Wednesday, October 24, 2007

END WAR IN IRAQ! STOP IRAN WAR and IMPEACH BUSH and CHENEY




VITAL ISSUES:
* StopIranWar.com (read General Wesley Clark's plea below)
* Put Impeachment of Bush and Cheney back on the table by notifying your Senators and Congressmen.
* Right-wing talk radio is so extreme and hateful, it is positively destructive to democracy. Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and Michael Savage in particular should all be taken off the air for spreading hatred of their fellow Americans. Glen Beck said, "Some people who hate America are losing their homes in the fires." He meant, of course, Malibu residents who represent "lliberal Hollywood types." I called KABC Talk Radio this morning to protest Glen Beck's hateful statements. This kind of ideology is what is causing the hatred and division in America.
*******

Message from General Wesley Clark:

Please join the Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans at VoteVets.org and me -- sign the petition to President Bush today. Urge him to work with our allies and use every diplomatic, political, and economic option at our disposal to deal with Iran. War is not the answer. StopIranWar.com

Yesterday, the AP reported that the Bush-Cheney Administration has instituted "sweeping new sanctions against Iran Thursday -- the harshest since the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979 -- charging anew that Tehran supports terrorism in the Middle East, exports missiles and is engaging in a nuclear build up."

There are 3 choices in dealing with Iran. You can engage them. You can isolate them. Or you can attack them. These sanctions could be part of any of the 3 strategies. The sanctions themselves can only be evaluated within the context of the overall policy. Currently, the administration has chosen a path of isolation with the threat of an attack.

This is the wrong strategy. The Bush-Cheney Administration's failure to use diplomacy in conjunction with these sanctions is unlikely to change Iran's behavior.

Please join VoteVets.org and me. Send a message to President Bush to use diplomacy to deal with Iran. War is not the answer.

http://StopIranWar.com

The AP reported that Condoleezza Rice says Washington remains committed to "a diplomatic solution" and open to negotiations with Iran. Yet the Bush Administration refuses to speak with Iran unless the Iranians pre-emptively surrender their interests. This is not likely to happen, and the Administration will be left with two options: a nuclear Iran or war.

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) stated yesterday:

"Unilateral sanctions rarely, ever work...I just don't think the unilateral approach and giving war speeches helps the situation. It will just drive the Iranians closer together...It escalates the danger of a military confrontation."

Diplomacy is about carrots and sticks. Unfortunately, the Administration seems to believe it only has sticks. They have continued their saber-rattling, and without diplomacy, the announced sanctions only serve to escalate the tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Tell President Bush it is time to begin direct dialogue without conditions. War with Iran is not the answer.

Send a letter to President Bush. If we want to avoid a military showdown with Iran, we must engage them diplomatically.
http://StopIranWar.com

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Wes Clark
VoteVets.org Action Fund

******
Kucinich questions Bush's stability, weighs new impeachment effort

At a presidential campaign appearance last Sunday in California, Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich said he's considering introducing a new impeachment resolution against President Bush in light of statements the president has made that Kucinich interprets as a prelude to war with Iran.

"This is not a funny thing I am about to say, and I want you to just be with me on it," Kucinich told an audience in Sierra Madre. "It's not funny at all. There's questions about his stability. Because, if he begins to talk openly about World War Three, I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to talk about that. Because we're talking about a nuclear war."

Kucinich's comments were recorded on this video, posted on YouTube. His impeachment remarks are in its final half.

Kucinich introduced a measure to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney in April. That effort has 21 cosponsors, but has not gone anywhere because House Democratic leaders insist impeachment is "off the table." Kucinich suggested impeaching Cheney first to avoid a Cheney presidency if Bush leaves office.

"I actually am going to be talking to the Speaker about this," Kucinich told the California audience. "I tried to reach her and missed connections. I don't think that Congress can any longer say that impeachment is off the table."

Kucinich has also discussed forcing a House floor vote on the Cheney impeachment measure through the use of a privileged resolution. Posted by Sabrina Eaton October 24, 2007 11:51AM

***********

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: LITTLE MOUNTAIN TOWN FIGHTS FOR ITS LIFE

Beautiful Rim of the World High School


It's a good thing Blackwater didn't build their massive artillery storage camp in San Diego near Portrero, on 827 acres. Imagine the explosions and KABOOMS that would have gone off during these wildfires.

And since the President was so concerned about "socialized medicine" that he vetoed SCHIP expansion, can we assume that his trip tomorrow is to deliver a lecture about the evils of socialized firefighting? (Greg Saunders at HuffPo)




RUNNING SPRINGS residents flee while firefighters try to slow fiery onslaught. By Ryan Lillis - rlillis@sacbee.com

In the darkness, you feel surrounded. The village's 700 residents fled, but their best escape route – a winding two-lane road – was suddenly blocked by the fire, forcing them onto even more treacherous mountain passes, said Rick Mull, a longtime resident. Firefighters were also forced to retreat, fearing the flames would surround them.

Trees explode, giving off jarring echoes. The heat bears down from every direction, the moon is shrouded in an orange glow. With each gust of wind, another house can be devoured.

This is the battle to save Running Springs. It began Monday morning with 30 local firefighters trying to save their community, and continued through Tuesday night.

Running Springs is a member community of Rim of the World, one of the most beautiful places in America — an inhabited stretch of the San Bernardino Mountains and wholly contained in the San Bernardino National Forest.

With all of the indiscriminate fury of a hurricane, a wild brushfire descended on this isolated mountain village before dawn Monday, forcing the evacuation of every resident.

By nightfall, the fire had made its way to the outskirts of Running Springs, threatening dozens of Alpine-style homes and rustic cabins. With just 75 firefighters on the scene by then, crews had to keep to the roads and were told not to venture into the forest to save homes.

That didn't stop a group of volunteer firefighters from the Wilmar Volunteer Fire Department in Sonoma County who arrived to help the locals Monday afternoon and fought the blaze into the night.

Seeing that a two-story red home with a wrap-around porch was about to be engulfed, they raced a fire hose down a steep driveway. Next to the house the shell of a cabin burned out of control. The wind began to gain strength as the clock rolled past midnight, and spot fires sprouted from the ground, roaring like jet engines. The crew stood guard on the house until being ordered out.

"If we can save the house," Capt. Chris Jacobsen said, "it's worth the risk."

In the end, the house, along with several others on the street, was saved.

But in a briefing of fire officials the next morning, Smith tried to convince his weary staff that "no house is worth jeopardizing your safety."



Seriously I need a technical answer: Why aren't we using more aerial resources? If there is a legitimate answer, such as 'the winds prevent aircraft from large water drops' or some other reason — please let us know by leaving a comment here. And WHY does CANADA have Super Scoopers but we don't? And why so late? "On the fourth day of the fires, helping out that big DC-10 in the aerial attacks is a Martin Mars aircraft from Canada. It's the world's largest scooping water bomber, capable of dropping 7000 gallons."

I am wondering why Canada has the large sooper scooper planes but we don't. Where are the large water dropping aircraft? Apparently we have something called the Evergreen Supertanker but we aren't allowed to use it. Why? Where are the planes that could have saved these 500 homes?

Please call the Red Cross or log on to: redcross.org and see how you can help. Any amount you can send will help. Many senior citizens need help.

71 comments:

  1. California is burning for a reason, because of all the sin that takes place there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lyd,

    If the winds are gusting to over 100 mph in some areas, then yea, I'd say there's probably good reason to limit the use of planes. Water weighs a lot, and it's tough enough getting a plane full of water up.

    Besides, how many planes are there that can carry enough water to make an impact?

    ReplyDelete
  3. So, um, tom?

    If "sin" is the determining factor, then why aren't Catholic churches that harbored pedophile priests simultaneously and spontaneously burning right alongside California?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tom - either you are joking and you are being sarcastic, or you really worship a God of hate.

    There is nothing God-like about your comment, nor is there anything remotely Christian about the Religious Right. I'm sorry, but you couldn't be more wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tom - read this:

    The "Values Voters" Summit in DC last weekend brought together evangelicals and the Republicans who pander to them in an orgy of self-congratulation, determination, and worry.

    However, I find the phrase "values voters" insulting, because I missed the actual "values" discussed. The only "values" brought up seemed to be opposition to abortion, gay marriage and terrorism. There were also mentions of banning stem-cell research, outlawing human cloning, allowing the Ten Commandments in public, praying and saying the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, bashing illegal immigrants, and backing English as the official US language.

    When I think of "values," I think of things like honesty, charity and decency, values completely lacking in the current administration, but these were not mentioned.

    When I think of "American values," I also think of those things that would help make the country great again. Like attention to poverty, and how the middle class is in big trouble, living paycheck to paycheck or not even in many cases. Like fixing the health care system to the point where an uninsured cancer patient doesn't lose his home.

    Like controlling government waste on the war, which has already bankrupted us and destroyed the dollar to the point where a trip to Europe is out of the question for everyone except Steven Spielberg.

    Like taking care of the troops and making sure they're not driving a cardboard Humvee. Like not handing over wartime solutions to private contractors who operate in a lawless nether world and make 5 times what a soldier makes (as they say on ABC News, "That's your money.") Like fighting discrimination, which the Religious Right isn't interested in at all, unless it's directed at them. They reserve the right to discriminate all they want.

    There was no discussion whatsoever of tolerance of other people. No mention of the gay bashing that continues unabated. No mention of illegally detaining Muslims because they're Muslims. This was a Christian event, we're a Christian nation, and Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

    And aside from any student of history or religion, you know who would have benefited from learning about Islam? George W. Bush. He didn't even know the difference between the Shiites and Sunnis before invading their country. For heaven's sake, I knew the difference. I saw it on the freakin' Discovery channel.

    Bauer also said, "Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stands guard in vain. Unless the United States rediscovers the God of Abraham...we are in trouble."

    Listen, weasel, don't you think that there is some slight chance that we might be in trouble because our leaders have ripped the Constitution to shreds and spent all our money and lied to us and made the rest of the world hate our guts? Those "values" don't matter to a Christian?

    Of course they don't consider those "values." They operate in a vacuum of fear, surfaces, and intolerance. They consider "patriotism" the blind allegiance to whatever your leaders say, unless they're Democrat.

    (Jim David from HuffPo)

    ReplyDelete
  6. We are on the verge of "The New Enlightenment" and an end to fundamentalism. Christian fundamentalism is actually anti-Christian. But we have to "forgive them for they know not what they do.'

    ReplyDelete
  7. Tom is Rusty, Aka Voltron aka all fo them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Let God forgive them.

    They can kiss my ass.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey Bart - I will put your Valerie Plame article back on top tomorrow.

    Hey -- Obama, Joe Biden AND Chris Dodd are all against giving immunit to telecom companies for warrantless wiretapping.

    I guess TT will be out of a job.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I don't care Lydia. New threads up leave it up.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lydia
    As you know, once things were out of hand and Bush could use it Politically he declared a State of emergency and the equipment came out including military, our savior.
    As of late I have been writing a lot that excuses to declare martial order are adding up and purposely. It is realy hard to get people to realize that there is a method to his madness.
    Everything he says and does around the world has a purpose. It isn't about oil as most think. That is a very small part of it.
    I was doing research for my story today and the info was so broad and deep I had to leave it all out but one as it was right on.
    I welcome you to look at this, it is undeniably right on. Ignore my stuff just look at Act 1-6 on the unstoppable drive to WW3 Why can we not get someone of consequence to speak up for the truth unless they are all looking for a place in Bush's Regime?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Average Patriot:

    Wow, very interesting. Good work. This should serve as a warning to remain ever vigilant.

    One thing we must not do, is panic.

    There really is a higher power. I have absolute evidence of miracles happening as a result of focusing on love (prayer.)

    The world seems to be snowballing toward a catastrophic meltdown, but this is only our fear (false evidence appearing real) that seems to be in control. It is our job to stop being in fear. We must stop and focus on the underlying goodness in people, in the universe and in the human spirit.

    In the presence of true love, everything UNLIKE love, comes up to heal. That's why we're seeing so much chaos in the world. We are on the brink of healing, spiritually.

    Despite all fear the world is headed toward a new enlightenment. This idiot has screwed everything else up, his whole organization is crumbling and even Mullen, his new Joint Chief has dismantled Bush's term "war on global terror"

    There are more good guys than you know, working behind the scenes.

    ReplyDelete
  13. >>Hey -- Obama, Joe Biden AND Chris Dodd are all against giving immunit to telecom companies for warrantless wiretapping.

    I guess TT will be out of a job>>

    Um ... I work for one of those telecom companies. Of course, I had nothing to do with any wiretapping ... I just sell the DSL.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well, now let's take a good hard look at what Tom said. He migth be right you know -- it might be because of the sinning going on.

    California is burning for a reason -- several reasons actually. A drought, high winds, electrical lines, and a pyromanical idiot all had contributing factors. But his point was sin so ...

    What sins contributed to it? While I'm not a scientist so I cant say for certain, global warming may have contributed to the drought and perhaps the wind. If so, I'm pretty sure that ignoring global warming would not be included in God's list of "good stuff to do"

    Certainly a person lighting a fire would not be included on the list so I guess it could be considered a sin.

    The National Guard normally is supposed to be around to help out in catastrophes like this. You may want to consult a member of the clergy, but shipping those National Guard members off to invade another country leading to thousands upon thousands upon thousands of needless deaths doesnt strike me as being something that was included in the beatitudes so ... yep, could be considered a sin.

    I think you're on to something Tom

    ReplyDelete
  15. you're right, invading a foreign land based on an ever changing series of lies, and causing collateral damage - civilian deaths have reached 1.2 million (women and children included) according to the Global Policy Forum and the Lancet Medical Journal and several other acclaimed international news agencies.

    Let's say God is trying to speak to us as a nation about the wrong we have done by invading and starting wars. Maybe God is trying to force us to keep our attention focused on our own nation: hence Katrina, California...Kansas (remember the tornado that wiped out the entire town a few months ago?)

    We need to take care of our own side of the street and stop being hypocrites.

    6:03 PM

    ReplyDelete
  16. It's a good thing Blackwater didn't build their massive artillery storage camp in San Diego near Portrero, on 827 acres. Imagine the explosions that would have gone off during these fires.

    And since the President was so concerned about "socialized medicine" that he vetoed SCHIP expansion, can we assume that his trip tomorrow is to deliver a lecture about the evils of socialized firefighting? (Greg Saunders at HuffPo)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wait until you see the cool belt buckles the Decider's Nazi minions in both houses of congress start wearing along with the flag pin.

    There the exact replica that the Nazi military wore on their belts. I believe they say "God is with us".

    Please correct me if I'm wrong.

    Yes the Decider has decided to spend $25,000 dollars of your taxpayer money to fly in and out of California for another disaster photo op.

    What a compassionate person he is--
    NOT!!!!

    Hope your family and friends are safe lydia and ...

    God Bless.

    ReplyDelete
  18. "I am wondering why Canada has the large sooper scooper planes but we don't. Where are the large water dropping aircraft?"

    As a Canadian I have to say that the answer is the degree to which forestry is a huge industry in this country. Every province, with the exception of Prince Edward Island and possibly Nova Scotia has a significant forestry sector and that doesn't include industries that tend to take place in areas that are heavily forested. In Saskatchewan (where I live) 15% of the Gross Domestic Product comes from Forestry, Fishing, and Mining. Forest fires have a major impact on all three sectors. Multiply that by eight provinces and you see why Canada spends a significant amount on water bombers and in fact manufactures aircraft like the Bombardier CL-415 Superscooper.

    Heartfelt wishes that these fires can be brought under control do go out to the people of Southern California from here in Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Lydia
    Thanks for the reply! Lydia
    As I have been saying for too long now, it is going to take the mass majority from top to botom here to overide the chief idiot and set this country right.
    Then when all is said and done, as far as order around the world goes it will not matter as powers around the world have been set into motion and they wil not be quelled.
    We will still be forced to fight another WW and though the chief idiot purposely set it in motion he will merely deny it and say I told you so.
    Thanks Lydia, I just want to say that no one here is panicking or will but only knows denied reality and is facing it while trying to wake the rest of the country up!
    It's funny but my son that flies was just here on leave and his answer is to stay safe and stay in the military. Good move I think as he is in a C17 and not in Combat on the ground like one of his older Brothers.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Before I leave I just have to say that Tom must be one of those perverted so called value voters who screwed up the country under Bush.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Excellent reply by the way Lydia! We are okay, just keep on keeping on.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous6:01 AM

    tom - you are a work of art. What is it like to cower in the dark with your curtains drawn, squinting to see your keyboard as you spit your sophomoric venom at the world? Only a sick puppy could draw the analogy that the fires are retribution from above.

    Come on, you could at least have tied it to the bad man in your closet being pissed that Lindsay Lohan hasn't answered your e-mails.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Lydia
    Polishifter sent me this video. If this doesn't stun you nothing will. om the Eve of Destruction

    ReplyDelete
  24. pinkofreeptard said...
    Come on, you could at least have tied it to the bad man in your closet being pissed that Lindsay Lohan hasn't answered your e-mails.


    OK, that made me laugh...

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous7:54 AM

    I wonder, when all the fires are out, how many comparisons will be made between the emergency response to these fires vs. the response to Hurricane Katrina. These are two very different socioeconomic disaster sites.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Rhea said...
    I wonder, when all the fires are out, how many comparisons will be made between the emergency response to these fires vs. the response to Hurricane Katrina. These are two very different socioeconomic disaster sites.


    Wonder no more. The right wing is already going "See! See! We told you!" conveniently forgetting (as you point) that these parts of SoCal have a bit of money.

    ReplyDelete
  27. The problem with the large aircraft is that they cannot be used to start wars, disenfranchise voters, or enrich Bush's cronies. If they did, we'd have a gazillion of them.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Carl said...
    Rhea said...
    I wonder, when all the fires are out, how many comparisons will be made between the emergency response to these fires vs. the response to Hurricane Katrina. These are two very different socioeconomic disaster sites.

    Wonder no more. The right wing is already going "See! See! We told you!" conveniently forgetting (as you point) that these parts of SoCal have a bit of money."


    Yeah Carl did you notice how there wasnt a bit of urgency or effort to help New Orleans a state of mostly poor Democrats or California a state with mostly wealthy liberals..........yet when the Hurricaine hit South Florida a region with mostly wealthy repugs and a state that the Presidents brother was governor of, i hear the Aid was signed before the storm actually even hit.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Lydia,

    I don't see this as God trying to speak to us. I see it as the Earth finally beginning the process of an autoimmune response to toxins that have been irritating it. It isn't just here; look at the fires in eastern Europe, the flooding in the deserts of Oman, the horrid droughts in many other places.

    We have wrought much damage, and it appears the Earth is adjusting itself to fight off the damaging parasites. We're in trouble.

    ReplyDelete
  30. tom farted,

    California is burning for a reason, because of all the sin that takes place there.


    Praytell then, why is the South so parched that water rationing is on the way? Aren't these the Godliest of people? I await your presumed moronic response.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Voltron said...
    Maybe I was wrong about what was in the 9:16 am post. But I know the post I quoted above is gone, and my reply as well.

    And I didn't delete mine, and IF they did it, they made it look like I did."


    You being wrong is a safe bet because you Reich Wing fools are dead wrong about just about everything.

    As for your conspiracy theory take of the tinfoil troll hat little man..............as I innocently whistle to my self!

    ReplyDelete
  32. And as for "tom", the troll of Sodom and Gomorrah...........hit the road Troll Tex unless you enjoy seeing your bile disapear like farts in the wind as you waste your pathetic lives.

    All you do is attempt to derail, you add NOTHING to the discussion and allowing you to derail, hijack and insult is merely giving a voice to evil and giving evil a bully pulpit to spread lies and deceive people much like the MSM does.

    You clowns want to debate honestly with facts or state an opinion thats one thing but you clowns spread lies, dishonest REich Wing talking points anbd venomous insults with the sole purpose of derailing, deceiving and muddying the watters.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anyone see Bush struting around like a peacock and smirking as peoples houses burn.............he makes me sick how he turns tragedies into photo ops to make himself look good.

    Way too much of the National Guard and their eqipment is over in Iraq instead of guarding OUR country like they should be.........bur Arnold was still licking his boots..........i was disapointed I thought more of Arnold.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I am reposting the Valerie Plame article by Bartlebee at the top of this post.

    We cannot let this story disappear.

    OUting Valerie Plame was an act of treason against our own country.

    Cheney and Bush should be indicted as war criminals.

    Bush has proved he is a liar over and over again, and he's never solved a single crisis or done anything right in over 7 years.

    Why should we believe anything he says? Especially because everything he does is fear-based.

    His ideas about Iran are dangerous.

    A good president does not instill fear in his people and only speaks of war as a last resort.

    This man must be impeached immediately and there is a new impeachment resolution being introduced by Dennis Kucinich I believe.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Stephen Colbert is polling at 13%!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Lydia Cornell said...
    I am reposting the Valerie Plame article by Bartlebee at the top of this post.

    We cannot let this story disappear.



    It won't. Last night Chris Matthews had Valerie Plame on HARDBALL, and it was an even more brutal interview (for the Bush administration) than was Keith Olbermans.

    Matthews was practically leading Plame in his questions, already having figured out her role and how her cover had been blown.

    Mattthews was LIVID as he described the outing, and stated unequivocally "we KNOW the original sources of the leak, Armitage, Libby, Rove...."

    The Plame story will not go away.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Plame and Matthews both clearly saw the repeat of 03 playing out now in the drumbeat for war with Iran.

    Its clear that the war with Iran is a forgone conclusion in the administrations minds, asking for specific funding for the bunker buster retrofits on the B2 Stealth Bombers, which have no purpose in Iraq.

    Clearly Bush is planning on launching war before the end of his term, and possibly extending it by using the trappings of martial law.

    ReplyDelete
  38. There is absolutely NO doubt that Bush and Cheney intend on attacking Iran.

    ReplyDelete
  39. There is absolutely NO doubt that Bush and Cheney intend on attacking Iran.

    That might be the dumbest move they ever made; (and that is saying a lot)

    Putin warns against attacks on Iran

    Vladimir Putin issued a veiled warning Tuesday against any attack on Iran as he began the first visit by a Kremlin leader to Tehran in six decades — a mission reflecting Russian-Iranian efforts to curb U.S. influence.

    He also suggested Moscow and Tehran should have a veto on Western plans for new pipelines to carry oil and natural gas from the Caspian Sea, using routes that would bypass Russian soil and break the Kremlin's monopoly on energy deliveries from the region.

    Putin came to Tehran for a summit of the five nations bordering the Caspian, but his visit was aimed more at strengthening efforts to blunt U.S. economic and military ties in the area. Yet he also refused to set a date for completing Iran's first nuclear reactor, trying to avoid an outright show of support for Iran's defiance over its nuclear program.

    Putin strongly warned outside powers against use of force in the region, a clear reference to the United States, which many in Iran fear will attack over the West's suspicions that the Iranians are secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons.


    I guess Russia wants the chimperor to end his reign of terror in the middle east, and is willing to stop him if Bush can't control himself.

    ReplyDelete
  40. "BARTLEBEE said...
    There is absolutely NO doubt that Bush and Cheney intend on attacking Iran.

    10:51 Am"


    This we agree on. The Russians have evacuated all their personell from the nuclear projects in Iran. There can be no doubt but that Putin has signed off on an attack.

    ReplyDelete
  41. You know it Clif.

    I've been warning about this for a while now.

    If Bush invades or attacks Iran we'll find ourselves facing more than just Iran. Russia, and probably China.

    ReplyDelete
  42. We don't agree on anything TT.

    ReplyDelete
  43. CAUTION — Cheney going hunting this weekend.The Poughkeepsie Journal in New York reports that “Vice President Dick Cheney is coming to Dutchess County again to go hunting.” On Monday, Cheney is “expected to leave Poughkeepsie and head to the Clove Valley Rod & Gun Club.” No word on whether the Vice President will be drinking beforehand this time.

    h/t TP

    ReplyDelete
  44. There can be no doubt but that Putin has signed off on an attack.

    Putin warns against attacks on Iran

    Tiny the Liar, you weren't one of Bush's coke addicted frat brothers were you because either that or that reichwing home schooln' reading deficiency is a showin' again son.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Okay, before I re-post the Valerie Plame story on a new blog, at the top of this blog I am posting an important message from Wes Clark about stopping any war with Iran.

    Anyone who advocates war with Iran is completely bonkers. Insane, primitive, idiotic...STUPID

    ReplyDelete
  46. I see tiny the lying welsh has NADA to say abut HIS reading deficiencies...........

    ReplyDelete
  47. On Oct. 26, 1994, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel and Prime Minister Abdel Salam Majali of Jordan signed a peace treaty in a ceremony attended by President Clinton.

    One more reason I miss a president who can foster ths kind of diplomacy, intsead of the lying dry drunk former(?) coke head and his useless five deferment two DUI gutless blowhard waste of human protoplasm VP.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Clif - EXACTLY!!

    Everyone - please read my update on the post, and log on to StopIranWar.com (General Wesley Clark's site)

    Please let your feelings be knows and also help bring Impeachment back.

    Also go to Chris Dodd.com and support his stopping of the FISA bill.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Talll Texan said...
    There can be no doubt but that Putin has signed off on an attack.


    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! HELP US!

    THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING!

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH


    Go wash your diaper out, Widdle Cowboy, you scummy little stalker...

    ReplyDelete
  50. I can see Widdle Cowboy riding around his bedroom on his stick horse, cap pistol in hand:

    *BANG!BANG!* Ah'm gonn' shoot muh sum commieIslamo Injuns! Bang! BANG!*

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Fox News or Fox Lies?

    by Steven D

    One should report the news if "News" is in your corporate brand name. And by "news" I mean facts confirmed by multiple sources, not raw speculation meant to inflame the passions of your audience. Speculation is properly labeled commentary or opinion, not news. Or so you and I, news consumers, would think. But, alas, we would be wrong. It seems at Fox News, rank speculation and misinformation with little if any basis in fact now fits the definition of news. Case in point? Fox News anchors alleging that Al Qaeda terrorists may have started the California fires, based on a single 4 year old FBI memo that even the FBI found questionably sourced (via Raw Story):

    Did al Qaeda start the California wildfires?

    As more than a million people escaped the flames, Fox News anchors couldn't help speculating about a terrorism link to the blazes ravaging southern California.

    "I've heard some people talk about this a little bit to me, but have you heard anybody suggest that this could be some form of terrorism," Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy asked Wednesday morning. [...]

    Later Wednesday, Fox anchors returned to fanning the terror fears, digging up a four-year-old FBI memo and presenting it as new information relating to an al Qaeda link to the fires. In June of 2003, FBI agents in Denver detailed an al Qaeda detainee's discussion of a plot to set forest fires around the western United States, although investigators couldn't determine whether the detainee was telling the truth, and his plot did not include setting fires in California.

    Such small discrepancies in dates and details proved to be no obstacles for Fox anchors, who reported that the memo was from "late June of this year" and "is just popping up this morning."

    The memo was first reported by the Arizona Republic in July 2003, although a Fox anchor said it was reported "five days ago." ...

    A July 11, 2003, AP story, still available online via USA Today, reported, "The contents of the June 25 memo from the FBI's Denver office were reported Friday by The Arizona Republic."

    On Fox, that information became, "The June 25 memo from the FBI's Denver offices was reported three days ago, excuse me five days ago, by the Arizona Republic."

    Further distorting the report, Fox failed to mention a key caveat from the 2003 AP story they appear to have ripped from. "Rose Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, told The Associated Press that officials there took note of the warning but didn't see a need to act further on it."


    So, to recap: Fox News falsely reported the date of the FBI memo

    "(hell, they were only off by 4 freaking years!)"

    and lied by omission by failing to inform its readers that

    1) the memo never mentioned California specifically, and

    2) the FBI did not consider the information worthy of further action.

    In short, they were grossly negligent, at best

    "(and that's being charitable)",

    or they flat out lied, at worst.

    Either way, what they "reported" was hardly news.

    It was instead more on the level of propaganda such as would have been expected from the former Soviet newspaper Pravda,

    which, like "Fair and Balanced" Fox News,

    also had a misleading moniker

    (Pravda means "the Truth" in Russian).

    So, will Fox News now retract this misinformation which they have broadcast to their audience which further stokes the fears of terrorist attacks from Al Qaeda?

    Don't bet on it.

    Bbbbut Tiny the lying welsh and dolty boy the gutless chicken hawk always rely on the lies of Fox Noise to shovel the crap they try to pass here don't they?

    They try to shovel the lie Fox Noise doesn't LIE or spin crap for the reichwingers in the GOP like it does.

    (like Fox Noise sending St Johnny the delusional a cease and desist order,

    for using clips of him at the Fox Lies debate for reichwingers in his campaign commericials ,

    while at the same time giving Rudy the wife cheating cross dresser a free pass for the exact same thingy,

    just because the cross dressing cheating fraud is personal friends with Roger Ailes,

    who while being the head of Fox Lies Noise machine,

    is also a leading GOP slime merchant)

    Too bad for the stupid resident trolls the facts beg to differ.

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  52. Bush would deny it of course but absolutely everything he does is designed to empower him and goad WW3 including the missile shield scenario when he is ready to kick off WW3 and everything with Iran is designed too instigate it and the rest of the world will come to their aid.
    It was a given when Bush stole his second election and started saying he was going to spend political capitol he didn't have. He has been spending us into bankruptcy ever since and as I keep telling everyone, his greatest damage is still to com.

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  53. Farrukh B. Ali has written us a perceptive essay on the parlous state of Pakistan today. pat lang

    PAKISTAN ON THE BRINK

    Amid all the noise and commotion surrounding recent events in Pakistan most of the commentary in the media is either sensationalist or confused. Though it is not easy, even for close observers, to predict how the future is going to unfold, it is possible to discern possible outcomes and the underlying factors whose interplay will determine what actually comes about.

    Pakistan is now a fragile structure, riven by many fissures and under severe internal and external pressures. It is a land of four major (often rival) ethnicities, each based in one of its provinces (with a fifth centred in its largest city, Karachi). There is an increasing gap between a small rich upper class and the bulk of the people, who live in various levels of poverty and deprivation. There is a burgeoning population, fed by a high birth rate. Many aspects of everyday life are controlled by a huge government bureaucracy that is both corrupt and inefficient, and works mostly for its own gain and for those who can buy or influence its goodwill.

    There are, however, certain commonalities that affect Pakistanis across these dividing lines and counter their centrifugal effect. There is the common aspiration of the downtrodden and dispossessed everywhere for a better life and future for themselves and their children. There is a deep attachment to Islam, for many to the religion of the Islamists but, for the large majority, to Islam in its utopian guise as the source of all answers and solutions. There tends to be a sense of one Pakistani nationality among the people of the Punjab and most people in urban centres in other parts of the country.

    Another widely held sentiment is strong anti-US feelings; these are not directed against Americans but against the US government, and are based on what is perceived as its destruction of Afghanistan and Iraq, its condoning the destruction of the Palestinians and Lebanon, its war on terror that appears to be a war on Muslims, and now its sabre-rattling against Iran.

    These various commonalities do not significantly foster national unity but they do create common attitudes and responses to certain events and situations. All these forces, both positive and negative, operate beneath the surface but, though pervasive and powerful, do not have the capability to move events on their own. This can only be done by the two major repositories of power in Pakistan : the army and the people.

    The army has ready-to-use, mobilized power. The people possess potential power that needs to be mobilized to produce its effect. This cannot be done through elections because they are conducted and controlled by the corrupt and pliable administrative machinery (that is why Benazir Bhutto, even though she believed she had the votes, was forced to make a deal with Gen Musharraf in order to ensure that they would not be nullified in a rigged election). She, as well as some other politicians, have the ability to bring large numbers of people out on the streets, but these demonstrations wield no effective power; a “whiff of grapeshot” can scatter them (actually, a little tear gas will do the trick).

    This people power can, however, be effectively mobilized and projected by a dedicated and well-organized group. It is instructive to examine one case where this was successfully done. ZA Bhutto, then prime minister, had the 1977 elections rigged (he didn’t need to as he could have won a comfortable majority in a fair vote, but his vanity demanded an “overwhelming” victory). This blatant rigging resulted in a popular protest movement led by the opposition, which included the religious parties. When the police could not suppress this agitation, Bhutto, through his hand-picked army chief, Gen Zia ul Haq, declared martial law in several large cities and ordered the army in. The troops used deadly force and many people were killed, but the dedicated and organized cadres of the religious parties managed to keep the public demonstrations continuing. After more civilian deaths, several brigade commanders, responding to the feelings of their troops, refused to order any more shooting of demonstrators. This crack in the army’s cohesion and discipline created such alarm in the high command that the corps commanders forced Gen Zia to end the turmoil by unseating Bhutto. The rest is history.

    The notable lessons to be learned from this episode, lessons that are still very much applicable today, are :
    • The religious parties can mobilize people power by joining a people’s movement and using their highly-motivated and disciplined cadres to organize and sustain it. But they can do this only for a cause that the people themselves feel strongly about; they cannot do it for one of their own causes (as they have failed to do time and again).
    • If the army is used against its compatriots it imposes severe strains on its discipline and cohesion. If these are felt to be at risk the generals will act decisively to end such action, by whatever means are necessary; this is a red line they will not cross.

    The critical situation in which Pakistan finds itself today is because, under intense US pressure, Gen Musharraf has sent in the army to seize control of the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, and bloody battles are raging there. In the West these are seen as operations against Taliban and terrorists; to the soldiers involved they are fighting their own countrymen (and women and children). The strains are already manifesting themselves; it was till now unimaginable that hundreds of soldiers would allow themselves to be taken captive without a fight. There is real danger of a catastrophe. If Musharraf keeps forcing the army to continue fighting this war it may fracture; all it will take is one crack, since the strain on the whole edifice is so great that this would be enough to break it apart. Even if the army is pulled back into token operations, the tribesmen are so incensed that they may not cease fighting, and the strains will then continue.

    Meanwhile, the impact of this war, and the ongoing low-level insurgency in Baluchistan, is destabilizing the country. Religious fundamentalism is spreading and terrorist attacks and bombings occur frequently. The US hope that Benazir Bhutto can somehow stabilize the country, defeat internal extremists and mobilize the people against the “Taliban” is based on almost complete ignorance of the country and its dynamics. Even if she becomes prime minister, the war in the tribal areas will be controlled and fought by the generals, not by her. She cannot mobilize people power to fight the religious parties or the extremists (even when her father was hanged, when she was twice thrown out of office, and then imprisoned and later exiled, her party could not organize any significant public protest).

    If the army cracks, the country could break down into anarchy, or another military dictator, with a very different orientation, could take over. Even if the army holds together, the country faces increasing instability and unrest. The growth of religious fundamentalism in society cannot help but infect the army, and there is a small but real danger of a coup being mounted by such elements in the military. If Pakistan founders, Iraq will seem, in retrospect, to have been a rather rowdy picnic, and Iran just a pushy braggart.

    Critics of the Bush administration point to the invasion of Iraq as its greatest blunder. History may well record that an even bigger blunder was its policies in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Knowing that al-Qaeda was the real enemy, that they were based in Taliban Afghanistan, and that the Taliban themselves had come to power out of their bases in Pakistan, it focussed its attention instead on invading Iraq. It let the al-Qaeda leadership get away; when the Northern Alliance routed the Taliban it did nothing to ensure that they found no sanctuary in Pakistan. At that time, a little prodding could have got a subdued Musharraf to neutralize the religious parties and take control of their madrassahs (which were the support networks of the Taliban) and deny the latter sanctuaries in the border cities and tribal areas. But the lure of Iraq and a reordered Middle East drew them away, leaving huge unfinished business.

    Compounding this initial blunder, the US administration is now trying to salvage US-NATO operations in Afghanistan by forcing the Pakistan government to undertake a war upon its own tribal people. It has no comprehension that in seeking this tactical gain it is risking a strategic catastrophe. In its blithe ignorance and wishful policy-making it pursues the chimeras of Benazir Bhutto’s promises that, if the US helps her become prime minister, she will take care of everything and sort out all the problems. Ahmed Chalabi once sold them an identical bill of goods, and led them into the Iraq quagmire. Now they follow Benazir Bhutto’s siren song into an even bigger disaster in the making. Some people never learn.


    ***********************************

    BTW for those neocons and their trolls, Pakistan DOES have real nukes right now,(around 50, some possibly plutonium based which is required for mounting and launching by missile) not imaginary ones in the future .... like Iran, maybe.

    They do HARBOR Bin Forgotten and have done so for most of the last 6 years, after bin forgotten fled from Afghanistan post 9-11.

    They were instramental in the rise of the Taliban, and Pakistan is where the Taliban fled to in Nov 2001 after Bush undermanned the attempt to get Bin Forgotten.

    Pakistan is where the Talban is re-grouping and attacking the NATO forces from to retake Afghanistan from the US and NATO forces.

    Pakistan is where most of the terror attacks in England have been fomented, and where both the Taliban and al quada recruit fron now a days.

    In short order Pakistan is a much larger problem then either Iraq under Saddam was or Iran is today. That is, except it has NO OIL for the neo-cons to profit from, and of course, it doesn't fit into the destabilize the oil regiums in the middle east unfriendly to the reichwing of the US senarios they use fear to trumpet to the sheeple.

    But don't expect to see Fox Lies noise machine, the fat drug addicted lying gas bag, anny tranny, or the other corporate owned MSM to tell you these inconvient truths about the lies of the War on Terra.

    Because if the truth of Pakistan was known Iran wouldn't seem to be the current problem that Iraq was made out to be in the Fall 2002 to the invasion in March 2003, and dead eye wouldn't get the lastest war he wants sooooooo badly. (but of course thousands of US troops and upwards of a million Ianians, might not lose their lives, with many more wounded a good portion severely for life.)

    And the Idiot in Chief wouldn't have to borrow another trillion or two for another failed foriegn policy fiasco to add to his legacy of failures.

    So keep the truths hidden and send in the spin-meisters and outright liars (and their sycophantic trolls) to trump up the latest neo-con agenda for death and distruction for profit of the reichwing and their corporate masters.

    ReplyDelete
  54. At least somebody is holding them accountable;

    Donald Rumsfeld charged with torture during trip to France

    Former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld got an unpleasant surprise during his visit to France today when human rights groups filed a complaint with the Paris Prosecutor before the “Court of First Instance” (Tribunal de Grande Instance) charging the chief architect of President George W. Bush's "war on terror" with ordering and authorizing torture .......

    Too bad the US congress lacks their concern for real accounablity.

    ReplyDelete
  55. I guess Ole Donnie torture Dumsfeld could call Henry the war criminal Kissinger for advice on how to deal with this.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Oh, where's larry? :(

    Lydia, I agree with you that we shouldn't let the fear get the better sense of us. we have to be vigilant and vocal. There is not one news cast that says something off and I do not write to them.
    Today, I took on david brooks! He is such a moron!

    but someone should really calm down these Israelis and this AIPAC idiots. They are not afraid of Iran's bomb, but they are scared shitless of Iran becoming the "hegemon" whatever that means!

    If someone could explain to me what this "Iranian Hegemony" is going to look like, I would give them a PhD.
    I am SURE 90% of the audience have no freaking idea what "hegemony" is! It was a term mostly used in relation to US, trying to culturally dominate the west europe after the WWII.

    Now Miss Rice has picked up some political sci 101 book and picked up a term to scare the idiots with!

    Seriously, can you tell me when was the last time you heard the word "hegemony" on pop media before this Iran shit started.

    Hegemony was the word of the graduate schools! Now every little nanny is a "hegemony" expert!

    Bwah!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Anonymous8:23 PM

    I don't wish to say a whole lot, but do not be surprised if the orders to attack Iran are either partially or completely ignored.

    If Iran is attacked, this country is over. Mark my words. From what I hear from a couple of sources, if so much as the order to attack Iran is given, you will indeed see a proclamation of martial law-but not the way you're thinking it'll be.

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  58. JollyRoger

    I agree with you!

    But what is curious is that last year, around this time, the drums of war were beating just as loudly!

    Is this the season when monsters mate?

    ReplyDelete
  59. Wesely Clark made a miserable showing on Real Time with Bill Maher tonight.

    He is a Hilary supporter and supported the Kyl Lieberman ammendment. Its like either he wants war with Iran or he is naive and doesn't understand.

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  60. One unintended VERY bad consequence of any attack on Iran could very well be the total melt down of Pakistan, Musharif could be toast, since he is in a bad way there with quite a bit of his populace because of his apparant sucking up to the US combined with the US attacking Iran could end his reign and totally destabilize the region and lead to the loss of stability in both Pakistan and Afghanistan (combined with the fiasco in Iraq, and of course a Iran with major problems th internally and seeking help from Russia and China for the attacks from the US) for a decade or more with the blowback in the US lomng for a long, long time. (Both the economic disaster it will create, along with theblowback from China ET AL dumping US currency, which will collapse the dollar like Germany's Weinmar had it's currency collapse in the mid 1920's)

    ReplyDelete
  61. Lydia Cornell said...
    Okay, before I re-post the Valerie Plame story on a new blog, at the top of this blog I am posting an important message from Wes Clark about stopping any war with Iran.

    Anyone who advocates war with Iran is completely bonkers. Insane, primitive, idiotic...STUPID'


    Yeah, Tard Texan is a prime example of that mentality!

    ReplyDelete
  62. Talll Texan said...
    "BARTLEBEE said...
    There is absolutely NO doubt that Bush and Cheney intend on attacking Iran.

    10:51 Am"


    This we agree on. The Russians have evacuated all their personell from the nuclear projects in Iran. There can be no doubt but that Putin has signed off on an attack."


    We dont agree on ANYTHING you delusuional lying welching troll...............this is a perfect example of delusional Reich Wing fantasy based thinking...........I deal in facts little troll, not fantasies, and the FACTS are that Putin WARNED AGAINST attacking iran.........rather than supports an attack as your dedlusional lies claim............if you think you can come here and spew your Reich Wing lies, dishonest talking points and BS rhetoric, you are sadly mistaken you slimy troll.

    Giving you a voice is giving a voice to evil............No one likes you, no one wants you here, its time to STFU and move on before someone gives you some help in shutting up!

    There is enough war mongering jackasses in the MSM trying to start WW3............you wanna start a war how bout you suit up to fight it your self you gutless AIPAC piece of shit!

    ReplyDelete
  63. Naj said...
    Oh, where's larry? :(

    Lydia, I agree with you that we shouldn't let the fear get the better sense of us. we have to be vigilant and vocal. There is not one news cast that says something off and I do not write to them.
    Today, I took on david brooks! He is such a moron!

    but someone should really calm down these Israelis and this AIPAC idiots. They are not afraid of Iran's bomb, but they are scared shitless of Iran becoming the "hegemon" whatever that means!

    If someone could explain to me what this "Iranian Hegemony" is going to look like, I would give them a PhD.
    I am SURE 90% of the audience have no freaking idea what "hegemony" is! It was a term mostly used in relation to US, trying to culturally dominate the west europe after the WWII.

    Now Miss Rice has picked up some political sci 101 book and picked up a term to scare the idiots with!

    Seriously, can you tell me when was the last time you heard the word "hegemony" on pop media before this Iran shit started.

    Hegemony was the word of the graduate schools! Now every little nanny is a "hegemony" expert!

    Bwah! "


    I agree Naj, its like the inbred Reich Wing retards all get their talking points from "Big Brother" and just mindlessly repeat them like trained parrots or something...........they are clearly a bunch of mindless blindly loyal lemmings being led around by their masters because they are not capable nor intelligent enough to speak for themdselves.........Troll Tex is a prime example of that mentality..........he needs to click his jack boots togerther and head home.........this country is sick and tired of him and his kind and their ignorance.

    ReplyDelete
  64. I heard something on the radio about why they couldn't use the aerial option for the fires but I can't remember what it was. Maybe it was the wind.

    More and more I agree with Kucinich on just about every issue. I wish he had a chance to win. And I wish someone would impeach these criminals we have in office.

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  65. Naj, where is Larry?

    Naj - thanks for all your hard work. Hegemony means "dominance"

    AIPAC is out of control. No one seems to understand the powerful spiritual principle that "you make your enemies stronger by fighting them" and focusing on them. It's Alanon, the principle of "detachment with love." When you live with an alcoholic spouse you do not 'engage' or react to every crazy thing the alcoholic does, or every hot-tempered drunken binge.

    You quietly set boundaries, take care of yourself and your own side of the street. And you do this with loving detachment (a form of prayer.)

    It's also the Christian ethic.

    I would like to know why they overreact to everything Iran says or does. And why are we the rulers of the universe? Who are we to tell Iran it can't have "knowledge" of how to make nuclear energy? You can't stifle other human beings from gaining knowledge.

    We are overreacting, which will create the very scenario we are trying to avoid.

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  66. Mauigirl - I agree with you about Kucinich. He'd be a great president, totally abides by consistent principles for good.

    ReplyDelete
  67. oops forgot to attach the Valerie Plame items from Bartlebee.

    We are having Valerie Plame on the show on Nov. 7

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  68. Naj said...

    Is this the season when monsters mate?


    I dunno, Naj, let's ask...

    Hey, WIDDLE COWBOY!

    Are you at least wearing condoms when you pack fudge now?

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