Tuesday, November 28, 2006

This Just In: Hastings Will Not Get Intell





This afternoon, Nancy Pelosi released a statement:

Congressman Alcee Hastings and I have had extensive consultations, and today I advised him that I would select someone else as Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Alcee Hastings has always placed national security as his highest priority. He has served our country well, and I have full confidence that he will continue to do so.

Given what I've written--see here--I'm heartened. But I do wonder why she announced her decision not to choose Hastings without saying who would get the position. Representative Rush Holt--a possibility I suggested--is not lobbying for the post, according to Democratic Hill sources. But he certainly would like to get it. The betting, though, has to be on Representative Silvestre Reyes. With such a pick, Pelosi could please the Hispanic caucus as she peeves the Congressional Black Caucus. If merit ruled--yeah, right--Holt would get the nod. But that's not how business is done in Congress.

Posted by David Corn at November 28, 2006 03:42 PM

62 comments:

Saladin said...

RUSH HOLT: CAREER PROFILE (SINCE 1989)
Top Industries
The top industries supporting Rush Holt are:
1 Retired $893,998
2 Education $491,575
3 Lawyers/Law Firms $383,523
4 Public Sector Unions $238,000
5 Building Trade Unions $226,750
6 Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $202,631
7 Industrial Unions $194,000
8 Leadership PACs $189,688
9 Health Professionals
=======
A much better looking profile then the other two! At least no war profiteers at the top! Source Watch is a great resource!

Saladin said...

Whoops, this goes after Health Professionals.

$178,750

Saladin said...

Hajji, I concur, get Spanky and everyone else out of there, fucking PRONTO!!!

kathleen said...

Catching up with the last several days

# O'Reilly it was so fascinating to listen to the Sunday news programs dis-sect Hastings but not Harman, and David Corn was right in there with the crowd doing the same thing. He took apart Hastings but not Harman.."off limits" or what?

# Capt..those Harman quotes are frightening! I will be reading them twice just to put the fear of Harman in me even deeper!

# Hajji/Don. I take all of the young folks that come to the kids camp (ages 9-17) that I run during the summers to the New River every summer. We do the New with the same rafting company "Adventure Mountain River" great company and stay at a place called "Ace adventure camp". Kentucky and West Virginia are so beautiful!

Jimmy Carter has been ripping away the veneer on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Terri Gross did a great interview with him, I thought Diane Rehm's interview was weak, tonight on Hardball, David Schuster tried to set Carter up for a fall, but Jimmy Carter stayed on track and breezed right through Schuster's trap. Schuster tried to make excuses for Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, Carter knocked Schuster on his ass. You should go read the transcripts at Msnbc Hardball.


I am going to compare how many shows Jimmy gets on these next two weeks to how many shows Bob Woodward got on with "A State of Denial". We will see if Larry King Live puts Jimmy on? King had Woodward on for a half an hour when his book came out. Also want to see if Neil Conan of Talk of the Nation brings him on, he gave Woodward plenty of time for his book. How fair will the media be to Jimmy's new book will he get as much air time as Woodward? Keep a watch


Today on Talk of the Nation I was able to ask (D) Senator McCosker from Missouri about her more than likely support for John Bolton she slid right into a "more than likely". When I asked her if she would be pushing for accountability in regard to the false pre-war intelligence one of the things she said was "we do not want to be about the blame game".

I wonder if this is what Senator McCosker will be saying to people who have lost their family members in this bullshit and criminal war of choice. "WE do not want to get into the blame game". Jesus fucking christ McCosker, 3000 American soldiers are dead, 20,000 are injured, 650,ooo Iraqi people are dead, Iraq is an inferno and you call holding people accountable for the false pre-war intelligence which took us into this war "the Blame game". I thought you would call this JUSTICE!

When I asked Senator Sherrod Brown this same question when he was in Athens before the election he said "we do not want to be about retribution". Jesus where are the Democrats collective balls, ovaries, chutzpah on holding people accountable for the intelligence snowjob?

If the Democrats do not step up to the plate on this issue..they will lose in 2008..and they should!

kathleen said...

Saladin, thanks for sharing the profiles on Harman and Holt.

kathleen said...

Hajji many believe that the Israeli lobby took a solid stance against Carter and that this was one more reason he did not get re-elected!

I love Carter, he cuts through the crap on the middle east!

kathleen said...

I forgot to post this alert when it came out over a week ago!

US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
ACTION ALERT: Jimmy Carter on Apartheid in Palestine

On November 14, Simon & Schuster is scheduled to release President Jimmy Carter’s
latest book, tentatively entitled “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid”.

The US Campaign has not reviewed an advance copy of the book and cannot speak to its
content. However, the fact that a former US president is using the term “apartheid”
to describe Israel’s policies toward Palestinians represents a fundamental shift in
the discourse on Israel/Palestine in the United States and has the potential to
dramatically shift US policy for the better.

The US Campaign urges its individual supporters and member organizations to take
action around President Carter’s book release to increase awareness in the United
States of Israel’s apartheid policies toward Palestinians.

TAKE ACTION:

1. Organize or participate in an event during the US Campaign-endorsed Fourth Annual
International Week of Action against the Apartheid Wall, called for by Stop the
Wall: The Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign. Click here for an
action alert and suggested ideas.

2. Contact your local bookstore and ask them to stock this book. Ask your friends,
colleagues, and family to purchase the book and host a book club to discuss the
issues raised in President Carter’s book and what you can do change the situation.

3. President Carter’s book is likely to generate significant media attention and
debate. Call your local talk radio programs and write a letter-to-the-editor to your
local paper affirming that Israel’s policies toward Palestinians are apartheid.
Click here for contact information for your local media.

4. Democratic Party leaders such as Reps. Nancy Pelosi and John Conyers and DNC
Chair Howard Dean have criticized President Carter for using the term “apartheid” to
describe Israel’s policies. Pelosi denied that Israel “institutionalizes ethnically
based oppression” and Dean “fundamentally disagree[s] and do[es] not support his
[Carter’s] analysis of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Conyers even
called on Carter to change the title of his book. Send a message to your Members of
Congress and the Democratic Party stating that you support President Carter’s use of
the term “apartheid” to describe Israel’s policies. Click here for contact
information for your elected officials.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS ADVISORY

Experts Available to Speak on Israeli Apartheid Policies as Pres. Carter Releases
New Book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid”

Washington, DC (November 13)—The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation is making
available to the media experts who are available for interviews to discuss the
apartheid nature of Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

Tomorrow, former President Jimmy Carter is releasing a new book, entitled
“Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid”. In conjunction with the book release, the US
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, a national coalition of more than 200
organizations, issued an action alert urging its supporters to use the book release
as an opportunity to raise awareness in the United States about Israel’s apartheid
polices toward Palestinians. The action alert can be viewed by clicking here.

Contact information and pull quotes from US Campaign experts are below.

Noura Erakat, National Grassroots Organizer/Legal Advocate, US Campaign

“Palestinians endure a system which denies them access to work, hospitals, and
schools; restricts their freedom of movement; expropriates their land; forces them
to live in separate reserves; imprisons them without trial; and frustrates their
national self-determination--this system is also called Apartheid according to the
International Convention of the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of
Apartheid.”

Bill Fletcher, Jr., labor and international writer and activist, US Campaign
Advisory Committee Member

Bill Fletcher, a former organizer with the Massachusetts Labor Committee for a Free
South Africa and former president of TransAfrica Forum, stated:

"The world is coming to view the Palestinian dilemma as a 21st century version of
apartheid. The theft of land; the marginalization of the population; and the
not-so-subtle effort to drive the Palestinian people from their lands, makes this a
continuously unfolding crime. Those of us who participated in the supporting the
South African anti-apartheid struggle are morally obligated to raise the call for
Palestinian freedom. Silence is impermissible."

Mark Lance, Professor, Georgetown University, US Campaign Steering Committee Member

Mark Lance, a former organizer with Students for a Free South Africa at University
of Pittsburgh, stated:

“The dark history of South African apartheid stands as a stark example of the human
consequences of forcible separation of peoples, and of systematic discrimination.
The proud history of international resistance to South African apartheid stands as a
shining example of what people of conscience can accomplish when they stand in
solidarity. The system of occupation, walls, military blockade and legal
discrimination set in place by the Israeli state is a system of apartheid, and one
that will be defeated by the same coalition, with the same nonviolent power, that
led to a free South Africa.”

Dr. Nancy Murray, US Campaign Advisory Committee Member

Nancy Murray, a former organizer of the South African anti-apartheid movement in the
United Kingdom and Kenya, stated:

“The fragmented West Bank resembles, in miniature, the archipelago that was the
homeland of Bophuthatswana. The international community refused to recognize the
South African homelands as independent states. Will it accept Palestinian
Bantustans as the basis of a “two-state solution?”

kathleen said...

You too Hajji..let's keep pushing! Let's see what we can get these Reps to do for the American people, and to undue any of the damage that we have done to others. I guess that is really absurd to even say,

The situation for the Iraqi people is just too sad for words. It is horrible, criminal, and rips me up (damn that Catholic upbringing). I wish I could just go shopping and be happy!

I have spent some more time looking at pictures that Robert Fisk had taken of the situation in Iraq. I think every American should be forced to sit and look at what is taking place there!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Noel... bullshit..hogwash...bah fucking hummer!

Yesterday Amy Goodman interviewed a reporter Nir Rosen who just returned from the middle east. He was one of the most honest reporters that I have heard. He seemed to have a very deep understanding about what is taking place in the middle east.

Well worth going to listen to at Democracy Now!

kathleen said...

This is at Information Clearing House

There is no solution.

Writer Nir Rosen on Iraq's Descent Into Chaos

In his latest article, "Anatomy of a Civil War: Iraq's descent into chaos", Rosen writes, "Shia religious parties such as the Iran-supported Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (its name a sufficient statement of its intentions), or SCIRI, controlled the country, and Shia militias had become the Iraqi police and the Iraqi army, running their own secret prisons, arresting, torturing, and executing Sunnis in what was clearly a civil war. And the Americans were merely one more militia among the many, watching, occasionally intervening, and in the end only making things worse. Iraqis' hopes for a better future after Saddam had been betrayed."

11/27/06 Democracy Now! - Runtime 32 Minutes

kathleen said...

Things are quiet over at National Review and Weekly Standard in regard to Carter's new book.

They must be hoping that the critical issues that Carter is bringing up will just go away!

kathleen said...

Watched just 40 minutes of this film...going to buy it! We are truely a sick nation.

Information Clearing House
Paying The Price: Killing The Children Of Iraq

A documentary film by John Pilger

Sanctions enforced by the UN on Iraq since the Gulf War have killed more people than the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945, including over half a million children - many of whom weren't even born when the Gulf War began.

Broadcast 03/06/2000 ITV Runtime 75 Minutes

Gerald said...

Hastings did not get the Intell job because he comes with too much baggage.

Jimmy Carter is right. Iraq is the worst foreign policy blunder in U.S. history.

The Christian reichwingers are debating whether or not to care for the environment and the poor is too liberal. It is too bad that they do not know Jesus. Jesus is not into conservative or liberal. He is into that we are all called to be stewards of our planet and the world population, both human and animal. I guess that the Christian reichwingers have no concern for the human population outside the mother's womb.

Gerald said...

One Goat At a Time

The Sisters of Mercy from Pennsylvania are making a difference in the lives of impoverished women in Peru, one goat at a time.

The nuns began a successful livestock-breeding program in Chulucanas, Peru, which helps participants learn marketable skills to help their families. In the process the women’s self-esteem and sense of dignity are enhanced.

At the start of the year, women take out small loans to buy two animals; either sheep or goats because they’re economical to raise and not prone to disease. At the end of the year, they must give back two animals so the project can continue elsewhere.

Participants also take various classes.

“They are beginning to be proud of themselves and are involved in catechetics, health education and ministry,” said one of the sisters. “These projects provide minor economic gains that take time. But there have been small but very significant changes.”

What small but significant changes can you make?

The patient…are better than the proud in spirit. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

Redeemer, inspire those who minister to the impoverished.

Gerald said...

Guidance through Practical Counsel

During her 12 years as a high school guidance counselor Margaret Boyajian took her responsibilities seriously.

As part of her overall effort to guide students toward college and a fulfilling career Boyajian implemented a system that allowed students to discover, explore and meet their weekly and monthly academic and activities goals.

“There are so many options open to high school students today,” says Boyajian. “We try to help them get to know themselves and what kind of career might suit them.”

When Boyajian began, roughly 60 percent of the school’s students went on to two- or four-year colleges. By the time she retired that number had jumped to 84 percent.

Your work does affect others’ lives. Turn your daily toil into a positive, edifying effort.

You are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)

Holy Spirit, help me recognize even the smallest opportunities to do good, since they often make the greatest difference in others’ lives.

Gerald said...

Tell Our Congress

Gerald said...

Be All That You Can Be

Gerald said...

In the book's final pages, Fantina writes: "The following list of military reforms was suggested in 1903: over 100 years later, most of them are yet to be implemented, yet they would certainly contribute to a more stable military force:

1. Private soldiers to receive a substantial increase in pay.
2. The employment of trained cooks.
3. Recognition of the right of all soldiers of whatever position to engage in criticism and in free speech at all times and under all circumstances.
4. All the food a soldier wishes to eat, instead of being limited as at present, to an inadequate 'ration'.
5. Absolute amnesty to all deserters from the army and navy.
6. The erection of modern sanitary buildings at all places where troops are quartered.
7. Service in the army to be limited to two years.
8. Abolition of military salutes and all other imbecile and servile practices.
9. Thorough practice in mobility, rapid field movements, quick concentration, with special attention to supplying the troops promptly and regularly with abundant, wholesome nourishing food.
10. All soldiers and officers, whatsoever, to eat exactly the same food, and to be housed or quartered alike at all times and in all places.
11. Prohibition of all forms of torture and violence."

Gerald said...

If you believe the Bush and his cabal are stupid, please focus on Congress and Military Service.

Gerald said...

I know that politicians and the halls of power move slowly but why have no changes taken place in 100 years???

capt said...

There is no telling to what extremes of cruelty and ruthlessness a man will go when he is freed from the fears, hesitations, doubts and the vague stirrings of decency that go with individual judgement. When we lose our individual independence in the corporateness of a mass movement, we find a new freedom- freedom to hate, bully, lie, torture, murder and betray without shame and remorse. Herein undoubtedly lies part of the attractiveness of a mass movement: Eric Hoffer

=
The path of least resistance and least trouble is a mental rut already made. It requires troublesome work to undertake the alternation of old beliefs. Self-conceit often regards it as a sign of weakness to admit that a belief to which we have once committed ourselves is wrong. We get so identified with an idea that it is literally a "pet" notion and we rise to its defense and stop our eyes and ears to anything different: John Dewey


===
Read this newsletter online http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/


Thanks ICH Newsletter!

Gerald said...

About Heaven and Hell

Thought much lately about eternity? About heaven and hell?

Even people of faith often hesitate to dwell on the subject, perhaps because it reminds them of their mortality.

Yet, contemplating our lives in light of eternity can help put ourselves in perspective. Gian Carlo Menotti, the renowned composer, had this regret-filled, if thought-provoking idea: “Hell begins on the day when God grants us a clear vision of all that we might have achieved, of all the gifts which we have wasted, of all that we might have done which we did not do. …To me, the conception of hell lies in two words: too late!”

Every single day offers opportunities for us to make earth a little more like heaven, if we would only trust God, avoid regrets and guilt and seek His will.

Then we’ll never fear the words, too late.

Do not fear death’s decree for you…This is the Lord’s decree for all flesh. (Sirach 41:3,4)

Beloved and Almighty God help me do my best, to rid myself of regrets and guilt while trusting in Your mercy.

capt said...

From President Carters Bio at:

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2002/carter-bio.html



Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.), thirty-ninth president of the United States, was born October 1, 1924, in the small farming town of Plains, Georgia, and grew up in the nearby community of Archery. His father, James Earl Carter, Sr., was a farmer and businessman; his mother, Lillian Gordy, a registered nurse.

He was educated in the Plains public schools, attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and received a B.S. degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. In the Navy he became a submariner, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and rising to the rank of lieutenant. Chosen by Admiral Hyman Rickover for the nuclear submarine program, he was assigned to Schenectady, N.Y., where he took graduate work at Union College in reactor technology and nuclear physics, and served as senior officer of the pre-commissioning crew of the Seawolf, the second nuclear submarine.

*****end of clip*****

By far the closest thing to a nuclear scientist we will likely ever have as president.


capt

Gerald said...

My biggest fear is to die and as I fall I will say, "It's too late."

It seems like we could do more in our lives to make our world a better place.

My salvation will rest upon a merciful God to judge me!

Gerald said...

WAR IS NOT ONLY A RACKET BUT IT IS ALSO A LIVING HELL!!!!!

Gerald said...

Congress To Ponder Conscription

America's new Pledge of Allegiance will be "Hut 1, 2, 3, 4; hut 1,2, 3, 4!!!"

Gerald said...

We Must Do What?

Gerald said...

Stupid does as stupid is

Gerald said...

Bombing Iran is a MORTAL SIN!!! I means eternal hell for the people who encourage and participate in the bombing of Iran!!!!!!!!!!

Gerald said...

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Gerald said...

We finally know why Nazi America started the Iraq war

Gerald said...

Declare Victory and Get Out

Gerald said...

Americans must swallow their pride and take a long, hard look in the mirror. We must ask ourselves, how did we allow this to happen? What did we do wrong? How can we stop George W. Bush?

Gerald said...

In Search of Justice

“Life is fragile – handle with prayer.”

That saying was a favorite of Mamie Till Mobley who died peacefully in 2003. Her only child Emmett Till died in 1955 and there was nothing peaceful about it. He was murdered by racists in Mississippi because, as a visitor from the North, he could not understand that the punishment for a 14-year-old black youngster who whistled at a white woman could be kidnap, torture and death.

Mother Mobley, as she was known, decided that “everybody needed to know what happened to Emmett Till” and insisted on an open casket so that people could see his mutilated body. She later said that “Emmett’s death was the impetus for the Civil Rights movement in America.”

Mother Mobley became a teacher.

She believed, “We must teach our children to weather the hurricanes of life, pick up the pieces and rebuild.”

Build up, never tear down.

All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and…murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us. (1 John 3:15-16)

Spirit of Courage, direct our path in peace and justice.

Gerald said...

Unexpected Millionaire

When Genesio Morlacci retired, the former owner of a dry cleaning shop became a janitor at the University of Great Falls in Montana. So, at his death in 2004 at age 102, no one expected the windfall he left behind. Morlacci left his entire estate – worth $2.3 million – to the university.

How had Morlacci saved that much?

He lived a lifetime of hard work, smart investments and old-fashioned thrift – after wearing out shirt collars, for example, he was known to remove them and sew them back on with the frayed side down.

Morlacci’s lifetime efforts will now reap benefits long after his death – the University of Great Falls anticipates that his endowment will generate approximately $100,000 a year for scholarships. Not bad for a man many would have dismissed as a simple janitor.

We all have worth beyond the obvious. What’s yours, and how can you show it to the world?

You are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:31)

Lord, help me to do all I can to improve the world.

Gerald said...

Advent: Anticipating Christmas

When people talk about “the holidays” what they usually mean is Christmas. We tend to give Advent short shrift.

That’s too bad, because Advent can give us the right perspective on December 25. First of all, the word for this season is from the Latin adventus meaning coming. It invites us to recognize all comings of Jesus – past, present and future.

The Son of God was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. Through grace, He comes within the hearts of His people day by day. And, finally, as the Christ, Jesus will return in triumph at the Second Coming. Through Advent we realize that Christmas is not merely a commemoration of history, but a celebration of salvation.

Use Advent’s four weeks as a time of prayer and spiritual renewal. Wonder at God’s everlasting love and His overwhelming gift to each and every one of us: His beloved Child.

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Son of God, Baby of Bethlehem, help us to grow in wisdom and grace as You did – and always, in love.

Gerald said...

Pole Climbing Perils

How hard can it be to climb a pole? If it’s a telephone pole, it’s more difficult than you might think.

Each year, thousands of telephone repair people across the United States attend pole climbing schools to brush up on their technique and safety skills.

There’s much to learn: how to spot poles weakened by termites or humidity, which may crack under a climber’s weight; what to do if attacked by snakes or bees nesting in the poles; how to avoid being electrocuted; the use of gaffes, the sharp metal pins attached to their boots, for climbing; physical preparedness – weak or weary climbers can lose their grip and slide down in what is know as “pole burning.”

These hazards are probably not what you thought of when watching a repair person shimmy up a telephone pole. That’s like life.

Since things aren’t always what they appear to be, be prepared and keep an open mind.

Those who abide in Me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Lord God, help me be prepared for all life throws at me.

uncledad said...

I'll be honest. Did not read the post, have nothing to say really. But if you want to hear Uncledad's latest live recording (aka jam session) Click here!

O'Reilly said...

Former President Carter Examines Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter discusses his latest book, "Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid" about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Audio

capt said...

Contrary to Previous Reports, Cheney Was ‘Basically Summoned’ By Saudi Crown Prince



Last weekend, Vice President Cheney traveled to Saudi Arabia in a visit that "was originally portrayed as U.S. outreach to its oil-rich Arab ally." Cheney made the trip purportedly to discuss a "range of regional issues," Cheney’s spokeswoman said. The Associated Press reported that Cheney was "seen as a US diplomatic push to stem surging violence in Iraq."

But today’s Washington Post reports that the push for the meeting came from the Saudis, not the other way around:

Saudi Arabia is so concerned about the damage that the conflict in Iraq is doing across the region that it basically summoned Vice President Cheney for talks over the weekend, according to U.S. officials and foreign diplomats.

What does it say about the nature of U.S.-Saudi relations when the Vice President can be "summoned" by the Saudi Crown Prince?

More HERE

*****end of clip*****

It just goes to show who answers to whom, eh?



capt

uncledad said...

"An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support." ~ John Buchan (1875 - 1940)

capt said...

O’Reilly Misfires In ‘War On Christmas’ Attack On Crate & Barrel



Last night, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly took aim at the retailer Crate & Barrel in his latest "War on Christmas" segment. O’Reilly cited a recent article in which Crate & Barrel spokeswoman Betty Kahn is quoted saying, "We would definitely not say Merry Christmas."

O’Reilly claimed to have "confirmed" the quote was accurate. As a result, he said he would no longer shop at the store, and alleged that the six Muslim imams removed last week from a US Airways flight "wouldn’t get handcuffed in Crate & Barrel if they started chanting and stuff." Watch it (at the link)

But in an interview with ThinkProgress, Kahn said her quote was misconstrued. Crate & Barrel has no policy encouraging or discouraging store employees from saying "Merry Christmas" or any other greeting. Kahn said she was trying to communicate that the store does not actively require employees to say "Merry Christmas."


More HERE

*****end of clip*****

The war on Christmas is insane. Moonbat mentality - a little paranoia to go with their psychosis.


capt

capt said...

When I told the people of Northern Ireland that I was an atheist, a woman in the audience stood up and said, "Yes, but is it the God of the Catholics or the God of the Protestants in whom you don't believe?"

~ Quentin Crisp

O'Reilly said...

Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

"Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

"'I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,' Bush retorted, according to the source.


Webb will get his chance to speak his mind from the floor of the Senate on nationwide C-SPAN... over and over and over.

Detroit Don said...

Good posts today.

Great news about Spanky, Hajji. Redeployment, change of footprint, whatever. Just do it. I also take great pleasure in the flip-flopping done by this administration.

Re: Bush/Webb. Perfect example of the cold, Bush arrogance he learned from that ice-hearted bitch of a mother. Could the Idiot Boy-King be more of an asshole? Couldn't he just say, "We want to bring everyone home as soon as possible" instead of being such a confrontational dickhead? I truly despise the man.

Saladin said...

Gerald, your link "We finally know why they started the war" is right on. It has been obvious for a long time this chaos in the middle east cauldron was by design so bush can really say "mission accomplished."

Don, bush is the epitome of the IDIOT and ASSHOLE!

kathleen said...

The attacks on Jimmy Carter at the National Review begin!

Carter vs. Israel

SITUATION ROOM: Jimmy Carter said it was “probably a mistake” for Palestinians to kidnap the Israeli soldier.

I do not remember President Carter saying "probably".

What a comment to focus on.

Going to MSNBC and listenting to Carter's interview with Schuster is worth while. Carter is so honest, so smooth, so willing to tackle the "core issue" in the middle east!

Saladin said...

Does Anyone in Washington or at Downing Street Know What's Really Happening in Iraq?
Iraq Nears the "Saigon Moment"
By PATRICK COCKBURN
Counterpunch

Iraq is rending itself apart. The signs of collapse are everywhere. In Baghdad the police often pick up over 100 tortured and mutilated bodies in a single day. Government ministries make war on each other. A new and ominous stage in the disintegration of the Iraqi state came earlier this month when police commandos from the Shia-controlled Interior Ministry kidnapped 150 people from the Sunni-run Higher Education Ministry in the heart of Baghdad.

Iraq may be getting close to what Americans call 'the Saigon moment', the time when it becomes evident to all that the government is expiring. "They say that the killings and kidnappings are being carried our by men in police uniforms and with police vehicles," said the Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari with a despairing laugh to me earlier this summer. "But everybody in Baghdad knows that the killers and kidnappers are real policemen."

It is getting worse. The Iraqi army and police are not loyal to the state. If the US army decides to confront the Shia militias it could well find Shia military units from the Iraqi army cutting the main American supply route between Kuwait and Baghdad. One convoy was stopped at a supposedly fake police checkpoint near the Kuwait border earlier this month and four American security men and an Austrian taken away.

The US and British position in Iraq is far more of a house built on sand than is realized in Washington or London despite the disasters of the last three-and-a-half years. President Bush and Tony Blair show a unique inability to learn from their mistakes, largely because they do not want to admit having committed any errors in the first place.

Civil war is raging across central Iraq, home to a third of the country's 27 million people. As Shia and Sunni flee each other's neighbourhoods Iraq is turning into a country of refugees. The UN High Commission for Refugees says that 1.6 million are displaced within the country and a further 1.8 million have fled abroad. In Baghdad neighbouring Sunni and Shia districts have started to fire mortars at each other. On the day Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death I phoned a friend in a Sunni area of the capital to ask what he thought of the verdict. He answered impatiently that "I was woken up this morning by the explosion of a mortar bomb on the roof of my next door neighbour's house. I am more worried about staying alive myself than what happens to Saddam."
=========
They won't admit to mistakes because they haven't made any mistakes. Maybe when the people get wise to what is happening over there they will unite and throw those murdering tyrants out! Who says I'm hopeless?

Saladin said...

Kathleen, Carter is very brave to put his head in that lion's mouth, he is taking a huge risk. Remember when pelosi and all her Israel first cronies attack him that they cannot be trusted. Anyone who supports the genocide against the Palestinian people should never be trusted. EVER!

kathleen said...

oops! They are talking about the interview on Cnn with Wolf Blitzer!

Carter is one brave man! The Israeli Lobby and all of their soldiers are going to slam Carter hard.

REMEMBER CALL INTO YOUR BOOK STORES, ASK THAT THEY STOCK CARTER'S NEW BOOK, STAND BEHIND CARTER AS HE TACKLES ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUES THAT OUR NATION FACES AND AVOIDS!


Can't wait to hear his interview on Larry King Live!


Carter: Shalit Abduction "Probably a Mistake," But Israel Should Have Released Prisoners
11/28 04:54 PM - The Markup, Videos
Today on CNN's The Situation Room, Jimmy Carter followed up his performance on Larry King last night with even more Israel-bashing:


CARTER: ... and Gaza is now completely surrounded by a high wall with only two openings in it, and this wall is being built to confiscate even more land that's owned by Palestinians.

BLITZER: But the Israelis did pull out of Gaza only to find that these Katusha rockets, these other rockets, have been launched from Gaza into the southern part of Israel.

CARTER: Israel withdrew from Gaza, and then the Palestinians... what precipitated this was not the Katusha rockets, it was the seizure of an Israeli soldier, which was probably a mistake on their side. So the Palestinians do hold one Israeli soldier. The Israelis hold 9,200 Palestinians, as I said earlier, including 300 children and about 100 women. And as soon as the Palestinians took this soldier, immediately they offered to swap this soldier to the Israelis for a limited number of women and children being held by the Israelis in prison. The Israelis rejected that offer.

And what an offer it was! I can't imagine why Israel rejected it

Saladin said...

Kathleen, conveniently ignored is the unprovoked Israeli shelling of that beach that killed all those people, including small children. We wouldn't want to deal with the TOO harsh reality now would we?

kathleen said...

Saladin, I agree. That is why people should write and call Pelosi, Conyers and all other Democrats that roll over to the Israeli lobby! They are complete chicken shits on this critical issue!

Carter, Mearsheimer, Walt and many more before them are trying to open this frozen door so that honest dialogue about the "core issue" in the middle east can take place.

(D)Congressman Lantos(who is now the head of the Foreign Relations Committee) and recently on C-span called the paper "The Israeli Lobby" by Mearsheimer and Walt "a conspiracy theory" must be pissing his pants. Congresswoman Ros/Lehtinen(D-Fla) and Lantos pushed the legislation to cut off all funding to the Palestinians (even humanitarian aid). Ros Lehtinen/Lantos and the other Israeli firsters in congress are going to attack/or ignore Carter with all of their might. (Anti-defamation League, Camera, Jinsa,Aipac, National Review, Weekly Standard, AEI and Representatives who are completely intimidated by the Israeli Lobby)

IT IS CRITICAL TO GET BEHIND CARTER IN ANY WAY AT THIS TIME!

kathleen said...

Saladin...JINSA no longer has a website. This is odd!

capt said...

Rick,

The WaPo link is from inside the thinkprogress piece and is incorrectly linked in their piece.


capt

kathleen said...

The attacks from Kristol, Kagan etc. have yet to begin at Weekly Standard. Will they ignore or attack?

kathleen said...

Israel Lobby Watch
Philip Weiss



For progressives who are even mildly critical of Israel, a never-ending concern is the response of the Jewish community. Generally, Jews are among the biggest backers of liberal causes. But a common refrain from liberal Jews is that Hamas and Hezbollah represent threats to Israel's very existence, and so conversations about policy take on an emotional and religious character. "There's a deep schizophrenia in some of the Jewish community, and people who are at the forefront of every single rights issue, from racial justice in the United States to the ethnic cleansing in Darfur--on Israel, it crumbles, and there is all this hand-wringing," says Sarahleah Whitson of Human Rights Watch. "And everyone [who is critical] is successfully marginalized."

The struggle for Jewish hearts and minds explains the latest battle in the ideological war over the Middle East: the firestorm over Human Rights Watch's reports from the Lebanon war. The New York City-based monitor issued a couple-dozen reports during the conflict, some sharply critical of Israel for killing civilians, and has had to fight a rear-guard action to maintain its standing among American Jews.

capt said...

Kathleen,

I get:

http://www.jinsa.org/home/home.html

and it comes right up. Maybe there is a server down between you and them?

I also get:

http://www.jinsa.org/news/news.html

and it too seems to be working.



capt

Saladin said...

Kathleen, unless we can match this they will never listen no matter how much we call and write.

2004 Top Ten Career Recipients of Pro-Israel PAC Funds

House: Career
Berkley, Shelley (D-NV) $201,455
Frost, Martin (D-TX) 165,414
Engel, Eliot (D-NY) 137,918
Levin, Sander (D-MI) 113,727
Lowey, Nita (D-NY) 109,738
Lantos, Tom (D-CA) 107,250
Hoyer, Steny (D-MD) 92,275
Evans, Lane (D-IL) 87,379
Harman, Jane (D-CA) 86,271
DeLay, Tom (R-TX) 81,050

Senate: Career
Daschle, Tom (D-SD) $533,635
Specter, Arlen (R-PA) 461,973
Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ) 433,806
Durbin, Richard (D-IL) 326,671
Reid, Harry (D-NV) 318,801
Wyden, Ronald (D-OR) 255,562
Lieberman, Joseph (D-CT) 227,758
Boxer, Barbara (D-CA) 223,794
Dodd, Christopher (D-CT) 221,178
Conrad, Kent (D-ND) 201,939
Pelosi, Nancy (CA) $63,450

pelosi also received $17,000 for her last reelection from Occidental Petroleum. The above list is thru 2004, below is an update.

2005-2006 cycle.

Here is a website I think you will like.

Yellowcakewalk

kathleen said...

Just finished reading Corn's "Iran/Contra 20 years later and what it means".

Prior to the 2000 election many of us could see the "Iran/Contra" criminals gathering!

Corn said in the article "As for the current relevance of Iran/contra, one could argue that the affair taught Reaganites and neocons a lesson, the wrong lesson: you can get away with it."

Let's not just hope, as David says in his article that these "One can hope, though, that the disingenuous, reality-defying engineers of the current disaster will be too old or too discredited to return to power two decades from now" LET'S E-MAIL, LOBBY, CALL, GET OUT ON THE STREETS AND DEMAND THAT THESE WAR CRIMINALS THESE TERROIST WHO USE THE SYSTEM TO MURDER OTHERS (650,OOO DEAD IRAQI PEOPLE, WHO KNOWS HOW MANY INJURED, 3000 AMERICAN SOLDIERS, 20,OOO INJURED) ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND PROSECUTED.

Interesting how it was more than acceptable for Jews to demand that the Nazi's be held accountable for their war crimes. But for these war criminals we have our representatives like (D-Missouri) Senator McCosker say on Talk of the Nation yesterday that we do not want to play the "blame game" when it comes to holding people accountable for the false pre-war intelligence. Or when (D-Ohio) Senator Sherrod Brown was asked by me about accountability in regard to the false pre-war intelligence he said "we do not want to be about retribution! Can anyone tell me when holding people accountable for such serious crimes started to be defined as "the blame game" or "retribution" instead of JUSTICE?

And now David Corn (thank you for all you do and the article) tells us that we can "hope" that these psycho's are too old in twenty years to cause more death and destruction.

No David we should all do more than hope these warmongers/liars should all be held accountable!

kathleen said...

David Corn do you think Abbie committed suicide? Why?

Saladin...we have to try! There will probably never be a time like now to get the Israeli lobby and the disproportionate amount of power and influence off the back of this country as now! ( well if the Aipac trial actually sees the light of day).

We need to encourage every one we know to get behind Carter at this time! CALL/WRITE PELOSI AND CONYERS AND ANY OTHER CHICKEN SHIT REPRESENTATIVE IN REGARD TO THE ISRAELI LOBBY AND DEMAND THAT THEY STOP BENDING OVER TO THE ISRAELI LOBBY! THEY STAND UP TO OTHER SPECIAL INTEREST WHY NOT AIPAC! (WELL WE KNOW WHY)

kathleen said...

Saladin, Thanks for the Yellowcake connnection. I had read in the past that the U.S. has forgiven Israel for every loan due in the past. The real cost to American taxpayers for supporting Israel no matter what they do!

The WRMEA WEBSITE IS SO INFORMATIVE!

Saladin said...

Kathleen, AIPAC pays big money for results. You are witnessing the return on their investment in Iraq right now. The dems won because the people are sick to death of the war and all the neocon bullshit, if the dems have sold out and won't deliver, what do we do next? How long do we give them? I read that roughly 97% of the people do not make monetary contributions to politicians, so that means 3% are making the decisions for the whole country with the money they give. This is the first problem that needs to be addressed, if pelosi is really concerned about ethics violations she will begin her reform campaign there. clinton promised many times but it was just talk. Jumping off the money train is going to take guts, their careers are riding on it.

capt said...

Fresh thread!