U.S. abuse of detainees was routine at Afghanistan bases
Special Note - A quote...." KABUL, Afghanistan — American soldiers herded the detainees into holding pens of razor-sharp concertina wire, as if they were corralling livestock. - The guards kicked, kneed and punched many of the men until they collapsed in pain. U.S. troops shackled and dragged other detainees to small isolation rooms, then hung them by their wrists from chains dangling from the wire mesh ceiling."

Deaths in Vietnam, other wars undercounted: study
A quote...."WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New estimates of war deaths in 13 nations including Vietnam, Ethiopia and Bangladesh show that previous counts vastly understated the lives lost to war in the past half century, researchers said on Thursday." -- For more on this issue see....Fake Intel / Propaganda - Iraq's Death Toll

Army probe of Reuters death flawed: U.S. inspector
A quote...."BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. soldiers who shot dead a Reuters journalist in Iraq three years ago acted appropriately, but the Army's probe of the incident was flawed because evidence went missing, a Pentagon investigation said." -- For more on this issue see....US - Killing the Messenger

Drafting of U.S.-Iraq Security Agreement Began Nearly Five Years Ago - posted at ICH
Special Note - A quote...." Documents obtained by the National Security Archive under the Freedom of Information Act indicate that the U.S. started drafting the agreement in November 2003.  While information available in the heavily redacted copies that were provided does not specifically address such hot-button, present-day issues as the number and location of bases, or control of airspace, these preliminary planning documents show that from the outset U.S. aspirations for conducting military operations based in Iraq were essentially without limit"

India tiptoes to the new Middle East
A quote...."DELHI - The Middle East took a great leap forward this week to the post-George W Bush era. Israel's dramatic shift of glance to the forces of political Islam sums it up. "Today we have concurrent peace negotiations with both the Syrians and the Palestinians and there is no logical reason why there should also not be talks with the Lebanese," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev said in Jerusalem on Wednesday."

Middle East serves US [MIOC elites] some humble pie
A quote...."A series of new developments raises doubts about whether the US can still be the ultimate intersection in the Middle East through which all roads must cross. The just-hammered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel to halt violence across the Gaza Strip lacked American inputs and bypassed Washington's stated goal of marginalizing the democratically elected Islamic militant movement."

U.S. Says Israeli Exercise Seemed Directed at Iran
War Alert - A quote...."WASHINGTON — Israel carried out a major military exercise earlier this month that American officials say appeared to be a rehearsal for a potential bombing attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities." -- Also posted at CommonDreams - For more on this issue see....The Iran Game - All Over Again - 05-27-08 - mpg

Russia's foreign minister warns against use of force on Iran
A quote...."MOSCOW: Russia's foreign minister on Friday warned against the use of force on Iran, saying there is no proof it is trying to build nuclear weapons. - Sergey Lavrov said Iran should be engaged in dialogue and encouraged to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear monitoring agency."

Sgt. Matthis Chiroux Refuses to be Deployed to Iraq - (YouTube - 2 min - Added:  May 16, 2008)
Video - A quote...."Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, who served in the Army until being honorably discharged last summer after over four years of service in Afghanistan, Japan, Europe and the Phillipines, today publicly announced his intention to refuse orders to deploy to Iraq."

US Army Sergeant Matthis Chiroux Refuses to Deploy to Iraq
Related article - A quote...."Sergeant Matthis Chiroux served in the Army for five years, with tours in Afghanistan, Japan, Germany and the Philippines. Last month, Chiroux announced he would not deploy to Iraq. On Sunday, Father’s Day, the deadline for him to report for active duty expired. [includes rush transcript]" -- ||  Real Video Stream  ||  Real Audio Stream  ||  MP3 Download  ||  More…  || -- For more regarding this type of issue see....Become a Neo-Roman - or Remain an American - 08-11-07 - mpg

Big oil cashes in on Iraq slaughter
A quote...."Four major US, British and French oil companies are getting their hands on the petroleum reserves of Iraq for the first time in 36 years, based on no-bid contracts, the New York Times reported Thursday. -- These deals reached with the US-backed regime in Baghdad have placed the five-year-old US war of aggression in the clearest possible perspective."
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House approves $162 billion war-spending bill
Some quotes...."The House approved the largest war-spending bill to date Thursday, bending to President Bush's call for $162 billion in war funding with no strings attached and giving his successor enough money to wage the wars until July 2009." -- "The House vote is likely to end almost two years of clashes between Democrats and the White House over the Iraq war, which Bush and Republicans have largely won." -- bold by website editor

"Two years of clashes", who do they think they're kidding?!?!  They call that badly acted Kabuki play 'clashes'?  It could only have been worse if Pelosi and the rest of the Demo elites had pulled down their skirts (that's right - plural), bent over and in full view of the cameras let Bush "do them all".

The solution by the way folks for all of this "betrayal" is real simple.  When everyone goes into their respective voting booths this November simply don't vote for either a Demo or a Repub. That's It!  That's the solution!  It REALLY is that simple.  If everyone did that on November than the duopoly party called the DemoRepubs would be gone, never to be seen again.

Really folks how easy can it get?  All you have to do is one simple little thing. Quit your whining, quit your complaining, get registered and drag your sorry collective butts down to the voting booth and VOTE for anyone BUT a DemoRepub.

Problem solved....if you do anything else, you deserve what you get. – mpg
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Bush Gives Dems STDs
A quote...."The least popular, most lawless president in American history took to the Rose Garden today to thank congressional Democrats for having unprotected political sex with him. For caving -- not compromising, but totally capitulating -- on war funding and and telecom immunity, Nancy Pelosi, Stenny Hoyer and the blue dogs they lie down with have been rewarded with the same herpetic embrace that is turning John McCain into a Republican cootie incubator." -- This one was fun! - mpg

What Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Fred Hiatt mean by "bipartisanship"
A quote...."It's bad enough watching the likes of Steny Hoyer, Rahm Emanuel and a disturbingly disoriented Nancy Pelosi eviscerate the Fourth Amendment, exempt their largest corporate contributors from the rule of law, and endorse the most radical aspects of the Bush lawbreaking regime. But it's downright pathetic to see them try to depict their behavior as some sort of bipartisan "compromise" whereby they won meaningful concessions:"
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Obama, the Yang to Bush's Yin
06-20-08
mpg

So we now have an economic system whereby our “elites” have tried to offshore all of this nation’s production facilities, converted most of its economic activity into the buying and selling of "synthetic" debt instruments (i.e. vapor-money, funny-money, monopoly money, over-priced houses, over-priced securities, what-have-you) and is allowing the Fed to pump vast sums of liquid (you know what) into the economy in a vain hope of inflating it and preventing the inevitable consequences of having an economic system based on producing nothing but bogus paper and military hardware.

Yes, yes, yes.....everybody knows the game plan, pump this toxic sludge out there into the other 155 countries economies, dropping the dollar all the way, squeeze your workers standard of living, make sure they never get a raise again, leverage your military power over other people’s economic assets (Iraq's oil), pop your interest rates back up in a big way with the "kinder and gentler Obama" (a.k.a. “the build phase”, the Yang to Bush's Yin, the Jeff to Bush's Mutt, the Good Cop to Bush's Bad Cop....etc.) so Obama can "heal" our nation’s woes and “feel our pain” while they jack rates into the stratosphere, (this is probably what Obama meant by "change", a massive deliberate recession to wring inflation out of the economy) suck those now deflated dollars back in and than hopefully start the cycle all over again.

But they've run out of time, this ain't Regan in the eighties, they've done way to much damage already.  By every measurable factor of economic output or input, per capita debt load per family, real inflation, actual GDP, Trade deficit, the Federal deficit, etc...  They’ve exceeded any economist's wildest expectations regarding just how mach damage an economy can take and still function after it's been totally gutted.

And their planned war with Iran ain't gonna help either, they've got way to much inflation now, with the Straights of Hormuz closed and oil at $250 a barrel and another war, they'd have a bit more on their collective plate than they could deal with.

So they made the deal, last year Bush told the world "Iraq will be like South Korea" and if you don't let it be "I'll start World War Three".  Than they ran around for the last four months feverishly sending Treasury Secretary Paulson and his assorted lackeys to all the big holders of US securities (China, Russia, Saudi Arabia), telling everyone they want the dollar supported.  Even Bernanke has joined the party and is trying to jaw-bone the dollar up.  They even got George Soros of all people in on the act.

So now they're just gonna squat in Iraq, try to take that country's oil as a consolation prize (they were hoping for a lot more, like Iran's oil, the Caspian Basin, even Saudi Arabia) count up the cash they've made so far, let Obama do his "let's get together and rebuild America thing"  and "I share your pain" and “hope, hope, hope” while he wrings his dainty little hands about that "dastardly Fed raising interest rates" (and does nothing about it - after all what can he do).  And than we'll all work really, really, really, hard like the busy little worker bees we’re' supposed to be to pay back the ten to fifteen trillion dollars worth of damage our elites have done to the economy.

And who knows, if we’re really good little boys and girls and work really hard, and save our money, and let Obama tax us, and reduce our social security benefits....they can start their war on schedule in 2010 or 2012. If not we may have to wait a whole'nother ten years before they start another war.

Now wouldn't that be a darn shame? - mpg

For more on this issue see....Effective Fed Funds Rate 03-24-07 - mpg
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Czech Republic opposes US Missile Shield in Eastern Europe
A quote...."WARSAW, June 19 (RIA Novosti) - The Czech opposition has gathered over 100,000 signatures in support of a proposal to hold a national referendum on the placement of a U.S. early-warning radar in the Czech Republic, an opposition spokesperson said on Thursday. -- The agreement between Prague and Washington, which was officially approved by the Czech government on May 21, is expected be ratified by the end of 2008."
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India's inflation rate shoots to 13-year peak of 11.05 pct
A quote...."NEW DELHI (AFP) -- Indian inflation raced to its highest level in 13 years, accelerating to over 11 percent after a fuel price hike, according to data Friday that piled pressure on the government as general elections loom."

First major wave from the economic collapse of the United States hits Canada
A quote...."One of the main reasons  the economic collapse of the United States  is catching many people by surprise is because our ‘elected leaders’ and the  mainstream media  continue to tell half-truths."

Fans in frenzy for feisty Firefox
A quote...."HUA HIN, Thailand - Netizens finally got their hands on the latest version of the Firefox web browser this week. Its creator, Mozilla, encouraged people to download the software on Tuesday, which it dubbed "Download Day" to set a world record for the most-downloaded piece of software within 24 hours. "


Culture of Deception
A quote...."We enter into a fabricated world, a virtual reality, like that depicted in the movie The Matrix. It’s a place we inhabit but our eyes are covered; the brain perceives images and an entire life in a society, a culture, a world, but it’s all merely a video feed plugged into the nerves at the base of our skull. We become so incapable of discerning what is real that we lose all sense of it. Our critical thinking dwindles. We drift into an existence without awareness."

The Blue Pill People - posted at ICH
Related article - from ICH's history file - mpg -- A quote...."The Matrix” may be only a movie, but it presents some scenarios with much relevance to our current situation. In the movie, Neo meets Morpheus and is offered an opportunity and a choice. Neo can take the red pill and see the truth for himself, or he can take the blue pill and return, comfortably unaware, to the illusion of the Matrix. There he can live out his life undisturbed by the truth. The truth depicted in The Matrix is an extreme version of modern socialism."
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Torturegate: Truth, But No Consequences
Must Read - A quote...."This has been one of the most extraordinary weeks in modern American history. The many isolated streams of evidence about the Bush Administration's torture system – and the direct responsibility of the Administration's highest officials for this vast crime – have now converged into a mighty flood: undeniable, unignorable, pouring through the halls of Congress and media newsrooms, lashing at the walls of the White House itself. In the course of the past few days, a series of events has laid bare the stinking sepsis at the heart of the Bush Regime for all to see."

The Great Torture Scandal
Special Note - A Juan Cole round-up of the recent "Torture Scandals" - mpg -- A quote...."McClatchy and other reporters are abruptly pulling the curtain away from the Bush team's illegal practices in arresting people arbitrarily, declining to offer proof that they were guilty of anything, detaining them indefinitely without trial or charges, and deliberately torturing them to the extent of leaving long-term scars and disabilities. The torture practices originated not with lower-level officers but with Donald Rumsfeld and others in Bush's inner circle, who then later blamed lower-level officials for developing the ideas that Rumsfeld ordered them to develop. Nothing they have done has survived a court challenge where one has been permitted." -- *Juan Cole*

Ex-State Dept. official: Hundreds of detainees died in U.S. custody, at least 25 murdered.
A quote...."At today’s House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil Rights hearing on torture, Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Colin Powell, told Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) that over 100 detainees have died in U.S. custody, with up to 27 of these declared homicides:" -- Article also posted at ICH
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IAF, Muslim Scholars Association condemn Baghdad bombing
A quote...." Baghdad, Jun 18, (VOI) – The Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) and the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) denounced the car bomb explosion * that occurred yesterday in Baghdad's region of a and left more then 71 dead and 75 others wounded." - *link added -- For more on this see....Al Qaeda - Always There for the US Elites - 03-09-08 - And guess what, Cheney and Co. are trying to blame the bombing on the Shi'as. - mpg

Blood in Your Tank: Petrofraud War
A quote...."It’s not as if we didn’t all know that our government had gone to war for oil. It’s not as if we don’t know that they were committing unspeakable horrors in pursuit of that oil. It’s not as if we didn’t continue consuming that oil since we got a heads-up in 1973 that it was a party that couldn’t last. It’s not even as if those of us paying attention weren’t aware that Iraq has gone through a half dozen “sovereign governments” since we invaded, and that they would continue to go through governments - both through being deposed or disposed of – until they signed oil-sharing agreements to benefit western Oil giants (and keep the trade of their oil in petrodollars)." -- Also posted at the SmirkingChimp

Legalizing Occupation: Bush’s Last Manoeuvre In Iraq
A quote...."When US forces descended on Baghdad five years ago, they seemed unstoppable. Military arrogance had reached an all time high, and it seemed only a matter of time before the same frenzied scenario took place in Teheran, Damascus, and elsewhere. -- As it turned out, festivities began dwindling almost as soon as they were pronounced. One could argue that the day Saddam's status was toppled was the very same day that the US army faced its real battle in Iraq, one that continues to hinder long-term strategic planning, if not the once-touted US Middle East project altogether."

House passes Iraq war funds bill backed by Bush
A quote...."WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved enough new money to wage wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for another year, while abandoning attempts to set deadlines opposed by President George W. Bush for withdrawing American combat troops."

Bomb Iran? What's to Stop Us?
A quote...."It’s crazy, but it’s coming soon – from the same folks who brought us Iraq. Share this article - Unlike the attack on Iraq five years ago, to deal with Iran there need be no massing of troops. And, with the propaganda buildup already well under way, there need be little, if any, forewarning before shock and awe and pox – in the form of air and missile attacks – begin."

Pakistani anger over U.S. airstrike remains
A quote...."ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani military is so angry over the U.S. airstrikes here last week that it is threatening to postpone or cancel an American program to train a paramilitary force in counterinsurgency for combating Islamic militants, two Pakistani government officials said. -- The U.S. alliance with Pakistan - born after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as an important vehicle for the fight against terrorism - now stands deeply scarred by the June 10 airstrikes, Pakistani officials and Western diplomats said. In fact, some Pakistani officials are accusing the United States of purposefully firing on their military, an accusation the Americans deny."

Every Move You Make
A quote...."Surveillance of private calls and emails.  Cameras documenting every move.  No habeas corpus.  Unimpeded entry into personal financial records.  Voting machines changing election outcomes with the flick of a switch.  Protest defined as terrorism. Many people hope that the loss of civil rights Americans have endured since the onslaughts mounted by Bush Administration II is a political reality that can be reversed through electoral will." -- Article also posted at ICH

Nigerian attack closes oilfield
A quote...."Oil company Royal Dutch Shell says it has temporarily stopped production at its main offshore oilfield in Nigeria, following a militant attack."

Lebanon still without government month after deal
A quote...." BEIRUT - One month after a breakthrough deal to end a long-running political crisis, Lebanon remains without a government as rival clans fight it out over key cabinet posts, raising fears of a renewed conflict. - The euphoria that greeted the May election of new president Michel Sleiman and promises of a national unity government has been replaced by a growing sense of doom amid continued discord between the Western-backed majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition over who gets which post in the new cabinet."

Hizbullah can keep Lebanon's footing solid by reaching out to its rivals
Editorial - A quote...."From the Lebanese perspective, the environment created by the Gaza truce presents both opportunities and risks, especially with regard to this country's hopes for a long-lasting period of political stability and the return of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms. These two goals are inextricably linked, and as statements attributed to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem have conveniently reminded all concerned, his government will work to ensure that Lebanon's goals are also tethered to its own, an Israeli pullout from the Golan Heights, and therefore to the situation in Gaza. Whatever the results of the particular processes involved, the fact of these interlocking factors need not be deleterious to Lebanese interests, so long as the right people here understand what is at stake.  --  Principally, this means Hizbullah. The resistance has made it clear, for instance, that it does not put much stock in US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's assertion that Shebaa is now a priority for Washington. Given the US record in this part of the world, all Lebanese are entitled to more than a little skepticism when it comes to the Americans' intentions - and their willingness to overcome Israeli objections. All the same, it cannot hurt to give diplomacy yet another chance to bring about Israel's long-overdue compliance with international law."

EU constitution ignored as Brown forces through Lisbon Treaty
A quote...."Gordon Brown signed away swathes of British sovereignty last night after he refused to back attempts to kill off the European constitution. - He forced through the Lisbon Treaty despite a last-ditch attempt by Tory peers to delay its ratification until October."

Kremlin to oversee defence coop[eration] with India, China
A quote...."President Dmitry Medvedev will directly oversee defence cooperation with India and China amid report that Russia's arms market will be divided between the Kremlin and Prime Minister's Office. -- President Medvedev, who will chair the commission for military and technical cooperation with foreign countries, is likely to monitor Russia's two largest clients, India and China, as well as latent customers, it said."

Lithuania to host US missiles?
A quote...."The US hints that Lithuania might host its controversial missile interceptors amid signs of failure in talks on the issue with Poland."

U.S., Lithuania deny holding formal missile shield talks
A quote...."WASHINGTON/VILNIUS, June 18 (RIA Novosti) - The United States and Lithuania denied reports they were formally discussing deploying elements of the U.S. missile shield in the ex-Soviet Baltic state if talks with Poland failed."

Four Charged in Killing Of Anna Politkovskaya
A quote...."MOSCOW — Formal charges were filed Wednesday against four men accused in connection with the 2006 killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the Investigative Committee said. - Three men were charged with involvement in Politkovskaya’s murder, while an officer from the Federal Security Service faces charges of extortion and abuse of office, the committee said in a statement. The four have been held since their arrests last August."

Irish 'No' Torpedoes Sarkozy's EU Presidency Plans
A quote...."EU leaders are meeting in Brussels Thursday to discuss how to salvage the Lisbon Treaty. But for French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Irish "no" vote means a personal setback: It has spoiled his plans for a glamorous French EU presidency."

Major Floods, No Context
A quote...."It's been a curious experience, each evening recently, turning on the NBC or ABC nightly news, with historic levels of flooding in Iowa as the lead story. ("Uncharted territory," National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Pierce called these floods.) After all, there are those stunning images of Cedar Rapids, a small city now simply in the water. The National Weather Service has already termed what's happened to the city an "historic hydrologic event," with the Cedar River topping its banks at, or above, half-millennium highs. (That's an every 500 year "event"!)"
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Why the Economy Is Gloomier Than We Are
Special Note - A quote...."It’s hard to know when dealing with the mainstream media at what point simple propaganda passes over into sheer idiocy. Case in point: yesterday’s Washington Post. A piece by Neil Irwin, “Why We’re Gloomier Than The Economy,” puzzles about the fact that Americans’ collective attitude toward the economy is so negative."

Five reasons the Fed won't raise interest rates
A quote...."NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Surging commodity prices and strident warnings from Federal Reserve officials about inflation have some in the market betting that the central bank will increase interest rates as early as this fall, according to closely watched federal funds futures contracts. -- Yet, five other indicators flatly contradict that outlook, suggesting that the central bank will instead opt to keep borrowing at currently low levels to prevent the ailing U.S. economy from experiencing even more pain."


Factories slump in Philly as prices soar - Prices-paid index for Philly Fed highest since 1980
A quote...."WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) --  The Philly Fed index fell to negative 17.1 from negative 15.6 in May, with the prices-paid index rising to its highest level since 1980 at 69.3. - Economists expected the index to improve slightly to negative 12. See Economic Calendar."

U.S. leading indicator up slightly
A quote...."NEW YORK, June 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. leading index, a compilation of 10 economic measurements, rose 0.1 percent in May, the Conference Board reported Thursday. - The index has made small gains for two consecutive months, the report said."

Moody's downgrades Aaa rating of Ambac, MBIA
A quote...."SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Moody's Investors Service said late Thursday it cut the Aaa ratings of bond insurers Ambac Inc.  (ABK: 2.03, -0.04, -1.9%) and MBIA Inc. (MBI: 6.45, +0.30, +4.9%) . Moody's downgraded Ambac's insurance financial strength rating to Aa3, and MBIA's insurance financial strength rating to A2."

Former Bear Stearns managers face fraud charges
A quote...."Two former managers of the Bear Stearns hedge funds that imploded last year could be charged with securities fraud by US prosecutors. - They would be the first indictments against Wall Street executives to stem from the credit crisis. - Prosecutors, who have been investigating the collapse of the funds, could file criminal charges as early as today, say insiders."

Total Newspaper Advertising Continued Steep Descent in Q1 2008
A quote...."NEW YORK According to the Newspaper Association of America, total print and online advertising revenue fell 12.8% to $9.2 billion in Q1 compared to the same period a year ago. It's the largest quarterly drop since the organization started measuring ad results in 1971."