good morning bloggers! so Hillary is in. well, you know she's not my choice but I am not going to rain on her parade. not today anyway. I think it's too early for presidential debates. I wish we could just stand together for awhile before the arguments begin. it is supposed to snow here today. we'll see. we don't see much snow in this part of Virginia anymore. but as my (unannounced) presidential choice AL GORE can tell you- there's a reason for that. y'all have a wonderful day! I might catch you later!!

just put the other 300 million of us on their plan!
****

goodfoe, I like that answer. It's the one that John Kerry came up with in 2004! I also like the solution of putting all government workers on social security (including and especially the politicians). In general, systems of shared value and risk are the most just for any society.

As I see it there are four systems of health care in the world:

1) Chaos. That's what we have right now. No system at all, just a bunch of bandaids.

2) Socialized medicine where health care professionals (doctors, etc...) work for the government and everyone has coverage. This is
the system in the UK.

3) Single payer where health care professionals are privatized but insurance is provided by a single entity - government/ appointed agency.
This is the health care system in Canada.

4) Multi payer where health care professionals and insurance are privatized. Prices are strictly regulated by the government. Everyone has insurance which may be subsidized by the government according to a person's means. This is the system in the Netherlands.

Examine the rest of the industrialized world and they fall into 2 - 3. The United States falls in with the rest of the 3rd world. Nice eh!

rj...thx for posting that from the prior thread....health care is such an important issue....

rj...thx for posting that from the prior thread....health care is such an important issue....
****

goodfoe, to me it's in the top two - ending the iraq debacle and health care. Interestingly enough people in the antiwar movement consistently see it that way. Health care is being traded off for warfare (the exact opposite of health care of course). So when are we going to have a life oriented rather than death oriented culture in this nation?

morning all,

rj, At $8.4 billion dollars EACH MONTH now being spent on this occupation, just think what that money could be spent on here in the USA, fixing SS, Health Care, Katrina reconstruction, securing our Mexican Border once and for all, checking our Ports, etc, etc!!

rj...That will only happen when more people wake up to what is really going on in this country...someone else posted here that it is really a contest of "THE PARTY OF MONEY" vrs "THE PEOPLES PARTY"....we will not suceed until we reach the public with the Progressive Adgenda.....that's why I keep writing...that's why so many people who post here work so hard outside of this blog...we're making progress but have a long way to go...I feel the 50 state strategy that Gov Dean started is a big part of it....John Boy

Flat Earther
by Hunter
Sat Jan 20, 2007 at 07:55:21 PM PST

Think Progress presents the comedy stylings of Iraq War advocate Tom Friedman:

FRIEDMAN: I’m really sorry. Next time — Next time Ishwar [caller], I promise, I really promise, I’ll be a better liberal. I’ll not in any way support any effort to bring democracy to a country ruled by an oil-backed tyranny. I promise I will never do that again. I promise I’ll be a better liberal. I will view the prospect of Arabs forging a democracy as utterly impossible. They’re incapable of democracy. I agree with you on that now.

Estimates put the number of Iraqi dead above half a million people. Even the most conservative (cough) estimates confess the number to be in the multiple tens of thousands.

That's more people than Thomas Friedman will ever shake hands with in his entire life. That's more people than he will ever exchange direct eye contact with. That's more people than will ever serve him a drink or take his plate away in every speaking arrangement he's ever done and billed for. And every six months (or "Friedman Unit") the number of dead again increases by five figures.

They're dead because Thomas Friedman and people like him thought they had a great idea, and wouldn't listen to any of the experts telling them they were wrong. He was convinced that reforming the Middle East via American military attack would be a brilliant and necessary strategy, convinced by his own goddamn notions of what the Middle East should look like and how many bullets it would take to get it there.

And now he hides behind the notion that the only problem, in all of this, was that the damn liberals wouldn't clap hard enough for the transparently puerile "plan". He doesn't have a problem with any of it, except for the criticism he personally gets as a result of the chaos. No, the whole problem was either that the damn Arabs didn't sufficiently greet us as liberators and get on with reshaping their country according to his plan, or that the liberals had the audacity to point out that his "plan" was idiotic.

What a wretch of a man. Honestly, what a foul wretch of a man.

This jackass wins Pulitzer Prizes for peans to rampant corporate-backed militarism (or military-backed corporatism) couched nobly as his personal, hip style of "globalization", and he's wounded that reality hasn't warped itself to conform with his own personal visions of what was to be.

"The hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist. McDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas. And the hidden fist that keeps the world safe for Silicon Valley's technologies to flourish is called the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps."

-- Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree

Yep, he gets Pulitzer Prizes for spouting crap like that. Hell, once the death toll passes a cool million in Iraq, I say we give him a frickin' Oscar too. Maybe Rich Little can do an impersonation of a hundred thousand dead people (and I've seen his act, I'm sure he's got it in him) just to sort of set a nice, breezy mood.

****

This is why I despise Thomas Friedman and reject the notion that he's a liberal. He's way too gleeful that american workers are losing their jobs to globalization as well.

rj...That will only happen when more people wake up to what is really going on in this country...someone else posted here that it is really a contest of "THE PARTY OF MONEY" vrs "THE PEOPLES PARTY"....we will not suceed until we reach the public with the Progressive Adgenda
****

goodfoe, absolutely right. Our best hope is the Progessive Democratic caucus - the largest growing caucus on Capital Hill. People such as Kucinich, McDermott and Conyers are in that caucus. They have been fighting for health care and fighting against the military-industrial death machine.

here is another way the dummie will let everyone down in his big speech. he is determined to do absolutely nothing about environmental crisises in his eight year disaster of a presiduncey:

Calls to act on global warming precede Bush speech
Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:18am ET
By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Environmentalists, evangelical Christians and congressional and corporate leaders have called for action on global warming in the days leading up to President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech.

Interest is particularly keen because of what Bush said in last year's address to Congress and the nation: that "America is addicted to oil" and that this addiction should be broken with technological advances and alternative fuels.

Since then, environmental activists and others concerned about the impact of global climate change -- more severe storms, destructive droughts, rising sea levels and higher insurance costs -- have looked for substantial steps from the White House.

the big speech

"THE PARTY OF MONEY" vrs "THE PEOPLES PARTY"...

David Sirota is the source of that, goodfoe.

Pamb...you hit all my hot bottons....I get so angry about all this stupidity by this mis-administration...the Port of Houston is not well secured yet ti delivers 25% of all the fuel our country uses. The hurricanes took out just two of the pipe lines and gas went to $3 per gal overnight...if terrorists took out all 12 pipe lines, our country would be hamstung in 2 days flat.....no fuel, no trucks, no trucks, no food...........anarchy in the streets.......

David Sirota is the source of that, goodfoe.
****

Just luv David Sirota! He is a progressive democrat's best friend.

thx Salute...I read so much that I don't remember where I have read something.....how you doing today?......

pumpkin head and saint mccain are on the tube blathering away. this twaddle could be productively replaced with footage of dogs chasing their own tails.

pumpkin head and saint mccain are on the tube blathering away.
****

hi gregg, that's why I hate the MSM. Why is McWindVane continually on TV anyway? I am sick of seeing him along with Joe`Weaselman. Does the MSM really think these people are in some way "centrists"? Scary! If you to bring out a centrust, how about a real one such as Vilsak?

Pamb...you hit all my hot bottons....
Posted by goodfoe on January 21, 2007 at 10:13 AM

It irks the hell out of me, that this administration LOVES to use the frame "War on Terror" to get away with murder (literally), yet leave our borders and ports lacking real security!

When Dems came out last week and said Ports must now start checking incoming cargo, the Repubs only reaction??? Where will the money come from for this??? Trying to make the American public think Dems will be raising your taxes, folks, when all we have to do is get out of an occupation in a country where there was no threat and suddenly have $8.5 BILLION each month!

And there are idiots out there, who sit and believe this BS!

McCain on MTP right now. How can you tell when he is lying? When his lips are moving!
When asked why he suddenly flip flopped on the Marriage issue, he claims he saw the error of that over a year ago, not that he now must play to the Religious Right base! What An ass. Plus who wants an old fool like this as leader of our country? If the guy lasts 2 years into this stress laden position, it would be a miracle!

going to watch CBS ...Chuck Hagel....bbl.....

GO SAINTS!!!

Where will the money come from for this???
****

hi pamb,

Easy:

1) End the Iraq debacle.
2) Repeal the tax cuts for billionaires.

environmental disaster in britian:

BBC
Pollution fear from leaking ship

Containers of hazardous chemicals have been washed overboard from a beached cargo ship off the Devon coast, which is also leaking oil.
The containers, which are thought to contain battery acid and perfume, fell from the heavily-listing MSC Napoli during a storm on Saturday evening.

Coastguards fear the ship, in Lyme Bay, could capsize "at any time".

Some of the 200 tonnes of oil in the ruptured fuel tank has leaked prompting pollution fears for nearby beaches.

It has emerged that the ship was previously named CMA-CGM Normandie and ran aground in Vietnam in 2001.

...if we are going to have capital punishment perhaps causing such a disaster should be one crime that requires it. such a draconian law would focus the corporations who are sloppy with our grandchildren's world.

luv David Sirota! He is a progressive democrat's best friend.

Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 10:14 AM

He is that indeed, rj. I highly recommend his book: Hostile Takeover; How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government-AND HOW WE TAKE IT BACK

He is being encouraged to write another and I think he will.

near as i can tell hagel just said he is thinking of running for president and he might do it as an independent. maybe we ought to steal him from the republicans and run a hagel/obama ticket? just cooking things up a bit....

He is that indeed, rj. I highly recommend his book: Hostile Takeover; How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government-AND HOW WE TAKE IT BACK
****

goodfoe, I second that. One of the best books on politics that I ever read. He clearly defines why this nation is amongst the ranks of the 3rd world with no national health care. This is no longer the home of the free and brave; it's a nation of powerful special interests bilking every dime out of the people. When the multinationals, lobbyists and political hacks reduce us to poverty, they'll simply move on to greener pastures. We'll all be left holding the bag.

how about hagel/spitzer or spitzer/obama or obama/spitzer?

it looks like the only way for me to not get sucked into the 08 presidential prom queen and king contest is to move into the root cellar.

it looks like the only way for me to not get sucked into the 08 presidential prom queen and king contest is to move into the root cellar.
****

gregg, I know what you mean. Resist it! The MSM is doing this on purpose to distract Dems throughout 2007. Lots to do in 2007 even if it's just laying the groundwork for legislation that gets passed in 2008 when the putz is out of the WH.

As I continue to state, Obama is not my candidate, I just think if you are going to be voicing opposition, then at least be honest.

And actually an FYI, the job description of Governor in Texas DOES not entail too much, it is a figurehead position much like the Queen of England...
Posted by Robert_Burnsey_Koenig on January 19, 2007
_______________________________________________

I AM BEING HONEST. Obama has little to NO REAL EXPERIENCE.
YOU BE HONEST.
To the degree that the TX Gov has responsibility didn't get debated much , did it? No. And that was sad. Blame the media.

A Senator manages a staff of about 20-30. A Gov manages an entire STATE. It's a huge difference. He has NO EXECUTIVE EXP!

I'm sorry, the state Senate is no proving ground for a PRESIDENT.
It's proving ground for the House of Reps, and he LOST that race. He got in the Senate because of numerous scandles, and a very strong Democratic region that was fired-up. To think that a few bills in the State senate equals experience is very laughable it's so obsurd.

My point is this: Obama ranks almost LAST in experience in the Democratic Senate, and that's a long list. Yes, almost LAST. Is he a respected STATESMAN? NO! It will be YEARS before he's reach that level of experience. He's got Iraq? Big deal, that's a no-brainer.

Even USA Today asked "Is he Qualified?" Funny, they ask now after listing his name as one of two Democrats in the 08 race.

I speak to many people who know Obama is a media hoax. Heck, even Lynn Samuals was saying he's got nothing except "cliches and platatudes." It's all rhetoric that I'd expect from a Harvard lawyer. He's got nothing except hype.

I find it strange he's talking about money mucking up the process when I sure haven't heard him talk or scream for real campaign finance reform. Funny...

***************************************************************
****************** FROM NPR MARKETPALCE***********

ROBERT REICH: The real scandal in Washington is the everyday bribery that remains legal.

I'm talking about campaign contributions given for legislative favors — a particular provision in this or that bill, an amendment here, an earmarked appropriation there.

Lobbyists orchestrate this contemptible process. And members of Congress keep it going because the money buys television time for their reelection campaigns. And television advertising keeps them in power.

The system is out of control. It cost the average candidate three times more to run for Congress in 2006 than it did in 1990, adjusted for inflation.

Members now devote most of their time to fundraising instead of representing their constituents.

The number of lobbyists in Washington has doubled over the past 10 years. Now, there are 60 for every single member of Congress. Lobbyists spent $2.4 billion last year. And at the rate they continue to spend, you can bet they're getting every penny's worth for their clients.

Banning gifts, meals and junkets won't make any difference to this everyday exchange of campaign money for legislative favor. And disclosing who sponsored what earmarks won't reduce the amount of taxpayer dollars going to special interests, because the incentives to make the deal are still there on both sides.

Ten years ago, there were 3,000 earmarks. Last year, there were 14,000, costing taxpayers over $47 billion, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The only way to stop this system of legalized bribery is to cut it off at its core.

Require television and radio networks that use the public airwaves to offer candidates free time. Give public financing to candidates who agree to strict limits on fundraising.

And ban earmarks altogether. There's no good reason why taxpayer money should be appropriated for any special interest.

This ethics and lobbying bill won't change the way business is done in Washington. It will only change the way it appears to be done.

MOON: Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich teaches public policy at the University of California at Berkeley.

gregg, the confusion reflected in your suggestions indicate you should join Patuxant Phil and stay put for awhile. Ugh.

salute, yes confusion is rampant in my brain. i will forbid myself from pondering tickets for 08.

"Obama Explores; Hillary Reacts"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.phpstoryId=6908894

You know it's bad (and sad) when right out of the blocks the MEDIA IS DEFINING HILLARY as reactive, a bad quailty for an Executive or leader.

Once again we see how the media is using Obama to put Dems in a bad light, ignoring actual ANNOUNCED CANDIDATES, and IGNORES the real stories like the family-friendly legislation enacted by the Democrats in the 1st 100 days. If they continue this, Democrats will not get the credit they deserve, and will not win more seats. THIS IS WHAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND, DEMOCRATS.

I don't care if W didn't have much ACTUAL Executive Experience. I, and I think most Americans, hold my candidate to a higher bar. And if Americans didn't before... you can bet they will this time with the fix we are in now. Agreed?

gregg,

the way the bloggers here are choosing to go negative on a candidate, rather than positive for one, has got me thinking maybe you are right, it is way too early to get into any serious discussions on whom we should be backing.

Let some of these juices settle down into realism, i.e. the bottom line----which is, when all is said, all is done, and there is one Democrat who will go into 2008 elections, will everyone stand up and get behind them and make sure we do not continue with Republican Veto power for another 4-8 years!

heading out to the stores again.

have a good day, all of you, and Christy, if you are reading---Happy Birthday and thanks for all you do!

salute, yes confusion is rampant in my brain. i will forbid myself from pondering tickets for 08.
****

gregg, that's the spirit. I fall in the Pautuxent Phil camp. Talk to me about 2008 in the start of 2008! right now, there's lots going on with the new congress, iraq and other issues.

"Obama Explores; Hillary Reacts"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.phpstoryId=6908894

You know it's bad (and sad) when right out of the blocks the MEDIA IS DEFINING HILLARY as reactive, a bad quailty for an Executive or leader.

Once again we see how the media is using Obama to put Dems in a bad light, ignoring actual ANNOUNCED CANDIDATES, and IGNORES the real stories like the family-friendly legislation enacted by the Democrats in the 1st 100 days. If they continue this, Democrats will not get the credit they deserve, and will not win more seats. THIS IS WHAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND, DEMOCRATS.

I don't care if W didn't have much ACTUAL Executive Experience. I, and I think most Americans, hold my candidate to a higher bar. And if Americans didn't before... you can bet they will this time with the fix we are in now. Agreed?

For the non-Pautuxent Phil crowd, Bill Richardson announced an exploratory committee today as well:

I am taking this step because we have to repair the damage that's been done to our country over the last six years. Our reputation in the world is diminished, our economy has languished, and civility and common decency in government has perished.

The next president of the United States must get our troops out of Iraq without delay. Before I became Governor of New Mexico, I served as Ambassador to the United Nations and as Secretary of Energy. I know the Middle East well and it's clear that our presence in Iraq isn't helping any longer.

Our next President must be able to bring a country together that is divided and partisan. It is clear that Washington is broken and it's going to take a return to bipartisanship and simple respect for each other's views to get it fixed. Most public policy solutions these days are coming from Governors and state government. On issues like the environment, jobs, and health care, state governments are leading the way. And that's because we can't be partisan or we won't get our jobs done. That's a lesson I've learned as Governor and that's what I'll do as President.

****

The field is wide open on both sides. I'll deal with it seriously soonest at the end of 2007. Okay I seen my shadow must be at least 9 more months of winter (in a manner of speaking).

King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he stripped power away from the secular Sunnis and empowered the radical Shiites.

LOL!

Senator Brownback:
Wrong on trade! Wrong for America!

Senator Brownback:
Wrong on trade! Wrong for America!
****

Brownback - the worst of both worlds; neocon + theocon! Egads!

King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he is not worried about the Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan.

LOL!

rjsnj, i like the way the degradation of the environment is becoming a big issue for the congress, corporations and the people of the world. one great success ( with great being defined as carrying out evil works ) of the right wing was to take everyone off these concerns which were so vibrant in the early seventies and get folks focused on their "right" to be piggish. my hope is that the pendulum is swinging back on this topic and not a minute too soon. take a look at those containers ( hundreds of them ) spilling off that 900' long cargo ship off britian. some are carrying battery acid?? and of course the ships oil is leaking all over the beaches....we need strong international regulation of all shipping ( including checking containers for nukes in our ports etc. ) and quick and crippling punishment for any entity that doesn't fall in line.

Senator Lieberman:
Wrong on trade! Wrong for America!

Keeping in mind, as we continue our repose with Phill, when we awake our candidates will have been defined and our debate framed by the MSM and our enemies. We probly won't recognize our position. We'll need one of those GPS thing-a-mojigs. Just thinkin

Hillary Clinton's Campaign May Be Involved In "Swift Boating" Barack Obama

PROGRESSIVE VALUES

King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he is not that concerned about Osama Bin Laden.

LOL!

rjsnj, i like the way the degradation of the environment is becoming a big issue for the congress, corporations and the people of the world.
****

gregg, I ran across a fascinating journal last night that talked about the genesis of the corporate right wing think tanks - Cato, Heritage, AEI, etc.:

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_accountability/powell_memo_lewis.html

This was an eye opener to me. Why haven't we heard about this before? I believe in the 1970's corporate america built these think tanks to mainly derail the environmental and labor movements. Finally, it's become clear that they made a mess of everything while creating tremendous wealth. But reality intrudes ... even for the most wealthy, they need to breath the air and drink the water just like everyone else. So maybe, environmentalism is making a comeback.

Governor Huckabee:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!

Senator Lieberman:
Wrong on trade! Wrong for America!
****

lieberman - neocon + a variety of theocon
huckabee - theocon (not sure about neocon)

All stink on trade issues.

King George understands radical Islam:
That's why he is going to bomb the pro-American Iranian people.

LOL!

Good snowy morning, everyone! Woo-Hoo! Finally! 3-5 inches of the fluffy white stuff! (can't hang laundry out, but I have plenty to shovel)

What would Bill be called if Hillary wins.
Posted by Ch1ck3n on January 20, 2007 at 12:31 PM

Hopefully Secretary of State. ;)

Harold Ford:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!

King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he looks the other way when the Saudis fund terrorism in Israel.

McCain on MTP
by ablington
Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 08:11:12 AM PST

I caught about 5 minutes of John McCain on Meet the Press just now, and was actually a little surprised by his performance. My surprise wasn't due to anything he said, which was predictable. What caught me a bit off guard was how old he seemed. Maybe I haven't seen him live on TV for awhile or something, but I was struck by the apparent lack of fire in his belly and the general slow-speaking tiredness that seems to have overtaken him. he spoke VERY quietly and deliberately, as if it took extra effort to string his thoughts together. His jokes fell flat, and he barely smiled.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/21/105010/206

****

I can't stomach McWindvane. He's cast his lot with the theocons and neocons. That makes him of them.

Governor Romney:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!

GOP Delegates Reject Giving Redistricting Job to Impartial Panels

A series of measures aimed at removing politics from the often partisan process of drawing legislative and congressional district boundaries met with swift defeat Friday in a Republican-controlled committee of the House of Delegates.

Along party lines, Republicans, who control both chambers of the General Assembly, defeated several measures calling for independent redistricting commissions to draw boundaries. Although similar legislation emerged from a Senate committee this week and appears likely to win passage on the Senate floor, it, too, is likely to fail in the House of Delegates.

States Act on Congressional Goals

The newly Democratic House may think it responded swiftly to the populist message of the November elections with passage of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 100-hour agenda. But out in the heartland, many state legislatures and governors hope to leave Congress in the dust.

King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he is going to empower the radicals in Syria.

LOL!

Senator Bayh:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!

King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he undercutted the Palestinian Prime Minister resulting in the Hamas takeover of parliament.

But out in the heartland, many state legislatures and governors hope to leave Congress in the dust.
****

esmeralda, as Bill Richardson said the states across the country have been leading the way already - the ones with progressive leadership.

The Dems in office realy don't really want the troops home.
Posted by FellowDem on January 20, 2007 at 05:20 PM

Radical islam is very real and very true and the dems in office understand this fact. They will let us think their not behind Mr Bush, but they are.

Posted by FellowDem on January 20, 2007 at 05:42 PM

I believe your first statement, that which is taking place in the Middle East, we really can't afford militarily to bring them home. I do want plenty to secure our borders though. I don't think our enlistments are going to surge anytime soon. The marketing isn't there, but war is. The dems won't cut funding. Pelosi has it correct...w is playing his little games...he put them in harm's way...for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Yes, radical Islam is very real & true, and not only do the dems understand it, so do the repugs. Do you believe most religions are getting extreme, or just this one?

Behind Bush? No, they aren't, but they do realize the conflict situation and what is at stake. We do not have the opportunity to fly to other countries and palaver with its heads of state as our elected officials do. Too bad, maybe then the everyday citizen(s) could wrap their minds around that.

Lame Plots Keep Callin' for More Dead
by Dood Abides

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/21/10411/2999

Good combo pictures + text journal.

Mayor Giuliani:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!

Posted by rjsnj on January 21, 2007 at 12:21 PM

Good afternoon, rjs. Gov. Richardson is a very interesting candidate for President. His credentials, as well as his leadership abilities, are impressive.

For those of us here in OH, our newly elected Dems have to repair what the repugs had control of for the last 16 years. Not an easy task.

Do you believe most religions are getting extreme, or just this one?
****

Religions are inherently extreme. I take no comfort in the neocon Christian extremists such as James Dobson or the Jewish neocon extremists such as Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Lieberman. All are fairly crazy. Anyone who is routing for the end of the world is someone that shouldn't be in politics.

Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism. Never did and never will. It's an insurgency. A civol war to remove America from a land that it shouldn't be occupying. The sooner we get out the better.

ppeal for Redress!!
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 15:38. Nonviolent Resistance

http://www.appealforredress.org

On January 16, 2007, active military and Guard personnel carried an appeal to Capitol Hill to deliver to Congressmen Kucinich (Ohio)and McGovern (Mass.) on the steps of the Cannon Office Building. Signed by over 1000 active duty military and Guard personnel (including over 400 officers), the "Appeal for Redress" stated the following ...

"As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for the U.S. troops to come home."

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17560

Inquiry urged for North Carolina link to torture
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 10:34. Activism | Evidence

Legislators suspect planes used to take suspects overseas
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

RALEIGH, N.C. - State legislators are urging Attorney General Roy Cooper to investigate whether a North Carolina company provided planes to the CIA to shuttle terrorism suspects to countries where they may have been tortured.

The 22 legislators, all Democrats who signed a letter sent to Cooper and the State Bureau of Investigation, urge an investigation into "credible allegations that Aero Contractors conspired to commit federal crimes," according to a copy of the letter provided by advocacy group Stop Torture Now.

In October, SBI Director Robin Pendergraft declined a request from 12 legislators to investigate whether Aero Contractors violated federal laws prohibiting torture as a form of interrogation, saying that the matter didn't fall under SBI jurisdiction. In her response, Pendergraft said she shared the legislators' letter with the FBI.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17557

Interesting ... supposedly domestic resources were not involved in these renditions.

20 U.S. service members killed in Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 10:26. Media

By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press

At least 20 American service personnel were killed in military
operations Saturday in one of the deadliest days for U.S. forces since
the Iraq war began, and authorities also announced two U.S. combat
deaths from the previous day.

The day's worst loss came from the crash of a U.S. Army helicopter
northeast of Baghdad that killed 13 service members. An attack Saturday
night blamed on militiamen in the city of Karbala killed five soldiers.
Roadside bombs killed another soldier in the capital and one in Nineveh
province north of Baghdad.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17555

From yesterday ... not a good day for the troops. I hate to say it but it's likely to get worst based on past history of escalation.

Laundry, shovelling, and basement wall painting await. Time to get my Sunday Slacker Ass off this chair and get it moving.

Here's one more tidbit from me. I'm impressed with her style and looking forward to the playing out of "the road to our 2008 Democratic Nominee." I do know that in between our watch and wonder, we must hold our congress to what we deserve, and this off year election, I will personally be helping a fellow democrat win his non-partisan township trustee race this fall.

I am leaning more and more toward Clinton, but you all can be assured, I will not personally slander another democratic contender, even if I post news articles that show an opposing viewpoint.

Enjoy the day, everyone.

Throwing Her Hat on The Web

If a Democratic primary were held on sheer production values, Hillary Rodham Clinton would win in a landslide.

In the video on Clinton's Web site yesterday, announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory committee, she chucked the formulaic genre of flag-draped backdrops and stiff monotones, instead delivering a 1-minute 45-second vlog-cast that arrived like a chintz-upholstered, sun-drenched blockbuster.

King George understands radical Islam.
That's why he spies on members of PETA.

As I recall Bush called for a Crusade against Islam twice! I'll accept for a minute that Bush is a Christian fundamentalist. He was a drunk drugged up playboy up to 40 but I think his father threatened him to clean it up or be cut off. Christians who argue for crusades are as dangerous as Muslims who argue for Jihads. To me, there is no difference. End of worlders irrespective of religion are all dangerous.

This never was all a battle of religions - though some frame it that way and have succeeded in making it way worst. This was a group of Arab extremists called Al Qaida who want Europeans to stop interfering in their countries. I have no sympathy for their methods. I do understand where they are coming from though. Hundreds of years of European colonialism / imperialism has led to people who will take extreme actions. Of course, it's dangerous! That's why Dems want to implement all of the 9/11 commissions recommendations. That would be a way better approach than the neocon regime change agenda. Enogh of that. Time to bring the troops home from Iraq.

Condoleezza Rice:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!

Condoleezza Rice:
Wrong on Trade! Wrong for America!
****

Blah ... Condi. She's a relic of the cold war era. An expert on Russia. She knows very little about the history of the Middle East. But, she's a devoted neocon.

By the way, the Israeli PM Olmert said today that the Iran warmongers in his party (Kadima?) and here in this country should shut up! They know Iran's nuclear ambition is an issue but they don't war as the answer. Well, I hope some sanity in emerging in Israel because their lobby, AIPAC, influences leadership in this country.

Good day,

The congress is getting off to such a fine start, and deserves more media attention.

The focus of attention, I think, should be on quickly fixing the glaring problems of rendition and torture, and the deaths occuring daily in the Iraq occupation wherein the US has responsibility of security.

The congress can help to open up this secretative administration by passing a more powerful and well-defined law to allow press and public access to government information. Something like in California:

California’s open government law declares, “The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.” (Government Code § 54950.) This statement of the people’s sovereignty is entirely consistent with the Declaration of Independence: “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

The U.S. Supreme Court has often warned against permitting unjustified secrecy in government, saying that information is necessary “to ensure an informed citizenry, vital to the functioning of a democratic society, needed to check against corruption and to hold the governors accountable to the governed.” (John Doe Agency v. John Doe Corp. (1989) 493 U.S. 146, 152.) “Neither our elected nor our appointed representatives may abridge the free flow of information simply to protect their own activities from public scrutiny.” (Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court (1986) 478 U.S. 1, 19.)

www.calaware.org/

Throughout history generals have been secret diplomats. They sought war as a "grubstake" which they would then gamble at the dubious roulette table of diplomacy. A prime example is Arik Sharon whom I had a chance to discuss war and peace with long ago.

Please allow me to present my analysis based on those encounters for this current sad example of a man who now suffers the ignoble state of locked into a silent body that cannot make its own case. I do not here offer facts for information but thoughts for consideration.

Sharon came to find those traits in Arabs that he could admire all through his life in Palestine; but he also saw many that discouraged his fondest hopes. Nevertheless, he came to believe that if Westernized enough by pan-Arab nationalists-- much as East European Jews were molded into a nationalist Zionist force-- Israel would be over run and exterminated. But, he also asserted that an Israel, not only repeatedly at war but never knowing when will come its next moment at war, would be bound to fail as a state. The amazing financial largess of the US towards Israel, he believed, would not only one day suddenly stop, but so long as Israel is dependent on it, it will be corrupt and disintegrating while its youth would be dying in minor skirmishes. At one point he said: "As a battlefield commander I have to send a reservist who is a highly educated young engineer and on whose ideas and skills could depend the future of the Mideast, to kill an illiterate Arab on whom ten to twelve children depend for survival; who, after the father is killed, grow up as petty scavengers for survival." This was not an insult on Arabs, but expression of how much that young engineer could offer to both sides with Israel as "a light onto..." and how devastating it would be for the Arab fedayeen to be killed, his children becoming possibly criminals or guerrilla fighters that only perpetuate the hopeless killing to yet another generation.

Sharon, typically of military men, dreamed of a grand peace that would put him out of business. And, he knew that it would not come from war but from diplomacy. Unfortunately, he felt, diplomacy was worthless because while Israel would send a spokesman for this tiny nation who could make commitments for all Israelis, the Arab interlocutor would be a man dismembered as he sits in the negotiations by many unseen and irreconcilable constituencies.

In the face of this dilemma, Sharon became a Jabotinsky-short cutter. By that I mean he looked for dramatic processes through military action that would not make necessary Jabotinsky's dictum: the Arabs are as nationalist as us and so will not settle with us; therefore, all we can do is kill half of them so that the other half will accept any terms in fear. Sharon believed that dealing with Arabs depended for success on how rapidly-- in how few moves with very few pieces-- you can show them that they are check-mated before negotiating. He thus saw daring blitzkrieg type actions as life saving maneuvers. For the farther you get quickly with a mass of helpless prisoners on the other side and minimal casualties on both, the greater the prospects for a negotiator sitting across the table with the authority to solve the crisis as quickly and as peacefully as possible.

Sharon was, since youth, obsessed with the comparatively sterile birthrate of Israelis relative to Arabs. He wanted Israel to inflict severe injury on Arab regimes specifically so that the devastation would stop and Israel could shine the light of modernization on Arabs. His perspective was not the Bush "bring them democracy" mantra-- he warned Bush that it can't be done-- but rather the bringing of technical and economic packages, as was given to Jordan and even, when possible, to Lebanon and Egypt, to make arguing against collaboration between Zion and the Arabs foolish.

For Sharon, the biggest blow was the suicide bombers. He had neither expected so much of that (limitless) nor the impact that would have, derailing his master plan. As a soldier, therefore, he responded to stress under catastrophe in the only way he knew how: destructive military power. But, though some would argue that he proved to be the "butcher" of Palestinians and worse than Milosevic, in truth he was quite different because he was emphasizing destructive blows specifically as a prologue to magnanimous peace, with the casualties minimized through lightning action. Thus, for Sharon, war was an unfortunate prerequisite that made peace mandatory to all who participated in the war. And Sharon was not like Rabbi Kahane. For Sharon peace with Arabs was to bring Arabs to the state of well being of Israelis, moving together. His obsession was to wage a war that is as far from Jabotinsky's "kill 50%" as possible and to bring a peace that is EQUALLY beneficial to both sides.

What is most tragic is that Sharon faced several Transient Ischemic Attacks-- reversible prologues to stroke-- especially at night, before his first stroke. Suddenly, his telescope sort of turned into a microscope because the time frame of his secret scheme would be gravely constricted. He suffered great loss in confidence and much depression as of the TIAs. The one-sided Gaza plan was a desperate move, as was the creation of the Kadima Party, based on his realization that he would have to create a political force to fight not only Arab revanchists but also Israeli ones.

Now Sharon lies motionless and unable to speak. We may lose him soon. But I am confident that history will come to know him as the general who always fought for peace not for war. And, he sought an Israeli-Palestinian community in two states, one land that would equally prosper the next generation of both peoples. Most importantly, for him, the Jabotinsky figure of 50% was a frightful Nazi like perspective that he lived his life to cut down both in means and ends. I will always remember Sharon as the warrior for peace-- wars, lies, errors, chutzpah and all.

Daniel E. Teodoru
deteodoru@yahoo.com

rj

I watched McCain on MTP this morning, and I am glad it was not just me that thought he looked SO old, and was talking like he was an old used dishrag. He looked anything but Presidential.

I think Dobson coming out last week, saying HE would not vote for him, took the final sails out of McCain's ship!

I had to roll my eyes when he said we have to give 'this new strategy' a chance! WHAT new strategy? We have escalated troop levels I think it is like 4 times! It failed each and every single time, as has been shown here more than once. WHY these candidates use these frames, that only the naive, slow witted grasp on to, is amazing !

and this is an interesting situation. Kind of like how the Dems last election had to chose between a liberal Democrat and a so-called Centrist one, in Lamont vs Lieberman. My guess is Emmanual will chose Clinton, any bets?

Rep. Rahm Emanuel considers Sen. Barack Obama a close friend. The Illinois Democrats had dinner just last week. They are both from Chicago and socialize together with their wives. But Emanuel got his big break in national politics from Bill Clinton and worked for him in the White House. And now his worst-case scenario has come true - both Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are running for president and want his support.

Emanuel was widely credited with engineering his party's takeover of the House in November. Now fellow White House veterans are pressing him to take a senior position in the former first lady's campaign. Meanwhile, Chicago allies, led by the powerful Daley family, are pressing him to take a senior position in his Illinois colleague's campaign.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012107Y.shtml

The focus of attention, I think, should be on quickly fixing the glaring problems of rendition and torture, and the deaths occuring daily in the Iraq occupation wherein the US has responsibility of security.
****

Leahy made a good start in the Senate. The arrogance of Abu Gonzalez and the authoritarians who thread on civil liberties of americans + people around the world must be exposed.

rj,

Bill Richardson made a similar statement with his announcement for Pres, i.e. that this administration has so damaged this country over the last 6 years, that it will take a long time to fix it.

The congress can help to open up this secretative administration by passing a more powerful and well-defined law to allow press and public access to government information. Something like in California:
****

Are you all offended by this TV show 24 on Fox of course? I think it's simple wrong to glorify torture and present it as a social norm. I am appalled that this show is winning awards. What does this say about the american people themselves?

I watched McCain on MTP this morning, and I am glad it was not just me that thought he looked SO old, and was talking like he was an old used dishrag. He looked anything but Presidential.
****

Hi Pam, I kept switching to that channel and kept turning it off. I can't stand listening to McWindVane, Weaselman and Dumbya. They are literally grating on my nerves. So, he looked pretty bad? That's a good thing. I don't think there's anyway he will win an election.

I did catch Ted Kennedy. I thought he did a marvelous deflecting deflecting Russert's gotchas. Then I turned the MSM off ... 1/2 of them is as much as I can take.

I am not offended by it, I am just amazed that there is even such an appeal for such a show, when it merely appears to be a continuance of the daily news! If I want to see war, blood, fighting, torture pictures, all I have to do is hit up the latest news. Why on earth would I sit mesmerized by more of the same in my drama series?

personally, I am a Grey's Anatomy fan, and am happy it got top show from People's Choice and Golden Globe. Much more fun.

Bill Richardson made a similar statement with his announcement for Pres, i.e. that this administration has so damaged this country over the last 6 years, that it will take a long time to fix it.
***

pam, I'll be perfectly honest with you all. Bill Richardson was my pick a year ago. I kept hoping he would throw his hat in the ring.

With that said, that's all I want to say about that until much much later this year. Who knows he may even drop out or other candidates may throw their hat in the ring.

Good Afternoon! Well, I'm one happy Democrat today. My candiate is now in the running. This is shaping up to be a great race with many Democrat who all have leadership to run this country. Of course, even Mickey Mouse could do a btter job then the snake who's trying to run it now.

I feel so sad for the 24 more families who have had a knock at their front door yesterday and today. Blood is on Bush's hands. May he fry in hell for the wrong he has done.

I am not offended by it, I am just amazed that there is even such an appeal for such a show, when it merely appears to be a continuance of the daily news!
****

pam, it is a bit disquieting that such a show is so popular. I wonder if the american people are being systematically desentized to torture and warfare by the media machine?

By the way, did you read the journal that the right wing hate radio pundit Laura Ingraham says that 24 proves there is a pro-torture concensus in this country? I sure hope not.

I feel so sad for the 24 more families who have had a knock at their front door yesterday and today.
***

Me too! I am confident that Richardson will be wonderful on foreign policy. He even made headway on Darfur and has an impressive track record.

Posted by Power_of_Equality on January 21, 2007 at 11:03 AM

You are the one to keep moving the goal posts. First he had no experience, now he hasn't had enough "executive" experience.

Once one of your points is defeated with facts you try to expand the argument to include something you didn't include the first time. I know about a guy who does that a lot in regards to Iraq. His name is George Bush.

Why don't you fully flesh out your concerns, and state them acurately, rather than changing the criteria when your assertions are proven wrong.

Video: War, Media, and Impeachment
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-01-21 07:55. Impeachment | Media | Video and Audio

With Amy Goodman, John Nichols, David Swanson, Larry Everest, Mark Manning, Robin Andersen, Sam Husseini, Normon Solomon, Jeff Cohen, Peter Hart, Russ Baker, Sunsara Taylor, Peter Phillips
By David Swanson

At the National Conference for Media Reform in Memphis, Tenn., on January 13, 2007, a bunch of us got together and organized a couple of ad-hoc panels about the war and impeachment. On a day's notice, we packed the rooms and drew crowds that wanted to discuss these issues as long as the speakers would stay. If you didn't make it to Memphis, you missed a great conference. You can find videos of Bill Moyers, Jesse Jackson and other speakers here.

Below are the videos and audio of our war and impeachment events. Enjoy!

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/memphisvideos

Lying Like It's 2003
By Frank Rich
The New York Times

Sunday 21 January 2007

Those who forget history may be doomed to repeat it, but who could imagine we'd already be in danger of replaying that rotten year 2003?

Scooter Libby, the mastermind behind the White House's bogus scenarios for ginning up the war in Iraq, is back at Washington's center stage, proudly defending the indefensible in a perjury trial. Ahmad Chalabi, the peddler of flawed prewar intelligence hyped by Mr. Libby, is back in clover in Baghdad, where he purports to lead the government's Shiite-Baathist reconciliation efforts in between visits to his pal Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran.

Last but never least is Mr. Libby's former boss and Mr. Chalabi's former patron, Dick Cheney, who is back on Sunday-morning television floating fictions about Iraq and accusing administration critics of aiding Al Qaeda. When the vice president went on a tear like this in 2003, hawking Iraq's nonexistent W.M.D. and nonexistent connections to Mohamed Atta, he set the stage for a war that now kills Iraqi civilians in rising numbers (34,000-plus last year) that are heading into the genocidal realms of Saddam. Mr. Cheney's latest sales pitch is for a new plan for "victory" promising an even bigger bloodbath.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012107B.shtml

Frank Rich's latest.

near as i can tell hagel just said he is thinking of running for president and he might do it as an independent. maybe we ought to steal him from the republicans and run a hagel/obama ticket? just cooking things up a bit....

Posted by gregg on January 21, 2007 at 10:47 AM

Please for the love of all that is good and holy people. Check out Senator Hagels voting record before you all start falling in love with him as the next MC Cain. Because much like Mc Cain he is neither a centrist or a maverick!

How do I know because I live in Nebraska. We Dems here have a special name for Senator Hagel Sunday Hagel for what he says to the talking heads (that people who don't check his voting record eat up) and Monday Hagel for his actual Senate Votes!!
How much do you guys want to bet that his voting record doesn't match up to his rhetoric.

As an Edwards supporter, it amazes me the insults that were hurled on the party builder site about Hillary Clinton mostly because of Iraq. What amazes me even further is how so many Dems that blog here are willing to give a Republican a pass on Iraq and other issues without knowing his voting record based on what his says to Sunday Pundits on T.V.

Unbelievable.

Posted by Power_of_Equality on January 21, 2007 at 11:03 AM

If you spent half the time fighting FOR a cnadidate, rather than against a possible one, you might make some headway.

All you do is mock and belittle others, while not giving any type of reasons to vote FOR someone else.

Are you the new founder of the Anyone But Obama crowd? We saw how well the ABB crew did in 2004, keep it up, you follow republican tactics quite well.

The latest lies are custom-made to prop up the new "way forward" that is anything but. Among the emerging examples is a rewriting of the history of Iraq's sectarian violence. The fictional version was initially laid out by Mr. Bush in his Jan. 10 prime-time speech and has since been repeated on television by both Mr. Cheney and the national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, last Sunday and by Mr. Bush again on PBS's "NewsHour" on Tuesday. It goes like this: sectarian violence didn't start spiraling out of control until the summer of 2006, after Sunni terrorists bombed the Golden Mosque in Samarra and forced the Shiites to take revenge.

But as Mark Seibel of McClatchy Newspapers noted last week, "the president's account understates by at least 15 months when Shiite death squads began targeting Sunni politicians and clerics." They were visible in embryo long before that; The Times, among others, reported as far back as September 2003 that Shiite militias were becoming more radical, dangerous and anti-American. The reasons Mr. Bush pretends that Shiite killing started only last year are obvious enough. He wants to duck culpability for failing to recognize the sectarian violence from the outset - much as he failed to recognize the Sunni insurgency before it - and to underplay the intractability of the civil war to which he will now sacrifice fresh American flesh.

****

Frank Rich is right. Bush is again lying. Sectarian violence could be seen during the 2004 election. Even Kerry remarked that the situation was degenerating. Kerry's suggestions are very similar to what the ISG came out with two years later. Simply disgraceful the amount of lying that is going on. Voices of reason have been silenced from the start. Recall how often Scott Ritter was on TV saying that there are no WMD. Ritter was accused of being on Hussein's payroll by the lying pundits that frequent Faux News.

We have escalated troop levels I think it is like 4 times!
****

pam, Kennedy did a great job pointing that out. This is how we should turn the conversation around:

Puggies to Democrats: What's your new plan?

Answer: De-escalation within one year's time.

Democrats to Puggies: What's your new plan?

Answer: ... ... ... Silence ... ...

Listening to football .. Faux Sports ... ugghhh, urrr ...

The announcers want to politicize this and say that "we don't take care of our people" (Terry Bradshaw). "americans have forgot about New Orleans".

Let me tell the Faux pundits this. We have not forgotten or forgiven Bush and the GOP. Now that I think on it. What should be next in the Dems 100 hrs agenda (or the next 100 hours). Rebuilding New Orleand and the 9th ward in particular. Get on it Dems!

rj....great post at 2:15.....it's kick off time....later....john boy

As an Edwards supporter, it amazes me the insults that were hurled on the party builder site about Hillary Clinton mostly because of Iraq.

****

Not me! She has never been my favorite because of her ties to the DLC but I don't demonize her.
If she is the person that prevails in the primaries I will support her. I think there are better candidates though. Time will tell.

In the meantime, it's worth trying to work through what should the "next 100 hours" for the Dems. I am coming up with:

1) Continue to vote on Iraq de-escalation.
2) Fix New Orleans - especially the 9th ward.
3) Eliminate tax cuts for billionaires that don't need them.
4) Pass the Employee Free Choice act to make unionizing easier.
5) A real energy bill for alternative resources. We can use Harry Reid's bill from last year.
6) Eliminate the cap on social security.
7) Single/multi payer health care insurance for all.

Ambitious? Yes but we must make a start on these tougher issues to show the nation that we have real answers to real problems.

rj....great post at 2:15.....it's kick off time....later....john boy
***

yes it is. Looks cold out there in Chicago.

I am so jazzed to see that Governor Bill Richarson is in the Presidential race. On any ticket as Prez or Vice Prez he would be great!

As an Edwards supporter, it amazes me the insults that were hurled on the party builder site about Hillary Clinton mostly because of Iraq. What amazes me even further is how so many Dems that blog here are willing to give a Republican a pass on Iraq and other issues without knowing his voting record based on what his says to Sunday Pundits on T.V.

Unbelievable.

Posted by asop on January 21, 2007 at 02:11 PM

-------------------------

I agree asop. We should be proud as a political party that we have a Woman, an African American, and a Latino in the Presidential ace. History has been made. Each of them including Edwards would make great leaders, any combination would bring great and positive changes for America.

HILLARY CLINTON IS NOT GOING TO HAVE AN EASY RIDE!

Although the media seems to be already crowning her the winner of the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries and Caucuses, I think that she is going to have to contend with other possible strong contenders in this race such as Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, and maybe even Al Gore, if he decides to get into this thing. I especially say this because of the way that the early states are lined up: 1. Iowa 2. Nevada 3. New Hampshire 4. South Carolina, for starters, not to mention that a lot of the states that come after these 4 are also from the south, mid-west, and mountain states, which I think are regions that she will probably have some trouble with. Not to mention that she is not polling well right now in Iowa and New Hampshire. She is also a very polarizing figure, and not just with conservatives and Republicans either, but also with some liberals, moderates, Democrats, Independents, and outsiders (outside of Washington).

So, she had better brace for a tough ride. Also, with her being out there in the top teir at 41% all by herself, she stands to get a lot of heat from all of the other campaigns, just like what happened with Howard Dean. And, she's in this thing earlier this time around than Dean was this time 4 years ago, and he was not able to survive. Will she be? I am doubtful. Especially considering that historically, no candidate in first place on the Democratic or Republican side was able to stay on top. They all faultered, and was overtaken by someone else from further back in the pack.

Personally, I like 1. John Edwards 2. Barack Obama 3. Joseph Biden 4. Bill Richardson

America's Last "Long War" Offers Lessons for Iraq, Experts Say
By Ron Hutcheson
McClatchy Newspapers

Friday 19 January 2007

Washington - President Bush has called Iraq a crucial battleground in a decades-long struggle against Islamic terrorism.

"It's important for our fellow citizens to understand that failure in Iraq would be a disaster for our future," he told soldiers at Fort Benning, Ga., last week. "It's a different kind of war in which failure in one part of the world could lead to disaster here at home ... That is why we must, and we will, succeed in Iraq."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012107F.shtml

the neocon cheerleader Bush has been using this meme for a long time. We need to challenge it. Why is Iraq important at all? Why is expending resources that could be used for security at home and improving the quality of our lives less important than dominance over Iraq? Why wouldn't the terrorists come here now or attack soft targets abroad? Why would they be stupid enough to "duke it out" with out military? Seems like wishful thinking to me.

I think the answer to all questions is that it's more Bush-it. Iraq is a debacle. We should bring the troops home now.

George Bush's Crusading Scorecard (2001-2007)
The Look of a War Against Islam
By Tom Engelhardt
TomDispatch.com

Thursday 18 January 2007

Just five days after the September 11th attacks in 2001, in a Q and A with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, a President with a new mission, a new cause, and a new purpose in life told the American people that, though they had to "go back to work tomorrow," they should now know that they were facing a "new kind of evil." He added, "And we understand. And the American people are beginning to understand. This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while."

This crusade, this war on terrorism. It had such a ring to it; in the Arab world, of course, it was a ring many centuries old and deeply disturbing. And it came so naturally, so easily off the President's tongue (though it took days of backtracking by his spokesmen and prominent presidential references to "the peaceful teachings of Islam" perverted by "a fringe form of Islamic extremism" to begin to make up for it). But that little "slip" of the tongue spoke volumes. It signaled that George W. Bush was already in his own heroic dream world and, only those few days after the 9/11 attacks, had both a "crusade" on the brain and "victory" in that crusade firmly in mind. As a result, he made this promise to the American people: "It is time for us to win the first war of the 21st century decisively, so that our children and our grandchildren can live peacefully into the 21st century."

Now, here we are, just over five years further into the 21st century, and the President, who only nine months ago was still proudly (if a little desperately) trumpeting his "strategy for victory" in Iraq, now speaks vaguely about "success," or about a "victory," no longer decisive, that "will not look like the ones our fathers and grandfathers achieved… [with a] surrender ceremony on the deck of a battleship." And when it comes to our "children and grandchildren living peacefully into the 21st century," tell that to the 21,500 Americans about to be "surged" into the murderous streets and alleys of Baghdad.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011907H.shtml

Tom Engelhardt's great article. Worth posting once again.

Richardson Joins Presidential Pack
By Kate Nash
The Albuquerque Tribune

Sunday 21 January 2007
Governor makes annoucement today nationwide.

Gov. Bill Richardson jumped on the presidential bandwagon this morning, revealing in English and Spanish on his just-launched Web site that he's in.

The site was activated just as Richardson was telling ABC's George Stephanopoulos that he's the man for the job.

In an interview taped by the network last week in S