Freedom makes you Free

How many times will President Bush say the words Free or Freedom on Tuesday?
A. 0-10 (Only if the speech is only being broadcast to his wealthy base)
B. 10-20 (Only if he realizes that the networks are about to cut him off to show a rerun of Giligan's Island)
C. more than 20 (You see we gave them FREE elections and the Iraqis exercised that FREEDOM by voting in those FREE elections for FREEDOM. We will be in Iraq until they can defend that FREEDOM, because we want FREE access to all the FREE oil that giving them their FREEDOM allow us. They want to be FREE and we want them to be FREE so FREEDOM will spread across the Middle East. Until every country in the Middle East is FREE, American Muslims will not be FREE, and that is really our goal. To recap. Until every Middle Eastern country has FREE elections for FREEDOM, Amercians will continue to loose FREEDOMS. So support my war or loose more FREEDOMS. God Bless FREEDOM, and God Bless the land of the FREE. After all, God gave us FREE will.)

I think I just wrote the President's speech for him, and if you care to count the answer is B. (20)

Really Dick(head)

Well according to out esteemed Vice President “the insurgency is in its last throes.” I guess we will add this to the list of lies coming out of the White House these days. The biggest problem with this statement is that the media is not going to get it out to the American people and expose the White House for the liars they are. Why?

1. The media is afraid of this administration.
2. The real Americans that are living pay check to pay check do not have time to keep up with what is happening.
3. The poor and vulnerable in America feel that their plight is not being cared for by either party.

I guess the family members of our esteemed military personnel who lost loved ones in a car bomb today can take solace in the fact that the insurgency is almost defeated, according to Cheney. I wonder if we should start counting the dead bodies of American soldiers from today. Will that show that Dick was right? I predict that we are not even half way to our final body count; we are still in the beginning stages of this war. Our esteemed leaders have not defined an endpoint yet and will not do so. As long as they are vague about our goals then the American people will not know whether we are winning or losing. There will be a civil war in Iraq and our presence will only exacerbate the situation. The American people need to call for a time table for training Iraqi troops and full American withdraw. This and only this will let the Iraqi’s know that we want them to be a sovereign nation and we are not there for their oil.
I can not listen to Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, or the Republican Senators, or Representatives criticize the peace movement that is happening in this country. It is frustrating that they start a war and have no plans for peace yet I am unpatriotic. They send American men and women into harms way based on lies and I am unpatriotic because I say they need to be brought home.
We need to do what we do best. Arm them. We armed the Sunnis when we were backing Saddam against Iran and now we need to arm the Shiites to defend themselves against the insurgency. As long as America is in Iraq suicide bombers from all parts of the Middle East will continue to come to have the privilege to blow up Americans. I know that last statement is sick, but that is the way they see it. The insurgency numbers are growing every day and somehow this means they are in their last throes. Maybe someone can explain it to me.

Republicans can't read

Well for the past 2 days the Republican leadership in Washington has been calling for an apology from Senator Durbin for comments he read into the record on the Senate floor about the closing of Gitmo. The Republicans say that he is not supporting our troops and that he is undermining our ability to win Bush’s war in Iraq. After reading his entire statement, I can not find one place where he undermines our troops. I assume the Republicans think the Bush Administration are the troops, because the only decisions he questions are theirs. Their decision not to treat detainees in accord with the Geneva convention, their decision to torture detainees until they are forced to give us information no matter whether it is true or not.
These decisions made by Bush, Rumsfeld, and Gonzalez make our troops less safe, and make America less safe in the long run. It undermines our supposed values when we do not live up to them.
I do not think for 1 minute that closing Gitmo will stop the torture. We will just continue to send detainees to other countries to torture them for us. It is amazing that this Administration seems unable to learn from mistakes we have made in the past. We are treating Muslims in this country today the same way we treated Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
I am not saying that we need to look into everyone equally like is happening at the airport security checks (those are the most ridiculous checks I have ever seen), but we need to be smarter and follow the law when questioning and detaining persons of interest.
This entire fiasco is nothing more than a red herring to take the American peoples focus off where it needs to be. They do not want us actually talking about what is happening in Iraq, Iran, or North Korea. They do not want us talking about the fact that our national debt is strangling our ability to grow our economy. They do not want us talking about the fact that real Americans can no longer afford health care, and that real Americans can no longer spend time raising our children since both parents have to work overtime just to pay the bills.
I for one am sick and tired of this Administration and the Republicans in general complaining every time they get criticized. When you control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives and the country is falling apart you are going to be criticized. If you do not understand the critique, maybe you should ask the ones criticizing you what they meant. I realize that it is just easier for you Republicans just no name call and yell they are unpatriotic and not supporting the troops, but sooner or later the American people will see through your facade of leadership and realize that you do not know what you are doing domestically or overseas.
Back to the original point, Senator Durbin owes no one an apology. This administration owes the American people an apology for dragging us into a personal vendetta under false pretenses. This administration owes the families of over 1700 dead military personnel an apology for killing their loved ones. This administration owes the young in this country an apology for wasting our tax dollars in Iraq while our schools go unfunded. Mr. President it is time for you to own your mistakes, lies, and deceit. It is time for you to tell the American people the truth and let us decide your fate.

This is the link to what Senator Durbin actually said
http://durbin.senate.gov/gitmo.cfm

Obstructionism in America

We’re Obstructionist???

The President this week at a fundraiser (I swear that is all this guy can do right) said that the Democrats are obstructionist, the equivalent of a stop sign. I am getting sick and tired of this president, senate republicans, and house republicans calling the democrats the party of no. Does it seem odd that every amendment the democrats put forward is voted down on a straight party line vote? Does it seem odd that the Republicans control the all branches of government and we are the obstructionist?

I’m sorry the American people are not falling into line on your Wall Street Welfare Scheme Mr. President, but maybe it is time for you to take a page out of John Kerry’s book. That’s right I said it you need to flip flop. You Privatization scheme is not going to fly and you need to stop wasting tax payer dollars going around the country to tell hand picked crowds how great it is. I know wealthy Americans would benefit and that is your base, but enough is enough. It is a loser and you need to let it go. I don’t care how much money Wall Street dumped into your inauguration celebration ($40 million), they spent it and you just have to face the music you will not be able to deliver this windfall back to them.

As for obstructionism, I think that a government that will not allow the press to do it job is obstructionist. I think a President unwilling to release his National Guard service record is an obstructionist. I think a White House unwilling to tell us how Jeff Gannon got a press pass is an obstructionist. I think a White House that influenced CIA intelligence reports is obstructionist. I think the Republicans trying to stifle debate on life appointments to the bench are obstructionist. I think No Child Educated Properly (No Child left Behind for you right wingers) obstructs a teacher’s ability to teach. I think the Dirty Skies plan obstructs my child’s ability to breath. I think the War in Iraq obstructs Iraqi’s children ability to be safe. I think using a term like “Axis of Evil” obstructs your ability to be diplomatic with countries like Iran and North Korea. I think giving tax breaks to companies who ship working class jobs over seas obstructs real Americans ability to earn a living wage. I think tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans obstructs our countries ability to pay its bills.

After all this who is really the Obstructionist to a healthy, vibrant, inclusive America?

the Downing Street Memo

Almost 1700 American soldiers dead, 100,000 Iraqi men, women and children, 300 Billion dollars spent. When will Bush and the neocons be held accountable?


*** FULL TEXT ***
As originally reported in the The Times of London, May 1, 2005
SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY
DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02
cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John Scarlett, Francis Richards, CDS, C, Jonathan Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell
IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 23 JULY
Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.
This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a genuine need to know its contents.
John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam's regime was tough and based on extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or overwhelming. His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.
CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4 August.
The two broad US options were:
(a) Generated Start. A slow build-up of 250,000 US troops, a short (72-hour) air campaign, then a move up to Baghdad from the south. Lead time of 90 days (30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to Kuwait).
(b) Running Start. Use forces already in theatre (3 x 6,000), continuous air campaign, initiated by an Iraqi casus belli. Total lead time of 60 days with the air campaign beginning even earlier. A hazardous option.
The US saw the UK (and Kuwait) as essential, with basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus critical for either option. Turkey and other Gulf states were also important, but less vital. The three main options for UK involvement were:
(i) Basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus, plus three SF squadrons.
(ii) As above, with maritime and air assets in addition.
(iii) As above, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000, perhaps with a discrete role in Northern Iraq entering from Turkey, tying down two Iraqi divisions.
The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun "spikes of activity" to put pressure on the regime. No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.
The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force.
The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The first and second could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be difficult. The situation might of course change.
The Prime Minister said that it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in the UN inspectors. Regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was producing the WMD. There were different strategies for dealing with Libya and Iran. If the political context were right, people would support regime change. The two key issues were whether the military plan worked and whether we had the political strategy to give the military plan the space to work.
On the first, CDS said that we did not know yet if the US battleplan was workable. The military were continuing to ask lots of questions.
For instance, what were the consequences, if Saddam used WMD on day one, or if Baghdad did not collapse and urban warfighting began? You said that Saddam could also use his WMD on Kuwait. Or on Israel, added the Defence Secretary.
The Foreign Secretary thought the US would not go ahead with a military plan unless convinced that it was a winning strategy. On this, US and UK interests converged. But on the political strategy, there could be US/UK differences. Despite US resistance, we should explore discreetly the ultimatum. Saddam would continue to play hard-ball with the UN.
John Scarlett assessed that Saddam would allow the inspectors back in only when he thought the threat of military action was real.
The Defence Secretary said that if the Prime Minister wanted UK military involvement, he would need to decide this early. He cautioned that many in the US did not think it worth going down the ultimatum route. It would be important for the Prime Minister to set out the political context to Bush.
Conclusions:
(a) We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a fuller picture of US planning before we could take any firm decisions. CDS should tell the US military that we were considering a range of options.
(b) The Prime Minister would revert on the question of whether funds could be spent in preparation for this operation.
(c) CDS would send the Prime Minister full details of the proposed military campaign and possible UK contributions by the end of the week.
(d) The Foreign Secretary would send the Prime Minister the background on the UN inspectors, and discreetly work up the ultimatum to Saddam.
He would also send the Prime Minister advice on the positions of countries in the region especially Turkey, and of the key EU member states.
(e) John Scarlett would send the Prime Minister a full intelligence update.
(f) We must not ignore the legal issues: the Attorney-General would consider legal advice with FCO/MOD legal advisers.

Cycle of Degeneration

Matt 7:6 Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine.

This is what the fundamentalist Christians voters have done by joining the “big tent” of the Republican Party. Like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, you are using the domination system of your day to oppress your brothers and sisters. If you read your Bible as closely as you claim to then you would realize that Jesus preached social justice and against all domination systems that oppress God’s people. By walking lock step with the Republican Party you have joined the domination system of corporate greed, and wealth protection. These systems do not care about your morals. All they care about is using you to continue their agenda.
Fundamentalist have built their house in the “big tent.” Unfortunately that tent is built on the sand that is corporate corruption.

Matt 7:27 The rain fell, and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that [tent], and it fell—and great was its fall!

I just hope it falls before it is too late. I do not think any republican voters realize the real shape that America is in. We do not have a thriving economy. We can not pretend that things are turning around and that the tax breaks for the wealthy will soon trickle down and help the real Americans that are really struggling. We can no longer pretend that our capitalism will protect us or that our democracy will come to the rescue. Our capitalism is what is killing us. Our capitalistic corporations have realized that America is no longer the best place to find workers. American workers are too expensive. CEO’s know they can find cheaper labor overseas. Cheaper labor means a better bottom line = more profits = higher stock price = higher compensation for CEO. We are living in a world that only cares about the here and now. The future is the people that are going to live in its problem. My question is what happens when the real Americans can no longer afford to be the consumers that the corporate pigs have grown to expect? The answer is they don’t give a shit. They will have made enough money to keep their family happy for generations to come. I guess they are thinking about the future but just not the future of real Americans.


You happy Ahsirt!