Tuesday September 16th 2008

An Open Letter to Christian Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan - America is Now Rome
Must Read - A quote...."When I was baptized I continued to carry my history; but one identity was sloughed off in the water and a new one born out of it. I write this open letter to troops, brothers and sisters -- of all branches -- who profess the faith of Christ. I write you to ask that you remember your baptism, because at that baptism you declared your renunciation of evil. * The big preposition Note the preposition. I didn't say faith in Christ, I said faith of Christ. Christian is a diminutive term; it means "little Christ." To be a Christian is not to merely have faith in Christ. That's too easy, and Jesus of Nazareth was not about easy. To be Christian is to aspire to have the faith of Christ. Christ's call is not to go along with the program, say the magic words, then be rescued from death. Christ did not merely command belief. Christ commands you to follow him. That command does not wait until death for it to become effective in your life. "Love your enemy." This is not an etching at some altar that you visit; it is your path laid before you by the footsteps of Christ in this world." -- Also posted at ICH & LewRockwell

The Pentagon Strangles Our Economy: Why the U.S. Has Gone Broke -- Article posted at ICH
From ICH's history file -- A quote...."26/04/08 "  Le Monde " -- The military adventurers in the Bush administration have much in common with the corporate leaders of the defunct energy company Enron. Both groups thought that they were the "smartest guys in the room" -- the title of Alex Gibney's prize-winning film on what went wrong at Enron. The neoconservatives in the White House and the Pentagon outsmarted themselves. They failed even to address the problem of how to finance their schemes of imperialist wars and global domination." -- For more on this issue see....Effective Fed Funds Rate 03-24-07 - mpg -- Article from LeMonde

U.S. Faces "Most Serious" Constitutonal Crisis Ever
A quote...."ANDOVER , MASS. (Sept. 13)--- President Bush’s conduct in office has precipitated a “most serious constitutional crisis,” “one that has already transformed the U.S. from a constitutional republic to an elected monarchy,” a noted political scientist told a conference on seeking prosecution of high Bush administration officials for war crimes.   “We need to revers[e] a fifty-year trend towards unaccountable secret government, which can commit crimes with impunity,” said Professor Christopher Pyle of Mount Holyoke College . -- For more on this issue see....You Have a Choice - Democracy or Empire - 07-24-08 - mpg

Campaigning to Restore the Constitution
A quote...."Two hundred and twenty-one years ago this week, the Constitutional Convention that had gathered in the touchstone city of Philadelphia to replace the Articles of Confederation with a more clearly drawn guiding document for their revolutionary experiment agreed finally on a framework to govern the new United States. -- In so doing, Benjamin Franklin suggested, the framers established a republican framework sturdy enough to outlast them – if, Franklin warned, ensuing generations of Americans could keep faith with the Constitution. -- The document that was ratified September 17, 1787, though amended and interpreted, remains as Franklin knew it. -- But the republic has not been well kept." --  Also posted at CommonDreams

POTC: At Worlds End-Beginning Scene - (YouTube - 3 min 48 sec - Added:  July 23, 2007)
Video - A quote...."This is the beginning scene of the third pirates movie, has the song Hoist The Colours. I love the third one sooo much and the beginning is amazing so I had to put this up. Enjoy it!!! "
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"Awakening" Into Nightmare: Seeding More Sectarian War in Iraq
Must Read -  - A quote...."One of the chief reasons for the relative decrease in the slaughter engendered by the American invasion and occupation, of course, was the policy of buying off violent Sunni extremists and putting them on the American payroll. This tactic began well before the surge, and, in conjunction with the strategic withdrawal of the Mahdi Army, has proven effective in lowering the level of violence somewhat. The tactic is itself largely a matter of "ethnic cleansing," as America's new hired guns were given control over the dwindling Sunni enclaves. But from Andrew Jackson to David Petraeus, ethnic cleansing is the American way, so no one really cares about that. Kill 'em, pen 'em up, move 'em out on trails of tears, put 'em under the rule of local strongmen: that's just what you do with the lesser races, it's not even a matter of debate in polite society. "

Iraq: Arrests of Sunni tribal leaders risk giving al-Qaida a way back, says Iraqi vice-president
A quote...."The Iraqi government is in danger of pushing Sunni tribal leaders back into the arms of al-Qaida and re-igniting major violence across Iraq if it fails to take more Sunnis into the security forces, the country's leading Sunni politician has warned."

Palestinians despondent as Israeli polls near - 16 Sep 08 - (YouTube - 2 min 32 sec - September 16, 2008)
Must View Video - A quote...."In Israel, Ehud Olmert, the prime minister, has been speaking of the need for a peace agreement with the Palestinians by the end of the year. - But he is due to step down as prime minister as his Kadima party prepares for a leadership vote on Wednesday. - The Palestinians main fear is that whoever wins will maintain the status quo: a military occupation consisting of checkpoints, walls, and settlement expansion."

The Palestinians of Sabra-Shatila: 26 years after the Massacre - Part One
A quote...."Our Resistance continues, the Sacred Cause of all people of good will endures, and the Dream of our full Return shall never die!" - 14 year old Fairouz Husseini, Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp, Beirut, Lebanon"

So, the President May Kill Anybody He Pleases, Right? -- Article posted at ICH
A quote...."16/09/08 "Lew Rockwell" -- - Among the many cock-and-bull stories set afoot by the Bush administration during the lead-up to its attack on Iraq was the one about the now-infamous  drones of death. Later, it became sufficiently clear that this alleged threat had no more substance than the others the administration and the lapdog mainstream media had served up to a credulous public." -- Article from LewRockwell

Pakistan orders troops to fire on US cross-border raids
A quote...."Pakistan's military said today its forces had received orders to fire on US troops if they entered Pakistani territory, after a cross-border raid inflamed public opinion."

U.S. actions in Pakistan to harm democracy: President Zardari
A quote...."LONDON: After meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Britain knows Pakistan's situation better than most, and that Pakistan wants the UK to carry its message to the rest of the world."

In Pakistan, sympathy for the Taliban
A quote...."The nearly weekly attacks on girls' schools - such as the more than 100 destroyed in Pakistan's northwestern and mountainous Swat district in the past 10 months - are justified in the same way. -- Such acts against fellow Muslims seem unconscionable even to conservative Muslims not affiliated with the Taliban. "The people who planned the assassination attack on me are not Muslim," declared former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto after she survived the first attempt on her life in October last year. "No Muslim can attack a woman. No Muslim can attack innocent people." -- After the Wah blasts, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani told parliament, "We cannot allow terrorists to challenge the writ of the government." -- Yet the Taliban manage to retain the sympathy of many Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan. A major reason for this is the presence of foreign troops that do not appear to understand the dynamics of local tribal politics."

Afghan civilian casualties soar
A quote...."There has been a sharp increase in the number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan this year, according to new figures released by the United Nations."

New breed of Taliban replaces old guard
Special Note - A quote...."Mehran Bozorgnia, a cameraman working for Channel 4 News, spent time with the Taliban in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan to discover this new breed. - After months of planning, phone calls, endless cups of tea at meetings in Kabul to arrange the visit, it began with two knocks at the steel door of a mud compound near the southern city. - Eyes glinted as a face and a white turban appeared - as did a Kalashnikov. The door slammed shut. Nerve-wracking minutes passed before the door opened again."

Iran elite Guards charged with Gulf defense: report
A quote...."Iran's supreme leader has put its elite Revolutionary Guards in charge of defending the oil-rich Gulf against any enemy attacks, a top military adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying on Tuesday."

Ukraine's pro-Western ruling coalition collapses
A quote...." The governing coalition in Ukraine collapsed on Tuesday in a crisis brought on by Russia's war with Georgia that raises the prospect of the country being knocked off its pro-Western course. -- "I officially announce the collapse of the coalition of democratic forces," parliament speaker Arseny Yatsenyuk told lawmakers."

Bolivia governor arrested on genocide charges
A quote...."Gov. Leopoldo Fernandez of Pando province is being charged with genocide in what President Evo Morales calls an ambush of his supporters last week that left at least 15 dead and 37 injured. -- Morales announced the arrest at a news conference Tuesday."

Bolivia strengthens relations with Russia after US fall-out
A quote...."Relations between America and the South American state are at an all-time low after Bolivia expelled the US ambassador amid civil unrest which has left more than 30 dead."

Latin America uniting against neocons of Washington
A quote...."Antipathy and disgust for the Bush administration and its neocon ideological ilk, including the key players and advisers in the John McCain campaign, have long taken root in the Middle East and South Asia. Names like Cheney, Wolfowitz, Perle, Feith, and Ledeen are held in utmost contempt throughout the Middle East and Muslim worlds."

Russia is determined to bring NATO’s Expansion Eastward to a Halt - The ghost of Stalingrad
A quote...."NATO’s metamorphosis from Cold War Euro-policeman into the unabashed global military arm of the United States over the past 18 years has left a trail of debris from the Balkans to Afghanistan that will take decades to clear. It is a flagrant violation of the agreement James Baker III made with Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev that the US would not extend the borders of NATO eastwards in return for Moscow allowing a united Germany to be a member of NATO. Russia was still in disarray and in no position to protest when the Eastern European countries and the Baltics joined, but as this policy of expansion turned into a blatant encirclement of Russia and a conquest of the Middle East, a furious, now self-confident Russia has finally drawn the line, at least in its immediate neighbourhood, with Georgia and Ukraine the last straws."

U.S. Blocks Russian Efforts to Expand Power
Special Note -- A quote...."Two days after the article that stressed American efforts to press Scandinavian states to decline the Russian gas-pipe project, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier sent an official protest to the U.S. Embassy in Berlin. The head of German diplomacy declared he was “irritated” by all the statements made by the American ambassador in Sweden, seeing them as a very unusual and unwanted interference in Germany’s affairs. As if this protest wasn’t enough, the German government reinforced its support for the Russian project. “We said very clearly that we supported this project out of political reasons”, said Ulrich Wilhelm, spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel. Wilhelm also declared that the pipeline, which will go through the Baltic Sea and has as its project manager, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, is needed to provide the EU with energy consistency." -- For more on this sort of issue see....The US is After Europe Too! - 03-23-08 - mpg

The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 4 articles - Tuesday - [ Day 40 ] =====  ==========

NOAM CHOMSKY: Towards a Second Cold War?
From the history file -- A quote...."Friday, September 12th, 2008 -- NOAM CHOMSKY | Aghast at the atrocities committed by US forces invading the Philippines, and the rhetorical flights about liberation and noble intent that routinely accompany crimes of state, Mark Twain threw up his hands at his inability to wield his formidable weapon of satire. The immediate object of his frustration was the renowned General Funston. “No satire of Funston could reach perfection,” Twain lamented, “because Funston occupies that summit himself… [he is] satire incarnated.”"

Moscow to sign pact with Ossetia and Abkhazia
A quote...."September 17, 2008, 12:52 -- Russia has already recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent nations and established diplomatic ties with both. Now it's set to put the seal on a friendship agreement with the two Caucasus states."

With ‘Allies’ Like NATO, Georgia Better Not Annoy Russia
A quote...."Posted on Sep 16, 2008 -- As Helene Carrere, the eminent French historian of Russia, has said, Georgia has now done the greatest service to the new Russia that has been done in years. Vladimir Putin should be sending (symbolic) roses to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili for having precipitated this episode. -- Actually, Moscow would do better to send banks of roses to NATO’s European members for their irresponsibility and timidity in not having blocked the United States from carrying out the deliberate provocation to Russia of offering Georgia and Ukraine NATO membership."

South Ossetia puts death toll in Georgia attack at 1,700
A quote...."10:50 | 17/ 09/ 2008 -- MOSCOW, September 17 (RIA Novosti) - About 1,700 people, most of them civilians, were killed in South Ossetia during Georgia's onslaught on the breakaway republic in early August, the region's top prosecutor said. (Life in Tskhinvali today - Image gallery) "

End - The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 4 articles - Tuesday - [ Day 40 ] ===== ========

Author: Dick Armey livid Cheney 'bullshitted' him about Iraq 'mini-nuke'
A quote...."Jon Stewart: 'It's nice to know he lies also to Republicans' -- For nearly eight years, Vice President Dick Cheney has combined an unprecedented position of power with a deep sense of living in a hostile and threatening world. He has been prepared to use his power in unscrupulous ways to ward off those perceived threats, even lying to Republican House Majority Leader Dick Army to get his support for the Iraq War"

Independent panel to study anthrax case
A quote...."The FBI will ask a group of independent scientists to review evidence from the government's anthrax investigation that concluded an Army researcher masterminded the deadly 2001 biological attacks."

NIST Cartoon
It's funny. - mpg

Scientists, Scholars, Architects & Engineers respond to NIST
A quote...."I am writing on behalf of a group of scientists, scholars, engineers and building professionals who are dedicated to scientific research regarding the destruction of all three high-rise buildings (WTC 1, 2 and 7) on September 11, 2001. We have examined the draft reports recently released by NIST purporting to explain the demise of WTC Building 7 (collectively referred to herein as the “Report”). We have found many areas that need to be revised and re-examined by NIST personnel before they release a final report on this matter." -- For more on this issue see....9/11 - WTC7
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Nightmare on Wall Street
Must Read - A quote...." The problem is this: the investing world does not know how many of Lehman's assets are illiquid. When Lehman sells in order to pay creditors, this will put downward pressure on all the markets, but especially the illiquid markets. -- When it does, the dominoes will continue to fall."

The Fed’s Failure
Special Note -- A quote...."The first and most important rule of speculation is to cut your losses quickly, while they are still small. In poker, this means folding when you don’t have good cards. In research and development, it means halting investment when the initial results are unpromising. In stock speculation, it means selling a purchase when it falls by 7–8 percent below a well-chosen entry level. - The first loss is the smallest, the saying goes. The Fed is violating that rule, and it is encouraging banks to violate that rule. It is doubling down on a bad hand. It is buying more stock as it falls, instead of selling out. How is it doing this? The Fed is lending more and more of its liquid government securities to client banks. In return, it is accepting their questionable and risky collateral."

AIG gets Fed rescue in form of $85 billion loan
Special Note -- A quote...."SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The Federal Reserve Board made the extraordinary move late Tuesday of authorizing an emergency, $85 billion loan to rescue troubled insurance giant American International Group Inc." -- Guess Lehman is the exception that proves the new Fed rule....the Fed is going to bail out everybody. - mpg

Fears for the Halifax as shares plunge 30% despite $85bn bailout of U.S. insurance giant
Special Note -- A quote...."Fears for Britain's biggest mortgage lender deepened today as its shares plunged another 30 per cent despite the U.S. bank's bailout of insurance giant AIG. -- The Federal Reserve's $85bn rescue deal with AIG overnight appeared to have brought some relief to the markets when the London Stock Exchange opened today."

Bank of America, Merrill Bailout Disguised as Buyout? -- Article posted at ICH
A quote...."09/16/09 "Market Oracle" --  15/09/08 --Bank of America's buyout of Merrill Lynch seemed laughable to me - that is until I realized the full picture. With a $50 billion all-stock deal valued at $29 per share, at first glance it might appear that Bank of America doesn't stand to lose much considering its stock is at least 50% overvalued by my analysis. However, even at an adjusted price of $25 billion, Bank of America will be responsible for absorbing all of Merrill's losses. Good luck. But wait. They don't need luck, they have the Fed." -- Article from Market Oracle

Fed's misplaced fulcrum
A quote...."Lehman's leverage was not exceptional among Wall Street investment banks. At the last quarterly balance sheet date (May or June), while Lehman's leverage had been brought down to 23.3 times through asset sales, Morgan Stanley's was still 30.0 times, Goldman Sachs's 24.3 times and Merrill Lynch's an astounding 44.1 times (or to be fair, 31.5 times at its December 2007 year-end, before new losses appeared.) -- The commercial banks are not as leveraged. At the latest quarter-end, Citigroup was the most leveraged at 15.4 times, JP Morgan Chase 13.3 times, Wells Fargo 12.4 times, Wachovia 10.8 times and Bank of America 10.5 times. That more modest leverage is the advantage of proper regulation. Even Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which benefited from a quasi-state guarantee and were dubiously regulated since they held a stick over their regulator in the form of the congressional Democrat power structure, had leverage ratios of only 21.5 times and 29.4 times respectively."

US Economy: Rudderless and Reeling From Direct Hits -- Article posted at ICH
A quote...."16/09/08 "ICH" -- - We were promised a “New Economy” of high-tech tradable services to take the place of the offshore manufacturing economy. Wondering what had become of the “New Economy,” Duke University’s Offshoring Research Network searched for it and located it offshore. Yes, the activities of the “New Economy” are also outsourced offshore."

WaMu lowered to junk by S&P
A quote...."NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Washington Mutual had its credit rating lowered to junk Monday by Standard & Poors amid continuing weakness in the housing market."

Goldman profit plunges 70 pct amid market slump
A quote...."NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) said quarterly profit plunged 70 percent as the worst market slump in decades led to weaker-than-expected revenues, knocking the stock to its lowest level in nearly three years."

FDIC fund is dwindling
A quote...."The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., whose insurance fund has slipped below the minimum target level set by Congress, could be forced to tap tax dollars through a Treasury Department loan if Washington Mutual Inc., the nation's largest thrift, or another struggling rival fails, economists and industry analysts said Tuesday."

Fed holds rates steady, spurning calls for cuts
A quote...."WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve held U.S. interest rates steady on Tuesday and showed little inclination to lower them soon, spurning calls for cuts from financial markets roiled by the bankruptcy of investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (NYSE:LEH - News)." -- For more on this issue see....Obama, the Yang to Bush's Yin - 06-20-08 - mpg

Monday September 15th 2008

A Furnace Seal'd: The Wondrous Death Squads of the American Elite
Must Read - A quote...."In a TV appearance to puff the book, Woodward celebrated the arbitrary murder, by methods unknown, of people designated "terrorists," by criteria unknown, as "a wonderful example of American ingenuity solving a problem in war, as we often have." The White House acknowledged the existence of the assassination program, but insisted that it was the "surge" of troops that was mainly responsible for the drop in violence from the howling hell of 2006 to today's level, which, as Juan Cole has pointed out, is still greater than some of the most horrific civic conflicts of the last century. (It is a strange country indeed that can celebrate the creation of a blood-gushing sinkhole of violence and destruction as a "success beyond our wildest dreams," to use Barack Obama's new take on the surge.)"

1,000 feared dead of Cholera in Iraq
A quote...."At least 1,000 people have died as a result of the recent outbreak of cholera in Iraq,  Iraqi members of parliament said. - Nawzad Rifaat, chairman of parliament’s Health Commission, accused the government of hiding the “the real figure of cholera cases” urging the Health Ministry to provide detailed statics on deaths and cases without delay."

Iraqi inflation soars
A quote...."Iraqi prices have risen more than 30% so far this year when compared with 2007, the Central Statistics Bureau said in its latest report. - The report said the price hikes for some goods were much greater." -- For more regarding the three articles shown above see....The Method - 05-07-07 - mpg
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For prosecution of Bush war crimes, planning begins
A quote...."The 'Bush war crimes conference,' according to its organizers, is a "throwback to the framers of the constitution," which aims to establish "necessary organizational structures" to pursue those guilty of war crimes "to the ends of the Earth." -- "The framers didn't trust the federal government either," said Velvel. "And oddly enough, over the years and decades, a strong distrust of government was once a Republican position. It was, at least, in theory. And then Bush came along and there's this, well, my country, love it or leave it in the GOP ... But now, you have people on the other side of the spectrum taking that very position."

Brzezinski: Obama’s Advisor The Creator of Al-Qaeda
A quote...."Barack Obama, the Democrat nominee in the next U.S. election, is profiting from Zbigniew Brzezinski the old American politician, who is known as the creator of Al-Qaeda, as his foreign policy advisor."

What illegal "things" was the government doing in 2001-2004?
A quote...."For the second consecutive day, The Washington Post has published an excerpt from reporter Barton Gellman's new book on the Cheney Vice Presidency, and it provides still more details on the intense confrontation in March, 2004 between the Bush Justice Department and the Cheney-led White House over the DOJ's refusal to certify the legality of the NSA's domestic spying activities." -- Also posted at CommonDreams

Military Industrial Complex 2.0
A quote...."Seven years into George W. Bush's Global War on Terror, the Pentagon is embroiled in two big wars, a potentially explosive war of words with Tehran, and numerous smaller conflicts – and it is leaning ever more heavily on private military contractors to get by. Once upon a time, soldiers did more than pick up a gun. They picked up trash. They cut hair and delivered mail. They fixed airplanes and inflated truck tires. Not anymore. All of those tasks are now the responsibility of private military corporations." -- Also posted at CommonDreams & ICH

“America Is In Decline”
A quote...."Sociologist Richard Sennett explains to Sueddeutsche Zeitung’s Nikolaus Piper why Americans are losing faith in capitalism and the future of their country."

Officials: Pakistani Troops Fired on US Helicopters Trying to Cross Border
A quote...."Early this morning, US helicopters crossed the border into Pakistan’s South Waziristan Agency and attempted to land in Angor Adda, in a raid reminiscent of September 3rd’s unprecedented attack by US helicopters and ground forces in the same region, which killed 20 civilians. This was seen as the beginning of America’s so-called “gloves are off” strategy of escalating attacks along the Pakistani border. But this incident ended quite differently from the previous raid."

Unfinished Business of Ethnic Cleansing The Expulsion of Palestinians from Jaffa
A quote...."The ground floor of Zaki Khimayl’s home is a cafe where patrons can drink mint tea or fresh juice as they smoke on a water pipe. Located by Jaffa’s beach, a stone’s throw from Tel Aviv, the business should be thriving. Mr Khimayl, however, like hundreds of other families in the Arab neighbourhoods of Ajami and Jabaliya, is up to his eyes in debt and trapped in a world of bureaucratic regulations apparently designed with only one end in mind: his eviction from Jaffa."

IAEA Confirms Non-Diversion of Iran's N. Activities
A quote...."TEHRAN (FNA)- The International Atomic Energy Agency has been able to verify the non-diversion of Iran's nuclear work, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said in his latest report on Iran."

Report: North Korea conducted missile engine test
A quote...."SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has carried out an engine ignition test for a long-range missile capable of striking the western United States, a South Korean newspaper reported Tuesday."

US plans to sell Israel 1,000 bunker-buster bombs
A quote...."The U.S. plans to sell Israel 1,000 buster-bunker bombs which Israeli military experts said Monday could provide a powerful new weapon against underground arsenals in Lebanon or Gaza."

Berlin to press ahead with Baltic pipeline project amid U.S. criticism
A quote...."BERLIN (IRNA)-- The German government will push ahead with plans for a joint German-Russian gas pipeline despite American criticism, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm announced here Friday. -- The pipeline which is to deliver gas from Russia to Germany effective 2011, secures German and European energy supply and is therefore being supported politically, the official added."

The Canadian election and the Afghan War
Video - A quote...."Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper called an early election earlier this week. Since becoming Prime Minister, Harper has extended Canada's military mission in Afghanistan until 2011. Author and Journalist Murray Dobbin believes that Canada's foreign policy is supporting American foreign interests."

The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 3 articles - Monday - [ Day 39 ] =====  ==========

South Ossetia in mourning 40 days after the war
A quote...."September 16, 2008, 8:44 -- The people of South Ossetia are remembering the victims of last month’s conflict, when Georgian forces tried to seize the republic by force. It’s traditional in Orthodox Christianity for mourners to attend church services 40 days after the death of their loved ones. Authorities in Tskhinval say more than 1,500 Ossetians lost their lives in the conflict."

Russia's Baltic Fleet starts week-long exercise
A quote...."KALININGRAD, September 15 20:25 | 15/ 09/ 2008 -- (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Baltic Fleet has launched a week-long scheduled exercise, the navy press service said on Monday. - It said the exercise, which will last through September 22, involves over 20 warships and more than 10 support and auxiliary vessels, as well as 15 fixed and rotary winged aircraft."

Georgia Offers Fresh Evidence on War’s Start
NYT - Published: September 15, 2008  -- So one would guess no mea-culpa this time around for all the falsehoods the Times has already printed regarding the South-Ossetian war, as apposed to the one they gave for their complete abdication of journalistic standards regarding the Bush administration's run-up to the Iraq war?  If the New York Times keeps sullying what little is left of their reputation trying to "spin" the Neocon's  proxy war in South Ossetia, they'll soon lose what few people they have left out there who still regard them as a "serious" source of “news”....possibly forever. - mpg -- For more on this issue see....American Selective Attention Deficit Disorder (ASADD) - 08-16-08 - mpg

End - The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 3 articles - Monday - [ Day 39 ] ===== =======
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Who the Heck do They Think They're Fooling?
09-15-08
mpg

Jim Wilkerson and the Plunge Protection Team
Must Read - [for the outrage] -- A quote...."Remember the Bush-Cheney supporters who pretended to spontaneously protest the Miami-Dade 2000 election recount, but were really high-level Republican aides and staffers? -- Well Jim Wilkinson was there: The same Wilkinson "helped to manage the program of embedding reporters in combat units" during the Iraq War, and has been a part of numerous other Bush administration propaganda and dirty tricks efforts. He was so bad that a reporter from Texas said Wilkinson "used techniques first perfected by Stalin". -- Would you give someone like Wilkinson the keys to your car? Would you give him the keys to the economy? -- Well, it turns out that Wilkinson is one of the key players of the Working Group on Financial Markets (better known as the "Plunge Protection Team" or PPT)."

Who the f-ck are these people?  Why are they walking around scott-free?  Why aren't they in jail?

All those stupid, bovine, pork-skin eating, boob-tube watching, cup cake munching, sheeple out there still living in la-la land who constantly keep saying there's no such thing as a conspiracy, who the heck do they think they're fooling?

Do they think they're fooling the Koreans who pulled out of the Lehman deal just three days ago, right before they were about to hand over four billion dollars to Lehman Bros., money which would have gone bye-bye in the blink of an eye had they been foolish enough to go through with the deal.

Do they think they're fooling the rest of the world, currently watching their hard earned savings go down the drain because our elites cleverly used trillions of dollars worth of bogus securities to help fund their attempt to establish a sick, twisted version of the New Unholy Roman Empire, while also enabling the sheeple to happily shop till they drop as millions were being murdered?

Do they actually think everybody out there is as abominably stupid as they are?

Do they truly believe everyone else on this planet walks around with the same rose colored glasses and the same stupid, sappy, asinine, pollyannaish smile plastered on their faces as they keep endlessly stuffing their brains with the prurient, ignorant, mind-numbing, crap, spewed out by this nation's mass-info-tainment media, all the while pretending what REALLY happened on 9/11 or what this nation REALLY did to Iraq....didn't ever happen?

Do they really think all those people out their want to continue losing their hard earned cash by doing "business" with our elites?  That these people want to provide more grist for the Empire's murder and mayhem mill?  That they actually want to see the United States waste their carefully saved capital in endless wars around the globe to occupy resource rich countries while killing millions of innocent people in the process....all so the US can control these resources.

This guy is just one, of tens of thousands, of well-connected jerks currently running this country into the ground on behalf of our illustrious wealthy elites and all you "little people" out there are going to be the ones paying for this "Empire" fling of theirs for an EXTREAMLY long period of time.

The sheeple of this country could have stopped this years ago but they didn’t, they just kept voting for the same crooks over and over again.  They stood around slack-jawed and drooling while they watched these crooks commit mayhem and murder on a mass scale in their name all the while they were robbing them blind.

May God show mercy to the sheeple of this country because no one else will.....nor should they. - mpg

For more on this issue see....Debt Doesn't Matter When the Rubes Pay 02-29-08 - mpg
and....The Green Light 01-16-08 - mpg
and....Effective Fed Funds Rate 03-24-07 - mpg
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Lehman hires Jeb Bush as private equity advisor
Hey!!...all you cud-chewing sheeple out there....time to wake up. - mpg -- A quote...."NEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Lehman Brothers has hired Jeb Bush, brother of the President of the United States, as an advisor to its private equity business, a source familiar with the situation said."

Who Will Protect Us From Plunge Protection?
A quote...."I often think about the alphabet of the financial crisis -- a lexicon of terms like plunder -- I wrote a book taking off on that idea -- but, also related 'P' words: pricing, panic and plunge. - I think of this last one spelled this way: plungeeeeeee as in falling off a cliff. And the dictionary sort of backs me up:"

The Crash of Western Capitalist Civilization?
Must Read - A quote...."15/09/08 "ICH" -- - “Train-wreck” doesn't even begin to describe what is starting to happen to the U.S. today with the financial crisis, an onrushing depression, and the failure of George W. Bush's war policy as he is faced down by Iran and the Russian bear. - But in an even broader sense, the West, as a civilization, after a century of world war and the utter failure of global finance capitalism, may have reached its limits."

Jeremy Warner's Outlook: Wall Street and the City get their comeuppance
A quote...."If you had said even a year ago, by which time Northern Rock had already gone cap in hand to the Bank of England, that Lehman would collapse, that Merrill Lynch would be forced to succumb to a rescue takeover, that numerous others would have to be bailed out by their shareholders or the sovereign wealth funds of the developing world, or that the share price of HBOS would drop more than 30 per cent in a single day, as it did yesterday, you would have been thought mad."

The Wolf Report:Nonconfidential analysis for the anti-investor
Special Note - A quote...."In truth, it's not medicine that the Fed practices, not even shamanism despite the hocus-pocus of interest rates. It's triage. The Fed and the Treasury reviewing their own finances, assessing the criticality of their own health and that of the life-blood of the financial markets, the short-term "repo" markets, decided that their own credit ratings, their own abilities to operate with and in the money markets outweighed Lehman Bros rescue. -- In the long-run for capitalism, the short-term is all there is. Finance is nothing. Re-financing, and re-re-financing is everything."

Capital Punishment: Lehman on its way to the Financial Gallows?
A quote...."Presently, Paulson and New York Fed chief Timothy Geithner are pressing Wall Street banking elites to pony-up enough money to buy up Lehman's devalued real estate assets. The Fed's proposal is similar to Greenspan's rescue of Long-Term Management LP (LTCM) which roiled financial markets in the late 1990s. Paulson has signaled that there be NO government bailout like Bear Stearns when the Fed bought up $29 billion in mortgage-related assets. The Fed is tapped-out having already committed half of its balance sheet--nearly $500 billion-- in repos through its "auction facilities" which have recently skyrocketed to record highs of $19 billion per week for the last 3 weeks. The crisis is deepening by the day. Similarly, the Treasury has hitched its wagon to Fannie and Freddie which expands the National Debt by another $5.2 trillion and seriously undermines the "full faith and credit" of the US in the process."

Subprime Mortgage Meltdown: Paulson's Quick Draw
A quote...."Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, the man who said that subprime was contained and that the Bazooka in his pocket would never be used, now assures us that the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be costless to taxpayers. Despite the near euphoria that the plan has sparked on Wall Street, the move will go down in history as the biggest policy blunder of all time, and will be credited as a pivotal point in the financial collapse of the American economy. The ultimate cost to Unites States citizens will be in the range of hundreds of billions of dollars, perhaps more."

Fed Adds Most Reserves Since 9/11 as Banks Hoard Cash (Update1)
Special Note - A quote...."Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve added $70 billion in reserves to the banking system, the most since the September 2001 terrorist attacks, to reverse a surge in borrowing costs sparked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc."

`Tectonic' Market Shift as Lehman Fails, Merrill Sold (Update1)
A quote...."Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) -- In the biggest reshaping of the financial industry since the Great Depression, two of Wall Street's most storied firms, Merrill Lynch & Co. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., headed toward extinction."

Financial Russian Roulette
A quote...."15/09/08 "New York Times' -- - Will the U.S. financial system collapse today, or maybe over the next few days? I don’t think so — but I’m nowhere near certain. You see, Lehman Brothers, a major investment bank, is apparently about to go under. And nobody knows what will happen next."

Wilbur Ross: Possibly a Thousand Banks Will Close
A quote...."In an exclusive interview with CNBC.com, Wilbur Ross, chairman and CEO of WL Ross & Co., says he sees possibly as many as a thousand bank closures in the coming months. And this will create opportunities for investors."

Lehman Brothers Files For Chapter 11
A quote...."Lehman Brothers, a 158-year-old investment bank choked by the credit crisis and falling real estate values, filed for Chapter 11 protection in the biggest bankruptcy filing ever on Monday and said it was trying to sell off key business units."

UBS Falls 14%, Hit by Reports of New Writedowns
A quote...."Swiss bank UBS sought to reassure investors rattled by the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers on Monday, saying it had enough capital to face this and future market crises. -- News that lack of liquidity had forced Lehman to file for bankruptcy protection dragged down financial sector stocks worldwide."

S&P cuts BofA rating, may cut again, Moody's may cut
Special Note - A quote...."NEW YORK (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's on Monday cut its ratings on Bank of America, and said it may cut them again, and Moody's Investors Service also placed the bank on review for downgrade after it said it will purchase Merrill Lynch for $50 billion."

AIG's Ratings Cut By S&P & Moody's
Special Note - A quote...."American International Group Inc.'s credit ratings were downgraded by Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service, threatening efforts to raise emergency funds to keep the company afloat. -- The ratings downgrades occurred after two people familiar with the situation said that the biggest U.S. insurer by assets is seeking $70 billion to $75 billion in loans arranged by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. to replenish capital."

The next big bang is private equity
A quote....""LADIES and gentleman, there is absolutely no cause for alarm. Oxygen masks will be lowered as we head into a gentle nosedive. Please assume crash positions." -- The tone from the cockpit may be soothing but it is fooling no one as the US Federal Reserve desperately scrambles to shore up the Western world's financial capital."

Crisis on Wall Street: Roubini Predicts Another 20 Percent Stock Drop, Sale of Goldman, Morgan
War Alert - A quote...."This morning, Roubini forecast another 20% drop in stock prices, and reiterated a prior view that there will be no major independent broker/dealers standing before this crisis ends. In other words, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley should be seeking suitors today, or face a similar fate as Lehman later." -- For more on this issue see....Standard Disclaimer

Industrial production drops 1.1% in August - Motor vehicle output plunges 11.9%, says Federal Reserve
Special Note - A quote...."Last update: 10:35 a.m. EDT Sept. 15, 2008 -- WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Led by a big drop in auto production, U.S. industrial output plunged 1.1% in August, the biggest drop since Hurricane Katrina three years ago, the Federal Reserve reported Monday."

Spike in jobless rate for women is worst in more than 33 years
A quote...."When the unemployment rate for women went from 4.6 percent in July to 5.3 percent in August, it was the largest one-month spike in the jobless rate for women in more than 33 years."

Citibank report warns Uruguay about higher inflation risks
A quote...."Uruguay’s fiscal deficit will be double the government’s targets for 2008 and 2009 “increasing risks” for the coming year (which happens to be an electoral year). Clearly “expansive” monetary and fiscal policies together with mounting pressure for higher salaries and an “overheated economy” will sustain “strong” inflationary pressures this year and in 2009."

Sunday September 14th 2008

Nothing was going to be posted today, however an exception was made for the financial news. - mpg

Global Financial System Reacts to Wall Street Meltdown
Red Financial Warning -- REUTERS reported yesterday that an "extremely... rare" trading session opened Sunday afternoon between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM ET to allow Wall Street dealers in the derivatives market to reduce their exposure ahead of an apparent bankruptcy filing by Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LEH). The BBC is reporting that Lehman Brothers is "set to go into insolvency." -- The $455 trillion derivatives market [it's a lot more than that] is vulnerable to collapse should the anticipated bankruptcy filing by Lehman, the country's fourth largest investment house, materialize late Sunday or Monday morning." -- They open trading on a SUNDAY!! so the "big boys" can "adjust" their positions??  Welcome folks to what the New Roman Empire calls the "free market".

Crisis on Wall Street as Lehman Totters, Merrill Is Sold, AIG Seeks to Raise Cash
A quote...."September 15, 2008 -- The American financial system was shaken to its core on Sunday. Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. faced the prospect of liquidation, and Merrill Lynch & Co. agreed to be sold to Bank of America Corp."

Greenspan Says Crisis May Be `Once in Century' Event (Update1)
A quote...."Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said the financial crisis that began with the collapse of the subprime-mortgage market last year ``is probably a once in a century event'' that will lead to the failure of more firms."

AP source: Bank of America agrees to buy Merrill
A quote...." NEW YORK - Bank of America Corp. is buying Merrill Lynch & Co. for about $50 billion in a deal that should lift the uncertainty shrouding Merrill since the start of the credit crisis over a year ago, according to a person briefed on the deal. - Bank of America has agreed to acquire Merrill for $29 a share, according the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been finalized. That price is a 70 percent premium on the brokerage's Friday closing price of $17.05, but well below what Merrill was worth at its peak in early 2007."

[International] Banks roll out $70 billion loan program
A quote...."NEW YORK - A group of global banks and securities firms announced late Sunday a $70 billion loan program that financial companies can tap to help ease a credit shortage that threatens global financial markets."

AIG seeks $40 billion loan from Fed - Insurer also reportedly to unveil big changes on Monday
A quote...."Last update: 12:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 15, 2008 -- WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- American International Group, beset by a record stock slump, is seeking a $40 billion bridge loan from the Federal Reserve, according to a media report early Monday."

Fed Plans Expanded Lending Facilities
A quote...."Sunday, September 14, 2008 -- The Federal Reserve is expected to expand its lending facilities in the wake of the likely demise of Lehman Brothers, taking a wider array of securities, including equities, as collateral for its loans, say people familiar with the matter."

Saturday September 13th 2008

The Baby Killers
Must Read - A quote...."I keep promising myself not to mention the wars for these reasons: the invaders couldn't care less about their crimes or their critics, my friends think I've become a ranting bore and many of today's citizens have more pressing worries than the serial massacres of toddlers in badlands. Bad stuff keeps happening. It keeps being denied. And is soon forgotten. -- From the very first days of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the U.S. air force has specialised in dropping bombs on family compounds supposedly containing "militants". Often they are not at home, unlike the women and children and elderly, whose bodies are eventually spread on the ground in preparation for a mass burial, while the Pentagon issues a curt "regret". Then it bombs the funeral. It's happened more than once. Another target is wedding parties. Back in July 2002, snug in their AC-130 bombers, American pilots wiped out a celebration in Uruzgan province, killing 48 civilians - mostly women and children - and injuring 117 locals. It's happened more than once."

Quagmire, Phase 2: The Invasion of Pakistan
A quote...."The United States has just invaded Cambodia. The name of Cambodia this time is Pakistan, but otherwise it’s the same story as in Indochina in 1970. -- An American army, deeply frustrated by its inability to defeat an anti-American insurgent movement despite years of struggle, decides that the key to victory lies in a neighboring country. In 1970, the problem was the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Cambodia. Today it is Taliban and al-Qaida bases inside Pakistan, which the United States has been attacking from the air for some time, with controversial “collateral damage.” -- Also posted at CommonDreams

Pakistan Hardens Stance Against US Strikes
A quote...."Angry protesters took to the streets today as a US airstrike early this morning near Miramshah reinforced anti-US sentiment in Pakistan. The strike, which Pakistan’s military confirmed occurred at 5:30 AM this morning, hit a residence and a former government school in a village in North Waziristan, not far from the Afghanistan border. The strike killed at least 14 people and injured 12 others."

Rights group finds secret prison in Basra
A quote...."Iraqi Parliament’s Human Rights Commission has found up to 200 malnourished and disease-stricken Iraqi detainees locked in a secret prison in the southern city of Basra. - The commission’s spokesman, Amer Thamer, said many of the detainees bore signs of torture. “They are crammed in a circular room surrounded with slabs of concrete with no roof,” Thamer said."

The US top secret in Iraq and the Israeli connection
A quote...."Though it looks like it is a super secret as to what kind of program the US forces had developed to counter the military-style attacks in Iraq against its forces, but this supposed super secret is not quite that big of a secret after all. - It was reported in the US and British press as far back as 2003 that the US forces is using the Israeli Army tactics and Israeli advisers for training and consultations to counter the insurgency in Iraq. In a 2003 article titled"Israel trains US assassination squads in Iraq" the British newspaper the Guardian Reported that "The Israeli defense Force (IDF) has send urban warfare specialists to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the home of US special forces, and according to two sources , Israeli military "consultants" have also visited Iraq"

CIA's 1953 Overthrow of Iran Reaps Bitter Harvest For USA
A quote...."Iranians’ hatred of America dates back to the CIA’s violent 1953   overthrow of democratic Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh’s government in order to arrange sweetheart contracts for western oil companies, author Stephen Kinzer writes in “Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change From Hawaii to Iraq."

Intelligence officer claims CIA was complicit in torture in Uzbekistan
A quote...."The CIA sent its agents into Uzbekistan torture chambers to observe the abuse of alleged Islamic terrorists, according to a dissident member of the Uzbek security services who is now seeking political asylum in the UK after fleeing Tashkent. Ikrom Yakubov, a former major in the National Security Service (SNB), accused the CIA of involvement in torture sessions in the central Asian republic in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald, during which he made a series of startling claims."

Evidence of Karimov's Crimes - and CIA Participation
A quote...."By Ambassador Craig Murray 14 Sep 2008 Ikram Yakubov, the Uzbek security service defector, has given his first UK media interview to the first class journalist Neil Mackay of the Sunday Herald. Ikram's testimony is very important, particularly that he personally witnessed a CIA officer present at the torture of Islamic suspects. Remember, the official position of the UK government remains that I was making it all up. They still officially deny the CIA was involved in torture in Uzbekistan, or that we knew about extraordinary rendition... It is also worth remembering that the Tashkent bombings - which as Ambassador I investigated in detail and reported that the Uzbek government story was fake - were used by British ministers in parliament in justification of their anti-terror legislation.-- Paragraph posted at CLG

Bolivia province under martial law
A quote...."The Bolivian government says it has declared martial law in an eastern province where at least eight people have been killed in clashes between pro- and anti-government activists."

Bolivian 'state of siege' declared
A quote...." LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- Bolivian authorities declared a state of siege to begin at midnight Friday in the eastern department of Pando, which has been the site of recent unrest. - A woman shouts slogans announcing she sells orange juice next to graffiti reading in Spanish: "Evo Murderer."  - Defense Minister Walker San Miguel and Minister of Government Alfredo Rada announced the move, which begins at midnight and lasts until 6 a.m."

Full support for Bolivia’s Morales from regional leaders
A quote...."Bolivian President Evo Morales after having secured support from South American neighbors tried on Friday to halt a wave of political violence that has killed at least 12 people by arranging talks with one of four rebel governors who fiercely oppose his reforms."

Iran, Oman Plan to Complete Kish Gas Field Development by 2012
A quote...."TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran and Oman plan to complete the development of the Kish gas field in the Persian Gulf by 2012 with the Arab state footing the bill of up to $12 billion, an Omani energy ministry official said."

World Nuclear Trade Group Agrees to Restrict Sales to India
A quote...."A 45-nation group that governs trade in nuclear equipment and materials privately agreed last weekend that none of its members plans to sell sensitive technologies to India, according to sources familiar with the discussion. The agreement undercuts one of the Indian government's key rationales for seeking a civilian nuclear deal with the United States -- that it would open the door for "full civil nuclear cooperation" with the rest of the world."

U.S. Arms Sales Climbing Rapidly -- Oh look, the MIOC elites are making oodles of money. - mpg
A quote...."WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is pushing through a broad array of foreign weapons deals as it seeks to rearm Iraq and Afghanistan, contain North Korea and Iran, and solidify ties with onetime Russian allies."

CSTO to deploy troops and missile defense shield in Central Asia -- One wonders why. - mpg
A quote...."Member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan – agreed to deploy troops and missile defense shield in Central Asia to ‘control the situation over tensions in Afghanistan.’"

The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 3 articles - Saturday - [ Day 37 ] =====  ==========

Putin: U.S. spoiled our relationship and should fix it
A quote...."September 13, 2008, 16:55 -- Russia is not looking to annex South Ossetia and Abkhazia and expand its territory. That's according to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who gave the assurance in an interview with France's 'Le Figaro' newspaper."

U.S. Intelligence Sees It Russia’s Way
A quote...."Sep. 10, 2008 -- American intelligence confirms that the latest military actions in South Ossetia were started by Georgia and Russia’s position in the conflict was correct, says Republican California Congressman Dana Rohrabacher. He said the situation reminded him of the Bay of Tonkin incident, which the U.S. used as a pretext for beginning the war in Vietnam. "

Russians troops pack up, leave western Georgia
A quote...."Sep 13, 2008 08:42 EST  -- Hundreds of Russian forces packed up and withdrew from positions Saturday in western Georgia, and a Georgian official said Russia had met a deadline for a partial pullout a month after the war between the two former Soviet republics."

End - The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 3 articles - Saturday - [ Day 37 ] ==  ==========

Wake Up America! Patriotic Truth-Tellers are Ignored, Abused and Betrayed
A quote...."Washington- Department of Labor studies this month confirm America's whistleblower laws, including the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act, are ineffective, and that patriotic truth tellers are being ignored, retaliated against and betrayed by cronies of the Bush administration. In response, 182 public interest groups are calling on the presidential candidates to take a stand, and to debate protection of our nation through whistleblower protection."

Still Unanswered 9/11 Questions
A quote...."When Pandora's Box is fully opened on the deceptions and abuses of power by the Cheney/Bush administration ~ the 9/11 conspiracy and cover up will stand alone as the most treasonous act in American history and here are 40 experts backing up that claim: Allen L Roland."

Jesse Ventura Slams “911 Conspiracy Debunkers”, for 30 Minutes
Video - A quote...."Jesse Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota, ex Navy Seal Vietnam Veteran, Demolition Expert and an avid spokesperson for 911 Truth.The governor takes on a swarm of media in the footage below for about 30 minutes. This is a pretty intense interview! -- (The first 2 minutes isn’t worth watching, it’s just someone walking around with a camera. Fast forward about 2 minutes to get to the interview.)" -- For more on this issue see....9/11 - Commission

Who was involved in 9/11? Documentary reveals shocking facts - (YouTube - 4 min 18 sec -  September 11, 2008)
Video - A quote...."On the anniversary of 9/11, an Italian-produced documentary called ZERO, investigating the tragedy, is opening in Russia. The authors believe that the U.S. official version of events surrounding the attacks can't be true. U.S. networks have rejected the film." -- Alt RT Video -- For more on this issue see....9/11 - NORAD

Congress Asks: Who Misled the Anthrax Investigation by Pointing at Iraq?
A quote...."On September 16, the House Judiciary Committee will hold oversight hearings to review the FBI's role in investigating the 2001 anthrax attacks, followed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on the 17th. (Glenn Greenwald, August 20 interview with Charles Grassley)."

Rogue Israeli Mossad-British Team Behind French Students Assassination
This one's a little far out, but Donald Rumsfeld's involvement with Gilead Sciences and Avian Flu is NOT. - mpg -- A quote...."ASSASSINATED - Laurent Bonomo, left, and Gabriel Ferez, right, students who were two French Intelligence officers, were brutally stabbed to death in a London flat that was then set on fire Photo: AP."
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ====

Reject Obama and McCain! Support the socialist alternative in 2008! Build the Socialist Equality Party!
A quote...."The Socialist Equality Party announces today that it has selected Jerome White and Bill Van Auken as its candidates for president and vice president in the 2008 US elections. White, 49, and Van Auken, 58, have decades of experience in the socialist movement and the struggles of the working class. They are both regular writers for the World Socialist Web Site." -- See alternative choices shown below....just DON'T VOTE FOR A DEMOREPUB. - mpg

“Vote for an alternative candidate” -- Ron Paul held a press conference that brought four third party and independent candidates together around a statement of principles. . .The four candidates: Independent Ralph Nader, the Green nominee Cynthia McKinney, the Constitution Party’s Chuck Baldwin and the Libertarian Party’s Bob Barr along with Ron Paul agreed on the following four key principles:"
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ====

Everything the Government Touches
A quote...."As long as a country like ours is under The One and Single government, this will be so. No isolated person and no isolated private sector institution, be it church, company, institute, or university, is a match for the size and power of a national government like that of America. Any industry that the government touches is no match for the government’s power. That industry will deteriorate, fade, kowtow to government, lose its innovative powers, misdirect its investment, seek subsidies, pay tribute to politicians, try to become a cartel, and eventually lose any semblance of operating in a truly free market." -- This article begs the "Chicken or the Egg Question" -- who touched who first?  After all "Corporations" were made into legal "persons" and fiat currency was made into "free speech" by this Nation's Supreme Court at the behest of our wealthy elites.  What minimal protections people used to enjoy were stripped out by the very people who control these "New Churches of Capitalism" and it now looks like it's going to be impossible to get our rights, or our property, back from them. - mpg

Merrill now in shorts' sights as Lehman crumbles
Whenever they write an article mentioning the shorts, all it means is Helicopter Bernanke will announce before the market opens, assuming the futures look "real bad", that he's "organized" a deal (i.e. he's doled out more tax payer dollars) and he's going to drop interest rates a quarter point.....that's all.  You gotta pity the shorts though; they still think it's a "free market". - mpg  -- A quote...."NEW YORK (Reuters) - The crisis of confidence in Lehman Brothers (LEH.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has led to fallout throughout the financial sector -- especially for larger rival Merrill Lynch & Co Inc (MER.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)."

Almost All Americans' Wages are Plummeting
A quote...."Today, the Wall Street Journal reports the sobering news that, since 2000, real wages have fallen for every educational group in America except folks with professional degrees (doctors, lawyers, and the like). All other groups, even those with master's degrees and Ph.D.'s, saw declining wages over this period. The WSJ piece is based on recently released Census data (you can find the most recent Census Bureau report on income and earnings here)."

China may cut its dollar holdings - CICC
A quote...."China, which holds a fifth of its currency reserves in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt, may cut the portion held in US dollars, according to China International Capital Corp (CICC), one of the nation's biggest investment banks."

Fridayy September 12th 2008

Japan to end coalition support in Iraq
A quote...."Japan has announced plans to end its support of the US-led coalition in Iraq by the end of the year, despite American pleas not to."

US, NATO at odd[s] over Pak incursion
A quote...."NATO says it will not take part in US's unilateral strategy of conducting cross-border raids into Pakistani tribal belt near Afghan border."

Tribesmen threaten to scrap deal if US strikes continue
A quote...."PESHAWAR: Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen of South Waziristan Agency (SWA) on Thursday warned of scrapping the peace accord with the government if aerial strikes by the US forces continued."

Pak army ordered to hit back [at] US forces
A quote...."The Pakistani Army has been given orders to retaliate against any unilateral strike by the Afghanistan-based US troops inside the country."

Russia says no to war, sanctions on Iran
A quote...."Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says he will not accept military action or new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear activities."

Mounting Tension: Russia will not accept an attack on Iran
A quote...."A military solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions is unacceptable and there is no need at the moment for new sanctions, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday. -- But Medvedev said Russia continued to support a diplomatic drive led by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana to offer Tehran a package of incentives in return for it reining in some of its nuclear activities."

Tomgram: Slaughter, Lies, and Video in Afghanistan
A quote...."In a world where death came suddenly in that vast swath of the planet the neoconservatives once called "the arc of instability" (before they made it one), civilians had few doctors on hand, no less full chemical body suits or gas masks, when disaster struck. Often they were asleep, or going about their daily business, when death made its appearance unannounced. Throughout these years, the stories of these deaths, when they appeared at all, normally were to be found on the inside pages of our newspapers in summary war reports. Regularly, they had "women and children" buried somewhere in them." -- Also posted at CommonDreams & AntiWar

Iran, Syria talks in Moscow amid stand-off with West
A quote...."MOSCOW (AFP) — Russian diplomatic and military officials held talks with their Iranian and Syrian counterparts Friday, amid tensions with the West following Russia's conflict with Georgia last month."

Rice Unwelcome in Morocco
A quote...."American foreign minister Condoleezza Rice was met by a large official welcoming committee in Rabat, which described relations between the two nations as excellent. In opposition, the city’s civil society outright rejected her visit and protested against it by organizing a demonstration in front of Parliament yesterday."

Fresh violence in Bolivia stokes civil war fears
A quote...."LA PAZ (AFP) — Deadly clashes in Bolivia Thursday stoked fears of further widespread unrest and possibly even civil war, amid a furor over the expulsion of the US ambassador to the country."

Eight killed in Bolivia clashes, US tensions rise
SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia (Reuters) - At least eight people were killed as violent anti-government protests flared in Bolivia Thursday, creating havoc in the natural gas industry and raising tensions with the United States.

US Should Disclose Its Funding of Opposition Groups in Bolivia and Other Latin American Countries
Special Note - A quote...."Washington, DC - The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) called on the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other agencies to release information detailing whom it is funding in Bolivia - where violent right-wing opposition groups have wreaked havoc this week in a series of shootings, beatings, ransacking of offices, and sabotage of a natural gas pipeline - as well as in other Latin American countries including Venezuela. Recent events suggest there may be evidence for Bolivian president Evo Morales' assertions that the U.S. Embassy is supporting groups promoting violence and seeking "autonomy" from Bolivia, and the Center called on USAID and other U.S. agencies to "come clean" in order to demonstrate the U.S. government's good faith."

Bolivia: a Coup in the Making?
A quote...."Yesterday, in Bolivia, Minister of Government, Alfredo Rada, accused the right-wing autonomist leader Branko Marinkovic, and Santa Cruz prefect, Rubén Costas, of orchestrating a wave of violence as part of a “civic governors’ coup d’état.” Rada accused Marinkovic of having just returned from the United States where he allegedly received instructions for fomenting the coup attempt."

US to expel Venezuela envoy
A quote...."Washington has said it plans to expel Venezuela's ambassador and freeze the assets of two Venezuelan government officials as diplomatic tensions grew between the US, Venezuela and Bolivia."

Costa Rica top court blocks US trade pact approval
A quote...."SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) - Costa Rica's highest court on Thursday overturned an intellectual property law demanded by the U.S. prior to the enactment of the Central American Free Trade Agreement."

Bush sends US-India nuclear deal to Congress
A quote...."President Bush rushed a U.S.-India civilian nuclear cooperation deal to Congress late Wednesday with hopes that lawmakers will expedite passage of one of his top foreign policy initiatives. -- There is little time left on the congressional calendar to pass the accord, which would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by shipping atomic fuel to India in return for international inspections of India's civilian reactors."

Indonesia to integrate in Asia in 8 years
A quote...."The Indonesian government set the target, that in the coming eight years, is fully integrated with Asia, the Indonesian Business daily on Thursday quoted the deputy of chief economic minister for foreign trade as saying. "

The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 3 articles - Friday - [ Day 36 ] =====  ==========

Russia says Georgia would have been attacked even if it was in Nato
A quote...."In a strikingly self-possessed three-hour meeting in Moscow, Dmitry Medvedev also insisted that his country regarded any further Nato expansion into former Soviet states as an "existential issue". "

Russia, Abkhazia, S.Ossetia to sign economic and military cooperation agreements
A quote...."RIA Novosti - 2008-09-12 -- Russia may sign friendship and cooperation agreements with Georgia's rebel provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia early next week, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday. -- "I want to reassure you that the signing of agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid between Russia and Abkhazia and South Ossetia will take place in the nearest future, probably early next week," Andrei Nesterenko said."

Ex-ally questions Georgian leader on war
A quote...."Published: September 12, 2008 -- TBILISI, Georgia: A popular former ally of President Mikhail Saakashvili on Friday questioned the wisdom of last month's war with Russia, calling for a "conversation" in his homeland about whether the conflict could have been avoided. -- Former parliament speaker Nino Burdzhanadze's remarks echoed widespread feelings among Georgians about a war that left tens of thousands of people homeless and strengthened Russia's control over two separatist regions."

End - The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 3 articles - Friday - [ Day 36 ] ===  ==========

This is what happens when a crime is redefined as war
Special Note - A quote...."The sun never sets on the war on terror, even as it degenerates into blood and recrimination. The Woolwich trial of eight members of a supposed 13-member gang all but collapsed on Monday. Despite evidence of intent to blow up an airliner, the jury convicted three defendants of conspiracy to commit murder but failed to reach a verdict on the central allegation." -- The author's contention that Cheney "wrecked" this investigation to gain political advantage during a US election is one interpretation, or perhaps as the author states "Months of work, which might have unpicked an entire al-Qaida network back to the Pakistani training camps" might have been the other, more likely, motive....after all the US needed and still needs al Qaida to this very day. - mpg

The little known "false flag" attack to make a killing on the speculation market
Special Note - A quote...."(WMR) -- Prior to the 9/11 attacks, insider trading “put options” were placed on United and American Airlines stocks. The speculative options on United were placed between September 6 and 7, 2001 and on American on September 10 at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange."

Congressman and Physiologist: FBI Theory that Mail-Sorting Machines Crushed Anthrax to a Fine Powder "Patently Ridiculous" -- A quote...."Maryland Congressman and PhD physiologist Roscoe Bartlett hit the nail on the head: --  The FBI's theory that the anthrax was crushed to a fine powder by U.S. Postal Service mail-sorting machines is "patently ridiculous." --  He says he's convinced the anthrax was deliberately "weaponized," and that Ivins lacked the equipment to make it."

Kevin Ryan: The NIST WTC 7 Report: Bush Science reaches its peak
Must Read - A quote...."In a famous book by Antoine de Saint Exupery, a little prince from another planet asks the narrator to draw a sheep. After several unsatisfactory attempts, the narrator simply draws a box and tells the little prince that the sheep is in the box. The little prince then exclaims -- "That is exactly the way I wanted it!"(1) -- Just so, the Bush Administration asked its scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for an explanation as to what happened at the World Trade Center (WTC) on 9/11. In response to this request, NIST drew up a series of fanciful stories over a period of years, each story differing from the previous one. Finally, after seven long years, NIST published its last story for WTC 7 by simply saying, in effect: "The explanation is in our computer."(2)" -- Also posted at 911Blogger & InfoWars -- See also ....9/11 - WTC7
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Twin Cities Police Thug-O-Thon - 2 articles - Friday - [ Day 13 ] =========  ========== =======

Police at RNC embarassed Minnesota
A quote...."Let’s be blunt here. The police beat the hell out of people during the Republican National Convention. Occasionally it might not have been the St. Paul police, as the city requested law enforcement from all over the state to help. With those premises put out there, official numbers say that 818 people were arrested during the convention and 396 on the last day. While the case against the St. Paul police is comprehensive and exhaustive, mine is not, and mine only addresses one point: the police (and at one time, the national guard) embarrassed Minnesota last week. It is simple and honest. Over the course of the convention,  the St. Paul police detained 42 reporters including several associated press workers, a few members of the MN Daily, and people from both major Minnesota newspapers."

St. Paul City Council RNC Public Hearing
A quote...."The whole RNC experience left such a bad taste in so many people's mouths. There were so many experiences that were not good. It's not good to leave this on that kind of a note," said Thune. "Hopefully we're going to start moving toward healing the city, and bringing our police and our citizens and our peaceful war protesters all back together again. There were just too many things that happened that shouldn't have, and too many questions unanswered."

End - Twin Cities Police Thug-O-Thon - 2 articles - Friday - [ Day 13 ] =========  ========== ===

Blizzard of Lies
A quote...."Did you hear about how Barack Obama wants to have sex education in kindergarten, and called Sarah Palin a pig? Did you hear about how Ms. Palin told Congress, “Thanks, but no thanks” when it wanted to buy Alaska a Bridge to Nowhere? -- These stories have two things in common: they’re all claims recently made by the McCain campaign — and they’re all out-and-out lies."

Rule Changes Would Give FBI Agents Extensive New Powers
A quote...."Overhaul to rewrite 1976 guidelines established after Nixon-era abuses that restrict FBI authority to intervene in times of civil disorder and to infiltrate opposition groups --AG Michael Mukasey signaled changes will take effect Oct. 1 [in time for a 'Bush October (Martial Law) Surprise'] 12 Sep 2008 The Justice Department will unveil changes to FBI ground rules today that would put much more power into the hands of line agents pursuing leads on national security, foreign intelligence and even ordinary criminal cases... The changes would give the FBI's more than 12,000 agents the ability at a much earlier stage to conduct physical surveillance, solicit informants and interview friends of people they are investigating without the approval of a bureau supervisor." -- Paragraph quoted from CLG

New FBI Guidelines Open Door to Further Abuse
A quote...."Washington, DC - Following a briefing today at the Department of Justice (DOJ), the American Civil Liberties Union reiterated its deep concern over new guidelines that would govern FBI investigations. The new guidelines would lower standards for beginning "assessments" (precursors to investigations), conducting surveillance and gathering evidence, and would replace existing guidelines for five types of existing guidelines: general criminal, national security, foreign intelligence, civil disorders and demonstrations."

The Beginning of the Realignment of American Politics
Must Read - A quote...."No significant political movement takes place without breaking down old alliances and establishing new ones. And so it is with the press conference sponsored today by Ron Paul at the National Press Club. There he was joined by Ralph Nader (Independent), Chuck Baldwin (Constitutionalist) and Cynthia McKinney (Green), to take on the War Party Duopoly. -- To this observer the importance of the event cannot be exaggerated. As Ralph Nader put it, "This is the beginning of the realignment of American politics." It is in fact the realignment that the end of the Cold War demanded but has been so long in coming."

Ron Paul rejects request to endorse McCain
Video - A quote...."Ron Paul rejected an appeal to endorse John McCain's presidential bid . Paul stated he would also not endorse Obama and that voters should instead support independent candidates." -- See below.

“Vote for an alternative candidate” -- Ron Paul held a press conference that brought four third party and independent candidates together around a statement of principles. . .The four candidates: Independent Ralph Nader, the Green nominee Cynthia McKinney, the Constitution Party’s Chuck Baldwin and the Libertarian Party’s Bob Barr along with Ron Paul agreed on the following four key principles:"
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The American Empire is Another Bubble
A quote...."If Ludwig von Mises were to peruse today's newspapers, he would recognize the symptoms of a worldwide central-bank-generated credit bubble and its oncoming collapse. - What increasingly characterizes the global financial order, Mises would say, is an arrangement where regulators encourage a "heads I win, tails everyone else loses" mentality, backstopped by the willingness of quasi-governmental entities to print and borrow money without bound."

U.S. Foreclosures Hit Record in August as Housing Prices Fell
A quote...."Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. foreclosure filings rose to a record in August as falling home prices made it harder to sell or refinance homes to pay off the mortgage, RealtyTrac Inc. said."

US retail sales fall unexpectedly
A quote...."US retail sales stores fell last month for the second month in a row as the boost from tax rebates slipped away and a sharp decline in energy prices failed to encourage consumers to spend on other goods, data from the Commerce Department showed on Friday."

Countdown for Lehman Brothers and little of Blucher on sight
Special Note - Financial Alert -- A quote...."Friday, September 12, 2008  -- Executives at United States investment bank Lehman Brothers are racing to meet a deadline of Sunday night to find a new owner for the troubled bank, the BBC has learned."

Emergency meeting held to discuss Lehman Brothers
Wada'ya wanna bet those Korean boys are breathing a sigh of relief right about now?? - mpg -- Special Note - Financial Alert -- A quote...."Sep 12, 11:09 PM EDT -- WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Reserve Bank of New York held an emergency meeting Friday night with top Washington policymakers and major financial institutions to discuss the future of Lehman Brothers." -- For more on this issue see prior post shown below....

Lehman Brothers in freefall as hopes fade for new capital
Special Note -- A quote...."Shares of Lehman Brothers went into a freefall Tuesday as hopes faded for an injection of fresh capital for the ailing Wall Street investment bank, analysts said. - Lehman, one of Wall Street's most prominent investment firms, saw its shares tumble 34 percent to 9.38 dollars at 1815 GMT. The shares have plunged some 85 percent since February. -  Selling pressure accelerated Tuesday after the Wall Street Journal reported the Korea Development Bank, the state-run South Korean firm, had put talks on hold with the US firm. KDB had reportedly been eyeing a 25 percent stake for some four billion dollars." -- Good for the Koreans, all they have to do is wait about a year and there'll be much better looking, much less expensive corpses, laying all over the place. Besides think of it this way, why should the Koreans do the Federal Government's job anyway? -- posted 11-09-08 -- mpg -- For more on this issue see....The Green Light 01-16-08 - mpg

Chinese economists warn of the “biggest adjustment” in 30 years
A quote...."While last weekend’s bailout of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae received plaudits from Wall Street, it was also warmly welcomed by the Chinese government. Most immediately, Beijing was concerned about the tens of billions of dollars in bonds that Chinese banks hold from the two mortgage giants. At the same time, China’s manufacturers are desperate for any sign that the US will emerge from the subprime crisis, which has sapped consumer spending and therefore purchases of Chinese exports."

Thursday September 11th 2008

9/11 and the “American Inquisition”
Must Read - A quote...."Today’s “Global War on Terrorism” is a modern form of inquisition. It has all the essential ingredients of the French and Spanish inquisitions. -- Going after ” Islamic terrorists”, carrying out a Worldwide preemptive war to ” protect the Homeland” are used to justify a military agenda. -- “The Global War on Terrorism” (GWOT) is presented as a “Clash of Civilizations”, a war between competing values and religions, when in reality it is an outright war of conquest, guided by strategic and economic objectives." -- Also posted at AmericanEveryman

Twenty-Six Things We Now Know Seven Years After 9/11
Must Read - A quote...."Each year around the anniversary of 9/11, I summarize what we ordinary citizens have learned since that awful day in 2001. This is the seventh annual look backwards, a 2008 update that contains new information and surmisings about those horrific events and what followed." -- Also posted at AfterDowningSt & 911Truth & MM

FABLED ENEMIES - Part1 - Part2 - Part3 - Part4 - Part5 - Part6 - Part7 - Part8 - Part9 - Part10
Must View Videos - (YouTube - aprox. 10min to 11 min each - Added:  August 31, 2008)
A quote...." Seven years after 9/11, the supposed mastermind behind the attacks is still at large, and the nation is entrenched in multiple wars in the Middle East. - Is Bin Laden the evil behind the attack or a mere front man in a larger picture, a Bogeyman? - We are told we are fighting a War on Terror, and that the Terrorists hate us for our freedom. If that is the case, why do our leaders take more and more of those freedoms away every day? - 10 part documentary by Jason Bermas and Alex Jones release date September 1st, 2008." -- For more on this issue see....9/11 & It's Fallout - Videos

9/11 And The Great American Decline
Special Note - A quote...."Yes, everything has changed," said the Israeli, looking not at all displeased. He turned to resume taking photos of the great smoking space that had been the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, and of the huge, low cloud that drifted across New York Bay to Brooklyn. -- My fellow witnesses to the collapse of the second tower were already positioned at the riverbank when I arrived at the scene on foot after having rushed past police who blocked all vehicular entrance to the park. The athletic, military age duo were clicking away with two very expensive-looking cameras. They spoke excitedly to each other in Hebrew - a language I instantly recognized from my two decades as a Manhattanite - but clumsily claimed to be "Polish" when I asked where they were from. I pretended to believe they were visitors from Poland."

The Red White And Blue Roots Of Terrorism
Special Note - A quote...."As far as I know, nobody has focused upon the real roots of the war on terror, which are also the solution to it—American-sponsored terrorism. Paid military extremist types, trained by us to carry-out attack missions upon civilians are terrorists, our terrorists. They attack civilians, often women and children, as an indirect method of warfare, to topple governments who oppose American expansion. Has anybody questioned what military challenge the world would face today, if the US suddenly stopped all of these covert programs that perpetrate most of the world's "terrorism"? -- If the CIA/Mossad simply stopped training, arming, financing and transporting the (mostly Islamic) fighters/mercenaries all over the world (as it has been deeply in the business of doing for the past thirty or more years), would world peace then break-out?"

The Falling Land
Must Read - A quote...."There is, apparently, to be no end to our falling. No bottom to the pit of moral nullity through which we keep plunging, no act of evil which we will not accept, and countenance, and even cheer."

Afghan Massacre - The Convoy of Death - (Google Video - 50 min  - Apr 10, 2006)
Must View Video - A quote...."Produced and directed by Irish filmmaker and former BBC producer Jamie Doran, the film tells the story of thousands of prisoners who surrendered to the US military's Afghan allies after the siege of Kunduz. According to the film, some three thousand of the prisoners were forced into sealed containers and loaded onto trucks for transport to Sheberghan prison. When the prisoners began shouting for air, U.S.-allied Afghan soldiers fired directly into the truck, killing many of them. The rest suffered through an appalling road trip lasting up to four days, so thirsty they clawed at the skin of their fellow prisoners as they licked perspiration and even drank blood from open wounds. Witnesses say that when the trucks arrived and soldiers opened the containers, most of the people inside were dead. They also say US Special Forces re-directed the containers carrying the living and dead into the desert and stood by as survivors were shot and buried. Now, up to three thousand bodies lie buried in a mass grave."

The government, the media and Afghanistan
Special Note - A quote...."On the night of August 22, the U.S. committed what Chris Floyd, in a richly detailed and amply documented piece, calls an "atrocity" in the Afghan village of Azizabad, near the western city of Herat. The U.S. conducted a massive midnight airstrike on the village, killing scores of unarmed civilians, including large numbers of women and children. That was preceded just weeks earlier by another U.S. airstrike in Eastern Afghanistan which "killed 27 people in a wedding party -- most of them women and children, including the bride." -- What makes the Azizabad attack particularly notable is the blatant and now clearly demonstrated lying engaged in by the U.S. Government regarding this incident, with the eager propagandistic assistance of what we are constantly told is the "legitimate news arm" of Fox News -- namely, Brit Hume's show and his stable of "legitimate news reporters." -- Also posted at CommonDreams

On Morning Of 9/11 Attacks, McCain Immediately Began Making The Case For Iraq War
A quote...."On the morning of the 9/11, just moments after the World Trade Center collapsed from the terrorist strikes, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) went on television and immediately began focusing the nation’s attention on Iraq. In an interview with CBS’ Dan Rather on 9/11, McCain said:"
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Electoral Truce for 9/11
A quote...."Seven years after the attacks, Osama Bin Laden is still on the run and George W. Bush has only four months left to catch the Al Qaida leader "dead or alive" "

Remembering 9/11 and Moving Forward
A quote...."Posted on Sep 11, 2008 -- By Rep. Dennis Kucinich -- America must move from the errant, retributive justice of 9/11 to a healing, restorative process of truth and reconciliation.- Before the Congress adjourns, I will bring forth a new proposal for the establishment of a National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, which will have the power to compel testimony and gather official documents to reveal to the American people not only the underlying deception which has divided us, but in that process of truth-seeking to set our nation on a path of reconciliation."

A Murderous Theatre of the Absurd
A quote...." 11/09/08 "ICH" -- - Try to laugh, please. The news is now officially parody and a game for all the family to play. -- First question: Why are “we” in Afghanistan? Answer: “To try to help in the country’s rebuilding programme.” Who says so? Huw Edwards, the BBC’s principal newsreader. What wags the Welsh are."

Pakistan backs army chief over US rebuke
A quote...."General Kayani's criticism of US for incursion into Pakistan territory 'reflects government opinion' says prime minister - Pakistan's civilian leadership today endorsed the head of the army after he took the unusual step of criticising the US for launching unilateral attacks on Pakistani soil."

US, Pakistan Heading Toward A Complete War
A quote...."All of sudden the situation has changed as close partners in war on terror--Pakistan and United States--have locked in heated verbal brawl. US President George W. Bush has shown his intention that he wants to attack Pakistan in the near future. Generals of both countries have threatened each other. Pakistani media has created a war-like situation in the country. It is ironic that Pakistan has already been fighting a fierce battle against terrorists in tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border."

Russia and Turkey tango in the Black Sea
A quote...."Amid the flurry of diplomatic activity in Moscow last week over the Caucasus, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov took time off for an exceptionally important mission to Turkey, which might prove a turning point in the security and stability of the vast region that the two powers historically shared."

Persian Gulf States Set to Start FTA Talks with Iran
A quote...." TEHRAN (FNA)- Experts say a free trade agreement between the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Iran would benefit both sides as it would open PGCC markets for Iranian products and vice versa."

Europe Turns to Iran to Secure Energy Future
A quote...." TEHRAN (FNA)- Many high ranking financial and political delegations are on their way to Tehran to secure the future of energy supplies to Europe."
 
Vietnam and Venezuela in oily embrace
A quote...."SINGAPORE - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is bringing his controversial brand of petroleum diplomacy to Vietnam, a geopolitical move in line with South American fuel exporter's bid to ship less oil to the US and more to Asia. - Vietnam's state-owned oil company, PetroVietnam, and its Venezuelan counterpart, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), announced big new plans in August for joint upstream and downstream oil projects. In one multi-million dollar deal, PDVSA plans to export crude oil and invest in the establishment of a Vietnam-based refinery to take and process the fuel."

Chavez Says U.S. Ambassador Must Leave
A quote...."President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. ambassador has 72 hours to leave Venezuela and that he's recalling his ambassador from Washington. - Chavez said Thursday night that he is asking U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy to leave in part to show solidarity with Bolivian President Evo Morales, who expelled Washington's envoy in La Paz. - "They're trying to do here what they were doing in Bolivia," Chavez said. - "That's enough ... from you, Yankees," he said, using an expletive."

Eavesdropping on Henry the K
A quote...."A batch of Henry Kissinger's phone conversations about Chile in 1970 and 1973 has just today been declassified and released. They offer new tantalizing information about one of the Cold War's most enduring mysteries: How deeply involved were Nixon and Kissinger in the Chilean coup that brought Pinochet to power?"

9/11 in Chile marks anniversary of coup against Allende
A quote...."Thirty-five years ago today on a different 9/11, army Gen. Augusto Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected government of Socialist President Salvador Allende in Chile," says this Los Angeles Times editorial."

Chavez says he's discovered new coup plot
A quote...." CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez said his government has uncovered a plot to overthrow him and detained a group of alleged conspirators. -- The military said more than three suspects were detained, and Chavez accused them of trying to assassinate him with tacit backing from his political opponents and the United States."

BOLIVIA:  U.S. Ambassador Expelled for Allegedly Supporting Violent Opposition
A quote...."LA PAZ, Sep 11 (IPS) - Bolivian President Evo Morales has declared U.S. Ambassador to La Paz Philip Goldberg "persona non grata", after accusing him of aiding and abetting pro-autonomy opposition groups that are blocking highways and occupying government buildings, reducing the supply of natural gas to Brazil."
   
The Chicago School's long descent
A quote...."Today, the Chicago School is known for its censorial intolerance. The first thing the "Chicago Boys" did in Chile after 1974, for example, was to close down every economics and social science department in the country, except at the Catholic University where they had a foothold with "the brick", ie Friedmanite doctrine. -- All this was foreshadowed at the Lab School in the 1950s. Its social science teacher Curtis Edgett posted a long banner up in his room saying "Give 'em all what the Rosenbergs got". I thought he meant communists, but on talking privately with him, some of my classmates and I discovered that he meant Jews."

New impulse to Russian rockets
A quote...."MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Kislyakov) - Russian space launch vehicles are winning even more popularity with potential customers, as domestic engine developers have managed to create a versatile re-useable liquid-propellant engine, bringing to life an old dream of the world's rocket engineers."

The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 4 articles - Thursday - [ Day 35 ] =====  ==========

RT Expert View: South Ossetian fallout
A quote...."September 11, 2008, 18:50 -- We launch a new weekly series of publications called ‘RT Expert View’. World experts share their ideas and comments on the hottest issues on the agenda. We start with discussion about the fallout from the South Ossetian war and prospects of a peace process between Georgia and Russia."

South Ossetia 'Will Join Russia'
A quote...."Thursday, September 11 12:47 pm -- South Ossetia's separatist leader has said his breakaway region will become part of Russia. - Speaking in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity told reporters: "Yes, we will be part of the Russian Federation. - "We will do it according to the norms of international law." -- On the other hand....

South Ossetia denies it will join Russia
A quote...."September 12, 2008, 1:27 -- South Ossetian president Eduard Kokoity has denied media speculation about the possibility of the republic joining North Osseia within the Russian Federation. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed these reports have no substance and that South Ossetia will remain an independent state."

US Politicians Admit Georgia Started the Conflict with Russia
A quote...."Thursday, September 11, 2008 -- Some U.S. politicians are now beginning to admit that Georgia started the conflict with Russia. - For example, the U.S. ambassador to Russia said a couple of weeks ago that Russia's initial military response was legitimate after Russian troops came under attack by Georgian forces."

End - The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 4 articles - Thursday - [ Day 35 ] =====  ==========

Did Justice Order Forced Psych Medication?
A quote...."(Wash. DC)   On 9/11 Susan Lindauer will have the second of three hearings to prove her competence to stand trial as an accused "unregistered foreign agent" for Iraq prior to the 2003 U.S. invasion.  She was indicted in April 2004 and has consistently requested an open trial to prove her innocence."

Twin Cities Police Thug-O-Thon - 2 articles - Thursday - [ Day 12 ] =========  ========== =======

EXCLUSIVE: Democrats Pre-Authorized Use of Force at RNC
Must Read (for the outrage) - A quote...."Explosive News: Democrats' Collaboration at Republican National Convention Exposed. Secret meetings authorized excessive use of force. -- We know the stories of police abuse, mass arrests, targeting journalists, street medics, use of rubber bullets, plastic bullets, wooden baton rounds, mace, tear gas, tasering and other differently lethal methods of crowd control in St Paul and Minneapolis this week. What is not known is how the local Democratic Party and other so called progressive elected officials collaborated with authorities in the past weeks and months before the RNC Convention in St Paul, giving them legal authority for their excesses and abuses of power."

The Party Police
A quote...."The Democratic and Republican national conventions have passed, but controversy surrounds how they were funded and how they were run. Mass arrests of peaceful protesters, excessive police violence, wholesale disregard for the Bill of Rights and the targeting and arrest of journalists marred what should have been celebrations of democracy. The “host committees,” the legal entities that organize and pay for the conventions, act as large party slush funds, outside of campaign-finance restrictions. Scores of major corporations (and a couple of unions), barred from giving unlimited funds to political parties, could give whatever they wanted to the host committees of Denver and St. Paul, Minn." -- Also posted at CommonDreams

End - Twin Cities Police Thug-O-Thon - 2 articles - Thursday - [ Day 12 ] =====  ========== =======

Why is Obama Losing
A quote...."Senator Obama is now trailing Senator McCain in many national polls. In fact, his national popularity has been falling ever since he received the nomination and made a decision to move toward what the pundits describe as "the political center."

RON PAUL: (update video added) Describes voting as more the pretense of democracy than a real democracy. . .
Special Note - A quote....“Vote for an alternative candidate” -- Kevin Zeese - Ron Paul held a press conference that brought four third party and independent candidates together around a statement of principles. . .The four candidates: Independent Ralph Nader, the Green nominee Cynthia McKinney, the Constitution Party’s Chuck Baldwin and the Libertarian Party’s Bob Barr along with Ron Paul agreed on the following four key principles:"

McDermott joins call to oust Bush - Impeachment group won't let even the election stop it
A quote...."Seattle Congressman Jim McDermott wants to see George Bush impeached, whether or not, he says, Bush is still in office. -- The long-serving Democrat and outspoken advocate for liberal causes made his displeasure with the president official Tuesday, joining a call from Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, to launch impeachment proceedings against Bush."

Mississippi’s Ballot Trick
A quote...."Mississippi’s governor, Haley Barbour, and its secretary of state have come up with a particularly cynical dirty trick for the November election. Let’s call it: “Where’s the Senate race?” -- Defying state law, they have decided to hide a hard-fought race for the United States Senate at the bottom of the ballot, where they clearly are hoping some voters will overlook it. Their proposed design is not only illegal. It shows a deep contempt for Mississippi’s voters."
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Stop the Bailout
A quote...."It was the singular achievement of Murray Rothbard's America's Great Depression to have demonstrated that the Great Depression was a crisis manufactured and prolonged by the attempts to stop an inevitable downturn. The policy response – creating more money, propping up prices, ginning up employment, and a host of other devices – took a stock-market price collapse and a banking liquidation and spread the mess throughout every sector of the economy. What might have lasted a year to 18 months instead lasted 16 years."

Year Two of the New Depression
A quote...."Anyone who doubts that we are a year into a Depression, remember, these things do not hit you like a punch in the face; rather, they are more like an untreated boil that slowly festers until body parts have to be amputated from infection. Good morning to you, too, and welcome back to my column after my summer off."

Housing woes may topple 200 U.S. banks: Nobel winner
A quote...."SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The moribund U.S. housing market will need another two to three years before it recovers, and 100 to 200 banks in the country may collapse in the next year, a Nobel economics laureate said."

Washington Mutual Tumbles 30%
A quote...."Washington Mutual Inc (WM.N) shares sank 30 percent to a 17-year low and the perceived risk of its debt soared on worries the largest U.S. savings and loan will not find a buyer or raise enough capital to combat soaring mortgage losses. -- The stock closed down 98 cents at $2.32 on the New York Stock Exchange, and are down 44 percent in the last two days. It fell earlier to $2.30, the lowest since January 1991, according to Reuters data."

Trade deficit surged to 16-month high in July
A quote...."WASHINGTON (AP) — America's trade deficit shot up in July to the highest level in 16 months as oil imports hit an all-time high, offsetting strong export growth. The deficit with China climbed to the second highest level on record."

Many CEOs see more pink slips ahead
A quote...."WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly one-third of the country's top executives expect to cut payrolls in the coming months as companies cope with a weakened economy dogged by housing, credit and financial problems."

Peru tries to cool fastest growing regional economy
A quote...."The Peruvian Central Bank raised on Thursday its benchmark interest rate to 6.5% from 6.25%, the latest of several measures to curb inflation."

Wednesday September 10th 2008

Clash in the Caucasus: Rolling Back The "Unipolar" World
Must Read - A quote...."10/09/08 "ICH" -- - For the past week, Dick Cheney has been traveling through the Caucasus trying to drum up support for punitive action against Russia for its role in the recent fighting in South Ossetia. The Vice President vowed that the Moscow's action "will not go unanswered". Cheney is determined to establish the United States as the regional "cop on the beat", taking charge of all security operations through it's cat's paw, Nato. Neither the Kremlin nor the EU are paying much attention to Cheney's fulminations. The negotiations for the security arrangements and the withdrawal of Russian troops are being conducted without US involvement." - bold by website editor -- Also posted at GlobRsrch

9/11 and the “War on Terrorism”: Facts and myths
Must Read - A quote...."This is the talk, the article notes, in Dubai, in Algiers, in Riyadh, and in Cairo. A Syrian man living and working in the United Arab Emirates told the Times, “I think the U.S. organized this so that they had an excuse to invade Iraq for the oil.” -- This kind of thinking, the Times tells us “represents the first failure in the fight against terrorism — the inability to convince people here that the United States is, indeed, waging a campaign against terrorism, not a crusade against Muslims.” -- For more regarding the utter and complete mendacity of the Times, see.....US Support of Terror

The Return of U. S. Death Squads
A quote...."United Nations officials charge that secret “international intelligence services” are conducting raids to kill Afghan civilians, then hiding the perpetuators behind an “impenetrable” wall of bureaucracy."

Disaster in Afghanistan
A quote...."It is difficult to find out what is really going on in Afghanistan. The focus of the mass media is almost entirely on the military activities of the Canadian and NATO forces. There is absolutely no coverage of political developments.  The news on the economy is limited to the state of the poppy industry. This is no accident. The North American media, including the CBC, has strongly supported the U.S./NATO strategy and the administration of President Hamid Karzai. Contrary to the mainstream message, things are not going well."

Stoking the Fires for War
A quote...."The interview that Mike Wallace (born Myron Leon Wallace) did of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 2 years ago was aired on C-Span recently, and a diligent blogger has reported on what "60 Minutes" cut out of the interview when it aired. When Wallace confronted Ahmadinejad with the "wipe Israel off the map" threats, Ahmadinejad said that "the solution is democracy" in Israel and Palestine, a suggestion that he favors a one-state solution. I agree with blogger Tom Murphy that "60"'s edits misrepresent Ahmadinejad's thrust, making him out to be far more confrontational than he is, especially after Wallace promised Ahmadinejad that he would listen to his complete answers to questions. And yes, that this amounts to "suppression of basic facts concerning Israel and the Palestinians."

Beyond the Jury-Rigged Bomb: Improvised War
A quote...."The improvised bomb has become the weapon of choice in Afghanistan and Iraq. But a trio of defense analysts believe the explosives are only the beginning of a whole new method of jury-rigged war. Clever adversaries are already repurposing gear to equip their forces effectively – at little or no cost, warns David Smith, Allen Steinhardt, and Art Fritzson, with the Booz Allen Hamilton consultancy. The U.S. military and intelligence communities would be well advised to embrace that DIY impulse, too, they note in a presentation to defense and spook groups, "Improvised Everything."

Most Members of Iraq Coalition Preparing to Pull Up Stakes
A quote...."The Coalition of the Willing appears to be going out of business."

Canada PM: Troops home from Afghanistan in 2011
A quote...."TORONTO - Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised for the first time Wednesday that Canada's troops in Afghanistan will be withdrawn in 2011, as his minority government looks to win support in national elections next month."

Iraq F-16 Purchase Roils Relations with Kurds; Bush's Minimal Withdrawal Points to Minimal Gains; [and other issues]
A quote...."Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that a big dispute has broken out between the three largest blocs in parliament. The government has so far been characterized by an alliance of the Shiite Iraqi Accord Front with the Kurdistan Alliance. But now the Shiites want to equip the Iraqi military with F-16s. -- The day before yesterday, the Kurdish speaker of parliament demanded that any such purchase be attendant on a pledge by the Iraqi government never to use the planes against the Kurdish people." -- First it was Kuwait, and now it's the Kurds that are getting all nervous. - mpg

Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity to be defended at all cost: Gen Ashfaq Kayani
A quote...."RAWALPINDI, Sep 10 (APP): Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Wednesdays said that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all cost and no external force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan. He was commenting on the recent incident where innocent civilians were killed in a cross-border raid by the Coalition Forces."

France slams missile strikes in Pakistan
A quote...."PARIS: France warned on Tuesday that missile strikes by suspected US drones in the tribal areas were undermining international efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan."

Pakistani Military to Bar Foreign Operations
A quote...."With drone attacks already up over threefold from 2007 the US desire to ramp up attacks inside Pakistan even further has run into another wall today as Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Parvez Kayani announced that foreign forces would no longer be allowed to conduct missions inside of Pakistani territory. Gen. Kayani said the rules of engagement were well defined and did not permit coalition forces to operate in Pakistan."

Bush Said to Give Orders Allowing Raids in Pakistan
A quote...."WASHINGTON — President Bush secretly approved orders in July that for the first time allow American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the prior approval of the Pakistani government, according to senior American officials."

Where Is The Rage?
A quote...."Where is the rage? Where is the Arab chivalry (nakhwa)? Where is the Islamic passion (Rahmah)? Where are the Arab human rights organizations? Where are Abu Mazin and the rest of the Palestinian leadership? The UN refugee agency says there are about 2,500 Palestinians mostly widows and orphans, victims of the violence in Iraq, languishing for the past two years under canvas tents in the Iraqi desert at the Syrian border."

The Mendacity of 'Missed Opportunities'
A quote...."All too often, the failure of Israel and the Arabs to make peace — especially since the creation of Israel — has been described as the folly of missed opportunities. In a discourse that is dominated by the Zionists, the Palestinians are forced to carry much of the burden of this folly."

Bolivia expels U.S ambassador for fanning protests
A quote...."LIMA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales on Wednesday requested U.S. ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg to leave the country immediately, accusing him of "heading the division" inside Bolivia by encouraging, together with the opposition, the protests against his government."

Iran: No, India: Yes - The NPT is dead, long live....nothing. - mpg
A quote...."Washington has found two very different solutions for the very similar nuclear aspirations of India and Iran. If the answer for Iran was "no" from the beginning, India is being helped every step of the way. It is only the U.S. Congress that now stands between India’s nuclear ambitions and American leader George Bush’s desire to see this chapter closed before he leaves the White House."

Iran in Oil Talks with India, China on Caspian
A quote...." TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said Tehran is engaged in talks with Chinese and Indian oil and gas companies to develop energy reserves in the Caspian Sea in northern Iran."

Iran 'master of asymmetric naval warfare'
A quote...."A US-based think tank says Iran's navy forces are capable of waging a unique asymmetric warfare against larger naval forces."

Russian strategic bombers land in Venezuela
A quote...."21:58 |10/ 09/ 2008 -- MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers have landed at a military airfield in Venezuela, Russia's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday."

High-Level Assassination–The Staged Event To Bring About War With Iran?
False Flag Update - A quote...."With attention being drawn to the contradictions and outright lies by the US government surrounding the events of 9/11 (as well as renewed interest in previous false flag events such as the attack on the USS Liberty meant to draw the US into Israel’s dirty wars) it may very well be that the powers-that-be have decided the event ushering in the next phase of war against Israel’s enemies will come from be a high-level assassination involving democratic candidate for president Barack Obama." -- Only if he's intending not to do the bidding of this nation's MIOC elites.  From the viewpoint of this editor, he's already assured them he's their man in the White House. - mpg

Impending military confrontation with Russia?
False Flag Alert - A quote...."WMR has received an "over the transom" warning that in the few months preceding the November 4 presidential election, a rival chain-of-command that operates out of Vice President Dick Cheney's office and that was previously reported by WMR with regard to the movement of nuclear weapons from North Dakota to Louisiana in August 2007, plans to create a military showdown with Russia."

The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 4 articles - Wednesday - [ Day 34 ] =====  ==========

Italy a thorn in Cheney's side over Georgia
Special Note - A quote...."Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:07 EDT -- Once a favoured ally rewarded for his support of the US invasion of Iraq, Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's centre-right prime minister, has evolved into a serious irritant for the Bush administration in handling Russia's invasion of Georgia. -- Strains in the transatlantic relationship were on display in Rome yesterday as Dick Cheney, the US vicepresident, and Mr Berlusconi read out statements."

Georgia opposition leader slams Saakashvili
Special Note - A quote...."Published: September 9 2008 19:20 | Last updated: September 9 2008 19:20 -- Rumblings of political dissent in Georgia surfaced on Tuesday after a senior member of the opposition called for the resignation of Mikheil Saakashvili, the country’s beleaguered president. -- David Gamkrelidze, the leader of the New Right opposition party, said,”Saakashvili bears political and moral responsibility for starting the war [with Russia] and for its catastrophic consequences. He can no longer be the leader of Georgia.”

Russians hail Georgia deal as big win
A quote...."September 10, 2008 edition -- Moscow -  Russian experts are hailing this week's new deal to withdraw Russian troops from Georgia as a big diplomatic win for fledgling Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev."

Georgian Opposition Urges Saakashvili’s Ouster
A quote...."Posted September 9, 2008 -- Georgia’s brief war with Russia is over, and though President Mikheil Saakashvili is eying future wars with Russia, his attention must turn now to a more immediate problem. While most Georgians rallied behind the government during the fighting, the sobering effect of post-war reality has left many Georgians questioning the wisdom of provoking a war with their enormously larger and more powerful neighbor to the north. -- Emboldened by the turn in popular opinion, Georgia’s opposition has called for President Saakashvili’s ouster."

Georgia accused of press freedom violations
A quote...."September 11, 2008, 1:32 -- Media freedom advocates, Reporters Without Borders have called on the Georgian government to allow people access to all media outlets, including Russian cable TV and websites. RWB says press freedom has seriously deteriorated since the outbreak of hostilities in South Ossetia."

South Ossetia says finds 500 of 1,600 civilian dead
The death toll is more likely toward the low end of five hundred. - mpg -- A quote...."Tue Sep 9, 2008 2:10pm EDT -- MOSCOW (Reuters) - Authorities in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia said on Tuesday they had located the remains of 500 of the 1,600 people they say died during Georgia's August 7/8 bombardment and invasion."

Russians seized U.S. equipment
A quote...." Tuesday, September 9, 2008 -- The Russian newspaper Izvestia reported that the captured equipment included Global Positioning System equipment used in weapons targeting, identification, friend-or-foe electronic gear and classified radio and reconnaissance equipment."

End - The US Neocon's New Proxy War in Georgia - 4 articles - Wednesday - [ Day 34 ] == ==========

Was America Attacked by Muslims on 9/11?
A quote...."Much of America's foreign policy since 9/11 has been based on the assumption that it was attacked by Muslims on that day. This assumption was used, most prominently, to justify the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is now widely agreed that the use of 9/11 as a basis for attacking Iraq was illegitimate: none of the hijackers were Iraqis, there was no working relation between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, and Iraq was not behind the anthrax attacks. But it is still widely believed that the US attack on Afghanistan was justified."

Nader Calls For New 9/11 Investigation
A quote...."Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader pledged support for a new investigation into the events of 9/11 Monday, commenting that the 9/11 Commission was "flawed, right from the get go". -- For more on this issue see....9/11 Comission

No Consensus As To Who Was Behind 9/11
A quote...."WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seven years after the Sept. 11 attacks, there is no consensus outside the United States that Islamist militants from al Qaeda were responsible, according to an international poll published Wednesday. -- The survey of 16,063 people in 17 nations found majorities in only nine countries believe al Qaeda was behind the attacks on New York and Washington that killed about 3,000 people in 2001."

Dear Reporter: Looking for a Story about 9/11?
A quote....
"But you just want to cover nonsensical stories of McCain and Obama threatening to "get" Osama Bin Laden and fight the "war on terror" more effectively, don't you? -- Oh well, that's why your company is losing viewers and readers ... people want real news!"

The Government as Wizard of Oz in Anthrax and 9/11 Investigations. . . "Don't Look at the Man Behind the Curtain"
A quote...."As top independent anthrax experts, physicists, engineers and architects confirm, the government makes claims in the anthrax and 9/11 investigations but does not provide the details which would allow the claims to be independently tested by scientists not affiliated with the government. At the end of the day, the government is simply begging us - like the Wizard of Oz - not to look at the man behind the curtain." -- Also posted at InfoWars

Niche Telecom Providers Assisting NSA Spy Operations
A quote...."What do the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program and enterprising capitalist grifters have in common? Workarounds...and lots of them. The kind that aren't covered by any law."

Incestuous Amplification and the Madness of King George
Special Note - A quote...."It is trite to say that madness occurs when the mind governing decisions and actions becomes systemically disconnected from the real world." -- This article is about self-reinforcing feedback loops and it may  have to be read a few times. - mpg
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Ralph Nader: Be prepared to be very disappointed with Obama - (YouTube - 5 min 44 sec - August 28, 2008)
Must View Video - A quote...."Ralph Nader spoke at the Design Exchange in Toronto. - Here, he is discussing some problems with presidential candidate Obama." -- See also....VoteNader

Obama denounces Bush for sending too few troops to Afghanistan - Is everyone disappointed yet?? - mpg
A quote...."Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama blasted as too little and too late the decision announced by President Bush Tuesday to withdraw 8,000 US troops from Iraq and divert combat units to Afghanistan."

Impeach President Bush Now, says Dennis Kucinich
A quote...."One day before the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Rep. Dennis Kucinich is presenting a petition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with 50,000 signatures urging the impeachment of President Bush -- adding to the 100,000 he has already filed."

Ron Paul urges Americans to vote for third-party candidates
A quote...."The U.S. Presidential campaign has taken a new turn with the former candidate Ron Paul launching a crusade against both John McCain and Barack Obama. At a news conference, Paul joined three third-party candidates in presenting a united front to shift attention away from the front runners." -- See also....CampaignForLiberty

Statement to Ron Paul Supporters
Special Note - A quote...."Posted by Ralph Nader on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 04:35:00 PM -- Today, along with other third party candidates, I joined Congressman Ron Paul to endorse a common agenda that stands up for the US Constitution by ending illegal wars, and protecting the privacy and civil liberties of all persons under US jurisdiction. We also jointly called for an immediate halt to the increase in the national debt, an end to corporate subsidies and taxpayer bailouts of corporations, and to start aggressively pursuing prosecution of corporations that commit crimes and frauds."

[Matt] Damon Condemns Palin - (YouTube - 1 min 40 sec - Added:  September 10, 2008)
Must View Video - A quote...."Actor Matt Damon speaks out on the Republicans' choice of hockey-mom Sarah Palin for VP. Damon compares her rise to a 'really bad Disney movie' and says it's crazy that this woman could become President. (Sept. 10)" -- Before you say to yourself, well he's just an actor....read A Prescient Fictitious Interview - Transcript - Goodwill Hunting - 06-16-06 - and think about it. - mpg

She’s Clueless, He’s Worse
A quote...."Distracted momentarily from her campaign revelries of maverick opposition to the "bridge to nowhere," which she had supported until it became a public relations debacle, and congressional earmarks for which she, as a small-town mayor, had hustled piggishly at the federal trough, Palin made the mistake of dealing with an unscripted subject. - Referring to the government's bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Palin opined that the two had "gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers," displaying abysmal ignorance of the fact that only now will those privately owned banks become a huge taxpayer obligation, as the federal government takes them over."  - Not only is she clueless, she's Mrs. Middle America - see essays shown below - mpg

Mrs. Middle America Conv. Num One - mailing #10  - 09-21-04 - mpg
& Mrs. Middle America Conv. Num Two - mailing #11 - 04-12-05 - mpg
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Brazil raises basic rate to 13.75%, highest in two years
A quote...."The Brazilian Monetary Policy Committee (Copom) of the Central Bank (BC) raised the base interest rate (Selic) by 0.75 percentage point, from 13% to 13.75% a year. This is the fourth consecutive hike in Selic and the highest is almost two years."

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091008-091608 - links page

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