTACKED THE WRONG COUNTRY !!! HELLO?
Note to President, OSAMA attacked us on 9/11 not Sadam?
What a dumb ass? You can’t be any weaker on terrorism than the GOP. Unfortunately, OSAMA is LIVING proof.
The fact that some people can’t see this means that they are totally blind to reality.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:08 pmAbove the clouds,
“How does it feel to be a “conservative†in the Bush-era of neocon big government, uncontrolled spending, debt that would make Ronald Reagan blush, ” and the ‘war on terror†in Iraq…”
I agree with you that the Bush administrations unrestrained spending on liberal social welfare programs is disappointing and that social welfare program spending needs to slashed dramatically. So, we are in agreement there…
As for how do I feel being a conservative during the War on Terror — Pretty darn good! I am quite pleased that the U.S. government is now — after a decade of negelect in the 1990s — going after the barbrous Islamist terrorists that killed so many at the Khobar Towers, the African embassies, the U.S.S. Coal — all of which, of course, paved the way for the atrocity on 9/11…
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:08 pmWhere is that big airplane that hit the pentagon. hmmm 2 or 3 small pieces. Still looking for it after all these years. I still can’t find a couple hundred tons of metal that should be right there in front of that building. But the Govt. keeps saying that its there.. Show me; and then The President said ” Quit shoving the Us Constitution down my throat. Its nothing but a Goddamn piece of paper. Now I thought that piece of paper was fighting for. I thought that he swore upon the bible to uphold and protect it. But if the President of the US thinks that it’s nothing but a Goddamn piece of paper. hmmmm
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:08 pmas for my location. Nope sorry…. Will not help those that might try to find me… No I am not paranoid… Hmmmm That German that was minding his own business when they picked him up thought that it couldn’t happen to him either or the other person in Italy thought that it couldn’t happened to him. Maybe all the other people that weren’t classified as terrorist are now classified as one because as Bush said either your for me or against me and if your against me then your unpatriotic.
Exley: Speaking of threats, while the “conservatives” debate newspaper stories, gay marriage and flag burning, guess who is still alive and kicking and thumbing his terrorist nose at the neocon boobs in this inept Administration? Remind me again what the Republicans are doing to try to catch the man who murdered 3,000 Americans on American soil? The quagmire in Iraq is the wrong answer. It’s encouraging to see Bush’s Administration engaging in a war of rhetoric with bin Laden–they clearly have no plans for “justice” for that brutal killer.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:09 pmI know there’s a lot of Hitler=Bush stuff, but this is interesting. See what you think. “Many Germans continued to be enthusiastic supporters of Hitler after he suspended Constitutional rights and passed the Nurenberg law which legally isolated Jews.” My question is who are Geroge Bush’s “Jews” are they Gays or Liberals or the Press?
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:20 pmAbove the Clouds wrote:
“Remind me again what the Republicans are doing to try to catch the man who murdered 3,000 Americans on American soil?”
There are approximately 15,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
There are several thousand NATO troops in Afghanistan.
There are ongoing covert intelligence activities, which have, so far nabbed a number of senior Al Qaeda leaders, including Khalid Sheik Mohammad.
They are interrogating captured Al Qaeda leaders (I am glad you agree with me on the need to interrogate captured Al Qaeda leaders…Many of your fellow psters on this site want to close detention facilties holding Al Qaeda members, such as Gitmo).
There are daily flights of CIA Predator drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As you recall just recently, a missile from a Predator drone killed a number of Al Qaeda operatives in Pakistan (Unfortunately, we just missed Al Zawhiri…See:
US hunt for Al-Qaeda leaders may be gaining: US analysts
In-Depth Coverage US intelligence appears to be getting closer to top al-Qaeda leaders despite a seemingly hit-and-miss hunt that has left behind civilian casualties and bruised relations with allies, analysts say.
Pakistani officials said four or five “foreign terrorists” may have been among the dead in the latest action, a missile strike in a remote triabl area late Thursday or early Friday aimed at Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda’s number two.
With 18 civilians also reported killed and Pakistani condemnations pouring in, the strike underscored the cost of a secret hunt that has so far failed to net either Zawahiri or Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
But analysts said a series of successful strikes by armed Predator drones controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency over the past two years point to a more disciplined effort than in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
“They are working on better intelligence, and they are not launching an attack like this unless they do have hard intelligence,” said Vincent Cannistraro, a former chief of the CIA’s counter-terrorism center.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/ org/ news/ 2006/ 060118-alqaeda-hunt.htm
Hope tha answers your question, Above…
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:22 pmAt election time people are going to see what today’s Republican Party is really about, and for whom they are really fighting…and it is not the average American or their family. They are fighting for the richest of the rich at the expense of everyone else. Gas at $3.00 per gallon, unending war in Iraq, spying on Americans, and a blantant disregard for laws–this is the GOP that will try to convince the voting public that what’s wrong is the fault for newspapers and liberals. Bush and the neocons have no genuine plan to deal with Iraq, nor are they capable of creating and implementing one. People are dying because Bush doesn’t know what he’s doing.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:24 pm“We’re at wr with a bunch of people who want to hurt the United States.” Yes indeedy. Those people are Bush, Rumsfield, Cheney, and a slew of right-wing politicians and media assholes.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:25 pm“after decade of negelect in the 1990s”
Not exactly true. Remember, daddy Bush was still in office and actively selling and giving Iraq biological and chemical weapons for the first couple years of the 90s. You do remember that don’t you. If not go check the Congressional record. It was talked about at the time, daddy Bush had many of his own people who said it was a bad idea. But you know the Bush clan when it comes to Arab dictators, they just love ‘em. Like father like son.
And you do remember that a bit before then, we actually funded and trained Osama and his bad of merry men. You do know that he’s a product of our CIA under Reagan and daddy Bush. You do know that don’t you?
What’s incredible?
The GOP creats these people
The GOP is on watch when they attack
The GOP is totally inept in their response
And the Dems are to blame.
Ya… Right.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:27 pm[…] During the last week, President Bush and other members of the administration have lashed out at the New York Times for printing a story about a government program that monitors bank records. Bush has insisted that Congress was briefed appropriately on the program: […]
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:30 pmExley: Thanks for the cut and paste from Ken Mehlman’s talking points email. In November–people will need one simple reminder: Osama Bin Laden, not Saddam Hussein, killed Americans on American soil. All else is details.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:31 pmSB…
“Remember, daddy Bush was still in office and actively selling and giving Iraq biological and chemical weapons for the first couple years of the 90s. You do remember that don’t you. If not go check the Congressional record.”
Got any evidence of that???? A link? A newspaper article? A citation in the Congressional Record?
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:31 pmgoing after the barbrous Islamist terrorists that killed so many at the Khobar Towers, the African embassies, the U.S.S. Coal — all of which, of course, paved the way for the atrocity on 9/11…
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:33 pmComment by Exley — July 2, 2006 @ 10:08 pm
It is good to see your a humanist. Really horrified by horrifying events. But I am curious, you are horrified only by events that took place against american population or installations? On the examples you gave above does not appear one against Iraq population, even if some were done by Saddam? Do you forget that one of the arguments of your president for this war was exactly atrocities made by Saddam against his own population? Or this pretty sincere feeling of yours also emerges in you when 100,000 + civilians has been killed by american forces in Iraq, thousands in Afghanistan? Because if not, you can say simply you dont give a fuck about others. And then you will be discredited along with your thrashy rethoric.
ridiculous, exley. where from my comments do you deduce that i don’t know about the gang of eight? that’s a false assertion. but par for the course.
i notice you won’t actually rebut what i said: harman — a member of the gang of eight — has already confirmed what feinstein says here. bush didn’t brief until he knew he was caught.
bin laden is the albatross around your necks, exley. 15,000 troops in afghanistan (where bin laden is), vs. 150,000 in iraq (where he NEVER WAS). 5 years later, the man we say is responsible for 9/11, the man we say is public enemy number one is still on the loose and we have 10X the amount of troops trying to fight him where he isn’t, and you’re forced to defend the administration’s incompetent actions.
your defense underscores the failure. it’s a sad statement about you personally — that you will defend a failure.
don’t worry exley, we’ll make sure and judge you by the company you keep.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:37 pmfailure.
Rex: That’s what I’ve been saying–these neocons in control have given the “conservatives” NOTHING to defend but lies, death, and corruption. Yet, they keep defending and standing by these liars, thus revealing their own lack of principles. How many kicks to the nuts does it take for the average man to say, “Enough, already.” HAD ENOUGH?
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:42 pmAbove the Clouds…You are welcome…You asked. I answered with the facts.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:43 pmonce again exley:
harman — a member of the gang of eight — has already confirmed what feinstein says here. bush didn’t brief until he knew he was caught.
so where are those “facts” you keep talking about? seems you want to ignore the realities here. what a surprise — a faith-based debater.
above the clouds: true, we can’t seem to get the republicans to keep from screaming BE AFRAID!! BE AFRAID!! 9/11!!! TERRORISTS AND FLAG-BURNERS AND GAYS, OH MY!! all the time. republicans don’t want brave americans, they want fearful, subservient americans, like exley. if you examine their message that’s what you’ll find.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:57 pmProgressaurus Rex,
Harman (whom I am sure you just love!) is the only member of the gang of Eight claiming she was not briefed until much later on:
“Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), had been informed of the operation before the full committee briefing. A spokesman said Hoekstra was told of the program shortly after he became chairman in 2004. Harman said she did not know why she had not also gotten an earlier briefing.
The Treasury Department, which runs the program, had briefed ranking members of the Senate Intelligence Committee periodically since shortly after the program was launched” LA Times
If true, seems like an oversight to me…The other seven were briefed, including the Democrats.
Nice try, though.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:57 pm— after a decade of negelect in the 1990s — going after the barbrous Islamist terrorists that killed so many at the Khobar Towers, the African embassies, the U.S.S. Coal — all of which, of course, paved the way for the atrocity on 9/11…
Comment by Exley — July 2, 2006 @ 10:08 pm
A decade of negelect in the 90’s exley? According to the republicans, the fact that there hasn’t been an attack ‘on US soil’ since 9/11(5 years) supposedly proves that Bush is a genius. Guess that makes Clinton a super-genius, since he prevented another attack for 8 years. As for Khobar, ect. you’re not suggesting that there hasn’t been any attacks on Americans abroad since 9/11 are you? Because according to Bush we’re being attacked by terrorists in Iraq all the time.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:58 pmReply to #86:
Above the Clouds,
Assuming that bin Laden truly is responsible for 9/11 (which is a pretty big assumption, given the FBI admits there is no evidence linking bin Laden to 9/11), he isn’t likely to be ‘thumbing his nose’ at anyone, seeing as how he’s been dead since 2001.
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:04 pmIs that the same Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) who jumped under the bus with Santorum babbling on FOX News about the “recently found” WMD that Reagan sold to Iraq?
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:05 pmExley, start with this: http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/09.30A.byrd.wmd.htm
I know you’re going to say, sky is falling, it’s from Truthout.org. OMG! But, son, I’m really getting too old to do you’re homework for you. Look into it. I shit you not. See, we here really do care about America and Americans so we do our homework before we climb on board some progam to kill, kill, kill which leaves many of them and too many of us Dead.
I am certain Osama was behind 9/11. Are you all confused about that?
I am certain Boy George sat in a classroom chair for a really long time after Mr. Card told him “America is under attack.” By the way, that’s the moment I became a “Bush Hater”
I am certain that Condi Rice lied before the 9/11 commission; I watched her do it with my own eyes on live TV — “It was an historical document” — are you confused about that?
I am certain that for years our men and women have not been provided proper armor
I am certain we did not put in enough ground troops, I watched our Secretary of Defense LAUGH at the looting going on as if that wasn’t a sign of anything.
I and others could go on and on and on, what part of this are you missing?
PS: your president is a not so reformed alcoholic, who had a significant drug problem, who has raised a couple of pretty wild kids, who brags about not reading, who can barely get through a single sentence without “put food on your family” or “doctor’s can’t practice their special love with their patients”, or “this would be a lot easier if it were a dictatorship, provided I was the dictator”, or on and on…
I can see he is an idiot. What signs are you missing?
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:06 pmThe saddest thing about this serial liar in the White House is that he’ll retire, collect money from our taxes and think that he was a success. The man couldn’t pass a middle school English exam and has lied and cheated his way through his entire life, and there have been enough shit-head Republicans, including George H.W. Bush and his fat cat buddies, who worry more about the flaq than about the constitution, who have been his enablers.
And just below that in terms of lamentable facts is that a lot of these Bush supporters are average Joes, secretaries, construction workers, middle level hi-tech workers, etc., who get their news from the News Toilet of the World — Faux News, and who don’t realize that that same White House liar has his hand in their pockets, and is stealing the country right out from under them–assisted by a cowardly press, a stacked court system, a congress of prostitutes, etc., while Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice send the least fortunate among us to Iraq to die.
May they roast in Hell.
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:06 pmJuan C,
Of course, I was outraged and disgusted by the genoicidal and murderous policies of Saddam Hussein. That is one of the reasons I am very happy that the U.S. and its allies did the moral thing in removing him. He was a threat not only to United States, Europe, and Israel, but to his own people. And the Iraqi people know that to…That is why as the U.S. troops rolled into Baghdad in April 2003, you saw Iraqis dancing in the streets and chanting George Bush’s name..I was never prouder to be an American than on that day…That is why we need to stay in Iraq and make sure the murderous Baathists and Islamists, who have killed thousands of innocent Iraqis with car-bombings and suiide bombings (They are the ones killing innocent Iraqis, not the U.S. military, which, as you know, does not target civilians) don’t take control of that country and restore the reign of terror that held the Iraqi people in its grip for so long. I am sure you join me in supportingthe U.S.’s efforts to help the Iraqi people create a democracy in their homeland.
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:06 pmIf bin Laden id dead, his “Greatest Hits” tape is getting a lot of White House airplay.
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:07 pmExley: You’re hilarious! I like your comedy bits: “I am sure you join me in supportingthe U.S.’s efforts to help the Iraqi people create a democracy in their homeland.” you should have added, “After we staged an unprovoked attack and occupation of your nation, raped and killed your civilians, destroyed your infrastructure, tortured your people, created an insurgency that kills at will, disarmed your security forces and created a civil war.”
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:16 pmRight on Ken. Bush is a lying coward and has no concern about all the people who have died . As for Darth Cheney; he had more important things to do to help defend our country. How many times was he defered?????
By the way, I just subscribed to the New York Times.
Fed-up!!!
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:31 pmComment by TripMaster Monkey — July 2, 2006 @ 11:04 pm
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:43 pmNice link. Thanks.
just once i’d like to have a debate with a troll that doesn’t have their own separate reality.
let me add what exley left out:
“Of course, I was outraged and disgusted by the genoicidal and murderous policies of Saddam Hussein.” [a former cia operative whose rights abuses were not only ignored but condoned and even assisted by both the reagan and bush administrations.]
“That is one of the reasons I am very happy that the U.S. and its allies did the moral thing in removing him.” [and in the process continued to morally kill innocent iraqis after he was removed]
“He was a threat not only to United States, Europe, and Israel, but to his own people.” [with no wmds, no air force, an autonomous kurdish region in the north and every shred of his authority dependent on his need to bluff the international community into thinking he had chemical and biological weapons]
“And the Iraqi people know that to…That is why as the U.S. troops rolled into Baghdad in April 2003, you saw Iraqis dancing in the streets and chanting George Bush’s name..I was never prouder to be an American than on that day…” [yes, what a great day to be proud of being an american, the day we discovered that saddam was in fact no threat whatsoever and the reasons for this preemptive war were completely disproven. and many of those “liberator” scenes were, in fact, staged by chalabi’s group.]
“That is why we need to stay in Iraq and make sure the murderous Baathists and Islamists, who have killed thousands of innocent Iraqis with car-bombings and suiide bombings” [which in fact never occurred in the history of iraq before we occupied it]
“(They are the ones killing innocent Iraqis, not the U.S. military, which, as you know, does not target civilians)” [ongoing military trials, news reports, eyewitness reports and firsthand testimony of american soldiers disputes this]
“…don’t take control of that country and restore the reign of terror that held the Iraqi people in its grip for so long. I am sure you join me in supportingthe U.S.’s efforts to help the Iraqi people create a democracy in their homeland.” [regardless if that wasn’t the reason we gave for going in there in the first place. what you’re describing sounds suspiciously like nation-building, something bush said he’d never do.]
in other words, exley is now willing to say anything to cover up for a monumental policy failure and willingly spray perfume on this bush administration turd. meanwhile, $500 billion would have been better-spent INSIDE america on schools, border security (and labor enforcement of those who hire illegals), securing ports and national landmarks, mine safety and regulation, renewable energy and the fight to end energy dependence. and hey maybe a subsidy for a new american fireproof flag manufacturing industry. those u.s. flags they make in china burn too easily.
i’m sure you’ll join me in supporting our troops by not sending them to fight and die in a fake war in iraq when they’re supposed to be going after the real terrorists responsible for 9/11, who aren’t — and never were — in iraq. at this point these are the indisputable facts, exley: we have found neither bin laden nor the wmd’s. that is failure. and you’re a cheerleader for it.
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:46 pmaphrodite takes a break from beating her children for having wrinkled brown shirts to post. how nice.
get back to ironing those brown shirts, frau tripey. in the new bush america you’ll have to reacquaint yourself with the subservient role of women. praise the lord!
July 2nd, 2006 at 11:51 pmno, but i’m sure she would accept what you say as a compliment. frau tripey is a sociopathic troll that can’t keep “her” story straight, except when it comes to defending the failure that is the bush administration.
she has been proven demonstrably wrong on any number of points, not the least of which are her own claims about herself. she’s a bush turd polisher.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:04 amI am sure you join me in supportingthe U.S.’s efforts to help the Iraqi people create a democracy in their homeland.
Comment by Exley — July 2, 2006 @ 11:06 pm
No. I am in favor of people deciding their own faith. Not others deciding for them. Would you like having the French (which is a democracy, you know, where people elect a government) telling you that your fraudulent past elections are no good and put in the US government some Gerrard Depadieu? Because according to you, they will be entitle to do that, since they are protecting the world from having Ohio-Florida type democracies (meaning an illegal government), and you,it seems, are extremely concerned about democracies, right? Now, as I said, democracy is where the majority rules, with some small representation for the minorities. Hows that so far in US? last time I checked 31% of US citizens approved BUsh. Buddy, you have to do something cause democracy is not happening in your country.
I remind you. My opinion does not mean I am in favor of Saddam Hussein…US put him there in the first place!!! My opinion doesnt mean I hate US or people who think like you. I am in favor of justice and freedom, but I wont use a sledgehammer to make you understand about what I think is right. Also, Bush is a threat for your own liberties, yet you totally support him, why? He lied about WMDs, there is evidence that your “honorable” troops raped and killed civilians in Iraq (Pentagon confirms that), just as they did in Vietnam, Bosnia, East Timor, Nicaragua, and a lot of other countries who never posted a threat on you or your family, yet you are OK with that. I am sure you are OK with having palestinians killed and agree with Israel in its war. Would you like the chinese going to your home and proclaiming the living room for them arguing religious reasons? That would suck, right? Wake up, you are supporting a system that excludes you from knowing the truth. They are killing children in your name and you are OK with that. You have blood on your hands, shame on you.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:09 amThank you, Mighty Aphrodite…I am patient with them, like a teache needs to be patient with his children.
And excellent point about the high gas prices…But maybe this is a good thing. Apparently, even liberals like Above the Clouds. in citing the $3 per gallon gas prices as a problem, have now seen the light and see the need to repeal the gas tax and began drilling for oil in ANWR…
Welcome aboard, Above the Clouds…We always welcome converts on this side of the political spectrum. We’re a big tent…
Anyone else want to join Above the Clouds in admitting that Bush, Mighty Aphrodite, and I have the right idea when it comes to energy policy????
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:10 amAnyone else want to join Above the Clouds in admitting that Bush, Mighty Aphrodite, and I have the right idea when it comes to energy policy????
Comment by Exley — July 3, 2006 @ 12:10 am
Yeah, spending 500 billion for 5 years of Iraq´s oil. Good move, chief.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:19 amjuan,
in one way it’s too bad that those like exley and frau tripey are two-dimensional thinkers (i.e. ‘with us or against us’). it kills the debate and makes us have to put up with these frustrating and imbecilic diatribes.
but on the plus side, they’re losing support, they know it, and hence they will continue to act more desperate, paranoid, and frankly, ridiculous. if the constitution and american rule of law weren’t at stake it would actually be entertaining to watch.
look for the REALLY crazy behavior to begin after they officially hit sub-30% approvals with no hope of a rebound (as if that isn’t a scary prospect given what we’ve seen so far).
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:19 amOh, Juan C, come now…You know that the U.S. did not put Saddam in power “in the first palce.” That is just false history…As you know, Iraq became a Soviet client state in the 1970s, soon after Saddam took power in a 1968 coup. Their military equipment was primarily supplied by the USSR, with some French support, as well…It was only in the 1980s that the Reagan administration reached out to Iraq because of the ongoing war between that nation and Iran. As we all know, the U.S. did not provide weapons to Saddam Hussein, but did offer some limited satellite intelligence to Iraq on Iranian military positioning. However, the relationship between the U.S. and Iraq never cut off the ground. Saddam was displeased when the U.S. condemned his use of chemical weapons against the Iranians, and later the Kurds.
The left really needs to stop perpetrating this “Saddam was an ally of the U.S.” myth. It is patently false. And every time you are corrected, your side just seems more and more silly. Stick to the facts, boys and girls.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:21 amI have the right idea when it comes to energy policy
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:23 amComment by Exley
I am betting a lawyer that fears the wrath of god and its building another ark in her backyard (Mighty Aphrodite) and you, a professional copy-paster, knows a lot about energy policies. What is energy in the first place, buddy?
Now its my turn to copy & paste:The U.S. maintained a close alliance with Iraq all through the 1980s. In 1983, and again in 1984, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, then the special envoy of President Reagan, traveled to Baghdad to meet with Saddam Hussein and negotiate a renewal of full U.S.-Iraqi diplomatic relations. Despite at least two face-to-face meetings, Rumsfeld never expressed to Saddam Hussein any U.S. displeasure about Iraq’s use of illegal chemical weapons. (The State Department claims Rumsfeld did mention it separately to Tariq Aziz.) In any case, Washington restored full diplomatic relations by November 1984, extending financial support, agricultural credits, military technology and intelligence, the seed stock for biological weapons, and political support to the regime in Baghdad, then, as now, led by Saddam Hussein
Gee. You were there, you supported the guy and, well…now he is a evil-doer according to your 50 IQ president. You are cleaning your own shit…2531 soldiers appreciate that.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:32 ambut on the plus side, they’re losing support, they know it, and hence they will continue to act more desperate, paranoid, and frankly, ridiculous.
Comment by Progressaurus Rex
We can only hope, buddy. Chomsky said that this empire would last 500 years. I think Prof. Chomsky made them a big favor.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:35 am*sigh* Looks I still need to teach Progressaurus Rex some history:
let me add what exley left out:
“Of course, I was outraged and disgusted by the genoicidal and murderous policies of Saddam Hussein.†[a former cia operative whose rights abuses were not only ignored but condoned and even assisted by both the reagan and bush administrations.][I have already dismantled that myth…See posting #123]
“That is one of the reasons I am very happy that the U.S. and its allies did the moral thing in removing him.†[and in the process continued to morally kill innocent iraqis after he was removed]{{Again, a myth…It had been the Al Qaeda/Baathist terrorists who have unleashed a terror campaign against the civilian Iraqi population, by car bombings in market places and suicide bombing in mosques. The U.S. military does not targey civilians, as you well know}
“He was a threat not only to United States, Europe, and Israel, but to his own people.†[with no wmds, no air force, an autonomous kurdish region in the north and every shred of his authority dependent on his need to bluff the international community into thinking he had chemical and biological weapons][His lack of fully constituted WMDs, an air force, and the autonomous Kurdish region in the north were all thanks to who?? That’s the right, the United States military in the first Gulf War, Operation: Desert Fox, and in enforcing the no-fly-zone…But you miss the point. s we saw on 9/11, foreign terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein don’t need an air force and missile system to wreak tremendous death and destruction in another nation…It is truly amazing how the left has already completely forgotten the horror and lessons of 9/11) Oh, and you seem to forget, it was discovered that Iraq was indeed illegally producing prohibited Al Samoud missiles capable of reaching Israel].
“And the Iraqi people know that to…That is why as the U.S. troops rolled into Baghdad in April 2003, you saw Iraqis dancing in the streets and chanting George Bush’s name..I was never prouder to be an American than on that day…†[yes, what a great day to be proud of being an american, the day we discovered that saddam was in fact no threat whatsoever and the reasons for this preemptive war were completely disproven. and many of those “liberator†scenes were, in fact, staged by chalabi’s group.][Sure, they were, PR…Sure they were…I love that whenever the left has no facts to back up their argument, they resortto conspiracy theories…”It was all Chalabi’s doing! The Irqis weren’t really happy to see a murderous tyrant deposed!”]
“That is why we need to stay in Iraq and make sure the murderous Baathists and Islamists, who have killed thousands of innocent Iraqis with car-bombings and suiide bombings†[which in fact never occurred in the history of iraq before we occupied it][No, instead they had secret police torturing and murdering innocents, Saddam commiting genocide against the