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Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 7:03 AM Kidnapped governor found dead in Iraq: The kidnapped governor of volatile Anbar province was found dead after a fierce battle between U.S. forces and foreign fighters, a government spokesman said Tuesday. In Washington, President George W. Bush said Baghdad's fledgling leadership is "plenty capable" of defeating insurgents whose attacks on Iraqis and U.S. soldiers have intensified since the new Shiite-led government was announced April 28.   ... The insurgency, which is believed to be strongly backed by radical Sunni extremists, has killed more than 760 people in the past month. Vice President Dick Cheney predicted that fighting in Iraq will end before the Bush administration leaves office in 2009. 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: 1,348 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 762 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: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 7:04 AM "We know for a fact that there are weapons of mass destruction there." —Ari Fleischer, January 9, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 7:05 AM One of the interesting lessons that the world can look at is Pakistan. You see, there are some in the world who do not believe that a Muslim society can self-govern. Some believe that the only solution for government in parts of the world is for there to be tyranny or despotism. I don't believe that. The Pakistan people have proven that those cynics are wrong. And where President Musharraf can help in world peace is to help remind people what is possible. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 4, 2004 HISTORICAL NOTE: General Musharraf seized control of Pakistan in a coup d'état on October 13, 1999 saying (I'm not joking) that he had to "destroy democracy temporarily to save it". He has remained in power ever since.
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, June 02, 2005 12:09 AM Yes, Bush wants us to look at dictators to see what is possible. I wonder why. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, June 02, 2005 7:58 AM As Donald Rumsfeld himself pointed out yesterday (Rumsfeld Detainee Numbers), the concentration camps maintained by our government create more problems than they solve. Although very few of the detainees were terrorists when first kidnapped, months and years of abuse builds enough rage in a prisoner to create a brand new terrorist. What then? Release the man because he was falsely imprisoned at the start, or keep him in the concentration camp to protect ourselves from the terrorist we ourselves created? Number of detainees released from Guantanamo Bay: 200. Number of released Guantanamo detainees captured again on battlefield: At least 12. Nick Adams justifies the deaths of over 1,600 U.S. soldiers (and many more to follow) by saying that their sacrifice gives Iraqis HOPE for the future. Yes, many Iraqis now have HOPE that a fundamentalist Muslim government will rule Iraq. Other Iraqis, such as that darling of the neocons, convicted felon Ahmed Chalabi, HOPE to plunder Iraqi oil profits. In my view, no Iraqi HOPE justifies the death of a single American soldier: 20 Are Killed by Car Bombings in Iraq; 2 More U.S. Soldiers Dead. Three suicide car bombings killed 20 people in northern Iraq on Thursday, including a top municipal council leader and a bodyguard of Iraq's Kurdish deputy prime minister, officials said. Continuing violence during the past days has also claimed the lives of three children, a U.S. soldier and a Sunni Muslim cleric, underscoring the rampant, random nature of an insurgency that has killed almost 800 people since the April 28 announcement of Iraq's new Shiite-led government, 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: 1,349 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 763 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, June 02, 2005 8:00 AM "Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." —George W. Bush, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, June 02, 2005 8:00 AM History has called the United States into action, and we will not let history down. —George W. Bush, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jan. 29, 2003
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, June 03, 2005 12:09 AM It seems like guys like Bush who can never admit a mistake are almost always wrong. Maybe that goes together. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, June 03, 2005 8:50 AM Just one of the many problems caused by Bush's mistaken attack on Iraq is the toll his blunder taking on our military in these dangerous times: Growing Problem for Military Recruiters: Parents. Two years into the war in Iraq, as the Army and Marines struggle to refill their ranks, parents have become boulders of opposition that recruiters cannot move.   Mothers and fathers around the country said they were terrified that their children would have to be killed - or kill - in a war that many see as unnecessary and without end. Around the dinner table, many parents said, they are discouraging their children from serving. At schools, they are insisting that recruiters be kept away, incensed at the access that they have to adolescents easily dazzled by incentive packages and flashy equipment. A Department of Defense survey last November, the latest, shows that only 25 percent of parents would recommend military service to their children, down from 42 percent in August 2003. "Parents," said one recruiter in Ohio who insisted on anonymity because the Army ordered all recruiters not to talk to reporters, "are the biggest hurdle we face." For many parents it's already too late: 3 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq. Among the American casualties on Wednesday, one soldier died of injuries from gunfire near Ramadi, in Anbar Province, the military said Thursday. Another was killed by a roadside bomb near Ramadi, and a soldier in Kirkuk died of injuries not related to combat, a military spokesman said, adding that American officials had begun an investigation. 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: Exactly 1,350 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 764 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, June 03, 2005 8:51 AM "Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent." —George W. Bush, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, June 03, 2005 8:51 AM The Prime Minister said something very interesting a while ago, and it's important for the American people to understand. Our strategy is to help the Iraqis help themselves. It's important that we train Iraqi troops. There are nearly 100,000 troops trained. The Afghan national army is a part of the army. By the way -- it's the Afghan national army that went into Najaf and did the work there. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sep. 23, 2004
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, June 04, 2005 12:41 AM BT, how bout some more of the funny Bush quotes? The ones you are giving now are just too sad. Can you think of any other president who could come anywhere close to Dubya in dumb sayings? I can't, not Clinton and not Bush's father either. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, June 04, 2005 8:47 AM Just one of the many problems caused by Bush's mistaken attack on Iraq is the toll his blunder taking on our military in these dangerous times: Guard, Reserve Monthly Death Toll at High. May was the deadliest month of the Iraq war for part-time American servicemen. Thirty-one of them died: 14 members of the Army National Guard, 12 from the Marine Corps Reserve, four from the Army Reserve and one Navy Reserve hospital corpsman attached to a Marine combat unit. The overall U.S. death toll in Iraq last month -- counting active-duty as well as mobilized reserve forces -- was 80. That is the highest for any month since January, when 107 died as insurgent attacks rose sharply prior to the Iraqi election. Fifty-two died in April and 36 in March, when it appeared the insurgency was waning. 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: 1,351 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 765 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, June 04, 2005 8:48 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: Saturday, June 04, 2005 8:59 AM It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on, on the word of, uhh -- and the allegations -- by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to disassemble -- that means not tell the truth. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 31, 2005   Look2It, I hope this example from Bush's last press conference is funny enough for you. From the earliest days of our republic, ridiculing the president has been an important American tradition--a sign of the highest patriotism. It's especially important to maintain this tradition during war, particularly when the president started the war unnecessarily.
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, June 04, 2005 11:57 PM BT, good one, and hilarious, but is it really ridicule to repeat the man's own words? Most would be complimented. Would he know the difference? G'night.
Norway	To Die For Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2005 8:59 AM Turn up your speakers. http://www.peacetakescourage.com/memorial.html
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2005 9:10 AM More than 25 months have passed since Bush's silly "mission accomplished" speech. No weapons of mass destruction have been found, but Iraqis and Americans are still dying because of Bush's blunders: Day of Dozens of Deaths; Military Announces Death of Another U.S. Soldier. A suicide bomber detonated a belt of explosives at a gathering of Sufi Muslims on Thursday evening north of Baghdad, killing at least 10 people and wounding at least 11 others, an Interior Ministry official said Friday. The attack capped an extremely bloody day across the country, in which at least 44 Iraqis, including a Shiite cleric, were killed. More violence followed Friday, as at least three Iraqis were killed and a dozen wounded in shootings and bombings. An American military spokesman also said a soldier was killed Tuesday in a rocket attack at an American base in Baghdad. The Bush administration has strongly advised the new Iraqi government not to adopt a legal system with all the "niceties" of the American system: Judges Say They Will Convict Saddam on 12 Counts When Trial Is Held. No date has been set for the trial of Saddam, who has been held in a U.S.-run detention facility in Baghdad since being captured in December 2003. "The number of charges on which he will be tried are 12 and the judges are confidant that he will be convicted of these charges," Kuba said. As always happens, people who collaborate with an occupation army earn the hatred of those who resist: Iraqi Ex-Employees of U.S. Face Death Threats or Exile. Because of his work with American troops, some Iraqis saw Mr. Ahmed as a collaborator. Mr. Ahmed said his family was harassed and abused, and they moved three times in an effort to hide from insurgents. When Mr. Ahmed begged his American bosses for help, he was told they could do nothing. He said he finally realized that for his family's safety, he would have to leave Iraq. Alone, he crossed the border into Syria in January. Mr. Ahmed is one of a growing group of Iraqis who used to work as interpreters, drivers or cooks for American forces in Iraq but have fled to Syria because the insurgency branded them as traitors. In recent months, Iraqis who are known to have worked with American troops have been killed and kidnapped in large numbers. ... Samer Zora Borka, 28, who worked as an interpreter for the American military in Baghdad, said he knew at least 15 former employees who were living in a Damascus suburb. Mr. Borka said many Iraqis in his situation felt anger and disappointment at their former employers, but that he tried to avoid such feelings. "The American soldiers love to use the word family," he said. "They kept saying it. About the unit, I mean. They'd say, 'We're family, we work as a family.' " Mr. Borka smiled and added, "And I guess we used to believe them." 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: 1,352 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 766 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, June 05, 2005 9:12 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, June 05, 2005 9:15 AM For my own country, the process of becoming a mature, multi-ethnic democracy was lengthy and violent. Our journey from national independence to equal injustice included the enslavement of millions, and a four-year civil war. —George W. Bush, Riga, Latvia, May 7, 2005
look2it	To Die For Posted: Monday, June 06, 2005 12:46 AM Thanks Norway, I did. BT, there's injustice alright, but for sure it's not equal!  G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, June 06, 2005 8:09 AM Only 2 More Years of War in Iraq: In Washington, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. said Sunday in a telephone interview that military commanders privately told a Congressional delegation visiting Iraq last Monday that it would take about two years before enough Iraqi security forces were sufficiently trained to allow the Pentagon to withdraw large numbers of American troops. "No one said you can draw down significantly in less than two years," Mr. Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said after returning from the visit to Iraq with half a dozen other lawmakers. "What these guys were saying to me was, 'We've got to level with the American people.' " 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: 1,353 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 767 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: Monday, June 06, 2005 8:10 AM "Iraq has also provided Al Qaeda with chemical and biological weapons training."   —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, June 06, 2005 8:11 AM We discussed the way forward in Iraq, discussed the importance of a democracy in the greater Middle East in order to leave behind a peaceful tomorrow. —George W. Bush, Tbilisi, Georgia, May 10, 2005
Norway	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, June 06, 2005 2:30 PM June 4th, 2005 1:55 am New 'Deep Throat' needed for Iraq, says Nixon rival WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US media needs a modern-day "Deep Throat" within the administration of President George W. Bush to reveal how America was "misled" on Iraq, former presidential contender George McGovern said. "We need someone like that who is highly placed to tell us what's really going on. We know that we were misled on Iraq," McGovern told Fox News Radio. McGovern, a former senator, unsuccessfully ran against Richard Nixon for the White House in 1972. Deep Throat, revealed this week as former FBI assistant director Mark Felt, acted as a source to The Washington Post newspaper, helping to bring down Nixon's presidency over the Watergate scandal in 1974. "I wish there were somebody of the Deep Throat time in this administration who are aware of what's going on," McGovern told Fox News Radio. "This war in Iraq, in my opinion is worse than anything Nixon did. I think Nixon deserved to be expelled from office in view of the cover-up that he carried on and the laws that he violated. "But we have an administration in power now that led us to a war that is internationally illegal; it's a war that we are fighting with a country that has no threat to us that has nothing to do with the 9-11 attacks. McGovern said Nixon was undoubtedly "tricky," but said of Bush: "This man claims to be Christian, following the will of God, and then he misleads the whole nation on a totally fraudulent enterprise in Iraq that we should have never been attached to."       Hmmmm.... would a "Deep Throat" today....  ever have a chance to be heard...  or would the media report it?  Doubt it.  Too many Americans don't want to hear it anyway, as they would have to admit they were wrong, when all of  this started.  Some people are just not up for that.   Norway
look2it	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 12:23 AM Norway, we know that Bush stops at nothing to hide the truth, even when the truth-tellers identify themselves. What would happen to a Deep Throat who wasn't known to the public if the Bush gang caught on to him first? Might never be heard from again. Disgusting to hear those criminals from Nixon's time now talking about Deep Throat's lack of ethics. When did the Nixon bunch ever care about ethics? What a crock! G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 8:36 AM Five Bombings Kill 18, Wound 67 in Iraq; 2 More U.S. Marines Killed: Two U.S. Marines died Monday after separate roadside bombings near Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad, the military said Tuesday. Tuesday's attacks in northern Iraq appeared coordinated and aimed at checkpoints manned by members of Iraq's fledgling army, which has been a constant target of insurgents opposed to the country's new U.S.-backed government. 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: 1,354 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 768 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, June 07, 2005 8:38 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	Thugs, Slugs, and Leaky Plugs Posted: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 8:41 AM It seems there's an explanation for John R. Bolton's legendary temper tantrums: Bolton's Anger Tied To Gamma Ray Accident. John R. Bolton, President Bush’s choice to be the next ambassador to the U.N., offered rare insight into his much-storied anger today, telling reporters that his uncontrollable rage stemmed from a “freak gamma ray accident” that occurred during his early career as a research scientist. “Before I got into government, I was a scientist working in the field of gamma ray research,” Mr. Bolton told reporters in Washington. “It was during one day of work in my laboratory that an experiment went awry and I was belted by gamma rays.” When pressed by a reporter as to how exposure to gamma rays could have caused his legendary anger, Mr. Bolton appeared to fume and warned the reporter, “Don’t make me angry… you won’t like me when I’m angry.”  In related news, George Steinbrenner announced that, if the U.N. job falls through, he will consider Bolton to replace Joe Torre as manager of the New York Yankees. "I think Bolton's just the man to fix the team's problems," Steinbrenner explained. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 8:44 AM Now, if you're a worker who earns 35 dollars a year over your lifetime, and this system were in effect where you could put 4 percent of your payroll taxes in a personal account, and you started at age 20, by the time you retired, your personal account would grow to 250,000 dollars. That's compounding rate of interest. —George W. Bush, Raleigh, North Carolina, Feb. 10, 2005
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 12:05 AM BT, I guess then if we made $35 thousand a year we'd have $250 million when we retire. Guess I'd retire early! G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:34 AM Dozens Seized in Dawn Raid in Iraq's North; Another U.S. Soldier Killed: American commanders say the operation, in which one American soldier died, rounded up a large number of insurgent organizers. According to accounts by several company commanders, as many as 10 insurgents were killed in the fighting. (It's always important to announce 10 insurgent deaths for every U.S. soldier killed in action. I understand that policy began with the Vietnam war.)   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: 1,355 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 769 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: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:35 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: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:36 AM We've been through a recession. That means things are going backwards. —George W. Bush, Nashua, New Hampshire, Mar. 25, 2004
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, June 09, 2005 12:05 AM And we'll keep on going backwards for another 3 years...  G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, June 09, 2005 8:03 AM Four U.S. Soldiers Are Killed in Iraq: Amid the political maneuvering, the Sunni-led insurgency ground on, with the American military announcing that four soldiers had been killed in various attacks in northern Iraq on Tuesday and Wednesday. There were also sketchy and unconfirmed reports of the kidnapping of 22 Shiite soldiers in the rebellious western desert region of the country. A car bomb exploded in a line of drivers outside a gas station in the city of Baquba, killing three people and wounding one, an Interior Ministry official said. Two bodyguards of a National Assembly member were shot dead in Baghdad, while a police officer was killed in the capital, and another was assassinated in Mosul, the official said. Two U.S. Soldiers Are Killed in Afghanistan: Two American soldiers were killed and eight wounded in a mortar attack at a firebase near the Pakistani border, the military said in a statement today. The attack, using mortars to fire on a landed helicopter, was the first of its kind in three years of operations against insurgents in Afghanistan and raises new dangers for a military that relies so much on supply from the air. It's tragic that Bush pulled our forces from the fight against the terrorists in Afghanistan to chase mythical WMD in Iraq. Slowly but surely, those chickens will come home to roost. 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: 1,356 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 770 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, June 09, 2005 8:05 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: Thursday, June 09, 2005 8:06 AM Look, John Cornyn is a good friend, and we look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make -- it would hope -- put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't see. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Apr. 14, 2005
Been There	Living A Nightmare Posted: Thursday, June 09, 2005 6:17 PM One of the tragedies of Bush's inexcusable blunder in Iraq is what it has done to the recruitment practices of our military. Soldiers selected to be recruiters are always first rate, but the constant pressure to enlist new soldiers to risk their lives to pay for Bush's mistakes--instead of putting their lives on the line to defend our country--has put recruiters into an impossible position. But of course it's no picnic to be a young person subjected to the recruiters for Bush's military these days either: When Marine recruiters go way beyond the call. Marine recruiters began a relentless barrage of calls to Axel as soon as the mellow, compliant Sedro-Woolley High School grad had cut his 17th birthday cake. And soon it was nearly impossible to get the seekers of a few good men off the line. With early and late calls ringing in their ears, Marcia tried using call blocking. And that's when she learned her first hard lesson. You can't block calls from the government, her server said. So, after pleas to "Please stop calling" went unanswered, the family's "do not answer" order ensued. But simply not answering the phone won't stop a really determined recruiter. Next thing Axel knew, the same sergeant and another recruiter showed up at the LaConner Brewing Co., the restaurant where Axel works. And before Axel, an older cousin and other co-workers knew or understood what was happening, Axel was whisked away in a car. "They said we were going somewhere but I didn't know we were going all the way to Seattle," Axel said. Just a few tests. And so many free opportunities, the recruiters told him. He could pursue his love of chemistry. He could serve anywhere he chose and leave any time he wanted on an "apathy discharge" if he didn't like it. And he wouldn't have to go to Iraq if he didn't want to. At about 3:30 in the morning, Alex was awakened in the motel and fed a little something. Twelve hours later, without further sleep or food, he had taken a battery of tests and signed a lot of papers he hadn't gotten a chance to read. "Just formalities," he was told. "Sign here. And here. Nothing to worry about." In a pig's eye!   Anyone who cares about our military and our national security should read this whole sordid tale. Every young person deserves a decent future. These are not pawns to be sacrificed to the greed and stupidity of our "me generation" White House. Been There
look2it	Living A Nightmare Posted: Friday, June 10, 2005 12:19 AM It's appalling what one bad person in the White House can do. Can't imagine how he dares to show his face in public. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, June 10, 2005 8:00 AM 16 Bodies Found in Western Iraq: Eleven of the bodies were scattered in a gravel pit and five were left beside a desert road often used by soldiers. Two of the men were beheaded. Al Qaeda's group in Iraq said on Thursday it was holding 36 Iraqi soldiers hostage, not 22 as reported by police, and demanded the government free all women prisoners within 24 hours, according to a Web statement. The Sunni Muslim group, which has often abducted and killed officials and soldiers, said the 36 were being questioned about their ``crimes against Sunnis.'' Officials in western Iraq have said the kidnapped soldiers were members of the once oppressed Shi'ite community, now dominant in Iraq after winning Jan. 30 elections. 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: 1,357 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 771 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, June 10, 2005 8:02 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: Friday, June 10, 2005 8:03 AM This economy of ours is steady and strong. It's steady and strong. It's steady and strong, which means people are going back to work. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jul. 2, 2004
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, June 10, 2005 2:37 PM Roadside Bomb Kills Five Marines in Iraq: The Marines were killed Thursday while conducting combat operations near the town of Haqlaniyah, 90 miles north of Baghdad, in volatile Anbar province, the military said in a statement.   A U.S. soldier died Thursday of non-combat injuries near Tuz Khormato, about 130 miles north of Baghdad, the military said.   At least 1,689 U.S. military members have died since the Iraq war began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. And what for?   In response to that crucial question, there is only silence. There is no answer.   Been There
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, June 11, 2005 12:34 AM Steady and strong. Steady and strong. Steady and strong... Guess the recording got stuck...  G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, June 11, 2005 9:56 AM 2 More Marines Blown Up in Iraq: Two U.S. Marines were killed Friday in a roadside bomb attack near the volatile Anbar province town of Saqlawiyah, west of Fallujah, the military said Saturday. At least 1,693 U.S. military members have died since the Iraq war began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. Army Recruiting More High School Dropouts to Meet Goals: As the Army formally announced Friday that it had missed its recruiting goal for the fourth consecutive month, military personnel specialists said the profile of this year's enlistees raised questions about recruit quality, and whether the Army would fail to reach its annual recruiting goal for the first time since 1999. "The overall quality of the force today is lower than it was a year ago," said David R. Segal, who directs the Center for Research on Military Organization at the University of Maryland. "It means they can anticipate more problem situations with recruits in the training cycle." 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: 1,358 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 772 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, June 11, 2005 9:57 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: Saturday, June 11, 2005 10:07 AM Do you realize we've got 250 million years of coal? —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jun. 8, 2005   Look2It, There are lots of those "broken record" examples, and sometimes Bush gets stuck on  a quote that appears day after day after day. For example, he said "Things are going backwards" over and over last year until his handlers could change his recording to something more upbeat.
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, June 11, 2005 11:59 PM Hahahaha! Priceless!  Bush lives in his own special little world. Too bad he's able to mess ours up so much. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, June 12, 2005 9:20 AM 2 More Marines Killed in Iraq: At least 34 Iraqis and 2 American marines were killed in violence in central and western Iraq on Friday night and Saturday, and a series of Marine airstrikes in the western desert killed about 40 insurgents, Iraqi and American officials said. Iraqi forces also reported finding the bodies of two Sudanese men in the capital, and in a firefight American soldiers fatally shot two Iraqis working as security contractors and wounded two others, an Interior Ministry official said. Signing Up New Recruits to Die in Iraq: An alarming trend -- fewer young people signing up than the Army needs to maintain its strength -- began to develop last fall. Now, the Army has failed to meet its monthly recruiting goals since February. On Friday, it said that in May it reached only 75 percent of a goal it had already reduced from 8,050 to 6,700. The National Guard and Reserve, which provide more than 40 percent of the Army forces in Iraq, are experiencing even more trouble; so far, the National Guard has reached only 76 percent of its recruiting goals for this year. Historically, recruiters have had to contact more than 100 prospects for every recruit. This year, those numbers are going up daily. The Army added 1,200 recruiters last month, and it has significantly increased its advertising budget and enlistment bonuses, from $6,000 for most recruits to $20,000. At the same time, it has raised the eligible age for the Army National Guard or the Reserve from 35 to 39. Even more telling, the Army is also accepting more recruits who are not high school graduates. This year, the percentage of high school graduates among those enlisting dropped from 92.4 to barely 90 percent, the Army's stated floor for the number of recruits who must have a high school diploma. With recruiting goals seemingly out of reach for the present, recruiters, who are selected from among the best junior leaders in the noncommissioned officer corps, are experiencing high levels of stress. More and more, they appear to be bending the rules to meet their goals. The Army has become so concerned about recruiting ethics that it suspended all recruiting on May 20 to conduct a full day of ethics training. 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: 1,359 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 773 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Sunday, June 12, 2005 9:27 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: Sunday, June 12, 2005 9:29 AM If you've retired, you don't have anything to worry about. The third time I've said that. I'll probably say it three more times, see, in my line of work you gotta keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kinda catapult the propaganda. —George W. Bush, Greece, New York, May 24, 2005
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, June 13, 2005 12:16 AM Guess all the Bush supporters have crawled back in their holes!  Understandable. G'night.
Been There	Living A Nightmare Posted: Monday, June 13, 2005 9:43 AM Look2It, If Bush ever uses his presidency for a positive purpose, his supporters will be posting here again to call attention to his accomplishment. In the meantime, however, they are hiding because the discussions here are fact-based, not emotion-based. In any fact-based discussion, Bush supporters have little to contribute and a lot to be ashamed of. Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, June 13, 2005 9:47 AM 4 More Marines Killed in Iraq: Even before the political setback on Sunday, insurgent-driven violence took more lives. On Sunday, the American military announced the deaths of four marines, all killed by roadside bombs on Saturday. They Won't Go: A Washington Post-ABC News poll last week found that nearly three-quarters of Americans believe the number of casualties in Iraq is unacceptable, and 60 percent believe the war was not worth fighting. There's something frankly embarrassing about a government offering trinkets to children to persuade them to go off and fight - and perhaps die - in a war that their nation should never have started in the first place. It's highly questionable whether most high school kids are equipped to make an informed decision about joining the military, which is exactly why they're targeted. The additional knowledge and maturity gained in the first few years after high school make it easier for a young man or woman to make a wiser, more meaningful choice, pro or con. The parents of the kids being sought by recruiters to fight this unpopular war are creating a highly vocal and potentially very effective antiwar movement. In effect, they're saying to their own children: hell no, you won't go. 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: 1,360 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 774 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Monday, June 13, 2005 9:48 AM "From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August." —Andrew Card, September 7, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, June 13, 2005 9:49 AM We know that democracies do not forment terror or invade their neighbors. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 18, 2005
look2it	Living A Nightmare Posted: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 12:17 AM BT, isn't that what I said? Just used fewer words to say it! G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 8:57 AM 24 Killed in Bombings North of Baghdad: A bomb exploded outside a bank in the northern city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, killing 19 people, including pensioners waiting for checks and child street vendors. The bodies of 24 men killed in ambushes were brought to a Baghdad hospital. Death of 4 more U.S. soldiers pushes toll in Iraq past 1,700: The military on Sunday announced the weekend killing of four more U.S. soldiers, pushing the American death toll past 1,700, and police found the bullet-riddled bodies of 28 people -- many thought to be Sunni Arabs -- buried in shallow graves or dumped along streets 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: 1,361 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 775 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 8:58 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, June 14, 2005 9:00 AM I think war is a dangerous place. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 7, 2003
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 12:10 AM Guess he had that all figured out back when he used his connections to avoid going to Vietnam. Course risking his skin is one thing, and risking other people's skin is quite another. That's Dubya in a nutshell. G'night.
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 7:05 AM Look2It, Yes, Bush's "me generation" hypocrisy has been evident throughout his life. Others do the dirty work while he reaps the benefits--if he can control the situation. Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 7:09 AM 3 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Action in Iraq: The American military said a soldier was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade while on patrol in Baghdad on Tuesday, and two soldiers died from a roadside bomb explosion near the western provincial capital of Ramadi on Monday. The Second Marine Division said marines accidentally killed five civilians and wounded four others on Tuesday after firing at two cars speeding toward a checkpoint near Ramadi. The cars had approached the checkpoint shortly after an insurgent had tried ramming into the checkpoint with a suicide car bomb, the Marines said in a written statement. Kurdish Officials Sanction Abductions in Kirkuk: Police and security units, forces led by Kurdish political parties and backed by the U.S. military, have abducted hundreds of minority Arabs and Turkmens in this intensely volatile city and spirited them to prisons in Kurdish-held northern Iraq, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials, government documents and families of the victims. Seized off the streets of Kirkuk or in joint U.S.-Iraqi raids, the men have been transferred secretly and in violation of Iraqi law to prisons in the Kurdish cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah, sometimes with the knowledge of U.S. forces. The detainees, including merchants, members of tribal families and soldiers, have often remained missing for months; some have been tortured, according to released prisoners and the Kirkuk police chief. 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: 1,362 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 776 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 7:10 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, June 15, 2005 7:12 AM I believe that one of these days we're going to have brand new types of cars that are going to make us less dependent on foreign sources of crude oil, and we'll be more better at cleaning our air. —George W. Bush, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Apr. 15, 2002
look2it	God's country Posted: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 11:18 PM What a beautiful Keweenaw afternoon and evening! Forgot all about politics for a few hours, and feel the better for it. Should sleep like a baby after my long, long swim! Hope you all enjoyed the outdoors too. G'night.
Been There	777 Days Posted: Thursday, June 16, 2005 7:55 AM 6 U.S. Troops Killed Wednesday in Western Iraq: A roadside bomb attack killed five U.S. Marines and gunfire killed an American sailor in a western Iraqi town, the U.S. military and Iraqi officials said Thursday, as an upsurge in rebel violence battered American forces. The Marines died Wednesday after their vehicle was attacked near Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, the military said. Officials in Ramadi had reported a roadside bomb blast in the pre-dawn hours. A sailor attached to the Marines' unit, the 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, was also killed Wednesday in Ramadi by gunfire, the military said. The six U.S. deaths raised Wednesday's toll from insurgent attacks to 58 killed, making it the deadliest day of violence in more than a month. At least 1,714 U.S. military members have died since the war began in 2003, according to an AP count. 2 U.S. Troops Killed Tuesday in Western Iraq: Two marines were killed Tuesday by roadside bombs during what the American military, in statements on the deaths on Wednesday, described as combat operations near Falluja and Rutba in western Iraq. Another command statement said two Bulgarian soldiers serving with the coalition forces died Tuesday near the southern city of Diwaniya when their Russian-made armored personnel carrier slid into a canal. 'Exit Strategy' Is More Than a Whisper in Washington, With Lawmakers Speaking Out: Celeste Zappala, whose son died in Iraq, visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday to demand "a very quick exit strategy." Her timing was perfect. With opinion polls showing a drop in support for the war, and a British memo asserting that the Bush administration had intended to go to war as early as the summer of 2002, the words "exit strategy" are being uttered by both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. The flurry began over the weekend, when Representative Walter B. Jones of North Carolina, a conservative Republican, called for the Bush administration to set specific goals for leaving Iraq. That came from the man who was once so upset about French opposition to the war that he insisted that House cafeterias change the name "French fries" to "freedom fries." 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: 1,363 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Exactly 777 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Thursday, June 16, 2005 7:57 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, June 16, 2005 8:00 AM As your President, it seems like to make sense to me to say, if we treat you this way, you treat us -- that's what fair trade is all about. —George W. Bush, University Park, Pennsylvania, Jun. 14, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, June 17, 2005 8:05 AM Mother of Dead Soldier Speaks Out: The mother of a soldier who was killed in combat in Iraq told an anti-war rally near the White House on Thursday that President George Bush "doesn't deserve our allegiance." ... "They swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. They don't pledge allegiance to the president. He doesn't deserve our allegiance," she said to applause from the crowd. "And he doesn't deserve to go back to Crawford, Texas," Sheehan continued. "He deserves to go to prison for what he did." G.I. Is Charged in Iraq Deaths of 2 Superiors: The United States military charged a New York Army National Guard member yesterday with murdering his commanding officers last week at a base near Tikrit, Iraq. And so the fragging has begun. 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: 1,364 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 778 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Friday, June 17, 2005 8:06 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	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, June 17, 2005 8:06 AM And a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your Commander-in-Chief. —George W. Bush, Lititz, Pennsylvania, Oct. 27, 2004
Norway	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, June 17, 2005 9:32 AM   News of yesterdays hearing on the Downing Street Memo.  Thanks to all who signed the letter. Rep. John Conyers Blog.  .... (scroll down)   http://www.conyersblog.us/   Norway
look2it	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, June 17, 2005 11:51 PM Norway, seems like lots more are catching on these days. Don't know what they were doing with their brains before now! G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, June 18, 2005 8:29 AM Leaked files show Bush rushed war: Highly classified documents leaked in Britain suggest President George W. Bush and his national security team decided to invade Iraq much earlier than they have acknowledged and marched to war without dwelling on the potential perils. The half-dozen memos and option papers, written in 2002 by top aides to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, buttress previous on-the-record accounts that portray Bush and his advisers as predisposed to oust Saddam Hussein when they took office -- and determined to do it at all costs after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. ... Richard Haass, the State Department's director of policy planning, told an interviewer that in an early July 2002 chat with then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, he questioned putting Iraq at the center of the U.S. war against terrorism. He said Rice advised him "essentially, that that decision's been made, don't waste your breath." Iraqi Doctors Strike Over Police Harassment: Doctors at the main hospital in Baquba, north of Baghdad, have gone on strike, saying they are fed up with constant abuse at the hands of aggressive Iraqi police and soldiers. Staff and security guards at the hospital, the largest in the province with more than 100 doctors and 400 beds, handed a petition to the director on Saturday saying they would only handle emergency cases until their grievances were addressed. "We want the governor and the minister to do something to protect us from the organized terrorism of the police and army," Mohammed Hazim, a specialist at Baquba General Hospital, 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: 1,365 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 779 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Saturday, June 18, 2005 8:31 AM "We know for a fact that there are weapons of mass destructions there." —Ari Fleischer, January 9, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, June 18, 2005 8:32 AM We will not have an all-volunteer army. And yet, this week we will have an all-volunteer army! —George W. Bush, Daytona Beach, Florida, Oct. 16, 2004
nm420	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, June 18, 2005 7:43 PM It truly is a criminal act, and yet somehow I don't see any impeachment proceedings in the future. While I'm no fan of Bill Clinton, his impeachment was grounded on an utterly trivial issue. How can something of such extreme importance, the declaration of war on a sovereign nation out of false pretenses, be ignored by so many? The answer is probably more frightening than anything done by the President yet.
look2it	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, June 19, 2005 12:02 AM nm420, when the judge and jury are in the same gang, it's hard to see the criminals being brought to justice. Other countries have faced this situation in the past, and it's our turn now. It's a test of character for sure. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, June 19, 2005 8:35 AM 2 More U.S. Soldiers Slain in Iraq: The military also said Saturday in a statement that two soldiers had been killed in a province on the other side of Iraq, near its border with Iran, during what was apparently a firefight with insurgents. An Iraqi civilian and one detainee were also killed in the engagement, the military said. No further details were available. Violence rattled several south Baghdad neighborhoods on Saturday. An improvised bomb exploded outside a mosque, killing a young girl; a retired brigadier general was gunned down by two men; and a car bomb blew up near a military convoy, wounding five Iraqi soldiers and eight civilians. In western Baghdad, three Iraqi policemen were killed and one was wounded when their patrol was attacked. 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: 1,366 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 780 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Sunday, June 19, 2005 8:38 AM "Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." —George W. Bush, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, June 19, 2005 8:41 AM This isn't political talk. This is true. —George W. Bush, Maple Grove, Minnesota, Jun. 17, 2005   Note: It wasn't.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, June 20, 2005 8:56 AM Another U.S. Soldier Slain in Iraq; Bombings and Shootings Leave 30 Dead in Baghdad: Marine commanders said one marine was killed and three were wounded Saturday while entering a house to search it. An elderly man told them the home was clear of insurgents, but when the marines entered, a man with a gun shot at the Americans, causing them to retreat with their casualties before ordering that a tank round be fired at the house. 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: 1,367 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 781 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Monday, June 20, 2005 8:57 AM "Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent." —George W. Bush, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, June 20, 2005 8:58 AM We need a safety net for those with the greatest needs. I believe in community health centers, where low and poor can get their preventative and care. —George W. Bush, Daytona Beach, Florida, Oct. 16, 2004
Been There	When Their Lips Are Moving Posted: Monday, June 20, 2005 9:01 AM A cleverly designed study has put the lie to some repeated assurances from the Bush administration: Libraries Say Yes, Officials Do Quiz Them About Users. Law enforcement officials have made at least 200 formal and informal inquiries to libraries for information on reading material and other internal matters since October 2001, according to a new study that adds grist to the growing debate in Congress over the government's counterterrorism powers. The Bush gang has said time and time again that they haven't used their Patriot Act powers to check on what people read, but that they need those powers "just in case." The Bush administration says that while it is important for law enforcement officials to get information from libraries if needed in terrorism investigations, officials have yet to actually use their power under the Patriot Act to demand records from libraries or bookstores. Bush assumed that these particular lies would go undetected because of a provision in the Patriot Act that makes it a federal crime for any librarian to tell the truth. Federal intelligence law bans those who receive certain types of demands for records from challenging the order or even telling anyone they have received it. However, many Americans still believe in the principles that made our country great, so its still difficult to suppress the truth indefinitely. Thank God! Been There
Been There	The New Clipper Ships Posted: Monday, June 20, 2005 9:12 AM A very interesting space experiment starts tomorrow: Launch Tuesday opens solar-sailing era in space. Tuesday, Cosmos-1 is slated for launch from a Russian ballistic-missile submarine beneath the Barents Sea. If all goes well, the craft will unfurl its reflective sails 528 miles above earth to become the first spacecraft to harness the gentle nudge of sunlight for propulsion. The $4 million mission, spearheaded by the nonprofit Planetary Society in Pasadena, Calif., and privately funded, is designed to demonstrate that solar sails can play a key role for space travel within the solar system. Bon voyage! Been There
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 12:26 AM Great day in the Keweenaw where even the "low and poor" can still go for a long nice swim... G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 8:12 AM Another U.S. Soldier Slain in Iraq; 43 Perish in Car Bombings: A band of insurgents launched a bold assault on a Baghdad police station killing at least eight policemen and an 8-month-old baby early Monday. Gunmen killed three members of the Kurdish Peshmerga militia near a camp in the western town of Hit, Dr Muhanad Jawad said from the capital, where the bodies were brought. A roadside bomb Monday killed a US soldier on patrol near Tal Afar, east of the Syrian border, the military 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: 1,368 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 782 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 8:13 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	The New Clipper Ships Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 8:14 AM Today is the big day: Into Orbit (Maybe Beyond) on Wings of Giant Solar Sails. The spacecraft is to be launched at 3:46 p.m. Eastern time from a submerged Russian submarine in the Barents Sea. Cosmos 1 is to be carried into a near circular polar orbit atop a three-stage Volna rocket, a ballistic missile converted for commercial use. If it reaches orbit, 500 miles above the Earth, Cosmos 1 will then try to extend eight triangular sail blades, each almost 50 feet long, giving the craft the appearance of a giant silver windmill. Over a period of weeks, controllers hope to stir the sails to gather enough sunshine to change the spacecraft's orbit. Good luck with the launch! Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 8:15 AM My mom often used to say, "The trouble with W" -- although she didn't put that to words. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Apr. 3, 2002
lurk	relief Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 1:13 PM good news for us who grew up worrying about committing a big one. no more cardinal sin
Norway	The Beating Drum Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 6:56 PM The US War With Iran Has Already Begun by Scott Ritter   http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0620-31.htm
nm420	The Beating Drum Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 9:24 PM Wow! Who'd have thought that we would be in Iran before 2008? Of course, Bush will keep to his word that there will be no "all-volunteer army", er, uh, draft. It looks like WWIII is about to dawn. Let's only hope the predictions about that aren't true.
look2it	The Beating Drum Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:09 AM Scary, but I wonder how Bush will get congress to go along with him this time, people are already getting their backs up. Maybe the "patriot act" and all his "I can put anyone in prison I want to" will shut enough people up. Gosh, what's the NAME OF THIS COUNTRY again? Seems so easy for our government to forget it these days!  G'night.
Norway	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:21 AM   Saddam says Reagan helped him during Iran-Iraq war: GQ magazine Reagan and me, good: Saddam NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Saddam Hussein, washes his hands compulsively and thinks fondly of the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan, according to American soldiers who guarded him and tell their story in the July issue of GQ magazine. The jailed former Iraqi leader described how Reagan, who was president during the time of Iraq's 1980-88 war with Iran, sold him planes and helicopters. "Reagan and me, good,'" Saddam said, according to the article by Lisa DePaulo in the July issue that goes on sale June 28. "He said, 'I wish things were like when Ronald Reagan was still president,'" said one of the soldiers who guarded him. The article recounts the stories of five U.S. soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard who watched over the captive for nearly a year.. President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H. W. Bush, are "no good," while former President Bill Clinton was "OK," Saddam told his captors. The former president led a UN-coalition that defeated Saddam in the 1991 Persian Gulf War after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:23 AM Another U.S. Soldier Slain in Iraq: One U.S. soldier died Tuesday of wounds sustained from an explosive while conducting a combat patrol west of Rutbah, Iraq. As of Tuesday, June 21, 2005, at least 1,724 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 13,074 U.S. servicemembers have been wounded, according to a Defense Department tally released Tuesday. Iraqi Rebels Refine Bomb Skills, Pushing Toll of G.I.'s Higher: American casualties from bomb attacks in Iraq have reached new heights in the last two months as insurgents have begun to deploy devices that leave armored vehicles increasingly vulnerable, according to military records. Iraq May Be Prime Place for Training of Militants, C.I.A. Report Concludes: A new classified assessment by the Central Intelligence Agency says Iraq may prove to be an even more effective training ground for Islamic extremists than Afghanistan was in Al Qaeda's early days, because it is serving as a real-world laboratory for urban combat. The pity of it is, all of this was utterly predictable--and was predicted--before Bush made his monumental blunders in Iraq.   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: 1,369 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 783 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:24 AM "Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons." —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:32 AM Norway, Nm420, and Look2It:   I wonder where Bush expects to get the troops to fight for him in Iran. People aren't exactly volunteering for Iraq these days, let alone a new "adventure."   If he goes ahead with that, the Vietnam days will seem like a picnic in this country. He'll need all the "Patriot Act" he can muster, and then some, to suppress true Americans.   Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:33 AM "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test." —George W. Bush, Townsend, TN., Feb. 21, 2001
Norway	The Beating Drum Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 2:54 PM Been There,   I think they will drum up a good "scare" for the American people, to make them sit still for a draft.  Of course there is the good old Patriot Act.....  so if you aren't afraid of terrorists, you had better be afraid of that.  They used scare tacticts to sell the war...  maybe it will work again.  I am sure we would be in Iran now, if Iraq wasn't putting up such a struggle.  I read about Iran being next on the list after Iraq....  before the Iraq war started.  I told my family and friends, but many did not believe me. Many Americans are busy watching their local news, and going to Wal Mart.   Norway
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, June 23, 2005 8:27 AM 2 More U.S. Marines Killed; 3 Car Bombs Leave 18 Dead and 46 Hurt in a Suburb of Baghdad; Second Wave of Bombs in Baghdad Kills at Least 15: Elsewhere in Iraq, at least eight other deaths occurred in the war, including those of two marines who were reported by the American command as having been shot Tuesday by insurgents in combat operations in Ramadi in the west. With those two deaths, the number of American service members reported killed in combat operations in the past week in Anbar Province rose to 11. 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: 1,370 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 784 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Thursday, June 23, 2005 8:28 AM "Iraq has also provided Al Qaeda with chemical and biological weapons training." —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, June 23, 2005 8:29 AM "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." —George W. Bush, LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000
nm420	The Beating Drum Posted: Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:26 PM While I agree that our "leaders" would need to pull a rabbit out of a hat in order to get enough people to support yet another war, these people have been doing just that for four years now. I don't know how it works, but it does. How much would it take for the majority of people to buy into the idea of a military state? Heroes from the last few centuries, like Napoleon or Hitler, have shown it doesn't take much, a lot of moxie and the backing of the right people. I see no reason to believe that the intelligence of the general populace has grown so much to to make such a coup impossible. While I'd like to believe that most people could see through these tactics if they were afforded some brief moments of clarity, those moments don't seem to be coming anytime soon. How much longer can it be until we are attacked again? It is inane to think that it won't happen. And when it does, won't the reaction be immensely greater than it was back in 2001? The chain of events seems to be utterly predictable, almost inevitable, as sad as that is. We all know that history repeats itself, and I've read this story in the books many times by now. I do find comfort in the fact that more and more people seem to be getting turned on to the wily ways of our President, but that alone will not avert the impending disaster. The very culture that surrounds us is what allows for the rise of such despots in the first place. We are constantly being prodded to allow others to do the thinking for us, to accept without question, to speak an open mind but only if the words are deemed acceptable by the majority. This is the root of our problems, yet how do we go about changing a whole culture? It is a much more monumental task than warning others of the deceit spread by our authorities, yet it is a necessary one if the human race is to evolve beyond our current state. Sorry for ranting on about this stuff. I don't mean to sound pessimistic; it just seems discussing politics has some inherently ugly traits (though some beautiful ones as well).
look2it	The Beating Drum Posted: Friday, June 24, 2005 12:18 AM nm, you are so right. I think we've still got a chance to get our country back, but it's very iffy. Got to try tho... G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, June 24, 2005 7:42 AM Blast Kills More U.S. Marines in Iraq: A suicide car bomber slammed into a U.S. Marine convoy west of Baghdad and there were casualties, the military said Friday. A top U.S. commander testified before Congress that the foreign fighter problem in Iraq has worsened. The attack happened Thursday night in Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad. The troops were assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, the military said. No further information was made available. The insurgents in Iraq did supply a count of the Marines killed in the attack. It remains to be seen how accurate it is: Seven Marines die in martyrdom attack by youth whose family was killed by American bombs on Sunday: An Iraqi Resistance martyrdom fighter drove an explosives-laden motorcycle up to a US foot patrol in the village of ar-Rummanah near al-Qa’im on the border with Syria and blew up at 3pm Wednesday afternoon, local time. Colonel Sa‘di Zaydan of the puppet so-called “Iraqi rapid deployment force” told Mafkarat al-Islam that a martyrdom fighter who could not have been more than 20 years old drove an explosives-laden motorcycle into a patrol of US Marines and blew himself up, killing seven Americans. Mosques in al-Qa’im announced that the martyred youth was a native of that city and that his father, mother, and sister had all been killed in the savage American bombing of the city on Sunday, 19 June. The Iraqi Resistance took responsibility for Wednesday’s martyrdom attack. 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: 1,371 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 785 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Friday, June 24, 2005 7:43 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	Living A Nightmare Posted: Friday, June 24, 2005 7:47 AM Karl Rove (Bush's Brain) has signaled his plans for dealing with those who oppose the Bush gang's efforts to subvert America: We've got camps for them. In an unusually incendiary public attack on the political opposition, Karl Rove last night suggested that liberals sympathize with the enemy and are intent on endangering American troops. And this is just the start. As the war continues with no improvement, those responsible for the blunders will pull out all the stops in their efforts to suppress the truth. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, June 24, 2005 7:48 AM "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —George W. Bush, Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000
Norway	Living A Nightmare Posted: Friday, June 24, 2005 2:33 PM John Kerry calls for Karl Rove to be fired. Like that will happen. I signed it anyway.   http://www.johnkerry.com/petition/rove.php
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, June 25, 2005 4:45 PM Iraq Bombing Kills 4 U.S. Women, a Record Toll: At least four women serving in the American military, including three marines, are among the six known dead in a suicide car bombing in Falluja on Thursday, military officials in Baghdad and Washington said Friday. It was the largest number of women in the armed services killed in a single attack during the Iraq war. Eleven women were also among the 13 marines wounded in the strike, which began when the car approached a military convoy carrying about 20 marines and sailors to checkpoint duties on the edge of Falluja. Most if not all of the personnel riding in the back of the truck when it was hit were American women assigned to search Iraqi women who pass through the checkpoint. Thirteen With the C.I.A. Sought by Italy in a Kidnapping: The police said they were able to retrace nearly every step the American operatives made during the nine days they were in Milan for the operation. They identified the suspects by examining all cellphones in use near the abduction, and then tracing the web of calls placed. Investigators said they were able to trace several calls by Americans on the road from Milan to Aviano, the joint American-Italian air base north of Venice. The suspects stayed in five-star Milan hotels, including the Hilton, the Sheraton, the Galia and Principe di Savoia, in the week before the operation, at a cost of $144,984, the warrant says, adding that after Mr. Nasr was flown to Egypt, two of the officers took a few days' holiday at five-star hotels in Venice, Tuscany and South Tyrol. The Italian investigators also collected photocopies of the operatives' passports, photographs, cellphone numbers and their MasterCard and VISA credit card numbers. Six other American officials - either C.I.A. officers or diplomats posted at the Milan consulate - are under investigation for helping support the abduction, Italian investigators said. I wonder where all the money comes from for the five-star hotel rooms. It looks like a life of crime pays handsomely, if your bosses have enough power.   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: 1,372 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 786 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Saturday, June 25, 2005 4:50 PM "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: Saturday, June 25, 2005 4:51 PM Now I want you to pay careful attention to this -- he's the PhD, and I'm the C student, but notice who is the advisor and who is the President. —George W. Bush, Lusby, Maryland, Jun. 22, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, June 26, 2005 8:59 AM 19 Iraqis, 6 US Troops Killed in Separate Attacks: At least 19 Iraqis, including eight policemen, and six U.S. military personnel were killed in separate attacks since Friday in Iraq. In spite of the violence, U.S. President Bush and the Iraqi prime minister have reaffirmed their opposition to setting a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal. Important People Don't Have to Ride in Humvees: When Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld visited Iraq last year to tour the Abu Ghraib prison camp, military officials did not rely on a government-issued Humvee to transport him safely on the ground. Instead, they turned to Halliburton, the oil services contractor, which lent the Pentagon a rolling fortress of steel called the Rhino Runner. State Department officials traveling in Iraq use armored vehicles that are built with V-shaped hulls to better deflect bullets and bombs. Members of Congress favor another model, called the M1117, which can endure 12-pound explosives and .50-caliber armor-piercing rounds. Unlike the Humvee, the Pentagon's vehicle of choice for American troops, the others were designed from scratch to withstand attacks in battlefields like Iraq with no safe zones. Last fall, for instance, a Rhino traveling the treacherous airport road in Baghdad endured a bomb that left a six-foot-wide crater. The passengers walked away unscathed. "I have no doubt should I have been in any other vehicle," wrote an Army captain, the lone military passenger, "the results would have been catastrophically different." Yet more than two years into the war, efforts by United States military units to obtain large numbers of these stronger vehicles for soldiers have faltered - even as the Pentagon's program to armor Humvees continues to be plagued by delays. 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: 1,373 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 787 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Sunday, June 26, 2005 9:01 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: Sunday, June 26, 2005 9:04 AM See, free nations do not develop weapons of mass destruction. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Oct. 8, 2003   Note: The U.S. owns, by far, the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction in the world.
Been There	The Dream World Meets Reality Posted: Sunday, June 26, 2005 9:06 AM The Iranians have voted and the Bush gang hates the outcome: Winner in Iran Calls for Unity. In his campaign, Mr. Ahmadinejad (pronounced ah-ma-DEE-nay-jahd), who came from humble origins as a blacksmith's son to become an engineer and in 2003 the mayor of Tehran, outlined a domestic agenda that can be described as Islamic socialism - protecting the core values of the Islamic revolution while using state resources to provide a financial safety net for all Iranian families, especially the poor. Once our troops leave Iraq, the election results won't be to the liking of the Bush neocons either. Been There
Been There	When Their Lips Are Moving Posted: Sunday, June 26, 2005 9:10 AM The Bush gang's scheme to turn NPR from an objective news organization into an ally in the administration's War on Truth is moving steadily forward: The Armstrong Williams NewsHour. One of the two public ombudsmen Mr. Tomlinson recruited in April to monitor the news broadcasts at PBS and NPR for objectivity, William Schulz, is a former writer for the radio broadcaster Fulton Lewis Jr., a notorious Joe McCarthy loyalist and slime artist. The Times reported that to provide "insights" into Conrad Burns, a Republican senator who supported public-broadcasting legislation that Mr. Tomlinson opposed, $10,000 was shelled out to Brian Darling, the G.O.P. operative who wrote the memo instructing Republicans to milk Terri Schiavo as "a great political issue." Then, on Thursday, a Rove dream came true: Patricia Harrison, a former co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, ascended to the CPB presidency. In her last job, as an assistant secretary of state, Ms. Harrison publicly praised the department's production of faux-news segments - she called them "good news" segments - promoting American success in Afghanistan and Iraq. As The Times reported in March, one of those fake news videos ended up being broadcast as real news on the Fox affiliate in Memphis. Fortunately for all of us, the Internet is a bit harder to subvert. Been There
Been There	With Liberty and Justice for All Posted: Sunday, June 26, 2005 9:12 AM Not surprisingly, our allies do not like to be double-crossed--not even when the Bush administration does it: In Italy, Anger at U.S. Tactics Colors Spy Case. He and other senior Italian officials in Milan's police and prosecutor's office were angry enough to answer detailed questions about the case, but insisted on anonymity because the investigation is continuing. "This whole investigation has been very difficult because we've been using the same methods we used against organized crime to trace the activities of people we considered to be our friends and colleagues," the senior Italian investigator said. "It has been quite a troubling affair." The Italian warrants - requested by Milanese prosecutors after two years of investigations - accuse 13 people identified as American C.I.A. officers and operatives of illegally abducting Mr. Nasr from a Milan street and flying him to Egypt for questioning. The whereabouts of the 13 are unknown, but the charges are criminal. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years and 8 months in prison. Of course situations like this illustrate why the Bush administration vehemently opposes the idea of meaningful international courts: He'd then have to answer for crimes committed by U.S. agents. Been There
look2it	With Liberty and Justice for All Posted: Monday, June 27, 2005 12:42 AM BT, how about something funny again? The news is just too sad. G'night.
Been There	Calling a Spade a Spade Posted: Monday, June 27, 2005 8:23 AM BUSH SEEKS SUPPORT FOR DIRTY AIR ACT "The time has come to stop measuring air quality by how clean the air is supposed to be," Mr. Bush said. "We should measure air quality by how dirty the air is allowed to be." Under the new law, Mr. Bush said, "air dirtiness standards" would be issued for all American cities, letting potential polluters know to what degree they can foul the atmosphere with impunity. He added that one advantage of the new standards was that it would be easier to measure air quality, because "you will be able to tell how dirty the air is just by looking." How convenient. Okay, Look2It? Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, June 27, 2005 8:26 AM 3 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: A U.S. military helicopter carrying two pilots crashed north of Baghdad on Monday, a day after a spate of suicide attacks left nearly three dozen people dead in northern Iraq. ... At least 18 other people were killed in attacks elsewhere in Iraq on Sunday, including a U.S. soldier whose convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in Baghdad and six Iraqi soldiers who were gunned down outside their base north of the capital. Rumsfeld: U.S. won't end attacks in Iraq: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday it could take as long as 12 years to defeat the insurgency in Iraq and that it will be up to Iraqi forces to do the job. 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: 1,374 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 788 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Monday, June 27, 2005 8:28 AM "I can't tell you if the use of force in Iraq will last five days, five weeks or five months, but it won't last any longer than that." —Donald Rumsfeld, November 14, 2002
Been There	Stealing From Our Children and Grandchildren Posted: Monday, June 27, 2005 8:30 AM David Walker, the comptroller general of the United States, has committed the Bush administration's cardinal sin--telling the truth: A Glide Path to Ruin. "I think the greatest threat to our future is our fiscal irresponsibility," warns David Walker, the comptroller general of the United States. Mr. Walker, an accountant by training, asserts that last year may have been the most fiscally reckless in the history of our Republic. ... The Bush administration is managing America's finances like a team of drunken sailors, and most Republicans keep quiet in a way that betrays their conservative principles. Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, wrote a couple of years ago: "Republicans used to believe in balanced budgets. ... We have lost our way." He's right. To be even more accurate, they've sold out to the "me generation" grabbers in the White House. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, June 27, 2005 8:33 AM I'm the commander -- see, I don't need to explain -- I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being the president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 19, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 8:12 AM While Dick Cheney claims he can now see "the light at the end of the tunnel," others in the administration have begun the inevitable search for "peace with honor": 3 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Yesterday. Another American was killed Monday in central Baghdad while he helped Iraqi policemen investigate a burning car, the military said. In a Pentagon briefing on Monday, the top American commander in Iraq, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., confirmed that American and Iraqi officials had been meeting with Sunni leaders in Iraq in hopes of defusing the insurgency and drawing their followers into the political process. General Casey denied that the meetings constituted negotiations, and said he was unaware of any direct contacts with insurgent fighters. 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: 1,375 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 789 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 8:14 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: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 8:17 AM She's a teenager. I'm not going to tell you her real age. Let me just say she's under 20. —George W. Bush,  Little Rock, Arkansas, Feb. 4, 2005
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 12:01 AM ok, thatsa funny one. Keep em coming. G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 12:04 PM Car Bombs Kill 2 More U.S. Soldiers in Iraq: American military command said two soldiers were killed in two separate suicide car bombings in Tikrit and Balad, and another suicide car bomb killed five Iraqis and wounded nine near the headquarters of Iraqi security forces in Baquba. In Kirkuk, a suicide car bomb aimed at a police chief killed a bodyguard and a civilian. In Baghdad, a city council member and two policemen were killed in separate shooting attacks. In Musayyib, south of the capital, a suicide-belt bomber exploded in front of the main hospital, killing one policeman and wounding 17 others. 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: 1,376 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 790 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Beating Drum Posted: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 12:06 PM "They will welcome as liberators the United States." —Dick Cheney, March 16, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 12:07 PM Over 50 percent of our energy comes from overseas. Fortunately, a lot of it comes from Canada. —George W. Bush, Ontario, California, Jan. 5, 2002
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, June 30, 2005 12:10 AM Do you ever get to thinking that if he had a different last name Dubya would never have been the president? So how does that happen? G'night.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, June 30, 2005 9:04 AM Because Bush redeployed our forces to attack Iraq instead of finishing the mission against bin Laden, the situation in Afghanistan continues to fester: 17 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan. Military officials said Wednesday that it appeared that an American Chinook helicopter that crashed Tuesday in Afghanistan was brought down by hostile fire as it was landing during combat in a mountainous border area.   The helicopter, carrying reinforcements, probably was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Congressional hearing. The helicopter was carrying 17 people, including 8 Navy Seal commandos and other Special Operations troops, members of a so-called quick reaction force that had been sent after radio calls from troops on the ground saying they were in combat with insurgents, according to another military official in Washington. 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: 1,377 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 791 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush made his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Trust Us Posted: Thursday, June 30, 2005 9:06 AM Liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. —Ken Adelman, February 13, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, June 30, 2005 9:07 AM It's hard to be a manufacturer in the state of Pennsylvania if you're worried about where your next energy is coming from. —George W. Bush, Ardmore, Pennsylvania, Mar. 15, 2004
look2it	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, July 01, 2005 12:45 AM I'll need some of that energy swimming tomorrow! G'night.