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Been There	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2005 6:31 AM Wutsup,   I think the question now is, how many more must die in Iraq because George W. Bush is not man enough to admit his mistakes?   Been There
Wutzup	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2005 9:41 AM Another irony: the man who got into the National Guard to avoid the Viet Nam draft, and couldn't even fulfill those safe obligations (going AWOL) now makes heavy use of the National Guard in combat situations to flesh out the troop numbers and then keeps them captive beyond their tour of duty! I take it back -it's not irony, it's an out and out crime. As for the number yet to die in Iraq; if a major arms supplying nation such as Russia or China decided to take the chance to supply the insurgents -as we did Ben Laden when he was fighting the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, then the number of casualties would escalate dramatically. Bush is always saying things to the leaders of those countries which seem designed to make them irate - to put it mildly. Remember, Bush is not the one making decisions but only the front man for the money men running the show, so it's not a case of him personally making diplomatic blunders but actually repeating what he has been programmed to say.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2005 6:44 PM 4 U.S. Troops Killed in Push Against Iraqi Rebels: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 1 - The American military said today that four American troops died, including two marines who were killed in combat operations in the rebellious province of Anbar, where military commanders have pressed a series of intensive sweeps to disrupt insurgent networks in advance of national elections on Dec. 15. 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: 1,531 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 945 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Let's Go to War! Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2005 6:45 PM 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	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, December 02, 2005 4:47 PM 14 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 2 - Ten marines were killed in a roadside bombing, the military said today, and 11 other marines were wounded outside the city of Falluja in one of the deadliest attacks on Americans since August.   ...   The military also announced the deaths of four other American troops in two separate incidents. Three of the soldiers, members of the 48th Brigade Combat Team, died in a vehicle accident today near an air base in Balad, north of Baghdad. Another soldier, assigned to the 2d Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, died of wounds received when his vehicle was attacked on Thursday during combat operations near Ramadi, 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: 1,532 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive."   946 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Let's Go to War! Posted: Friday, December 02, 2005 4:49 PM 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, December 02, 2005 5:05 PM Evil men, obsessed with ambition and unburdened by conscience, must be taken very seriously -- and we must stop them before their crimes can multiply.   —George W. Bush, Gyeongju, South Korea, November 17, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, December 03, 2005 4:48 PM Roadside Bomb, Attack Kill 19 Iraqi Troops: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Insurgents launched a coordinated ambush against Iraqi soldiers northeast of Baghdad on Saturday, detonating a roadside bomb and then firing on the patrol, killing 19 and wounding two, officials said. The attack took place near Adhaim, about 60 miles from Baghdad, Iraqi officials said. It came two days after a roadside bomb killed 10 U.S. Marines and wounded 11 others on a foot patrol near Fallujah in the deadliest attack against American forces in four months. Elsewhere, a U.S. base at Mosul's airport came under mortar or rocket fire Saturday, wounding two American soldiers, the U.S. military said. Several detonations shook the installation -- Forward Operating Base Courage -- at about 6:50 a.m. the command said. Military Admits Planting News in Iraq: WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 - The military acknowledged Friday in a briefing for a ranking Senate Republican that news articles written by American troops had been placed as paid advertisements in the Iraqi news media and not always properly identified. Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, who heads the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters after receiving a 25-minute briefing from officials at the Pentagon that senior commanders in Iraq were trying to get to the bottom of a program that apparently also paid monthly stipends to friendly Iraqi journalists. White House Seeks a Strategy for Victory, at Home and in Iraq: Peter D. Feaver, a Duke University political scientist who joined the N.S.C. staff as a special adviser in June, has closely studied public opinion on the war. Despite the president's oft-stated aversion to polling, Dr. Feaver was recruited after he and Duke colleagues presented the administration with an analysis of polls about the Iraq war in 2003 and 2004. They concluded that Americans would support a war with mounting casualties on one condition: that they believed it would ultimately succeed. That finding, which is questioned by other political scientists, was clearly behind the victory theme in the speech and the plan, in which the word appears six times in the table of contents alone, including sections titled "Victory in Iraq is a Vital U.S. Interest" and "Our Strategy for Victory is Clear." 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: 1,533 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive."   947 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Let's Go to War! Posted: Saturday, December 03, 2005 4:50 PM I felt like we would find weapons of mass destruction. —George W. Bush, TV interview with Barbara Walters, January 14, 2005
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, December 03, 2005 4:51 PM There are some who feel like that, you know, the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is bring 'em on. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 2, 2003
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, December 04, 2005 6:48 PM Violence Continues in Iraq: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 4 - At least four people were killed in a flurry of violence in Baghdad today, including a religious leader loyal to the rebellious cleric Moktada al-Sadr, while in Najaf, former interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi was menaced by a mob during a campaign visit to a Shiite shrine, the authorities 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: 1,534 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 948 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Sunday, December 04, 2005 6:49 PM I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. —Ken Adelman, February 13, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, December 04, 2005 6:50 PM And we live in an amazing world. And yet, in the midst of our world, there's a lot of folks who are dying and will die. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 16, 2003
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, December 05, 2005 1:23 PM French Engineer Kipnapped in Iraq; Another U.S. Soldier Blown Up: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Unidentified gunmen abducted a French engineer as he was on his way to work Monday in Baghdad, police and the French foreign ministry said, the latest in a wave of kidnappings of Westerners. Also Monday, the U.S. military said a soldier assigned to Task Force Baghdad was killed when a patrol hit a roadside bomb on Sunday. 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: 1,535 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 949 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Monday, December 05, 2005 1:24 PM 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: Monday, December 05, 2005 1:25 PM I do not want to send signals to anybody that what Governor Bush did thirty years ago is cool to try. —George W. Bush, CNN interview, February 2, 1999
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 10:50 AM Bombers Kill at Least 36 at Baghdad Police Academy: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 6 - Two bombers wearing explosive belts blew themselves up in a crowded courtyard in the Baghdad police academy this morning, killing at least 36 people and wounding 72, Interior Ministry officials said. The bombings were the worst violence for months in the capital, where police officials are a favored target of Sunni Arab insurgents. Early reports indicated the bombers may have been women, but the American military said in a statement that the bombers were male. 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: 1,536 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Exactly 950 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 10:51 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: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 10:52 AM No child should be left behind in the state of South Dakota. —George W. Bush, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, November 3, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 1:09 PM American Hostage Threatened with Execution; Another U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq: Al Jazeera, the Arab satellite network, broadcast a videotape from a militant group showing what appeared to be a captured American security consultant, the latest victim in a wave of abductions of Westerners. The videotape, which bore the logo of the Islamic Army in Iraq, a group led by former Baath Party members, showed the hostage, a blond man, sitting in jeans and a dark jacket with his hands tied behind his back. It also showed close-ups of an identification card and the man's passport, which had the name of Ronald Alan Schulz, 40, of North Dakota. The captors said they would kill Mr. Schulz in 72 hours unless all detainees in Iraq were released and residents of Anbar Province, the heart of the insurgency, were compensated for their losses. ... The American military said Tuesday that a soldier was killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Baghdad on Sunday.   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: 1,537 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 951 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 1:10 PM 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, December 07, 2005 1:12 PM They said, 'You know, this issue doesn't seem to resignate with the people.' And I said, whether it resignates or not doesn't matter to me... —George W. Bush, Portland, Oregon, October 31, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, December 08, 2005 10:00 AM Bombings Kill Dozens in Iraq, Including 1 U.S. Soldier: Several other explosions rumbled through the heart of the capital Thursday morning, including one that struck an American convoy killing a U.S. soldier, the military said. The latest death raised the number of U.S. service members who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003 to at least 2,131, 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: 1,538 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 952 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Thursday, December 08, 2005 10:01 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, December 08, 2005 10:02 AM My pro-life position is I believe there's life. It's not necessarily based in religion. I think there's a life there, therefore the notion of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., January 23, 2001
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, December 09, 2005 10:10 AM Executions and Bombings Rock Iraq; More U.S. Soldiers Killed: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 8 - A suicide bomber shoved aside a fare collector at Baghdad's main bus terminal on Thursday, forced himself onto a crowded bus and blew himself up, causing an enormous explosion that killed at least 30 people and reduced the bus to a charred, mangled husk, witnesses and police officials said. Separately, an Islamic insurgent group claimed in an Internet posting to have executed a kidnapped American security consultant, according to the SITE Institute, which tracks jihadist Web sites. ... Also on Thursday, the American military command announced the death of two American servicemen. A soldier died when his convoy struck a hidden bomb in eastern Baghdad on Thursday morning, and a marine was killed on Wednesday when a bomb exploded next to his vehicle in Ramadi. Another soldier was killed near Habbaniya on Tuesday when his vehicle hit a mine, 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: 1,539 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 953 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Friday, December 09, 2005 10:13 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	The Meaning of Christmas Posted: Friday, December 09, 2005 10:18 AM Some "family-centered" churches don't intrude on Christmas celebrations by scheduling worship services that conflict with more important activities like opening gifts, eating, and watching football: When Christmas Falls on Sunday, Megachurches Take the Day Off. Canceling worship on Christmas Day appears to be predominantly a megachurch phenomenon, sociologists of religion say. "This attachment to a particular day on the calendar is just not something that megachurches have been known for," Nancy Ammerman, a sociologist of religion at Boston University, said. "They're known for being flexible and creative, and not for taking these traditions, seasons, dates and symbols really seriously." Yep, scheduling church services on Christmas Day might draw too much attention to the real teachings of Christ. Can't have that, can we? Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, December 09, 2005 10:20 AM We'll let our friends be the peacemakers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers. —George W. Bush, Houston, Texas, September 6, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, December 10, 2005 3:27 PM U.S. Soldier Dies on Guard Duty in Iraq: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A U.S. soldier attached to a Marine unit died while on guard duty at a base near the town of Fallujah, the Marines said Saturday. 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: 1,540 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 954 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Saturday, December 10, 2005 3:29 PM If he declares he has none, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world. —Ari Fleischer, White House Press Secretary, December 2, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, December 10, 2005 3:30 PM I don't think we need to be subliminable about the differences between our views on prescription drugs. —George W. Bush, Orlando, Florida, September 12, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, December 11, 2005 10:19 AM Rebel Attacks Leave 5 U.S. Soldiers Dead, 11 Wounded in Iraq: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 10 - The American military command said Saturday that five American soldiers had been killed in rebel attacks in and near the capital, including one who died in a suicide car bomb attack on a group of soldiers in the Abu Ghraib neighborhood. The bomb attack, which occurred on Friday, also wounded 11 soldiers and an Iraqi civilian, the military said in a brief statement. 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: 1,541 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 955 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Sunday, December 11, 2005 10:20 AM We know for a fact that there are weapons of mass destruction there. —Ari Fleischer, White House Press Secretary, January 9, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, December 11, 2005 10:22 AM The important question is, How many hands have I shaked? —George W. Bush, New York, October 23, 1999
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, December 12, 2005 10:28 AM More Iraqis Tortured; Another U.S. Soldier Killed; Insurgents Sponsor Web Design Contest: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 12 - American and Iraqi forces raiding an Iraqi government detention center last Thursday in Baghdad discovered more than 600 prisoners packed into a cramped space, 13 of them mistreated so badly they had to be taken to a hospital, a senior American official said early Monday. ...   The American military said Sunday that a soldier was killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Baghdad. At least 2,144 American troops have died in the war. An insurgent group, the Victorious Army Group, has extended a deadline for a Web design contest, according to an Internet posting. The group has set a Jan. 15 deadline for submissions of a design "worthy of the group's reputation and the reputation of the jihad and the mujahedeen," according to a translation provided by the SITE Institute, which monitors jihadist messages. The winner is promised "God's blessings" and the opportunity to fire three long-range rockets at an American military base. 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: 1,542 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 956 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Monday, December 12, 2005 10:30 AM Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. —George W. Bush, State of the Union address, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, December 12, 2005 10:31 AM A key to foreign policy is to rely on reliance. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., November 1, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 10:43 AM Bush Admits 30,000 Iraqis Killed: "How many Iraqi citizens have died in this war?" the president said in response to the first question from members of the World Affairs Council, the host of the event. "I would say 30,000, more or less, have died as a result of the initial incursion and the ongoing violence against Iraqis. We've lost about 2,140 of our own troops in Iraq." White House officials said that Mr. Bush based the number on public estimates of the death toll, not on an internal government accounting, and was not breaking down the numbers into civilian and military deaths. Iraq Body Count, a group that tracks Iraqi civilian deaths, listed them as being between 27,383 and 30,892 on its Web site today. Two Days Before Vote in Iraq, Insurgents Kill Sunni Candidate: Gunmen killed a Sunni Arab candidate for parliament and militants tried to blow up a leading Shiite politician in separate attacks Tuesday, the last day of campaigning for Iraq's election. 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: 1,543 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 957 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 10:44 AM Saddam Hussein has 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: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 10:45 AM I'll repeat the question. If I don't like it, I'll make it up. —George W. Bush, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 12, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 9:46 AM Four U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Bombing: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Four U.S. Army soldiers died in a roadside bombing, gunmen killed a Sunni Arab candidate for parliament, and militants tried to blow up a leading Shiite politician in separate attacks Tuesday, the last day of campaigning for Iraq's election. 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: 1,544 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 958 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 9:47 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, December 14, 2005 9:47 AM It's a myth to think that I'm not aware that there is opinions that don't agree with mine. —George W. Bush, Interview with Brian Williams, NBC News, December 12, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, December 15, 2005 10:44 AM Iraqis Cast Ballots Amid Tight Security: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Iraqis voted in a historic parliamentary election Thursday, with strong turnout reported in Sunni Arab areas and even a shortage of ballots in some precincts. Because of the large turnout, the Iraqi election commission met in emergency session and extended voting for one hour after long lines were reported at some sites, said commission official Munthur Abdelamir. Heavy participation by Sunni Arabs, who had shunned balloting last January, bolstered U.S. hopes of calming the insurgency enough to begin withdrawing its troops next year. Some preliminary returns were expected late Thursday, but final returns could take days, if not weeks. 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: 1,545 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 959 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Thursday, December 15, 2005 10:45 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, December 15, 2005 10:46 AM Every morning I look at the newspaper I can tell you what the headlines are. —George W. Bush, Interview with Brian Williams, NBC News, December 12, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, December 16, 2005 10:26 AM Iraq Voter Turnout Estimated at 70 Percent: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Final results in Iraq's parliamentary election may not be known for two weeks, but early indications show the Shiite tickets doing well in traditional Shiite strongholds, election officials said Friday. In Mosul, capital of the predominantly Sunni Arab province of Nineveh, indications were that the Sunni coalition came in first, said a representative for the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, Hameed Shabaky. 2nd Army Officer Charged In Iraq Rebuilding Scandal: An Army lieutenant colonel who received the Bronze Star for her wartime service in Iraq was arrested yesterday and charged with taking bribes in a growing corruption scandal involving the Iraq reconstruction program. An investigation has jolted the program, embarrassed the United States military and exposed a dark underside of the American occupation authority that ran the country after the invasion in April 2003.  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: 1,546 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 960 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Friday, December 16, 2005 10:27 AM There is no question but what they will welcome as liberators the United States. —Dick Cheney, March 16, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, December 16, 2005 10:32 AM Williams: A lot of people have seen in this series of speeches you're giving on Iraq, a movement in your position. They call it an acknowledgement that perhaps the mission has not gone as it was originally planned -- three points. That the U.S. would be welcomed as liberators, that General Shinseki, when he said this would take hundreds of thousands of troops in his farewell speech, might have been right. And third, that it wasn't a self-sustaining war in terms of the oil revenue. Do you concede those three points might not have gone as planned? Bush: Review them with me again. Williams: Number one -- that we'd be welcomed as liberators? Bush: I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful welcome. —George W. Bush, Interview with Brian Williams, NBC News, December 12, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2005 11:05 AM Bush, on TV, Says Iraq Vote Won't End Violence: WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 - President Bush acknowledged Friday that the elections in Iraq were "not going to stop violence" there, and that "we're behind" on the training of capable Iraqi police forces. More Iraq Veterans Running for Congress as Democrats: Ms. Duckworth, who was discharged from Walter Reed on Wednesday and from active duty the day before, decided to run for Congress, joining a growing group of a dozen Iraq veterans running next year - most, like her, as Democrats. ... Indeed, Ms. Duckworth, who received the Air Medal as well as a Purple Heart, already has the talking points down: "My role in the Army gives me the courage to make the tough decisions," is one of her lines. And: "Those of us who've served on the ground have a unique perspective on the war and on what it means to serve in combat." In a telephone interview Friday as part of a carefully orchestrated rollout of her campaign, Ms. Duckworth said that she had opposed the invasion of Iraq from the start, even as she volunteered for deployment, but that she did not favor the quick withdrawal that some Democrats seek. "I think we broke it and we need to fix it," she said. "We have a commitment and an obligation to make sure that we help Iraqi security forces be able to maintain their own security. We need to come up with an aggressive plan based on benchmarks for when we're going to leave." 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: 1,547 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 961 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2005 11:20 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	The March of Oppression Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2005 11:23 AM Uncomfortable with their roles in advancing dictatorship in America, some Republicans joined in to block renewal of the Patriot Act until some of its most oppressive features can be modified: Senators Thwart Bush Bid to Renew Law. The debate, a passionate fight about the balance between national security and personal privacy, became a touchstone for repercussions after the disclosure on Thursday night that Mr. Bush had secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States to search for terrorist activity. On Friday afternoon, after the report in The New York Times and the fallout it engendered, Vice President Dick Cheney made a hurried trip to the Capitol to defend the domestic spying program against charges that it might be illegal... Let's see if these Senators can hold their ground for two more weeks. John McCain forced Cheney and Bush to back off on legalized torture, so maybe that example will encourage other Senators to stiffen their spines against our would-be dictators in the White House--and their ever-more-powerful secret police. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2005 11:25 AM This is an urban environment. Right over here is Juarez. And people are able to easily come into the border - into Texas, in this part of - in part of the border. —George W. Bush, El Paso, Texas, November 29, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, December 18, 2005 11:28 AM Cheney Visits Iraq; Attacks Kill 19: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A string of attacks killed 19 people, including two relatives of a senior Kurdish official, and Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise visit Sunday in which he suggested that Iraq's recent elections were a major step toward withdrawing U.S. troops. Cheney's visit, under heavy security, was so secret that even Iraq's prime minister said he was surprised when he showed up for what he believed was a meeting with the U.S. ambassador only to see Cheney waiting to greet him. After the Americans Leave, Iraq Will Decide Its Own Fate: "I voted in order to prevent my country from being destroyed by its enemies," said Bushra Saadi, a Sunni woman who cast a ballot in Yarmouk, a predominantly Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad. Who was Ms. Saadi referring to? "You - you destroyed our country," Ms. Saadi said to the foreigner, trembling as she spoke. "The Americans, the British. I am sorry to be impolite. But you destroyed our country, and you called it democracy." "Democracy," she said. "It is just talking." Like most Sunnis, Ms. Saadi sat out the January elections. On Thursday, she said, she decided to go to polls because she had given up on everything else. "The situation is so miserable, and we haven't seen anything change, that we thought we should go out and vote," she 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: 1,548 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 962 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Sunday, December 18, 2005 11:29 AM Well, there is no question 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, White House Press Secretary, March 21, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, December 18, 2005 11:30 AM I'm not quick in my mind at math. —George W. Bush, Larry King Live, CNN, September 26, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, December 19, 2005 2:53 PM Top Ex-Officials From Hussein's Regime Have Been Released; Another U.S. Marine Killed: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- About 24 top former officials in Saddam Hussein's regime, including a biological weapons expert known as ''Dr. Germ,'' have been released from jail, while a militant group released a video Monday of the purported killing of an American hostage. The first results of Thursday's parliamentary election were released, with officials saying the Shiite religious bloc, the United Iraqi Alliance, got about 58 percent of the votes from 89 percent of ballot boxes counted in Baghdad province. Across Iraq, meanwhile, demonstrations broke out to protest a government decision to raise the price of gasoline, heating and cooking fuel, and the oil minister threatened to resign over the development. An Iraqi lawyer said the 24 or 25 officials from Saddam's government were released from jail without charges, and some have already left the country. ... The military said a U.S. Marine was killed by small arms fire Sunday in the town of Ramadi, in central Iraq. The death brought to 2,156 the number of U.S. service members killed since the start of the war in 2003, according to an Associated Press count. In other violence Monday, a suicide car bomb exploded outside a children's hospital in western Baghdad, killing at least two people and wounding 11, including seven police, officials said. Police believe the bomb had targeted a convoy carrying a police colonel, who was among the injured. In western Baghdad, gunmen attacked the convoy of Deputy Baghdad Gov. Ziad Tariq, killing three civilians and wounding three of his bodyguards, police said. Tariq was not injured. 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: 1,549 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 963 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Monday, December 19, 2005 2:55 PM 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, December 19, 2005 2:56 PM My opponent keeps saying I give too much tax relief to the top 1 percent, but he hasn't heard my latest proposal. The bottom 99 percent will do well when they get to split Dick Cheney's stock options. —George W. Bush, New York, October 19, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 11:45 AM Fatally Exposed--A Mission That Ended in Inferno for 3 Women: The 120-degree June heat and rising tension in Falluja had already frayed the nerves of the Marine women when the cargo truck they were riding in pulled onto the main road and turned toward camp. It was only a 15-minute trip. But the blast took mere seconds to incinerate lives. The suicide bomber had waited for his victims alongside the road, and then rammed his car into the truck with deadly precision. The ambush ignited an inferno - scorching flesh, scattering bodies and mixing smoke, blood and dirt. Several of the women lost the skin on their hands. One's goggles fused to her cheeks. After rolling 50 yards on fire, the truck flipped and spilled the women onto the road, where enemy snipers opened fire. With their own ammunition bursting in the heat, the women crawled and pulled one another from the burning wreckage. ...   At the White House the next day, President Bush spoke generally of the insurgents' resolve: "It's hard to stop suicide bombers." Answering questions over the next week about the attack, the Defense Department issued assurances that the women had been adequately protected. But an examination of the attack, pieced together through interviews in Falluja and the United States, military documents and photographs taken by marines at the time, shows the opposite. The military sent the women off that day with substandard armor, inadequate security and faulty tactics, and the predictability of their daily commute through one of the most volatile parts of Iraq made them an open target. The problems mounted in a lethal chain. The cargo truck the women rode in was a relic, never intended for warfare with insurgents, and had mere improvised metal shielding that only rose to their shoulders. The flames from the blast simply shot over the top. Their convoy was protected by just two Humvees with mounted machine guns. A third was supposed to be there but had been diverted that day by a security team that strained to juggle competing demands. But the Falluja area was so dangerous that the local Marine commander typically had four Humvees when he ventured out. Sunnis Challenge Early Voting Results in Iraq: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Sunni Arabs alleged Tuesday that last week's parliamentary elections were fraudulent, especially in Baghdad province, and they said if the irregularities are not corrected, new balloting must be held in Iraq's largest electoral district. 5 Soldiers Sentenced for Detainee Abuse: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 19 (AP) - Five soldiers from an elite United States Army unit have been sentenced to as much as six months' confinement in cases concerning the abuse of detainees in Iraq, the American military said Monday. The five, all from the 75th Ranger Regiment, pleaded guilty during courts-martial this month and received sentences ranging from 30 days to six months and reductions in rank, the military said in a statement. Two of them will also be dishonorably discharged from the Army after serving their sentences. 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 1,550 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 964 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Chickenhawk Chorus Sings Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 11:47 AM I felt like we would find weapons of mass destruction. —George W. Bush, TV Interview, January 14, 2005
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 11:49 AM We're working with our partners to expand prevention efforts that emphasize abstinence, being faithful in marriage, and using condems correctly. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., December 1, 2005
Been There	The March of Oppression Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 11:55 AM Terrorism Laws Used Against Vegans, Greenpeace, and Catholic Workers: WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 - Counterterrorism agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation have conducted numerous surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations that involved, at least indirectly, groups active in causes as diverse as the environment, animal cruelty and poverty relief, newly disclosed agency records show.   ... One F.B.I. document indicates that agents in Indianapolis planned to conduct surveillance as part of a "Vegan Community Project." ... The latest batch of documents, parts of which the A.C.L.U. plans to release publicly on Tuesday, totals more than 2,300 pages and centers on references in internal files to a handful of groups, including PETA, the environmental group Greenpeace and the Catholic Workers group, which promotes antipoverty efforts and social causes. Anyone who has had contact with the people in Dorothy Day's Catholic Worker movement knows the stupidity of any suggestion that those folks are terrorists. You couldn't find a group more dedicated to non-violence and to helping others (certainly not in the FBI or in the White House). Nevertheless, commenting on the controversy as he returned from his secret trip to Iraq, Dick Cheney had this to say, "If we don't like them, they're terrorists. Period. Congress gave us that right, and we're going to keep that right." Been There
Been There	Religion vs. Science Posted: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 12:22 PM Religion Can't Be Taught As Science In Pennsylvania: Dover Area School Board members violated the Constitution when they ordered that its biology curriculum must include the notion that life on Earth was produced by an unidentified intelligent cause, U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III said. Several members repeatedly lied to cover their motives even while professing religious beliefs, he said. The school board policy, adopted in October 2004, was believed to have been the first of its kind in the nation. ... Said the judge: "It is ironic that several of these individuals, who so staunchly and proudly touted their religious convictions in public, would time and again lie to cover their tracks and disguise the real purpose behind the ID Policy." The board members were replaced by a slate of eight opponents who pledged to remove intelligent design from the science curriculum. Personally, I don't find it ironic that those self-proclaimed Christians turned out to be liars in court. Most of the Intelligent Design crowd are liars, plain and simple. The rest are just stupid. Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:27 AM Sunnis Reject Early Iraq Election Results, Calling for Inquiry: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 20 - Sunni Arab leaders angrily rejected early election results on Tuesday, saying the vote had been fixed in favor of Iranian-backed religious Shiites and calling for an investigation into possible fraud. Secular politicians also denounced the results and demanded an inquiry. The growing fury threatened to build into a protracted confrontation that could delay the formation of the new four-year government. That process is already expected to take weeks, if not months. American diplomats here are pushing Iraqi politicians to speed up the negotiations so as not to lose momentum from the elections last Thursday. 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: 1,551 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 965 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:32 AM I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. —Ken Adelman, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, February 13, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:33 AM I mean, there needs to be a wholesale effort against racial profiling, which is illiterate children. —George W. Bush, Presidential Debate, October 11, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2005 11:50 AM Iraqi parties unite to contest poll results: IRAQ's Sunni Arab and secular parties threatened to boycott the new parliament, complaining of massive fraud in last week’s legislative elections, Reuters reported. ... Representatives of Allawi's secular coalition and the main Sunni alliance, the Iraqi Accord Front, met in Baghdad yesterday and formed a united front to contest the results that saw the main Shia-led coalition maintain its dominance. "We all agreed to contest and reject the results of the election," Allawi aide Thaer al-Naqib told Reuters. "We want the Electoral Commission dissolved and the election rerun." "We will take to the streets if necessary," he added. "We might even not take up our seats in the new parliament and so any new government would be illegitimate." U.S. Military Ready to Investigate Torture of Saddam Hussein:  Witnesses on Wednesday graphically described how their captors administered electric shocks and used molten plastic to rip the skin off prisoners in a crackdown following an assassination attempt against Saddam. Saddam then grabbed center stage with claims that Americans beat and "tortured" him and other defendants while in detention. A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad called Saddam's allegations "completely unfounded" but said "we are prepared to investigate." 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: 1,552 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 966 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2005 11:53 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 [Who needs evidence when there is no doubt?]
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2005 11:55 AM Our leaders should be judged by results. —George W. Bush, All Things Considered, NPR, November 8, 1999
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, December 23, 2005 11:12 AM Iraqis Protest Rigged Elections; 2 More U.S. Soldiers Blown Up: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Large demonstrations broke out across the country Friday to denounce parliamentary elections that protesters say were rigged in favor of the main religious Shiite coalition. Also, the U.S. military said two soldiers were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Friday. No other details were released. At least 2,163 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. Meanwhile, two Arab satellite television channels said that a Sudanese diplomat and five of his countrymen had been kidnapped in Iraq, and a Sudan Foreign Ministry spokesman appealed for their release. 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: 1,553 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 967 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Friday, December 23, 2005 11:14 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, December 23, 2005 11:15 AM More and more of our imports come from overseas. —George W. Bush, Beaverton, Oregon, September 25, 2000
Been There	The March of Oppression Posted: Friday, December 23, 2005 1:57 PM This editorial by the New York Times was at the top of the most-emailed list today: Mr. Cheney's Imperial Presidency. Mr. Cheney started agitating for an attack on Iraq immediately, pushing the intelligence community to come up with evidence about a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda that never existed. His team was central to writing the legal briefs justifying the abuse and torture of prisoners, the idea that the president can designate people to be "unlawful enemy combatants" and detain them indefinitely, and a secret program allowing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on American citizens without warrants. And when Senator John McCain introduced a measure to reinstate the rule of law at American military prisons, Mr. Cheney not only led the effort to stop the amendment, but also tried to revise it to actually legalize torture at C.I.A. prisons. All true, and Mr. Cheney doesn't bother to deny any of it. Questioned by a reporter about the editorial this afternoon, Cheney snapped, "Listen, strong-man rule works well all over the world and it will work well here. Democracy is a luxury we can't afford during a time of war." Maybe that's why he was so eager to get us into war in the first place. Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, December 24, 2005 10:11 AM 3 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: Three American soldiers were killed by roadside bombs in Baghdad in two separate incidents on Thursday and Friday, the American military said in a statement. 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: 1,554 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 968 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Saturday, December 24, 2005 10:11 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, December 24, 2005 10:12 AM Entrepreneurship equals freedom.   —George W. Bush, National Journal, August 7, 1999
Norway	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Sunday, December 25, 2005 8:37 AM Merry Christmas.
Been There	Merry Christmas Posted: Sunday, December 25, 2005 10:51 AM And Merry Christmas to you too, Norway!   Been There
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, December 25, 2005 10:54 AM Christmas Violence Plagues Iraq; Another U.S. Soldier Killed: A U.S. soldier was killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack near Kirkuk on Saturday and troops marking Christmas had no respite on Sunday; an Abrams tank, the giant bulwark of American armored might, was left in flames after a dawn attack in eastern Baghdad -- witness said a roadside bomb blasted it. A U.S. military spokesman confirmed an attack on a tank but had no details of its cause or of any casualties. Two car bombs, parked by the roadside, went off around lunchtime, wounding three Iraqi soldiers and a civilian in the city center and three policemen in eastern Baghdad, police said. Two soldiers were killed and six wounded in a mortar attack on an Iraqi base at Mahmudiya, just south of the capital. In Kirkuk, where Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen are vying for control of the northern oilfields, a civilian was killed and seven wounded when a car bomb went off close to a police patrol. Further north, in Mosul, Iraq's third city where ethnic tensions between Arabs and Kurds are also high, a roadside bomb killed a policeman when it detonated close to his patrol. Anger flared round Mosul's university campus, one of Iraq's most distinguished, after the bullet-riddled body of the head of the student union was found on Sunday. The body, found with the victim's hands bound behind his back, also bore marks of strangling, a hospital source said. Gunmen had grabbed Qusay Salahaddin from his home on Thursday, two days after he had led a demonstration against the election results, and bundled him into the trunk of a car before driving off, said Mohammed Jassim, a friend of the victim. From there, Salahaddin used his mobile phone to call for help, Jassim said, accusing Kurdish peshmerga militia: ``Save me, the peshmerga have kidnapped me,'' Jassim quoted Salahaddin, a Sunni Arab, as saying before the line went dead. 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: 1,555 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 969 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Sunday, December 25, 2005 10:55 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, December 25, 2005 10:57 AM If you don't stand for anything, you don't stand for anything.   —George W. Bush, Austin, Texas, November 2, 2000
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, December 26, 2005 11:35 AM 2 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq on Christmas Day: Bloodshed claimed at least 18 lives across Iraq on Sunday, including two U.S. and five Iraqi soldiers killed by bombings in Baghdad. The attacks are part of an increase in violence seen in recent days after a relative lull in attacks around the Dec. 15 parliamentary 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: 1,556 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 970 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Monday, December 26, 2005 11:36 AM I can't tell you today 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	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, December 26, 2005 11:37 AM One year ago today, the time for excuse-making has come to an end. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., January 8, 2003
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 10:59 AM 4 More U.S. Soldiers Dead in Iraq: The U.S. military said four Americans died on Monday, two of them in a helicopter crash in western Baghdad. Duluth Veteran Upsets Army Recruiters: DULUTH, Minn., Dec. 21 - As those thinking of becoming soldiers arrive on the slushy doorstep of the Army recruiting station here, they cannot miss the message posted in bold black letters on the storefront right next door. "Remember the Fallen Heroes," the sign reads, and then it ticks off numbers - the number of American troops killed in Iraq, the number wounded, the number of days gone by since this war began. The sign, put up by a former soldier, has stirred intense, though always polite, debate in this city along the edge of Lake Superior in northeastern Minnesota. In a way, many of the nation's vast and complicated arguments about war are playing out on a single block here, around a simple piece of wood. The seven military recruiters here, six of whom have themselves served in Iraq, want the sign taken away. 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: 1,557 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 971 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 11:00 AM If he declares he has no weapons of mass destruction, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world. —Ari Fleischer, White House Press Secretary, December 2, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 11:01 AM I will have a foreign-handed foreign policy. —George W. Bush, Redwood, California, September 27, 2000
Hank	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 9:38 PM 1st time here.I was hoping for some ice fishing reports from the Keewenaw.All I`ve found is the disturbed rants of a Bush hating,lunatic lefty muck spout named been there.Your hatred has consumed you.It`s not healthy.Seek help.I urge any of your friends reading this to do an intervention. Anyone fished Medora this year? How about Portage?
Wutzup	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 5:57 AM Hey Hank You could fall through the ice and never be missed.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 12:21 PM U.N. Official Says Iraqi Elections Were Credible: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A United Nations official said Wednesday that Iraq's recent elections were credible and there was no justification for a rerun of the vote that gave a strong lead to the Shiite religious bloc dominating the current government. In violence Wednesday, an inmate in a Baghdad prison grabbed an assault rifle from a guard and opened fire, killing eight people, police said. One American soldier was injured in the attempted prison break, the U.S. 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: 1,558 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 972 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 12:22 PM We know for a fact that there are weapons of mass destruction there. —Ari Fleischer, White House Press Secretary, January 9, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 12:24 PM If you're worried about the quality of the education in which you -- in the community in which you live, you're responsible for doing something about it. Just don't hope for some magic response from a faraway government. —George W. Bush, Appleton, Wisconsin, March 30, 2004
Been There	Hank the Bushman Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 12:27 PM Hank, Nice to hear from you, but I don't hate Bush in the least. I just don't think he's worthy of his office. Most of my friends would not do a good job as president either, but I still like them a lot. If I've made statements here that do Bush an injustice, I'm not aware of them. Just point them out for me so I can correct my thinking. If you are aware of something he's done well, by all means post it. If you read the archives here, you'll see I've posted positively about Bush when I felt the situation called for it. It's just that there's so little positive to mention about how he performs his duties (so far as I can see) that those posts are few and far between. I wish there were more!   Always ready to learn, though! Been There
Been There	Hank the Bushman Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 2:18 PM Hank, For the last few days we've experienced a premature January thaw in the Keweenaw. I wouldn't trust any of the ice around here for now. I expect that we'll have a cold snap before too long, and then the ice-fishing will pick up, starting with the inland lakes and the sheltered bays. Hope you can make it! Been There
Norway	Around the Kitchen Table Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 8:23 PM Hank, I think it is you who needs an intervention.
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:36 AM Sunnis and Secular Groups Demand Review of Iraq's Election: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Sunni Arab and secular groups refused Thursday to open discussions with the Shiite religious bloc leading in Iraq's parliamentary elections until a full review of the contested results is carried out. ... In violence on Thursday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives belt on a street near the Interior Ministry, killing one police officer and wounding four, police said. Earlier police had said four were killed. Gunmen in Baghdad assassinated an Iraqi driver working with a French company, police Capt. Qassem Hussein said, adding that a university student in northwestern Baghdad was killed in a drive-by shooting. U.S. airstrikes launched by two F-16 fighter jets in Kirkuk province killed 10 insurgents on Tuesday, the military said Thursday. 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: 1,559 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 973 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:38 AM Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. —George W. Bush, State of the Union address, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:39 AM I told the President during our discussions that I felt like the ties between our two countries has never been better. —George W. Bush, South Korea, Gyeongju, South Korea, November 17, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, December 30, 2005 7:15 AM International Team to Review Iraq Results: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- An international team agreed Thursday to review Iraq's parliamentary elections, a decision lauded by Sunni Arab and secular Shiite groups who have staged repeated protests around Iraq complaining of widespread fraud and intimidation. Meanwhile, The New York Times reported Friday that American commanders are planning to boost the number of soldiers advising Iraqi police commando units. The report, which cited an unidentified senior commander in Iraq, said the aim was to curtail abuse that Iraqi units are suspected of inflicting on Sunni Arabs. U.S. Teen Runs Off to Iraq by Himself: Using money his parents had given him at one point, he bought a $900 plane ticket and took off from school a week before Christmas vacation started, skipping classes and leaving the country on Dec. 11. His goal: Baghdad. Those privy to his plans: two high school buddies. Given his heritage, Hassan could almost pass as Iraqi. His father's background helped him secure an entry visa, and native Arabs would see in his face Iraqi features and a familiar skin tone. His wispy beard was meant to help him blend in. But underneath that Mideast veneer was full-blooded American teen, a born-and-bred Floridian sporting white Nike tennis shoes and trendy jeans. And as soon as the lanky, 6-foot teenager opened his mouth -- he speaks no Arabic -- his true nationality would have betrayed him. Traveling on his own in a land where insurgents and jihadists have kidnapped more than 400 foreigners, killing at least 39 of them, Hassan walked straight into a death zone. On Monday, his first full day in Iraq, six vehicle bombs exploded in Baghdad, killing five people and wounding more than 40. 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: 1,560 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 974 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Friday, December 30, 2005 7:16 AM Saddam Hussein has 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: Friday, December 30, 2005 7:17 AM But we've got a big border in Texas, with Mexico, obviously -- and we've got a big border with Canada -- Arizona is affected. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 24, 2004
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, December 31, 2005 11:11 AM 2 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: On Friday, two more U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq as the year wound down, putting the American military death toll at 841 so far -- just five short of 2004's record total despite political progress and dogged U.S. and Iraqi efforts to quash the insurgency. One soldier was killed Friday when a bomb struck his vehicle in Baghdad, and the second soldier was shot and killed in the western city of Fallujah. Their deaths brought the number of U.S. military members killed so far in 2005 to 841, of whom 64 died in December. A total of 846 troops died in 2004 and 485 in 2003. 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: 1,561 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Exactly 975 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	The Case for Attacking Iraq Posted: Saturday, December 31, 2005 11:13 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	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, December 31, 2005 11:14 AM Wow, Brazil is big! —George W. Bush, Brasilia, Brazil, November 6, 2005