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look2it	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Sunday, May 01, 2005 12:43 AM Hard to believe it's May already. Got your May baskets ready? G'night.
Been There	May Day Posted: Sunday, May 01, 2005 10:21 AM Exactly two years ago today, George W. Bush landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln to give his triumphant Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Cameras pointed out to sea to conceal the fact that the ship was safely at home in San Diego, making the president's flight unnecessary and a bit ridiculous. Since Bush's "mission accomplished" speech, almost 1,500 American soldiers have been killed, including another soldier yesterday. A much larger number of Iraqis have also been killed, although our administration refuses--for obvious reasons--to keep a tally of civilian casualties there. To promote "freedom and democracy," the Bush administration has worked hand and glove with other criminal regimes: U.S. Sends Detainees for Torture in Uzbekistan. The police repeatedly tortured prisoners, State Department officials wrote, noting that the most common techniques were "beating, often with blunt weapons, and asphyxiation with a gas mask." Separately, international human rights groups had reported that torture in Uzbek jails included boiling of body parts, using electroshock on genitals and plucking off fingernails and toenails with pliers. Two prisoners were boiled to death. ... Uzbekistan's role as a surrogate jailer for the United States was confirmed by a half-dozen current and former intelligence officials working in Europe, the Middle East and the United States. The C.I.A. declined to comment on the prisoner transfer program, but an intelligence official estimated that the number of terrorism suspects sent by the United States to Tashkent was in the dozens. There is other evidence of the United States' reliance on Uzbekistan in the program. On Sept. 21, 2003, two American-registered airplanes - a Gulfstream jet and a Boeing 737 - landed at the international airport in Tashkent, according to flight logs obtained by The New York Times. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,317 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 731 days, two full years, have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his swaggering Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Stealing from Our Children and Grandchildren Posted: Sunday, May 01, 2005 10:27 AM Anyone who doubts the seriousness of George W. Bush's relentless stealing from future generations should read The Coming Generational Storm by Laurence Kotlikoff, a book also recommended by Nicholas Kristoff in his column today: The Greediest Generation. The book says that the Treasury Department commissioned a study by two economists of the United States' long-term liabilities, for inclusion in the 2004 federal budget. The study found that the government faces a present value "fiscal gap" - the excess of expected payments over expected revenues - of $51 trillion. That's 11 times our official national debt and also greater than our total net worth, meaning that in some sense we're bankrupt. Not surprisingly, the Bush administration took a look at the study, blanched, and declined to publish it. Nobel Laureate Paul Samuelson gave this review of Kotlikoff's book: "Among academic experts, Larry Kotlikoff has earned the title 'Mr. Generational Accounting.' His unfuzzy arithmetic decisively rebuts the Bush tax cuts, which are based on the delusion that 5 - 4 = 6, not 1. Read and judge for yourself the specter of our future: too many retirees dependent on too few working-age people. Fiscal imprudence now mandates broken promises later." Of course the future is of little concern to the "me generation" crowd running our government today. When adults (of either major party) finally take charge of the White House again, they'll face extremely difficult challenges--made more difficult each day that the Bush gang is in power. Been There
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Sunday, May 01, 2005 10:32 AM "Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons." —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 01, 2005 10:33 AM It would be helpful if we opened up ANWR. I think it's a mistake not to. And I would urge you all to travel up there and take a look at it and you can make the determination as to how beautiful that country is.   —George W. Bush, Washington, DC, Mar. 29, 2001
look2it	May Day Posted: Monday, May 02, 2005 12:16 AM mootsie, last month the subject came up about the good side of Bush. How come you didn't speak up? Couldn't think of a single thing? G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, May 02, 2005 9:21 AM A new milestone was reached with the formation of the new government in Iraq last week, but the blood continued to spill: 123 killed in Iraq, Including 11 Americans. Since Thursday, when Iraq's interim government finally appointed a partial Cabinet after three months of political infighting, at least 123 people, including 11 Americans, have been killed in a slew of bombings, ambushes and other attacks. People who feel that occupation troops can win "the hearts and minds of the people" under occupation ignore the cumulative effect of the inevitable unfortunate actions of young soldiers stationed in hostile surroundings for long periods: From 'Gook' to 'Raghead'. "Guys in my unit, particularly the younger guys, would drive by in their Humvee and shatter bottles over the heads of Iraqi civilians passing by. They'd keep a bunch of empty Coke bottles in the Humvee to break over people's heads." He said he had confronted guys who were his friends about this practice. "I said to them: 'What the hell are you doing? Like, what does this accomplish?' And they responded just completely openly. They said: 'Look, I hate being in Iraq. I hate being stuck here. And I hate being surrounded by hajis.' " "Haji" is the troops' term of choice for an Iraqi. It's used the way "gook" or "Charlie" was used in Vietnam. Mr. Delgado said he had witnessed incidents in which an Army sergeant lashed a group of children with a steel Humvee antenna, and a Marine corporal planted a vicious kick in the chest of a kid about 6 years old. There were many occasions, he said, when soldiers or marines would yell and curse and point their guns at Iraqis who had done nothing wrong. Small incidents? Perhaps, but the memory of them will last for a long time in the Middle East. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,318 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 732 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his swaggering Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Monday, May 02, 2005 9:24 AM During the current electoral campaign in Great Britain, the British press has revealed many heretofore secret documents from the runup to war with Iraq. Tony Blair knew in mid-2002 that Bush had already decided to attack Iraq and was working to establish the pretext. This set the British to looking for ways to protect themselves from future war crimes indictments: Documents show Blair's secret plans for war. A damning minute leaked to a Sunday newspaper reveals that in July 2002, a few weeks after meeting George Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Mr Blair summoned his closest aides for what amounted to a council of war. The minute reveals the head of British intelligence reported that President Bush had firmly made up his mind to invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein, adding that "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy". ... The minute revealed last night was of a meeting held in Downing Street on 23 July 2002. Signed by the Prime Minister's foreign policy adviser, Matthew Rycroft. It concluded: "We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a fuller picture of US planning before we could take any further decisions." The minute records that the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, had warned that the case against Saddam was "thin". He suggested that the Iraqi dictator should be forced into a corner by demanding the return of the UN weapons inspectors: if he refused, or the inspectors found WMD, there would be good cause for war. The Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith ­ who took part in the meeting ­ warned then that "the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action". But the Prime Minister countered that "regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was producing the WMD". What WMD? Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, May 02, 2005 9:26 AM It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way.   —George W. Bush, Washington, DC, Apr. 28, 2005
look2it	Spring is here? Posted: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 12:11 AM BB, are you sure, did you see those snowflakes today? Got to say that the swimming keeps me alert these days tho. Brrrr. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 11:09 AM Two Marines Killed as F-18s Crash in Iraq: The crew of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson lost contact with the two F/A-18 planes Monday night, and Navy officials said they believe the jets collided with each other in bad weather during a routine mission. Two More Soldiers Killed by Roadside Bombs: The military also announced Tuesday that one soldier was killed and another wounded Monday by a roadside bomb south of the Baghdad airport, Reuters reported. Britain's Defense Ministry said Monday that a British soldier had been killed by a roadside bomb in Amara, south of Baghdad, The Associated Press reported. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,319 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 733 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 11:10 AM "Iraq has also provided Al Qaeda with chemical and biological weapons training." —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	The First Lady of Comedy Posted: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 11:13 AM At least one member of the Bush inner circle has a sense of humor: Laura Bush Brings Comedy Act to the Rose Garden. While most of the First Lady’s ribald jests were unfit for publication in a family newspaper, one of her tamer quips went like this: “Yo mama's so hairy, her armpits look like she has Don King in a headlock.” Some politicians expressed surprise at the First Lady's language. According to one unnamed White House source, Mrs. Bush may have wildly miscalculated the public’s appetite for her saucy comedy material: “If people wanted to hear a bunch of filthy remarks from the First Lady, they would have elected John Kerry.” Nice to have some fun. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 11:15 AM "I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here."   —George W. Bush, Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, 2002
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 11:58 PM BT, another good thing about Bush we forgot to mention, we always get something to laugh at. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:54 AM Suicide bomber kills 60 in Iraqi Kurd city: A health ministry official in Arbil said at least 60 died and 150 people were wounded. A defense ministry statement said the suicide bombing killed 45 people and wounded 16. The bloodshed came a day after a new government was sworn in and three months after historic elections that Iraqis hoped would lead to improved security. It was the biggest single attack since February 28, when a suicide car bomber killed 125 people in the town of Hilla, south of Baghdad. Iraqi politicians, who squabbled for months before forming an incomplete cabinet, accuse insurgents of trying to spark a civil war with bombings designed to deepen sectarian tensions. Iraq's Kurdish north has been relatively free of the suicide bombings and shootings gripping other parts of the country. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,320 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 734 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:55 AM "The Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised." —George W. Bush, March 17, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:56 AM "See, free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction." —George W. Bush, Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 3, 2003
look2it	Spring is here? Posted: Thursday, May 05, 2005 12:12 AM BB, guess you were right after all. Today was such a great day in the copper country! G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, May 05, 2005 8:57 AM At Least 21 Are Killed in Attacks Targeting Iraqi Security Forces: Insurgents struck in four separate attacks in Baghdad this morning, killing at least 21 people and wounding 19, as the effort to destabilize the newly formed Iraqi government continued. They followed an attack by a suicide bomber on Wednesday in the Kurdish city of Erbil that killed at least 60 Kurds, most of them prospective policemen. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,321 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 735 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Vegetarian Dinosaurs Posted: Thursday, May 05, 2005 8:59 AM The therizinosaurs of China and Mongolia may have originated in what is now the United States: New Dinosaur Documents Diet Shift from Meat to Veggies. This discovery thus places the most primitive therizinosaurs in North America. Study co-author Scott Sampson of the University of Utah notes that the rise of plant-munching therizinosaurs in Utah "may have been directly linked to the spread of flowering plants about 125 million years ago." Guess I'll eat some grapefruit now. Been there
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Thursday, May 05, 2005 9:00 AM "Well, there is no question that we have evidence and information that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical particularly. All this will be made clear in the course of the operation, for whatever duration it takes."   —Ari Fleischer, March 21, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, May 05, 2005 9:01 AM "It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 10, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, May 06, 2005 9:02 AM Bomb Kills 8 Iraqi Policemen; Bodies of 14 Are Found Near Baghdad: In another attack targeting Iraqi security forces, a suicide car bomb destroyed a police minibus at a checkpoint in Saddam Hussein's hometown Friday, killing at least eight policemen, officials said. The attack was part of a surge of violence that has killed at least 255 people -- many of them Iraqi soldiers and police -- since Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari announced his new government April 28, with seven Cabinet positions still undecided. Those assaults included 73 people who died when suicide bombers with explosives strapped to their bodies set them off in lines of job applicants waiting outside two separate recruitment centers for security forces in Baghdad and the northern city of Irbil. The bodies of 14 people who had been shot and killed were also found buried in shallow graves near a garbage dump on the outskirts of northeastern Baghdad. Some of the victims were blindfolded and had been shot in the head execution-style, said Bassim al-Maslokhi, a member of Iraq's National Guard. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,322 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 736 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Friday, May 06, 2005 9:04 AM "There is no doubt that the regime of Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction. As this operation continues, those weapons will be identified, found, along with the people who have produced them and who guard them." —Gen. Tommy Franks, March 22, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, May 06, 2005 9:04 AM "We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House - make no mistake about it." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2001
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, May 07, 2005 12:32 AM Guess everyone is outside these days (except BT). Good choice!   G'night and have a great weekend.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, May 07, 2005 8:43 AM Bomb in Baghdad Kills More Americans: A police officer at the scene said 17 people were killed and some appeared to be Westerners. But he spoke on condition of anonymity, and his information could not immediately be confirmed. U.S. military spokesman Maj. Darryl Wright said an unspecified number of American contract workers were among the dead. He declined to provide more details. The burning vehicles included several SUVs, said an Associated Press photographer at the scene. US imprisons Iraqi journalists without charges: At least nine Iraqi journalists who worked for major Western news organizations have disappeared into the network of concentration camps in which the US military is holding an estimated 17,000 citizens of the occupied country, the French news agency AFP reported May 5. An even larger number of Iraqi reporters and other Arab journalists who do not have connections to the international media have also been thrown into prison. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,323 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 737 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Saturday, May 07, 2005 8:44 AM "We know where they are. They are in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad." —Donald Rumsfeld, March 30, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, May 07, 2005 8:46 AM "It's very interesting when you think about it, the slaves who left here to go to America, because of their steadfast and their religion and their belief in freedom, helped change America." —George W. Bush, Dakar, Senegal, July 8, 2003
look2it	A long tale Posted: Sunday, May 08, 2005 12:40 AM I read that scientists have made mice with very long lives. Hope the critters stay away from my place. G'night.
Been There	Sunday Morning in America Posted: Sunday, May 08, 2005 10:01 AM If you oppose bearing false witness, oppose stealing from future generations, and oppose launching unjust wars, then at least one preacher considers you un-Baptist: Democrats voted out of church because of their politics. Members of the small East Waynesville Baptist Church say [Pastor Chan] Chandler led an effort to kick out congregants who didn't support President Bush. Nine members were voted out at a Monday church meeting in this mountain town, about 120 miles west of Charlotte. ... During the presidential election last year, Chandler told the congregation that anyone who planned to vote for Democratic Sen. John Kerry should either leave the church or repent, said former member Lorene Sutton. Some church members left after Chandler made his ultimatum in October, Morris said. What interests me is what any Christians were still doing in that church after what happened last year. It's safe to say--these days--that no true Christian supports the presidency of George W. Bush. Been There
Been There	False Pretenses Posted: Sunday, May 08, 2005 10:02 AM "I felt like we would find weapons of mass destruction." —George W. Bush, January 14, 2005.
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 08, 2005 10:04 AM "Do you have blacks, too?" —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 8, 2001 Note: Bush asked this question of Fernando Cardoso, then President of Brazil—the country with the greatest number of black citizens outside of Africa.
nm420	Sunday Morning in America Posted: Sunday, May 08, 2005 1:28 PM "What interests me is what any Christians were still doing in that church after what happened last year." To what event could you be referring? As far as I could tell, the man has been about as lucid as possible in his anti-Christianity ever since he made national headlines.
look2it	Sunday Morning in America Posted: Sunday, May 08, 2005 11:35 PM nm, right on. The Bush gang wouldn't give Jesus the time of day if he stood right in front of them with his hands bleeding. Feel sorry for the suckers they fool to get votes from though. G'night.
Been There	Sunday Morning in America Posted: Monday, May 09, 2005 6:22 AM Nm420, The event I meant as a referent was the Baptist preacher's attempt last year to strong-arm his church members into supporting an administration dedicated to bearing false witness, to stealing from future generations, and to launching unjust wars. Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, May 09, 2005 6:24 AM 8 More American Soldiers Killed in Iraq: Insurgent violence killed eight U.S. service members in Iraq over the weekend, raising the death toll to more than 300 from a torrent of attacks in Iraq since April 28, when a new Iraqi Cabinet was approved by parliament with seven positions undecided. At least 1,600 members of the U.S. military have now died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. On Monday, a wave of attacks by insurgents, many of them targeting Iraqi security forces and civilians, continued in Baghdad. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,325 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 739 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Monday, May 09, 2005 6:25 AM "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction." —Dick Cheney, August 26, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, May 09, 2005 6:26 AM "Security is the essential roadblock to achieving the road map to peace." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 25, 2003
nm420	Sunday Morning in America Posted: Monday, May 09, 2005 12:37 PM Sorry, I misread your statement. I was under the impression you were talking of some specific event orchestrated by the administration last year that would have made public support that much more incredible. It seems like last year was about the same as the year before, and the year before that, with practically all of his policies being transparently elitist. I don't think, however, it should be that surprising that people would still continue to attend this particular preacher's services. Religion, as it is generally practiced, tends to encourage submissiveness to authority. While it has the capacity to enlighten and liberate, it also is equally capable of enslaving people's beliefs, and thus their actions. It seems that faith in most religious morals can be backed up with reason, but reason is generally shunned in religion, with the caretakers preferring the use of unquestionable dogma accepted on faith alone. While some faith is good, if it leads to authoritarian structures there is obviously a lack of healthy skepticism which can prevent the abuses so prevalent today.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 9:25 AM 100 Rebels, 3 U.S. Marines Killed in U.S. Offensive in Western Iraq: The military believes the insurgents have had a free run in the heavily Sunni area around Qaim and Ubaydi, in the Jazira Desert near where the Euphrates River crosses from Syria to Iraq. At least three marines have been killed in the operation, two on Sunday in Qaim and Ubaydi, and another on Monday in Qaim. Some insurgents killed in the operation are believed to be foreign fighters, military officials said Monday. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,326 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 740 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 9:27 AM "Right now, Iraq is expanding and improving facilities that were used for the production of biological weapons." —George W. Bush, September 12, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 9:28 AM "My answer is bring them on." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 3, 2003 Note: Bush gave this response to a question about insurgents still attacking U.S. forces after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime.
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 11:59 PM BT, they listened, so maybe Bush should say stop bringing them on. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:04 AM Chain of Suicide Bombings Kills More Than 60 in Iraq: Five suicide attacks in three cities in Iraq killed more than 60 people Wednesday. In the deadliest, a man with hidden explosives set them off in a line of people outside a police and army recruitment center in northern Iraq, killing 30 and wounding 35, police said. In Tikrit, meanwhile, a suicide car bomb exploded in a small market near a police station, killing at least 27 people and wounding 75, police said. Three car bombs also exploded in Baghdad, killing at least four, police said. Congress Approves $82 Billion More to Fight Wars: The Senate voted unanimously on Tuesday to pass a bill that included $82 billion for supplemental military spending as well as several immigration and border security measures that had provoked fierce debate in Congress that is likely to continue for months. That's another $82 billion stolen from our children and grandchildren.   We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,327 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 741 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:05 AM "The entire world knows beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein holds weapons of mass destruction in large quantities." —Dick Cheney, September 23, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:06 AM "They misunderestimated me." —George W. Bush, Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000
Been There	Restructuring our Military Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:08 AM When Rumsfeld took over the Defense Department, he promised to restructure our military to meet contemporary challenges. That all went by the boards in his first four years because of the administration's Iraq blunders. I'm pleased to see, however, that Rumsfeld hasn't given up completely: Rumsfeld Seeks Leaner Army and Full Term as Defense Secretary. Opening up a new front of controversy, Mr. Rumsfeld is to unveil his list of recommended domestic base closings on Friday. It is sure to provoke opposition from communities that stand to lose the economic benefits of being host to the military. By midsummer, the Pentagon's senior policy aides and top officers will convene a meeting to overhaul military strategy for the next four years. A final report due early next year, a Quadrennial Defense Review required by Congress, will try to balance strategy better with budgets, weapons and troop strength. Everything is on the table, including aircraft carriers, new fighters and broad strategic goals. Here, too, any change that upsets the status quo will meet some opposition. In an interview, Mr. Rumsfeld compared the Pentagon he inherited to a factory where there were "conveyor belts going by and they were loaded four, five, six years ago, and they were not connected with each other." He said budgets did not fit weapons, which did not fit strategy. Of course a "leaner army" is incompatible with using our armed forces--incorrectly--as nation-builders. That's just one reason why it is so important to establish a legitimate international capability for resolving situations like those in Iraq, the Sudan, and elsewhere. Been There
Been There	Sunday Morning in America Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 2:04 PM Here's the latest news about the Baptist preacher who tried to strong-arm his church members into supporting an administration dedicated to bearing false witness, to stealing from future generations, and to launching unjust wars: Preacher Resigns in Disgrace. Mr. Chandler's resignation, at a meeting open only to members of the congregation, came a day after a national group that lobbies for church-state separation urged the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the tax-exempt status of the church. I.R.S. rules bar clear-cut politicking by tax-exempt groups. In October, days before Mr. Bush won a second term, the agency said it was investigating roughly 60 charities and other tax-exempt groups - about a third of them churches - for potentially breaking rules that bar them from political activity. As he left his former pulpit, Pastor Chandler had this to say: "Anyone who pays federal income taxes should repent, or face eternal damnation!" This would also be a good time to investigate the tax exemptions of Roman Catholic clergy who told their flocks that voting for Kerry would be a sin. Been There
look2it	Sunday Morning in America Posted: Thursday, May 12, 2005 12:02 AM Good riddance, but probably will be appointed ambassador somewhere, maybe France.   G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:42 AM 14 American Soldiers Killed in Iraq since Saturday: The toll brought to about 250 the number of soldiers, policemen and recruits who have been killed in the insurgent upsurge, which has concentrated mainly on Iraqi security force targets, while killing at least another 150 Iraqi civilians, and, since Saturday, in the insurgent attacks and in a Marine offensive along the Syrian border, at least 14 American soldiers. Four other attacks were carried out in Baghdad, killing at least three Iraqi soldiers, two policemen and four civilians. Afghan Protest Against the U.S. Becomes Violent: Afghan policemen and troops, together with some American forces, eventually quelled the riots, but not before opening fire on protesters, who numbered in the thousands, residents said. Foreigners were evacuated from the city as their offices came under attack, and the air filled with smoke and gunfire, but no injuries to foreigners were reported. The demonstrations were started on Tuesday by students angered by a report in Newsweek that American interrogators at the Guantánamo Bay detention center had desecrated the Koran by flushing a copy down the toilet. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,328 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 742 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:43 AM "Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud." —George W. Bush, October 7, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:44 AM The California crunch really is the result of not enough power-generating plants and then not enough power to power the power of generating plants. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 14, 2001
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, May 13, 2005 12:09 AM Hope it warms up again soon so I get some company swimming in the big lake!  G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:27 AM Ohio Squad Takes Heavy Hit in Iraq: Six Marines were reportedly killed and 15 were wounded from one central Ohio squad involved in a U.S. offensive near Iraq's border with Syria. The squad was one of three belonging to the 1st Platoon of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, according to The Washington Post, which has a reporter with Operation Matador. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,329 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 743 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:28 AM "If he declares he has none, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world." —Ari Fleischer, December 2, 2002
Been There	Stealing from Our Children and Grandchildren Posted: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:32 AM The "me generation" policies of the Bush administration continue to dig a deeper and deeper hole for future generations: Attention: Deficit Disorder. Tax revenues are approximately 16.5 percent of gross domestic product, the lowest level since 1960, and spending is roughly 20 percent. We must have serious spending discipline and entitlement reform - though any entitlement reforms likely to be proposed would have little immediate effect. But, as BusinessWeek, not an advocate of activist government, said in a recent editorial, "the deficit morass is due as much to a revenue shortfall as to excessive spending." The 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, for example, are estimated to have a 75-year cost of $11 trillion, almost three times the entire Social Security deficit. The Social Security problem that Bush claims can be "fixed" by digging the deficit hole even deeper is really a problem of his own creation. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:33 AM "The vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Oct. 27, 2003
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, May 14, 2005 8:11 AM 4 More Marines Killed in Search for Insurgents in Iraq: The U.S. military said the four Marines were killed when their troop transporter was struck by a bomb near Karabilah, a village near Obeidi and close to the Syrian border. Their deaths brought to nine the number of U.S. casualties in the week-old campaign. Marine commanders estimated that more than 100 insurgents and foreign fighters have been killed in the campaign, aimed at allies of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,330 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 744 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Saturday, May 14, 2005 8:12 AM "We know for a fact that there are weapons there." —Ari Fleischer, January 9, 2003
Been There	Restructuring our Military Posted: Saturday, May 14, 2005 8:15 AM Now that Rumsfeld has announced the base closings he thinks make sense to enable the military to protect us from future threats, it's time for politicians of both parties, who have priorities other than protecting our nation, to weigh in: Pentagon Seeks to Shut Dozens of Bases Across Nation. Lawmakers and local officials in Maine, one of the hardest-hit states with three closings, including the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, vowed to challenge the Pentagon's plans that would cost nearly 7,000 military and civilian jobs. "In arriving at these inexplicable decisions, the Defense Department and the Navy must have been operating in a fog so thick they couldn't even see the facts in front of them," said Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine. The recommendation to close Ellsworth revived an issue from one of the most fiercely contested Senate races last fall. During the campaign, Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the Republican leader, appeared outside the base with John Thune, the Republican challenger, and promised to use his clout to spare Ellsworth if South Dakotans turned Tom Daschle, the Democratic leader, out of office. Mr. Thune won. On Friday he called the Pentagon's decision "flat wrong." It will be interesting to see how much politics will be played in the next few weeks at the expense of national security. On the other hand, some states will actually come out ahead at the end of the day. President Bush's home state, Texas, for instance, would gain a net total of 6,150 military and civilian jobs if the military's recommendations stand. What a surprise! Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, May 14, 2005 8:16 AM "As you know, these are open forums, you're able to come and listen to what I have to say." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 2003
nm420	Restructuring our Military Posted: Saturday, May 14, 2005 9:42 PM Wouldn't be too surprising if the overall defense budget increased next year, despite the "layoffs".
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2005 8:48 AM Arch-villain al-Zarqawi Wounded in Iraq: The Sunday Times of London reported on its Web site on Saturday that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the man most wanted by American-led forces in Iraq, was wounded and treated briefly at a hospital in Iraq last week before disappearing with his men. The doctor who said he had treated him told an Iraqi reporter in Ramadi that Mr. Zarqawi was bleeding heavily when he was brought into the hospital on Wednesday, The Sunday Times reported. He was allowed to leave the hospital when three men he was with asked that he be given a list of medications and be discharged immediately, the doctor was quoted as saying. The doctor was detained by the Americans on Friday for questioning, the newspaper said.  We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,331 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 745 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2005 8:50 AM "Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." —George W. Bush, January 28, 2003
Been There	Restructuring our Military Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2005 8:52 AM Nm420, Yes, the base closings themselves won't begin to pay for the war in Iraq. Now it will be interesting to see if Rumsfeld follows through with his original promises to drop some of the useless weapons programs that serve only to put tax money into the pockets of those who build them. Been There
Been There	Environmentalists Go Nuclear Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2005 8:54 AM Reacting to the discussions on these boards last month, environmentalists are giving nuclear power a fresh look: Old Foes Soften to New Reactors. Several of the nation's most prominent environmentalists have gone public with the message that nuclear power, long taboo among environmental advocates, should be reconsidered as a remedy for global warming. Their numbers are still small, but they represent growing cracks in what had been a virtually solid wall of opposition to nuclear power among most mainstream environmental groups. In the past few months, articles in publications like Technology Review, published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Wired magazine have openly espoused nuclear power, angering other environmental advocates. Stewart Brand, a founder of the Whole Earth Catalog and the author of "Environmental Heresies," an article in the May issue of Technology Review, explained the shift as a direct consequence of the growing anxiety about global warming and its links to the use of fossil fuel. Yes, it would be better now if the "me generation" had exercised some restraint in the prodigious waste of finite resources, but if the Pope had wings he could fly. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2005 8:56 AM "We had a good Cabinet meeting, talked about a lot of issues. Secretary of State and Defense brought us up to date about our desires to spread freedom and peace around the world." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Aug. 1, 2003
nm420	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2005 11:41 AM "...about our desires to spread freedom and peace around the world." Hehe, the man almost sounds like one of those long-haired hippies! Imagine, a president that actually valued peace and love, along with smoking grass. It would be quite a different world.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, May 16, 2005 8:25 AM Continued Violence Rips Iraq: Over the weekend the bodies of at least 41 people were found. They included two Iraqi journalists found in their car on a road south of Baghdad, 10 soldiers dumped in the battleground city of Ramadi, two truck drivers lying with nine other bodies in the chicken farm and a judge found nearby. Many of the victims had been blindfolded, bound, shot multiple times in the head and dumped in the open.  We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,332 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 746 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Monday, May 16, 2005 8:26 AM "Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent." —George W. Bush, State of the Union address, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, May 16, 2005 8:26 AM "First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 19, 2003
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, May 16, 2005 11:38 PM Ya, it's the rich ones you need to look out for. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 8:35 AM Texas Republicans Took At Least $37 Million From Saddam Hussein: The report presented Monday indicates that American imports of Iraqi oil helped finance about 52 percent of clandestine deals carried out illegally under the oil-for-food program at the time when Iraq was under United Nations sanctions. The report looked at kickback allegations against a Texas company, Bayoil USA, which was indicted in the investigation of the $67 billion oil-for-food program. The program allowed Iraq to sell oil to buy civilian goods for its people living under United Nations sanctions. New Iraqi Government Orders U.S. to Allow Insurgents Sanctuary in Mosques: The Shiite leaders sought to give the ban on raids of mosques added impact among Sunnis by having it announced by the defense minister, Sadoun al-Dulaimi, a Sunni Arab who has been in office less than a week. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,333 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 747 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 8:36 AM "We know that Saddam Hussein is determined to keep his weapons of mass destruction, is determined to make more." —Colin Powell, February 5, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 8:37 AM "I recently met with the finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, was very impressed by his grasp of finances." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 29, 2003
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 12:19 AM What's so amazing about this Newsweek thing is the hypocrisy of the Bush gang. According to them, the problem is never what they do, the problem is when someone else talks about it. Maybe not so amazing, I guess.   G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 9:45 AM Tragedy struck a new American family yesterday: Another American Soldier Killed in Iraq. An additional 17 Iraqis were killed Tuesday: two officials in separate Baghdad drive-by shootings, six truck drivers delivering supplies to American forces north of the capital, a former member of the Baath Party and his three grown sons, three Mosul policemen, and two soldiers in Baghdad. An American soldier was killed and a second wounded when a roadside bomb struck their patrol near Tikrit, the military said. Given that we're now in this mess, it remains to find the best resolution to a bad business. Understanding the nature of the problem we're in is the first step to achieving that resolution: Blowing Up an Assumption. Understanding that suicide terrorism is mainly a response to foreign occupation rather than a product of Islamic fundamentalism has important implications for how the United States and its allies should conduct the war on terrorism. Spreading democracy across the Persian Gulf is not likely to be a panacea so long as foreign combat troops remain on the Arabian Peninsula. If not for the world's interest in Persian Gulf oil, the obvious solution might well be simply to abandon the region altogether. Isolationism, however, is not possible; America needs a new strategy that pursues our vital interest in oil but does not stimulate the rise of a new generation of suicide terrorists. Beyond recognizing the limits of military action and stepping up domestic security efforts, Americans would do well to recall the virtues of our traditional policy of "offshore balancing" in the Persian Gulf. During the 1970's and 1980's, the United States managed its interests there without stationing any combat soldiers on the ground, but keeping our forces close enough - either on ships or in bases near the region - to deploy in huge numbers if an emergency. This worked splendidly to defeat Iraq's aggression against Kuwait in 1990. Of course it's ridiculous that our leaders did not anticipate the natural reaction of the Arabs to foreign occupation, but our "me generation" leaders today pride themselves on avoiding thought as much as possible. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,334 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 748 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 9:46 AM "Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons."   —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 9:47 AM "I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are probably read the news themselves." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, 2003
rovlady	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 8:50 PM      The biggest concern that I have for the rest of 2005 is that our president or his neo-con hiredlings will upset the apple cart in Korea or Iran to the point where someone decides to blow something up.  Since I really can't do anything about that one, what I would like to see us focus on, moving forward, are creating and maintaining grassroots movements to address concerns like health care, ocean conservation (and yes respect for the big lake as well ), and the creation of jobs for US workers that can actually support a person!
look2it	Grass Roots Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 12:16 AM Hi, rovlady! Can a grassroots movement get those things done with our government now dead set against them? I'd like to think so but don't see how. But we have to try, I know. G'night.
Norway	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 7:58 AM http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/19/domestic.terrorism/index.html       OMG!!!  Has the world gone so nuts that they can report such nonsence??!!!   My name is on the list for Peta, as a past member.....  shall I expect a visit from the FBI?  Not to worry about Bin Laden anymore!  Tree huggers are easier to catch, anyway!    Norway
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:28 AM Generals Offer a Sober Outlook on Iraqi War: In interviews and briefings this week, some of the generals pulled back from recent suggestions, some by the same officers, that positive trends in Iraq could allow a major drawdown in the 138,000 American troops late this year or early in 2006. One officer suggested Wednesday that American military involvement could last "many years." Gen. John P. Abizaid, the top American officer in the Middle East, said in a briefing in Washington that one problem was the disappointing progress in developing Iraqi police units cohesive enough to mount an effective challenge to insurgents and allow American forces to begin stepping back from the fighting. Iraq’s Sunni-Shiite split reaches new heights: Two prominent Shiite and Sunni Muslim leaders blamed each other for sponsoring terrorism in a heated television exchange Wednesday that many Iraqis interpreted as a call to arms. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,335 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 749 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:29 AM "Iraq has also provided Al Qaeda with chemical and biological weapons training." —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	The March of Oppression Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:34 AM Norway, You are 100% right to be appalled and frightened by the intense efforts of the Bush administration to silence all political dissent in this country. Step one is to insist that simply by labeling someone a terrorist, the government can remove that person from the protection of the U.S. system of justice. Step two is to insist that their political opponents are terrorists, even though those opponents--including ELF, ALF, and PETA--have never killed a single person. (This is in marked contrast to right-wing groups such as the anti-abortionists, the anti-gay activists, and the Ku Klux Klan.) While the administration focuses its attention and resources on stifling domestic opposition, our real enemies make no bones about their intentions: The Real Enemy. Let me quote a snippet from a sermon delivered by Sheik Ibrahim Mudeiris, which ran last weekend on the Palestinian Authority's official TV station: "The day will come when we will rule America. The day will come when we will rule Britain and the entire world - except for the Jews. The Jews will not enjoy a life of tranquillity under our rule because they are treacherous by nature, as they have been throughout history. The day will come when everything will be relieved of the Jews - even the stones and trees which were harmed by them. Listen to the Prophet Muhammad, who tells you about the evil end that awaits Jews. The stones and trees will want the Muslims to finish off every Jew." These are the extremists, the real enemy. Let's keep our eye on the ball. No doubt it's easier for the Bush administration to pursue the destruction of political opponents at home than it is to track down bin Laden and the real terrorists around the world. As usual, though, the knee-jerk "me generation" impulse to take the easier road now leaves future generations in the lurch. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:37 AM "Whether they be Christian, Jew, or Muslim, or Hindu, people have heard the universal call to love a neighbor just like they'd like to be called themselves." —George W. Bush, Washington, Oct. 8, 2003
rovlady	The March of Oppression Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2005 10:07 PM What can people of good will do as a group to encourage our legislators to support our first amendment rights?  I believe that there is strength in numbers.  If enough of us make our voices heard at one time it would be hard for the administration to ignore.  I am reminded of a friend who spent time in a concentration camp.  She warned me 10 or more years ago that if we don't actively protect and defend our civil liberties, what happened in Germany could in fact happen here.  I admit I scoffed at the idea at the time, now I'm not so sure.
look2it	The March of Oppression Posted: Friday, May 20, 2005 12:17 AM Well it's happening all right, but lots of people seem pretty happy about giving up civil liberties these days. When they are gone, it's real hard to get them back. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, May 20, 2005 8:51 AM Four More US soldiers killed in Iraq: Four US soldiers have been killed in three separate incidents in Iraq, according to US military statements here Friday. Two soldiers were killed in a drive-by shooting attack on their convoy in central Baghdad on Thursday, while another was killed a day earlier in an "indirect fire attack" - a term normally designating mortar fire - on a base in the western flashpoint city of Ramadi, west of Baghdad. Another soldier died in a road crash after a bomb exploded near US patrol vehicles overnight Thursday to Friday near Taji, north of the capital. In U.S. Report, Brutal Details of 2 Afghan Inmates' Deaths: Even as the young Afghan man was dying before them, his American jailers continued to torment him. The prisoner, a slight, 22-year-old taxi driver known only as Dilawar, was hauled from his cell at the detention center in Bagram, Afghanistan, at around 2 a.m. to answer questions about a rocket attack on an American base. When he arrived in the interrogation room, an interpreter who was present said, his legs were bouncing uncontrollably in the plastic chair and his hands were numb. He had been chained by the wrists to the top of his cell for much of the previous four days. Mr. Dilawar asked for a drink of water, and one of the two interrogators, Specialist Joshua R. Claus, 21, picked up a large plastic bottle. But first he punched a hole in the bottom, the interpreter said, so as the prisoner fumbled weakly with the cap, the water poured out over his orange prison scrubs. The soldier then grabbed the bottle back and began squirting the water forcefully into Mr. Dilawar's face. "Come on, drink!" the interpreter said Specialist Claus had shouted, as the prisoner gagged on the spray. "Drink!" At the interrogators' behest, a guard tried to force the young man to his knees. But his legs, which had been pummeled by guards for several days, could no longer bend. An interrogator told Mr. Dilawar that he could see a doctor after they finished with him. When he was finally sent back to his cell, though, the guards were instructed only to chain the prisoner back to the ceiling. "Leave him up," one of the guards quoted Specialist Claus as saying. Several hours passed before an emergency room doctor finally saw Mr. Dilawar. By then he was dead, his body beginning to stiffen. It would be many months before Army investigators learned a final horrific detail: Most of the interrogators had believed Mr. Dilawar was an innocent man who simply drove his taxi past the American base at the wrong time. ... Many of the Bagram interrogators, led by the same operations officer, Capt. Carolyn A. Wood, were redeployed to Iraq and in July 2003 took charge of interrogations at the Abu Ghraib prison. According to a high-level Army inquiry last year, Captain Wood applied techniques there that were "remarkably similar" to those used at Bagram. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,336 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Exactly 750 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Friday, May 20, 2005 8:52 AM "The Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised." —George W. Bush, March 17, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, May 20, 2005 8:53 AM "I didn't join the International Criminal Court because I don't want to put our troops in the hands of prosecutors from other nations. Look, if somebody has done some wrong in our military, we'll take care of it. We got plenty of capability of dealing with justice." —George W. Bush, Niceville, Fla., Aug. 10, 2004
nm420	The March of Oppression Posted: Friday, May 20, 2005 9:38 AM It seems that's what the various groups like MoveOn or HRC or the ACLU are trying to do, mobilize forces in order to convince our representatives that their people are watching. But it doesn't really seem like that is enough. And I think the administration could ignore just about anything it chooses to. It's already set an impressive precedent in cherry-picking intelligence and holding a priori beliefs about the real world that hard evidence blatantly contradicts. But if public opinion or common sense holds no sway over the administration, what then can we use to change it? I truly don't think any amount of pleading will change the hearts of the "neocons". The only solution I can think of is to put them behind bars for being extremely naughty. Of course, short of a coup, that will never happen. It seems that our legislators are our best hope, if change is to come about through a "legal" process. It is certainly a conundrum, one that's been around since the dawn of civilization. How do we get those who move to positions of power, no doubt due to a lust for it, to use that power for the greater good of humanity? I think, for starters, we need to completely restructure our society. We live in a hierarchical pecking order which makes such abuses of power inevitable. But then, how do you start a grassroots movement to "restructure society"? And to what end? It seems that many Native American societies had governmental systems that worked pretty well, but an implementation of such a model in today's world would be next to impossible. I think another major problem is the level of isolation faced by most people in our nation. I would imagine that most people have good will, but if they are stuck in a mode of life that does not permit joining forces with fellow comrades, then the battle is already lost. How, then, do we get all the people of good will out in the streets and taking action? I'm sure if that feat can be accomplished, the consequent strategies will be relatively easy to imagine.
look2it	The March of Oppression Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2005 12:16 AM nm, I sure wish I knew what to do about it. This gang sells wedge issues like P&G sells soap, and lots of people let themselves get fooled while those crooks pick their pockets. Got to keep saying the truth, I guess, until enough open their eyes. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2005 10:15 AM Shiites step on U.S. flags as clashes rage in Iraq; Another US soldier killed: Thousands of Shiites stomped on U.S. flags painted on roads outside mosques in a show of anger over the U.S. presence in Iraq, while Sunni leaders called yesterday for the closing of places of worship to protest against the sectarian violence many fear may erupt into civil war. A U.S. soldier was killed in a roadside bombing north of Baghdad, the military said. At least 1,628 members of the U.S. military have died since the Iraq war started in March, 2003, according to an Associated Press count. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,337 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 751 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2005 10:17 AM "Well, there is no question that we have evidence and information that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical particularly. All this will be made clear in the course of the operation, for whatever duration it takes." —Ari Fleischer, March 21, 2003
Been There	The March of Oppression Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2005 10:23 AM Nm420 and Look2It, To the much of the world, the abuses of the Bush administration show the true face of America today: Guantánamo Comes to Define U.S. to Muslims. For many Muslims, Guantánamo stands as a confirmation of the low regard in which they believe the United States holds them. For many non-Muslims, regardless of their feelings toward the United States, it has emerged as a symbol of American hypocrisy. "The cages, the orange suits, the shackles - it's as if they're dealing with something that's like a germ they don't want to touch," said Daoud Kuttab, director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University in Ramallah, in the West Bank. "That's the nastiness of it." The Bush administration's response to the Newsweek article - a general condemnation of prison abuses, coupled with an attack on the magazine - apparently did little to allay the concerns of many Muslims. Then on Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross issued a report detailing the many complaints from detainees at Guantánamo about desecrations of the Koran between early 2002 and mid-2003. In India, a secular country by law whose people and government are growing increasingly close to the United States, a cartoon appeared in Midday, an afternoon tabloid, on Friday showing a panic-stricken Uncle Sam flushing copies of Newsweek magazine down a toilet. To the cartoonist, Hemant Morparia, it appeared as though the Bush administration's answer to the problem was to bury the truth. And with good reason. Suppressing the truth always goes hand in hand with oppression, and the Bush administration is no exception. On many Arab streets, there was as much conspiracy seen in the retraction of the Newsweek story as in the story itself. "People already expect the U.S. to deny it, because it already has no credibility in the region," said Mustafa al-Ani, director of the Security and Terrorism Studies Program at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "So the initial story will have an impact, and the response simply will not." Or as a Jordanian pharmacist, Farouk Shoubaki, said of the original report, "It is something the Americans would do." As Mr. Shoubaki's remark reflects, Guantánamo offers disconcerting testimony that for many Muslims, the America they used to admire has sunk to the level of their own repressive governments. When a government lies routinely, as does the Bush administration, its statements have no credibility in the world. Because we failed to repudiate Bush last fall, the reputation of our entire country has been blackened as well. "The Americans were good people before," said Mr. Khaliq, who now works on a road construction project. "Definitely, people are changing their minds towards the Americans." While the rich financiers of the Bush propaganda machine usually succeed in keeping a tight lid on the U.S. media, it still does not control the free press around the globe. The Internet permits us access to international news and views to an extent never before practical. Probably most old-timers will never get beyond the jingoistic American press, but our very connected youth is certainly becoming internationalized. Not only are many of them coming to realize that they've been sold down the river by a "me generation" administration, they are gaining the ability to "see ourselves as others see us."   Over time, this trend will certainly benefit our nation. It's up to all true Americans to help our youth defeat the oppressive forces trying to take over our country. At the very least, we can refuse to be muzzled. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2005 10:25 AM "Then I went for a run with the other dog and just walked. And I started thinking about a lot of things. I was able to—I can't remember what it was. Oh, the inaugural speech, started thinking through that." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 22, 2001
rovlady	The March of Oppression Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2005 3:18 PM I believe that both Clinton and the elder Bush view the polarization of the American people with alarm.  I can't see any other reason that they would work so hard to present a united front even on an issue as earth shattering as the tsunami.  If they can't rein in Bush Jr.  it falls to us as a people to do so.    The news media is increasingly afraid to publish anything that reflects negatively on the administration, with good reason.  Thus it is the internet and sites like this that will allow people a voice in curent events.  I'm not sure how we could go about linking all the sites that express concern over the current state of affairs but it would be valuable to do if possible.  The biggest issue in acomplishing change is to bring enough people together to speak in a voice loud enough to be heard in  Washington.
look2it	The March of Oppression Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2005 11:19 PM rovlady, I get discouraged sometimes, don't you? I vote and even make small contributions here and there, but can't afford anything big, so that doesn't do much real good. Can't afford to speak up too much either because I still have to earn a living. G'night.
rovlady	The March of Oppression Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 4:03 AM One of the things I learned a long time ago is never cave in to the psychological games.  A friend of mine was/is a marathon tri-athelete.  He was struck by a truck while bicycling and was told he would never compete again.  He took his recovery one day at a time and told me that whenever I thought of him I should think of him how he really is, not as the accident left him.  It took him over two years, but the last time I saw him he was running down the trail looking like an Adonis.  He not only still competes, he wins!  I look at our country the same way.  The America I know and love isn't the ugly vista created by the current administration and I believe we will recover our collective senses.  Some of us may be a little slow on the uptake, but most of us really care about what this country stands for.  g'night
Been There	The March of Oppression Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 10:34 AM Rovlady, Absolutely! The pendulum swings back and forth. If we focus on reducing the damage done by the current gang in power, we'll have less to fix once the sun shines again on America. And it will. Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 10:36 AM Insurgents launch bloody attacks in Iraq: Insurgents launched a string of bloody attacks in Iraq on Sunday, shooting dead a senior civil servant in Baghdad and bombing a police station in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit. This followed the killing of 12 interior ministry commandos on Saturday in a series of clashes in and around the restive city of Samarra, in central Iraq. Over the past weeks, rebels have increasingly targetted newly-minted Iraqi security forces, who are taking on a more prominent role in anti-insurgency operations, especially in towns. Meanwhile, US officials acknowledged that poor security in the country is hobbling efforts to speed up reconstruction and that security accounts for 16 percent of all spending on reconstruction projects. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,338 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 752 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 10:38 AM "There is no doubt that the regime of Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction. As this operation continues, those weapons will be identified, found, along with the people who have produced them and who guard them." —Gen. Tommy Franks, March 22, 2003
Been There	Fouling the Nest Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 10:45 AM Coal-powered generators on the drawing board today will add vast amounts of unnecessary pollution to our air: Dirty Secret: Coal Plants Could Be Much Cleaner. Almost a decade ago, Tampa Electric opened an innovative power plant that turned coal, the most abundant but the dirtiest fossil fuel, into a relatively clean gas, which it burns to generate electricity. Not only did the plant emit significantly less pollution than a conventional coal-fired power plant, but it was also 10 percent more efficient. For anyone with an ounce of common sense, using integrated gasification technology for every new coal-powered generator is the only way to go. However, most corporate executives look only at the short-term bottom line, eschewing both common sense and the long-term success of their own companies. (They plan to retire to mansions in Florida before their companies suffer the long-term effects of their mismanagement.) But even now, with gas prices following oil prices into the stratosphere and power companies turning back to coal, most new plants - about nine out of 10 on the drawing board - will not use integrated gasification combined-cycle technology. The reason is fairly simple. A plant with the low-pollution, high-efficiency technology demonstrated at the Tampa Electric plant is about 20 percent more expensive to build than a conventional plant that burns pulverized coal. If we had an honest government, laws would not permit companies to gain a competitive advantage by fouling the earth's atmosphere. But, alas, we do not. The technology's main long-term advantage - the ability to control greenhouse gas emissions - is not winning over many utilities because the country does not yet regulate those gases. To be fair, a few power-company executives do see the long-term benefits of making common-sense decisions today. The biggest long-term draw for gasification technology is its ability to capture carbon before combustion. If greenhouse-gas limits are enacted, that job will be much harder and more expensive to do with conventional coal-fired plants. Mr. Lowe, the G.E. executive, estimated that capturing carbon would add about 25 percent to the cost of electricity from a combined-cycle plant burning gasified coal, but that it would add 70 percent to the price of power from conventional plants. However, most expect to  use their political clout to get away with irresponsible behavior during the Bush days. Many think that mandatory carbon controls, in place in much of the world since the Kyoto Protocol came into force in February, can be kept at bay in the United States - possibly indefinitely. And, if not, they calculate that U.S. taxpayers will eventually foot the bill for today's negligence. It's no wonder that these "me generation" executives feel such kinship with the "me generation" Bush administration that is currently running our country into the ground. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 10:47 AM "One year ago today, the time for excuse-making has come to an end." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 8, 2003
Norway	The March of Oppression Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 1:02 PM "Star Wars"   US Policy   http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0517-07.htm
rovlady	The March of Oppression Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 9:56 PM Hi Norway,      That was a spot on article.  I agree with Been There that if we can limit the damage both environmental and idealogical being done currently, when the tide turns (and it will!) there will be less to clean up.
rovlady	The March of Oppression Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 11:36 PM Not being a history buff I don't recall...Have there been times when a democrcy has started to slide toward dictatorship and the slide was interrupted?  It would be of value to know what kinds of events would slow, stall, or outright derail deterioration of that kind.
look2it	The March of Oppression Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 11:47 PM Norway, what a great piece, thanks for the link! I'm sure that the other people who lost their freedom going down this same road bitterly regretted not taking action to stop it before it was too late. BT and rovlady, I sure hope you are right to be so optimistic. Guess I should assume so, otherwise what's the point of trying? G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, May 23, 2005 10:12 AM The Bush war in Iraq continues to rage: Five U.S. Soldiers Killed in Northern Iraq. Five U.S. soldiers were killed in northern Iraq on Sunday, the U.S. military said. The names of the five soldiers were being withheld pending next-of-kin notification. As of Monday, May 22, 2005, at least 1,634 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The Bush blunders are playing havoc with military recruitment these days because people are asking an excellent question: "My boys should die in Baghdad? For what?" Parents from coast to coast are going out of their way to dissuade their children from joining the military. Recruiters, desperate and in many cases emotionally distraught after repeatedly missing their monthly goals, began abandoning admission standards and signing up individuals who were physically, mentally or morally unfit for service. The abuses became so widespread that the Army suspended recruiting on Friday so recruiters could spend the day being retrained in the legal and ethical standards they are supposed to maintain. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,339 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 753 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Monday, May 23, 2005 10:18 AM "We know where the weapons of mass destruction are. They are in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad." —Donald Rumsfeld, March 30, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, May 23, 2005 10:20 AM "The goals for this country are peace in the world. And the goals for this country are a compassionate American for every single citizen." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 7:51 AM Deadly Explosions Rip Iraq: A car bomb exploded Tuesday near a Baghdad junior high school for girls, killing six people, officials said, a day after 49 Iraqis died in a string of explosions, suicide attacks and drive-by shootings. Tuesday's blast occurred near eastern Baghdad's well-known Withaq Square, a Christian neighborhood, destroying at least three cars and damaging several buildings. ... At least 615 people, including 49 U.S. troops, have been killed since April 28, when Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari announced his new Shiite-dominated government. Washington hopes his government will eventually train police and an army capable of securing Iraq, allowing the withdrawal of coalition troops. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,340 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 754 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 7:54 AM More and more Americans are objecting to the Bush administration's all-out war on truth: Slain Soldier's Parents Angry About Government Lies. Former NFL player Pat Tillman's family is lashing out against the Army, saying that the military's investigations into Tillman's friendly-fire death in Afghanistan last year were a sham and that Army efforts to cover up the truth have made it harder for them to deal with their loss. ... "The military let him down. The administration let him down. It was a sign of disrespect. The fact that he was the ultimate team player and he watched his own men kill him is absolutely heartbreaking and tragic. The fact that they lied about it afterward is disgusting." Disgusting is exactly the right word for this crew. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 7:55 AM Corporate scandals affected the confidence of people and therefore affected the economy. My decision on Iraq, this kind of march to war, affected the economy." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 8, 2004
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 12:18 AM I know some single people who are always looking for a compassionate American. Maybe Bush could put up a web site telling who is available. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 8:57 AM A Short History of the Iraq War In the runup to the U.S. attack on Iraq in 2003, the Bush administation insisted (without providing evidence) that the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction made an immediate attack on Iraq crucial to our security. However (we were repeatedly assured), the Iraqi people would welcome us with open arms and Iraq oil revenues would pay for the aftermath of the war. The Bush administration portrayed the Iraqi people as closet Republicans, just waiting for us to topple Saddam Hussein so they could form a government sympathetic to unbridled business activity. They even had a man picked out, Ahmed Chalabi, who would be perfect for running Iraq. As a convicted felon who had stolen enough money to flee and evade his prison sentence for many years, Chalabi was a man the Bush neocons truly admired. The attack moved quickly, and Saddam was quickly overturned. The government PR machine had the military secure a Baghdad square containing a large statue of Saddam and, in front of a handful of cheering Iraqis, pulled it down. A few days later, on May 1, 2003, a swaggering Bush flew a couple of miles into San Diego Harbor to make his triumphant "mission accomplished" speech. The Receding Light at the End of the Tunnel After Bush's "mission accomplished" speech, however, things in Iraq continued to go downhill. The weapons of mass destruction pretext turned out to be phony. Even the use of torture failed to produce results. Milestone after milestone has since been reached that was supposed to have been the turning point of the war. Here are just a few: The capture of Saddam in a hole The appointment of an interim government The assault on Fallujah The Iraq elections The much-delayed formation of an elected government In each case, the Bush administration's pipe dreams did not come true. The Current Reality 9 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: A series of insurgent attacks killed nine American troops across Iraq on Monday and Tuesday, bringing the three-day total of dead American servicemen to 14. The attacks on Tuesday included a suicide car bombing on an expressway in southern Baghdad that killed three soldiers and reduced their Humvee to a tangle of charred scrap. The attacks continued a wave of insurgent violence that has killed 58 American troops and about 600 Iraqi civilians since the beginning of May. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,341 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 755 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Bearing False Witness Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 9:06 AM "I felt like we would find weapons of mass destruction." —George W. Bush, January 14, 2005
Been There	No Child Left Behind Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 9:10 AM Breaking news on the education front: Group Seeks Ban of Twentieth Century from Kansas School Textbooks. The move to ban the twentieth century came up in a series of contentious school board hearings this week as the group loudly complained that the state’s current textbooks are rife with references to the controversial century, which they say may or may not have happened. “These textbooks state unequivocally that the twentieth century occurred, as if that were a proven historic fact,” said Gordon Lavalier, the group’s leader and spokesman. “The simple truth is, the twentieth century is and has always been nothing but a theory.” Yep, leave it to Kansas to lead the red states forward!  Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 9:11 AM "We want to reduce greenhouse gases. Ours is a large economy. We used to generate more wealth than we are today. And as a result, we do contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere." —George W. Bush, London, England, Jul. 19, 2001
look2it	No Child Left Behind Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 11:54 PM Things have been way different in Kansas since the wizard of Oz visited there. Stop looking behind the curtain!  G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, May 26, 2005 8:01 AM Iraqi Politicians Reject American Charter: The parliamentary constitutional committee, meeting in the heavily fortified Green Zone, the base for the Iraqi government and for the American Embassy, reached another decision on Wednesday that appeared likely to make reaching the Aug. 15 deadline more difficult: Mr. Hammoudi said the committee had agreed that the interim constitution could not serve as the basis for the new charter, because legislators felt that it was "an American document," and that drawing up an authentically Iraqi constitution would require an across-the-board review that could "draw on" elements of the interim document, but not treat them as a template. The decision appeared to mean that the American effort to balance competing ethnic, religious and regional interests in the constitution would be pushed aside. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,342 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 756 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	To Die For Posted: Thursday, May 26, 2005 8:02 AM "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, our allies and against us."   —Dick Cheney, August 26, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, May 26, 2005 8:04 AM In terms of the CO2 issue, we will not do anything that harms our economy. Because, first things first, are the people who live in America. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Mar. 29, 2001
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, May 27, 2005 12:11 AM Now that was a nice spring day! Swam for an hour and it was the best so far this year. C'mon you lazy ones, enjoy the benefit of living up here! G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, May 27, 2005 10:44 AM Two More U.S. Soldiers Slain in Iraq: Two U.S. soldiers were killed when their helicopter was shot down and crashed in central Iraq, the military said Friday, as the government prepared to ring Baghdad with tens of thousands of security forces to curb the rampant insurgency. ... The military said small-arms fire downed the helicopter, while another returned to base safely despite being hit. At least 1,652 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,343 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 757 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	To Die For Posted: Friday, May 27, 2005 10:45 AM "Right now, Iraq is expanding and improving facilities used for the production of biological weapons." —George W. Bush, September 12, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, May 27, 2005 10:46 AM We know that dictators are quick to choose aggression, while free nations strive to resolve differences in peace. —George W. Bush, New York, N.Y., Sep. 21, 2004
Norway	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, May 27, 2005 11:08 AM The Downing Street Memo   http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2005 12:06 AM Norway, thanks, at least some ot the Brits have the honesty to let the truth come out. Some insiders - former  - in the US have spilled the beans too, but with this gang you really need to watch your back if you tell the truth. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2005 7:02 AM U.S. Marine Killed During Western Iraq Operation: A U.S. Marine was killed during fighting in the town of Haditha, northwest of Baghdad, where U.S. forces are conducting a security operation, the military said on Saturday. The Marine was killed on Thursday when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near his position, a statement said. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,344 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 758 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	To Die For Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2005 7:04 AM "The entire world knows beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein holds weapons of mass destruction in large quantities." —Dick Cheney, September 23, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2005 7:05 AM I have a record in office, as well. And all Americans have seen that record. September the 4th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. It's a day I will never forget. —George W. Bush, Marlton, New Jersey, Oct. 18, 2004
Norway	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2005 9:00 AM Congressman John Conyers,Jr   http://www.johnconyers.campaignoffice.com/index.asp?Type=NONE&SEC={456ECCD5-4EAC-4C6D-8A17-89728B250AE2}
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 29, 2005 12:15 AM Norway, I signed, I hope others did too. Have a good holiday weekend all!  G'night.
rovlady	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 29, 2005 12:16 AM Good work Norway!   I liked the article and added my name to the list.  Thanks for providing the link!
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:01 AM Violence Surges Across Iraq With 30 New Deaths Reported: The surge of violence that has swept Iraq since its first elected government took office nearly a month ago continued Saturday, with at least 30 new deaths reported across the country, some of them in what appeared to be sectarian killings. The latest attacks raised the total number of Iraqis killed this month to about 650, in addition to at least 63 American troops who have been killed, the highest American toll since January. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,345 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 759 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	To Die For Posted: Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:02 AM "Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud." —George W. Bush, October 7, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:04 AM And we need a full affront on an energy crisis that is real in California and looms for other parts of our country if we don't move quickly. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Mar. 29, 2001
rovlady	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, May 30, 2005 1:35 AM The energy crisis facing California was orchestrated by Bush and his  good friends at Enron!  I live in California and we are royally angry at what has been done.  We also pay more for fuel than anywhere else in the country.  I guess that's the price we pay for voting democratic.  Having read all the books that came out on Iraq before the election that were written by guys from both sides of the asile a common theme emerged.  Cross Bush and there will be hell to pay.   California elected a Republican governor not as an ideological choice but in recognition that to do otherwise in the current political climate would bring more problems to the state in the form of base closures etc.  We are democrats not idiots.  I didn't vote for Arnie, but I understand why others did.
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 12:23 AM rovlady, I think it's dawning on more and more people how dirty the Bush gang really fights for the filthy rich against everyone else. This is going to have to stop or they'll find out how rough it can be when regular people start to fight back. No sympathy for those crooks at all. None. Nada. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 8:31 AM Memorial Day observed in U.S.: 8 More Soldiers Killed as Violence Engulfs Iraq. Four American and four Italian military personnel were killed in separate aircraft crashes, military officials said Tuesday, and Iraq's prime minister condemned the U.S. arrest of a top Sunni political leader. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,347 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 761 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	To Die For Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 8:34 AM "If he declares he has none, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world." —Ari Fleischer, December 2, 2002   [Someone was misleading the world.]
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 8:35 AM I like the idea of people growing corn that gets converted into energy. Somebody walks into the Oval Office and says, there's a lot of corn being grown, Mr. President. Hopefully, that one day will mean we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy. The more corn there is, the more we have to eat. The more corn there is, the more energy there is. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Apr. 20, 2005
Been There	Investigative Reporting Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 9:18 AM Some details of how the CIA manages to transport kidnapped political enemies of the U.S. appears in today's New York Times: C.I.A. Expanding Terror Battle Under Guise of Charter Flights. When the Central Intelligence Agency wants to grab a suspected member of Al Qaeda overseas and deliver him to interrogators in another country, an Aero Contractors plane often does the job. If agency experts need to fly overseas in a hurry after the capture of a prized prisoner, a plane will depart Johnston County and stop at Dulles Airport outside Washington to pick up the C.I.A. team on the way. Aero Contractors' planes dropped C.I.A. paramilitary officers into Afghanistan in 2001; carried an American team to Karachi, Pakistan, right after the United States Consulate there was bombed in 2002; and flew from Libya to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, the day before an American-held prisoner said he was questioned by Libyan intelligence agents last year, according to flight data and other records. While posing as a private charter outfit - "aircraft rental with pilot" is the listing in Dun and Bradstreet - Aero Contractors is in fact a major domestic hub of the Central Intelligence Agency's secret air service. The company was founded in 1979 by a legendary C.I.A. officer and chief pilot for Air America, the agency's Vietnam-era air company, and it appears to be controlled by the agency, according to former employees. Behind a surprisingly thin cover of rural hideaways, front companies and shell corporations that share officers who appear to exist only on paper, the C.I.A. has rapidly expanded its air operations since 2001 as it has pursued and questioned terrorism suspects around the world. In related news: U.S. ISSUES LIST OF APPROVED TAUNTS FOR GUANTANAMO. Addressing concerns about the treatment of detainees at the U.S. detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today announced today that the U.S. was issuing a list of approved taunts for use on all detainees in U.S. custody. Speaking at a press conference at the Pentagon, Air Force Gen. Richard Myers said that the U.S. military would have "zero tolerance" for religion-based taunting on detainees, adding, "There are so many other things that you can taunt prisoners about." Been There
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 11:59 PM Too bad there's no 'deep throat' in the Bush gang. Course he'd be in a torture camp with no word to anyone if they found out about it. Hmmm. Maybe that's why right there. G'night.
Nick Adams	To Die For Posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 3:27 AM (U.P. EYE)  5:15 pm, June 2, 2005 Backpacking Somewhere in The Outback Good Morning, Keweenaw!                                                                                                 Speaking of BT's  "To Die For" thread, according to my new Australian source "Shallow Esophagus" (after a clandestine exhaust smoke filled encounter in the Sydney Opera House underground parking garage wherein S.E. marked his bizarre subterranean theory in felt pen on the cement wall), America's recent brouhaha over Newsweek's story about a  Koran which was flushed down some Guantanamo toilet that indirectly led to the deaths of rioters in Afghanistan and elsewhere +  all kinds of hair-pulling amongst America's chattering class, was actually the result of an unceremonious typo. S.E. tells me it was an emerald green  "Krayon" which actually received a Cuban Swirly, not the "Koran". So who's the political scapegoat now?                                Well mates, best be back to studying that mating song (Koo-koo-kaa-choo?) of Australia's native kingfisher, yes the laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), if I'm ever gonna make something of myself in this strange southern hemisphere where water closets flow contrarian due to the coriolis force: Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree Merry, merry king of the bush is he Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra! Gay your life must be   Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree Eating all the gum drops he can see Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra! Leave some there for me!   Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree Counting all the monkeys he can see Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra! That's not a monkey that's me   Kookaburra sits on a rusty nail Gets a boo-boo in his tail Cry, Kookaburra! Cry, kookaburra! Oh how life can be!     Your Intrepid Correspondent Come What May (25 or 6/24?),   Nick Adams   (which would still be Cousin Jack or CJ,  if my former password hadn't been stolen by Been There who really pulls the show-biz levers in this Polemical Cyber-Show like that Weird Old Wizard of Oz, right Moots?)    PS: Bless Sir Bob Gandalf!
Norway	To Die For Posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 7:20 AM CJ,   I have been wondering why you have not been posting on how great the new Iraq government is going.  Anyone else feel like making jokes about so much death and despair??    L2,  You are right about anyone even "thought" to be the Deep Throat of the Bush administration.
Nick Adams	To Die For Posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 6:04 PM Norway: Unlike those Pentagon optimists who predicted a relatively smooth transition from long-running dictatorship to peace and freedom, I never had any illusions about how hard it would be to build a democracy in a country that has known nothing but brutal tyranny for over 30 years. When the Bush administration decided to go in for better or worse (with congressional approval), I  figured it would take 5 years minimum to get something reasonable up off the ground and running so by my schedule we aren't doing too badly. And now they also have HOPE for a better future which is something this generation of Iraqis has never known before. Just curious now, what if this were Operation Norwegian Freedom, or perhaps Operation Finnish Freedom?  How would you feel about our difficult attempt at democratization then? Would it be worth it?   BTW, if you hadn't noticed, late night comedians have been been joking about that flushed Koran fiasco ever since the fallacious Newsweek story was published two weeks ago. Yes it’s a deadly world (around 42,000 Americans annually die in auto accidents and about 15,500 are yearly murdered), but to everything there is a season and life must go on. I paid my personal respects to grief on Monday in a place where it matters which always binds up my heart so on Thursday I let out some slack. Now...it’s near dawn after a very cold 3 dog desert night here so please excuse me while I try and slip out of my sleeping bag without disturbing that death adder which wriggled in sometime this morning to join me. I’ve got bandicoot bacon to fry, crocs to wrestle and wallabies to box, dammit.   Nick (aka CJ)
Norway	To Die For Posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 7:53 PM   Haaaaaaaaa!!! CJ,   Being an Aussie, ...living in OZ, ...hasn't changed you a bit!  Still  in denial over the facts.  I will not waste my time going over them with you.  As far as late night comedians....   I don't waste my time with them either.  Since when did they set the gold standard for humor, or anything else??  As far as auto accidents, murders.......  geesh! ....  you are really trying to turn those apples into oranges now!    Don't waste your time, being curious about how I would feel if it were Operation Norwegian Freedom!!!  The same as Iraq!  Guess you forgot who you were talking to.     Cheers