Think Progress

CNN Propagates False Iran Claim That Even White House Rejects»

As Atrios notes, CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr said this morning:

The bottom line, Heidi, is the US certainly does have intelligence tying these Iranian weapons shipments to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah ali Khamenei. It’s not something that the Bush White House wants to talk about in public too much because they really do not want to ratchet up tensions with Iran, the facts aside.

Starr claims the White House doesn’t want to talk about this “too much.” Actually, the White House explicitly denies it. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said yesterday:

SNOW: This is where we get to the rhetorical question I was asking you before. Do we have a signed piece of paper from Mr. Khamenei or from President Ahmadinejad signing off on this? No.

I’m trying to be careful about how we do this. The question is, do we know that some particular senior official signed off? No. It’s an opaque government. It’s not a transparent government.

Watch both clips back-to-back:

Screenshot

In other words, CNN is now overstating the intelligence on Iran beyond the overstatements of the Bush administration.

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203 Responses to “CNN Propagates False Iran Claim That Even White House Rejects”


  1. oldtree Says:

    again, thanks so much Ted, selling it off to someone who would turn CNN into an infotainment channel, thanks, for nothing.
    isn’t it interesting to watch what war profiteers do when they get ahold of the government by the withered cajones that remain?


  2. VerbalKint Says:

    Once again the “liberal” media does its part for its fearless leader Bush.

    No doubt she was thinking “hey, the Republicans make stuff up, so I can too!”


  3. linda Says:

    barbara starr is easily one of the most gullible of the very many candidates for that title in the pentagon press room.


  4. TSop Says:

    Somewhere Rove is smiling at his new found Judy Miller.


  5. DRxJ Says:

    And the war drums beat ever so louder…


  6. tarazan Says:

    Barbara starr is nothing but a parrot. She is nothing but a recorder button pushed on ‘ Replay’. All her reproting is nothing but a ’stenography’,and she is not alone in this, all media reporters of major networks fall in her category.


  7. PeterW Says:

    Hearst would be proud. Remember the Maine!


  8. Jefffrey Stewart Says:

    CNN is in full jingoistic mode! Earlier today they had an online poll asking if the Iranian government was responsible for the weapons smuggling. Astonishingly over 70% agreed it was!!!

    This just goes to show how gullible people are and how little they think critically. All that was required was making the accusations and over 70% believed them.

    I am terrified concerning war with Iran, increasingly fascistic tendencies and the malleability of public opinion! Vice President Grim Reaper must be in his bunker smiling and rubbing his hands together!


  9. Freakaloin Says:

    can you say “operation mockingbird”? or some other program like that? :)


  10. ace Says:

    During the FAKE London Terror Threat - which came just 36 hours after AIPAC tool Lieberman lost to Lamont (totally orchestrated By Karl Rove in order to CHANGE THE SUBJECT), it was Barbara Starr who announced during this FALSE FLAG THREAT that US Submariner, Ariel Joseph Weinmann, had been arrested SIX MONTHS EARLIER for espionage - turning over nuclear submarine secrets to “a foreign country” - said to be Israel by the rest of the world media - but proclaimed to be “Russia” by Barbara Starr - thanks to her “anonymous Pentagon sources.”

    Ariel Joseph Weinmann’s espionage for Israel was as bad as the Jonathon Pollar Spy case…and you know NOTHING ABOUT IT - thanks to CIA/Rockefeller/Israeli operative - Barbara Starr.

    Israel’s submarines now have our targeting and launch codes. Can they strike Iran now using our subs against our will?

    Ask Barbara Starrr - she knows the truth - because she invents the lies.


  11. Zimzone Says:

    I blocked CNN from my house the moment Glenn Blech arrived.


  12. Jeff Says:

    weird, huh


  13. ace Says:

    The Rasmussen poll is bought and paid for by the Republican Party.

    No poll conducted by Rasmussen will ever reflect reality.

    http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/ whitecollarcrime_blog/ 2005/ 03/ if_you_cant_tru.html

    Former Pollster Pleads Guilty to Fabricating Results

    Tracy Costin, the former owner of polling company DataUSA Inc., entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for fabricating the results of polls the company conduct on behalf of, among others, President Bush in 2004.

    http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/ whitecollarcrime_blog/ 2006/ 09/ former_pollster.html


  14. TheToonGuy Says:

    This is what passes for journalism these days? Is it any wonder that people hold this so-called “reporters” in such contempt?


  15. metacomet Says:

    the WH and Pentagon “correspondents” are nothing more that shills for the WH. Have they ever investigated any of the many lies, misdeeds and mistakes of BushCo? They are lazy and CORRUPT. and stupid. spare us your “insight” - your “take” on the issues, whores!!!!!


  16. ForTruth Says:

    Dangit CNN, I thought you were better than that.


  17. InOnTheFly Says:

    Why don’t these obfuscating, uniformed “news reporters” like Ms Starr just take a few sleeping pills to put them away for a long time? What sort of constructive purpose would perpetuating this certain untrue information (except in the minds of Cheney and his gang) out to the public. CNN should can her and her ilk immediately. This BS of blabbering out statements without verifying the information is stupid at best! Sorry Barbara but, never fear, Faux Snooze will hire you to continue on in this vein!


  18. Lucifer Says:

    Or, and stay with me now, CNN has an intelligence source that actually knows the truth, but Bush wants to downplay it so that Iran doesn’t go bonkers for having been exposed.

    Certainly is possible, although there’s no way of knowing. It’s kind of like how we have a lot of dirt on the Saudis, but don’t want to dish it to keep up appearances.

    I’m thinking we have a lot of dirt on a lot of governments, but keep it to ourselves for fear of causing problems.

    Either that or CNN is just wrong, or had an intelligence source tell them something wrong.

    I’m a bit surprised (OK, I just lied) that Think Progress says this is a “false Iran claim”. How does Think Progress know it’s false? It certainly needs to be corroborated, but does it automatically become false since no corroboration exists yet?

    It’s a fool’s errand to proclaim that things are false which you actually have absolutely no knowledge about.


  19. Mike Says:

    Alot of people are still in deep denial over the state of democracy in this country. People who should be smarter than that. Don’t you get it TP? The U.S. media is bought and paid for and is complicit in everything this criminal administration has done. They don’t just follow the White House. The White House follows the same puppet masters that the corporate media follows. Why can’t you accept that? They were complicit in 9/11 cover up, complicit in the lies that sent this country into Iraq, and complicit in the lies that will lead this country to attack Iran.


  20. linda Says:

    cnn is desperate for ratings and you all know how that shock and awe video brings the eyeballs. last week, cnn had a live video feed that woof eagerly turned to when there was gunfire between hamas and hezbollah fighters. it was a camera that appeared to be set up on a rooftop and cnn was clearly hoping for some bullet-riddled bodies and explosions.


  21. Keith H. Says:

    Umm . . . do I detect some dissent on the part of the WH ?

    Is this signs of a power struggle between what their handlers demand and what they can concievably buy into ?

    Are we seeing our media propegating intentions without the current complicity of their tools in office ?


  22. Jefffrey Stewart Says:

    #19, “It’s a fool’s errand to proclaim that things are false which you actually have absolutely no knowledge about.”

    The same goes for proclaiming things are true, e.g., Iranian goverment is involved in weapons smuggling.

    Thanks for the logic lesson.


  23. klyde Says:

    I don’t call it PNN
    Pentagon News Network for nothing.

    Has anyone noticed how Mick Ware has become almost a pentagon mouthpiece since leaving Newsweek and coming to PNN?


  24. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    When I saw Barbara on TV, I’d say: “There’s a good reporter”. When asked why, I’d say: “She has the face of a dead sheep, she must be good to be on CNN”.

    Well that was yesterday. Today: “What’s that dead sheep doing on my TV?”


  25. theswan Says:

    American Corporate Media stands by their man.
    The fact that cnn blatantly pushes this propaganda is patently unamerican.
    Get the lies straight barbara.


  26. Roger_Roger Says:

    If the Iranian government fails to stop there citizens from shipping weapons into Iraq, then the Iranian government is also at fault. It is there job afterall to not allow this to happen. It floors me they keep shipping weapons into Iraq however. Don’t they realize we will attack them for it after a while? I would think we are 1-2 months out from full scale war in Iran unless they suspend there nuke weapon program and stop aiding terrorists in Iraq. Who knows though. There leader is retarded enough to maybe want war.


  27. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    In the words of Eric Alterman: “Repeat after me - ‘What so-called-liberal-media?’”


  28. katy Says:

    *
    listening to him now on sam’s show…
    we gotta stop this - and we can - NOW.

    Stop the Iran War Before It Starts

    Scott Ritter

    http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070205/ritter
    !


  29. Democrat Soldier Says:

    The hard-liner government of Iran was on the verge of collapsing, and then they decided on a new tactic:
    Get the US to threaten us, and then the citizens that have been grumbling about our rule will support us again!

    Well, Pres. Bush is ready to kill more American lives to keep the fundamentalist Muslim government in charge in Iran.

    Why do Republicans hate American troops so much?


  30. Deadeye Dick Cheney Says:

    Ali Khameini? Didn’t Michael Ledeen declare him dead?


  31. Raven Says:

    Whatever weapons are coming into Iraq from Iran are only a nominal percentage of the flow coming in from every other direction…
    Iraq has become a gaping black hole where every arms dealer and smuggler in the neighborhood can send as many weapons as they can deliver.


  32. DRxJ Says:

    If the Iranian government fails to stop there citizens from shipping weapons into Iraq, then the Iranian government is also at fault. It is there job afterall to not allow this to happen.
    Comment by RogerDebate_Dodger — February 14, 2007 @ 10:44 am

    Wow, you really do create the ultimate strawmen, and then refuse to debate.
    Typical
    Please provide proof that there are Iranians shipping weapons into Iraq. Your own administration can’t even get that story straight. But hey, if you’re still holding onto the myth of WMD, I can somewhat understand your misguided belief of
    Iran’s weapons involvement

    Don’t they realize we will attack them for it after a while? I would think we are 1-2 months out from full scale war in Iran unless they suspend there nuke weapon program and stop aiding terrorists in Iraq.

    Boy, you sure are gung-ho regarding another war, as you sit safely behind your computer screen.
    Enlist, and join the cause!

    Who knows though. There leader is retarded enough to maybe want war.
    Unless you had a typo, and meant their leader, I can only assume you subconsiously meant this:
    There, Bush, idiotic enough to maybe mislead us into another war.
    to which I whole heartedly agree


  33. PoliticalCritic Says:

    The media is being sloppy again, just like they were in the run-up to the Iraq war. They need to question everything.


  34. ES Says:

    Those liberal bastards at CNN


  35. InOnTheFly Says:

    I’m a bit surprised (OK, I just lied) that Think Progress says this is a “false Iran claim”. How does Think Progress know it’s false? It certainly needs to be corroborated, but does it automatically become false since no corroboration exists yet?

    It’s a fool’s errand to proclaim that things are false which you actually have absolutely no knowledge about.

    Comment by Lucifer — February 14, 2007 @ 10:35 am

    Lucifer, I can see that you are one of those glass half full or half empty kinda persons. Did you get anything out of Tony Snow’s White House press conference yesterday when he got pummelled by those correspondents who had the balls to question him on the subject for factual info on the subject because all he did was dance around the topic. Believe me, this administration would be great to play poker against as they NEVER hold anything close to the vest. In fact, it is just the opposite with them to a fault — including propagating outright falsehoods before they can substantiate them. I am sorry, but you’ve chosen the wrong crowd to prop up as truthtellers!


  36. chimpeach Says:

    #19 Lucifer

    I’m a bit surprised (OK, I just lied) that Think Progress says this is a “false Iran claim”. How does Think Progress know it’s false? It certainly needs to be corroborated, but does it automatically become false since no corroboration exists yet?

    I’d like to direct your attention to the part of the story that says: “Starr claims the White House doesn’t want to talk about this ‘too much.’ Actually, the White House explicitly denies it.”

    And, the head of the Joint Chiefs also says there’s no evidence of Iran’s leadership being involved. So, it becomes false when the White House and the Joint Chiefs both publicly say it’s false while Barbara Starr says it isn’t. The burden of proof is on her. If she has somebody in the White House telling her that Iranian leadership is involved with the weapons shipments in direct contradiction with the official White House word, she either needs to have the White House source identify him/herself or not report what they’re saying. The White House can’t have it both ways. They can’t tell the public ‘this’ and then leak to reporters to tell the public ‘that’.


  37. CoffinsDrapedWithFlags Says:

    Would these be the same weapons that Ronny Reagan sold to the Iran Government during the Iran-Contra treasonous affair? Wasn’t President Ahmadinejad part of the Iranian revolution that held Americans hostage therefore having access to Ronny Reagan’s weapons? Maybe we should ask Oliver North to clear up this situation. Ollie, wtf did you do with those weapons that you sold to Iran? Ollie, did you record the serial numbers someplace so that if we ever get attacked with these weapons we will know that they are US weapons being used against our troops?


  38. Raven Says:

    Live broadcast on NPR of Bush press conference at the moment……. he’s getting some tough questions, starting to sound flustered and belligerent already………


  39. CoffinsDrapedWithFlags Says:

    The WH doesn’t want to admit that they sold these weapons to Iran. Refresh my memory, wasn’t Cheney involved with the Reagan administration in some capacity?


  40. CoffinsDrapedWithFlags Says:

    Raven - thanks. listening now. He sounds angry


  41. Raven Says:

    Without a doubt US and US supplied weapons are being used against US troops.
    Whole warehouses of weaponry were ignored in the invasion.
    Interesting no one seems to mention all this other armament, and are focusing on a few sidearms and rifles from Persia.


  42. karlX Says:

    #38
    raven, keep us updated, sounds fun


  43. Raven Says:

    Cheney and Rumsfeld go back to the Ford administration, can’t remember who was assuming which position…….


  44. mparker Says:

    “the facts aside.”

    And yes they are.


  45. Xenon Says:

    CNN, FOX, what’s the difference anymore? With neocon bunnies like Heidi Collins and Kyra Phillips bouncing around big bad Wolf, CNN transcends “liberal” into “zeaoltry.”


  46. Raven Says:

    He’s now interrupting the reporters as they are asking the questions.
    He’s extremely defensive sounding.
    Beginning to falter more in his responses.


  47. chimpeach Says:

    #37 CoffinsDrapedWithFlags

    Would these be the same weapons that Ronny Reagan sold to the Iran Government during the Iran-Contra treasonous affair?

    The weapons listed in the Iran-Contra sale were TOW anti-tank missiles and Hawk anti-aircraft missiles. I think they threw in some F-14 parts, too.


  48. Raven Says:

    George W. Bush, February 14th, 2007:
    “Sometimes money trumps peace”


  49. karlX Says:

    is there really any MSM outlet that is ever going to give us “real” news? They are all mouthpieces for elite policy.

    i stay away from tv, get most of my “news” from Democracy Now! Z, and the like; and the Economist from time to time to see what the big bad corporate military industrialists are up to.


  50. RUCerious Says:

    Is Brenda, er, Babs Starr related to Kenneth?


  51. Parrotlover77 Says:

    With need more Keith Olbermanns and Jack Caffertys. I’m tired of these pandering Bush butt kissing punduts…


  52. karlX Says:

    48 “Sometimes money trumps peace”!?

    that’s hilarious, what is that in response to?
    wow, that’s a honest moment.


  53. Raven Says:

    karlX….
    The question was (paraphrased)
    “Regarding the European nations who have significant trade with Iran, how does that relate to their (Eurpoeans) relations with Iran.”
    Yes, honesty strongly underlined with hypocrisy…..
    Wait, now he’s talking about switch grass again.. gotta go!


  54. Tobey Tall Says:

    So what . did america not supply weapons to the Taliban to kill Russians … what comes around goes around ……who cares


  55. ForTruth Says:

    Comment by Roger_Roger

    I’ve already given the local recruiting officer your information, they will be contacting you shortly.


  56. kathleen Galt Says:

    We know Wolf Blitzer worked of Israeli papers…what is with Barbara Starrd does she work for Mossad? Can we even believe that the MSMi is doiing it again. Christ they have allowed (except for Chris Matthews , Diane Rehms and Alex Chadwick) the neo-cons to repeat unsubstantiated claims about Iran for the last three years. Ruel Marc Gerecht, Daniel Pipes, Micheal Ledeen, Cheney, Bolton the same group have been marching our nation towards a confrontation with Iran.

    Instead of many of these liars being locked up for the false pre-war intelligence that they created and dessiminated for Iraq..they run free yelling Iran Iran. Lock them up “faster please”

    WILL SENATOR ROCKERFELLER COMPLETE PHASE II OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE?

    “inappropriate” the Pentagons Inspector Generals description of the the manipualtion of intelligence coming out of Feith office shoulld be used for lies under oath about a blow job. But it seems a bit weak to describe the INTELLIGENCE SNOWJOB how about CRIMINAL!

    THE VERY LEAST OUR REPS CAN DO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEEDLESSLY LOST THEIR LIVES IN THIS WAR OF CHOICE AND LIES IS HOLD THOSE WHO LIED OUR NATION INTO IT ACCOUNTABLE. ARE THEY UP TO THE TASK OR DO THEY NEED A BLOW JOB TO INVESTIGATE? WILL THAT GET THEIR INVESTIGATIVE JUICES FLOWING LIKE THE FORMER REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED CONGRESS?


  57. Tobey Tall Says:

    Guns dont kill people ,,,, Insurgents do …….. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha


  58. ForTruth Says:

    A blow job would get some kind of juices flowing, probably not investigative.


  59. Juan C Says:

    did america not supply weapons to the Taliban to kill Russians … what comes around goes around ……who cares
    Comment by Tobey Tall

    Exactly. But to some posters here (bob, Exley, Roger^2) US has the divine right to do what it wants. Lets forget that US supported Indonesia to kill East Timoreses, Pinochet to kill chileans, Saddam to kill iranians, South Africa to kill Angoleses (?), Contras to kill nicaraguans and american nuns, etc… but they sh*t their pants when others get weapons to defend against US actions.


  60. Angry One Says:

    As the debate over Iran’s involvement in attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq heats up, the Bush White House is facing a credibility gap of historic proportions. As Bush himself said in 2002:

    “Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

    For the details and video, see:
    “Fool Me Once: Bush and Iran.”


  61. DallasNE Says:

    Perhaps Barbara Starr would like to “clarify” the following Bush statement (thanks to Josh Marshall at TPM).

    “Bush: To be patriotic you don’t have to agree with my policy, but you do have to support it. ”

    What am I missing? Simple logic says that if you support a policy you are agreeing with that policy. Basically, Bush is saying that you are either with us or you are with the terrorists. Fear and smear. The new way forward is still stay the course.


  62. CoffinsDrapedWithFlags Says:

    A reporter asked Bush about the 3 people in his administration that are implicated in outing Valeria Plame. The reporter specifically stated that he didn’t want Bush to talk about the Libby trial, just the 3 people in his administration. Bush stated “I won’t talk about that.” Bush was pressed several times to comment on the 3 people in his administration and he would not answer that question. Makes me ask… what’s the real connection?

    Thanks for clarification on the types of weapons that Ronny sold to Iran. Now we know that they have the anti-aircraft missles to take out our planes.

    Still need to know Cheney’s connection to the Reagan administration. I know that Cheney and Rummy go back as far as Nixon. Just can’t remember the Cheney/Reagan connection.


  63. mrJJ Says:

    Bubble Boy’s “sources” claimed that 170 US deaths can be attributed to Iranian made EFP’s…

    OK Malta is on the US Invasion List next…

    I Wonder how many of our 3127 DOD confirmed Dead and 23,417 Injured military personnel were results of AK-47 fire? Bubble Boy’s “sources” attributed 170 deaths to the Iranian made EFP’s.

    http://www.icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx

    Maltese involved in trafficking weapons to Iraq - Italian police

    UMBRIA/Italy, Malta (di-ve news) — February 12, 2007 — 2050CET — A group involved in trafficking thousands of weapons to rebellious groups in Iraq had close connections with Malta, the Italian police said on Monday. The Italian police arrested 16 persons in the Umbrian region in Italy, breaking up a ring of arms trafficking to militiamen in Iraq.

    Some of the men who were arrested by the Italian police are wealthy entrepreneurs working within the export industry and coming from Russia, Libya, China and Malta. The Italian Ministry of Defence said that the men have close links with a Libyan diplomat.

    Italian police said 500,000 AK 47 rifles and ten million pieces of ammunition were traced, but no weapons were confiscated.

    http://www.di-ve.com/ dive/ portal/ portal.jhtml?id=268504&pid=23


  64. [B!] Says:

    Don’t be surprised when you find out Barbara Starr actually is paid by the Pentagon.


  65. Raven Says:

    Somewhere in there Cheney went to work in the private (shadow?) sector, a la Halliburton.
    I’m not clear on the chronology yet, and where he was, and when.


  66. Exley Says:

    Juan, You always seem to make the same mistake. It was Allende who was the oppressor in Chile and it was the Sandinistas who were the murderous dictators in Nicaragua….Just thought I would clear up your confusion again. You’re welcome.


  67. Seixon Says:

    chimpeach,

    So, it becomes false when the White House and the Joint Chiefs both publicly say it’s false while Barbara Starr says it isn’t. The burden of proof is on her.

    Ah, so now all of a sudden the White House and their guys in the JC are beacons of truth. Funny how that happened! Of course the burden of proof is on Barbara Starr, but that still doesn’t make it correct to claim something is false. The very fact that it still might very well be true, despite denials by the White House and others, tells you that you cannot go throwing around the word “false” unless it is proven to be exactly that. The English language is rich, try “unproven” or “uncorroborated” or any synonym thereof.


  68. ForTruth Says:

    Hard to believe so many others in the world would support the terrorists, I thought everyone loved us.

    /sarcasm


  69. Raven Says:

    #63. CDWF….
    Wish I could have been able to watch Dubious’ facial expressions as he was refusing to answer the reporters question about the other 3 persons
    He sounded almost fearful in his blustering, have to give him credit for how quickly he turned it into an attack on the reporter………
    Gonna go now, the lunch hour infestation of trolls has arrived.


  70. CoffinsDrapedWithFlags Says:

    This is soooo confusing….. who’s telling the truth? Someone is lying here? What am I suppose to believe?

    Never trust a Republic to tell the truth and keep your wallet hidden from Republics… they know how to spend YOUR money and keep theirs.


  71. marie2 Says:

    Since no improvement is being made on the Iraq War and we do not want another one, we need to spend our resources on other issues such as global poverty in order to discourage more terrorism and wars. According to the Borgen Project, in reality only .16% of our federal budget is spent on poverty reduction, the least among wealthy nations. We should let our representatives know that we want change.


  72. buzzbomb Says:

    Yeah, the Ayatolla made the bombs himself and drove them to Baghdad where he personally gave them to Al Sadr. Then under cover of darkness, Al Sadr and Khamenei went and planted a roadside bomb and blew up a passing American Humvee. According to my official Pentagon source.


  73. chimpeach Says:

    #68 Seixon

    Ah, so now all of a sudden the White House and their guys in the JC are beacons of truth.

    Ah! No. You need to read the rest of what I said. I didn’t say that the White House or even the Joint Chiefs are beacons of truth. But, when the White House and the Joint Chiefs are in agreement on something, and Barbie Starr comes along and says “No, the White House told me this,” she needs to explain how the White House is saying two different things. She may have been told the opposite of the official line by someone in the White House, but then she needs to present it as there being a contradiction, not as her version being the one that everybody has to believe. If she wants people to think that, she needs to present a better case for it.

    Take another look at this: “It’s not something that the Bush White House wants to talk about in public too much because they really do not want to ratchet up tensions with Iran, the facts aside.”

    If she has a source inside the White House who let her report that, then yes they do want to talk about it in public. They wouldn’t have told her she could report it if they didn’t. They’re just trying to be weasels about it. They know that the president and the press secretary can’t be nailed on it if it’s leaked out by someone else. And who the hell would give her an exclusive, anyway?


  74. bobbob Says:

    CNN correspondent Michael Ware in Baghdad was rolling his eyes at Wolf Blitzer discussing this report. He was saying that there is a total disconnect between the White House and the facts on the ground in Iraq. He wanted to know what facts the White House was basing this story on. It was quite a revealing moment.

    Does anyone have this report from the Situation Room on CNN last night so it can get posted?


  75. kelso Says:

    Oops! Somebody at CNN accidently released RNC talking points a week too early.

    Well, no worry. Next week all the networks will be on the same page. Shame on you CNN, you need to coordinate your propaganda more responsibly.


  76. Juan C Says:

    Just thought I would clear up your confusion again. You’re welcome.
    Comment by Exley

    Yeah, a New York boy who has never been out of the country is going to teach me what happened in Chile and Nicaragua…yeah.


  77. chimpeach Says:

    #68 Seixon

    The very fact that it still might very well be true, despite denials by the White House and others, tells you that you cannot go throwing around the word “false” unless it is proven to be exactly that. The English language is rich, try “unproven” or “uncorroborated” or any synonym thereof.

    I’ll grant you that. “False” is not yet proven. It’s the way she presents her information that’s the biggest problem. There’s a disconnect and I suspect it’s at her end.


  78. Liberal in New Mexico Says:

    I guess CNN and FOX are vying for the most incredible, whore-like, lying sack of shit award, this year.


  79. Exley Says:

    Juan…I don’t know to whom you are referring in posting #78. But I do know your old pal Exley will continue to correct your various misconceptions about history. No need to thank me. It’s my pleasure.


  80. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    Seixon, my ‘uncorroborated soucres’ tell me you wear a pair of rubber boots and velcro gloves when you hit the pastures, looking for love.

    See? Anyone can make allegations, look at Exlax in post #67 - too many Chuck Norris films will do that to you. Babs Starr is doing the equivalent of yelling ‘Fire!’ in a theatre. Or perhaps using a SOTU address to allege that someone is seeking to buy yellowcake even though the CIA tells you not to say it.


  81. Juan C Says:

    But I do know your old pal Exley will continue to correct your various misconceptions about history. No need to thank me. It’s my pleasure.
    Comment by Exley

    But Reader´s Digest is not a reliable info source, nor Kissinger´s biography.

    BTW, remember yesterday when you told me about the henious attack in 9/11 that Al-Qaeda (if you want to believe this proven deceitful admin), why havent you enlisted to fight those evil-doers?


  82. Exley Says:

    Hey Terry, did you do any reading last night on the Geneva Conventions and learn the difference between a prisoner of war and an unlawful combatant? You kinda embarassed yourself last night on another thread when you showed that you did not know the difference or anything about Ex Parte Quirin…If you are still confused, I will be more than happy to explain it to you again, Triple-T.


  83. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    Not me Exlax - saw Barfly and Venus pants you again though.


  84. rachel Says:

    -CNN Propagates False Iran Claim That Even White House Rejects-

    CNN must not have recieved the daily talking points memo from the WH. You know how bad weather slows things down and all. They went with the latest and what they thought they knew in lieu of recieving the memo, and it got them squashed and debunked all in the same day.


  85. TerrytheTurtle Says:

    I’d stick around to see Juan pants you again on your Latin American history, but I need to go out now.


  86. DRxJ Says:

    saw Barfly and Venus pants you again though.
    Exley, nothing wrong with a little de-pantsing, unless of course, all the ladies point and laugh, then yes, that probably would be embarrasing.
    Just sayin….


  87. Think Progress » CNN’s Ed Henry Presses Bush On Contradictions In Iran Intelligence Says:

    […] other reporters are already hyping and overstating the administration’s claims on Iranian intelligence, Henry has maintained healthy skepticism […]


  88. Nat Says:

    Hey Terry, did you do any reading last night on the Geneva Conventions and learn the difference between a prisoner of war and an unlawful combatant?
    Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 1:01 pm

    The Geneva Conventions does not mention “unlawful combatant” because it is a term Bush pulled right out of his ass.


  89. [B!] Says:

    Comment by rachel

    Rachel,you sound reasonable;have you considered another moniker.


  90. veritas Says:

    CNN has finally been ‘OUTED’ FOR THE BUSH PROPAGANDA ORGANIZATION THAT THEY ARE! Finally!


  91. veritas Says:

    I just have to wonder where the mainstream media will go after Bush is swept from office? When it becomes declasse once again to push propaganda, rumors, half truths, lies, and pure spin and still call youself a relavant news agency?? By then, everyone will have turned to the internet and, as we speak, the MSM is quickly becoming a true dinosaur. FACT: When you turn on your tube, all they have is ‘YESTERDAY’S NEWS”….now that’s a fact!


  92. veritas Says:

    #89 is there anything that Bush hasn’t pulled out of his ass?


  93. Evil Spaniard Says:

    Is she slept while commenting? It looks so by the picture.


  94. ohboy Says:

    We need a forced draft law for anyone that’s pro war … for them and their whole family.

    How quickly things would change.


  95. Exley Says:

    Ah…So I see that Terry has not done his homework and will continue to embarass himself with lack of knowledge on the 1949 Geneva Convention and Ex Parte Quirin….That’s okay with me, TTT…It amuses me to see you embarass yourself as you did last night.


  96. Exley Says:

    #90 Nat,

    As I explained to Terry, Juan C, and Barfly last night, the term “unlawful combatant” pre-dates the Bush administration and has been a designation recognized by the law of war for almost a century now. Indeed, the Supreme Court in the 1942 case of Ex Parte Quirin repeatedly refers to “unlawful combatants.”

    Go read the case, Nat.


  97. Exley Says:

    DRxJ,

    I think you may have hit the nail on the proverbial head. Terry Turtle’s frequently stated obsession with “pantsing” of othe men may indeed bespeak certain feeling of “inadequacy” experienced by Terry. Poor guy…


  98. Uncle Ho Says:

    Here we go again. The incessent beating of the war drums by the “liberal media” on the behalf of the self-appointed “decider’.


  99. Barfly Says:

    And as Exley said yesterday, he can name no case in which Quirin was ever cited as precedent, before Bush decided to use it. Nine presidential administrations never tested it’s veracity. Yet suddenly, now it’s the law of the land.


  100. Barfly Says:

    Poor guy…

    Comment by Exley

    Had enough, history buff?


  101. karlX Says:

    #67 Exley

    you really lose credibility if you deny the U.S. role as sponsor of state terrorism in Chile, Nicaragua, East Timor, and on and on… U.S. provided: cash, arms, military training, air support.

    were you the one, on the nicaragua argument, said something like: “the nicaraguans were found to be the agressors”

    comical that you attempt to take that stance


  102. Juan C Says:

    BTW, remember yesterday when you told me about the henious attack in 9/11 that Al-Qaeda (if you want to believe this proven deceitful admin), why havent you enlisted to fight those evil-doers?
    Comment by Juan C

    Hey, Ex… would you answer this?


  103. Exley Says:

    Barfly,

    Once the Supreme Court issues a decision, it is the law of the land. Ex Parte Quirin has been cited in a number of lower court and Surpeme Court decisions since 1942 as good law. It has never been overturned. It has been and continues to be the law of the land since 1942.


  104. CoffinsDrapedWithFlags Says:

    Hoyer is kicking ass on the floor of the House right now.


  105. Exley Says:

    Ah, look at Juan C desperately trying to escape his hypocrisy by sticking to his silly conspiracy theory that 9/11 was an “inside job” planned and carried out by the CIA or Mossad or whoever…Juan has never been very clear on who he believes carried out 9/11. That’s because he knows his conspiracy theory is false and he merely uses it as a shield to carry out his inconsistent positions.


  106. karlX Says:

    sorry off topic here
    hey juan, work closing early here (mass) snow storm; hope your doing well friend; i’m thinking about some good books for you.
    exley is a really great example of U.S. state sponsored terrorism apologist, eh?
    ciaociao
    k


  107. Juan C Says:

    Comment by karlX

    Hi, Karl, thanks. Yeah, Ex is not a bad guy. He is just scared.


  108. Juan C Says:

    Like Terry the Turtle said, too many Chuck Norris movies for you, Ex:

    President Reagan commonly described Nicaragua as a ‘totalitarian dungeon’. This was taken generally by the media, and certainly by the British government, as accurate and fair comment. But there was in fact no record of death squads under the Sandinista government. There was no record of torture. There was no record of systematic or official military brutality. No priests were ever murdered in Nicaragua. There were in fact three priests in the government, two Jesuits and a Maryknoll missionary. The totalitarian dungeons were actually next door, in El Salvador and Guatemala. The United States had brought down the democratically elected government of Guatemala in 1954 and it is estimated that over 200,000 people had been victims of successive military dictatorships.

    Six of the most distinguished Jesuits in the world were viciously murdered at the Central American University in San Salvador in 1989 by a battalion of the Alcatl regiment trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA. That extremely brave man Archbishop Romero was assassinated while saying mass. It is estimated that 75,000 people died. Why were they killed? They were killed because they believed a better life was possible and should be achieved. That belief immediately qualified them as communists. They died because they dared to question the status quo, the endless plateau of poverty, disease, degradation and oppression, which had been their birthright.

    The United States finally brought down the Sandinista government. It took some years and considerable resistance but relentless economic persecution and 30,000 dead finally undermined the spirit of the Nicaraguan people. They were exhausted and poverty stricken once again. The casinos moved back into the country. Free health and free education were over. Big business returned with a vengeance. ‘Democracy’ had prevailed.

    But this ‘policy’ was by no means restricted to Central America. It was conducted throughout the world. It was never-ending. And it is as if it never happened.


  109. Nat Says:

    As I explained to Terry, Juan C, and Barfly last night, the term “unlawful combatant” pre-dates the Bush administration and has been a designation recognized by the law of war for almost a century now. Indeed, the Supreme Court in the 1942 case of Ex Parte Quirin repeatedly refers to “unlawful combatants.”

    Go read the case, Nat.

    Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 2:02 pm

    This is from wikipedia in reference to the Ex Parte Quirin case:

    “Lawful combatants are subject to capture and detention as prisoners of war by opposing military forces. ‘Unlawful combatants’ are likewise subject to capture and detention, but in addition they are subject to trial and punishment by military tribunals for acts which render their belligerency unlawful.”

    The Bush administration has come up with their own definition of what an unlawful combatant is. This case just states that “unlawful combatants” get a military tribunal.


  110. Barfly Says:

    Here’s one for you, Exley:

    Although the Quirin decision appears to authorize military tribunals for “unlawful belligerents,” the court failed to articulate specific criteria that must be present in order for a military tribunal to be valid.

    The Court said: “We have no occasion now to define with meticulous care the ultimate boundaries of the jurisdiction of military tribunals to try persons according to the law of war. It is enough that petitioners here . . . were plainly within those boundaries.”

    The Court narrowed its decision to avoid any sweeping statement regarding military jurisdiction and provided little guidance for application to future cases.


  111. Juan C Says:

    Ex, why dont you answer an apparently simple question? If you are so hurt by Al-Qaeda involvement in 9/11 and you will give anything for your country, why dont you enlist?

    Is it the old Christianity paradox?
    I wanna go to heaven but I dont wanna die…

    Furthermore, anytime you want to talk about 9/11, lets see who theory has more info holes, mine or Commission Report.


  112. Juan C Says:

    Like Terry the Turtle said, too many Chuck Norris movies for you, Ex:

    Harold Pinter Nobel lecture:
    President Reagan commonly described Nicaragua as a ‘totalitarian dungeon’. This was taken generally by the media, and certainly by the British government, as accurate and fair comment. But there was in fact no record of death squads under the Sandinista government. There was no record of torture. There was no record of systematic or official military brutality. No priests were ever murdered in Nicaragua. There were in fact three priests in the government, two Jesuits and a Maryknoll missionary. The totalitarian dungeons were actually next door, in El Salvador and Guatemala. The United States had brought down the democratically elected government of Guatemala in 1954 and it is estimated that over 200,000 people had been victims of successive military dictatorships.

    Six of the most distinguished Jesuits in the world were viciously murdered at the Central American University in San Salvador in 1989 by a battalion of the Alcatl regiment trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA. That extremely brave man Archbishop Romero was assassinated while saying mass. It is estimated that 75,000 people died. Why were they killed? They were killed because they believed a better life was possible and should be achieved. That belief immediately qualified them as communists. They died because they dared to question the status quo, the endless plateau of poverty, disease, degradation and oppression, which had been their birthright.

    The United States finally brought down the Sandinista government. It took some years and considerable resistance but relentless economic persecution and 30,000 dead finally undermined the spirit of the Nicaraguan people. They were exhausted and poverty stricken once again. The casinos moved back into the country. Free health and free education were over. Big business returned with a vengeance. ‘Democracy’ had prevailed.


  113. Juan C Says:

    TP doesnt let me post part of this.

    Like Terry the Turtle said, too many Chuck Norris movies for you, Ex:

    Harold Pinter Nobel lecture:


  114. Nat Says:

    The Court narrowed its decision to avoid any sweeping statement regarding military jurisdiction and provided little guidance for application to future cases.

    Comment by Barfly — February 14, 2007 @ 2:27 pm

    The Supreme Court ruled against Bush’s military tribunals a few months ago.


  115. Juan C Says:

    More:

    Pinter pounds the US and UK imperialism in his speech.

    The United States supported the brutal Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua for over 40 years. The Nicaraguan people, led by the Sandinistas, overthrew this regime in 1979, a breathtaking popular revolution.

    The Sandinistas weren’t perfect. They possessed their fair share of arrogance and their political philosophy contained a number of contradictory elements. But they were intelligent, rational and civilised. They set out to establish a stable, decent, pluralistic society. The death penalty was abolished. Hundreds of thousands of poverty-stricken peasants were brought back from the dead. Over 100,000 families were given title to land. Two thousand schools were built. A quite remarkable literacy campaign reduced illiteracy in the country to less than one seventh. Free education was established and a free health service. Infant mortality was reduced by a third. Polio was eradicated.


    The United States denounced these achievements as Marxist/Leninist subversion.
    In the view of the US government, a dangerous example was being set. If Nicaragua was allowed to establish basic norms of social and economic justice, if it was allowed to raise the standards of health care and education and achieve social unity and national self respect, neighbouring countries would ask the same questions and do the same things. There was of course at the time fierce resistance to the status quo in El Salvador.

    So, yeah, Ex, whatever you say.


  116. Juan C Says:

    About Chile:

    CIA reports:

    As early as the 1964 Chilean Presidential election, American businessmen with interests in Chile had offered to provide the CIA with funds to prevent Allende from being elected. All of these early offers were rejected.

    In early 1970 a Station officer was contacted by a United States businessman employed by International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT) urging the US government to provide financial support to one of Allende’s opponents, Jorge Alessandri. The Station provided the businessman the name of an individual who could securely funnel ITT funds to Alessandri.

    Several months later another ITT representative approached the CIA in Washington to probe whether CIA would accept funds from his company and channel them to the Alessandri campaign. He was told that CIA could not receive and transfer funds to Alessandri on behalf of a private firm. The CIA also told him that, although the US Government was most anxious about a possible Allende victory, it was not supporting any specific candidate in the election. As occurred several months earlier, however, the Station provided this businessman advice on how to funnel ITT funds securely to Alessandri.

    After Allende’s election and before his inauguration, the CIA, under 40 Committee direction, made an effort—in coordination with the Embassy in Santiago—to encourage Chilean businesses to carry out a program of economic disruption.

    Wow, that sounds democratic, right Ex? Uh, but Allende was a dictator…hahaha!!!


  117. Exley Says:

    Barfly,

    What the court is saying there is that in order to reach it’s decision under the facts of the present case (Quirin), it was not necessary to create or outline bright line requirements that may need to be fulfilled in future or speculative cases in order to have a military tribunal try unlawful combatants charged with violating the law of war. Indeed, in the prior paragraph (not cited by you), the Court cites another military commission case (Ex Parte Milligan), a Civil War-era decision in which the court held that an Indiana man tried by a military commission was done so improperly because he did not fall within the parameters outlined by the rule of law and, under the facts of the case, and the law of war, Milligan was not an “unlawful enemy belligerent.”

    In Quirin, the court was saying that the petitioners could indeed by prosecuted as unlawful combatants under the rule of law.

    “It is enough that petitioners here, upon the conceded facts, were plainly within those boundaries, and were held in good faith for trial by military commission, charged with being enemies who, with the purpose of destroying war materials and utilities, entered, or after entry remained in, our territory without uniform — an offense against the law of war. We hold only that those particular acts constitute an offense against the law of war which the Constitution authorizes to be tried by military commission”.


  118. stonehinge Says:

    Ex parte Quirin??? Case law for German saboteurs on American soil somehow defines unlawful combatants? Listen punk, the concept of unlawful combatant was never even codified until the MCA was passed by the corrupted Republican congress. Hopefully, that won’t last long.

    Exley, I’m not sure an enema would help you much. I suggest you go with a high colonic and be sure to ask for the special rotory attachment. If that is successful, then there is a remote chance that a deprogramming regime could clear the residual filth embedded in your soul. Short of that, why don’t we just go with STFU.


  119. Exley Says:

    Nat,

    The Supreme Court ruled in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld that Congress had not given sufficient and express authorization for the creation of military tribunals in the AUMF of September, 2001. Basically, all the Court did in Hamdan was say to Congress, “Look, military commissions are fine, but there needs to be a statute authorizing such commissions.” Congress heeded the Supreme Court’s decision and passed the Military Commissions Act last October, authorizing the establishment and use of military commissions.


  120. Nat Says:

    Nat,

    The Supreme Court ruled in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld that Congress had not given sufficient and express authorization for the creation of military tribunals in the AUMF of September, 2001. Basically, all the Court did in Hamdan was say to Congress, “Look, military commissions are fine, but there needs to be a statute authorizing such commissions.” Congress heeded the Supreme Court’s decision and passed the Military Commissions Act last October, authorizing the establishment and use of military commissions.

    Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 3:00 pm

    This is funny. A war criminal starts a war and now he is determining who is an “unlawful combatant.”


  121. Exley Says:

    #118, Juan,

    “We find no information—nor did the Church Committee—that CIA or the Intelligence Community was involved in the death of Chilean President Salvador Allende. He is believed to have committed suicide as the coup leaders closed in on him. The major CIA effort against Allende came earlier in 1970 in the failed attempt to block his election and accession to the Presidency.”

    Thanks for the confirmation, Juan….As I have said all along, (and have now been proven right…again) the U.S. government and CIA had no hand in the popular 1973 uprising against the growing Allende dictatorship. What happened in 1973 was a popular revolution against a Marxist regime.


  122. stonehinge Says:

    Exley, put down that Time-Life crap. See previous therapeutic recommendations. You’re welcome.


  123. Nat Says:

    Congress heeded the Supreme Court’s decision and passed the Military Commissions Act last October, authorizing the establishment and use of military commissions.
    Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 3:00 pm

    Who establishes the rules for these Commissions, the dolt in the White House or Congress?


  124. Exley Says:

    “Case law for German saboteurs on American soil somehow defines unlawful combatants?”

    Yes. Read the case, stonehinge. Educate yourself. Here is a small passage:

    “By universal agreement and practice, the law of war draws a distinction between … those who are lawful and unlawful combatants. Lawful combatants are subject to capture and detention as prisoners of war by opposing military forces. Unlawful combatants are likewise subject to capture and detention, but in addition they are subject to trial and punishment by military tribunals for acts which render their belligerency unlawful. The spy who secretly and without uniform passes the military lines of a belligerent in time of war, seeking to gather military information and communicate it to the enemy, or an enemy combatant who without uniform comes secretly through the lines for the purpose of waging war by destruction of life or property, are familiar examples of belligerents who are generally deemed not to be entitled to the status of prisoners of war, but to be offenders against the law of war subject to trial and punishment by military tribunals.”

    Got it now, stonehinge? Good. Now run along and do your homework.


  125. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    Exley, why don’t you actually read the Church Report, instead of misquoting it. It proes you lie.

    http://foia.state.gov/Reports/ChurchReport.asp


  126. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    Basically, all the Court did in Hamdan was say to Congress, “Look, military commissions are fine, but there needs to be a statute authorizing such commissions.” Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 3:09 pm

    If the Quinn statute is as clear as you say, this clarification would be unnecessary. How ironic you contradict yourself, completely discredit yourself and your own arguments, and aren’t sharp enough to see it.

    Tell me sprite, how does the Geneva Convention supersede the Quinn statute, considering it was signed into law afterwards?


  127. stonehinge Says:

    Exley, the case law only defined lawful combatants — insignia, etc. The judges expressly refused to define unlawful combatants. Now, to justify his illegal detentions and denial of habeas corpus, the MCA leaves it to the president to make such definitions. That dog won’t hunt.

    Get the colonic, moron.


  128. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    Dear Rainbow Sprite Exley. Were you aware that Quirin violates Article 5 of the Third Geneva Convention? Were you also aware that legal scholars note that Quirin misinterprets the articles of war section 4(A)?


  129. Nat Says:

    Dear Rainbow Sprite Exley. Were you aware that Quirin violates Article 5 of the Third Geneva Convention? Were you also aware that legal scholars note that Quirin misinterprets the articles of war section 4(A)?

    Comment by ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus — February 14, 2007 @ 3:34 pm

    I saw this when I was reading over the Geneva Conventions:

    “Article 5
    The present Convention shall apply to the persons referred to in Article 4 from the time they fall into the power of the enemy and until their final release and repatriation.

    Should any doubt arise as to whether persons, having committed a belligerent act and having fallen into the hands of the enemy, belong to any of the categories enumerated in Article 4, such persons shall enjoy the protection of the present Convention until such time as their status has been determined by a competent tribunal.”

    I wasn’t sure what they meant by “competent tribunal.”


  130. Exley Says:

    Stonehinge,

    You are again incorrect. The Quirin court recognized and cited the international law of war’s distinction between lawful and unlawful combatants and provided examples of what constitutes an unlawful combatant, and found that the military commission’s trial of the petitioners as unlawful combatants was proper and legal under U.S. and international law.

    Read the decision. Right now you are just winging it and getting it completely wrong. Read the decision.


  131. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    You are again incorrect. The Quirin court recognized and cited the international law of war’s distinction between lawful and unlawful combatants and provided examples of what constitutes an unlawful combatant, and found that the military commission’s trial of the petitioners as unlawful combatants was proper and legal under U.S. and international law. Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 3:47 pm

    They did this through a time machine? Because this case was 1942, the Geneva Convention statutes in question came about in 1949. Unless we’re in an episode of back to the future, your court case has to be interpreted within the context of the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Please see me making fun of you about the Rumsfeld decision. This will make more sense in that context - assuming you have the mental capacity to pull these items together. I know, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt, and I’m sure you’ll disappoint. But go ahead rainbow sprite - surprise me!

    Read the decision. Right now you are just winging it and getting it completely wrong. Read the decision. Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 3:47 pm

    Ironic coming from you!!! The ICRC has already categorically stated that the US government’s flawed reading of this statute in the context of the Geneva Convention is clearly incorrect. To the point of being willfully so. Then again, willfully in denial is the only thing that explains all of your twisted, and perverted opinions.


  132. Raymond Funamoto Says:

    CNN now stands for COWARDLY NAIVE NABOBS! The news media SHOULD EXCORIATE AND CASTIGATE CHIMPya and Bushland Uber Allies, not supplant their LIES and ever GO FURTHER THAN THE LIE-MACHINE in the white house! ROLL OVER and PLAY DEAD, CNN! Also, in commenting on the psychobabble gobbeldygook doublespeak by Exley above, when CHIMPya, Cheney, Rove, Rice, Gonzales, Addington, Yoo, all the dastardly cretins who aided and abetted military tribunals will be brought before said same military tribunals and given the same KANGAROO-COURT TREATMENT they are giving others right now! “WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND,” Exley, and THE FOOT YOU STEP ON TODAY WILL KICK YOU IN THE ASS TOMORROW!!!!!


  133. Exley Says:

    Nat, “Competent tribunal” is not defined the Third Geneva Convention. It is widely considered to mean a military or some other type of tribunal of the capturing nation. There is no international body or tribunal that makes this determination. The determination is the responsibility of the capturing nation. Thus, VVGFU’s contention that Quirin is inconsistent with Article 5 is incorrect.

    Article 5 says:

    “Should any doubt arise as to whether persons, having committed a belligerent act and having fallen into the hands of the enemy, belong to any of the categories enumerated in Article 4, such persons shall enjoy the protection of the present Convention until such time as their status has been determined by a competent tribunal.”

    ‘While this Article has been widely misconstrued as meaning that any doubts that arise must be determined by a competent tribunal; the debate then turns on what constitutes a competent tribunal.

    But that this is not what the Article actually says. It literally says that should any doubt arise, then the person shall be treated as a POW until their status is determined by a competent tribunal. It does not say that the question of whether any doubt has arisen must be determined by a competent tribunal, even if the person demands one.

    It is literally open for the administration to determine that a certain group has undertaken unprivileged belligerency and that with respect to any particular individual, no doubt arises and, therefore, there is no obligation to convene a tribunal.’

    Prof. Kenneth Anderson
    Professor of Law
    Washington College of Law
    Washington DC


  134. stonehinge Says:

    Exley, I’m finished with this asinine strawman. I suggest that you take your 9-11 fantasies, your revisionist history and your specious legal pronouncements some place where factual reality doesn’t matter.

    Back to the topic…anyone?


  135. Juan C Says:

    What happened in 1973 was a popular revolution against a Marxist regime.
    Comment by Exley

    Yeah, Ex. Whatever makes you sleep nicely.

    BTW, are you going to answer why arent you enlisting if Al-Qaeda did so much damage to your beautiful country? Third time…


  136. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    Prof. Kenneth Anderson Professor of Law Washington College of Law Washington DC Comment by Exley — February 14, 2007 @ 4:10 pm

    Ah, you quote a hack third rate flunky for the Hoover institute - figures… How about quoting a respectable attorney - someone that doesn’t seem as incompetent as you do for a change?

    Even Scalia is against you rainbow sprite.

    Justice Scalia - certainly not a liberal - in his opinion in the Hamdi case stated that the Supreme Court’s rush to judgment upholding the military commissions in its 1942 decision in Ex Parte Quirin “was not this Court’s finest hour.”

    Yet, rainbow sprite Exley - appears to believe it was. Who knew that Scalia was to the left of Exley! That takes a lot of mustering!!!!


  137. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    BTW, are you going to answer why arent you enlisting if Al-Qaeda did so much damage to your beautiful country? Third time… Comment by Juan C — February 14, 2007 @ 4:18 pm

    Just make the sound BAWK, BAWK - it explains everything…


  138. Juan C Says:

    Hey, stonehinge.
    I use that Harold Pinter speech every time I can.
    What a powerful, beautiful statement.


  139. Juan C Says:

    More about Chile…oh, that awful truth, Ex:

    Just weeks after the coup, the US ambassador in Chile sent a memo to Henry Kissinger noting that “the military government of Chile requires adviser assistance of a person qualified in establishing a detention centre for the detainees … adviser must have knowledge in the establishment and operation of a detention centre”.

    Even when the full extent of the torture and executions in Chile were well known, the US government sought to integrate the Pinochet regime into international business circles.

    Probably no figure more personalised the cruelty of the Pinochet regime than the head of its secret DINA police force, Manuel Contreras.

    Previously classified documents now confirm that, not only was Contreras on the CIA payroll, but that when he came to Washington during the height of human rights abuses, the US state department had specific tasks for him.

    “Contreras was also asked to check in with Anaconda [Copper] and General Motors to encourage them to resume operations in Chile.”


  140. Juan C Says:

    Just make the sound BAWK, BAWK - it explains everything…
    Comment by ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus —

    Perhaps Exely is not THAT mad about 9/11…


  141. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    What happened in 1973 was a popular revolution against a Marxist regime. Comment by Exley

    BAHAHAHAHA, now that’s a funny claim!!! Totally unfounded, considering that this ‘Marxist’ regime came to power through an election, and was overthrown by the military. He was elected with a coalition vote of 64% of the popular vote.

    If a president becoming unpopular during his term warrants a revolution - are you suggesting the US should have one for the highly unpopular Bush? Because that’s your only justification. And you wonder why we call you fascists, a bunch of hate filled self serving immoral hypocrites. It’s because you earn that description, rainbow sprite.


  142. ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus Says:

    Perhaps Exely is not THAT mad about 9/11…
    Comment by Juan C — February 14, 2007 @ 4:28 pm

    A coward is always mad, as long as someone will do their fighting for them.


  143. stonehinge Says:

    Yes Juan,

    I remember that night when I first read Pinter’s speech. You are right to use it again and again…it is like a fine wine that gets better with age. I wish I could write with that kind of grace, but sometimes I feel a need to gut these creeps…they have seen to the destruction of hope for so many.


  144. Juan C Says:

    Fourth time, Exley, I know, you maybe working, but here it goes:

    After the henious 9/11 events that Al-Qaeda pulled out, why didnt you enlist? Occupation and the “War on Terror” are still raging on, why havent you done your patriotic duty and enlisted? Why not?

    Come on, Mr. “I find beheadings wrong but waterboarding and hangings ok”, tell us.


  145. The Heretik : Preposterous Update Says:

    […] “The idea that we’re somehow manufacturing the idea that the Iranians are providing (bombs) is preposterous.” […]


  146. Nat Says:

    But that this is not what the Article actually says. It literally says that should any doubt arise, then the person shall be treated as a POW until their status is determined by a competent tribunal. It does not say that the question of whether any doubt has arisen must be determined by a competent tribunal, even if the person demands one.

    It is literally open for the administration to determine that a certain group has undertaken unprivileged belligerency and that with respect to any particular individual, no doubt arises and, therefore, there is no obligation to convene a tribunal.’

    Pr