ThinkFast: September 28, 2006
ThinkFast: September 28, 2006
The New York Times calls the “compromise” military commissions legislation about to be approved by Congress “a tyrannical law that will be ranked with the low points in American democracy, our generation’s version of the Alien and Sedition Acts.”
“A $75 million project to build the largest police academy in Iraq has been so grossly mismanaged” and “poorly constructed that feces and urine rained from the ceilings in student barracks.” U.S. construction giant Parsons Corp., which oversaw the project, received $1 billion in federal conctracts in Iraq and managed the Big Dig “disaster” in Boston.
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani said yesterday, “The idea of trying to cast blame on President Clinton [for 9/11] is just wrong for many, many reasons, not the least of which is I don’t think he deserves it.”
“Most of the 9 million uninsured children in the U.S. live in homes where at least one parent works full time,” a new Families USA report finds. “In more than one-quarter of the cases, there are two working parents.”
70: The percentage of Americans who oppose the use of U.S. ground troops in Iran. Only nine percent favored U.S. air strikes on selected targets in Iran, while 45 percent said the U.S. should increase diplomatic our efforts with allies.
A report from the UK Ministry of Defense says the Iraq war has acted as a “recruiting sergeant” for Islamic extremists, and describes the west as being “in a fix.”
“Scientists have uncovered evidence that levels of the greenhouse gas methane will rise sharply in the next few years, warming the planet faster than previously expected.”
John E. Jones III, the district judge who “struck down a Dover, Penn., school board’s decision to teach intelligent design in public schools said he was stunned by the reaction, which included death threats and a week of protection from federal marshals.”
“New explosive devices are now used in Afghanistan within a month of their first appearing in Iraq,” concludes a new United Nations report on Iraq, which “echoe[s] many of the dire predictions in an American assessment.”
And finally: Howard Dean takes a break from 50-strategy to focus on internet backgammon strategy. Matt Bai writes in the New York Times Magazine: “On the morning we left for Alaska, Dean went missing for a good half-hour. It turned out that we was in the business center of the MGM Grand, where he had been trying to figure out how to print out his boarding pass but somehow ended up in an impromptu game of online backgammon with a guy who claimed to be in China.”
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Former New York mayor Rudi Giuliani said yesterday, “The idea of trying to cast blame on President Clinton [for 9/11] is just wrong for many, many reasons, not the least of which is I don’t think he deserves it.â€
Do you think Fux News will cover this? Hey, Chris, Bill made you like a little whimp with a smirk on his face…you’ll never be the man your Dad is, face it. Without talking points, a closed studio evironement & lackeys who agree with anyting you say, you’re just another bad moderator.
When you called your Dad senile you showed America where your loyalties are. Shame on you. Go get in bed with Chris Matthews; you’re two of a kind.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:18 amSo, 70% oppose ground troops in Iran – what the hell is up with that damn 30%?!
September 28th, 2006 at 9:19 amNice work from Giuliani – he’s still not getting the GOP nod for prez in ‘08.
Excellent call from NYT – Alien and Sedition Acts circa 2006. But, like those were eventually eliminated, so too this torture bill will be removed one day. Hopefully soon.
America’s Least Wanted
Christian/Islamic Fundamentalist = Terrorists. Anyone need more proof?
September 28th, 2006 at 9:21 amWow, I wonder what the poll number is for sending American ground troops into Darfur, must 85-90 percent against. Dems never look past their noses when it comes to policy decisions.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:33 am#4 – “Dems never look past their noses when it comes to policy decisions.”
I think you’re confusing the Republicans for Democrats when you say thhings like that, Jason. Don’t forget, it was Republican Rumsfeld who told the Generals that he’d fire them if they made any post-war planning of any kind! I wonder why he’d do something that retarted? He just couldn’t see past his own nose when considering policy decisions. ;-)
By the way, you’re ignoring my challenge for you to call for the network broadcast of the Pres. Reagan docu-drama. I wonder why you never look past your own nose when it comes to peronal challenges? Could it be: double-standards?!?!? I think you know it is. . . .
September 28th, 2006 at 9:40 amFormer New York mayor Rudi Giuliani said yesterday, “The idea of trying to cast blame on President Clinton [for 9/11] is just wrong for many, many reasons, not the least of which is I don’t think he deserves it.â€
Too bad Giuliani is a republican. He has shown respect for America’s ideal of equal opportunity. As US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he spearheaded the effort to jail drug dealers, fight organized crime, break the web of corruption in government, and prosecute white-collar criminals. Under Giuliani’s leadership as Mayor of New York City it was one of the best-known example of the resurgence of urban America.
But he has a serious drawback: he will never get the nomination with his pro-choice, middle of the road views. Falwell and Robertson would never allow it. Nor would the corporate world. Rudi has a working class background and they would have trouble handling him. The republican hardliners considers them a RINO anyway.
He’s an also-ran republican for president before he even gets started. Too bad he doesn’t switch parties where he just might have a real chance at getting elected.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:40 amOne more “chink” in the armor of our democracy…what’s left at this point? If the people don’t have the guts to stand up to this dictator, then they deserve to watch the demise of their democracy.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:42 amMore than 30 Democrats voted for torture.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:46 amFrom an earlier thread:
EXLEY,
September 28th, 2006 at 9:46 am
70% Of Americans Oppose Use Of Ground Troops In Iraq
&
9% Of Americans Favour Airstrikes On Selected Targets
Don’t despair, those figures are truly wonderful news. It is a sign that the vast majority of Americans realise that pre-emptive war simply doesn’t work as a foreign policy and War in general as a means of solving international disputes is a deadly farce.
Really, these are mindblowingly positive stats and should pretty well seal the deal for the Democrats in November and late 2008. As long as they bring up the Truth-Tellers to the front ranks of their party.
I think Bush Co already know that most Americans don’t believe War On Iran will work, and will make things much, much worse.
Be proud, the Truth-Tellers of the internet have helped to transform the minds of an entire country. That and the appalling tragedy that is the ‘War On Iraq’.
I think you would find that those figures could be transposed to Australia and the UK as well (the UK would probably see more people opposed to any aggressive actions against Iran)
It is, however, the tragedy of this age that it took the lives of 2700 American soldiers for most Americans to wise up. But now they know the truth.
It remains to be seen if a terrorist attack in the US, linked back to Iran, would change most of America’s minds on the War On Iran issue.
I think a lot of Americans would be extremely suspicious of any terrorist attacks in the US now. As well they should be.
An entire nation burned by lies and re-educated at the same time.
I think the Iranian president can be as nutty as the End-Timers, but I’ve seen or read nothing that tells me he wants to go war against anyone, despite the mis-translated rhetoric.
I look forward to the day when I can type these words on my blog :
“I was wrong. This isn’t WWIV. Whatever it was, it’s over now.”
http://www.the4thworldwar.blogspot.com
September 28th, 2006 at 9:47 amParson Corp was also responsible for building the horrendous Kirkuk health center in Iraq.
http://agonist.org/node/32360
September 28th, 2006 at 9:48 amJust say “no, thank you!” to graft.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:49 amWow, I wonder what the poll number is for sending American ground troops into Darfur, must 85-90 percent against. Dems never look past their noses when it comes to policy decisions.
Comment by Jason+M.+Hendler — September 28, 2006 @ 9:33 am
Republicans, on the other hand, can’t look past their asses, which is where I think you pulled that figure from. If you’ve got something concrete to back your assertion up, please share it with the rest of us.
But since you asked, let’s see if we can open up that discussion a bit. According to WorldPublicOpinion.org, a new Zogby poll indicates that “seven in 10 support the United States imposing a “no-fly zone†over Darfur to prevent Sudanese planes from bombing civilians.” In addition, 62 percent agree that the United States ‘has a responsibility to help stop the killing in the Darfur region’ and that 58 percent believe ‘more can be done’ by the US “to help end the crisis in Sudan.â€
Now, of course this isn’t the same as support for troop involvement in Darfur, and how that issue will shake out is anyone’s guess.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:58 amSteve is pissed! and he’s justified.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:00 amhttp://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/000978.php
Budpaul,
It’s sad to see, but that 30% is blinded by religion. They have over dosed on kool-aid and truly believe that we are involved in a religious crusade. Karl Rove is a genius. He realized years ago that if you can gain a person’s faith, the same type of faith that they have in their religion, you can get them to support and believe anything. They don’t question whether current strategies are smart, or if this administration is telling the truth. They just maintain their “faith” that we are doing the right thing. It’s a fact that the current administration doesn’t deserve their faith and actually mocks these people.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:01 am#5, Dem Soldier,
“The Path to 9/11″ showed how everything and everyone had to fail to allow four airliners to be hijacked and crashed by terrorists – from Sandy Berger to Condoleeza Rice – no ONE person is culpable.
The “Reagan docu-drame” was just a tasteless slam directly on Reagan, whose funeral was second only to the funeral Pope John Paul II for presitgious attendance and media coverage. I would NEVER call for that to be shown on any channel, but I wouldn’t call for it to be pulled either.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:01 amFormer New York mayor Rudi Giuliani said yesterday, “The idea of trying to cast blame on President Clinton [for 9/11] is just wrong for many, many reasons, not the least of which is I don’t think he deserves it.â€
Must not have gotten the memo reminding all Repubs that Bill Clinton is to blame for everything. Bye Rudy.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:06 am…while 45 percent said the U.S. should increase diplomatic our efforts with allies.
Increase diplomatic efforts?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:07 amHow about finally use diplomacy?
That sounds more like it.
A report from the UK Ministry of Defense says the Iraq war has acted as a “recruiting sergeant†for Islamic extremists, and describes the west as being “in a fix.â€
No kidding…
September 28th, 2006 at 10:07 amJason,
One question, and then we can go back to ignoring each other:
Who was the Captain of the Good Ship USA on 9/11/01?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:09 amtrue,
Good point. Just thinking about using diplomacy is an increase from doing nothing.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:10 amThanks, Zooey.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:13 amI come up with a good point every once in a while.
;)
#16 – In other words, you hold onto a double standard.
The “Path to 9/11″ was disputed by the people who were actually there and stated that the show was perpetrating lies and faslehoods. In fact, the comissions report directly contradicts the scene where they supposedly didn’t authorize the missle, but you don’t seem to care about those particular lies.
If you wanted to show the whole “path”, why didn’t they include Pres. Reagan funneling monies to the groups that would eventually become terrorists? What, you’ll only go back to 1993 to start the “path”??? Come on. You know full well that they “Path to 9/11″ was a hatchet job that was targeted specifically by rabid right-whiners and released right before an election.
You claimed that it was anti-free-speech to fight against the “Path to 9/11″, but it’s all hunky-dorey for the Pres. Reagan docu-drama to be taken off broadcast television.
You, sir, are a partisan hack, and you know it. If the foo shits, wear it.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:13 amWell hello “citizens” and welcome to the new Republican Amerika where you are now officially considered guilty unless proven otherwise! Oh, and under these new laws, since you will not be able to confront your accusers,or see most evidence, (another right Congress just took away), how anyone can prove their innocence escapes me.Also think of this-If you will not be released til the “war on terror”is over, lifetime jail with no parole is inevitable as terrorism is a part of the world and will not disappear.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:14 amI watched the house on C-Span yesterday and made many call’s none of which helped our state of affairs….Considering the way thing’s are going in our country the senate will likely pass their bill similar to HR6166….I posted on a thread what was going on but like much of what is posted I doubt many even noticed…..Increasing the dictatorship take over and totaly dismantling our constitution is the plan of the terrible regime now in our white house….They have now trashed hebeas corpus, the geneva convention and US war crimes act….No matter what bush and his dreadful bunch do if this continues he and all of them get off scott free…..
I did catch a VET-PAC media meeting very late on C-Span as well…..Murtha and many retired vet’s from all branches of the service are trying to jump into races across the country to try and save our country from the evil with in….
While every one here goes about you’re posting day please remember..JASON H. AND THE REPUBLICAN TROLLS HERE WANT DEMOCRATS ” DISTROYED”. Get away from you’re computers between the fact findings and do something to take our country back. I am…..Blessings…Peace
September 28th, 2006 at 10:15 amFormer New York mayor Rudi Giuliani said yesterday, “The idea of trying to cast blame on President Clinton [for 9/11] is just wrong for many, many reasons, not the least of which is I don’t think he deserves it.â€
Given the propensity of this websit to throw out the cherry-picking slur, this is truly ironic. Read the rest of the article (I wonder if the TP’s moderator did),
Giuliani said he believed Clinton, like his successor, did everything he could with the information he was provided.
The people who deserve blame for Sept. 11, I think we should remind ourselves, are the terrorists _ the Islamic fanatics _ who came here and killed us and want to come here again and do it.”
Yeah, it’s cherry picking season again.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:19 amOn C-Span now….Senate on the bill simalar to the house bill that passed yesterday..Please watch. Call and email you’re representatives..All our right’s are being striped away….Blessings
September 28th, 2006 at 10:30 amJay,
You make a good point. Why is it, though, that well half way through Bush’s second term, so many conservatives still insist on blaming Clinton for everything?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:31 amWhy does Giuliani hate our freedom?
September 28th, 2006 at 10:32 amDahlia Lithwick:
“For the five years since 9/11, we have been in the dark in this country. This president has held detainees in secret prisons and had them secretly tortured using secret legal justifications. Those held in secret at Guantanamo Bay include innocent men, as do those who have been secretly shipped off to foreign countries and brutally tortured there. That was a shame on this president.
But passage of the new detainee legislation will be a different sort of watershed. Now we are affirmatively asking to be left in the dark. Instead of torture we were unaware of, we are sanctioning torture we’ll never hear about. Instead of detainees we didn’t care about, we are authorizing detentions we’ll never know about. Instead of being misled by the president, we will be blind and powerless by our own choice. And that is a shame on us all.”
Indeed. Every American with an ounce of humanity in their souls should be ashamed.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:32 amRe #20
No answer for me, Jason? Hmmmm…..
Answer: George W. Bush was president on 9/11/01, and as captain of this ship called America, everything that happens on that ship while he’s captain is his fault, and to his credit. EVERYTHING.
I’d say the same about Bill Clinton, Al Gore or John Kerry.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:34 amNow, Zooey. You apparently don’t remember that at little over a year ago, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, conservatives didn’t want to play the “blame game.”
September 28th, 2006 at 10:39 amJoe Sixpack #6
While you’re “lionizing” Guiliani…
don’t forget…
…he helped to cover up the murder of Amadou Diallo…
…the hard working African immigrant who was shot 41 times by racist al cracker police officers on Guiliani’s force…
…he tried to shield from prosecution the racist al cracker cops who sodomized Abner Louima (while in custody) with a broomstick…
…he covered up the murder of a young Puerto Rican male (his name escapes me) who was shot by racist al cracker NYPD officers after being handcuffed and lying on the floor of a NYC apartment…
…Guiliani is an accessory to murder and mayhem…
…and finally…
…Guiliani was carrying on an affair with his then press secretary in the Mayor’s mansion…
…his wife of many years found out about his wanting a divorce from the press!
Take the time Joe to know whom you’re supporting…
September 28th, 2006 at 10:42 amheard on sam’s show – THIS IS EXTREMEMLY IMPORTANT
specter amendment on habeus corpus -
call your senators to vote FOR this amendment…especially these:
Call Senator Collins/Snowe and urge her to vote against S. 3930 . This unAmerican bill betrays our constitutional tradition and costs us what little moral authority we retain, not to secure the country — torture doesn’t produce useful intelligence — but because desperate politicians want something to brag about on the campaign trail. Tell Senator Collins/Snowe that no cheap partisan stunt is worth exposing our troops to torture, alienating our allies, and abandoning the Constitution.
Susan Collins
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2523
Fax: (202) 224-2693
Olympia Snowe
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5344
Toll Free: (800) 432-1599
Fax: (202) 224-1946
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_09_24_atrios_archive.html#115939628909404868
capital switchboard: 866.340.9281 .or. 866.808.0065
September 28th, 2006 at 10:59 amhow long will it take for this general to be called a traitor???
USA: Maj. General John Batiste’s testimony before Sen. Democratic Policy Committee
Army Major General John R.S. Batiste (retired)
September 25, 2006
My name is John Batiste. I left the military on principle on November 1, 2005, after more than 31 years of service. I walked away from promotion and a promising future serving our country. I hung up my uniform because I came to the gut-wrenching realization that I could do more good for my soldiers and their families out of uniform. I am a West Point graduate, the son and son-in-law of veteran career soldiers, a two-time combat veteran with extensive service in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq, and a life-long Republican. Bottom line, our nation is in peril, our Department of Defense’s leadership is extraordinarily bad, and our Congress is only today, more than five years into this war, beginning to exercise its oversight responsibilities. This is all about accountability and setting our nation on the path to victory. There is no substitute for victory and I believe we must complete what we started in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Donald Rumsfeld is not a competent wartime leader. He knows everything, except “how to win.” He surrounds himself with like-minded and compliant subordinates who do not grasp the importance of the principles of war, the complexities of Iraq, or the human dimension of warfare. Secretary Rumsfeld ignored 12 years of U.S. Central Command deliberate planning and strategy, dismissed honest dissent, and browbeat subordinates to build “his plan,” which did not address the hard work to crush the insurgency, secure a post-Saddam Iraq, build the peace, and set Iraq up for self-reliance. He refused to acknowledge and even ignored the potential for the insurgency, which was an absolute certainty. Bottom line, his plan allowed the insurgency to take root and metastasize to where it is today.
Our great military lost a critical window of opportunity to secure Iraq because of inadequate troop levels and capability required to impose security, crush a budding insurgency, and set the conditions for the rule of law in Iraq. We were undermanned from the beginning, lost an early opportunity to secure the country, and have yet to regain the initiative. To compensate for the shortage of troops, commanders are routinely forced to manage shortages and shift coalition and Iraqi security forces from one contentious area to another in places like Baghdad, An Najaf, Tal Afar, Samarra, Ramadi, Fallujah, and many others.
This shifting of forces is generally successful in the short term, but the minute a mission is complete and troops are redeployed back to the region where they came from, insurgents reoccupy the vacuum and the cycle repeats itself. Troops returning to familiar territory find themselves fighting to reoccupy ground which was once secure. We are all witnessing this in Baghdad and the Al Anbar Province today. I am reminded of the myth of Sisyphus. This is no way to fight a counter-insurgency. Secretary Rumsfeld’s plan did not set our military up for success.
Secretary Rumsfeld’s dismal strategic decisions resulted in the unnecessary deaths of American servicemen and women, our allies, and the good people of Iraq. He was responsible for America and her allies going to war with the wrong plan and a strategy that did not address the realities of fighting an insurgency. He violated fundamental principles of war, dismissed deliberate military planning, ignored the hard work to build the peace after the fall of Saddam Hussein, set the conditions for Abu Ghraib and other atrocities that further ignited the insurgency, disbanded Iraqi security force institutions when we needed them most, constrained our commanders with an overly restrictive de-Ba’athification policy, and failed to seriously resource the training and equipping of the Iraqi security forces as our main effort. He does not comprehend the human dimension of warfare.
The mission in Iraq is all about breaking the cycle of violence and the hard work to change attitudes and give the Iraqi people alternatives to the insurgency. You cannot do this with precision bombs from 30,000 feet. This is tough, dangerous, and very personal work. Numbers of boots on the ground and hard-won relationships matter. What should have been a deliberate victory is now an uncertain and protracted challenge.
Secretary Rumsfeld built his team by systematically removing dissension.
America went to war with “his plan” and to say that he listens to his generals is disingenuous. We are fighting with his strategy. He reduced force levels to unacceptable levels, micromanaged the war, and caused delays in the approval of troop requirements and the deployment process, which tied the hands of commanders while our troops were in contact with the enemy. At critical junctures, commanders were forced to focus on managing shortages rather than leading, planning, and anticipating opportunity. Through all of this, our Congressional oversight committees were all but silent and not asking the tough questions, as was done routinely during both World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam. Our Congress shares responsibility for what is and is not happening in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Our nation’s treasure in blood and dollars continues to be squandered under Secretary Rumsfeld’s leadership. Losing one American life due to incompetent war planning and preparation is absolutely unacceptable. The work to remove Saddam Hussein and his regime was a challenge, but it pales in comparison to the hard work required to build the peace. The detailed deliberate planning to finish the job in Iraq was not considered as Secretary Rumsfeld forbade military planners from developing plans for securing a post-war Iraq. At one point, he threatened to fire the next person who talked about the need for a post-war plan. Our country and incredible military were not set up for success.
Our country has yet to mobilize for a protracted, long war. I believe that Secretary Rumsfeld and others in the Administration did not tell the American people the truth for fear of losing support for the war in Iraq. Secretary Rumsfeld failed to address the full range of requirements for this effort, and the result is one percent of the population shouldering the burdens, continued hemorrhaging of our national treasure in terms of blood and dollars, an Army and Marine Corps that will require tens of billions of dollars to reset after we withdraw from Iraq, the majority of our National Guard brigades no longer combat-ready, a Veterans Administration which is underfunded by over $3 billion, and America arguably less safe now than it was on September 11, 2001. If we had seriously laid out and considered the full range of requirements for the war in Iraq, we would likely have taken a different course of action that would have maintained a clear focus on our main effort in Afghanistan, not fueled Islamic fundamentalism across the globe, and not created more enemies than there were insurgents.
What do we do now? We are where we are, plagued by the mistakes of the past. Thankfully, we are Americans and with the right leadership, we can do anything. First, the American people need to take charge through their elected officials. Secretary Rumsfeld and the Administration are fighting a war in secret that threatens our democratic values. This needs to stop right now, today. Second, we must replace Secretary Rumsfeld and his entire inner circle. We deserve leaders whose judgment and instinct we can all trust. Third, we must mobilize our country for a protracted challenge, which must include conveying the “what, why, and how long” to every American, rationing to finance the totality of what we are doing, and gearing up our industrial base in a serious manner.
Mortgaging our future at the rate of $1.5 billion a week and financing our great Army and Marine Corps with supplemental legislation must stop. Americans will rally behind this important cause when the rationale is properly laid out. Fourth, we must rethink our Iraq strategy. “More of the same” is not a strategy, nor is it working. This new strategy must include serious consideration of federalizing the country, other forms of Iraqi national conscription and incentives to modify behavior, and a clear focus on training and equipping the Iraqi security forces as “America’s main effort.” Fifth, we must fix our inter-agency process to completely engage and synchronize all elements of America’s national power. Unity of effort is fundamental and we need one person in charge in Iraq who pulls the levers with all U.S. Government agencies responding with 110 percent effort. Finally, we need to get serious about mending our relationships with allies and getting closer to our friends and enemies. America can not go this alone. All of this is possible, but we need leadership and responsible Congressional oversight to pull this off.
I challenge the American people to get informed and speak out. Remember that the Congress represents and works for the people. Congressional oversight committees have been strangely silent for too long, and our elected officials must step up to their responsibilities or be replaced. This is not about partisan politics, but rather what is good for our country. Our November elections are crucial. Every American needs to understand the issues and cast his or her vote. I believe that one needs to vote for the candidate who understands the issues and who has the moral courage to do the harder right rather than the easier wrong. I for one will continue to speak out until there is accountability, until the American people establish momentum, and until our Congressional oversight committees kick into action. Victory in Iraq is fundamental and we cannot move forward until accountability is achieved.
Thank you.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:08 amWe still have a chance to stop on of the most egregious features of the Detainee/Torture bill. Please contact your Senators and tell them to support Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter’s ammendment to restore habeas corpus rights, allowing suspects at the very least an opportunity to challenge their detainment in court. Senators Collins and Snowe, both moderate Republicans, need a bit of a push on this:
September 28th, 2006 at 11:09 amcapital switchboard: 866.340.9281 .or. 866.808.0065
What impact will the passing of the ‘right to torture’ and ‘detain indefinitely’ laws have on the willingness of US allies (are there any left besides the poodles in Britain?) to extradite terrorist supects to the United States?
What country is going to send one of its citizens to the US, where there is almost no chance of legal representation, likely indefinite detention without trial and the possibility of summary execution exists for the suspect?
September 28th, 2006 at 11:16 am#28, Bob, one good question deserves another. How come after losing national elections for 12 years, the Democrats still blame Bush&Co for everything?
September 28th, 2006 at 11:26 amfirs off. the full quote
“The idea of trying to cast blame on President Clinton is just wrong for many, many reasons, not the least of which is I don’t think he deserves it. I don’t think President Bush deserves it. The people who deserve blame for Sept. 11, I think we should remind ourselves, are the terrorists, the Islamic fanatics, who came here and killed us and want to come here again and do it.” Nicely said.
Mistakes were and will be made by administrations. I am not a Clinton supporter, but I don’t blame him for 9/11. Unstill 9/11 who really figured that someone would fly a plane into a building.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:33 amIndeed the best way to win over hearts and minds is to have urine and feces drip on those hearts and minds.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:33 amI just heard Lindsey Graham say: “I sleep very well at night,” concerning his cave-in to Bush/Cheney on the torture/suspension of habeus corpus bill. He said he hasn’t lost his moral compass. Well, someone must have written or said something to him, or he wouldn’t even mention it. Sleep well, Lindsey Graham, sleep well…….the nightmares will come later.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:43 am#39 – ” Untill 9/11 who really figured that someone would fly a plane into a building.”
The US Government thought that Islamic terrorists might attempt to crash an airliner into the G-8 summit in early 2001, a few months prior to September 11th. Go figure!
“Condoleezza Rice was the top National Security official with President Bush at the July 2001 G-8 summit in Genoa. There, U.S. officials were warned that Islamic terrorists might attempt to crash an airliner into the summit, prompting officials to close the airspace over Genoa and station antiaircraft guns at the city’s airport. – LA Times, 9/27/01; White House Release, 7/22/01″
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/apps/custom/cap/findorg.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=124702&lftnav=claimvsfact
September 28th, 2006 at 12:03 pmDems never look past their noses when it comes to policy decisions.
Comment by Jason+M.+Hendler — September 28, 2006 @ 9:33 am
But republicans like Reagan can arm terrorists and brutal dictators with no ill effects to America’s foreign policy? Reagan started trading weapons for hostages – and when the terrorists saw how easily he could be rolled, they kidnapped more people. Reagan’s policies increased the hostage-taking. Republicans think the world began in ‘92.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:18 pm…Guiliani was carrying on an affair with his then press secretary in the Mayor’s mansion……his wife of many years found out about his wanting a divorce from the press! Take the time Joe to know whom you’re supporting…
Comment by big+papa, #33
Papa, I never said I support him. Just that for a republican, he’s not all bad.
I actually like Mark Warner for president since Rep. Harold Ford, TN won’t be running in 2008—-not that I give a shit what you think one way or the other. All that racist slang from you in reference to “cracker police” and “cracker cops” and “cracker NYPD cops” pretty well sums up your own racist attitude.
Just sign me out as a “cracker ass” and that will be fine.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:26 pmJoe Sixpack #44
If you’re denying there are racist cops in America (CRACKERS)…
…then I guess i CAN sign you out as a racist CRACKER…
…if you understand what a CRACKER IS but don’t subscribe to their beliefs, actions or attitudes…
…then WHY be offended by the term?
I wasn’t accusing YOU of being one, and the fawning comments you made about Guiliani could logically cause one to INFER that you did indeed support him…
…and you “not giving a shit what I think” is irrelevant, nor disproves ANY of my previous comments…
…having read some of your past posts I suspect that we might have more in common than you think…
…except the Mark Warner thing…
…anyway, I have no real quarrel with you…
…unless you REALLY ARE an al CRACKER…
…in progressive clothing…
September 28th, 2006 at 1:15 pmImagine all the ills of the nation that could be resolved with only a week or two of the money being lost in Iraq. Republiscum priorities are sickening.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:37 pmYou mean like the trillions spent on welfare over the past 4 decades creating a permanent mulit-generational welfare class?
September 28th, 2006 at 2:06 pmShame on you Jay (D)Cline #47…
…you of ALL people should know…
…there is NOTHING “permanent”…
…in America…
September 28th, 2006 at 2:24 pm1) why should I of all people know that?
2) is there a point you are trying to make?
September 28th, 2006 at 2:42 pmVoting For Torture Is Wrong!
28th of September 2006
by Jay Randal
Probably the most important election in United States history is just under 6 weeks from now, but the House of Representatives membership seems to be oblivious, since 253 voted AYES to allow Pres. George W. Bush to torture foreign detainees with complete immunity?
219 House Republicans voted AYES, and 34 Democrats too, while 7 Republicans voted NOES, and 160 Democrats too, with 1 Independent, and 12 members NV: not voting?
The big question is WHY would 34 Democrats harm themselves to help the Bush Regime to torture people?
I find this strange, because Pres. Bush is highly unpopular now, so WHY do anything to appease him?
WHY should any Democrats undermine the chance to take back the House by taking big risk voting AYES?
American voters are becoming cynical about elections, so it reinforces the impression that NO real difference between the two political parties, so WHY even vote?
( Jay Randal, political activist and writer in Stone Mountain, Georgia.)
September 28th, 2006 at 3:10 pm#35 Re: General John Batiste’s testimony before Sen. Democratic Policy Committee
A long post but it deserves reading! There are tons of excellent quotes and A PLAN!! on how we need to finish this mess.
1 The American people need to take charge through their elected officials.
2 Replace Secretary Rumsfeld and his entire inner circle.
3 Mobilize our country for a protracted challenge, which must include conveying the “what, why, and how long†to every American, rationing to finance the totality of what we are doing, and gearing up our industrial base in a serious manner.
4 Rethink our Iraq strategy. “More of the same†is not a strategy, nor is it working.
5 Fix our inter-agency process to completely engage and synchronize all elements of America’s national power. Unity of effort is fundamental.
6 Mending our relationships with allies and getting closer to our friends and enemies.
If we are to “Stay the Course” and win in Iraq, this sounds like the plan to follow.
But I’m still not positive that we should stay for this “Long War.”
YouTube link to the speech:
September 28th, 2006 at 4:58 pmAmen, brother. If we are going to do the job, do it right. Pity the Democrats are only hearing part of the General’s speech.
I served at Bitburg AB, Germany, 1984-1987.
You?
September 28th, 2006 at 5:07 pmFort Drum (yes, an ARMY base) and Ellsworth AFB, SD 84-89.
September 28th, 2006 at 5:35 pmI hear life in the AF has changed a good bit since then.
See a tongue-in-cheek visual of the premiere of “Police Academy – Baghdad†starring George, Dick, & Donald…here:
http://www.thoughttheater.com/2006/09/now_playing_police_academy_bag.php
September 28th, 2006 at 6:00 pmUnstill 9/11 who really figured that someone would fly a plane into a building.
Comment by Kevin — September 28, 2006 @ 11:33 am
microsoft did… sort of… they developed a pilot training program that actually showed how to maneuver a jumbo jet between the twin towers… i saw it… the day or next right after those buildings collapsed… all the networks showed it – “could this have given the hijackers inspiration?”…
September 28th, 2006 at 7:57 pmand then it was gone… yep… and i saw it, then… can’t find it now…
hmmmm…
Can I have $75 million to have feces and urine rained from the ceilings? I’ll just put in my bank account whatever is left over.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:32 pmYeah, the 36th got parsed out in the consolidated air wing reorg in the early 90s, and the gutting of the military back then for the “Peace Dividend” forced a lot of AFSC job consoildations, as bad as I hear it was in the late 70s.
Ellsworth? You know an engine mech named Shaz?
I am at jayclineusaf@yahoo.com
September 29th, 2006 at 6:56 amJust a point of information…Parsons Corp, who built this barracks, is not the same company as the engineering company Parsons Brinckerhoff, which was half the management team of Boston’s Big Dig highway project. The two companies are not related in any way that I know of.
Parsons Corp website: http://www.parsons.com/
Parsons Brinckerhoff website: http://www.pbworld.com/
IMHO, that error is serious enough to merit a correction.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:33 am[...] Think Progress [...]
September 29th, 2006 at 11:25 amJay Cline #49
…greedy scumbags like yourself who know that money circulates in cycles…
…Some politicians prefer to share the wealth with the people (spread it around)…
…others (like your corrupt, treasonous gods Bushiva and L’il Dick) prefer to horde it…
…keep it in the corporate, elitist blueblood family…
…the one that you grovel on your sorry, ignorant belly to suck their genitalia…
…in hopes that they’ll piss or sh*t some down on your miserable head…
…you know that nothing is permanent because you serve masters who lie to you constantly…
..talk about flip floppers?…
…your gods are screwing us over there ’cause they can, with the help of traitors like you…
September 29th, 2006 at 2:40 pmThat’s sum mity fine hare-brain stereotypes ya got runnin’ there, boy.
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