Tuesday July 8th 2008
Big
Oil's 'secret' out of Iraq's closet
Must Read - A
quote...."NEW YORK - It is not about the "war on terror". It is not
about weapons of mass destruction. It is not about "freedom and
democracy to the Iraqi people", or to the "Afghan people". It is not
about "Islamofascism". It is not about a Pentagon-coined "arc of
instability" from the Middle East to Central Asia. New evidence shows
once again both George W Bush administration wars - in Afghanistan and
Iraq - above all are about oil and gas."
The
Shift - Is the tide turning against the War Party?
A quote...."The tectonic plates of the geopolitical landscape are
shifting, visibly, as the consequences of our crazed foreign policy are
being felt at home and abroad. That alarming crunching sound you hear
is the impact of the sudden realization that, in Iraq, the government
our troops are fighting and dying for is openly demanding that we
leave."
Americans
Had It Coming
A quote...."Everyone is complaining and crying about the high gasoline
prices and, well, the rising prices of most everything else, especially
food. -- The problem is that hardly anyone wants to admit that it’s all
part of the cost of empire and imperial adventurism. Do Iraq and
Afghanistan come to mind? -- In 2001 and 2002, weren’t many Americans
(libertarians being the notable exception) exuberantly supporting the
imperial adventurism in Iraq and Afghanistan that has caused federal
spending to soar through the roof? Well, what did Americans think —
that empires come cheap?"
Diffusion
of reaction and obedience to authority - posted at the OnlineJournal
A quote...."The “diffusion of reaction,” part of the “bystander effect
(also known as bystander apathy, Genovese syndrome, diffused
responsibility or bystander intervention) is a psychological phenomenon
in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation
when other people are present and able to help than when he or she is
alone,” says Wikipedia."
[The
Nameless One's] Counsel
A quote...."If Obama surrenders to his advisers, he may gain votes from
the other camp but lose his credibility, and not only in his own camp.
The only advice he needs is -- This above all: to thine own self be
true! " -- Mr. Reficul would beg to
differ, "sell yourself my boy, everyone else has done so" he would
say.....Obama seems to be heeding his sage advice. - mpg -- Also posted at PP
Oh, For a
One-Eyed Man! - FISA and the Decline of America
A quote...."Jonathan Swift, the great Irish political writer and
satirist, is not alone in observing that great nations rarely fall from
outside threats or attack. More often they decline and fall from
internal corruption. The Congress is deaf to this warning it appears,
for last week they passed legislation that is advertised as reforming
FISA."
Could
Anyone be "Worse" Than Bush?
Must Read - A
quote...."These days, it’s an almost irresistible temptation to
believe that when the present incumbent finally rides his mountain bike
off into the sunset next January the world will be a better place
merely by the fact of his absence. Amid the sinister twilight of the
Bush years, such hopes are understandable. Looking at the blazing
bodies of their comrades, used as torches to brighten up his banquets,
the early Christians must certainly have rejoiced when Nero passed,
little knowing that not so far over the horizon loomed Domitian and
other emperors eager to add uplifting chapters to the Book of Martyrs.*"
Bush:
Three Generations of Betrayal and High Treason
A quote...."When every other remedy is repressed, quashed or made
illegal, guerrilla tactics are all we have left! Thomas Jefferson said
that guerrilla tactics are justified in cases of tyranny. We have a
'right', Jefferson said, to 'abolish' a government that has become,
like that of Bush, tyrannical. The revolutionary spirit of Jefferson
was with those who protested Bush at Monticello! The spirit of
Jefferson is 'anti-Bush'."
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MPs
accuse Washington of lying over rendition flights
A quote...."MPs are to launch an investigation into US activities on
Diego Garcia after accusing Washington of lying about extraordinary
rendition flights from the British-controlled island in the Indian
Ocean. They described false assurances given by the US about its use of
Diego Garcia for the controversial flights as "deplorable"."
AP
IMPACT: US wavered over S. Korean executions - link posted at BuzzFlash
A quote...."The American colonel, troubled by what he was hearing,
tried to stall at first. But the declassified record shows he finally
told his South Korean counterpart it "would be permitted" to
machine-gun 3,500 political prisoners, to keep them from joining
approaching enemy forces."
ACLU:
U.S. blocking payments to Guantanamo attorneys
A quote...."GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba — The U.S. government is
blocking the American Civil Liberties Union from paying attorneys
representing suspected terrorists held here, insisting that the ACLU
must first receive a license from the U.S. Treasury Department before
making the payments."
FISA
Court Judge Quit Over White House's Refusal to Legally Obtain Spy
Warrants - link posted at
BuzzFlash
A quote...."Three years ago, US District Court Judge James Robertson
sent a letter to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., notifying him of
his resignation from a secret intelligence court set up to monitor the
federal government's domestic surveillance activities."
Congressional
Performance
A quote...."The percentage of voters who give Congress good or
excellent ratings has fallen to single digits for the first time in
Rasmussen Reports tracking history. This month, just 9% say Congress is
doing a good or excellent job. Most voters (52%) say Congress is doing
a poor job, which ties the record high in that dubious category." -- Register, go down to the polls, and vote
for anybody BUT a DemoRepub or a RepubDemo....it's the only chance this nation's
got. - mpg
Much
info coming out about the Siegelman case...
A quote...."Karl Rove cut his teeth as one of the "rat-f-ckers" of the
Segretti crew, who ran dirty tricks for Nixon. That should tell you
everything you need to know about what kind of sociopath this man is.
If you want to really know more about this man, the best source is the
book by my friend Jim Moore, called Bush's Brain."
Scott
Horton Interviews Robert Parry
Audio Interview - A
quote...."Robert Parry, proprietor of ConsortiumNews.com and author of
Neck Deep: The Disastrous Presidency of George W. Bush, discusses his
new revelations on the Iran-Contra scandal how the Reagan
administration used the CIA for a propaganda campaign against the
American population, Iran-Contra was the pilot program for the neocon
hijacking of the government, the legal black-hole of the Vice
President’s office and the slippery semantics of the War Party, the
history of covert tactics the right-wing uses to control the corporate
media and its enemies, and the War Party’s view of the President’s
total power."
Sistani
Rejects US-Iraq Security Deal
Special Note - A
quote...."BAGHDAD, July 8--The Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the most
revered Shiite leader in Iraq on Tuesday rejected any security
agreement with US, stressing such deal will affect the country's
sovereignty."
Indian
communists withdraw government support
A quote...."Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's communist allies
withdrew their support for his four-year-old coalition government on
Tuesday to protest the government's plan to push forward with a
controversial nuclear deal with the United States."
Congress
May Not Pass U.S.-India Nuclear Pact
A quote...."India's civil nuclear agreement with the United States may
have cleared a key hurdle in New Delhi this week, but it appears
unlikely to win final approval in the U.S. Congress this year, raising
the possibility that India could begin nuclear trade with other
countries even without the Bush administration's signature deal,
according to administration officials and congressional aides."
Medvedev:
No progress with US after Bush meeting
A quote...."TOYAKO, Japan (AP) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said
Tuesday that his meeting with President Bush at a summit of the Group
of Eight industrial powers resulted in no progress toward bridging deep
disagreements between the former Cold War foes."
Russia
threatens military response to US missile defence deal - link posted at CLG
A quote...."Russia threatened to retaliate by military means after a
deal with the Czech Republic brought the US missile defence system in
Europe a step closer."
A
Cartoon by Khalil Bendib
So funny, and so true. -
mpg
AIPAC's
Hirelings Rush to Resolution
A quote...."Perception is often the stepchild of ignorance, especially
when controlled by those with the most to gain. It is especially
difficult for our Congress to perceive clearly when it grovels at the
feet of AIPAC."
Two documentaries
about Iran and its people, one from 1925 and the other from 2007
Videos - A quote...."1925
documentary about the bakhtiari tribe regular annular migration
(Yeylaagh & Gheshlaagh) across Zardkoh to reach fresh grass for
their animals. This is an awesome documentary showing their challenges
as they tried to pass Karun and all other difficulties of the routine
chores.” --- "“Rageh Omaar embarks on a unique journey inside what he
describes as one of the most misunderstood countries in the world,
looking at the country through the eyes of people rarely heard -
ordinary Iranians.”
Defiant
Iran test-fires longer range missile
A quote...."Iran on Wednesday test-fired its Shahab-3 missile, whose
longer range puts Israel within reach, amid growing fears that the
standoff over the contested Iranian nuclear drive could lead to war. --
The Shahab-3 was among a broadside of nine missiles fired off in the
early morning from an undisclosed location in the Iranian desert,
state-run Arabic channel Al-Alam and its English counterpart Press-TV
reported."
Bush's
Rampage in Somalia
A quote...."While George Bush was breezing through photo-ops at the G-8
summit in Japan; his Ethiopian proxy-army in Somalia was grinding out
more carnage on the streets of Mogadishu. More than 40 civilians have
been killed in the last 48 hours."
Getting
‘Wiki’ With It?
A quote...."If you’re not familiar with Wikileaks, you should be
because, since it debuted last year, the international transparency
network behind the site has forced governments and news media to take
notice, most recently with the posting of whistleblower documents that
indicate “thousands of sterilizations, and possibly some abortions,
took place in 23 Texas Catholic hospitals from 2000 to 2003,” as
reported by the Catholic News Service in the wake of the leak."
-- Editor's note: regarding the
author's comments about Wikipedia, it's true that anyone can edit
Wikipedia, but it's also true you can find out who's doing the editing
thanks to Mr.
Virgil Griffith and his nifty WikiScanner. - mpg
Professor
Ticketed for "No to Empire" Bumper Sticker
A quote...."When the officer came up to my window, he asked the typical
police requests: registration, drivers’ license, insurance card," says
Ovetz. "I asked him why he was pulling me over. And he said because of
the bumper sticker on my back window."
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Denmark
officially in recession: Europe to follow
A quote...."Denmark’s economy has now contracted for two consecutive
quarters, by 0.2 percent in the last quarter of 2007 and by 0.6 percent
in the first quarter of 2008. With reports appearing last month that
inflation had reached 18-year highs, the situation is not improving.
Last month, an OECD report stated that Denmark’s economy would have the
lowest growth of all OECD members until 2014."
Who Really Lives on a Fixed
Income?
A quote...."After months of higher fuel and food prices, I would have
expected the outcry to happen sooner than the past week. Usually
screams of despair about the cost of living come from special-interest
groups representing the aged or the poor. But the siren came this time
from my 88-year-old father-in-law."
THE
BEAR'S LAIR - A tale of two downturns
A quote...."British observers have in the past year indulged in a
considerable amount of schadenfreude about the US subprime
crisis, the excessively expansionary monetary policy of US Federal
Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke and the substantial recession that
appears impending. They should be less eager to gloat; the recession
into which Britain is heading is likely to be considerably more serious
than its US counterpart, and the way out less certain."
Pending
home sales index down 4.7% in May: NAR
A quote...."WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- In a sign that the housing
market may weaken further, an index of sales contracts on previously
owned U.S. homes fell 4.7% in May from the prior month, the National
Association of Realtors reported Tuesday."
US
retail property 2nd-qtr worst in 30 yrs - report
A quote...."NEW YORK, July 7 (Reuters) - U.S. store closings and
cutbacks turned the second quarter into the worst for strip mall owners
in 30 years, as budget-conscious consumers flocked to low-cost
warehouse-style grocery centers, according to a report by real estate
research firm Reis."
P&G
will boost product prices by up to 16%
A quote...."CLEVELAND - Procter & Gamble Co., the maker of Tide
laundry detergent and Head & Shoulders shampoo, will raise prices
as much as 16 percent because of higher costs for plastic, energy, and
paper."
From
the bad to the really sinister
A quote...."The first half of the year is over, and now all those
brokerage accounts and retirement accounts will be sending out
statements to hapless account holders, and it is bad news in spades."
Monday July 7th 2008
Surviving
the Fourth of July
Must Read - A quote...."I
survive the degradation that has become America—a land that exalts
itself as a bastion of freedom and liberty while it tortures human
beings, stripped of their rights, in offshore penal colonies, a land
that wages wars defined under international law as criminal wars of
aggression, a land that turns its back on its poor, its weak, its
mentally ill, in a relentless drive to embrace totalitarian
capitalism—because I read books. I have 5,000 of them. They line every
wall of my house. And I do not own a
television." -- bold by website editor. -- Also posted at CommonDreams
& DissentMag
& ICH
Guantanamo
Crumbles
A quote...."THE CASE OF Huzaifa Parhat provides the clearest, most
compelling evidence yet that the process used by the Bush
administration to justify holding detainees at Guantanamo Bay is deeply
and irreversibly flawed and must be discarded." -- For more on this issue see....The
Convenient Silence of Guantanamo Bay - 05-31-08 - mpg
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9/11 - From The History File...April
2000: Would-Be Hijacker Tells FBI About Plot to Fly Plane into US
Building
“Ultimately, the question of who financed the attacks is of little
practical significance”? -- *9/11
Commission*
They really said it....never
ever forget that folks, never ever forget. - mpg
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Press
for Truth - (Google Video - 84 min - Sep 7, 2006) & Alt
Video - From the history file, enjoy.
- mpg -- To purchase the DVD click here.
America
Is the Rogue Nation
A quote...."Iraq is a small country compared with Iran. Iran has about
70 million people. Its western mountains border the Persian Gulf. In
other words, its missiles and guns look down on the U.S. ships below
it. And it has lots of missiles, from short-range to intermediate-range
(around 2,200 kilometers). -- More to the point, it has been equipped
by Russia with the fastest anti-ship missile on the planet. The SS-N-22
Sunburn can travel at Mach 3 at high altitude and at Mach 2.2 at low
altitude. That is faster than anything in our arsenal."
Some
questions for US candidates
Special Note - A
quote...." There has been unusual interest throughout the world in the
US presidential race. Sceptics, of whom there are quite a few, say the
campaign is just a marathon show that has little to do with real
policymaking."
How
do Iranians react to threats of attack?
Video - A quote...."Pepe
Escobar, analyst, the Real News Network: The latest report by Seymour
Hersh in The New Yorker confirmed that the US is involved in
counterinsurgency and black ops inside Iranian territory. But what does
it really mean to attack a country of 70 million people? To get a
perspective on how Iran would react and how Iranian public opinion
would react, I spoke to Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian
American Council."
What's
a rational American foreign policy?
Video - A quote...."Aijaz
Ahmad: The United States economy is stagnant and faces the possibility
of a real Depression. Its currency has lost a quarter of its value on
global markets in three years. No country in the entire history of
humankind has ever owed as much money to foreigners as the US does
today, and this debt rises by about a billion dollars a day. Its
military expenditures are higher than those of the next twenty
countries combined. It's time to question basic assumptions about US
foreign policy."
Seymour
Hersh: The secret war in Iran - Part (1 of 3)
Seymour
Hersh: The secret war in Iran - Part (2 of 3)
Seymour
Hersh: The secret war in Iran - Part (3 of 3)
Videos - A quote...."Late
last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a
major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to
current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources.
These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred
million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by
Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious
leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority
Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident
organizations..." -- For
more on this issue
see....US
Support of Terror - MEK PKK Others
Hunkering
down in Afghanistan, watching 'NATO bleed to death on the Afghan plains'
A quote...."After seven years of fighting, the country is in ruins and
its future is more uncertain than ever. The Taliban have regrouped and
taken over strategically vital areas in the south. They have launched
attacks on US supply lines coming from Pakistan and taken control of
Khost. Presently, they are inching their way north and a battle for the
capital appears to be inevitable." -- Also
posted at PM
& SmirkingChimp
Iraq raises idea
of timetable for US withdrawal
A quote...."BAGHDAD - Iraq's prime minister said Monday his country
wants some type of timetable for a withdrawal of American troops
included in the deal the two countries are negotiating. -- It was the
first time that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has explicitly and
publicly called for a withdrawal timetable — an idea opposed by
President Bush."
Obama ‘puzzled’
by Iraq comment frenzy
A quote...."ST LOUIS: Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama said
on Saturday that his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was
puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he might
“refine” his timetable for withdrawing US combat troops." -- Uh huh, yeah, right....he's "puzzled".
- mpg
“Frankly,
I find it insulting” - Ray McGovern’s Response to Obama’s FISA
Explanation
A quote...."Dear Senator Obama, -- I speak from 30 years of experience
in intelligence work. I don’t know who actually briefed you on the
eavesdropping legislation, but the bill is unnecessary for intelligence
collection and POISON for our civil liberties not even to mention the
unconscionable retroactive immunity provision."
IRAQ:
Journalist Charges Censorship by U.S. Military in Fallujah
A quote...."SAN FRANCISCO, Jul 3 (IPS) - U.S. journalist Zoriah Miller
says he was censored by the U.S. military in the Iraqi city of Fallujah
after photographing Marines who died in a suicide bombing."
Tipping the
balance
A quote...."The prisoner exchange deal between Hizbullah and the
government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert differs from earlier
exchanges between Israel and Palestinian or Arab parties, most
significantly in terms of the "price" Israel has been compelled to pay.
That this is so is due mainly to the July 2006 war and the
unprecedented strategic failure of Israel's assault."
Moment of
truce
A quote...."Mohamed Abu Ermana, spokesman for the military wing of
Fatah in Gaza, was shocked when members of the internal security
service of Ismail Haniyeh's dismissed government asked him to report to
the police. The day before he told reporters that Fatah didn't
recognise the Egyptian-brokered truce between Hamas and Israel and
would continue to fire rockets at Israel. Now he was under arrest."
Mending
fences
A quote...."Slowly but surely, Europe is edging closer to Syria.
European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering, who is planning a
visit to Damascus next month, told reporters that Syria "is a key
country in the Middle East and a major partner in the peace process".
He is not the only one to think so. Last week, Syria played host to
Iceland's Foreign Minister Ingibjorg Gisladottir and German Foreign
Ministry Middle East coordinator Andreas Michaelis. For the moment,
Europe's overtures to Syria are still of an exploratory nature. And
Western sources say that Damascus has some way to go to prove its
willingness to cooperate on various regional issues."
Another
huge demonstration demands South Korean president’s resignation
A quote...."Tens of thousands of South Koreans—half a million according
to organisers—defied threats of state repression and marched through
Seoul on Saturday in a massive demonstration of opposition to the
government of President Lee Myung-bak. The principal demand of the
rally, reflected in banners, placards and chants, was “Lee Myung-bak
out”.
Votes
of Idiots
A quote...." H.L Mencken once described democracy as “simply a battle
of charlatans for the votes of idiots.” Writing in 1937 for the
Baltimore Evening Sun, Mencken theorized that by now “the incurable
idiots may conceivably constitute an absolute majority of the
population.” Alas, another election season is upon us to prove his
prophetic point. -- Of course, this is about the time democracy fans
will throw out the old Churchill saw: “It has been said that democracy
is the worst form of government except all the others that have been
tried.” But few realize that Churchill quickly added: “The best
argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the
average voter.”
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Fannie, Freddie Shares
Plummet on Capital Worries
Special Note - A
quote...."Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest providers
of funding for U.S. home mortgages, closed at their lowest levels since
1992 on concern the companies need to raise more capital amid
larger-than-expected losses. -- Corporate "federal agency" debt
obligations and mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the companies
also plummeted relative to government debt as investors thinned
positions, analysts said. -- Freddie Mac NYSE [FRE 11.91 [down] -2.59 (-17.86%)]
stock tumbled almost 18 percent Monday, to $11.91, while Fannie Mae
NYSE [FNM 15.74 [down]
-3.04 (-16.19%)] shares dropped most than 16 percent, to $15.74."
Facing
bankruptcy threat, General Motors to slash thousands more jobs
A quote...."Auto giant General Motors, an icon of American capitalism,
is preparing to lay off thousands more white-collar employees and may
sell or close down one or more of its numerous brands, according to
press reports Monday. In addition, the firm may demand further
concessions from the United Auto Workers union."
Long-term
unemployment in the US climbs 37 percent in one year
A quote...."The US economic slowdown has brought not only sustained job
losses, but also a steep rise in the proportion those unemployed for
prolonged periods. The number of people out of work for more than six
months has shot up by 37 percent since June of 2007, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics."
Group proposes
George W. Bush Sewage Plant
A quote...."The panel says it's a fitting tribute to the 'mess' he'll
leave behind."
Sunday July 6th 2008
Disaster
Capitalism: State of Extortion
Must Read - A
quote...."Once oil passed $140 a barrel, even the most rabidly
right-wing media hosts had to prove their populist cred by devoting a
portion of every show to bashing Big Oil. Some have gone so far as to
invite me on for a friendly chat about an insidious new phenomenon:
"disaster capitalism." It usually goes well--until it doesn't." -- Also posted at ICH
& CommonDreams
-- For more on this issue see....The
Method - 05-07-07 - mpg & War
Resource 9/11
Obama's
Position on Iraq Could Put His Candidacy at Risk
A quote...."Call him slippery or nuanced, Barack Obama's core position
on Iraq has always been more ambiguous than audacious. Now it is
catching up with him as his latest remarks are questioned by the
Republicans, the mainstream media, and the antiwar movement. He could
put his candidacy at risk if his audacity continues to shrivel." -- Also posted at CommonDreams
-- It's real s
i m p l e folks....vote
for anybody BUT a
DemoRepub. If you do anything else, if you vote for a DemoRepub or a RepubDemo,
you'll just be throwing your vote away. - mpg
Patriotism
in the Time of Treason
A quote...."As we gird ourselves for the masturbatory, chest-thumping
spectacle of the nominating conventions and the election slugfest that
is sure to follow, both the word and concept of patriotism will be
bandied about in a most unpatriotic, not to mention nauseating,
fashion. Unfathomable amounts of media real estate will be spent
discussing who is wearing a flag pin, which minister said what and the
first lady-ness of the candidates’ wives will be analyzed based on such
matters of urgent national importance as hemline and hairdo. - What
will be discussed as little as possible are the issues, you know —
health care, gas prices, housing, spying on citizens, global warming
and those pesky skirmishes in Iraq and Afghanistan."
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Bush-Cheney
Crony Got Iraq Oil Deal - posted at ConsortiumNews
A quote...."Ray Hunt, the Texas oil man who landed a controversial oil
production deal with Iraq’s Kurdistan regional government, has enjoyed
close political and business ties with Vice President Dick Cheney
dating back a decade – and to the Bush family since the 1970s."
Bush
Iraq Oil Policy: "Crony Capitalism" at its Worst
A quote...."Eight universities were in the running to get the Bush
Presidential Library but Hunt Oil Co. head Ray Hunt, of Dallas, an
economics major from Southern Methodist University, co-chaired the SMU
search effort and came out on top. His long time pals-ship with “The
Decider” may have had more than a bit to do with it."
It
Was Oil, All Along
A quote...."Oh, no, they told us, Iraq isn’t a war about oil. That’s
cynical and simplistic, they said. It’s about terror and al Qaeda and
toppling a dictator and spreading democracy and protecting ourselves
from weapons of mass destruction. But one by one, these concocted
rationales went up in smoke, fire, and ashes. And now the bottom line
turns out to be… the bottom line. It is about oil."
For more on
the three articles shown above see....War
Resource 9/11 - Hunt Energy
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ACLU
Releases Navy Files On Civilian Casualties In Iraq War (7/2/2008)
A quote...."NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today
released thousands of pages of documents related to Navy investigations
of civilians killed by Coalition Forces in Iraq, including the cousin
of the Iraqi ambassador to the United States. Released today in
response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by the ACLU
filed in June 2006, these records provide a vivid snapshot of the
circumstances surrounding civilian deaths in Iraq."
Bringing
Ireland to Baghdad: How the Resistance Will Eventually Kick the
Americans Out
A quote...."One thing the United States doesn't get about guerrilla
warfare: It's not over until the guerrillas win. -- It's very easy to
see what's up in Iraq right now -- if you're willing to face it. The
trouble is, most "experts" aren't willing. That has been the pattern
right from the beginning. We didn't want to admit there even was an
insurgency, and even now, nobody misses a chance to declare that "the
surge worked," as if that translates to "we win, it's over, let's go
home." -- Also posted at ICH
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Do you want to know
why Iran has a nuclear program?
Special Note - Charts - A
quote...."The principal lesson taught in school regarding personal
finance is that everyone should have at least a five-year
business plan. Creating such a plan forces us to take inventory of what
we have, allowing us to figure out what we need to do to be able to
prepare for what our needs may be for the future." -- This chart is really good. - mpg
"Virtual
Iran War Resolution"
A quote...."03/07/08 "ICH" -- 01/07/08 - Today the Dow Jones
Average was down 350-some points, gold was up $32, and oil was up
another $5. There is a lot of chaos out there and everyone is worried
about $4 gasoline. But I don't think there is a clear understanding
[of] exactly why that has occurred."
Iran:
War or Privatization: All Out War or "Economic Conquest"?
A quote...."Is the war against Iran on hold? -- Tehran is to allow
foreign investors, in what might be interpreted as an overture to the
West, to acquire full ownership of Iran's State enterprises in the
context of a far-reaching "free market" style privatization program. --
With the price of crude oil at 140 dollars a barrel, the Iranian State
is not in a financial straightjacket as in the case of most indebted
developing countries, which are obliged by their creditors to sell
their State assets to pay off a mounting external debt. What are the
political motivations behind this measure? And why Now?"
Three
Amigos: Bush, McCain, Obama Draw a Blood-Red Line on Iran
A quote...."The development of a nuclear weapon by Iran is the great,
glowing, neon "red line" of American politics today, one that every
single major player in the American power structure says cannot be
crossed. An ironclad bipartisan consensus has formed on the issue: Iran
will not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. Period. End of
discussion. "All options are on the table" to prevent this from
happening, George Bush has repeatedly declared, with John McCain
singing along. Meanwhile, Barack Obama has hammered home the point even
more forcefully: "I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon, everything in my power to prevent Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon -- everything."
Maliki
cautions U.S. against Iran attack
A quote...."BAGHDAD, July 5 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki has cautioned the United States against using Iraqi territory
to carry out attacks on Iran. - Maliki's statements came in a Friday
video link meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, al-Alam
reported."
The
Coming Catastrophe? - The finishing touches on several contingency
plans for attacking Iran
A quote...."We are fast approaching the final six months of the Bush
administration. The quagmire in Iraq is in its sixth painful year with
no real end in sight and the forgotten war in Afghanistan is well into
its seventh year. The "dead enders" and other armed factions are still
alive and well in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan again controls
most of that country. Gas prices have now reached an average of $4.00 a
gallon nationally and several analysts predict the price will rise to
$5.00-$6.00 dollars per gallon at the pump by Labor Day. This, despite
assurances by some major supporters of the decision to invade Iraq that
the Iraq war "will pay for itself" (Paul Wolfowitz) or that we will see
"$20.00 per barrel" oil prices if we invade Iraq (Rupert Murdoch)."
Hey
Y’all Watch This!
A quote...." 02/07/08 "ICH" -- - -When did you stop beating your wife?
When will you prove yourself innocent? When will you stop lying? When
will you produce the murder weapon? All of these statements presuppose
guilt and had this prolonged campaign against Iran not mimicked the
prolonged campaign against Iraq it would be easy enough excuse the
surreal nature of it all. The Alice through the looking glass, world
turned upside down flavor to it of the leader who hasn’t invaded anyone
cast as the next Hitler by the nation occupying two foreign countries
by force of arms."
Iran-Contra's
'Lost Chapter' - posted at ConsortiumNews
A quote...."As historians ponder George W. Bush’s disastrous
presidency, they may wonder how Republicans perfected a propaganda
system that could fool tens of millions of Americans, intimidate
Democrats, and transform the vaunted Washington press corps from
watchdogs to lapdogs." -- Also
posted at ICH
& CommonDreams
One of the most
important documentaries about one of the most important periods in the
history of the US and Iran
Video - A quote...."The
1988 documentary, “Cover Up: Behind The Iran Contra Affair,” chronicles
in detail the beginning stages of the birth of the
neoconservative movement, and discusses how US military covert
operations from rogue elements within the
United States government have destroyed the US
Constitution."
U.S.
Covert Operations In Iran: Terry Gross Interviews Seymour Hersh
(NPR Adobe Flash Player - 44 min 40 sec - pbs WHYY June 30 2008)
Special Note - Audio Interview
-- A
quote...."Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh believes that the
United States may be closer to armed conflict with Iran than previously
imagined." -- For more on this issue
see....US
Support of Terror - MEK PKK Others
Editor's
note: Seymour is probably wrong when he said Bush tapped the
phones after 9/11, it appears they actually started tapping everyone's
phones before
9/11.
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Afghan
governor says 22 civilians killed in air strike
A quote...."An Afghan district governor said 22 people, most of them
women and children, were killed Sunday when US-led coalition air
strikes hit a wedding party in eastern Afghanistan, but the force
insisted only militants were killed."
Afghan
inquiry into American bombing of 'wedding party'
A quote...."Afghan officials are investigating reports from a remote
area of eastern Afghanistan that US warplanes bombed a wedding party
this morning, killing more than 20 civilians including women and
children."
Children
suffer more in Afghanistan than any other country: UN
A quote...."KABUL (AFP) - Children in Afghanistan suffer more than in
any other country in the world from violence, war and poverty, and
sometimes become suicide bombers, the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) said Thursday."
The
Truth Commission
Must Read - A
quote...."There is no longer any doubt as to whether the current
administration has committed war crimes,” Antonio Taguba, the retired
major general who investigated abuses in Iraq, declares in a powerful
new report on American torture from Physicians for Human Rights. “The
only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered
the use of torture will be held to account.” -- Also posted at CommonDreams
Abu
Ghraib Torture Claims Spook CACI, L-3 Communications
A quote...."Will "outsourced" torture chickens finally come home to
roost in American courts? -- On June 30, the Center for Constitutional
Rights (CCR), Burke O'Neil LLC, of Philadelphia and Akeel &
Valentine, PLC, of Troy, Michigan filed a series of lawsuits in federal
district courts in Maryland, Ohio, Michigan and Washington state
against über-contractors CACI International, Inc., CACI Premier
Technology and L-3 Services Inc., a division of L-3 Communications
Corporation."
Renton
man sued in Iraq torture claim
A quote...."HAGERSTOWN, Md. — An interrogator from Renton and two other
individual U.S. defense contractors were sued in federal court Monday
by three Iraqis and a Jordanian who say they were tortured while
detained at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq in 2003 and 2004." -- Regarding the two articles shown
above....sue the bastards, each and every single one of them!!!
-- For more on this issue
see....Rule
Thirteen - Go After the Money 05-14-08 - mpg
Russia
warns of Abkhazia war
A quote...."Russia's defence ministry has warned that a "new war" could
break out in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia if Tbilisi uses
forces to attempt to resolve the conflict."
China's
Massive Wrench, Part 2 - A new world under one Heaven
China's
Massive Wrench, Part 1 - Change in the face of foreign devils
A quote from part two...."BEIJING - Globalization in the West started
with the Greeks - with the Anabasis told by Xenophon, a disciple
of Socrates. Then, 10,000 Greek mercenaries marched to Persia to aid
Cyrus, who enlisted Greek help to try to take the throne from
Artaxerxes. This occurred between 401 BC and March 399 BC."
The
JFK Assassination and 9/11: the Designated Suspects in Both Cases
A quote...."Global Research recently published my essay entitled
9/11, Deep State Violence and the Hope of Internet Politics In
this article, I argue that 9/11 should be analyzed as a deep event (an
event not fully aired or understood because of its intelligence
connections) and above all as one of a series of deep events which from
time to time have frustrated peace initiatives or become pretexts for
war."
Paraguay
joins shift to the left in Latin America
A quote...."Paraguay has become the latest Latin American country to
throw out a rightwing president in favour of a reforming leftwinger.
But does former priest Fernando Lugo, a man with little political
experience, stand any real chance of transforming his battered country?"
Poland
rejects U.S. missile shield offer
A quote...."WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland spurned as insufficient on Friday
a U.S. offer to boost its air defenses in return for basing
anti-missile interceptors on its soil but said it remained open to
talks with Washington."
Panama
says no to U.S. military base
A quote...."PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama has ruled out hosting a U.S.
military base to replace one in Ecuador which is being reclaimed by the
Quito government, a senior Panamanian official said on Friday."
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From
triumph to torture - Israel's treatment of an award-winning young
Palestinian journalist is part of a terrible pattern
A quote...."Two weeks ago, I presented a young Palestinian, Mohammed
Omer, with the 2008 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. Awarded in
memory of the great US war correspondent, the prize goes to journalists
who expose establishment propaganda, or "official drivel", as Gellhorn
called it. Mohammed shares the prize of £5,000 with Dahr Jamail."
-- Also posted at ICH
& CommonDreams
Journalistic
Imperatives: Saying What Others Mightn't
A quote...."The world of journalism, like any other profession, can be
muddled with a plethora of distractions, self-interests and agendas
that certainly do not serve the cause of a free press. Outside as well
as inside pressures and interests often compromise the very essence of
the journalist's mission."
9/11 Truth:
Quotations - (YouTube - 3 min 33 sec - Added: July 03, 2008)
Video - A quote...."Just
a few words that show we need a real investigation."
George
Carlin dies at age 71
A quote...."Mon Jun 23, 2008 5:12pm BST -- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -
Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines
about drugs, dirty words and the demise of humanity, died of heart
failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sunday. He was 71." -- For more on George Carlin see this Must View Video - You
Have No Choice - You Have Owners --
George
Carlin (ShoutFile - 3 min 16 sec - 11-09-07) - Warning - harsh
langauge. From the history
file - posted
11-10-07
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Wiretapping's
true danger
A quote...."As the battle over reforms to the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act rages in Congress, civil libertarians warn that
legislation sought by the White House could enable spying on "ordinary
Americans." Others, like Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), counter that only
those with an "irrational fear of government" believe that "our
country's intelligence analysts are more concerned with random innocent
Americans than foreign terrorists overseas." -- Also posted at CommonDreams
Commentary:
How dare they rip the Fourth Amendment?
A quote...."Early next week the U.S. Senate will vote on an extension
of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, with a few small
amendments intended to immunize telecommunications corporations that
assisted our government in the warrantless and illegal wiretapping it
has grown to love." -- Also posted at
CommonDreams
Obama
Tries and Fails to Put Out the FISA Fire in His Own House
A quote...."Unfortunately, there was nothing in Obama's response that
addressed the harsh criticism some of his supporters have voiced. I
could go into detail on why the statement stinks, but since this is the
Internet I don't have to, since I can instead direct you to the
excellent point-by-point analysis offered by Glenn Greenwald. [see
article below] My focus here will be the novel political dynamic
unleashed by the Obama campaign's social networking site,
MyBarackObama.com." -- Also posted at
CommonDreams
The
political establishment and telecom immunity -- why it matters
A quote...."Nancy Soderberg was deputy national security advisor and an
ambassador to the United Nations in the Clinton administration. Today,
she has an Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Times defending the FISA bill and
telecom amnesty. The entire Op-Ed is just a regurgitation of the same
trite, vague talking points which the political elite are using to
justify this bill, accompanied by the standard invocations of "National
Security" which our Foreign Policy elite condescendingly toss around to
justify whatever policy they're claiming is necessary to protect us.
But it's the language that she uses -- and the brazenness of the lying
(and that's what it is) to justify this bill -- that's notable here."
-- Also posted at CommonDreams
For more on the four articles
shown above see....Attempts
to Control the Internet
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Conditioning
for the Police State – the American War At Home
Some quotes...."Oh my word. The US Military has been working like busy
worker bees this summer, conducting war training exercises in
Indianapolis." [and] "It appears Uncle Sam has reason to believe the
DNC convention is going to need some military “intervention” in Denver
come August." [also] "In a recent edition of The Rocky Mountain News,
it was reported that Special Operations teams have conducted military
training successfully in other cities as well."
Utility
Workers Hired As Stasi Informants In Colorado, California, Arizona
A quote...."Hundreds of police, firefighters, paramedics and utility
workers have been trained and recently dispatched as “Terrorism Liaison
Officers” in Colorado, Arizona and California to watch for “suspicious
activity” which is later fed into a secret government database."
Total
Information Awareness Finds its "Second Life" at IARPA
A quote...."Like countless resurrections of Freddy Krueger, it appears
that John Poindexter's Total Information Awareness (TIA) program has
found a new, more accommodating home for its "mission" of "keeping
America safe"--from the Constitution--at the Intelligence Advanced
Research Projects Agency (IARPA).
GOOGLING
the Shot, Recovering, and Life-Wiser Brian Beutler
A quote...."Liberal writer, blogger, activist Brian Beutler was shot
this morning in my neighborhood near 17th and Euclid Streets NW in
Washington, DC. He was shot three times in a botched robbery attempt. -
More important than Beutler being a great friend of mine, he is a guy
who has been working the hell out of stories on FISA, torture policy,
detainee abuse and numerous other tough news arenas of major
significance to the progressive community."
Should
the Feds be handed all of your credit card transactions?
A quote...."Senator Dodd is trying to pull a fast one in HR 3221 by
slipping in a provision, totally unrelated to preventing foreclosures,
that would require that personal credit card purchases must be reported
to the Federal Government. "The
bill specifically targets payment systems like eBay's PayPal, Amazon,
and Google Checkout that are used by many small online businesses. The
privacy implications for America's small businesses are breathtaking."
RIGHTS:
U.N. Investigator Blasts U.S. Justice System
A quote...."UNITED NATIONS, Jun 30 (IPS) - After a two-week
fact-finding tour of U.S. prison and detention facilities, a U.N. human
rights investigator has blasted the administration of President George
W. Bush for a rash of shortcomings in the country's flawed justice
system and continued violations of the rule of law." -- Also posted at ICH
& DailyStar
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When Will
the Housing Crash End?
Must Read - A
quote...."People have been trying to call a bottom to the current
housing and mortgage crisis for some time. Chartists, technical
analysts, real estate gurus, even soothsayers and tea leaf readers have
all seen false bottoms and have predicted upturns in the market in the
very near future. -- Unfortunately, the worst is yet to come. We are
not even halfway into this housing price decline." -- Editor's
note: the quote on derivatives is probably understated, instead
of 400 trillion it's more likely
1,200 trillion (1.2 quadrillion).
But that just gives Bernanke and his buddies more monopoly money to
play with, doesn't it? - mpg
Disorderly
Dollar Drop Can't Be Ruled Out, BIS Says (Update1)
A quote...."June 30 (Bloomberg) -- A disorderly decline in the dollar
remains a possibility as losses on U.S. assets pile up and the
current-account deficit triggers ``a sudden rush for the exits,'' the
Bank for International Settlements said."
Fed's
Bullard says bank's credibility on line
A quote...."CHICAGO, July 3 (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve's use of
core inflation measures is harming its credibility, the new president
of the St. Louis Fed wrote in an editorial released on Thursday."
Mortgage
ruling could shock U.S. banking industry
A quote...."LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A lawsuit filed by a Wisconsin
couple against their mortgage lender could have major implications for
banks should a U.S. appeals court agree that borrowers can cancel their
loans en masse when their lenders violate a federal lending disclosure
law."
U.S.
Loses 62,000 Jobs, Jobless Rate Holds at 5.5% (Update2)
A quote...."July 3 (Bloomberg) -- Payrolls fell by 62,000, close to
economists' median forecast, after a 62,000 drop in May that was
greater than initially reported, the Labor Department said today in
Washington. The jobless rate remained at 5.5 percent after jumping in
May by the most in two decades."
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