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 |
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