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Monday, June 30, 2003
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Salon.com | Why the U.S. must invade Canada -- now
some political satire
Salon.com | Why the U.S. must invade Canada -- now:Excerpt: "Why the U.S. must invade Canada -- now
It didn't support the war, it's soft on pot and gays, its economy is rolling and U.S. troops are bored. Anyway, reasons to invade countries are no longer needed!"
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Oblivious in D.C.
Bob Herbert cites growing crises in the states, hurt by growing deficits and budget cuts, while getting less from federal programs, people hurting as Bush races around gaining record contributions; Bush and the Republicans are oblivious, Herbert argues, to the growing misery in the country
Oblivious in D.C.
Meanwhile the great state of California is near financial disaster
Howard Kurtz assembles press quotes and material on
Republicans Rule
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Sunday, June 29, 2003
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Podvin on the Media 6/29/03
Here's a hardhitting article that argues that the reason the mainstream corporate media has been so easy on Bush from the 2000 election campaign to the present is that they sought further media deregulation that would increase their power and profits-- deregulation provided by Powell Jr and the FCC on June 2. I might add that Michael Wolff, a New York media critic, recently stated that the reason why the US media "kissed ass" during the Iraq war was that they sought deregulation. This suggests incredible cravenness on behalf of the corporate media and further blows away the myth of the "liberal media."
Podvin on the Media 6/29/03
Also stepping to the plate to criticize media deregulation and media merger mania is... Bill Clinton
Out of Control. If It's allowed to stand an FCC ruling will feed media merger mania
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TIME.com: TIME Magazine -- Who Lost the WMD?
Congress will investigate intelligence on WMD including Cheney's role. Remember that Cheney was pushing for the war harder than anyone, desperate for contracts [already pulling in a cool $800 million] for Halliburton. Excerpt: "What Was Cheney's Role?
Lawmakers who once saluted every Bush claim and command are beginning to express doubts. Two congressional panels are opening new rounds of investigations into the Administration's prewar claims about WMD. One of their immediate inquiries, sources tell Time, involves Vice President Dick Cheney's role in reviewing the intelligence before the bombing started. Cheney made repeated visits to the CIA in the prelude to the war, going over intelligence assessments with the analysts who produced them. Some Democrats say Cheney's visits may have amounted to pressure on the normally cautious agency. Cheney's defenders insist that his visits merely showed the importance of the issue and that an honest analyst wouldn't feel pressure to twist intelligence. The House intelligence committee (and possibly its Senate counterpart, sources say) plans to question the CIA analysts who briefed Cheney, and that could lead to calling Cheney's hard-line aides and perhaps the Veep himself to testify"
TIME.com: TIME Magazine -- Who Lost the WMD?
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Arabs Seen as New Hollywood Villains
Excerpt: "Hollywood has a new top villain, who has taken over from those old foes, red Indians and Communists.
Now the Apache have become respected native Americans, the Iron Curtain gone, and Russia almost an ally, Arabs are pretty much the only villains in town. According to a new report, they are portrayed in a derogatory way 96 per cent of the time.
Usually typecast as nasty bombers or evil billionaires, or at best, evil belly dancers, Arab characters have been the baddies in more than 20 big films in the past 10 years, including Death Before Dishonor, Navy SEALs, Patriot Games, The American President, Delta Force 3 and Executive Decision."
News
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"Ministers knew war papers were forged, says diplomat
News
Former US ambassador asked to do intelligence analysis says that both US and UK must have known that key Iraqi weapons documents were fakes in story that claims: "US official who identified documents incriminating Iraq as fakes says Britain must have been aware of findings"
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Saturday, June 28, 2003
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Bush Raising Millions in Quick Trip to California
Bush rakes in the bucks in quick rush to California, is met by protestors. Excerpt: "Hundreds of anti-Bush demonstrators lined up behind barricades at the entrance to the Marriott, but the crowds around the hotel, where the roads had been barricaded for hours, did not approach the large sizes that had been predicted by the White House and local authorities. Still, a long cordon of police in riot gear guarded the hotel from protesters who waved signs that said 'Bush lies, Iraqi people and G.I.'s die!' and 'Leave No Millionaire Behind.'"
Bush Raising Millions in Quick Trip to California
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National Do-Not-Call Registry Overwhelmed by Eager Public
Join the campaign against telemarketing and google over to National Do Not Call Registry; I got on and registered not to receive telemarketing calls but have not yet received email confirmation [PS Two days after registering I received confirmation that I was on the list, now we'll see if this helps block telemarketers....]
National Do-Not-Call Registry Overwhelmed by Eager Public
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Friday, June 27, 2003
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Iraqi Saboteurs' Goal: Disrupt the Occupation
Someone has finally figured out that the iraqis had a plan to fight the US after Saddam and company split the country, and now the US is stuck in a big mess
Iraqi Saboteurs' Goal: Disrupt the Occupation
Excerpt: "Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency devised a plan to challenge the allied occupation of Iraq: sabotage its own country.
The targets have included oil pipelines, the Baghdad electrical system, a liquid natural gas plant and other crucial installations. With each attack, life for Iraq's roughly 24 million people has become more onerous and the mission of allied forces more complex.
It is difficult to say how much of the economic sabotage is coordinated. But there are new indications that at least some of it may have been planned before allied forces crossed into Iraq. "
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Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | US proposes world peacekeeping force
It appears that someone in the Bush administration has figured out that unilateralism doesn't work and that the US cannot police the world; or Rummy is just off on another whim, invade Iraq one day, set up a world police force the next....
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | US proposes world peacekeeping force
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Toward One-Party Rule
Paul Krugman sees one-party rule emerging in US as Republicans consolidate their hold on government and produce alliances with corporations, lobbyists and media all of which promote their rightwing agenda; will the American public wake up and drift into Republican fascism or see what's going on and organize to take back democracy?Toward One-Party Rule
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Thursday, June 26, 2003
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washingtonpost.com: Iraqi Ambushes Beset Troops
It just gets uglier and uglier everyday.... A new Iraqi group The Return is threatening and killing Iraqis who are working with US forces; sweltering in 115 degrees of heat there is continued sabotage of electricity intensifying power outtages; tempers are flaring and there is a rash of shootings of US and British troops and possible abduction of two US troops
washingtonpost.com: Iraqi Ambushes Beset Troops
**** And now Washington Experts Question depth of Victory recognizing that the war is far from over and things keep getting worse
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The invisible
strong critique of Bush Terror War policies: "The human cost of the 21st century's first war is already enormous. In addition to those who have died, staggering numbers have been detained around the world in violation of their human rights and international law. Paul Vallely investigates their fate, and asks whether this suspension of due process in the name of defending democracy can ever be justified"
News
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Weapons Searches May Have Sparked Attack
The US and Britain are in a double-bind: If they search houses for weapons they receive angry, perhaps murderous responses; if they allow weapons to stockpile they face guerilla assaults and armed insurrection; its a no-win, no way situation.
Weapons Searches May Have Sparked Attack
In the light of the increasingly dangerous and unsavory Iraq situation, there are emerging calls in Britain and elsewhere to bring home the troops [another Vietnam resonance]; see article in today's Guardian=
Bring the British troops home
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Weapons Reports Called Lacking
New US commanding general admits that Iraqi weapons intelligence was defective. Excerpt: "U.S. intelligence on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction was "perplexingly incomplete," Gen. John P. Abizaid, President Bush's nominee to head the U.S. Central Command, told a Senate committee Wednesday.
"Intelligence was the most accurate that I've ever seen on the tactical level, probably the best I've ever seen on the operational level, and perplexingly incomplete on the strategic level with regard to weapons of mass destruction," Abizaid told the Senate Armed Services Committee."
Weapons Reports Called Lacking
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Agency Disputes C.I.A. View of Trailers as Iraqi Weapons Labs
There's now a dispute between the CIA and State over whether the Iraqi trailer labs that Bush insisted were the WMD really are, at stake Bush's word [not worth too much in fact after 1001 mistatements on Iraq]
Agency Disputes C.I.A. View of Trailers as Iraqi Weapons Labs
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Big Media's Silence
Bill Safire keeps after Big Media and FCC, criticizing the media for failing to discuss the implications of FCC policy and praising Congress for going forward with bill that would override FCC give-away
Big Media's Silence
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Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | US 'unprepared for postwar Iraq'
Critiques are starting to emerge of how woefully unprepared US was for Iraq postwar occupation; yesterday from Tom Friedman, today from former US ambassador who had been overseeing Iraq's industry ministry; it was the same problem in Afghanistan, the military dominated the postwar phase and reconstruction took a second seat, indeed there were no real plans for the latter
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | US 'unprepared for postwar Iraq'
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Wednesday, June 25, 2003
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Vietnam War Terms Make a Comeback
we're back to Vietnam with Iraqi guerrilla war against the US, counterinsurgency plans, search and destroy missions, a growing "credibility gap" and, yes, a big messy quagmire
Vietnam War Terms Make a Comeback
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High Security
There's been a lot of reporting on Iraqi sabotoging of oil, power plant and other facilities that US corporations like halliburton are supposed to rebuild. This article notes that Bechtal has subcontracted about one security employee for every two they have in the field, so that expenses to the US taxpayer are funding an explosion of security firms; in other words, a tremendous amount of reconstruction money goes to security personnel and corporations like Halliburton that one report this week claims have already scammed a cool $800 million for the debacle. As this article reports, some US Congressmen are starting to looking into this scandal
High Security
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Tuesday, June 24, 2003
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washingtonpost.com: Inexperienced Hands Guide Iraq Rebuilding
The Blame Game is off and running as Bush administration officials attack Pentagon incompetency for Iraq debacle, in fact neither Bushies or Pentagon had a viable plan for governing Iraq so blamed should be shared
washingtonpost.com: Inexperienced Hands Guide Iraq Rebuilding
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washingtonpost.com: Embedded Reporter's Role In Army Unit's Actions Questioned by Military
Another big New York Times scandal, its reporter Judith Miller allegedly played go-between between neocon darling Chalabi and Pentagon and evidently overstepped her boundaries in involving herself in military affairs to get scoops. What the article doesn't spell out is the real scandal, i.e. that Miller for years has been a propaganda source for Chalabi and the INC and one of the sources for the now dicey claims concerning Iraq's WMD threats to US. Miller has constantly hyped these threats and been mouthpiece for INC and Bush neocons, this is really a scandal for the Times!
washingtonpost.com: Embedded Reporter's Role In Army Unit's Actions Questioned by Military
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Bad Planning
We often critique Tom Friedman on blogleft but this time he is right, the scandal of Iraq is not so much not finding WMD but not having a plan to govern postwar Iraq. Friedman, however, like the WP article we cite above, blames the Pentagon for the "bad planning" but obviously the Bush neocons are just as guilty. Actually the whole Iraq misadventure is a scandal, something Tom probably cannot yet admit....
Bad Planning
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6 British Soldiers Are Killed in Southern Iraq
Another disaster for Brit soldiers in southern Iraq
6 British Soldiers Are Killed in Southern Iraq: Excerpt: "Six British soldiers who died in southern Iraq on Tuesday were killed by ``hostile'' fire, a British military spokesman said.
The six were killed in the first of two separate attacks in which eight other British soldiers were wounded, three of them seriously, said British Army Capt. Dennis Abbott."
And a Nick Kristoff commentary from Basra in southern Iraq makes it appear that Shiite Islamicists have taken over in the south
See "Cover your hair"
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The Money Magnet
Bush campaign contributers know that Bush will steal from federal coffers to pay them back. Here's the scam: big contributers give money to Bush, he pays back with corporate favors and tax cuts, we get screwed, in effect paying for his scams....[in multiple ways...]. Bob Herbert points out how Bush is attracting the money but doesn't describe the whole system
The Money Magnet
Excerpt: "I'm sure there's no connection between fat-cat fund-raising and, say, federal tax policy. But there was some particularly interesting information about the Bush tax cuts in an article yesterday by The Times's David E. Rosenbaum. Citing data from a study by Citizens for Tax Justice, Mr. Rosenbaum pointed out that the richest 1 percent of Americans will get an average tax reduction of nearly $100,000 a year, while 'the tax relief most people will receive is quite meager.'
Half of all taxpayers will get a cut of less than $100 this year. By 2005, three-quarters will get less than $100."
Here's a more humorous way to make the same point=
http://www.incontemptcomics.com/061603.html
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Denial and Deception
Paul Krugman keeps up the fierce attack on Bush lies and deception and media silence and public apathy in the face thereof in commentary on
Denial and Deception
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washingtonpost.com: Syrian Border Guards Hurt in Convoy Attack
Now it turns out that in the raid to attack the supposed Saddam and Sons convoy last week the US fought with Syrian border guards. And the convoy occupants could have been thieves the US is now conceding; last night, ABC news said that locals were claiming they were sheep thieves not Saddam and Baath party officials, another blunder it appears for the occupying troops...
washingtonpost.com: Syrian Border Guards Hurt in Convoy Attack
Here's another article on how the
Attack of Iraqi convoy and homes breeds anger
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Eight British soldiers injured in Iraqi gun attack
It's messy and dangerous for Brits too in Iraq
News
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Monday, June 23, 2003
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The Mideast: Neocons on the Line
There are growing criticisms of the neocons even in the mainstream media; Wolfowitz's has looked especially bad on TV over the past couple of weeks but this "critique" is generally sympathetic to him. While the author refers to a Bush group of "the Brightest and the Best" (referring back to JFK's Harvard boys) I prefer to see the Bush neocons as the Stupidest and the Worst
The Mideast: Neocons on the Line
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Sunday, June 22, 2003
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Observer | Dangerous liasons
It's dangerous for reporters in Iraq. A UK journalist tells of confrontation with US troops last week; see
Observer | Dangerous liasons
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President's tumble off a Segway seems a tiny bit suspicious
 Funny piece on the Bush "conspiracy" to block new electronic transport for unsustainable oil profits -- the punchline: he just couldn't be this bumbling and dumb...
Via: USA Today
Over the weekend, while on vacation, Bush looked like Chevy Chase doing a Gerald Ford imitation as he stepped onto the platform of a Segway personal transportation scooter and went flying right off.
The first U.S. president to try a Segway supposedly forgot to turn it on, so the gyroscopic stabilizers couldn't automatically balance him.
But maybe Bush wanted to fall. Maybe he understands in a way few do that society is on the verge of a debate that could mold the future of transportation, much like the debate 100 years ago when cars first suggested that horses weren't the only way to travel....The conspiracy theory is bolstered by this: It's nearly impossible to fall off a Segway....
The Segway is powered by a rechargeable electric motor. A Seattle owner who commutes on his Segway and keeps a Web journal (www.bookofseg.com) says it costs him $1 a month to charge.
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The Washington Post has published a large number of critical articles on Iraq the past couple of days when the blog was down; here are some samples from their Iraq page. I note increasingly critical articles on every aspect of Bush's Iraq occupation in major newspapers. Here is source of stories below=
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/world/mideast/gulf/iraq/
Pipeline Explodes West of Baghdad
An oil pipeline exploded and caught fire west of Baghdad on Sunday, the U.S. military said, and flames were seen reaching high into the sky.
Where's Saddam?
The whereabouts of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein are the subject of intense discussion, gossip and rumor among his former citizens.
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From The Post
Report Cast Doubt on Iraq-Al Qaeda Connection (Post, June 22, 2003)
Democratic Party Is in Search/Replace Mode: Unified Message, Strong Nominee Are Elusive (Post, June 22, 2003)
We're Getting In Our Own Way (Post, June 22, 2003)
Blix Downgrades Prewar Assessment of Iraqi Weapons (Post, June 22, 2003)
Policing of Iraq to Stay U.S. Job (Post, June 22, 2003)
Attacks In Iraq Traced to Network: Resistance to U.S. Is Loosely Organized (Post, June 22, 2003)
Bush Blames Recent Deaths in Iraq on 'Old Regime' (Post, June 22, 2003)
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