Thursday, March 27, 2003
U.S. Planning More Invasions, According to McGovern
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that George McGovern says the U.S. is planning to invade North Korea and Iran:
"Former U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern charged Wednesday that President Bush intends to invade North Korea and Iran after finishing with Iraq.
"Even now, these wars are being planned by the current administration," McGovern said. "I'm positive, based on conversations with people close to the White House, that plans are in place for the next invasions."
Yikes!
"Former U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern charged Wednesday that President Bush intends to invade North Korea and Iran after finishing with Iraq.
"Even now, these wars are being planned by the current administration," McGovern said. "I'm positive, based on conversations with people close to the White House, that plans are in place for the next invasions."
Yikes!
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:25 PM |
Ellsberg "Masterful" on CNN
According to the ReachM High Cowboy Network Noose, Daniel Ellsberg, who was arrested yesterday in New York City during an anti-war protest, and was masterful as he took on the bumbling Aaron Brown of CNN:
"Daniel Ellsberg was interviewed by CNN a few minutes ago. Ellsberg was arrested yesterday in an antiwar protest outside the White House. When asked whether antiwar protesters were playing into Saddam's hands, Ellsberg indicated he wouldn't presume to know what Hussein was thinking, but considered it unlikely he was tuning in to CNN to make his decisions.
CNN's Aaron Brown, obviously flustered at the way the question was turned around on him, gamely reworded the question, asking if Hossein was trying to influence opinion by trumpeting the actions of the protestors around the globe.
Ellsberg, mentioning his own military service as a Marine infantryman, called that 'naive' and indicated that the tyrant Hussein was more likely busy paying attention to keeping his hold on power or on his own life than on NY city protestors. Getting assertive, Brown redirected the question to suggest that Hossein might think the protest movement could get Bush to back off the war.
Ellsberg was having none of. He called it 'absurd' and he indicated that the US administration was naive too, as they'd made predictions about Hossein that weren't holding up. Then he said that it's unlikely Hossein would think that Bush would listen to the minority voice in this country when he often didn't listen to the majority, such as the majority that voted against him in the 2000 election.
He continued, indicating that he thought it was a very good message the protestors were sending to the world, letting the world know that not all Americans felt this war was a good thing.
Brown quickly ended the interview at that point.
Without being wild-eyed or scruffy, responding articulately and cleverly, demonstrating once again that he's a real American patriot, Ellsberg was masterful. I'd pick him for my debate team any day of the week.
I could swear, just for a second, I could actually hear Michael Moore smirking. The moment was priceless."
"Daniel Ellsberg was interviewed by CNN a few minutes ago. Ellsberg was arrested yesterday in an antiwar protest outside the White House. When asked whether antiwar protesters were playing into Saddam's hands, Ellsberg indicated he wouldn't presume to know what Hussein was thinking, but considered it unlikely he was tuning in to CNN to make his decisions.
CNN's Aaron Brown, obviously flustered at the way the question was turned around on him, gamely reworded the question, asking if Hossein was trying to influence opinion by trumpeting the actions of the protestors around the globe.
Ellsberg, mentioning his own military service as a Marine infantryman, called that 'naive' and indicated that the tyrant Hussein was more likely busy paying attention to keeping his hold on power or on his own life than on NY city protestors. Getting assertive, Brown redirected the question to suggest that Hossein might think the protest movement could get Bush to back off the war.
Ellsberg was having none of. He called it 'absurd' and he indicated that the US administration was naive too, as they'd made predictions about Hossein that weren't holding up. Then he said that it's unlikely Hossein would think that Bush would listen to the minority voice in this country when he often didn't listen to the majority, such as the majority that voted against him in the 2000 election.
He continued, indicating that he thought it was a very good message the protestors were sending to the world, letting the world know that not all Americans felt this war was a good thing.
Brown quickly ended the interview at that point.
Without being wild-eyed or scruffy, responding articulately and cleverly, demonstrating once again that he's a real American patriot, Ellsberg was masterful. I'd pick him for my debate team any day of the week.
I could swear, just for a second, I could actually hear Michael Moore smirking. The moment was priceless."
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:16 PM |
Fanatical Apathy is Deeply Embedded
Deeply embedded in the duodenum of a U.S. serviceman, Fanatical Apathy gives us a unique perspective:
"March 22 - Dark. There are constant rumblings from the north. And the south. Pretty much, there are rumblings from all around my position, and I can no longer tell which are from the ongoing airstrikes and which are unique to Lt. Riggs. Field rations are in ample supply, and morale is high; earlier, I heard laughter from somewhere to my right, and Lt. Riggs apparently joined in. Lt. Riggs is a professional soldier, and the abrupt deployment and field action have not altered his steely resolve or his steady digestion at all."
"March 22 - Dark. There are constant rumblings from the north. And the south. Pretty much, there are rumblings from all around my position, and I can no longer tell which are from the ongoing airstrikes and which are unique to Lt. Riggs. Field rations are in ample supply, and morale is high; earlier, I heard laughter from somewhere to my right, and Lt. Riggs apparently joined in. Lt. Riggs is a professional soldier, and the abrupt deployment and field action have not altered his steely resolve or his steady digestion at all."
# posted by scorpiorising : 9:00 AM |
Will the Real George Bush "Please Stand Down"?
Tim Dowling in The Guardian Unlimited wants to know if recent appearances by Dubya are stand-ins:
"You may think the air of extreme witlessness impossible to mimic, but is the man on the podium the authentic Dubya, a trained stand-in or an animatronic lookalike? Tim Dowling investigates
Thursday March 27, 2003
"George Bush" addresses the troops in Tampa. See how cleverly the wires are disguised.
Yesterday President George Bush made his first public appearance since the start of the war, speaking to service personnel at the MacDill airforce base in Tampa in an obvious bid to reassure Americans and boost the morale of the armed forces. But how do we know this is the real George Bush?
Later in the day a man who looked and sounded like Mr Bush appeared alongside Tony Blair at Camp David, leaving intelligence experts to ponder whether a lookalike had been used, and whether the same lookalike had been deployed on both occasions.
It has long been suspected that Mr Bush employs a string of lookalikes for difficult or dangerous speaking engagements, some of whom may have had their ears specially enlarged for the task.
Most of those who regularly monitor Mr Bush's speech patterns believe that it was the genuine article who spoke at Central Command HQ in Florida yesterday, pointing to a characteristic tendency toward quasi-biblical phrasing - "There will be a day of reckoning for the Iraqi regime, and that day is drawing in near" - and an almost total absence of words of more than three syllables.
Other experts disagree, pointing out that these consistencies originate with speech writers rather then the president himself, and that Bush's main vocal technique - the bewildered pause - is only too easy to imitate."
"You may think the air of extreme witlessness impossible to mimic, but is the man on the podium the authentic Dubya, a trained stand-in or an animatronic lookalike? Tim Dowling investigates
Thursday March 27, 2003
"George Bush" addresses the troops in Tampa. See how cleverly the wires are disguised.
Yesterday President George Bush made his first public appearance since the start of the war, speaking to service personnel at the MacDill airforce base in Tampa in an obvious bid to reassure Americans and boost the morale of the armed forces. But how do we know this is the real George Bush?
Later in the day a man who looked and sounded like Mr Bush appeared alongside Tony Blair at Camp David, leaving intelligence experts to ponder whether a lookalike had been used, and whether the same lookalike had been deployed on both occasions.
It has long been suspected that Mr Bush employs a string of lookalikes for difficult or dangerous speaking engagements, some of whom may have had their ears specially enlarged for the task.
Most of those who regularly monitor Mr Bush's speech patterns believe that it was the genuine article who spoke at Central Command HQ in Florida yesterday, pointing to a characteristic tendency toward quasi-biblical phrasing - "There will be a day of reckoning for the Iraqi regime, and that day is drawing in near" - and an almost total absence of words of more than three syllables.
Other experts disagree, pointing out that these consistencies originate with speech writers rather then the president himself, and that Bush's main vocal technique - the bewildered pause - is only too easy to imitate."
# posted by scorpiorising : 8:51 AM |
Should We Be Happy?
From Seth Edenbaum of Unenviable Situation:
"I stand amazed at this country and its people. Should I be happy that they are now worried about a war the meaning and implications of which they previously ignored? "
"I stand amazed at this country and its people. Should I be happy that they are now worried about a war the meaning and implications of which they previously ignored? "
# posted by scorpiorising : 7:04 AM |
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
An Unenviable Situation's Thoughtful Commentary
Seth Edenbaum of Unenviable Situation on intellectuals and conflicted priorities:
"American intellectuals tend to speak and write as if they do not have conflicted priorities; as though admitting this would be accepting the presence of a sin. But since we all have such conflicts, the end result is that their writing and speech sound not clear and strong but thin."
As thin as the on to battle premise they stand on.
"American intellectuals tend to speak and write as if they do not have conflicted priorities; as though admitting this would be accepting the presence of a sin. But since we all have such conflicts, the end result is that their writing and speech sound not clear and strong but thin."
As thin as the on to battle premise they stand on.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:07 PM |
Robert Frisk, independently embedded in Baghdad
Tompaine.com interviews journalist Robert Frisk in Baghdad:
Frisk has these observations
Then Fisk has this to say, brilliantly so, about the tradition of anti-colonialism in Iraq:
"And the truth of the matter is that Iraq has a very, very strong political tradition of strong anti-colonial struggle. It doesn’t matter whether that’s carried out under the guise of kings or under the guise of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party, or under the guise of a total dictator. There are many people in this country who would love to get rid of Saddam Hussein, I’m sure, but they don’t want to live under American occupation. The nearest I can describe it- and again, things can change- maybe the pack of cards will all collapse tomorrow- but if I can describe it, it would be a bit like the situation in 1941-- and I hate these World War II parallels because I think it’s disgusting to constantly dig up the second world war -- Hitler is dead and he died in 1945 and we shouldn’t use it, but if you want the same parallel, you’ll look at Operation: Barbarosa, where the Germans invaded Russia in 1941 believing that the Russians would collapse because Stalin was so hated and Communism was so hated. And at the end of the day, the Russians preferred to fight the Germans to free their country from Germany, from Nazi rule, rather than to use the German invasion to turn against Stalin. And at the end of the day, a population many of whom had suffered greatly under Communism fought for their motherland under the leadership of Marshal Stalin against the German invader."
The war planners have tremendously underestimated the resistance they would encounter, obviously, in Iraq.
Frisk has these observations
Then Fisk has this to say, brilliantly so, about the tradition of anti-colonialism in Iraq:
"And the truth of the matter is that Iraq has a very, very strong political tradition of strong anti-colonial struggle. It doesn’t matter whether that’s carried out under the guise of kings or under the guise of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party, or under the guise of a total dictator. There are many people in this country who would love to get rid of Saddam Hussein, I’m sure, but they don’t want to live under American occupation. The nearest I can describe it- and again, things can change- maybe the pack of cards will all collapse tomorrow- but if I can describe it, it would be a bit like the situation in 1941-- and I hate these World War II parallels because I think it’s disgusting to constantly dig up the second world war -- Hitler is dead and he died in 1945 and we shouldn’t use it, but if you want the same parallel, you’ll look at Operation: Barbarosa, where the Germans invaded Russia in 1941 believing that the Russians would collapse because Stalin was so hated and Communism was so hated. And at the end of the day, the Russians preferred to fight the Germans to free their country from Germany, from Nazi rule, rather than to use the German invasion to turn against Stalin. And at the end of the day, a population many of whom had suffered greatly under Communism fought for their motherland under the leadership of Marshal Stalin against the German invader."
The war planners have tremendously underestimated the resistance they would encounter, obviously, in Iraq.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:15 PM |
Patriot Act 2, the sequal
Brace yourselves for a good, loud, verbal, boisterous, battle to defend the freedom that is our birthrite. The government is soon to try to stuff down our throats Patriot Act 2, while our own children are fighting their war, and strip away what semblance of democracy we have left.
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0313/lee.php
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0313/lee.php
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:01 PM |
Boycott of American Goods is Growing
ABC has this report on the smashing of McDonald's windows, and sorry, no more coca-cola:
"Although the protests are mainly symbolic, waiters in dozens of bars and restaurants in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Bonn and other German cities are telling patrons, "Sorry, Coca-Cola is not available any more due to the current political situation."
The boycotts appear to be part of a nascent worldwide movement. One Web site, www.consumers-against-war.de, calls for boycotts of 27 top American firms from Microsoft to Kodak while another, www.adbusters.org, urges the "millions of people against the war" to "Boycott Brand America."
Consumer fury seems to be on the rise. Demonstrators in Paris smashed the windows of a McDonald's restaurant last week, forcing police in riot gear to move in to protect staff and customers of the American fast-food outlet. The attackers sprayed obscenities and "boycott" on the windows.
In Indonesia, Iraq war opponents have pasted signs on McDonald's and other American food outlets, trying to force them shut by "sealing them" and urging Indonesians to avoid them."
"Although the protests are mainly symbolic, waiters in dozens of bars and restaurants in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Bonn and other German cities are telling patrons, "Sorry, Coca-Cola is not available any more due to the current political situation."
The boycotts appear to be part of a nascent worldwide movement. One Web site, www.consumers-against-war.de, calls for boycotts of 27 top American firms from Microsoft to Kodak while another, www.adbusters.org, urges the "millions of people against the war" to "Boycott Brand America."
Consumer fury seems to be on the rise. Demonstrators in Paris smashed the windows of a McDonald's restaurant last week, forcing police in riot gear to move in to protect staff and customers of the American fast-food outlet. The attackers sprayed obscenities and "boycott" on the windows.
In Indonesia, Iraq war opponents have pasted signs on McDonald's and other American food outlets, trying to force them shut by "sealing them" and urging Indonesians to avoid them."
# posted by scorpiorising : 8:03 AM |
The Fall of the American Empire?
The dollar falling, debt rising, tax cuts for the rich, war price not yet in, but rising...could all of this signal the beginning of the decline of the American empire? Mark Tran, business editor for the Guardian Unlimited, explores this question:
"Bush fiddles with economy while Baghdad burns
Could a faltering dollar and global rebellion against its values presage the decline, and eventual fall, of the American empire, asks Mark Tran
Wednesday March 26, 2003
The war in Iraq is not going as smoothly as the Bush administration would like and the conflict is looking less and less like a walkover by the day.
Yet there can be little doubt that the US, backed by Britain, its loyal junior ally, will eventually prevail. The conflict will bring the US little glory, pitting the world's most powerful military machine against a dilapidated army, but when American and British troops enter Baghdad, the US will surely cement its status as a hyperpower.
But does the US colossus have feet of clay? It takes a brave soul to argue that America, the world's largest economy and by far its most potent military power, is about to go into decline, when it is widely perceived as a hyperpower. But Independent Strategy, a financial research company for institutional investors, has made the case in a paper that is making the rounds of big investment banks such as Goldman Sachs."
"Bush fiddles with economy while Baghdad burns
Could a faltering dollar and global rebellion against its values presage the decline, and eventual fall, of the American empire, asks Mark Tran
Wednesday March 26, 2003
The war in Iraq is not going as smoothly as the Bush administration would like and the conflict is looking less and less like a walkover by the day.
Yet there can be little doubt that the US, backed by Britain, its loyal junior ally, will eventually prevail. The conflict will bring the US little glory, pitting the world's most powerful military machine against a dilapidated army, but when American and British troops enter Baghdad, the US will surely cement its status as a hyperpower.
But does the US colossus have feet of clay? It takes a brave soul to argue that America, the world's largest economy and by far its most potent military power, is about to go into decline, when it is widely perceived as a hyperpower. But Independent Strategy, a financial research company for institutional investors, has made the case in a paper that is making the rounds of big investment banks such as Goldman Sachs."
# posted by scorpiorising : 7:53 AM |
New Blog: War Casualties
I've started a new blog to document the casualties, of all nations involved, in the bombings and battles as they occur. It is called War Casualties, and can be reached at http://warcasualties.blogspot.com. I'll do my best to access all sources, including Arab, although for some reason I have been unable to access the new english Al Jazeera. Why do this? I don't want the dead and wounded to be pushed aside or trumped by the idealogical and propaganda battles being waged on both sides.
# posted by scorpiorising : 7:39 AM |
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
"Saudi Arabia is Boiling"
Source: New York Times (via Khifafah.com):
Saudi Arabia on the boil
uploaded 25 Mar 2003
Saudi Arabia Seems Calm, but, Many Say, Is Seething
With war rumbling beyond its eastern border and violent antiwar demonstrations rocking neighbors to the north and south, many people here wonder how long Saudi Arabia can maintain its eerie calm.
"The atmosphere is boiling," declared Mohsen al-Awajy, a tall, angular Islamic scholar, distinguished by a long beard and white head scarf without the usual black headband. He says even his daughters are urging him to join Al Qaeda and follow Osama bin Laden.
"Our children are taking this a step further than us because they are affected by the injustice of the war led by the U.S.," he said, adding that he fears the mood could erupt into violence. "The Saudi street is fertile for any action."
Saudi Arabia on the boil
uploaded 25 Mar 2003
Saudi Arabia Seems Calm, but, Many Say, Is Seething
With war rumbling beyond its eastern border and violent antiwar demonstrations rocking neighbors to the north and south, many people here wonder how long Saudi Arabia can maintain its eerie calm.
"The atmosphere is boiling," declared Mohsen al-Awajy, a tall, angular Islamic scholar, distinguished by a long beard and white head scarf without the usual black headband. He says even his daughters are urging him to join Al Qaeda and follow Osama bin Laden.
"Our children are taking this a step further than us because they are affected by the injustice of the war led by the U.S.," he said, adding that he fears the mood could erupt into violence. "The Saudi street is fertile for any action."
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:51 PM |
Dailykos.com doesn't have good news about our war strategy.
Rumsfeld meddled with war strategy. (www.dailykos.com, scroll down to "What the experts are saying", March 25). As most Americans who are against this war, I am torn inside. I want the war to end quickly, to save as many lives as possible. Yet if the war does end quickly, which means it would be deemed a "success" by the chicken hawkes, they would be eager to test their mettle again to enforce their preemption philosophy. Is their a state of mind whereby I can let go of expectation in terms of the outcome of this situation, and, in the meantime, engage myself in what I feel to be useful right now, which is the dissemination of as much information as possible?
Dailykos and war strategy:
What the Experts Are Saying
This is Billmon, interrupting Kos's regularly scheduled programming to bring you this special bulletin.
A reporter friend of mine just slipped me something interesting. It's a background analysis of the situation facing the coalition forces in front of Baghdad, written by a fairly well known military officer and commentator who under the circumstances is going to have to remain unidentified, other than to say that he is fairly well known military officer and commentator. I was told I could post this as long as I carefully scrubbed out all personal references, which I think (hope) I've done.
This memo doesn't spill any secrets, but it is a thoughtful analysis based on Officer X's conversations with some of his colleagues -- all of whom are harshly critical of the war plan and Rumsfeld's meddling with it. I've added descriptions of some of the acronyms, and cleaned up the spelling a bit. Otherwise it is verbatim:
The "Shock and Awe" campaign failed completely. The traditional term of "Mass" has not been used by ground forces. Air power has supplied the mass, while the ground forces have suffered from "economy of force" being redefined. The march of 3rd ID (infantry division), while amazing, has left huge supply lines from Kuwait. These supply lines do not seem to be well guarded. The Apache attack on the Medina division was largely ineffective.
The 4th Generation War has begun with the fragging of the BDE TOC of the 101st by a Muslim soldier, and the use of irregular forces in Umm Qasr, Basra, Nasiriya and Al Najaf. Basra has not been taken yet, nor has Nasiriya.
The lack of ground forces, combined with Turkey's refusal to allow 4th ID to attack from the North, has allowed Iraqi forces to concentrate their efforts on the Euphrates River and the numerous axes of advance from the South.
If one or two heavy divisions were on the ground, the Iraqi OODA (Observation, Orientation, Decision, Action) Loop would be lengthened significantly. Instead of the Allied three division elements attacking at once, there would be at least a somewhat equal amount of Divisions on the ground to tackle the 6-8 Republican Guard Divisions in and around Baghdad.
The race for Baghdad has great political value, yet there is no way that the 3rd ID and 1 MEF (Marine Expeditionary Force) can seize Baghdad and placate the Southern cities. There are UPI reports that the 4th ID, 1st CD (Calvary Division) and 1st Armored are on the way to Iraq...the question needs to be asked: Why weren't they there in the first place?
British forces have been under attack in Basra... latest news from the BBC, both Regular and Irregular forces.
We have not seen the widespread defection or surrender of the Iraqi Army. We have not seen the widespread throngs of Iraqi citizens cheering our boys when they head north, or when they seize one of the towns.
BLUF: (?) This war has been much more difficult than expected. I think we will see 3 ID take defensive positions 30-50 miles outside of Baghdad and wait for reinforcements. The boys must be exhausted. The fact that they have advanced so far without major maintenance difficulties (as far as we know) is a credit to the maintenance of their equipment. One question remains: What units used the pre-positioned equipment in Qatar and Kuwait, and why wasn't there any Heavy/Mechanized forces in theater as a Reserve?
As we all saw yesterday, the war has gone from a liberation (or so projected) and road march, to a forecast of very hard work ahead.
Key events occurred in the last 12 hours. X and I talked about the 3rd ID and what (courses of action) it might take.
One, it will continue a relentless drive to the capital, while the LOC ( line of communications) is threatened (a gamble). I admire this COA (course of action) and the fact that they did it without much air bombardment), but our technological dependence on long and large logistics is proving to be a critical weakness. More to come on what to do once the 3rd ID gets there.
By the way, the multiple thrusts by the SF in the western desert and by the projected airborne forces in the north are small distractions to the Iraqis as once infantry is on the ground, it does not move very fast, and even in Hummers, offers little ability to maneuver. Not having a multiple thrust from the north is allowing the Iraqis to mass, if not forces as they are open to air attack, then to focus their decision making cycle to one area.
Col. X brought up a valid point on how the armor has been spread among the Marines, and the 3rd ID tried to bring all their logistics instead of "racing" ahead with combat elements in order to reach Baghdad and resupply by air. This is the tactical solution seen through task organization which favors spreading the wealth among all formations (as did the Brits and French in the beginning of WWII).
The second COA sees the Coalition slowing its advance, as it might have done near Najaf, about 90 miles south of the capital. It will consolidate its LOC
Or, a variation of this course is moving from a movement to contact advance to a deliberate attack advance. A methodical approach by the 3 ID as it advances, phase line by phase line up the main highway--supported by artillery and massive air (CENTCOM admitted that more of its deep interdiction were pulled to provide close air along the LOC) with the 101st and MEF securing the flanks and rear.
Use of the 101st has been validated as well. The 3rd BDE of the 101st has set up a FARP ( forward arming and refueling point), likely where the Apaches flew from last night.
The results of the Apache unit attack last night might have validated the second COA. It appears that in an effort to test RG defenses, about 50 miles south of Baghdad, an Apache unit was sent forward of the 3rd ID (as was the theory of deep attack during the Cold War in Europe). We don't know what the enemy BDA ( battle damage assessment )is, but the Apache unit had to withdraw due to heavy AA fire, and lost an Apache (it appears to have had a soft landing, with the crew picked up by a Blackhawk), and it is now in Iraqi hands.
The attack shows the impacts of change of terrain. This part of Iraq is developed and green, cut by streams and canals. Visibility is sharply decreased with the ability to blend in, to camouflage greatly increased.
Anyway, the deep attack validated that the RG has strong defenses that are blended in with the countryside and urban areas (as pilots attested to this upon their return).
Additionally, the Iraqis are using information warfare through their broadcasts. This will undoubtedly strengthen their resolve.
The precise bombings are having the same effect, as the general Iraqi is not getting the word that these are to protect him and attacking the leadership. All he knows is that he and those around him are surviving the vaunted assaults from the U.S.
The final factor to consider before contact is made with the RG, is the condition of the 3ID. These guys have been moving and fighting hard. Not only do you road march and react to contacts, but for every hour of running, there has to be two hours of maintenance (track, suspension, air filters, cleaning of weapons, etc...). SO rest must be measured by 3-4 hours every 24 hour period. This has a culminating effect in combat in the way of declining decisiveness and motor skills...
Take it for what's it's worth. But it suggest to me this war isn't even close to over.
Dailykos and war strategy:
What the Experts Are Saying
This is Billmon, interrupting Kos's regularly scheduled programming to bring you this special bulletin.
A reporter friend of mine just slipped me something interesting. It's a background analysis of the situation facing the coalition forces in front of Baghdad, written by a fairly well known military officer and commentator who under the circumstances is going to have to remain unidentified, other than to say that he is fairly well known military officer and commentator. I was told I could post this as long as I carefully scrubbed out all personal references, which I think (hope) I've done.
This memo doesn't spill any secrets, but it is a thoughtful analysis based on Officer X's conversations with some of his colleagues -- all of whom are harshly critical of the war plan and Rumsfeld's meddling with it. I've added descriptions of some of the acronyms, and cleaned up the spelling a bit. Otherwise it is verbatim:
The "Shock and Awe" campaign failed completely. The traditional term of "Mass" has not been used by ground forces. Air power has supplied the mass, while the ground forces have suffered from "economy of force" being redefined. The march of 3rd ID (infantry division), while amazing, has left huge supply lines from Kuwait. These supply lines do not seem to be well guarded. The Apache attack on the Medina division was largely ineffective.
The 4th Generation War has begun with the fragging of the BDE TOC of the 101st by a Muslim soldier, and the use of irregular forces in Umm Qasr, Basra, Nasiriya and Al Najaf. Basra has not been taken yet, nor has Nasiriya.
The lack of ground forces, combined with Turkey's refusal to allow 4th ID to attack from the North, has allowed Iraqi forces to concentrate their efforts on the Euphrates River and the numerous axes of advance from the South.
If one or two heavy divisions were on the ground, the Iraqi OODA (Observation, Orientation, Decision, Action) Loop would be lengthened significantly. Instead of the Allied three division elements attacking at once, there would be at least a somewhat equal amount of Divisions on the ground to tackle the 6-8 Republican Guard Divisions in and around Baghdad.
The race for Baghdad has great political value, yet there is no way that the 3rd ID and 1 MEF (Marine Expeditionary Force) can seize Baghdad and placate the Southern cities. There are UPI reports that the 4th ID, 1st CD (Calvary Division) and 1st Armored are on the way to Iraq...the question needs to be asked: Why weren't they there in the first place?
British forces have been under attack in Basra... latest news from the BBC, both Regular and Irregular forces.
We have not seen the widespread defection or surrender of the Iraqi Army. We have not seen the widespread throngs of Iraqi citizens cheering our boys when they head north, or when they seize one of the towns.
BLUF: (?) This war has been much more difficult than expected. I think we will see 3 ID take defensive positions 30-50 miles outside of Baghdad and wait for reinforcements. The boys must be exhausted. The fact that they have advanced so far without major maintenance difficulties (as far as we know) is a credit to the maintenance of their equipment. One question remains: What units used the pre-positioned equipment in Qatar and Kuwait, and why wasn't there any Heavy/Mechanized forces in theater as a Reserve?
As we all saw yesterday, the war has gone from a liberation (or so projected) and road march, to a forecast of very hard work ahead.
Key events occurred in the last 12 hours. X and I talked about the 3rd ID and what (courses of action) it might take.
One, it will continue a relentless drive to the capital, while the LOC ( line of communications) is threatened (a gamble). I admire this COA (course of action) and the fact that they did it without much air bombardment), but our technological dependence on long and large logistics is proving to be a critical weakness. More to come on what to do once the 3rd ID gets there.
By the way, the multiple thrusts by the SF in the western desert and by the projected airborne forces in the north are small distractions to the Iraqis as once infantry is on the ground, it does not move very fast, and even in Hummers, offers little ability to maneuver. Not having a multiple thrust from the north is allowing the Iraqis to mass, if not forces as they are open to air attack, then to focus their decision making cycle to one area.
Col. X brought up a valid point on how the armor has been spread among the Marines, and the 3rd ID tried to bring all their logistics instead of "racing" ahead with combat elements in order to reach Baghdad and resupply by air. This is the tactical solution seen through task organization which favors spreading the wealth among all formations (as did the Brits and French in the beginning of WWII).
The second COA sees the Coalition slowing its advance, as it might have done near Najaf, about 90 miles south of the capital. It will consolidate its LOC
Or, a variation of this course is moving from a movement to contact advance to a deliberate attack advance. A methodical approach by the 3 ID as it advances, phase line by phase line up the main highway--supported by artillery and massive air (CENTCOM admitted that more of its deep interdiction were pulled to provide close air along the LOC) with the 101st and MEF securing the flanks and rear.
Use of the 101st has been validated as well. The 3rd BDE of the 101st has set up a FARP ( forward arming and refueling point), likely where the Apaches flew from last night.
The results of the Apache unit attack last night might have validated the second COA. It appears that in an effort to test RG defenses, about 50 miles south of Baghdad, an Apache unit was sent forward of the 3rd ID (as was the theory of deep attack during the Cold War in Europe). We don't know what the enemy BDA ( battle damage assessment )is, but the Apache unit had to withdraw due to heavy AA fire, and lost an Apache (it appears to have had a soft landing, with the crew picked up by a Blackhawk), and it is now in Iraqi hands.
The attack shows the impacts of change of terrain. This part of Iraq is developed and green, cut by streams and canals. Visibility is sharply decreased with the ability to blend in, to camouflage greatly increased.
Anyway, the deep attack validated that the RG has strong defenses that are blended in with the countryside and urban areas (as pilots attested to this upon their return).
Additionally, the Iraqis are using information warfare through their broadcasts. This will undoubtedly strengthen their resolve.
The precise bombings are having the same effect, as the general Iraqi is not getting the word that these are to protect him and attacking the leadership. All he knows is that he and those around him are surviving the vaunted assaults from the U.S.
The final factor to consider before contact is made with the RG, is the condition of the 3ID. These guys have been moving and fighting hard. Not only do you road march and react to contacts, but for every hour of running, there has to be two hours of maintenance (track, suspension, air filters, cleaning of weapons, etc...). SO rest must be measured by 3-4 hours every 24 hour period. This has a culminating effect in combat in the way of declining decisiveness and motor skills...
Take it for what's it's worth. But it suggest to me this war isn't even close to over.
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:41 PM |
Monday, March 24, 2003
A Noted Parallel between the U.S. Push for Supremacy, and the Boom/Bust of the Stock Market
George Soros writes for TomPaine.com, and explores the stock market as a metaphor for the rise and coming fall of George Bush. He predicts the bust of this push for supremacy, under the guise of preemption, and the sooner the better for us all. Question is, how much collateral damage to the American people will there be?
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:38 PM |
Pigs at the Trough
Our government is already dividing up the spoils of this war, according to Arianna Huffington, and guess who, you guessed it, Halliburton of Dick Cheney fame, among others, stand to gain 100's of millions. The wealth of this country is being sucked by this war, by the war profiteers, and we, the average tax payer, will be footing the bill. The war on the American Middle and Working Classes Continues.
Also, Huffington talks about the latest revelations regarding Halliburton when Dick Cheney was CEO.
We are being robbed.
Also, Huffington talks about the latest revelations regarding Halliburton when Dick Cheney was CEO.
We are being robbed.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:39 PM |
Quote of the Day:
From an Unenviable Position, Seth Edenbaum has this thought:
"The fact remains that of all the shitheads following the war in this country, I know not one I would have anything to say to outside of politics. The war becomes something to fill a void in the American life. The purpose is to keep busy. 'Reflection' becomes a job or it has no purpose. It becomes impossible to cast that now quasi-reflective gaze upon oneself."
"The fact remains that of all the shitheads following the war in this country, I know not one I would have anything to say to outside of politics. The war becomes something to fill a void in the American life. The purpose is to keep busy. 'Reflection' becomes a job or it has no purpose. It becomes impossible to cast that now quasi-reflective gaze upon oneself."
# posted by scorpiorising : 3:15 PM |
More on War Strategy
Casus Belli makes this point about the coalition forces' war strategy.
"Look, casualties are inevitable no matter what warplan one adopts. But people must recognize that this warplan was selected by the Pentagon officials precisely because it was congruent with the Administration's political objectives in Iraq, not necessarily because it was the best warplan for minimizing the loss of American lives. In the end, securing the political objectives (protecting oil fields, minimizing collateral damage, emphasizing decapitation) may save American lives by laying the groundwork for a stable post-war Iraq. In the short term, as Peter Feaver put it in the Post article, mission accomplishment has been put ahead of force protection."
"Look, casualties are inevitable no matter what warplan one adopts. But people must recognize that this warplan was selected by the Pentagon officials precisely because it was congruent with the Administration's political objectives in Iraq, not necessarily because it was the best warplan for minimizing the loss of American lives. In the end, securing the political objectives (protecting oil fields, minimizing collateral damage, emphasizing decapitation) may save American lives by laying the groundwork for a stable post-war Iraq. In the short term, as Peter Feaver put it in the Post article, mission accomplishment has been put ahead of force protection."
# posted by scorpiorising : 3:05 PM |
General Frank's war plans and strategy is being questioned
Rueters is reporting serious doubts from "experts" about General Frank's war strategy. Folks, this doesn't sound good. (Scroll down and look to the left).
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:21 PM |
Conservative Infighting
It is interesting, that during this time of turmoil, with the war not going as well as expected,
one conservative pundit chooses to attack another.
one conservative pundit chooses to attack another.
# posted by scorpiorising : 1:53 PM |
Sunday, March 23, 2003
America's next Target: Iran
Don't know how reliable the info is, but the PakTribune is reporting that Iran is to be the next target of the U.S.,according to a CIA report.
Countries also named in the article "where replacement of government has been declared essential", are Libya, Cuba, and North Korea.
Countries also named in the article "where replacement of government has been declared essential", are Libya, Cuba, and North Korea.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:07 PM |
America's War on the Working and Middle Class, continued...
This is how an illegal war is waged with your tax dollar. This is how the integrity of our institutions is further eroded.
Here I want to post in its entirety an article by the New York Times which demonstrates how the Bush administration is compromising intelligence gathering by the CIA, and its possible ramifications:
" INTELLIGENCE
C.I.A. Aides Feel Pressure in Preparing Iraqi Reports
By JAMES RISEN
WASHINGTON, March 22 — The recent disclosure that reports claiming Iraq tried to buy uranium from Niger were based partly on forged documents has renewed complaints among analysts at the C.I.A. about the way intelligence related to Iraq has been handled, several intelligence officials said.
Analysts at the agency said they had felt pressured to make their intelligence reports on Iraq conform to Bush administration policies.
For months, a few C.I.A. analysts have privately expressed concerns to colleagues and Congressional officials that they have faced pressure in writing intelligence reports to emphasize links between Saddam Hussein's government and Al Qaeda.
As the White House contended that links between Mr. Hussein and Al Qaeda justified military action against Iraq, these analysts complained that reports on Iraq have attracted unusually intense scrutiny from senior policy makers within the Bush administration.
"A lot of analysts have been upset about the way the Iraq-Al Qaeda case has been handled," said one intelligence official familiar with the debate.
That debate was renewed after the disclosure two weeks ago by Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, that the claim that Iraq sought to buy uranium from Niger was based partly on forged documents. The claim had been cited publicly by President Bush.
"The forgery heightened people's feelings that they were being embarrassed by the way Iraqi intelligence has been handled," said one government official who has talked with C.I.A. analysts about the issue.
The forged documents were not created by the C.I.A. or any other United States government agency, and C.I.A. officials were always suspicious of the documents, American intelligence officials said.
But the information still ended up being used in public by Mr. Bush. Intelligence officials said there was other information, which was deemed to be credible, that raised concerns about a possible uranium connection between Niger and Iraq.
Several analysts have told colleagues they have become so frustrated that they have considered leaving the agency, according to government officials who have talked with the analysts.
"Several people have told me how distraught they have been about what has been going on," said one government official who said he had talked with several C.I.A. analysts. None of the analysts are willing to talk directly to news organizations, the official said.
A senior official of the agency said no analysts had told C.I.A. management that they were resigning in protest over the handling of Iraqi intelligence. At the State Department, by contrast, three foreign service officers have resigned in protest over Mr. Bush's policies.
The official said some analysts had been frustrated that they had frequently been asked the same questions by officials from throughout the government about their intelligence reports concerning Iraq. Many of these questions concern sourcing, the official said.
The official added that the analysts had not been pressured to change the substance of their reports.
"As we have become an integral component informing the debate for policy makers, we have been asked a lot of questions," the senior C.I.A. official said. "I'm sure it does come across as a pressured environment for analysts. I think there is a sense of being overworked, a sense among analysts that they have already answered the same questions. But if you talk to analysts, they understand why people are asking, and why policy makers aren't accepting a report at face value."
Another intelligence official said, however, that many veteran analysts were comparing the current climate at the agency to that of the early 1980's, when some C.I.A. analysts complained that they were under pressure from the Reagan administration to take a harder line on intelligence reports relating to the Soviet Union.
The official said the pressure had prompted the agency's analysts to become more circumspect in expressing their analytical views in the intelligence reports they produced.
"On topics of very intense concern to the administration of the day, you become less of an analyst and more of a reports officer," the official said.
The distinction between an analyst and a reports officer is an important one within the C.I.A. A reports officer generally pulls together information in response to questions and specific requests for information. An intelligence analyst analyzes the information in finished reports."
Emphasis mine.
Here I want to post in its entirety an article by the New York Times which demonstrates how the Bush administration is compromising intelligence gathering by the CIA, and its possible ramifications:
" INTELLIGENCE
C.I.A. Aides Feel Pressure in Preparing Iraqi Reports
By JAMES RISEN
WASHINGTON, March 22 — The recent disclosure that reports claiming Iraq tried to buy uranium from Niger were based partly on forged documents has renewed complaints among analysts at the C.I.A. about the way intelligence related to Iraq has been handled, several intelligence officials said.
Analysts at the agency said they had felt pressured to make their intelligence reports on Iraq conform to Bush administration policies.
For months, a few C.I.A. analysts have privately expressed concerns to colleagues and Congressional officials that they have faced pressure in writing intelligence reports to emphasize links between Saddam Hussein's government and Al Qaeda.
As the White House contended that links between Mr. Hussein and Al Qaeda justified military action against Iraq, these analysts complained that reports on Iraq have attracted unusually intense scrutiny from senior policy makers within the Bush administration.
"A lot of analysts have been upset about the way the Iraq-Al Qaeda case has been handled," said one intelligence official familiar with the debate.
That debate was renewed after the disclosure two weeks ago by Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, that the claim that Iraq sought to buy uranium from Niger was based partly on forged documents. The claim had been cited publicly by President Bush.
"The forgery heightened people's feelings that they were being embarrassed by the way Iraqi intelligence has been handled," said one government official who has talked with C.I.A. analysts about the issue.
The forged documents were not created by the C.I.A. or any other United States government agency, and C.I.A. officials were always suspicious of the documents, American intelligence officials said.
But the information still ended up being used in public by Mr. Bush. Intelligence officials said there was other information, which was deemed to be credible, that raised concerns about a possible uranium connection between Niger and Iraq.
Several analysts have told colleagues they have become so frustrated that they have considered leaving the agency, according to government officials who have talked with the analysts.
"Several people have told me how distraught they have been about what has been going on," said one government official who said he had talked with several C.I.A. analysts. None of the analysts are willing to talk directly to news organizations, the official said.
A senior official of the agency said no analysts had told C.I.A. management that they were resigning in protest over the handling of Iraqi intelligence. At the State Department, by contrast, three foreign service officers have resigned in protest over Mr. Bush's policies.
The official said some analysts had been frustrated that they had frequently been asked the same questions by officials from throughout the government about their intelligence reports concerning Iraq. Many of these questions concern sourcing, the official said.
The official added that the analysts had not been pressured to change the substance of their reports.
"As we have become an integral component informing the debate for policy makers, we have been asked a lot of questions," the senior C.I.A. official said. "I'm sure it does come across as a pressured environment for analysts. I think there is a sense of being overworked, a sense among analysts that they have already answered the same questions. But if you talk to analysts, they understand why people are asking, and why policy makers aren't accepting a report at face value."
Another intelligence official said, however, that many veteran analysts were comparing the current climate at the agency to that of the early 1980's, when some C.I.A. analysts complained that they were under pressure from the Reagan administration to take a harder line on intelligence reports relating to the Soviet Union.
The official said the pressure had prompted the agency's analysts to become more circumspect in expressing their analytical views in the intelligence reports they produced.
"On topics of very intense concern to the administration of the day, you become less of an analyst and more of a reports officer," the official said.
The distinction between an analyst and a reports officer is an important one within the C.I.A. A reports officer generally pulls together information in response to questions and specific requests for information. An intelligence analyst analyzes the information in finished reports."
Emphasis mine.
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:32 AM |
Pictures of Captured Soldiers
Our American brothers and sisters as Pow's.
Cry, cry, cry, and damn this war. Pray for their safe return.
Cry, cry, cry, and damn this war. Pray for their safe return.
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:02 AM |
America Wages War on its Middle and Working Class
On March 21, while working and middle class Americans watched their sons and daughters wage George Bush Jr.'s illegal war in Iraq, Congress advanced their own front in the war on the American middle and working class, by passing the second installment of the tax cut.
While 100 million dollars was cut from the tax cut plan, as a gesture towards fiscal sanity to pay for the illegal war, this is going to be a drop in the bucket as to what the true costs of this war will be.
While most sources say the war will cost anywhere from 80 billion to 1 trillion dollars, I would venture to say the true costs will wind up being somewhere in-between, although they could approach the 1 trillion mark, depending on the expense of occupying and re-building Iraq.
American companies are already lining up to re-build Iraq, including Halliburton. Vice-President Dick Cheney, ex-Ceo of Halliburton, continues to receive deffered compensation from that company in what is one of the grossest conflicts of interest ever carried out by a member of the executive branch of this country.
To be continued...
While 100 million dollars was cut from the tax cut plan, as a gesture towards fiscal sanity to pay for the illegal war, this is going to be a drop in the bucket as to what the true costs of this war will be.
While most sources say the war will cost anywhere from 80 billion to 1 trillion dollars, I would venture to say the true costs will wind up being somewhere in-between, although they could approach the 1 trillion mark, depending on the expense of occupying and re-building Iraq.
American companies are already lining up to re-build Iraq, including Halliburton. Vice-President Dick Cheney, ex-Ceo of Halliburton, continues to receive deffered compensation from that company in what is one of the grossest conflicts of interest ever carried out by a member of the executive branch of this country.
To be continued...
# posted by scorpiorising : 9:51 AM |
Saturday, March 22, 2003
Daniel Ellsberg on The Long View: America's Illegal War
Steven Rosenfeld on www.tompaine.com interviews Daniel Ellsberg, and Ellsberg gives advice on what direction protest could take:
"Daniel Ellsberg: Well, I'm encouraged by the fact that there is enormous opposition, both abroad and in this country. In fact, I'm proud of the Americans who have been opposing this war as actively as they have in the last couple of months, which includes a small minority of the people in Congress.
So, I would say, that the task before us -- and there clearly are a lot of Americans who are ready to do this -- the task is for us to change this imperial policy with its dangers and its wrongness."
And Ellsberg with this proposed direction of protest:
"TP.c: What kind of anti-war criticism or focus do you think would be most effective right now?
Ellsberg: Well I think that point, to begin with: This is a war that increases our danger at home. But there are, by the way, still horrors that could prevented by sufficient public awareness and protest, even if the war itself can't be stopped.
Very specifically, I think the question should be raised now -- right now and very forcefully -- that we should not use nuclear weapons under any circumstances whatever. And very specifically, if weapons of mass destruction in the form of biological or chemical weapons are used against our troops -- which would be a war crime by Iraq -- that war crime should not be answered by a massive crime against humanity in the form of nuclear retaliation.
The administration has specifically threatened their willingness to initiate the use of nuclear weapons in a number of circumstances, including the use of gas or chemical weapons. I hope that Bush is wrong in saying they have effective gas or biological weapons. But if he isn't, I think there should be a U.N. resolution and congressional resolution that we would not use nuclear weapons.
So, I think there is a point where public protest should not wait until, as Bush keeps putting it, until the evidence of our intent is a mushroom cloud."
"Daniel Ellsberg: Well, I'm encouraged by the fact that there is enormous opposition, both abroad and in this country. In fact, I'm proud of the Americans who have been opposing this war as actively as they have in the last couple of months, which includes a small minority of the people in Congress.
So, I would say, that the task before us -- and there clearly are a lot of Americans who are ready to do this -- the task is for us to change this imperial policy with its dangers and its wrongness."
And Ellsberg with this proposed direction of protest:
"TP.c: What kind of anti-war criticism or focus do you think would be most effective right now?
Ellsberg: Well I think that point, to begin with: This is a war that increases our danger at home. But there are, by the way, still horrors that could prevented by sufficient public awareness and protest, even if the war itself can't be stopped.
Very specifically, I think the question should be raised now -- right now and very forcefully -- that we should not use nuclear weapons under any circumstances whatever. And very specifically, if weapons of mass destruction in the form of biological or chemical weapons are used against our troops -- which would be a war crime by Iraq -- that war crime should not be answered by a massive crime against humanity in the form of nuclear retaliation.
The administration has specifically threatened their willingness to initiate the use of nuclear weapons in a number of circumstances, including the use of gas or chemical weapons. I hope that Bush is wrong in saying they have effective gas or biological weapons. But if he isn't, I think there should be a U.N. resolution and congressional resolution that we would not use nuclear weapons.
So, I think there is a point where public protest should not wait until, as Bush keeps putting it, until the evidence of our intent is a mushroom cloud."
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:56 AM |
Muslims are called to make Jihad against Invading American Forces
From ABC.com, March 21, ABC news consultant Fawaz A. Georges reports a chilling call to Jihad by Al-Azhar:
"Distinguished Islamic institutions and renowned, moderate Muslim clerics have urged Muslims to join in jihad (holy war) to resist the U.S.-led onslaught.
Osama bin Laden and his militant ilk no longer have a monopoly calling on Muslims to wage jihad to defend the faith.
On Iraq, lines have become blurred between mainstream and radical politics in the world of Islam, thanks to the U.S. approach, which is widely seen as unjust and hegemonic.
A new realignment, bringing together a broad spectrum of political forces against the United States, is crystallizing in Arab and Muslim lands.
American policy toward Iraq has alienated most of the important political secular and religious actors who, until now, had been unwilling to join with radical anti-American forces.
Last week, Al-Azhar, the highest, oldest (1,000 years) and most respected institution of religious learning in the Muslim world, issued a fatwa (religious edict) advising "all Muslims in the world to make jihad against invading American forces."
The statement warned that Islam itself is the direct target of the "new crusaders' invasion" which aims at humiliating and subjugating Arabs and controlling their resources. "
This is part of our heritage to our children.
"Distinguished Islamic institutions and renowned, moderate Muslim clerics have urged Muslims to join in jihad (holy war) to resist the U.S.-led onslaught.
Osama bin Laden and his militant ilk no longer have a monopoly calling on Muslims to wage jihad to defend the faith.
On Iraq, lines have become blurred between mainstream and radical politics in the world of Islam, thanks to the U.S. approach, which is widely seen as unjust and hegemonic.
A new realignment, bringing together a broad spectrum of political forces against the United States, is crystallizing in Arab and Muslim lands.
American policy toward Iraq has alienated most of the important political secular and religious actors who, until now, had been unwilling to join with radical anti-American forces.
Last week, Al-Azhar, the highest, oldest (1,000 years) and most respected institution of religious learning in the Muslim world, issued a fatwa (religious edict) advising "all Muslims in the world to make jihad against invading American forces."
The statement warned that Islam itself is the direct target of the "new crusaders' invasion" which aims at humiliating and subjugating Arabs and controlling their resources. "
This is part of our heritage to our children.
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:26 AM |
"We are in a Nation Ruled by Madmen Who will Bury the U.N." commentary by Buzzflash
Now its Buzzflash's turn to rant. You go boys and girls:
"We are in a Nation Ruled by Madmen Who Will Bury the U.N.
A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL
Before announcing a state of war Bush pumps his fist and boasts, "Feels good."
Donald Rumsfeld walks around quoting Al Capone.
Richard Perle calls an internationally respected journalist a terrorist for disclosing how Perle would profit from an Iraq war.
And then Richard Perle celebrates the death of the U.N.
Like it's yet unleashed Guernica-bombing campaign, touted as "Shock and Awe," the brazen, thuggish extremism of the Bush administration is meant to numb the American public into submission.
And, for the most part, the strategy has succeeded.
From the beginning, after September 11th, America was united in the battle against terrorism. No one we know of spoke out on behalf of terrorism. The nascent debate, such as there was one, focused on HOW to fight terrorism, not on whether or not to fight it.
But the propaganda strategists of the Bush Cartel, led by Karl Rove, quickly marginalized any dissent against the White House's Dr. Strangelovian, doomsday world view by spreading the word that protests AIDED AND ABETTED terrorism. The Democratic leadership in Congress was never able to crawl out from under charges that any criticism of the Bush Cartel was treason and hindered Bush's 'war on terrorism'."
I feel as though we are losing the soul of our country.
"We are in a Nation Ruled by Madmen Who Will Bury the U.N.
A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL
Before announcing a state of war Bush pumps his fist and boasts, "Feels good."
Donald Rumsfeld walks around quoting Al Capone.
Richard Perle calls an internationally respected journalist a terrorist for disclosing how Perle would profit from an Iraq war.
And then Richard Perle celebrates the death of the U.N.
Like it's yet unleashed Guernica-bombing campaign, touted as "Shock and Awe," the brazen, thuggish extremism of the Bush administration is meant to numb the American public into submission.
And, for the most part, the strategy has succeeded.
From the beginning, after September 11th, America was united in the battle against terrorism. No one we know of spoke out on behalf of terrorism. The nascent debate, such as there was one, focused on HOW to fight terrorism, not on whether or not to fight it.
But the propaganda strategists of the Bush Cartel, led by Karl Rove, quickly marginalized any dissent against the White House's Dr. Strangelovian, doomsday world view by spreading the word that protests AIDED AND ABETTED terrorism. The Democratic leadership in Congress was never able to crawl out from under charges that any criticism of the Bush Cartel was treason and hindered Bush's 'war on terrorism'."
I feel as though we are losing the soul of our country.
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:06 AM |
This Man Expresses Beautiful Anger
In the American Politics Journal, Alan Bisbort unleashes his beautiful anger at King George the Shrub:
"Just as your concept of a Creator bears no resemblance to mine (or to the Pope's or to Tutu's, Carter's, Mandela's, etc.), your fantasy of heaven -- with "good" Americans like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and Strom Thurmond and Trent Lott but not "bad" Americans like the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. or Malcolm X or Henry D. Thoreau sitting around shooting the breeze for eternity -- is not one I would wish on my worst enemy. And your idea of a "just" and "holy" war has cost all humanity some precious part of their soul. It will, if it hasn't done so already, poison forever America's great tradition of democracy, America's role as a beacon of hope in the world. To use an appropriately twisted metaphor, the virginity of American ideals have been brutally gang-raped by a cadre of unelected ideologues. This coupling will result, nine months hence, in a monstrous offspring that will slouch toward Bethlehem to be emitted from betwixt quivering gams, a black oozing thing that will drip its hate-filled goo for the next hundred years."
And finally, Mr. Bisbort addresses the legacy we will leave our children with this war:
"And God damn the whole lot of you to be punished by being forced into one another's company for eternity. God damn you for having rigged our democracy and God damn you for having made the world more dangerous for my innocent son and the children of millions of other Americans who will reap the whirlwind from your deeds today. God damn you for lying from Day One of your insurrection in January 2001 and God damn you for what you plan to do in 2004 to deny what's left of our democracy's dignity the right to resoundingly toss your asses out on the sidewalk."
A good rant is the same as a good cry. I thank you, Mr. Bisbort, for crying out loud.
"Just as your concept of a Creator bears no resemblance to mine (or to the Pope's or to Tutu's, Carter's, Mandela's, etc.), your fantasy of heaven -- with "good" Americans like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and Strom Thurmond and Trent Lott but not "bad" Americans like the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. or Malcolm X or Henry D. Thoreau sitting around shooting the breeze for eternity -- is not one I would wish on my worst enemy. And your idea of a "just" and "holy" war has cost all humanity some precious part of their soul. It will, if it hasn't done so already, poison forever America's great tradition of democracy, America's role as a beacon of hope in the world. To use an appropriately twisted metaphor, the virginity of American ideals have been brutally gang-raped by a cadre of unelected ideologues. This coupling will result, nine months hence, in a monstrous offspring that will slouch toward Bethlehem to be emitted from betwixt quivering gams, a black oozing thing that will drip its hate-filled goo for the next hundred years."
And finally, Mr. Bisbort addresses the legacy we will leave our children with this war:
"And God damn the whole lot of you to be punished by being forced into one another's company for eternity. God damn you for having rigged our democracy and God damn you for having made the world more dangerous for my innocent son and the children of millions of other Americans who will reap the whirlwind from your deeds today. God damn you for lying from Day One of your insurrection in January 2001 and God damn you for what you plan to do in 2004 to deny what's left of our democracy's dignity the right to resoundingly toss your asses out on the sidewalk."
A good rant is the same as a good cry. I thank you, Mr. Bisbort, for crying out loud.
# posted by scorpiorising : 10:40 AM |
Tax Cut Passes for the Rich
Cursor talks about the tax cut that passed in the Senate yesterday. Damn, damn, damn, damn.
# posted by scorpiorising : 8:28 AM |
General Frank's press conference
I watched a good part of top Commander General Tommy Franks' press conference, the first press conference by army officials since the start of the war. The difference between the foreign reporter's questions and questions from the American press was striking. The hardest hitting question came from a foreign reporter, don't know his nationality, but with a thick accent he asked this question:
"Since there has been no use of, and, as of yet, no evidence of weapons of mass destruction used by the Iraqi forces, can you still make the claim that the U.S. has invaded Iraq because of those weapons, or is it using the supposed existence of those weapons as a cover for its desire to invade Iraq and seize control of the country?"
General Franks responded, in so many words, that he has no doubt of the weapons of mass destruction, and the allied forces are looking for them.
This war is a bad joke, played over and over again.
"Since there has been no use of, and, as of yet, no evidence of weapons of mass destruction used by the Iraqi forces, can you still make the claim that the U.S. has invaded Iraq because of those weapons, or is it using the supposed existence of those weapons as a cover for its desire to invade Iraq and seize control of the country?"
General Franks responded, in so many words, that he has no doubt of the weapons of mass destruction, and the allied forces are looking for them.
This war is a bad joke, played over and over again.
# posted by scorpiorising : 8:18 AM |
Friday, March 21, 2003
Our Collective Mood
Take Back the Media expresses the mood of peace lovers everywhere, courtesy of Blah3.com.
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:26 PM |
Richard Perle declares U.N. Dead!
"Thank God for the death of the U.N.", says Richard Perle in a commentary today in the Guardian. This is what I was afraid of. Although he is presuming victory in Iraq, and gloating about it, if the Bushites are successful in Iraq, i.e., short war, low casualities, then he seems to hint at further aggressive confrontation of countries with weapons of mass destruction:
"The most dangerous of these states are those that also possess weapons of mass destruction. Iraq is one, but there are others. Whatever hope there is that they can be persuaded to withdraw support or sanctuary from terrorists rests on the certainty and effectiveness with which they are confronted. The chronic failure of the security council to enforce its own resolutions is unmistakable: it is simply not up to the task. We are left with coalitions of the willing. Far from disparaging them as a threat to a new world order, we should recognise that they are, by default, the best hope for that order, and the true alternative to the anarchy of the abject failure of the UN."
He celebrated the "coalition of the willing". Let's hope there aren't more nations jumping on the bandwagon, if there is a so-called "easy" victory in Iraq. There may be war, war unending war.
"The most dangerous of these states are those that also possess weapons of mass destruction. Iraq is one, but there are others. Whatever hope there is that they can be persuaded to withdraw support or sanctuary from terrorists rests on the certainty and effectiveness with which they are confronted. The chronic failure of the security council to enforce its own resolutions is unmistakable: it is simply not up to the task. We are left with coalitions of the willing. Far from disparaging them as a threat to a new world order, we should recognise that they are, by default, the best hope for that order, and the true alternative to the anarchy of the abject failure of the UN."
He celebrated the "coalition of the willing". Let's hope there aren't more nations jumping on the bandwagon, if there is a so-called "easy" victory in Iraq. There may be war, war unending war.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:20 PM |
Speech by Gore details Bush Sr./Iraq connection
In case we had forgotten, Republicons reviews a speech given by Al Gore in 1992 before the Center for International Policy. The detailed- oriented Gore outlines how Bush Sr. participated and helped to formulate policies that strengthened Saddam Hussein's grip over Iraq.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:58 PM |
Patrick Buchanan doesn't go far enough
Patrick Buchanan, in addressing the Isreali/Bush connection in this article in the American Conservative, March 24th issue, 2003, makes some very valid points, but doesn't go far enough in addressing our true connection with Israel.
Yes, our foreign policies have merged in an important way, but it can be dangerous for Buchanan and others to blame the Israeli influence and connection for our foreign policy decisions and trends. It is our beliefs regarding ourselves, that has led to these very war-like principals now in vogue in America, and it is fascinating that Israel has followed a similar path of development. But we as a nation are responsible for the actions we take, and we must look within to find the answers, i.e., motivations behind those actions. Let us not, in a mistaken attempt to find blame for our current debacle, place this blame on Israel, or any other nation, but rather, look within the borders of our own country, and collective minds, for the reasons. They are not very far away.
Yes, our foreign policies have merged in an important way, but it can be dangerous for Buchanan and others to blame the Israeli influence and connection for our foreign policy decisions and trends. It is our beliefs regarding ourselves, that has led to these very war-like principals now in vogue in America, and it is fascinating that Israel has followed a similar path of development. But we as a nation are responsible for the actions we take, and we must look within to find the answers, i.e., motivations behind those actions. Let us not, in a mistaken attempt to find blame for our current debacle, place this blame on Israel, or any other nation, but rather, look within the borders of our own country, and collective minds, for the reasons. They are not very far away.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:14 PM |
"If violence respects no borders, neither should the culture that protests it."Jose Clemente Orozco
Mexican painter Jose Clemente Orozco expressed both the fire and passion for revolution, and the horror that war of any kind can bring. In an article in In These Times, Christopher Capazzolla explores the relationship between revolution and destruction in Orozco's paintings:
"In New York, Orozco frequented vaudeville shows and Harlem nightclubs and joined in the discussions of the artists and bohemians who gathered at The Ashram, a salon held in a fashionable Manhattan apartment. Here, Orozco explored Eastern philosophies and comparative mythology, an interest that found its outlet in Prometheus. In the mural, the Greek god dominates a fiery landscape; but looking at the suffering mortals below, it’s not clear whether Prometheus’ gift is the cure or the cause of their anguish."
Orozco's development of identity continues:
"In the United States, Orozco also fashioned an identity that incorporated both Mexican and American aspects. The first time Orozco crossed the border, at Laredo, Texas, in 1917, his art did not make it with him: A U.S. border guard seized nearly 60 of his drawings as “obscene,” in what Orozco later laughed off as “an official showing.” In the more metaphorical sense, though, Orozco’s work crossed borders easily. One of the most striking images from the Mexico in Revolution series was The Hanged Man (1926), a stark drawing of a revolutionary execution. The image first appeared as an illustration in The Underdogs, a revolutionary novel by Mariano Azuela composed in El Paso, Texas, in 1915. Orozco exhibited the drawing in 1935 in exhibitions protesting lynching in the southern states. If violence respects no borders, he suggested, neither should the culture that protests it."
"In New York, Orozco frequented vaudeville shows and Harlem nightclubs and joined in the discussions of the artists and bohemians who gathered at The Ashram, a salon held in a fashionable Manhattan apartment. Here, Orozco explored Eastern philosophies and comparative mythology, an interest that found its outlet in Prometheus. In the mural, the Greek god dominates a fiery landscape; but looking at the suffering mortals below, it’s not clear whether Prometheus’ gift is the cure or the cause of their anguish."
Orozco's development of identity continues:
"In the United States, Orozco also fashioned an identity that incorporated both Mexican and American aspects. The first time Orozco crossed the border, at Laredo, Texas, in 1917, his art did not make it with him: A U.S. border guard seized nearly 60 of his drawings as “obscene,” in what Orozco later laughed off as “an official showing.” In the more metaphorical sense, though, Orozco’s work crossed borders easily. One of the most striking images from the Mexico in Revolution series was The Hanged Man (1926), a stark drawing of a revolutionary execution. The image first appeared as an illustration in The Underdogs, a revolutionary novel by Mariano Azuela composed in El Paso, Texas, in 1915. Orozco exhibited the drawing in 1935 in exhibitions protesting lynching in the southern states. If violence respects no borders, he suggested, neither should the culture that protests it."
# posted by scorpiorising : 3:08 PM |
Rittenhouse Review attends an Anti-War Protest
James Capozzolla of Rittenhouse Review tells us 40-somethings what it might feel like to attend an anti-war protest:
"When I arrived I felt, more than anything, old. I now know who marches against senseless and morally reprensible wars on cold late-winter evenings amid driving rains: high school and college students, twentysomethings, bicycle messengers and other anti-establishment types, and the true believers. I use none of these terms with the intent of disparaging the participants; I deploy them out of respect for their obvious conviction and the hope that I might at this point be considered a "true believer."
But I felt old and out of place, yet happy to be there with them, buoyed by their energy, pleased by their lawful decorum. They chanted loudly. I prayed and pondered silently. They played to the cameras. I turned shy when the photographers were about. They were angry. I was sad. They shouted, beat drums, and sang. I tried not to cry.
And now I'm home, drying off and warming up, and I think, We have much to learn from each other."
"When I arrived I felt, more than anything, old. I now know who marches against senseless and morally reprensible wars on cold late-winter evenings amid driving rains: high school and college students, twentysomethings, bicycle messengers and other anti-establishment types, and the true believers. I use none of these terms with the intent of disparaging the participants; I deploy them out of respect for their obvious conviction and the hope that I might at this point be considered a "true believer."
But I felt old and out of place, yet happy to be there with them, buoyed by their energy, pleased by their lawful decorum. They chanted loudly. I prayed and pondered silently. They played to the cameras. I turned shy when the photographers were about. They were angry. I was sad. They shouted, beat drums, and sang. I tried not to cry.
And now I'm home, drying off and warming up, and I think, We have much to learn from each other."
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:48 PM |
Thursday, March 20, 2003
And Finally, Our War Protests Today from Coast to Coast
Stay active. Stay vigilant. Remain peaceful.
# posted by scorpiorising : 9:07 AM |
Candlelight Vigils Redux
Go to this site to see fabulous photos of the candlelight vigils held all over the world this past Sunday, March 16.
# posted by scorpiorising : 7:51 AM |
"Bush is Shriveling"
"Bush is shriveling." My mother blurted this out, yesterday evening, while we were smoking on the patio and watching bird and squirrel activity.
"Shriveling! What do you mean 'shriveling' ", I asked.
"He's shriveling", she insisted.
"Oh, do you mean, drying up?" I asked. "He's wrinkling up," I said, with some degree of satisfaction. "He's drying up and losing all of his moisture. The shrub is drying up and turning into a brittle old, tumbleweed", I really got into the spirit of it. "Maybe he'll just blow around Texas for the rest of his days like an old, dry tumbleweed."
The thought of that got my mother and I giggling like two teenagers. Then we resumed our watch on the birds and squirrels. My mother has some pink roses that are just in bloom, the first of the season.
"Shriveling! What do you mean 'shriveling' ", I asked.
"He's shriveling", she insisted.
"Oh, do you mean, drying up?" I asked. "He's wrinkling up," I said, with some degree of satisfaction. "He's drying up and losing all of his moisture. The shrub is drying up and turning into a brittle old, tumbleweed", I really got into the spirit of it. "Maybe he'll just blow around Texas for the rest of his days like an old, dry tumbleweed."
The thought of that got my mother and I giggling like two teenagers. Then we resumed our watch on the birds and squirrels. My mother has some pink roses that are just in bloom, the first of the season.
# posted by scorpiorising : 7:16 AM |
And on a Lighter Note...Oh , All Right Already, I'm in love with the Guardian Unlimited
Duncan Campbell, in the Guardian Unlimited, says the most important issue in LA is the weather (and car chases), not the war, for goodness sakes, and don't you forget it.
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:51 AM |
The Protest Lowdown Nationally
Don't forget to visit this site, International A.n.s.w.e.r. for the call to protest and work walkouts.
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:11 AM |
The French are Fighting Mad (with words), and I don't blame them
In an article in the Guardian Unlimited, the French respond to unbelievable accusations by the British that this war is their fault:
"French newspapers yesterday complained that the British pro-war camp was guilty of "shameful distortion" of France's position on the second UN resolution. "Chirac, Blair's scapegoat," was the headline in an outraged Liberation, which said Mr Blair was plainly "criticising his neighbour to silence his critics".
"The American president, out of frustration, and the British prime minister, out of a pathetic need to justify himself, are fanning the latent Francophobia of their electorates," the paper said in its editorial yesterday. "By making Paris the scapegoat for their failures, they hope to dodge some embarrassing questions on the eve of a war thay they will wage alone against (almost) everyone, and having placed themselves beyond international law."
Le Figaro said Britain would "doubtless be weakened for a very long time" by the hole it had dug for itself over Iraq, while Le Monde said that Mr Blair had once again "decided to dump on France the main bulk of the responsibility for his own diplomatic failure". In a stinging editorial, France's newspaper of record said Mr Blair's efforts to win a majority for a second resolution had failed and that "contrary to the internationalist principles he has avowed since the start", the war would now begin without specific UN authorisation."
Apparently, Blair and Bush, given the tactics of both, are soulmates.
"French newspapers yesterday complained that the British pro-war camp was guilty of "shameful distortion" of France's position on the second UN resolution. "Chirac, Blair's scapegoat," was the headline in an outraged Liberation, which said Mr Blair was plainly "criticising his neighbour to silence his critics".
"The American president, out of frustration, and the British prime minister, out of a pathetic need to justify himself, are fanning the latent Francophobia of their electorates," the paper said in its editorial yesterday. "By making Paris the scapegoat for their failures, they hope to dodge some embarrassing questions on the eve of a war thay they will wage alone against (almost) everyone, and having placed themselves beyond international law."
Le Figaro said Britain would "doubtless be weakened for a very long time" by the hole it had dug for itself over Iraq, while Le Monde said that Mr Blair had once again "decided to dump on France the main bulk of the responsibility for his own diplomatic failure". In a stinging editorial, France's newspaper of record said Mr Blair's efforts to win a majority for a second resolution had failed and that "contrary to the internationalist principles he has avowed since the start", the war would now begin without specific UN authorisation."
Apparently, Blair and Bush, given the tactics of both, are soulmates.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:58 AM |
They are Camped at Fairford Airbase in Gloucestershire
Here is something of a daily journal for camping protesters trying to halt the use of Britains B52's in the war. From the Guardian Unlimited again.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:47 AM |
This One Moved Me to Tears
From the UK's The Guardian Unlimited:
"Fighting for peace
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Schoolchildren in countrywide protests
John Vidal
Thursday March 20, 2003
The Guardian
Up to 8,000 schoolchildren walked out of classes yesterday to stage sit-ins and anti-war demonstrations, in what are thought to have been the first national political protests by pupils since the 1970s.
There was chaos in Birmingham as more than 4,000 children, including Jacob Hunt, 14, son of Lord Hunt, who resigned as a health minister this week, defied their schools and met in the city's Victoria Square. Unprepared police tried to stop them occupying the city council offices.
In Liverpool, 800 pupils, some in school uniform, joined other anti-war protests and closed Birkenhead tunnel and several motorway junctions. In Manchester, up to 2,000 schoolchildren and university students blocked traffic and staged a protest outside the BBC offices.
Similar demonstrations and sit-ins, mostly organised by text messages, were held in other cities and in schools around Britain.
In Edinburgh, hundreds of pupils from Broughton high, James Gillespie's and Drummond high staged a "die-in" which stopped traffic on Princes Street for nearly an hour.
In Exeter, pupils occupied the constituency office of the local MP, Ben Bradshaw, demanding - and getting - a meeting.
In London, more than 1,000 pupils, mainly girls, from at least 20 schools joined university students for a protest in Parliament Square. "This is about priorities," said one pupil from Pimlico school. "This is more important than the science and English lessons I was going to have."
"School has always told us to have our own opinions and think about the things that affect us," said Zoe Bauillie, a sixth former at George Abbot school in Guildford. "We've done that and this seems the best action we can take."
"We are here for the children of Iraq," said Ella, a sixth former at Pimlico school. "We would not want to be in their situation."
Many children said schools had tried to stop them going on the protests by locking the gates. Pupils from one school in south London said they had to break out; others said they were warned at assembly not to go on any demonstrations."
"Fighting for peace
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Schoolchildren in countrywide protests
John Vidal
Thursday March 20, 2003
The Guardian
Up to 8,000 schoolchildren walked out of classes yesterday to stage sit-ins and anti-war demonstrations, in what are thought to have been the first national political protests by pupils since the 1970s.
There was chaos in Birmingham as more than 4,000 children, including Jacob Hunt, 14, son of Lord Hunt, who resigned as a health minister this week, defied their schools and met in the city's Victoria Square. Unprepared police tried to stop them occupying the city council offices.
In Liverpool, 800 pupils, some in school uniform, joined other anti-war protests and closed Birkenhead tunnel and several motorway junctions. In Manchester, up to 2,000 schoolchildren and university students blocked traffic and staged a protest outside the BBC offices.
Similar demonstrations and sit-ins, mostly organised by text messages, were held in other cities and in schools around Britain.
In Edinburgh, hundreds of pupils from Broughton high, James Gillespie's and Drummond high staged a "die-in" which stopped traffic on Princes Street for nearly an hour.
In Exeter, pupils occupied the constituency office of the local MP, Ben Bradshaw, demanding - and getting - a meeting.
In London, more than 1,000 pupils, mainly girls, from at least 20 schools joined university students for a protest in Parliament Square. "This is about priorities," said one pupil from Pimlico school. "This is more important than the science and English lessons I was going to have."
"School has always told us to have our own opinions and think about the things that affect us," said Zoe Bauillie, a sixth former at George Abbot school in Guildford. "We've done that and this seems the best action we can take."
"We are here for the children of Iraq," said Ella, a sixth former at Pimlico school. "We would not want to be in their situation."
Many children said schools had tried to stop them going on the protests by locking the gates. Pupils from one school in south London said they had to break out; others said they were warned at assembly not to go on any demonstrations."
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:31 AM |
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
"A Housekeeping Before the Apocalypse"-- Neal Pollack
Neal Pollack is a good housekeeper, and ex-soldier.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:48 PM |
U.N. Nuclear Inspectors Upset (no, probably livid)
U.N. nuclear inspectors, now leaving Iraq, are upset:
" Posted on Tue, Mar. 18, 2003
Nuclear inspectors reportedly angry
CHECKING FALSE U.S. LEADS WASTED TIME, SOURCE SAYS
By Dan Stober
Mercury News
As United Nations nuclear inspectors flee Iraq, some of them are angry at the Bush administration for cutting short their work, bad-mouthing their efforts and making false claims about evidence of weapons of mass destruction.
Some inspectors are ``scandalized'' at the way President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, among others, have ``politicized'' the inspection process, said a source close to the inspectors.
None of the nuclear-related intelligence trumpeted by the administration has held up to scrutiny, inspectors say. From suspect aluminum tubes to aerial photographs to documents -- revealed to be forgeries -- that claimed to link Iraq to uranium from Niger, inspectors say they chased U.S. leads that went nowhere and wasted valuable time in their efforts to determine the extent of Saddam Hussein's arsenal of weapons banned after the 1991 Persian Gulf War."
And this is how we wage psychological war, with disinformation and confusion.
" Posted on Tue, Mar. 18, 2003
Nuclear inspectors reportedly angry
CHECKING FALSE U.S. LEADS WASTED TIME, SOURCE SAYS
By Dan Stober
Mercury News
As United Nations nuclear inspectors flee Iraq, some of them are angry at the Bush administration for cutting short their work, bad-mouthing their efforts and making false claims about evidence of weapons of mass destruction.
Some inspectors are ``scandalized'' at the way President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, among others, have ``politicized'' the inspection process, said a source close to the inspectors.
None of the nuclear-related intelligence trumpeted by the administration has held up to scrutiny, inspectors say. From suspect aluminum tubes to aerial photographs to documents -- revealed to be forgeries -- that claimed to link Iraq to uranium from Niger, inspectors say they chased U.S. leads that went nowhere and wasted valuable time in their efforts to determine the extent of Saddam Hussein's arsenal of weapons banned after the 1991 Persian Gulf War."
And this is how we wage psychological war, with disinformation and confusion.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:29 PM |
Dick Armey and Joe Scarborough
Former House Speaker, Dick Armey, and former U.S. Representative Joe Scarborough, both republicans, will be providing commentary and analysis on MSNBC, it was announced in late February, 2003. Yikes. (Link above to MSNBC, scroll down, second page).
# posted by scorpiorising : 3:55 PM |
"Something's wrong with this picture"-Galactic
"Yea, we go off and fight you wars,
and we come home with battle scars...
There's something wrong with this picture."
Galactic
The picture is that you are being asked to kill other human beings in the name of your beliefs. These other human beings are being asked to kill you, because of the beliefs that they hold. They could be in fear for their lives if they don't try to kill you. They are in fear of their lives if they do. They are in a tight space.
You might meet them on the battlefield. You will see the faces of men with wives and children back home. You might remember your own wives and children. You might remember the last time you shared a beer with your friends. You might remember your humanity right then. The men, the enemies whose faces you are looking into, may be remembering the last time they shared the wine with friends. They might be remembering that they never wanted to fight this war in the first place.
You might be asked to kill Saddam Hussein, because he is viewed by the powers that be, more dangerous dead, than alive. That if he were to be put on trial, he would pose a threat for the spectacle of the trial. What if they are wrong. What if his death feeds into the already strong belief in martyrdom for the Arab people? What if you were to meet him in battle? Would you see him as another human being? Would he be bent and broken, possibly already wounded? Would you kill a wounded man? These are possibly, things that you are being asked to do.
Back home, we are being asked to believe the media pundits and their experts, on any news about and concerning this war.
We are being asked to believe these experts, even though many of these experts have served as officials in some capacity in the government. Is this a part of the military-industrial complex? Does the corporate-owned media shares its power with the politicians by employing them when they no longer serve in an official capacity with the government?
Where are the experts in peace, in diplomacy? Is true diplomacy to exact a lasting peace, and prevent unnecessary deaths? I've decided to become an expert in myself, in the understanding of myself, in the listening to my inner voice. I suppose, I am committing treason.
and we come home with battle scars...
There's something wrong with this picture."
Galactic
The picture is that you are being asked to kill other human beings in the name of your beliefs. These other human beings are being asked to kill you, because of the beliefs that they hold. They could be in fear for their lives if they don't try to kill you. They are in fear of their lives if they do. They are in a tight space.
You might meet them on the battlefield. You will see the faces of men with wives and children back home. You might remember your own wives and children. You might remember the last time you shared a beer with your friends. You might remember your humanity right then. The men, the enemies whose faces you are looking into, may be remembering the last time they shared the wine with friends. They might be remembering that they never wanted to fight this war in the first place.
You might be asked to kill Saddam Hussein, because he is viewed by the powers that be, more dangerous dead, than alive. That if he were to be put on trial, he would pose a threat for the spectacle of the trial. What if they are wrong. What if his death feeds into the already strong belief in martyrdom for the Arab people? What if you were to meet him in battle? Would you see him as another human being? Would he be bent and broken, possibly already wounded? Would you kill a wounded man? These are possibly, things that you are being asked to do.
Back home, we are being asked to believe the media pundits and their experts, on any news about and concerning this war.
We are being asked to believe these experts, even though many of these experts have served as officials in some capacity in the government. Is this a part of the military-industrial complex? Does the corporate-owned media shares its power with the politicians by employing them when they no longer serve in an official capacity with the government?
Where are the experts in peace, in diplomacy? Is true diplomacy to exact a lasting peace, and prevent unnecessary deaths? I've decided to become an expert in myself, in the understanding of myself, in the listening to my inner voice. I suppose, I am committing treason.
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:21 PM |
Bill Clinton says to "Trust Tony Blair"
Former President Bill Clinton, in the UK Guardian Unlimited on Tuesday, March 18, says Tony Blair's judgement ought to be trusted:
"The credit for 1441 belongs in large measure to Blair, who saw it as a chance to disarm Saddam in a way that strengthened the UN and preserved the Atlantic alliance. Unfortunately, the consensus behind 1441 has unravelled. Saddam has destroyed some missiles but beyond that he has done only what he thinks is necessary to keep the UN divided on the use of force. The really important issues relating to chemical and biological weapons remain unresolved.
In the face of the foot dragging, hawks in America have been pushing for an immediate attack on Iraq. Some of them want regime change for reasons other than disarmament, and, therefore, they have discredited the inspection process from the beginning; they did not want it to succeed. Because military action probably will require only a few days, they believe the world community will quickly unite on rebuilding Iraq as soon as Saddam is deposed.
On the other side, France, Germany and Russia are adamantly opposed to the use of force or imposing any ultimatum on Saddam as long as the inspectors are working. They believe that, at least as long as the inspectors are there, Iraq will not use or give away its chemical and biological stocks, and therefore, no matter how unhelpful Saddam is, he does not pose a threat sufficient to justify invasion. After 150,000 US forces were deployed to the Gulf, they concluded the US was not willing to give inspections a chance anyway. The problem with their position is that only the threat of force from the US and the UK got inspectors back into Iraq in the first place. Without a credible threat of force, Saddam will not disarm.
Once again, Blair stepped into the breach, with a last-ditch proposal to restore unity to the UN and disarm Saddam without military action. He secured US support for a new UN resolution that would require Saddam to meet dead lines, within a reasonable time, in four important areas, including accounting for his biological and chemical weapons and allowing Iraqi scientists to leave the country for interviews. Under the proposed resolution, failure to comply with this deadline would justify the use of force to depose Saddam.
Russia and France opposed this resolution and said they would veto it, because inspections are proceeding, weapons are being destroyed and there is therefore no need for a force ultimatum. Essentially they have decided Iraq presents no threat even if it never disarms, at least as long as inspectors are there.
The veto threat did not help the diplomacy. It's too bad, because if a majority of the security council had adopted the Blair approach, Saddam would have had no room for further evasion and he still might have disarmed without invasion and bloodshed. Now, it appears that force will be used to disarm and depose him."
And British citizens respond:
Letters
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions over Clinton's judgment
Wednesday March 19, 2003
The Guardian
"For a man who was once the leader of the most powerful nation on earth, Bill Clinton displays an enormous level of naivety if he believes the war on Iraq is a war of disarmament (Trust Tony's judgment, March 18). It is a war about the absolute authority of military power and the ability of one superpower to use it to prosecute its interests. Saddam Hussein is a convenient excuse. The Bush government has shown a breathtaking contempt for any notion of an international order that restricts its power and freedom to manoeuvre."
Russell Davies
London
And this:
"So Bill Clinton believes that the second resolution meant that Hans Blix and his inspectors would have been given more time and support for their work? He surely knows that all that was proposed was an ultimatum of of a few days? Evidence? How about the immediate US shooting down of the Chilean proposal of a 30-day ultimatum? Clearly what was needed was a fig leaf for the immediate use of force. Sad to see Bill Clinton demeaning himself like this after the cogent article by Jimmy Carter a few days previously."
Alan Calder
Milton Keynes
And finally, this:
" I question the use of the word "war" in the poorly written (if worse argued) piece by Bill Clinton. In every dictionary the word "war" requires two sides to be in armed conflict. Nobody seriously expects that to happen this week. What we are about to see is an invasion."
David Belbin
Nottingham
"The credit for 1441 belongs in large measure to Blair, who saw it as a chance to disarm Saddam in a way that strengthened the UN and preserved the Atlantic alliance. Unfortunately, the consensus behind 1441 has unravelled. Saddam has destroyed some missiles but beyond that he has done only what he thinks is necessary to keep the UN divided on the use of force. The really important issues relating to chemical and biological weapons remain unresolved.
In the face of the foot dragging, hawks in America have been pushing for an immediate attack on Iraq. Some of them want regime change for reasons other than disarmament, and, therefore, they have discredited the inspection process from the beginning; they did not want it to succeed. Because military action probably will require only a few days, they believe the world community will quickly unite on rebuilding Iraq as soon as Saddam is deposed.
On the other side, France, Germany and Russia are adamantly opposed to the use of force or imposing any ultimatum on Saddam as long as the inspectors are working. They believe that, at least as long as the inspectors are there, Iraq will not use or give away its chemical and biological stocks, and therefore, no matter how unhelpful Saddam is, he does not pose a threat sufficient to justify invasion. After 150,000 US forces were deployed to the Gulf, they concluded the US was not willing to give inspections a chance anyway. The problem with their position is that only the threat of force from the US and the UK got inspectors back into Iraq in the first place. Without a credible threat of force, Saddam will not disarm.
Once again, Blair stepped into the breach, with a last-ditch proposal to restore unity to the UN and disarm Saddam without military action. He secured US support for a new UN resolution that would require Saddam to meet dead lines, within a reasonable time, in four important areas, including accounting for his biological and chemical weapons and allowing Iraqi scientists to leave the country for interviews. Under the proposed resolution, failure to comply with this deadline would justify the use of force to depose Saddam.
Russia and France opposed this resolution and said they would veto it, because inspections are proceeding, weapons are being destroyed and there is therefore no need for a force ultimatum. Essentially they have decided Iraq presents no threat even if it never disarms, at least as long as inspectors are there.
The veto threat did not help the diplomacy. It's too bad, because if a majority of the security council had adopted the Blair approach, Saddam would have had no room for further evasion and he still might have disarmed without invasion and bloodshed. Now, it appears that force will be used to disarm and depose him."
And British citizens respond:
Letters
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions over Clinton's judgment
Wednesday March 19, 2003
The Guardian
"For a man who was once the leader of the most powerful nation on earth, Bill Clinton displays an enormous level of naivety if he believes the war on Iraq is a war of disarmament (Trust Tony's judgment, March 18). It is a war about the absolute authority of military power and the ability of one superpower to use it to prosecute its interests. Saddam Hussein is a convenient excuse. The Bush government has shown a breathtaking contempt for any notion of an international order that restricts its power and freedom to manoeuvre."
Russell Davies
London
And this:
"So Bill Clinton believes that the second resolution meant that Hans Blix and his inspectors would have been given more time and support for their work? He surely knows that all that was proposed was an ultimatum of of a few days? Evidence? How about the immediate US shooting down of the Chilean proposal of a 30-day ultimatum? Clearly what was needed was a fig leaf for the immediate use of force. Sad to see Bill Clinton demeaning himself like this after the cogent article by Jimmy Carter a few days previously."
Alan Calder
Milton Keynes
And finally, this:
" I question the use of the word "war" in the poorly written (if worse argued) piece by Bill Clinton. In every dictionary the word "war" requires two sides to be in armed conflict. Nobody seriously expects that to happen this week. What we are about to see is an invasion."
David Belbin
Nottingham
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:28 AM |
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Oh shit, What Next?!
The BBC reports that a talking fish in Brooklyn tells us it might be the end of the world.
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:28 PM |
"On the Other Hand, Hell Might be a Nicer Place than This."
South Knox Bubba gives us a peak into a chilling, probable Blog from the Future, Freedom Pundit, posted by Hamster (scroll down to Monday, March 17):
"Hope this works. All the WI-FIs have been shut down for a while, but I found an underground cable that appears to still be working and tapped in to one of the last operating free Sealand servers.
Can't stay connected too long, though. Homeland Security scanners are fairly active in this sector. I found a power outlet on a light near one of the Wackenhut detention camp fences. Risky business charging your laptop batteries that way, but what are you going to do?
Sorry for the light blogging. Other priorities have intervened.
I buried Mrs. Hamster last week. The vaccinations don't seem to be working against the newest weaponized strain of smallpox that bastard Osama stole from the "CDC" and released at Atlanta Hartsfield last year. I buried her next to where we buried what was left of pupster just the week before. I think she would have liked that. I don't feel guilty about pupster, though. We had to eat. We were getting really weak.
I don't know how much longer I can hold out. Even out here in the foothills the stench is horrible. There's not many of us left, and most of us are too weak to bury our dead. So I'm lucky I still had the strength, I guess. At least I could do that much for her.
And at least our folks went quickly, being old and weak and all. I'm just sorry we weren't able to bury them. Homeland Security patrols were pretty intense in their sector."
"Hope this works. All the WI-FIs have been shut down for a while, but I found an underground cable that appears to still be working and tapped in to one of the last operating free Sealand servers.
Can't stay connected too long, though. Homeland Security scanners are fairly active in this sector. I found a power outlet on a light near one of the Wackenhut detention camp fences. Risky business charging your laptop batteries that way, but what are you going to do?
Sorry for the light blogging. Other priorities have intervened.
I buried Mrs. Hamster last week. The vaccinations don't seem to be working against the newest weaponized strain of smallpox that bastard Osama stole from the "CDC" and released at Atlanta Hartsfield last year. I buried her next to where we buried what was left of pupster just the week before. I think she would have liked that. I don't feel guilty about pupster, though. We had to eat. We were getting really weak.
I don't know how much longer I can hold out. Even out here in the foothills the stench is horrible. There's not many of us left, and most of us are too weak to bury our dead. So I'm lucky I still had the strength, I guess. At least I could do that much for her.
And at least our folks went quickly, being old and weak and all. I'm just sorry we weren't able to bury them. Homeland Security patrols were pretty intense in their sector."
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:31 PM |
Turkey Reconsiders
Turkey wants to join us in this pathetic game.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:00 PM |
Britain to Battle
The Guardian Unlimited reports that Tony Blair has won a House of Common vote to defeat the anti-war members. Britain will be fighting along side of us, as will the Australians. Our friends in the House of Commons put up a good fight.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:44 PM |
Monday, March 17, 2003
"Iraq, the Middle East, and Change: No Dominoes"--The LA Times
Check out Cursor, for a link to the LA Times article, in which a state department classified document, leaked to the newspaper, is underlined for the light it sheds on the administration's true opinion for the chances of democracy in post-war Iraq.
Also, Cursor, in the above link, highlights an article in the New York Times that discusses how President John F. Kennedy augmented a regime change in Iraq, through the CIA, with the help of Saddam Hussein :
"Richard Nixon biographer Roger Morris writes in a New York Times op-ed that in 1963 the CIA, under President John F. Kennedy, 'conducted its own regime change in Baghdad, carried out in collaboration with Saddam Hussein...Britain and Israel backed American intervention in Iraq, while other U.S. allies -- chiefly France and Germany -- resisted.' "
Don't we ever learn?
Also, Cursor, in the above link, highlights an article in the New York Times that discusses how President John F. Kennedy augmented a regime change in Iraq, through the CIA, with the help of Saddam Hussein :
"Richard Nixon biographer Roger Morris writes in a New York Times op-ed that in 1963 the CIA, under President John F. Kennedy, 'conducted its own regime change in Baghdad, carried out in collaboration with Saddam Hussein...Britain and Israel backed American intervention in Iraq, while other U.S. allies -- chiefly France and Germany -- resisted.' "
Don't we ever learn?
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:44 PM |
The Courageous Mr. Robin Cook
Robin Cook resigns from the British Parliament, with these words:
"Mr Cook warned that "none of us can predict the death toll" of war, but that it is likely that casualities will number at least in the thousands.
He also defended the policy of containment, which the government dismissed as inadequate. Containment, he said, had led to the destruction of more weapons than had the last Gulf war.
War is only now contemplated "because Iraq's forces are so weak," Mr Cook continued, saying that "Iraq probably had no weapons of mass destruction in the commonly-used sense of the term" - a device that could be exploded in a western city.
Mr Cook also asked why Britain and America were so impatient with Iraq when it "is over 30 years since the UN called on Israel to quit the occupied territories".
He attacked George Bush's administration for greeting evidence of disarmament with "consternation", because it undermines the case for war. In reference to Mr Bush's controversial election victory, Mr Cook claimed that Britain was only now going to war "because of some hanging chads in Florida".
He concluded by saying that he had learned in his political career to "trust the British people", and because of that he intended to join those tomorrow night in voting against military action."
Long live Robin Cook.
"Mr Cook warned that "none of us can predict the death toll" of war, but that it is likely that casualities will number at least in the thousands.
He also defended the policy of containment, which the government dismissed as inadequate. Containment, he said, had led to the destruction of more weapons than had the last Gulf war.
War is only now contemplated "because Iraq's forces are so weak," Mr Cook continued, saying that "Iraq probably had no weapons of mass destruction in the commonly-used sense of the term" - a device that could be exploded in a western city.
Mr Cook also asked why Britain and America were so impatient with Iraq when it "is over 30 years since the UN called on Israel to quit the occupied territories".
He attacked George Bush's administration for greeting evidence of disarmament with "consternation", because it undermines the case for war. In reference to Mr Bush's controversial election victory, Mr Cook claimed that Britain was only now going to war "because of some hanging chads in Florida".
He concluded by saying that he had learned in his political career to "trust the British people", and because of that he intended to join those tomorrow night in voting against military action."
Long live Robin Cook.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:10 PM |
Lookin' Like Condeleeza Rice
I felt intense at work today. My co-worker, Charlotte, asked if I was in a bad mood. "Bad mood?", I said, "No, I'm just intense."
She didn't know that we are going to war tomorrow, because her TV isn't hooked up, and apparently she doesn't read any news sources. Her son will be leaving for Kuwait soon. I hated to break the news to her about the war tomorrow. Charlotte said she is thinking of flying to Kuwait to be near her son. I said I didn't think they would let her in the country, as it is too dangerous, unless you are on "official business". " I am on official business," Charlotte said.
Then a woman came in to buy coffee to go. She spoke to my other co-worker, Judy, who happens to be an African American.
"You look just like Condeleeza Rice", the woman said.
I was a little taken aback, because I didn't think my co-worker looked anything like Condeleeza Rice, and I said so. "You are pretty, Condeleeza Rice is pretty, but Judy, you don't look anything like her."
Judy was trying to be diplomatic with the woman, but she was having a hard time.
"Has anyone ever said that to you before?" the woman asked.
"No," Judy answered. "But that's okay. I know Condeleeza is only trying to do her job the way that she thinks Bush wants it done."
"Well," the woman said, "I didn't know you would react negatively to it. You must be democrats."
I couldn't stop myself from jumping in, "The information she puts out is so deceptive, " I said. Rosebud said it best later.
"Condeleza Rice, the Mistress of Disinformation."
"No, she isn't deceptive," the woman said.
"Oh yes she is", I said; I was in no mood to be diplomatic. I feel myself pushing everything to the edge, pushing the envelope, so to speak. I have to be careful though, my boss, the owner of the coffee shop, is for the war, and he knows I am against it, and he has been ordering everyone to take anti-war material off of our public bulletin board when they see it.
Judy and I laughed about the incident.
"How did it feel to be patronized by a Republican?" I asked.
" 'How ungrateful", she parodied the woman. " 'You should be damn glad I gave you some attention, Negro' ".
Uncompromising and direct is that girl. I am totally refreshed by her.
" You negros all look alike," I said.
Judy is studying law, and she is going to be a damn good lawyer. I would want her on my side any day of the week.
She didn't know that we are going to war tomorrow, because her TV isn't hooked up, and apparently she doesn't read any news sources. Her son will be leaving for Kuwait soon. I hated to break the news to her about the war tomorrow. Charlotte said she is thinking of flying to Kuwait to be near her son. I said I didn't think they would let her in the country, as it is too dangerous, unless you are on "official business". " I am on official business," Charlotte said.
Then a woman came in to buy coffee to go. She spoke to my other co-worker, Judy, who happens to be an African American.
"You look just like Condeleeza Rice", the woman said.
I was a little taken aback, because I didn't think my co-worker looked anything like Condeleeza Rice, and I said so. "You are pretty, Condeleeza Rice is pretty, but Judy, you don't look anything like her."
Judy was trying to be diplomatic with the woman, but she was having a hard time.
"Has anyone ever said that to you before?" the woman asked.
"No," Judy answered. "But that's okay. I know Condeleeza is only trying to do her job the way that she thinks Bush wants it done."
"Well," the woman said, "I didn't know you would react negatively to it. You must be democrats."
I couldn't stop myself from jumping in, "The information she puts out is so deceptive, " I said. Rosebud said it best later.
"Condeleza Rice, the Mistress of Disinformation."
"No, she isn't deceptive," the woman said.
"Oh yes she is", I said; I was in no mood to be diplomatic. I feel myself pushing everything to the edge, pushing the envelope, so to speak. I have to be careful though, my boss, the owner of the coffee shop, is for the war, and he knows I am against it, and he has been ordering everyone to take anti-war material off of our public bulletin board when they see it.
Judy and I laughed about the incident.
"How did it feel to be patronized by a Republican?" I asked.
" 'How ungrateful", she parodied the woman. " 'You should be damn glad I gave you some attention, Negro' ".
Uncompromising and direct is that girl. I am totally refreshed by her.
" You negros all look alike," I said.
Judy is studying law, and she is going to be a damn good lawyer. I would want her on my side any day of the week.
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:25 PM |
Sunday, March 16, 2003
No Democracy for Iraq
The Guardian Unlimited reports of a classified document leaked to the Los Angelas Times last week that reports democracy is not in the works for Iraq, but rather another strongman to run the country. The Guardian reports:
"However, there are well-founded suspicions that whatever Bush may think he means this is little more than pre-war rhetoric. Strategists in the State Department are set against any democratic experiment in a liberated Iraq, precisely because it threatens the authoritarian governments of the region - principally, Egypt, the Gulf States, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
A classified policy document leaked to the Los Angles Times last week not only doubts the possibility of introducing democracy to the Middle East by 'domino effect' but considers Iraq to be the least likely crucible of reform because of its ethnic and religious divisions. That is why now, when we're perhaps just a few days from war and maybe only weeks from peace, the State department and CIA have still had no meaningful contact with the elected leadership of the Iraqi National Congress, a body which draws from all sects and ethnic groups."
"However, there are well-founded suspicions that whatever Bush may think he means this is little more than pre-war rhetoric. Strategists in the State Department are set against any democratic experiment in a liberated Iraq, precisely because it threatens the authoritarian governments of the region - principally, Egypt, the Gulf States, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
A classified policy document leaked to the Los Angles Times last week not only doubts the possibility of introducing democracy to the Middle East by 'domino effect' but considers Iraq to be the least likely crucible of reform because of its ethnic and religious divisions. That is why now, when we're perhaps just a few days from war and maybe only weeks from peace, the State department and CIA have still had no meaningful contact with the elected leadership of the Iraqi National Congress, a body which draws from all sects and ethnic groups."
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:30 PM |
Viva la France!!!
Wow, last night Rosebud and I watched the movie Amelie, starring the gorgeous and whimsical French actress Audrey Tautou. Could she be the next, international Audrey you-know-who? Rosebud and I were so kind to each other yesterday as he is looking for work and a place to live, and I had a horrible fight with my father yesterday because I cursed the TV. I was watching a media drone, Vera Gibbons from the magazine Smart Money (which apparently is a contradiction in terms), speak on MSNBC. She said it is okay right now to have deficits. She was defending the war. "I mean," she said, "a lot of economists are saying it will be more costly to the American people if we don't have this war," or some such nonesense.
She and the MSNBC media drone were discussing a proposal being floated around to raise taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and something esle but I can't remember, to pay for the war. Discussing it later with Rosebud, he and I thought wow if that passes, and people can't afford to get drunk anymore, in order to numb themselves from the pain of Bush 2's reign, and if they can't afford to smoke their brains out in order to calm their nerves, then there might really be a revolution.
I called Ms. Gibbons a "bitch" when she said economists are now saying it is okay to have a deficit. I couldn't help myself. The word kind of spewed out of me like vomit when you are really sick. My father has his head partially buried in the sand, but he is a good man. "Our country is going down the drain and you are worried about me cursing the TV", I said, or something like that. "At least I'm not wasting time writing about WW2", and I immediately regretted saying that, because I really do think his website is worthwhile. Have we ever been closer to fascism in our nation's history? I think not. Anyway, I think my dad thinks I'm a little wacko right now because our computer is acting funny and I have a suspicion that Total Information Awareness may be watching us, and many other Americans. (Just in case they are watching, I want to say Hi fellas, hope you're having a good time spying on freedom loving Americans).
I didn't want to tell Rosebud that my computer is acting funny, like some files have been corrupted just like the Dell guy said over the phone, because Rosebud is really sensitive to that sort of suggestion. So far I have had two dreams about being spied on by the government, but I only told Rosebud about the first one, not the most recent one in which my father was in denial, and my mother was saying, "This is not the time to back down, we have to keep fighting them".
My mother is not into computers at all. She loves to garden and wouldn't hurt a flea, though she might kill a roach. We have big roaches in New Orleans. One time, while she was gardening, a hummingbird landed in her hand. She would rather pay more attention to the Virgin Mary and gardening and her grandchildren, then politics, but she is pretty angry these days over the mess Bush 2 is making.
Rosebud has been pretty anxious lately because of the world situation, and his need to find work and a place to live that he can afford. He is struggling with beliefs right now that the world is an unfriendly, harsh place and won't help him to realize his dreams
I've been talking to him about how we create our own reality, through our beliefs, and that it is possible to attract a nurturing work environment and living environment. Of course, I am telling myself the same thing as I tell him. We discussed that the pro-war people have a different set of beliefs, and we have to be gentle with them and try to help them move back towards rationality and common sense, as best we can, even though we might get insulted in the process. I told him I had made some anti-war comments on a pro-war blog site, and they visciously attacked me. That's when I had the second dream that the government is spying on me, and in the dream I had to fly to get away from a woman in an SUV trying to get her hooks in me.
Then we watched Amelie, which is a kind of fairytale, and seems to say that through kindness and the belief in the inherent goodness of the universe, we can help each other to realize our dreams. So I want to say thank you to the French people for making this film. The film is a beautiful moment and comes as close to cinematic perfection as I have ever seen.
She and the MSNBC media drone were discussing a proposal being floated around to raise taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and something esle but I can't remember, to pay for the war. Discussing it later with Rosebud, he and I thought wow if that passes, and people can't afford to get drunk anymore, in order to numb themselves from the pain of Bush 2's reign, and if they can't afford to smoke their brains out in order to calm their nerves, then there might really be a revolution.
I called Ms. Gibbons a "bitch" when she said economists are now saying it is okay to have a deficit. I couldn't help myself. The word kind of spewed out of me like vomit when you are really sick. My father has his head partially buried in the sand, but he is a good man. "Our country is going down the drain and you are worried about me cursing the TV", I said, or something like that. "At least I'm not wasting time writing about WW2", and I immediately regretted saying that, because I really do think his website is worthwhile. Have we ever been closer to fascism in our nation's history? I think not. Anyway, I think my dad thinks I'm a little wacko right now because our computer is acting funny and I have a suspicion that Total Information Awareness may be watching us, and many other Americans. (Just in case they are watching, I want to say Hi fellas, hope you're having a good time spying on freedom loving Americans).
I didn't want to tell Rosebud that my computer is acting funny, like some files have been corrupted just like the Dell guy said over the phone, because Rosebud is really sensitive to that sort of suggestion. So far I have had two dreams about being spied on by the government, but I only told Rosebud about the first one, not the most recent one in which my father was in denial, and my mother was saying, "This is not the time to back down, we have to keep fighting them".
My mother is not into computers at all. She loves to garden and wouldn't hurt a flea, though she might kill a roach. We have big roaches in New Orleans. One time, while she was gardening, a hummingbird landed in her hand. She would rather pay more attention to the Virgin Mary and gardening and her grandchildren, then politics, but she is pretty angry these days over the mess Bush 2 is making.
Rosebud has been pretty anxious lately because of the world situation, and his need to find work and a place to live that he can afford. He is struggling with beliefs right now that the world is an unfriendly, harsh place and won't help him to realize his dreams
I've been talking to him about how we create our own reality, through our beliefs, and that it is possible to attract a nurturing work environment and living environment. Of course, I am telling myself the same thing as I tell him. We discussed that the pro-war people have a different set of beliefs, and we have to be gentle with them and try to help them move back towards rationality and common sense, as best we can, even though we might get insulted in the process. I told him I had made some anti-war comments on a pro-war blog site, and they visciously attacked me. That's when I had the second dream that the government is spying on me, and in the dream I had to fly to get away from a woman in an SUV trying to get her hooks in me.
Then we watched Amelie, which is a kind of fairytale, and seems to say that through kindness and the belief in the inherent goodness of the universe, we can help each other to realize our dreams. So I want to say thank you to the French people for making this film. The film is a beautiful moment and comes as close to cinematic perfection as I have ever seen.
# posted by scorpiorising : 10:46 AM |
Ramsey Lewis Clark's Courage
I watched C-Span late last night, a replay of an anti-war march in D.C. Ramsey Lewis Clark, U.S. Attorney General from 1967 to 1969, spoke passionately. He called for impeachment of President George Bush. Is it time? I believe the grass roots movement on this issue could start now. The question is, will we vote him out of office faster than we can impeach him?
This is something to think about though. Visit www.VotetoImpeach.org for this:
Articles of Impeachment
of
President George W. Bush
and
Attorney General John David Ashcroft
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from
Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and
Misdemeanors. - - ARTICLE II, SECTION 4 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald H.
Rumsfeld, and Attorney General John David Ashcroft have committed violations and
subversions of the Constitution of the United States of America in an attempt to carry out with
impunity crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes and deprivations of the civil rights
of the people of the United States and other nations, by assuming powers of an imperial
executive unaccountable to law and usurping powers of the Congress, the Judiciary and those
reserved to the people of the United States, by the following acts:
This is something to think about though. Visit www.VotetoImpeach.org for this:
Articles of Impeachment
of
President George W. Bush
and
Attorney General John David Ashcroft
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from
Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and
Misdemeanors. - - ARTICLE II, SECTION 4 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald H.
Rumsfeld, and Attorney General John David Ashcroft have committed violations and
subversions of the Constitution of the United States of America in an attempt to carry out with
impunity crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes and deprivations of the civil rights
of the people of the United States and other nations, by assuming powers of an imperial
executive unaccountable to law and usurping powers of the Congress, the Judiciary and those
reserved to the people of the United States, by the following acts:
# posted by scorpiorising : 8:36 AM |
Friday, March 14, 2003
Dick Cheney's Lengthy Shadow
The UK's The Guardian Unlimited reports that Vice-President Dick Cheney still receives compensation from Halliburton:
"Cheney is still paid by Pentagon contractor
Bush deputy gets up to $1m from firm with Iraq oil deal
Robert Bryce in Austin, Texas and Julian Borger in Washington
Wednesday March 12, 2003
The Guardian
Halliburton, the Texas company which has been awarded the Pentagon's contract to put out potential oil-field fires in Iraq and which is bidding for postwar construction contracts, is still making annual payments to its former chief executive, the vice-president Dick Cheney.
The payments, which appear on Mr Cheney's 2001 financial disclosure statement, are in the form of "deferred compensation" of up to $1m (£600,000) a year.
When he left Halliburton in 2000 to become George Bush's running mate, he opted not to receive his leaving payment in a lump sum but instead have it paid to him over five years, possibly for tax reasons.
An aide to the vice president said yesterday: 'This is money that Mr Cheney was owed by the corporation as part of his salary for the time he was employed by Halliburton and which was a fixed amount paid to him over time.' "
Isn't this an incredible conflict of interest, as Halliburton wants to do business in the reconstruction of Iraq? Shouldn't Cheney have asked for the funds outright, after his election, in order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. This is outrageous.
The article further states:
"Halliburton is one of five large US corporations - the others are the Bechtel Group, Fluor Corp, Parsons Corp, and the Louis Berger Group - invited to bid for contracts in what may turn out to be the biggest reconstruction project since the second world war.
It is estimated to be worth up to $900m for the preliminary work alone, such as rebuilding Iraq's hospitals, ports, airports and schools.
The contract winners will be able to establish a presence in post-Saddam Iraq that should give them an invaluable edge in winning future contracts.
The defence department contract awarded to the Halliburton subsidiary, Kellog, Brown & Root (KBR), to control oil fires if Saddam Hussein sets the well heads alight, will put the company in an excellent position to bid for huge contracts when Iraq's oil industry is rehabilitated."
However you look at it, Cheney continues to profit from a company that may do business with a nation we are about to go to war with. He should have completely divested himself of any interest in the company. Screw the taxes. He should have paid up, and paid his share in taxes, to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
"Cheney is still paid by Pentagon contractor
Bush deputy gets up to $1m from firm with Iraq oil deal
Robert Bryce in Austin, Texas and Julian Borger in Washington
Wednesday March 12, 2003
The Guardian
Halliburton, the Texas company which has been awarded the Pentagon's contract to put out potential oil-field fires in Iraq and which is bidding for postwar construction contracts, is still making annual payments to its former chief executive, the vice-president Dick Cheney.
The payments, which appear on Mr Cheney's 2001 financial disclosure statement, are in the form of "deferred compensation" of up to $1m (£600,000) a year.
When he left Halliburton in 2000 to become George Bush's running mate, he opted not to receive his leaving payment in a lump sum but instead have it paid to him over five years, possibly for tax reasons.
An aide to the vice president said yesterday: 'This is money that Mr Cheney was owed by the corporation as part of his salary for the time he was employed by Halliburton and which was a fixed amount paid to him over time.' "
Isn't this an incredible conflict of interest, as Halliburton wants to do business in the reconstruction of Iraq? Shouldn't Cheney have asked for the funds outright, after his election, in order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. This is outrageous.
The article further states:
"Halliburton is one of five large US corporations - the others are the Bechtel Group, Fluor Corp, Parsons Corp, and the Louis Berger Group - invited to bid for contracts in what may turn out to be the biggest reconstruction project since the second world war.
It is estimated to be worth up to $900m for the preliminary work alone, such as rebuilding Iraq's hospitals, ports, airports and schools.
The contract winners will be able to establish a presence in post-Saddam Iraq that should give them an invaluable edge in winning future contracts.
The defence department contract awarded to the Halliburton subsidiary, Kellog, Brown & Root (KBR), to control oil fires if Saddam Hussein sets the well heads alight, will put the company in an excellent position to bid for huge contracts when Iraq's oil industry is rehabilitated."
However you look at it, Cheney continues to profit from a company that may do business with a nation we are about to go to war with. He should have completely divested himself of any interest in the company. Screw the taxes. He should have paid up, and paid his share in taxes, to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
# posted by scorpiorising : 6:05 PM |
The Military Industrial Complex, Circa 2003 and, Freedom of the Press
Major Barbara provides a peek into the military industrial complex, and consequently, we spot Dick Cheney's shadow:
The first business deal Halliburton announced after Dick Cheney was named CEO was to form an "alliance" with top oilfield firefighters -- the ones who put out the well fires in Kuwait.
Cheney ascended to CEO of Halliburton in October, 1995. The press deal announcing the new business venture with International Well Control -- a company started up by guys who used to work for Red Adair -- was dated October 27.
Three significant points:
1) The "alliance" was intended to give Halliburton "a total solution for well control on a global basis." It was the first time that Halliburton had moved to sew up oilfield firefighters with contracts -- i.e., the first time the company had so prepared to exploit a possible conflagration (in, say, Iraq).
2) The deal, signalling a whole new direction at Halliburton, probably didn't happen overnight. Cheney must have brought some nascent version of the deal with him to the company, in a bid to better equip Halliburton for that "total solution."
3) While CEO of Halliburton, Cheney began actively advocating invading Iraq -- at least as early as 1997.
Starting to connect the dots?
Cheney's deal helped assure Halliburton the first position in Iraqi oil fields after a war: fighting the fires. By sewing up the "newly formed company comprised of the renowned firefighters of the Red Adair Company," Cheney began cornering the market on the talent that put out the Kuwait fires. Once the alliance was in place, Halliburton would be positioned to service the ruined wells of post-invasion Iraq, no matter who wound up owning the oil. Firefighting services gave Halliburton unique leverage in profiting from flaming Iraqi oil fields. They'd be first on the scene, if and when an invasion was mounted, with complete control of the situation.
The spoils of war are very different in these post-modern times.
They come in the form of government contracts -- and the best ones have limited review -- and blank checks attached."
posted by Major Barbara | 5:39 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, and finally, an admission by a journalist, and redemption for all those who suspected the press has been eating doggie biscuits in the White House: BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
"Poynter.Org is well known among journalists as a place to keep themselves updated about the latest best practices and inside information about the media. It is a site with a lot of integrity. In quality, it's many cuts above most of the journalism it covers.
Which brings us to an astounding admission by a Washington Post writer who revealed the truth to Poynter.Org columnist Jim Romenesko: White House reporters have to have quotes that they publish, after "background" interviews, approved by the Stalinist censors in the Rove/Fleischer office of White House Communications. Not only do the so-called reporters have to get approval before including the quotes in an article, the White House can alter the quotations and demand that they be printed as though they were the original quotations.
As a strategy, Rove and Fleischer have White House Staff provide many interviews on "background" so that then they can force the reporters to submit to the White House censors any quotations that they want to actually print."
I don't know about you, but the smell of this dirty laundry sure is sweet.
The first business deal Halliburton announced after Dick Cheney was named CEO was to form an "alliance" with top oilfield firefighters -- the ones who put out the well fires in Kuwait.
Cheney ascended to CEO of Halliburton in October, 1995. The press deal announcing the new business venture with International Well Control -- a company started up by guys who used to work for Red Adair -- was dated October 27.
Three significant points:
1) The "alliance" was intended to give Halliburton "a total solution for well control on a global basis." It was the first time that Halliburton had moved to sew up oilfield firefighters with contracts -- i.e., the first time the company had so prepared to exploit a possible conflagration (in, say, Iraq).
2) The deal, signalling a whole new direction at Halliburton, probably didn't happen overnight. Cheney must have brought some nascent version of the deal with him to the company, in a bid to better equip Halliburton for that "total solution."
3) While CEO of Halliburton, Cheney began actively advocating invading Iraq -- at least as early as 1997.
Starting to connect the dots?
Cheney's deal helped assure Halliburton the first position in Iraqi oil fields after a war: fighting the fires. By sewing up the "newly formed company comprised of the renowned firefighters of the Red Adair Company," Cheney began cornering the market on the talent that put out the Kuwait fires. Once the alliance was in place, Halliburton would be positioned to service the ruined wells of post-invasion Iraq, no matter who wound up owning the oil. Firefighting services gave Halliburton unique leverage in profiting from flaming Iraqi oil fields. They'd be first on the scene, if and when an invasion was mounted, with complete control of the situation.
The spoils of war are very different in these post-modern times.
They come in the form of government contracts -- and the best ones have limited review -- and blank checks attached."
posted by Major Barbara | 5:39 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, and finally, an admission by a journalist, and redemption for all those who suspected the press has been eating doggie biscuits in the White House: BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
"Poynter.Org is well known among journalists as a place to keep themselves updated about the latest best practices and inside information about the media. It is a site with a lot of integrity. In quality, it's many cuts above most of the journalism it covers.
Which brings us to an astounding admission by a Washington Post writer who revealed the truth to Poynter.Org columnist Jim Romenesko: White House reporters have to have quotes that they publish, after "background" interviews, approved by the Stalinist censors in the Rove/Fleischer office of White House Communications. Not only do the so-called reporters have to get approval before including the quotes in an article, the White House can alter the quotations and demand that they be printed as though they were the original quotations.
As a strategy, Rove and Fleischer have White House Staff provide many interviews on "background" so that then they can force the reporters to submit to the White House censors any quotations that they want to actually print."
I don't know about you, but the smell of this dirty laundry sure is sweet.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:27 PM |
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Open Letter to Kim Chong-il, President of North Korea
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you out of a sense of hope, that our common humanity will bridge any language or cultural barriers that now exist. First of all, let me say, that it is my belief that we, the people of the United States, share a common goal with you. The goal is this: that all the governments of the world ought to strive to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which to live for its citizens and peoples of neighboring states. It is my firm belief that if one could peer into the heart of every human being, one would find this hope.
With that in mind, I would like to personally apologize for the shrill language used by my country's leaders when discussing your country. It is understandable that you have interpreted the language used as vague threats and possible warnings.
It is my belief that the majority of Americans would not wish harm on your country, and would prefer to live in peace. And it is my belief that your country, and mine, can one day be friends. We will have to work hard to achieve this friendship, but it is my belief that it can be accomplished.
As far as the reasons the leaders of my country have chosen to use such incendiary language, it is my belief that their approach is born of fear, and a lack of confidence in their own chosen methods, though I don't believe they would be able to admit this openly.
This is a critical time in history. This time calls for men and women to rise to the occasion and work towards a lasting peace among the peoples of the world. I am fearful that our current leadership is unable, because of faulty beliefs, to do this. Therefore, I am urging you, President Kim Chong-il, to take the lead role in this, and make the first gesture towards peace. You will see many nations and peoples of the world voice their support and approval for this, though you may continue to meet with criticism by the leaders of the United States.
Many citizens of the United States, who long for peace, would support you. I want you to know that our hearts are with the good people of North Korea, and let us all pray for peace.
Sincerely,
Red Onion
I am writing to you out of a sense of hope, that our common humanity will bridge any language or cultural barriers that now exist. First of all, let me say, that it is my belief that we, the people of the United States, share a common goal with you. The goal is this: that all the governments of the world ought to strive to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which to live for its citizens and peoples of neighboring states. It is my firm belief that if one could peer into the heart of every human being, one would find this hope.
With that in mind, I would like to personally apologize for the shrill language used by my country's leaders when discussing your country. It is understandable that you have interpreted the language used as vague threats and possible warnings.
It is my belief that the majority of Americans would not wish harm on your country, and would prefer to live in peace. And it is my belief that your country, and mine, can one day be friends. We will have to work hard to achieve this friendship, but it is my belief that it can be accomplished.
As far as the reasons the leaders of my country have chosen to use such incendiary language, it is my belief that their approach is born of fear, and a lack of confidence in their own chosen methods, though I don't believe they would be able to admit this openly.
This is a critical time in history. This time calls for men and women to rise to the occasion and work towards a lasting peace among the peoples of the world. I am fearful that our current leadership is unable, because of faulty beliefs, to do this. Therefore, I am urging you, President Kim Chong-il, to take the lead role in this, and make the first gesture towards peace. You will see many nations and peoples of the world voice their support and approval for this, though you may continue to meet with criticism by the leaders of the United States.
Many citizens of the United States, who long for peace, would support you. I want you to know that our hearts are with the good people of North Korea, and let us all pray for peace.
Sincerely,
Red Onion
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:24 PM |
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
Ta dah!!!
And here is Total Information Awareness Resource Center, everything you want to know about the damn thing, press releases, protests, and other interesting links. It was last updated November of 2002, but is a good resource.
Here is the Total Information Awareness Gift Shop, whose apparel is adorned with the creepy pyramid/eye logo of TIA. Proceeds are donated to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Here is the Total Information Awareness Gift Shop, whose apparel is adorned with the creepy pyramid/eye logo of TIA. Proceeds are donated to the American Civil Liberties Union.
# posted by scorpiorising : 3:55 PM |
Protest of Poindexter
December 2002 is a month noted for several online protests of Admiral Poindexter, director of the office that is researching and developing Total Information Awareness. The online mag the inquirer reports a very interesting form of protest here, here and here.
Wendy M. Grossman, in her Column net.wars for the inquirer, has this interesting commentary, from November 2002, on Total Information Awareness.
Wendy M. Grossman, in her Column net.wars for the inquirer, has this interesting commentary, from November 2002, on Total Information Awareness.
# posted by scorpiorising : 3:23 PM |
Total Information Awareness
The New York Times John Markoff reports today that the software pioneer, Mitchell D. Kapor, has resigned from the board of Groove Networks after learning "the company's software is being used by the Pentagon as part of its development of a domestic surveillance system."
Kapor is described in the article as a personal computer industry software pioneer and a civil liberties activist. Groove Networks just received $38 million to finance the development of the domestic surveillance system, called the Total Information Awareness.
Markoff states that according to close friends, Kapor was uncomfortable with software that he helped to develop being used as a "crucial component of the antiterrorist surveillance software being tested at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Information Awareness Office, an office directed by Vice Adm. John M. Poindexter."
Poindexter, if you remember, was the national security advisor for President Ronald Reagan. He was convicted in his role as part of the Iran-Contra scandal, then pardoned by a Congressional grant of immunity.
" The project has been trying to build a prototype computer system that would permit the scanning of hundreds or thousands of databases to look for information patterns that might alert the authorities to the activities of potential terrorists.
Civil liberties activists have argued that such a system, if deployed, could easily be misused in ways that would undercut traditional American privacy values.
On Feb. 11, House and Senate negotiators agreed that the Total Information Awareness project could not be used against Americans. Congress also agreed to restrict additional research on the program without extensive consultation with Congress.
Congressional negotiators gave the Defense Department 90 days to provide a report to Congress detailing its costs, impact on privacy and civil liberties and likelihood of success against terrorists. All further research on the project would have to stop immediately if the report is not filed by the deadline."
Why am I not reassured by the internal checks established for this legislation? Because of this:
'But President Bush can keep the research alive by certifying to Congress that a halt "would endanger the national security of the United States." '
You can just about count on this research continuing.
Kapor is described in the article as a personal computer industry software pioneer and a civil liberties activist. Groove Networks just received $38 million to finance the development of the domestic surveillance system, called the Total Information Awareness.
Markoff states that according to close friends, Kapor was uncomfortable with software that he helped to develop being used as a "crucial component of the antiterrorist surveillance software being tested at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Information Awareness Office, an office directed by Vice Adm. John M. Poindexter."
Poindexter, if you remember, was the national security advisor for President Ronald Reagan. He was convicted in his role as part of the Iran-Contra scandal, then pardoned by a Congressional grant of immunity.
" The project has been trying to build a prototype computer system that would permit the scanning of hundreds or thousands of databases to look for information patterns that might alert the authorities to the activities of potential terrorists.
Civil liberties activists have argued that such a system, if deployed, could easily be misused in ways that would undercut traditional American privacy values.
On Feb. 11, House and Senate negotiators agreed that the Total Information Awareness project could not be used against Americans. Congress also agreed to restrict additional research on the program without extensive consultation with Congress.
Congressional negotiators gave the Defense Department 90 days to provide a report to Congress detailing its costs, impact on privacy and civil liberties and likelihood of success against terrorists. All further research on the project would have to stop immediately if the report is not filed by the deadline."
Why am I not reassured by the internal checks established for this legislation? Because of this:
'But President Bush can keep the research alive by certifying to Congress that a halt "would endanger the national security of the United States." '
You can just about count on this research continuing.
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:41 PM |
Total Information Awareness
The New York Times John Markoff reports today that the software pioneer, Mitchell D. Kapor, has resigned from the board of Groove Networks after learning "the company's software is being used by the Pentagon as part of its development of a domestic surveillance system.
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:41 PM |
Monday, March 10, 2003
Freedom of the Press???
According to Kate Adie, a BBC war correspondent who covered Gulf War 1, the Pentagon has threatened to fire at the satellite uplink positions of independent reporters covering what may be a U.S. invasion of Iraq.
She said, " I am enormously pessimistic of decent on the spot reporting, as the war occurs."
She said, " I am enormously pessimistic of decent on the spot reporting, as the war occurs."
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:50 PM |
Alive and Well and Living...
I just saw Joe Mccarthy again,
he was strolling Magazine St.,
he was smoking a big, fat cigar,
looking fit and vain in a three piece suit,
minus the coat,
hiding behind a bow tie this time,
a faint smudge of rouge on his cheeks,
fat belly over-lapping an expensive belt,
confidently window shopping,
walking alone, cell phone strapped to
his waist, beeper in his pocket,
a walking communication bravado,
Italian made, wing tips on his feet,
American flag (made in Taiwan) attached
to the antenna on his SUV,
Bush/Cheney sticker on the rear bumper,
car alarm beeped from command issued
to unlock doors,
a Starbucks cup in the drink tray,
he wore an absolutely unshakable faith of money
in his pockets,
George Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson, Franklin too
hidden in the creases and folds of his tailored pants,
A Celine Deon cd in his car stereo,
mouthing tunes that celebrate America,
taking pride in his ownership,
pretending not to notice
the sinking ship in the harbour,
and the rats jumping a doomed voyage.
he was strolling Magazine St.,
he was smoking a big, fat cigar,
looking fit and vain in a three piece suit,
minus the coat,
hiding behind a bow tie this time,
a faint smudge of rouge on his cheeks,
fat belly over-lapping an expensive belt,
confidently window shopping,
walking alone, cell phone strapped to
his waist, beeper in his pocket,
a walking communication bravado,
Italian made, wing tips on his feet,
American flag (made in Taiwan) attached
to the antenna on his SUV,
Bush/Cheney sticker on the rear bumper,
car alarm beeped from command issued
to unlock doors,
a Starbucks cup in the drink tray,
he wore an absolutely unshakable faith of money
in his pockets,
George Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson, Franklin too
hidden in the creases and folds of his tailored pants,
A Celine Deon cd in his car stereo,
mouthing tunes that celebrate America,
taking pride in his ownership,
pretending not to notice
the sinking ship in the harbour,
and the rats jumping a doomed voyage.
# posted by scorpiorising : 5:22 PM |
Sunday, March 09, 2003
Crisis of Faith
I am prowling through the house, smoking a cigarette, knowing my sister is out of town so it won't matter. I can think of nothing better to do at this moment, then blogging. Kinda sad, maybe. I'm speedy, these last few day. In a hyper state of alert. Isn't that what the government wanted? Except that I am alerted, worrying about possible intrusion into my life, and the lives of others, by the government, unnecessary intrusion.
Besides the government, there's North Korea, and our blunder there, in pissing them off and them reminding us of the weapons they possess, rubbin they things at us.
Then there's that I am earning barely 9 or 10 dollars an hour. I'm mostly good at listening to people and encouraging them, but I don't want to be paid for that anymore. I like the technology of computers, but going back to school would bring me a debt I don't want. I'm pacing. What are my options? What are my options?
I keep blogging, and tuning into Radio@Netscape Plus. The Abstract station is appropriate mood springer. There's a bird singing loudly, almost earl-piercingly in my backyard. I think she is heralding the arrival of Spring in this sub-tropical zone.
I think I'll go listen to her for a while.
Besides the government, there's North Korea, and our blunder there, in pissing them off and them reminding us of the weapons they possess, rubbin they things at us.
Then there's that I am earning barely 9 or 10 dollars an hour. I'm mostly good at listening to people and encouraging them, but I don't want to be paid for that anymore. I like the technology of computers, but going back to school would bring me a debt I don't want. I'm pacing. What are my options? What are my options?
I keep blogging, and tuning into Radio@Netscape Plus. The Abstract station is appropriate mood springer. There's a bird singing loudly, almost earl-piercingly in my backyard. I think she is heralding the arrival of Spring in this sub-tropical zone.
I think I'll go listen to her for a while.
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:56 AM |
Site Error
Please credit the Media Whores Online Watch Watch Watch Watch, for the Vietnam 2 Preflight Check List.
entry March 3, 2003. Enjoy.
entry March 3, 2003. Enjoy.
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:37 AM |
1. Cabal of oldsters who won't listen to outside advice? Check.
2. No understanding of the many ethnicities of the locals? Check.
3. Imposing country boundaries drawn by Europe, and not by the locals? Check.
4. Unshakeable faith in the superiority of our technology? Check.
5. France secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check.
6. Germany secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check.
7. China secretly hoping we fall on our assess? Check.
8. SecDef pushing a war that JCS never wanted? Check.
9. Fear we will look bad if we back down now? Check.
10. Corrupt Texan in the Whitehouse? Check.
11. Land war in Asia? Check.
12. Right unhappy with the outcome of the previous war? Check.
13. Enemy easily moves in/out of neighboring countries? Check.
14. Soldiers about to be dosed with our own chemicals? Check.
15. Friendly-fire problem ignored instead of solved? Check.
16. Anti-Americanism up sharply in Europe? Check.
17.B-52 bombers? Check.
18. Helicoptors that clog up the local dust? Check.
19. In-fighting of the branches of the military? Check.
20. Locals that cheer us by day, hate us by night? Check.
21. Local experts ignored? Check.
22. Locals used to conflicts that have lasted longer than the U.S.A is a country? Check.
23. Against advice, Prez won't raise taxes to pay for war? Check.
24. Blue water navy ships operating in brown water? Check.
25. Use of nukes hinted at if things don't go our way? Check.
26. Unpopular War? Check.
Vietnam 2, You Are Cleared To Taxi.
2. No understanding of the many ethnicities of the locals? Check.
3. Imposing country boundaries drawn by Europe, and not by the locals? Check.
4. Unshakeable faith in the superiority of our technology? Check.
5. France secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check.
6. Germany secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check.
7. China secretly hoping we fall on our assess? Check.
8. SecDef pushing a war that JCS never wanted? Check.
9. Fear we will look bad if we back down now? Check.
10. Corrupt Texan in the Whitehouse? Check.
11. Land war in Asia? Check.
12. Right unhappy with the outcome of the previous war? Check.
13. Enemy easily moves in/out of neighboring countries? Check.
14. Soldiers about to be dosed with our own chemicals? Check.
15. Friendly-fire problem ignored instead of solved? Check.
16. Anti-Americanism up sharply in Europe? Check.
17.B-52 bombers? Check.
18. Helicoptors that clog up the local dust? Check.
19. In-fighting of the branches of the military? Check.
20. Locals that cheer us by day, hate us by night? Check.
21. Local experts ignored? Check.
22. Locals used to conflicts that have lasted longer than the U.S.A is a country? Check.
23. Against advice, Prez won't raise taxes to pay for war? Check.
24. Blue water navy ships operating in brown water? Check.
25. Use of nukes hinted at if things don't go our way? Check.
26. Unpopular War? Check.
Vietnam 2, You Are Cleared To Taxi.
# posted by scorpiorising : 11:09 AM |
My Dream Last Night
I had a dream last night that I was watching the game show, Jeapardy. The question Alex Trebeck asked was this:"Who is a threat to the United States?"
One contestant said, "Iraq".
"Wrong," Trebeck said.
Next contestant said, "Al Queda".
Everyone in the audience clapped to this answer, thinking it was the correct one. However, Trebeck said, "Not Al Queda". Then, I woke up, before the correct answer was given.
I was left to ponder, in the early morning light, our true threats. At first, I wanted to say North Korea. But its too easy. They view us as a threat, I am guessing, as much as we view them.
I came to this conclusion: the true threat to the United States is, ourselves, ourselves, ourselves.
One contestant said, "Iraq".
"Wrong," Trebeck said.
Next contestant said, "Al Queda".
Everyone in the audience clapped to this answer, thinking it was the correct one. However, Trebeck said, "Not Al Queda". Then, I woke up, before the correct answer was given.
I was left to ponder, in the early morning light, our true threats. At first, I wanted to say North Korea. But its too easy. They view us as a threat, I am guessing, as much as we view them.
I came to this conclusion: the true threat to the United States is, ourselves, ourselves, ourselves.
# posted by scorpiorising : 9:13 AM |
Fun with Links
Take Back the Media has a new groove thang going on, and its powered by the goose step. Check it out, and thank Blah3.com for sponsoring. Far Out. Also, Blah3 highlights CNN for an hour. Hint: its war, war, war.
Here is a fabulous article in The New York Observer ,
Going off to War Supplied with Lies, by Nicholas von Hoffman , on the seductions of war for the news media:
"However much war may depress advertising and ruin the news budgets of the big media corporations, it gooses the ratings and makes stars of the on-air performers. And heroes, too: In December, HBO showed Live from Baghdad, a docudrama glorifying war whoredom. The same show is available around the clock on television as these journalistic war profiteers promote themselves and their careers. You can see the giddy emotional state of these men and women, clutching their microphones as their adrenaline-hyped voices report from Washington, Baghdad, London, Amman or--better yet--the deck of an aircraft carrier. "
Here is a fabulous article in The New York Observer ,
Going off to War Supplied with Lies, by Nicholas von Hoffman , on the seductions of war for the news media:
"However much war may depress advertising and ruin the news budgets of the big media corporations, it gooses the ratings and makes stars of the on-air performers. And heroes, too: In December, HBO showed Live from Baghdad, a docudrama glorifying war whoredom. The same show is available around the clock on television as these journalistic war profiteers promote themselves and their careers. You can see the giddy emotional state of these men and women, clutching their microphones as their adrenaline-hyped voices report from Washington, Baghdad, London, Amman or--better yet--the deck of an aircraft carrier. "
# posted by scorpiorising : 8:56 AM |
Friday, March 07, 2003
The Intellect behind the War Brain?
I stumbled upon this site for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and I think I may have found the human brain behind the war plans. In horror movies, it is the human brain soaking in formaldehyde, connected to electrodes, hypnotizing with thought control the participants of its evil intentions. Here are a few quotes from this document: An Attack on Iraq: The Military, Political and Economic Consequences, Scenario Briefing, by Anthony H. Cordesman:
"Scenarios must be based on somewhat arbitrary sets of independent variables that are logically grouped to illustrate the possible outcomes of the war."
Huh? And...
"Put differently, there is a nearly 100% probability that actual combat will not neatly conform to any scenario developed before the war, and that some variables postulated in one scenario will actually prove to be most important in another."
There's more...
"The convenient corollary of these uncertainties, however, is that many expert arguments over how to structure given scenarios are largely irrelevent."
Then this shocking conclusion:
"One should not be an expert in complexity theory to understand that arguing over the probability of an given mix of low probability events actually occurring in the postulated way is largely a waste of time."
Have we argued ourselves out of considering the consequences, eh Mr. Cordesman?
Then, to make matters worse, there is this worse case scenario:
"Protracted, military resistance takes place in Iraq. There is intense, urban warfare in more than one part of the country. There are significant casualties, collateral damage, major U.S. reinforcements required, Costs escalate sharply."
Then finally, this conclusion:
"There are no magic answers. Things can go terribly wrong and even in a few cases probably have a probability of 10%."
I think a better phrase for Cordesman and his scary types is Anti-Intellectual.
"Scenarios must be based on somewhat arbitrary sets of independent variables that are logically grouped to illustrate the possible outcomes of the war."
Huh? And...
"Put differently, there is a nearly 100% probability that actual combat will not neatly conform to any scenario developed before the war, and that some variables postulated in one scenario will actually prove to be most important in another."
There's more...
"The convenient corollary of these uncertainties, however, is that many expert arguments over how to structure given scenarios are largely irrelevent."
Then this shocking conclusion:
"One should not be an expert in complexity theory to understand that arguing over the probability of an given mix of low probability events actually occurring in the postulated way is largely a waste of time."
Have we argued ourselves out of considering the consequences, eh Mr. Cordesman?
Then, to make matters worse, there is this worse case scenario:
"Protracted, military resistance takes place in Iraq. There is intense, urban warfare in more than one part of the country. There are significant casualties, collateral damage, major U.S. reinforcements required, Costs escalate sharply."
Then finally, this conclusion:
"There are no magic answers. Things can go terribly wrong and even in a few cases probably have a probability of 10%."
I think a better phrase for Cordesman and his scary types is Anti-Intellectual.
# posted by scorpiorising : 4:30 PM |
A One-Time Sort of Thing
Unbelievalbly, a Paul West article in the Baltimore Sun quoted Treasury Secretary John Snow recently as saying "The cost of the war will be a one-time thing". West responds to the statement by saying, "But beyond the cost of the war, estimated at upwards of 100 billion, is the longer-term expense of replacing Hussein and attempting to run Iraq effectively, a subject that Bush also has yet to address in detail but frought with uncertainty."
It is such elementary, and obvious attempts at manipulation for Snow to suggest the cost of the war is a "one-time sort of thing". Does he mean that the war will occur only once? Does he mean that we will only pay for it once? Or does he mean, as West suggests, that the cost of the war is seperate from the cost of helping a country to recover from a war we have waged upon it. Whatever.
This parlour game of semantics dancing is tiresome. Everyone of sound, mind and body knows we are going to be paying for this one for a long time. Especially crucial should be the plight of the millions of refugees this war will create. Based on how we are helping to care for the desperately poor of Afghanistan, made poorer still by our war on the Taliban, I fear for the Iraqi people.
It is also the people of the United States who are going to continue suffering economically as a result of our wars in the world. I noticed it is difficult to get information on the cost of the continuing war in Afghanistan. I am guessing, and if anyone cares to correct me or send additional info, that the war in Afghanistan has cost $30 to $60 billion. And this doesn't include the cost of humanitarian efforts, born by many nations. It is a difficult, accurate information era.
I think it is safe to assume the Bush administration is counting on oil profits from its new empire of the oil fields of Iraq, to pay for this war. One can only wonder how much of the profits earned from the results of this war, will stay with the Iraqi people.
It smells like greed and arrogance. It smells like vain-glorious, religious superiority raised to new heights, to dangerous sociopathology, bordering on psychopathology. The Bush administration is mentally ill, but the patients are running the asylum.
It is such elementary, and obvious attempts at manipulation for Snow to suggest the cost of the war is a "one-time sort of thing". Does he mean that the war will occur only once? Does he mean that we will only pay for it once? Or does he mean, as West suggests, that the cost of the war is seperate from the cost of helping a country to recover from a war we have waged upon it. Whatever.
This parlour game of semantics dancing is tiresome. Everyone of sound, mind and body knows we are going to be paying for this one for a long time. Especially crucial should be the plight of the millions of refugees this war will create. Based on how we are helping to care for the desperately poor of Afghanistan, made poorer still by our war on the Taliban, I fear for the Iraqi people.
It is also the people of the United States who are going to continue suffering economically as a result of our wars in the world. I noticed it is difficult to get information on the cost of the continuing war in Afghanistan. I am guessing, and if anyone cares to correct me or send additional info, that the war in Afghanistan has cost $30 to $60 billion. And this doesn't include the cost of humanitarian efforts, born by many nations. It is a difficult, accurate information era.
I think it is safe to assume the Bush administration is counting on oil profits from its new empire of the oil fields of Iraq, to pay for this war. One can only wonder how much of the profits earned from the results of this war, will stay with the Iraqi people.
It smells like greed and arrogance. It smells like vain-glorious, religious superiority raised to new heights, to dangerous sociopathology, bordering on psychopathology. The Bush administration is mentally ill, but the patients are running the asylum.
# posted by scorpiorising : 2:04 PM |
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- 06/08/2003 - 06/15/2003
- 06/15/2003 - 06/22/2003
- 06/22/2003 - 06/29/2003
- 06/29/2003 - 07/06/2003
- 07/06/2003 - 07/13/2003
- 07/13/2003 - 07/20/2003
- 07/20/2003 - 07/27/2003
- 07/27/2003 - 08/03/2003
- 08/03/2003 - 08/10/2003
- 08/10/2003 - 08/17/2003
- 08/17/2003 - 08/24/2003
- 09/07/2003 - 09/14/2003
- 09/14/2003 - 09/21/2003
- 09/21/2003 - 09/28/2003
- 09/28/2003 - 10/05/2003
- 10/05/2003 - 10/12/2003
- 10/12/2003 - 10/19/2003
- 10/19/2003 - 10/26/2003
- 10/26/2003 - 11/02/2003
- 11/02/2003 - 11/09/2003
- 11/09/2003 - 11/16/2003
- 11/16/2003 - 11/23/2003
- 11/23/2003 - 11/30/2003
- 11/30/2003 - 12/07/2003
- 12/14/2003 - 12/21/2003
- 01/11/2004 - 01/18/2004
- 01/18/2004 - 01/25/2004
- 01/25/2004 - 02/01/2004
- 02/01/2004 - 02/08/2004
- 02/08/2004 - 02/15/2004
- 02/22/2004 - 02/29/2004
- 05/23/2004 - 05/30/2004
- 09/26/2004 - 10/03/2004
- 10/03/2004 - 10/10/2004
- 10/10/2004 - 10/17/2004
- 10/17/2004 - 10/24/2004
- 10/24/2004 - 10/31/2004
- 10/31/2004 - 11/07/2004
- 11/07/2004 - 11/14/2004
- 11/14/2004 - 11/21/2004
- 11/21/2004 - 11/28/2004
- 11/28/2004 - 12/05/2004
- 12/05/2004 - 12/12/2004
- 12/19/2004 - 12/26/2004
- 12/26/2004 - 01/02/2005
- 01/02/2005 - 01/09/2005
- 01/09/2005 - 01/16/2005
- 01/23/2005 - 01/30/2005
- 01/30/2005 - 02/06/2005
- 02/06/2005 - 02/13/2005
- 02/13/2005 - 02/20/2005
- 02/20/2005 - 02/27/2005
- 02/27/2005 - 03/06/2005
- 03/06/2005 - 03/13/2005
- 03/13/2005 - 03/20/2005
- 03/20/2005 - 03/27/2005
- 03/27/2005 - 04/03/2005
- 04/03/2005 - 04/10/2005
- 04/24/2005 - 05/01/2005
- 06/05/2005 - 06/12/2005
- 06/26/2005 - 07/03/2005
- 07/31/2005 - 08/07/2005
- 08/07/2005 - 08/14/2005
