Suzie-Q

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED TO A NEW SITE!!!!

2007-04-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

HEY EVERYONE!! WE HAVE MOVED!!!

PLEASE COME JOIN US ON THE NEW SITE!! SEE YA THERE!!! ;)

Suzie-Q

http://suzieqq.wordpress.com/

Leahy: Missing RNC E-mails Are Like Nixon's 18-minute Gap

2007-04-12T14:24:00.000-07:00

by Suzie-Q @ 2:24 PM MDT

Raw Story

"They say they have not been preserved. I don't believe that!" he proclaimed. "You can't erase e-mails, not today. They've gone through too many servers."

Leahy threatened further action in response to the news. "Those e-mails are there, they just don't want to produce them. We'll subpoena them if necessary."

The top Senate Democrat leading investigations into the dismissal of 8 U.S. Attorneys by the Justice Department is comparing e-mails lost by the Republican National Committee to President Richard Nixon's famous "18-minute gap" in White House tape recordings.

"Now we are learning that the 'off book' communications they were having about these actions, by using Republican political email addresses, have not been preserved," Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said on the Senate floor.

He added, "Like the famous 18-minute gap in the Nixon White House tapes, it appears likely that key documentation has been erased or misplaced. This sounds like the Administration's version of 'the dog ate my homework.'"

The senator was referring to the Nixon White House tapes subpoenaed during the Watergate investigation. On one tape, there was an 18 1/2 minute gap. The former president's secretary, Rose Mary Woods, claimed responsibility for "accidentally" erasing 5 minutes of the recording, but not the remainder of the gap. Further investigations raised questions about the veracity of her testimony.

Joe Klein cites Bush failures

2007-04-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

By Captain Kit, noon PDT

This article says it all.

Joe Klein says it best - Bush a colossal failure

IMUS HATE-SPEAK YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

2007-04-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

by Lydia Cornell @ 10:55 AM PDT

Got this from our other site from my co-host Doug Basham, at BASHAM AND CORNELL PROGRESSIVE TALK

Doug says: And these “values” were only violated last week with the nappy headed ho’s comment? How about when Imus said…
On the New York Knicks: “chest-bumping pimps” the New York Crips.”
On superstar Gloria Estefan: “this little Chihuahua-looking ‘ho.”
On serial gay-killer Andrew Cunannan: “Why are they bothering to catch this guy? He’s just whacking off freaks!”
On Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Native American: “The guy from F Troop.”
On CNN’s female anchors: “dyke-ie broads.”
On media critic Howard Kurtz: “boner-nosed, beanie-wearing Jew boy.”

TUNE IN SATURDAY MORNING TUNE IN LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS and LOS ANGELES to our show BASHAM AND CORNELL PROGRESSIVE TALK
from 9 - 10 a.m. We broadcast live -- or go to our website and click on the link to hear the entire show in the archives.

DON'T MISS THIS WEEK!!

Congressman Charles Rangel will be our guest April 14. He will discuss his 30-year Congressional career and his new book, "And I Haven't Had a Bad Day Since: From the Streets of Harlem to the Halls of Congress."

Recent guests: Lt. Eric Shine, whistleblower whose life was interrupted by the Dept. of Homeland Security; Mark Green, one of the new owners of Air America, founder of New Democracy Project and author of "Losing Our Democracy." We've had some amazing guests the past 3 weeks: former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega, author of "U.S. vs BUSH" which is going to be a movie, a courtroom drama on the Bush Impeachment. We also had Media Matters' Paul Waldman, author of "Being Right is Not Enough". Last week we interview Media Matters' Eric Boehlert on his report "If it's Sunday it Must be Conservative." Boehlert is the author of LAPDOGS: "How the Press Rolled Over for Bush." A look inside one of the great journalistic collapses of our time.

Impeach Now!

2007-04-12T10:22:00.001-07:00

by Geezer Power 10:22:00 AM

IMPEACH

NOW

An hour after I left it, the Iraqi Parliament was attacked by a suicide bomber!

2007-04-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 18:15 BST

by Jane Stillwater
OpEdNews
April 12, 2007 at 08:26:54

Yesterday I went down to the Iraqi Parliament and interviewed two female Parliament members regarding their views on the current situation in Iraq. The Parliament was meeting in what formerly used to be Baghdad's most prestigious convention center. I sat in the Center's restaurant for over an hour, interviewing the Parliamentarians and observing various delegates come and go.

After I had written and filed my story this morning, I returned to the convention center in order to see if I could give a copy of it to my two female Parliamentarian interviewees. I entered the front of the building and climbed the stairs to the second floor but after a visual search of the many delegates gathered there to caucus between sessions, I was unable to find who I was looking for and so I left.

An hour later an apparent suicide bomber somehow managed to enter the restaurant and set off an incendiary device which, according to Reuters, injured over a dozen delegates, some of them seriously. Two delegates were allegedly killed.

My heart goes out to the injured delegates and their families – and to all of Iraq. Am I relieved that I missed being injured by flying shrapnel or burned? Of course. But more than that, I am deeply grieved by this tragic horror that happened to people who were well and whole just mintues before.

Banana Republic USA: Mexican Truckers to Stampede America; "Bush outta Control!"

2007-04-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 11:50 AM EDT

Mexican truck stampede to hit U.S.!
Bush administration moving ahead despite congressional opposition

April 12, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern By Jerome R. Corsi

(TTNews.com)

Despite congressional opposition, the Bush administration is fully committed to beginning within weeks a pilot test that will allow Mexican trucks to operate freely across the U.S.

Worldnetdaily

AMERICAN TRUCKERS A DYING BREED!

McCains Paradise Met Reality!

2007-04-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 11:40 AM EDT

AN EXPLOSION HAS ROCKED THE IRAQI PARLIAMENT, IN BAGHDAD, OFFICIALS SAY AT LEAST TWO IRAQI LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN KILLED

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA

BAGHDAD Apr 12, 2007 (AP)— A bomb rocked Iraq's parliament building in the heavily fortified Green Zone Thursday, killing at least two lawmakers in a stunning security breach in the third month of a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown on violence in the capital, officials said.

The Dog Ate It!

2007-04-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 16:37 BST

Tom Hamburger
The Los Angeles Times
April 11, 2007 at 05:55 PM

White House Email Controversy Grows: Thousands Of Messages May Be "Lost"

The White House said today that it may have lost what could amount to thousands of messages sent through a private e-mail system used by political guru Karl Rove and at least 50 other top officials, an admission that stirred anger and dismay among congressional investigators.

The e-mails were considered potentially critical evidence in congressional inquiries launched by Democrats into the role partisan politics may have played in such policy decisions as the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.

Senators Expand Inquiry of Political Prosecutions

2007-04-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

by Anthony

Amanda Lang
OpEdNews
Posted 04/11/2007 @ 01:04am

The question of whether any of the 85 U.S. Attorneys who were not fired by the Bush administration may have engaged in political prosecutions blew open Tuesday, when key members of the Senate Judiciary Committee demanded files pertaining to a botched prosecution in Wisconsin.

Ultimately, the big story of the scandal at the Department of Justice will not be that of the eight fired prosecutors. It will be that of the 85 who were not fired, and of what they did or did not do to keep their jobs.

Committee chair Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, and five other senators have asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for documents dealing with the case of a Wisconsin state employee who was tried in a case that played out during the course of the 2006 gubernatorial race in that state. Republicans used the prosecution as part of a television attack campaign aimed at defeating Democratic Governor James Doyle.

U.S. Attorney Stephen Biskupic obtained an election-season conviction of the state employee, Georgia Thompson, on charges that she steered a state contract to a Doyle donor. But a federal appeals court last week overturned that conviction with a stinging decision that complained about a lack of evidence. One of the appeals court judges said Biskupic's case was "beyond thin."

Biskupic, who also investigated Republican-pushed charges of "voter fraud," which proved to be without validity, was not one of the eight U.S. Attorneys fired by Gonzales in what appears to have been an attempt to purge prosecutors who refused to use their positions to advance the agenda of White House political czar Karl Rove and other GOP operative.

Rather, Biskupic was one of the 85 U.S. Attorneys who met the standards applied by Gonzales and the Bush White House.

At issue, of course, is what those standards required of the federal prosecutors who retained their jobs. Were they expected to conduct politicized prosecutions? More importantly, did any of them conduct prosecutions on a schedule designed to benefit Republican electoral prospects?

More...

Does Anyone Want This Job?

2007-04-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 8:05 AM MDT

BUSH CAN'T FIND ANYONE WHO WILL BE HIS 'WAR CZAR' !!!

KEITH OLBERMANN- COUNTDOWN
APRIL 11, 2007

Video

"There's Always One Joker in the Pack!"

2007-04-12T05:10:00.000-07:00

posted by anthony @ 13:12 PM BST

After the camera pans to the audience, Jimmy Kimmel says: "There's always one joker in the pack!"

Guess who?

Ford apologises after joke on Bush blows up

2007-04-12T04:29:00.000-07:00

posted by anthony @ 12:56 PM BST

Poornima Gupta
Reuters
Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:18 PM BST

Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive Alan Mulally is no longer laughing about his suggestion that he saved President Bush's life during a recent White House visit.

The No. 2 U.S. automaker has apologised after Mulally said his claim that he had intervened to prevent U.S. President George W. Bush from plugging an electrical cord into the hydrogen tank of an experimental Ford vehicle had been meant as a joke.

On Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "The story wasn't accurate, and I'll just decline to comment further."

Ford said Mulally never expected the story he told journalists in New York last week would be taken seriously.

The CEO found himself in an embarrassing situation when the story was featured on blogs and even in mainstream media such as the Financial Times, which said, "he may have saved the incumbent of the Oval Office from blowing himself up."

Mulally said last Wednesday, recounting a meeting at the White House on March 28, that he had noticed the president appeared to be ready to plug a power cord into the wrong outlet of a rechargeable vehicle that also runs on hydrogen.

"I violated all protocols. I grabbed his arm and I moved him up to the front," Mulally told reporters at the New York auto show.

Continued...

FIRE GLEN BECK... and all hatemongers

2007-04-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

by Lydia Cornell @ 9:15 PM PDT

Imus lost his MSNBC show, a signal that sexist, racist hate-speak will not be tolerated on the public airwaves. But much worse than Imus are Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage — who also have their own shows. They systematically engage in hate-speak. Glen Beck has actually screamed out death wishes to his fellow Americans, and said he "hates the 911 and Katrina victims." I just discovered a website called FIRE GLEN BECK. Out of 1,750 comments, here is one that jumped out at me:

"Glen Beck is factually wrong, intellectually lazy and willfully misleading on the vast majority of subjects that he discusses. But the reason he should be fired is that his hate mongering (hate pornography) is below the dignity and quality that I at one time took for granted with CNN and Time-Warner. He, at best, sows division and hate when our country is in desperate need of healing. Blame-shifting, scapegoating and resulting violent hate crimes become more and more commonplace in the last decade. There seems to be a growing number of stressed, ignorant, volatile, hateful and dangerously imbalanced people in this country. These are people who may well be motivated to commit violent acts by Beck's dishonest vilification of both individuals and large swathes of American society. His hate filled rants could result in more attacks on judges, physicians, clergy, congressmen, professors, environmentalists etc. Please help lead CNN back in the direction of decency, principles, and objectivity. Some of CNN's programming and personnel decisions (as with other networks) are starting to make those in the 70's movie "Network" look highly responsible by comparison."

Karl Rove to appear in Portland Oregon on Friday The 13th.

2007-04-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power @ 5:20:00 PM PDT

The smell of Pork Rind will be heavy in the air on Friday the 13th. here in Tigard Oregon, a suberb of Portland. Karl Rove will be the unlikely visitor here at what is called a grass roots Republican convention, and it looks like his presence won't go unanswered, as the word is out on the internet. He will probably not see as many Republicans as he does genuine Grass Roots folks, who will not be paying $60 per head to see him.

Karl Rove coming to Portland Oregon on Friday the 13th.

The Mouth of Hell Opens in Tigard: Karl Rove is Coming

Posted by Scott Moore at 11:20 AM

By now, you may have heard that Satan has given Karl Rove—the maniacal genius behind the Bush machine, and one helluva MC—permission to leave the fiery, sulfur-choked depths of Hades to pay the Portland area a little visit this week. But here’s the question: Where, exactly, will Hell’s blood-soaked maw open up?

He’s appearing at a “grassroots” reception put on by the Washington County GOP, and it’s going to be somewhere in Tigard. You can register and pay on their website, but it doesn’t have any information about where it’s happening. I suppose they let you know after you pay. Is it just me, or is this not exactly how raves are organized?

Hey McCain... Is It Safe? Can I Come Out Now?

2007-04-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 12:40 PM MDT

What is your caption for this photo??

From the A/P

President Bush walks from backstage to speak to veterans about the Iraq war supplemental, Tuesday, April 10,2007, at the American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va.

INXS - Devil inside

Tens of thousands of Iraqi's demonstrate~Call for US troop withdrawel

2007-04-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power @ 11:36:00 AM PDT

Our illustrious President would probably call these people terrorists. The protesters in Najaf were responding to a call by powerful anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who blames the March 2003 invasion for the country's woes and wants a timetable set for a U.S. troop withdrawal, yet they are participating in peaceful demonstrations against US occupation in Iraq. Protest means nothing to Bush & Co. in Iraq or even in America, but anything that points out the truth about this corporate government, like the current investigations of Alberto Gonzales is replied to in full measure.

Iraqis rally, call for U.S. forces to leave

Mon Apr 9, 2007 5:54PM EDT

By Khaled Farhan

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people waving Iraqi flags staged a peaceful rally in the southern city of Najaf on Monday to demand the withdrawal of U.S. forces, four years to the day after Baghdad fell to invading American troops.

The streets of the Iraqi capital itself were largely empty after authorities clamped a 24-hour ban on vehicles to prevent any insurgent attacks, especially car bombings.

The anniversary comes as Iraq's Shi'ite-led government is trying to avert full-scale civil war between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunnis who were dominant under Saddam Hussein. Sunni and Shi'ite clerics marched side by side in Najaf.

Video
.
.

GOP-ildent Despondent!

2007-04-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 1:45 PM EDT

The GOP has become a cowering, withered party thanks to their beloved W.
by Joe Sudbay AmericaBlog (DC) · 4/11/2007 08:22:00 AM ET

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. For the past seven years, we've been subjected to the media buying Karl Rove's theory of GOP dominance. It wasn't so long ago that the Bush swagger awed the GOP and the media. Those days are so over -- according to Republicans themselves -- they are freaking out.

The NY Times reports on the precipitous demise of the GOP. What a bunch of pathetic, whiny losers they've become.

In interviews on Tuesday, the Republicans said they were concerned about signs of despondency among party members and fund-raisers, reflected in polls and the Democratic fund-raising advantage in the first quarter of the year.

America Blog

Paul Wolfowitz has an Arab Girlfriend. Don't Tell his Wife Clare Selgin Ok ?! :)

2007-04-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 12:30 PM EDT

Wolfowitz admits helping aide

Washington, April 9 (Reuters): World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz said today he accepted full responsibility for the promotion of a staffer with whom he is romantically involved.

The bank’s staff association last week questioned Shaha Riza’s promotion and pay increases, and the bank’s board said on Friday they would look into whether the actions possibly violated the bank’s staff rules.

Wolfowitz told the bank’s staff in an email that he would ensure the board has access to the facts in the case “in a manner that also respects the bank's rules concerning the right of every staff member to the confidentiality of his or her records”.

He said he accepted “full responsibility for the actions taken in this case” and that he had always acted to uphold bank rules on employee rights and treatment.

Telegraph Story

Your Cheatin' Heart..

I Put A Spell On You Giuliani!!

2007-04-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 9:10 AM MDT

That ain't no way to treat a Lady! A Drag Queen Lady...that is!!

The New York Sun

For a full transcript of Mayor Giuliani's remarks in Florida on March 4 about the Terri Schiavo case, please visit NYSunPolitics.com

Mayor Giuliani's response to a question about the Terri Schiavo controversy while on the campaign trail in St. Petersburg, Fla., raises serious questions about the competence of his campaign staff and his discipline as a presidential candidate.

The comments last week indicated that Mr. Giuliani supported the congressional intervention in the Schiavo case in 2005. However, they also made it clear that Mr. Giuliani was ill-prepared for the question.

(The Giuliani campaign refused to clarify the former mayor's position on the Schiavo case yesterday, despite repeated requests to do so from The New York Sun.)

"Can I ask you about Terri Schiavo?" a reporter asked at a press availability on April 4. "Did you support the congressional intervention to—"

At this point Mr. Giuliani cut in, according to a transcript provided by his campaign: "I believe I did. I don't, I, it's a while ago and I think I said that I thought every effort should be made to keep her alive. I don't know that I supported the, the whole thing to the very end, but I am not sure now."

Creedence Clearwater Revival- I Put A Spell On You

Diabetes Epidemic Spreading Worldwide: Experts

2007-04-11T07:20:00.001-07:00

by S-Q @ 7:20 AM MDT

(This article was sent to me from Clif, who posts on this blog. Thank you Clif for bringing this to our attention!)

Diabetes Epidemic Spreading Worldwide: Experts

Only the corporate death merchants could take a world where the mass of it's people were self-sustaining, and convert it to a world where they rely on large food production corporations and McDonalds for their sustinance. The irony of this story is almost obscene in it's portent of the future, they do not only starve people when the force the mases off the local farms for massive corporate conmtrolled mega farms for corporate profits, but they also give them modern industrial based diseases, which are a result of the forced change in lifestyl;es and social systemds for corporate profits.

More than two-thirds of the world's estimated 246 million diabetics come from less-affluent developing nations, and more must be done to curb a disease that now rivals HIV/AIDS in terms of suffering and death around the globe....

..."This truly is an epidemic," warned Dr. Martin Silink, president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which represents more than 200 diabetes associations across 158 countries. "Seventy percent of the global burden of diabetes is now in developing countries, even though that seems paradoxical. People think that it should be in the developed world where there is access to fast food and lots of obesity."

But rapid lifestyle changes are affecting the health of people in China, India, South America, and elsewhere, he said. "As their economies develop, diabetes is now subverting the gains of economic development," Silink said.

Some statistics from the IDF:

* By 2025, the number of people with diabetes is expected to rise to 380 million worldwide, with 80 percent living in the developing world.
* Each year, another 7 million people develop diabetes, while 3.8 million die of diabetes-linked causes.
* In many countries in Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean, diabetes already affects 15 percent to 20 percent of the adult population.
* India now has the largest number of diabetics (almost 41 million) in the world, followed by China (nearly 40 million), the United States ( 19.2 million) and Russia (9.6 million).
* Diabetes increasingly affects the young or middle-aged, with more than half of diabetics in developing countries between the ages of 40 and 59.

According to the experts, a "perfect storm" of genetics and social change is driving the spread of obesity-linked type 2 diabetes in poorer countries. Visitors to today's China quickly notice McDonald's, KFC and other fast-food outlets springing up in major cities. At the same time, the foot and bicycle are making way for the car on urban streets.

More Here

The US Attorneys Who WEREN'T Fired - Part 2

2007-04-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 12:56 PM BST

RobertInWisconsin
Daily Kos
Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 11:49:37 AM PDT

left: Georgia Thompson

In this diary yesterday, I provided some background about the shocking federal appeals court reversal of a case prosecuted to the full extent of the law by Bush-appointed US Attorney Biskupic in the months leading up to the 2006 Wisconsin Governor's election.

Biskupic went full-tilt after a Wisconsin civil service employee, who lost everything and was sentenced to federal prison right before the election (in which incumbent Democratic Governor Jim Doyle was being challenged by Bush family friend, Rep Mark Green).

Last Friday - Good Friday - the federal appeals court (with 2 of the 3 judges being Republican appointees) literally took one look at the case and with less than a day of oral argument overturned the sentence and ordered the employee, Georgia Thompson, immediately released from prison - before even issuing a written decision.

After his high-profile prosecution of this case, US Attorney Biskupic has been nearly as silent as a church mouse, dispatching a staff attorney to receive the Good Friday courtroom rebuke from which he was absent, and then issuing a brief statement congratulating Ms Thompson's lawyers after the stunning decision.

Over the weekend I called for a Congressional investigation of this case, as it appears there's a chance it could be linked to the larger US Attorneys scandal, which has up until now focused mainly on who was fired for political reasons by the Bush White House, which was seeking maximum pre-election pressure on Democrats at all levels while easing up on any Republicans with potential (or actual) scandals.

It's time to look at the US Attorneys who weren't fired to see if they were doing White House bidding to try to tilt elections to Republicans.

A few minutes ago, Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote Attorney General Gonzales demanding all documents related to this case. BRAVO!

Here's the full text of the letter.

The letter was signed by the Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee: Chair Patrick Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, Charles Schumer, Russ Feingold, Herb Kohl, and Sheldon Whitehouse. It is delicious irony that both of Wisconsin's Senators signed this letter.

The US Attorneys Who WEREN'T Fired, Part 1

2007-04-11T04:28:00.000-07:00

by anthony @12:30 PM BST

by RobertInWisconsin
Daily Kos
Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 10:53:26 AM PDT

As we all know, the Bush Administration fired a number of US Attorneys for political reasons that emanated from the White House, then the AG and others tried to cover it up, and pretend that they didn’t know anything about it.

As Congress investigates this widening scandal, a question that needs to be asked is: Who DIDN’T they fire – and why?

We’ve heard that the Bush White House may have told US Attorneys, in essence, to go full-tilt after Democrats at all levels if there was the slightest hint of scandal, while going easy on Republicans.

In one case in Wisconsin, where there is smoke there may be fire. Just before the election for Wisconsin governor, US Attorney Steven Biskupic – a Bush appointee – prosecuted a Wisconsin state government civil servant to the full extent of the law. And this story has a surprising ending... .

BRING THE TROOPS HOME. NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY, WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT WE SAY!

2007-04-11T03:27:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 11:30 AM BST

Today in Iraq tens of THOUSANDS of their people marched in just one city demanding that we end the occupation.

The flimsy pretense that any of this was for the glorious benefit of the Iraqi people is in utter shreds. For those still arguing for burying our heads even deeper in the sand it's all about us now. They say we can't leave because WE can't afford to lose, because WE need to have access to all that oil.

Who will admit we have already lost, when 90% of the Iraqi people hate us for being the unwelcome occupiers we have become? There are no smiles for us there anymore, let alone any flowers. Who will tell the truth to the American people that the Iraqis already know so grimly, that from the beginning this was all about stealing their oil and absolutely nothing else?

In the meantime, the coalition of the missing in action, our former allies, saw the handwriting on the wall quite some time ago, and they're all on their way outta there. The occupation has got to end. The occupation is going to end. Who will have the political courage to admit the facts of death as they are on the ground, and put an end to it NOW?

You can call your members of Congress right now on one of these toll-free numbers, 800-828-0498, 800-459-1887 or 800-614-2803. There are operators on duty 24 hours a day. Just ask to be connected to your one of your senators or your house representative and they'll put you through. If you don't know who they all are, or want all their direct phone and fax numbers, just submit the simple form on the right, to get all their numbers right down to their district offices, right here on this page:

The war in Vietnam almost destroyed our country, until enough people finally spoke out to stop it. You can stop the occupation Iraq NOW, and the planned expansion into Iran, if only you will speak out now. Click here to also call for the impeachment of president Bush

If you want to make sure your message gets through, the one click form below will send your personal message to both of your senators, with the subject "End the occupation of Iraq now." At the same time you can send your personal comments only as a letter to the editor of your nearest local daily newspaper if you like. Read our simple, comprehensive plan HOW we're going to stop the occupation.

Caring About Our Troops!

2007-04-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 8:45 PM EDT

How to Care about our Troops
By Global Evildoer Fighter

"We need to fund our troops, the Democrats are Imperiling our Troops!" - GW Bush/Dick Cheney

"If Bush & Cheney cared about our Troops we wouldn't be in Iraq any more and Walter Reed would be better equipped than a 5 star hotel."

Bush is doing his famous doublespeak again!

Fact is that Bush & Cheney don't give a rats about our troops!

"Compassion should be the first feeling one gets if one cares about human beings."

Bush and Cheney are sacrificing our troops lives over and over again in multiple tours of duty on a Failed Mission! Where's the Compassion ? In more Body Armor ? What about our Troops and their families ?"

When Bush gives me more body armor that doesn't mean he cares about me, that means he wants me well protected so I can continue to fight his war while doing more psychological damage to my brain cells and soul.

If body armor is so good then why do US Soldiers come back with missing limbs and torn up minds ?!

Care about me ? Exactly HOW does Bush & Cheney care about me ?

By sending me back into the meat grinder over and over and over again ?
Oh I feel the Compassion from those Warm IUDs already!

You want to Care about the Troops ?

End this War. That's Caring. That's Compassion!

The Bush/Cheney doublespeak is full on bullsh#t and the Majority of America knows it!

Gonzales Gets His First Subpoena

2007-04-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 3:20 PM MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt

This isn't the 109th Congress that you're playing with boys!!

AMERICAblog

In what will probably be the first of many, the Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, was subpoenaed today by the House Judiciary Committee:

The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today seeking hundreds of pages of new or uncensored records related to the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year, officials said.

It is the first subpoena to be issued in connection with the dismissals and escalates the confrontation between Democrats and the Bush administration, which has resisted demands for more documents and for public testimony from White House aides about the dismissals.

"We have been patient in allowing the department to work through its concerns regarding the sensitive nature of some of these materials," Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the judiciary panel's chairman, wrote Gonzales in a letter that accompanied the subpoena. "Unfortunately, the department has not indicated any meaningful willingness to find a way to meet our legitimate needs."

Conyers added that "further delay in receiving these materials will not serve any constructive purpose."

In other words, stop screwing around. The Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee -- and their staff -- play hard ball. Very hard ball. This is getting good.

This, again, is why having the majority matters.

Glenn Frey "The Heat Is On"

Feingold Introduces Bill To 'Effectively End Military Involvement In Iraq'

2007-04-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 1:04 PM MDT

Raw Story

In a countermove designed to counter President Bush's expected veto of an emergency supplemental spending bill containing a timetable for US troop withdrawal, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is introducing legislation which would "effectively end military involvement in Iraq."

According to a press release sent to RAW STORY, Feingold's bill "requires the President to begin safely redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq 120 days from enactment, as required by the emergency supplemental spending bill passed by the Senate." It would also end "funding for the war, with three narrow exceptions, effective March 31, 2008." The exceptions include operations against Qaeda and other terrorist groups, training Iraqi security forces, and funds related to security for United States infrastructure and personnel.

The bill is cosponsored by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), along with Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Pat Leahy (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The press release notes, "If the President vetoes the emergency supplemental spending bill, Reid has said he will work to ensure Feingold’s bill gets a vote in the Senate before Memorial Day."

McCain’s Excellent Iraqi Adventure

2007-04-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 11:22 AM MDT

DAILY SHOW With Jon Stewart.

McCain’s Excellent Iraqi Adventure

Jon rocks and he is hilarious! LOL

Raking it in from the War on Terror!

2007-04-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 18:36 BST

Congress Must Cut Off Bush Family War Profits

Evelyn Pringle
OpEdNews
April 10, 2007 at 05:28:41

On Monday, April 9, 2007, the Boston Herald reported that the US military had announced the Easter weekend deaths of 10 more American soldiers, including six killed on Sunday. The Associated Press reports that, since the war began in March 2003, over 3,000 members of the US military have been killed in Iraq, as of April 8, 2007.

The military reported the deaths of four more US soldiers on Tuesday.

Its nearly impossible to estimate the number of deaths of civilians in Iraq, but the Herald reports that at least 47 people were killed or found dead in violence on Easter Sunday, including 17 execution victims dumped in the capital.

News releases out of Iraq also report that a woman wearing a black veil and strapped with explosives blew herself up outside a police station in Iraq on Tuesday, killing 16 people.

According to the January 14, 2007 LA Times, Steven Kosiak, director of budget studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, says that, starting with the anti-terrorism appropriation a week after the 9/11 attacks, he estimates the US has spent $400 billion fighting terrorism through fiscal 2006, which ended on September 30, 2006.

In January 2007, Marine Corps spokeswoman, Lt Col Roseann Lynch, told Reuters that the war in Iraq is costing about $4.5 billion a month for military "operating costs," which did not include new weapons or equipment.

Since this war on terror was declared following 9/11, the pay levels for the CEOs of the top 34 defense contractors have doubled. The average compensation rose from $3.6 million during the period of 1998-2001, to $7.2 million during the period of 2002-2005, according to an August 2006, report entitled, "Executive Excess 2006," by the Washington-based, Institute for Policy Studies, and the Boston-based, United for a Fair Economy.

This study found that since 9/11, the 34 defense CEOs have pocketed a combined total of $984 million, or enough, the report says, to cover the wages for more than a million Iraqis for a year. In 2005, the average total compensation for the CEOs of large US corporations was only 6% above 2001 figures, while defense CEOs pay was 108% higher.

But the last name of one family, which is literally amassing a fortune over the backs of our dead heroes, matches that of the man holding the purse strings in the White House... .

More...

We Want Those Documents... Hand Them Over!!

2007-04-10T09:44:00.001-07:00

by S-Q @ 9:44 AM MDT

NY Times

Among the missing documents the senators mentioned was a chart cited in a Feb. 12, 2007, e-mail message from Monica Goodling, a former aide to Mr. Gonzales, to other department officials.

WASHINGTON, April 9 — Four senators said Monday that they suspected that the Justice Department had failed to turn over all relevant documents related to the dismissals of eight United States attorneys.

The department has released more than 3,000 pages of e-mail messages and other files. But, the senators wrote in a letter to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, “We are concerned that additional documents relevant to the committee’s investigations are missing or have been withheld.”

The letter expressed skepticism about whether lawmakers had all the material they needed to evaluate the motives for the removals and raised questions on the scope and methods used to assemble the material. A spokesman for the department, Brian Roehrkasse, said officials would not comment until they had reviewed the letter.

Gonzo's Intense Grilling will be Tasty!!

2007-04-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 10:30 AM EDT

Gonzales cramming for big test — will he pass?

By: Steve on Tuesday, April 10th, 2007 at 5:03 AM - PDT

There’s been a surprising amount of attention lately on embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales preparing for his upcoming Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, which if the conventional wisdom is to be believed, will determine whether he keeps his job. Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff reports that the Justice Department is “in a state of paralysis” and Gonzales’ closest advisers “are nervous about whether he is up to the task.”

If Gonzales was planning to simply tell the truth, he wouldn't "keep contradicting himself" in practice sessions and he wouldn't need to bring his schedule to a standstill in order to figure out what he's planning to say. He'd just review the appropriate documents to make sure he had his dates straight and then tell Congress what happened.

Obviously, though, that's not quite what he's planning to do, is it?

Complete Story at C & L

THEY'RE GONNA GRILL HIM GOOD!

Dumbya Nearly Blows Himself Up!

2007-04-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

posted by anthony @ 14:49 BST

Ford President Alan Mulally, right, had to be quick on his feet to make sure President Bush plugged a power cord into the right socket on a Ford hydrogen-electric plug-in hybrid.

Plug it in, fire it up, Mr. President
The Detroit News
Tuesday April 10, 2007

Credit Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally with saving the leader of the free world from self-immolation.

Mulally told journalists at the New York auto show that he intervened to prevent President Bush from plugging an electrical cord into the hydrogen tank of Ford's hydrogen-electric plug-in hybrid at the White House last week. Ford wanted to give the Commander-in-Chief an actual demonstration of the innovative vehicle, so the automaker arranged for an electrical outlet to be installed on the South Lawn and ran a charging cord to the hybrid. However, as Mulally followed Bush out to the car, he noticed someone had left the cord lying at the rear of the vehicle, near the fuel tank.

"I just thought, 'Oh my goodness!' So, I started walking faster, and the President walked faster and he got to the cord before I did. I violated all the protocols. I touched the President. I grabbed his arm and I moved him up to the front," Mulally said. "I wanted the president to make sure he plugged into the electricity, not into the hydrogen This is all off the record, right?"

Duck for President!

2007-04-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

posted by anthony @ 14:09 BST

"After her welcome, the first lady sat in one of the area's designated reading nooks and read 'Duck for President,' by Doreen Cronin. It's a story of a duck who gets sick of farm chores and decides to run for office _ first for head of the farm, then governor and, finally, president. In the end he decides running the country is too much work and goes back to the farm."

From Kids Go on White House Easter Egg Hunt
Huffington Post
NATASHA T. METZLER
April 9, 2007

Would that the Resident felt the same way!

For information on some of the other candidates:

Who's Running? (From NYP)

The Presidential Field (From WaPo)

Disclaimer: This post has been published for information purposes only and in no way should it be regarded as an endorsement of Duck's bid for the Presidency.

Iran under the threat of war?

2007-04-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 13:45 BST

by Nasir Khan

Global Research, April 9, 2007
AlJazeera.com

Is the United States going to attack Iran? This question is being asked around the world. The big American military build-up in the Persian Gulf has gone on for some time, and there is every reason to believe that Washington is setting stage for a major offensive against Iran.

In fact, the Bush administration has followed a carefully orchestrated strategy with a view to pave the way for a major conflict with Iran. The clearest signal comes from US Vice President Dick Cheney’s latest comments on February 23. At a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Cheney said that ‘all options’ are on the table if Iran continues to defy UN- led efforts to get Tehran to abandon its nuclear programmes. The news conference was held amidst tight security because thousands of protesters were voicing their anger at his visit. They called the main architect of invasion and occupation of Iraq a ‘war criminal’ and they called for the withdrawal of Australian soldiers from Iraq.

Cheney said that the United States remained ‘deeply concerned’ about Iran’s activities, including the ‘aggressive’ sponsoring of Hezbollah and ‘inflammatory statements’ by President Ahmadinejad: ‘We worked with European community and the United Nations to put together a set of policies to persuade the Iranians to give up their aspirations and to resolve the matter peacefully, and that is still our preference.’

‘But I have also made the point, and the president has also made the point, that all options are on the table,’ said Cheney.

Other articles from global research.ca:

Russian General Says U.S. Continues Preparations for Iran Strike
- 2007-04-09

Iran: the Threat of a Nuclear War
- by General Leonid Ivashov - 2007-04-09

Teetering on the Brink of Disaster: The NeoCons' Decision to Bomb Iran
- by Ali Fathollah-Nejad - 2007-04-09

"Theater Iran Near Term" (TIRANNT)
- by Michel Chossudovsky - 2007-02-21
"Theater Iran Near Term" (TIRANNT) has identified several thousand targets inside Iran as part of a "Shock and Awe" Blitzkrieg, which is now in its final planning stages.

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2007-04-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

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by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 6:50 PM EDT

"DC Madam Talks with ABC News"
April 9, 2007 4:42 PM
Justin Hood Reports

Alleged "D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey has given an exclusive interview to ABC News.

ABC News investigative correspondent Brian Ross recently interviewed Palfrey, who for over a decade operated what she terms an "erotic fantasy service" in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, for an upcoming report on "20/20."

Last October, federal prosecutors charged Palfrey with racketeering offenses in connection with the business, which she contends was a legal operation. From 1993 to August 2006, Palfrey ran a high-end escort service in the nation's capital, charging a flat fee for 90-minute "dates" with women between the ages of 23 and 55 whom she termed independent contractors.

ABCs The Blotter!

This could be the Biggest Reverse Sting Operation Ever! :)

Don't do the Crime if you can't do the Time

Abramoff: The House That Jack Built

2007-04-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 3:41 PM MDT

Since Jack Abramoff's name came up on a previous thread, I thought I should publish this again.

Abramoff: The House That Jack Built

Jack Abramoff *

SunCruz

Sen. Conrad Burns +
Rep. Tom DeLay +
Rep. Bob Ney *
Adam Kidan *
Neil Volz

Tigua Casino

Sen. John Cornyn
Rep. Bob Ney * +
Rep. Don Young
Ralph Reed
Michael Scanlon *
Neil Volz

Mariana Islands

Sen. Conrad Burns +
Rep. Tom DeLay +
Rep. John Doolittle
Rep. Don Young
President Bush +

Saginaw Funding

Sen. Conrad Burns +
Sen. Byron Dorgan +
Rep. J.D. Hayworth +

Choctaws

Grover Norquist
Ralph Reed

Capital Athletic Foundation

Julie Doolittle *

Coushatta Campaign

Rep. Roy Blunt +
Rep. Eric Cantor +
Sen. Thad Cochran +
Rep. Tom DeLay +
Rep. John Doolittle
Sen. John Ensign
Sen. Charles Grassley
Rep. J. Dennis Hastert +
Rep. Ernie Istook +
Sen. Trent Lott
Sen. Harry Reid
Rep. Pete Sessions
Rep. David Vitter +
Rep. Roger Wicker
Grover Norquist

Cronyism

Sen. Conrad Burns +
Rep. Tom DeLay +
Rep. John Doolittle
Rep. Bob Ney * +
Grover Norquist
Tony Rudy
Neil Volz
J. Steven Griles
Susan Ralston

Favors

Rep. Bob Ney * +
Rep. Richard Pombo +
Rep. David Vitter +
Rep. Don Young
Doug Bandow
Italia Federici
Timothy Flanigan
J. Steven Griles
Gale A. Norton
Susan Ralston

Trips

Rep. Tom DeLay +
Rep. John Doolittle
Rep. Tom Feeney +
Rep. Bob Ney *
Ed Buckham
Susan Hirschmann
Ralph Reed
David Safavian

Mashpee

Rep. Richard Pombo +

Gifts

Rep. Tom DeLay +
Rep. John Doolittle
Sen. Tom Harkin +
Rep. J.D. Hayworth +
Rep. Bob Ney * +
Rep. Don Young

* Denotes individuals who have been subponaed, indicted, or found guilty in the Abramoff investigation.

+ Denotes individuals who have returned donations from Abramoff, his clients, or his partners.

Methodology: Members of Congress were included if they received over $10,000 from Abramoff, his clients or his partners and have allegedly done favors for Abramoff, his clients or his partners. Members who were acting on behalf of a constituent in their state were excluded, even if those constituents were Abramoff clients. Certain members who received less than $10,000 in Abramoff were included because of extensive allegations of favors done for Abramoff.

More...

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Jane Stillwater, blogger and grandmother in Iraq, interviews John McCain

2007-04-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 3:28:00 PM PDT

Jane Stillwater's Fourth Report:

Sunday, April 01, 2007

More news from Iraq: Me, the Light Brigade & John McCain

By Jane Stillwater

JANE STILLWATER'S REPORT FROM IRAQ

Iconoclast journalist Jane P. Stillwater is now embedded in Kuwait. She maneuvered past the road blocks of bureaucracy to arrive there and has filed her first report from the Middle East. Stillwater's reports will be updated as they arrive on the Iconoclast site. Here, you can follow the stalwart and indomitable reporting of Stillwater to the Iconoclast and the world at large.

Stillwater is a grandmother from Berkeley, California who is dedicated to the truth and justice for all Americans. The Iconoclast is delighted to be able to enable this kind of coverage so that Americans can know.

So it's OK for Halliburton to do Work for Terrorist Nations!

2007-04-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

by global Evildoer Fighter @ 5:15 PM EDT

Halliburton winds up Iran work

US oil services giant Halliburton said Monday it had wrapped up its work commitments in Iran and was no longer conducting any projects in the Islamic republic.

Halliburton announced in January of 2005 that it was shutting-down its Iran operations, but would honor existing "contractual commitments" until they were fulfilled.

"Halliburton announced today that all of its contractual commitments in Iran have been completed and the company is no longer working in Iran," the firm said in a brief statement.

The company, headed by Dick Cheney from 1995 to 2000 before he became vice president, added that its "prior business" in Iran was "clearly permissible under applicable laws and regulations."

Halliburton, which could not be reached for further comment, was involved in at least one contract to drill for gas in Iran in 2005 although the contract was subsequently cancelled by Iran's government.

It had won the contract even though a US law, dating to 1996, threatens sanctions on US and foreign groups that invest over 40 million dollars in Iran's energy sector.

Halliburton might be pulling out of Iran, which has troubled political relations with the United States, but it is boosting its footprint elsewhere in the region.

Halliburton announced last month that it was relocating to the United Arab Emirates to capitalize on the Gulf region's booming energy market.

Raw has it

Were The Multiple White House Email Systems Used To Conceal Activities??

2007-04-09T13:54:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 1:54 PM MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt

LA Times

Democrats say a private e-mail system was used in violation of federal rules. In addition, Democrats point to a handful of e-mails obtained through ongoing inquiries suggesting the system may have been used to conceal such activities as contacts with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was convicted on bribery charges and is now in prison for fraud.

WASHINGTON — When Karl Rove and his top deputies arrived at the White House in 2001, the Republican National Committee provided them with laptop computers and other communication devices to be used alongside their government-issued equipment.

The back-channel e-mail and paging system, paid for and maintained by the RNC, was designed to avoid charges that had vexed the Clinton White House — that federal resources were being used inappropriately for political campaign purposes.

Now, that dual computer system is creating new embarrassment and legal headaches for the White House, the Republican Party and Rove's once-vaunted White House operation.

Democrats say evidence suggests the RNC e-mail system was used for political and government policy matters in violation of federal record preservation and disclosure rules.

The Unauthorized Biography of Dick Cheney

2007-04-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 12:49:00 PM PDT

This is the story of Dick Cheney's vision of America. But he has selective vision. With all of the ongo about the Poquito' Cajone's and Gonzo, Darth is still insulated in his secret chambers, while Porkrind is beginning to break out in a cold sweat. As Special Prosecutor Biloxi once said on Fitz's blog "All roads lead to Cheney".

VIDEO

ARTICLE

Waxman Grows Fond of Rice! :)

2007-04-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 3:40 PM EDT

Waxman to Rice: The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get
By Paul Kiel - April 9, 2007, 12:37 PM

Here's the latest instance of what is becoming a flourishing genre in the new Congress: the spurned chairman letter. It comes when oversight efforts are met with deafening silence from the administration.

House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) wrote Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice such a letter (pdf) today.

Last month, Waxman wrote Rice, inviting her to an April 18 hearing on the Niger forgeries and the infamous sixteen words, and asking a list of questions about what she knew about the documents and how they got into the State of the Union address. What he got in return was a mostly irrelevant letter from one of Rice's subordinates forwarding previous correspondence that answered none of his questions. He's not happy and is pressing again for answers.

TPM Story

Gonzales Death Watch...While He Crams For A Senate Grilling!

2007-04-09T11:04:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 11:04 AM MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt

Washington Monthly

Michael Isikoff reports that Alberto Gonzales has wiped his schedule clean and brought the Justice Department to a "state of paralysis" in order to prepare for his April 17 testimony before Congress. Apparently it's not going well:

At a recent "prep" for a prospective Sunday talk-show interview, Gonzales's performance was so poor that top aides scrapped any live appearances. During the March 23 session in the A.G.'s conference room, Gonzales was grilled by a team of top aides and advisers — including former Republican National Committee chair Ed Gillespie and former White House lawyer Tim Flanigan — about what he knew about the plan to fire seven U.S. attorneys last fall. But Gonzales kept contradicting himself and "getting his timeline confused," said one participant who asked not to be identified talking about a private meeting. His advisers finally got "exasperated" with him, the source added. "He's not ready," Tasia Scolinos, Gonzales's public-affairs chief, told the A.G.'s top aides after the session was over, said the source.

Everyone prepares for congressional testimony, but this is ridiculous. If Gonzales was planning to simply tell the truth, he wouldn't "keep contradicting himself" in practice sessions and he wouldn't need to bring his schedule to a standstill in order to figure out what he's planning to say. He'd just review the appropriate documents to make sure he had his dates straight and then tell Congress what happened.

Obviously, though, that's not quite what he's planning to do, is it?

Bush & Cheney Step on Down...We gotta talk!

2007-04-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 12:20 PM EDT

It’s Time to Impeach Bush and Cheney … Seriously
by Paul Hogarth‚ Apr. 09‚ 2007

Here in San Francisco, supporting impeachment is like preaching to the choir, but I am now convinced that it has gone from desirable to necessary. Now that Congress has voted to withdraw our troops from Iraq, the U.S. government is at an impasse. George Bush is “the Decider,” and he stubbornly refuses to work with a new Congress that was elected to end this disastrous War.

If anything, growing opposition will only make this President dig deeper into his heels. He’s a lame duck who will never have to face the voters again, so why should he give in to the will of the people? Before the Democrats wimp out and drop their efforts to withdraw, we must ratchet up the pressure – and the logical solution at this point is to call for his impeachment.

Beyond Chron Full Story

Impeachment is on the Table and it's on the Ceiling too! ;)

When It Comes Back Around And Bites You In The Rear End!!

2007-04-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 7:40 AM MDT

Think Progress

In a recent TV interview, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) criticized CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, saying he didn’t know what was going on in Iraq. As proof of progress, McCain claimed, “General Petraeus goes out there almost every day in an unarmed humvee.”

Sunday night in a 60 Minutes interview, McCain acknowledged that statement was a lie. He said “there is no unarmored humvees. Obviously, that’s the case.” He excused himself, saying, “I’m trying to make the point over and over and over again that we are making progress.”

McCain also previously claimed that there are neighborhoods that you can walk around freely, claiming his heavily-armed stroll through a Baghdad market was an example. Tonight, McCain said he can “understand why they would provide me with that security.”

“Of course I’m gonna misspeak,” McCain said. “I’ve done it on numerous occasions. And I probably will in the future. I regret that when I divert attention to something that I’ve said from my message. But that’s just life. And I’m happy, frankly, with the way I operate. Otherwise it’d be a lot less fun.”

Watch the entire video here.

But, this is the best 19 seconds of that video!!

Torture and Selective Outrage

2007-04-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 12:52 PM BST

by Dave Lindorff
OpEdNews
April 8, 2007 at 10:05:35

The alleged torture of British Navy personnel by Iraqi Revolutionary Guards was page one news in the New York Times and other US publications on Saturday, and the outrage in America and Britain was almost universal.

According to the just released 15 captives, they were blindfolded, then forced to listen to guns being cocked, which led them to believe they might be executed. They were placed in isolation from one another, yelled at, and forced to confess to having trespassed in Iranian territorial waters.

These abusive treatments are all awful, and no one would want to have to endure them, but let's be honest here: they pale in comparison to what American captives have been put through in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Guantanamo, and at various secret "black sites" around the world from Poland to Ethiopia.

Bush Spreads Guantanamo Gangrene Globally

2007-04-09T04:06:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 11:25 AM BST

April 8, 2007 at 18:58:47
by Sherwood Ross
opednews.com

Jumah Al Dossari has been rotting in Guatanamo for five years now without ever having been charged of an offense. The prisoner believes “he has been condemned to live forever on an island where there is no law,” his lawyer says, adding, “He may well be right.”

Al Dossari is forced to spend virtually the entire day in solid-wall solitary under conditions that make Devil’s Island look like a health spa on the Riviera. He was kidnapped illegally, transported halfway around the world, torn from his family and other living beings, denied sunlight, short-shackled, beaten, and told by his sadistic tormentors he will never get out. On three occasions he has attempted suicide, according to his lawyer Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, who told his story in the April 5 Miami Herald.

Al Dossari cannot believe a human being can be flung in prison with no evidence, but what does he know of how President Bush and Congress have torched our Constitution? Al Dossari’s fate differs little from 400 other Guantanamo captives and of tens of thousands of luckless U.S. prisoners around the world, the bitter harvest of illegal wars by an illegitimate regime.

Video: The Road to Guantanamo, Channel 4

Delusional Joe ...Stop Drinking The Kool-Aid!!!

2007-04-08T19:09:00.001-07:00

by S-Q @ 7:10 PM MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt

AMERICAblog

Joe Lieberman thinks the Iraq insurgents and Syria blew up the World Trade Center

That isn't just an outright lie, it's insane. That's a bigger lie than anything Dick Cheney has even said. Syria had nothing to do with September 11. Neither did Saddam Hussein or the folks fighting the civil war in Iraq. It's just delusional to suggest otherwise - George Bush hasn't even had the nerve to say anything that absurdly untrue. I'm increasingly wondering whose side Joe Lieberman is really on, because his insane ramblings about Iraq and the Middle East are clearly not in America's interests.

ThinkProgress has the video.

.

Rudy Giuliani In Drag Smooching Donald Trump

2007-04-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 2:45 PM MDT

Pictures are worth so much more than words...

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The Last Confessions of E. Howard Hunt

2007-04-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

by anthony at 20:23 BST

He was the ultimate keeper of secrets, lurking in the shadows of American history. He toppled banana republics, planned the Bay of Pigs invasion and led the Watergate break-in. Now he would reveal what he'd always kept hidden: who killed JFK

ERIK HEDEGAARD
Rolling Stone
Sunday, April 8, 2007

>> Who assassinated JFK? The conversation continues in our politics blog, National Affairs Daily.

Once, when the old spymaster thought he was dying, his eldest son came to visit him at his home in Miami. The scourges recently had been constant and terrible: lupus, pneumonia, cancers of the jaw and prostate, gangrene, the amputation of his left leg. It was like something was eating him up. Long past were his years of heroic service to the country. In the CIA, he'd helped mastermind the violent removal of a duly elected leftist president in Guatemala and assisted in subterfuges that led to the murder of Che Guevara. But no longer could you see in him the suave, pipe-smoking, cocktail-party-loving clandestine operative whose Cold War exploits he himself had, almost obsessively, turned into novels, one of which, East of Farewell, the New York Times once called "the best sea story" of World War II. Diminished too were the old bad memories, of the Bay of Pigs debacle that derailed his CIA career for good, of the Watergate Hotel fiasco, of his first wife's death, of thirty-three months in U.S. prisons -- of, in fact, a furious lifetime mainly of failure, disappointment and pain. But his firstborn son -- he named him St. John; Saint, for short -- was by his side now. And he still had a secret or two left to share before it was all over.

Another GOP hits at Gonzo: Gonzo Gotta Go, Need a "New Team" at DOJ

2007-04-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 2:20 PM EDT

Embattled Bush loyalist loses key conservative support

AFP
April 8, 2007

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Sunday lost the support of an influential US conservative as he prepared for make-or-break testimony over the dismissal of eight federal prosecutors.

Until now, pressure for the long-time ally of President George W. Bush to resign -- after evidence emerged implicating Gonzales in the firings of the attorneys for allegedly partisan reasons -- has come mainly from Democrats in Congress.

Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives and one of the most influential conservative US Republicans, told Fox News it was time for a new attorney general.

Raw Story

The senior view of the president's radio address

2007-04-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 9:30:00 AM PDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, people around the world celebrate Passover and Easter. These holy days remind us of the presence of a loving God who delivers His people from oppression, and offers a love more powerful than death. We take joy in spending this special time with family and friends, and we give thanks for the many blessings in our lives.

One of our greatest blessings as Americans is that we have brave citizens who step forward to defend us. Every man or woman who wears our Nation's uniform is a volunteer, a patriot who has made the noble decision to serve a cause larger than self. This weekend, many of our service men and women are celebrating the holidays far from home. They are separated from their families by great distances, but they are always close in our thoughts. And this Passover and Easter, I ask you to keep them in your prayers.

Our men and women in uniform deserve the gratitude of every American. And from their elected leaders, they deserve something more: the funds, resources, and equipment they need to do their jobs.

Sixty-one days have passed since I sent Congress an emergency war spending bill to provide the funds our troops urgently need. But instead of approving that vital funding, Democrats in Congress have spent the past 61 days working to pass legislation that would substitute the judgment of politicians in Washington for the judgment of our generals in the field.

In both the House and Senate, Democratic majorities have passed bills that would impose restrictions on our military commanders, set an arbitrary date for withdrawal from Iraq, and fund domestic spending that has nothing to do with the war. The Democrats who passed these bills know that I will veto either version if it reaches my desk, and they know my veto will be sustained. Yet they continue to pursue the legislation. And now the process is on hold for two weeks, until the full Congress returns to session.

I recognize that Democrats are trying to show their current opposition to the war in Iraq. They see the emergency war spending bill as a chance to make that statement. Yet for our men and women in uniform, this emergency war spending bill is not a political statement, it is a source of critical funding that has a direct impact on their daily lives.

When Congress does not fund our troops on the front lines, our military is forced to make cuts in other areas to cover the shortfall. Military leaders have warned Congress about this problem. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pete Pace, recently testified that if Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider cutting back on training, equipment repair, and quality of life initiatives for our Guard and Reserve forces. In a letter to Congress, Army Chief of Staff Pete Schoomaker put it this way: "Without approval of the supplemental funds in April, we will be forced to take increasingly draconian measures which will impact Army readiness and impose hardships on our soldiers and their families."

If Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-May, the problems grow even more acute. The Army will be forced to consider slowing or even freezing funding for depots where pivotal equipment is repaired, delaying or curtailing the training of some active duty forces, and delaying the formation of new brigade combat teams. The bottom line is that Congress's failure to fund our troops will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loved ones to return from the front lines. And others could see their loved ones headed back to war sooner than they need to. That is unacceptable to me, and I believe it is unacceptable to the American people.

The full Congress will not be back from spring vacation until the week of April 16th. That means the soonest the House and Senate could get a bill to my desk will be sometime late this month, after the adverse consequences for our troops and their families have already begun. For our troops, the clock is ticking. If the Democrats continue to insist on making a political statement, they should send me their bill as soon as possible. I will veto it, and then Congress can go to work on a good bill that gives our troops the funds they need, without strings and without further delay.

We have our differences in Washington, D.C., but our troops should not be caught in the middle. All who serve in elected office have a solemn responsibility to provide for our men and women in uniform. We need to put partisan politics aside, and do our duty to those who defend us.

Thank you for listening.

Another Day... Another GOP Scandal With Alleged Mafia Ties...

2007-04-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 10:30 AM MDT

WaPo

White House Looked Past Alarms on Kerik
Giuliani, Gonzales Pushed DHS Bid Forward

When former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani urged President Bush to make Bernard B. Kerik the next secretary of homeland security, White House aides knew Kerik as the take-charge top cop from Sept. 11, 2001. But it did not take them long to compile an extensive dossier of damaging information about the would-be Cabinet officer.

They learned about questionable financial deals, an ethics violation, allegations of mismanagement and a top deputy prosecuted for corruption. Most disturbing, according to people close to the process, was Kerik's friendship with a businessman who was linked to organized crime. The businessman had told federal authorities that Kerik received gifts, including $165,000 in apartment renovations, from a New Jersey family with alleged Mafia ties.

The Godfather Theme song

Refresher: Monica Goodling Outed as Bush/Cheney Oppo Operative by Josh Marshall at TPM Media

2007-04-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 11:50 AM EDT

BOO!!

Ms. 5th Amendment Outing!

McCAIN'S LATEST SCREWUP....More Catholic than the Pope?

2007-04-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 8:49 AM MDT

Washington Monthly

Apparently that's John McCain's new strategy:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will launch a high-profile effort next week to convince Americans that the Iraq war is winnable, embracing the unpopular conflict with renewed vigor as he attempts to reignite his stalling bid for the presidency.

This sounds like a godsend for McCain's opponents: he's making it slam-dunk easy for them to run to his left on the war without having to sound like they're completely giving up on it. Romney and Giuliani ought to be dancing in the streets at this news.

Dick Cheney Ruins Easter

2007-04-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

By anthony @ 2:06 PM BST

3 U.S. Attorney's Lawyers Resign Posts

2007-04-07T20:45:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 8:45 PM MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt

Huffington Post/AP

MINNEAPOLIS — Three lawyers in the U.S. Attorney's office in Minneapolis resigned their management posts, moves that gained national attention against the backdrop of claims top federal prosecutors elsewhere were fired for political reasons.

U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose confirmed Friday that John Marti, a first assistant U.S. attorney, Erika Mozangue, head of the office's civil division, and James Lackner, who heads the office's criminal division, have decided to "go back to the line to be full-time prosecutors."

She did not say why the three stepped down and indicated that she would have no further public comment. "We have work to do," her statement said.

The Spin, I'm In!

2007-04-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 8:20 PM MDT

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight

Bush's administrations claim to fame is it's "lies"

2007-04-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 6:43:00 PM

Bush campaigned for the presidency as the fellow who would bring honesty back to the White House. During his first full day on the job, while swearing in his White House staff, he reminded his cadre, "On a mantelpiece in this great house is inscribed the prayer of John Adams, that only the wise and honest may rule under this roof." But Adams's prayer would once more go unanswered. There has been no restoration of integrity. Bush's promise was a lie. The future of the United States remains in the hands of a dishonest man.

The Other Lies of George Bush

Special Announcement: Please Welcome Lydia Cornell As An Author On The S-Q Blog!

2007-04-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 3:15 PM MDT

I have a Special Announcement!

Please welcome Lydia Cornell to the S-Q blog as an author/writer!

Lydia Cornell is an American actress, writer, blogger and talk-radio host. She was born on July 23, 1962 in El Paso, Texas. She co-starred as Ted Knight's daughter in the role of Sara Rush on the ABC television situation comedy Too Close for Comfort, and most recently on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. Cornell was a Best Actress nominee at Method Fest, which honors outstanding acting performances, for her leading role in the indie "Miss Supreme Queen."

Cornell was also a People's Choice Award winner for Too Close For Comfort. She has appeared on numerous television programs over the years, including Drew Carey Show, Quantum Leap Pilot, Full House, Knight Rider, The Dukes of Hazzard, A-Team, T.J. Hooker, Simon & Simon, Hunter, Hardball, Black Scorpion, Love Boat (5 episodes) Hotel (2 episodes), Fantasy Island, Charlies Angels, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve as co-host with Happy Days Anson Williams. She also co-starred with Oscar winners James Earl Jones, Jose Ferrer and Lila Kedrova in the horror film "Blood Tide" also known as "Demon Island" or "The Red Tide", filmed in the Greek Isles. Rounding out the cast were Martin Kove, Deborah Shelton, and Mary Louise Weller. Lydia is also a comedienne, political writer and novelist. Her grandfather was Henry Ward Beecher Stowe.

Lydia Cornell- Wikipedia

LOS ANGELES – Lydia Cornell, a *Best Actress nominee at Method Fest for the indie film “Miss Supreme Queen”, is also an accomplished political writer, novelist and comedienne. She recently guest-starred with Larry David on HBO’s “Curb your Enthusiasm”; wrote and produced her own film Venus Conspiracy, and had leads in the feature films “Nooner” Erik Attias’ PBS play, and “Dean and Nancy”, along with Steven Tyler and Jon Bon Jovi. She also hosted the 2004 World Travel Awards in Barbados with The Sopranos’ Michael Imperioli, Curb’s Cheryl Hines, and Law & Order’s Richard Belzer.

In addition to her new book of political essay, "HOW TO TALK TO ANN COULTER, IF YOU MUST", Lydia’s new book Falling Up, is based on her humiliating adventures in Hollywood and spiritual growth. It is being developed for the stage.

Lydia Cornell- Website

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Fake Oil Crisis = Record Profits! The Continual Fleecing of Americans by the Oil Industry!

2007-04-07T14:29:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 5:30 PM EDT

'Strong Possibility' Gas Will Rise to $4

For the past two weeks, Iran has not just been holding 15 British soldiers captive; it's been holding the world's oil markets hostage, too.

"There's been a $5 or $6 premium that's been built into the price of oil over this," said Phil Flynn, vice president and energy analyst at Alaron Trading. "Even though this crisis has ended, the oil market is still on guard that the tensions in the Middle East are going to continue."

ABC News Report

Ready for Summer Fleecing Peeps ?

Has Congress Taken Away Big Oil's Gov't Subsidies Yet ? They Should! More Oil Execs need their $400 Million Dollar Retirement Plan!

The Few. The Proud. The Disillusioned.

2007-04-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

by anthony at 21:23 PM BST

Conflict in Iraq: Some active duty troops, while proud to serve, are speaking out and signing a petition against the war

Joe Garofoli
SF Chronicle
Saturday April 7, 2007

Mike Ergo is a 23-year-old honorably discharged Marine who fought in Fallujah. A tattoo on the inside of his left forearm depicts the first insurgent he killed in Iraq. A tattoo on his right arm reads: "Born to Fight." He loves the Marines, is proud of what he and his colleagues did overseas and is on inactive ready reserve through July 2009.

Yet a few weeks ago, the Walnut Creek native marched near the front of the anti-war demonstration that rolled through San Francisco. Yeah, he said, it felt odd to march among the 9/11 conspiracy theorists and socialists. Still, Ergo said he'd march again to underscore his opposition to U.S. foreign policy in Iraq and would try to bring more than the handful of Iraq War veterans who demonstrated with him last month.

More...

Time columnist says Bush 'unfit to lead,' but pans impeachment talk

2007-04-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

by anthony @ 21:06 PM BST

Mike Sheehan
Raw Story
Published: Friday April 6, 2007

Time columnist Joe Klein has written a scathing critique of President Bush in the magazine's latest issue.

In a op-ed entitled "An Administration's Epic Collapse," Klein writes, "The three big Bush stories of 2007 -- the decision to 'surge' in Iraq, the scandalous treatment of wounded veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys for tawdry political reasons -- precisely illuminate the three qualities that make this Administration one of the worst in American history."

More...

McCain's Political Death Watch

2007-04-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 9:53 AM MDT

WSJ

Trouble is, no one doubts Mr. McCain's commitment. But recent polls show the public is increasingly doubtful of the prospects of winning the war. And that, in turn, may be undercutting Mr. McCain's chances of winning the nomination.

In short order, John McCain has gone from Republican presidential front-runner to political death watch. On Wednesday, the Arizona senator kicks off a month of high-profile events, seeking a resurrection of sorts.

He badly needs it. Mr. McCain just reported raising $12.5 million for the first-quarter -- behind Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani, as well as Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. Most analysts won't go so far as to bury Mr. McCain, citing his Republican rivals' own baggage: Both Mr. Romney and Mr. Giuliani are suspect among social conservatives for their records supporting abortion and gay rights, and gun control. But the one-time GOP front-runner clearly had a very bad week.

It began with reports of the heavily guarded senator shopping at a Baghdad market and declaring "things are better," and it ended with a New Hampshire poll showing Mr. McCain, the longtime leader in that first-primary state, now in a dead heat with Mr. Romney. Sandwiched in between were the stories of his money woes.

Democrats Flip Flopping on Election Reform as Democracy Burns

2007-04-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 12:00 AM EDT

Democrats and Their Public Advocacy Group Supporters Continue to Fiddle on Election Reform as Democracy Burns

Even While the Republican Governor of Florida (of all people and places) Restores Felon Voting Rights, Calls for a Ban on Touch-Screen DRE Voting, and Otherwise Succeeds in Shaming the Democrats...

Florida's new Republican Gov. Charlie Crist continues to get far in front of Congressional Democrats concerning issues of Election Reform. Previously, he has called for the Sunshine State to replace all DRE touch-screen voting systems with paper-based optical scan systems (and touch-screen ballot marking devices for the disabled) and today, he succeeded in restoring voting rights for former felons to all but the most violent criminals after they've served their time.

While Democrats in Congress, and their public-advocacy group supporters such as People for the American Way (PFAW), MoveOn, Common Cause, and VoteTrustUSA, continue to dally around the edges of reform vis-a-vis Rep. Rush Holt's Election Reform Bill (HR811) in the House and a forthcoming companion bill from Dianne Feinstein in the Senate, shamefully, it's the Republican Florida Governor --- of all people --- who is proving to be the true Progressive in the fight for real reform.

Brad Blog Full Story

Blair to Bush: Back Off and Shut Up!

2007-04-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

by Anthony @

by smintheus
Daily Kos
Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 12:41:11 AM PDT
[Promoted (and edited for time reference) by MB]

From today's Guardian, we learn that the Bush administration wanted to escalate tensions with Iran after the 15 British sailors were seized two weeks ago. How predictable; for Bush and Cheney, any resort to diplomacy is a token of weakness. Bush offered to use American naval forces provocatively in order to threaten Iran.

Instead, Blair told them to stay out of it. He also asked Bush & Co. to tone down the rhetoric while Britain tried to free the hostages without provoking a war.

Hence Bush's closest ally in his Middle East fiasco has concluded that he cannot be trusted with any sensitive issues. No wonder that the success of the British negotiations has sent Bush's apologists into orbit. It's an insult to everything their guy stands for, not to give war a chance.

John McCain Retreats Quietly Back into his Bubble!

2007-04-06T15:34:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 6:35 PM EDT

McCain Regrets Remarks to Press on Baghdad Safety, But 'That's Just Life'

By E&P Staff Published: April 06, 2007 4:25 PM ET
NEW YORK

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in a '60 Minutes' segment coming on Sunday says he misspoke in comments he made about security in Baghdad and acknowledged that heavily armed troops and helicopter gunships accompanied him when he visited a market there.

Editor & Publisher Story

Side Swipe Comment from John McCain as he walks away:
"Media Jerks.." ;)

Monica Goodling Resigned, Was Gonzales Top Aide

2007-04-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 2:37 PM MDT

Huffington Post/AP
AP | Posted April 6, 2007 04:47 PM

The top aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales abruptly quit on Friday, almost two weeks after telling Congress she would not testify about her role in the firings of federal prosecutors.

"I am hereby submitting my resignation to the office of attorney general," Monica M. Goodling said in a three-sentence letter. There was no immediate reason given, but her refusal to face Congress had intensified a controversy that threatens Gonzales' job.

Things That Make You Go... WTF?

2007-04-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 1:09 PM MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt
The Chimp Pimp & His Higher Father

Raw Story/AP

"Vice President Dick Cheney repeated his assertions of al-Qaida links to Saddam Hussein's Iraq on Thursday as the Defense Department released a report citing more evidence that the prewar government did not cooperate with the terrorist group," AP is reporting.

Cheney contended that al-Qaida was operating in Iraq before the March 2003 invasion led by U.S. forces and that terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was leading the Iraqi branch of al-Qaida. Others in al-Qaida planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"He took up residence there before we ever launched into Iraq, organized the al-Qaida operations inside Iraq before we even arrived on the scene and then, of course, led the charge for Iraq until we killed him last June," Cheney told radio host Rush Limbaugh during an interview. "As I say, they were present before we invaded Iraq."

Dick Cheney: I Am Your Father

The Federal Govt wants to 86 our National Sovereignty! WHY ?$$$$

2007-04-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 1:55 PM EDT

Lou Dobbs @ CNN Presents

The Reality of the Push for a
North American Union and our laws

After Gutting our Constitution and Rights
All that's left is Exploitation!

There Goes our American Heritage!

ODE TO DUHBYA

2007-04-06T10:47:00.001-07:00

by Geezer Power 10:47:00 AM PDT

~ODE TO DUHBYA~

The Poet
.
.
.

Good Morning/Afternoon... The Spin, I'm In!

2007-04-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 10:30 AM MDT

Tina Turner - Better Be Good To Me
(1984 release from the album "Private Dancer")

Bolton: Saudi King 'Mistaken' Over Legality Of US troops In Iraq

2007-04-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 10:02 AM MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt
Energy Merchants

Raw Story/AFP

"With all due respect to the King, it's a mistake to characterise the US presence in Iraq as illegal," Bolton said in an interview with the US-based Arabic language Al-Hurra television station.

King Abdullah, a key ally of Washington in the Middle East, described the US occupation of Iraq as "illegitimate" at a meeting of Arab leaders last week in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

"In beloved Iraq, blood is being shed among brothers in the shadow of an illegitimate foreign occupation and ugly sectarianism threatens civil war," Abdullah said.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Saudi Arabia's US ambassador specifically to discuss the remark.

Bolton said the US was in Iraq at the invitation of its government and its presence was further sanctioned by a United Nations Security Council resolution.

"I hope he (King Abdullah) finds an opportunity to correct that remark in the very near future," Bolton said.

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing

TRAIN WRECK: Bush Loyal GOP calling for Gonzo's Head!

2007-04-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 12:15 PM EDT

Gonzales Should go, Ehlers says

Friday April 06, 2007
By Nate Reens
The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS -- Ashamed of the way Attorney General Alberto Gonzales handled firing eight federal prosecutors and other issues, U.S. Rep. Vern Ehlers said Thursday the head of the Justice Department should resign.

Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids said Gonzalez should offer President George W. Bush that courtesy to stop the political controversy over what role the Attorney General played in the dismissals.

"He is a very good friend of President Bush and it would be very hard for the president to ask him to resign," Ehlers said. "But this has been a major embarrassment for the administration by the way he has mishandled issues for a while now."

Grand Rapids Press

Special Announcement: Please Welcome Cliff Schecter As An Author On The S-Q Blog!!

2007-04-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 8:45 AM MDT

I have a Special Announcement and I am sure you will be as excited as I am! ;)

Please welcome Cliff Schecter to the S-Q blog! You probably recognize Cliff's name from Huffington Post, AMERICAblog, Cliff's Corner, Cliff Schecter Blog and several other media sources.

We are currently working out the details and look forward to having Cliff Schecter begin posting on the SQ blog soon.

We are sorry for the delay - Cliff has just relocated and is in the process of getting settled and back to business.

Cliff Schecter

Cliff Schecter Bio:

Cliff Schecter is a veteran campaign strategist and political commentator. Schecter writes a monthly column distributed by Knight Ridder and was a guest columnist for United Press International from 2002-2004. His work has been featured in a variety of publications including The Miami Herald, The American Prospect, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Fordham Urban Law Journal, The Sacramento Bee and Salon.com. He blogs for The Gadflyer and writes a weekly satirical column each Friday called "Cliff's Corner," summarizing the week's most ridiculous events for AMERICAblog. Surprisingly, Tom DeLay gets mentioned a lot.

During the 2004 election cycle, Schecter worked as the "liberal" pundit for The Sinclair Broadcast Group, where he debated conservative Armstrong Williams -- for significantly less cost to the White House. He has also appeared on CNN, CNBC, NPR FoxNews, The Canadian Broadcast Channel and Al Jazeera. Additionally, Schecter has provided analysis on American politics for international diplomats, journalists, students and politicians as part of The State Department Bureau of International Information Programs.

Schecter holds an MA in International Affairs from the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and is currently receiving his Ph.D. in American History as a Dean's Honors Fellow at American University.

Schecter was a pollster for the successful reelection of President Bill Clinton in 1996 and fundraiser for former Governor of Virginia Mark Warner in 2001. He has also consulted for the DNC, DCCC and some other candidates he won't mention here because they lost.

Attorney Gate Update - Karl Rove is Uncle Fester!

2007-04-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 10:55 PM EDT

THE FESTERING HAND OF KARL ROVE IS ALL OVER IT!
(Karl Rove as Uncle Fester)
Any Way You Slice It…
By Christy Hardin Smith(FDL) @ 6:45 am

***UPDATE: This just in: the April 12th Gonzales appearance before the Senate Budget Committee has, indeed, been postponed because the DoJ is now refusing to turn over thousands of documents that needed to be reviewed prior to the hearing, setting things up for a subpoena showdown. Hold onto your hats, kids — it's going to get bumpy and that makes the April 17th hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee all the more intriguing. More from the WaPo.***

The upcoming hearings with Alberto Gonzales are going to be quite interesting, indeed. More information popping up about dissatisfaction in the ranks at USAtty offices across the country. This from Minneapolis, from reader "LD":

Sources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that four top assistants to U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose have stepped down from their positions.
According to our sources, First Assistant Attorney John Marti, Criminal Division Chief Jim Lakner, Civil Division Chief Erika Monzangue, and Administrative Officer Tim Anderson all left their posts Thursday.

Political insiders have criticized Paulose's rise to the U.S. Attorney's position as a political favor to the Bush Administration. She is just 34-years old and has worked directly for the same justice department officials who are currently under fire as part of the national U.S. Attorney's office scandal.

Sources said Paulose's style of management has already sent several other attorney's out the door from an office historically viewed as one of the more stable in the country.
Full Story at FDL

Welcome To Anthony and Geezerpower!

2007-04-06T07:20:00.001-07:00

by S-Q @ 7:20 AM MDT

Please welcome Anthony and Geezerpower, as authors, to the S-Q blog! Anthony resides in the UK and Geezerpower is living in the Pacific Northwest.

I know both will contribute newsworthy articles of interest! ;)

Again, I am thrilled to have Anthony and Geezerpower join the S-Q team!!

S-Q

Note: I have another very important announcement that will follow this post... shortly..

From a Friend of the American Revolution

2007-04-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

by Anthony @

S-Q has invited me to contribute to this blog and I feel honoured to accept her invitation.

My first post. What to say. Today’s big story? The latest on the war in Iraq? More on 9/11 Truth? No, something more personal.

My mind goes back to my first day in America in the July of 2004.

I went alone, flying from Heathrow airport to Boston’s Logan Airport.

I would spend a total of fifteen days in America, returning from Washington’s Dulles Airport, and visiting Boston, Cambridge, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Newport, Mystic, New Haven, New York (and yes, New Yorkers really do call it Noo Yoik!), Washington, the Watergate and Georgetown during a summer storm, the Skyline Drive, the house that Jefferson built at Monticello, Hooper’s Island on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake, and back to Washington to visit Pennsylvania Avenue, Congress, the National Gallery, and Georgetown again, on the way.

So many places. So many sights. So many impressions.

It was one of those experiences that you knew you would look back on and treasure for the rest of your life and you were in the process of living it!

I spent three days in Boston, which, for me, new to this country, and yet, strangely, not new with its curiously familiar Federalist architecture so similar to the Regency architecture back home, constituted the sum total of my first hand experience of America at that time.

What stands out the most?

The opening paragraphs of the declaration of Independence in an original Dunlap Broadside under glass on a wall inside the Old State House and being moved by those ringing words in a way I had never been before, and which, for me, constituted a kind of epiphany?

The Freedom Trail?

The intriguing Italo-American accents of Boston’s North End?

The hot-dogs and pizza (the best I had ever eaten), washed down with root ale, in the Food Hall of Quincy Market?

The harbor tour and the story of the burning of the Philadelphia during America’s first foreign adventure, told by a guide who buttonholed me in the USS Constitution museum?

The Harpoon IPA? (And I always thought American beer was crap!)

The “heavies” standing outside John Kerry’s residence in Louisburg Square?

Shakespeare on the Common?

Boston Red Sox on the telly in the Irish pub on Huntington Avenue every night?

The girl with cascading, curling golden tresses, who could have been anything from 14 to 34 who triumphantly held aloft a ball in the stalls above the Green Monster after a flurry to retrieve it after Kevin Youkilis had scored a home run?

The white sails of the yachts plying to and fro joyously on the Charles River?

No, none of these things.

What stands out the most are the words of John Adams, America’s second president, displayed under Perspex on a board on Boston Common:

“What do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations…This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.” John Adams

Is the Revolution still alive in the hearts and minds of the people?

Judging by this blogsite, and many others like it, it still is.

It is my conviction and that of many others that Patriots today face their darkest hour since that winter which Washington and his fledgling army spent at Valley Forge, assailed this time not from enemies without, but from enemies within.

As Washington said: “ . . . you might have tracked the army from White Marsh to Valley Forge by the blood of their feet.”

Today, we must again fight for the survival of the Republic. But it a struggle that is not fought with the butt ends of muskets (in the case of the Patriots), or bayonets (in the case of the British), or sabers, or cannon, or flintlock pistols, but with information.

The Revolution had its Friends in this country then. As Coke of Norfolk, a fellow farmer who corresponded with Washington, said: "...every night during the American War did I drink the health of General Washington as the greatest man on earth."

And, despite the evil deeds done in America’s (and Britain’s) name in foreign lands, the Revolution has its Friends in this country now.

From a Friend of the American Revolution.

Oh, BTW, I found the tea in Boston a little salty!

Air America's Rachel Maddow On The Money Primary

2007-04-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 6:38 AM MDT

Keith Olbermann on Countdown with Air America's Rachel Maddow on the money primary. (April 05, 2007)

Robert Gates may soon order 12,000 additional National Guard troops

2007-04-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 8:05 PM PDT

12,000 more Guard troops may be going to Iraq

Deployment order planned to lessen ‘surge’s’ strain on stretched-thin Army

Pentagon may call up 12,000 National Guard

April 5: NBC News has learned that Defense Secretary Robert Gates may soon order 12,000 additional National Guard troops called up to help fight the war in Iraq. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports from the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Coming on the heels of a controversial “surge” of 21,000 U.S. troops that has stretched the Army thin, the Defense Department is preparing to send an additional 12,000 National Guard combat forces to Iraq and Afghanistan, defense officials told NBC News on Thursday.

Gates stands in for Bush on five detainees in Iraq

2007-04-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 7:50 PM PDT

U.S. working to give Iran access to five detainees in Iraq

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon April 5, 2007 in Arlington, Virginia. The format of news conference at the Pentagon has been changed to a roundtable discussion since Gates began his tenure.

He did not link the move to Iran’s release of 15 British troops after nearly two weeks of captivity.

In the first detailed discussion of the plan by a senior U.S. official, Gates said the U.S. has no intention of releasing the five Iranian prisoners. They were captured during a January raid in northern Iraq.

The Pentagon chief said a consular visit by Iranian officials is not being considered.

“It’s my understanding that the consular access is not required but, also, that Iraqi government officials and U.S. officials are discussing if there’s some way, perhaps, that there could be some kind of Iranian access to them,” Gates told Pentagon reporters during a briefing. He said he did not discuss the matter with the British government.

Gates did not say who would be allowed to see the detainees. An international Red Cross team, including one Iranian, already visited the prisoners.

Gates' comments came as the Bush administration accused Iran of using hostage diplomacy to boost its status.

With the Royal Navy troops safely back on British soil, the White House and the State Department changed the nature of comments that deliberately had been toned down during the captivity. U.S. officials maintained their insistence that there is no connection between the Iraq incidents and the capture or release of the Royal Navy sailors.

Iranian forces seized 15 crew members from two rubber dinghies in the Persian Gulf on March 23 as they returned to the frigate HMS Cornwall after inspecting an Indian ship for contraband. They said the Britons had crossed into Iranian waters; British and U.S. officials insist the ship was in Iraqi waters.

National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Washington saw no sign that Tehran was now willing to work with other countries as well as the UN Security Council, which has demanded that Iran scale back its nuclear programs.

“What would show that they’re more in line with the international community is to comply with the UN Security Council resolution,” he said.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the incident was part of an Iranian pattern of taking hostages that dates to the seizure of 52 Americans in 1979 and includes a 2004 incident in which Iran captured and held a group of British sailors.

“This is clearly a regime that, after several decades, continues to view hostage-taking as a tool of its international diplomacy,” McCormack told reporters.

Johndroe said U.S. President George W. Bush spoke with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a lengthy video conference Thursday and told Blair he was pleased the 15 had returned home. Bush is at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

The U.S. military has said the five Iranians were part of a Revolutionary Guard force that provides money, weapons and training to Shiite militias in Iraq. Iran says the detainees were engaged exclusively in consular work.

Gates said he has asked his military commanders to review their procedures to make sure that U.S. sailors are protected against a similar attempt at capture, and that U.S. ships are operating “well within the baselines, just like the British were.”

© Associated Press 2007

Was Bush's Appointment of Sam Fox Illegal?

2007-04-05T18:53:00.001-07:00

by S-Q @ 6:53 PM MDT

The Joy of Dictatorship
© 2007 Stephen Pitt

Huffington Post/AP

ANNE FLAHERTY | AP | April 5, 2007 08:40 PM EST

WASHINGTON — Democrats called for an investigation Thursday into whether President Bush acted illegally in appointing Sam Fox ambassador to Belgium.

A day earlier, Bush named Republican fundraiser Fox to the post as a recess appointment _ a maneuver that allowed him to bypass Congress, where Democrats had derailed his nomination.

"We view the recess appointment of Mr. Fox as a clear abuse of the President's recess appointment power," three Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the Government Accountability Office, Congress' auditing agency.

The senators _ Democrats Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, John Kerry of Massachusetts and Robert Casey of Pennsylvania _ also asked if Fox's appointment could be terminated if a Senate vote rejected him.

The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Chris Rock Covers '08 Presidential Race!

2007-04-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 7:20 PM EDT

Kudos to the peeps at Politics TV! ;)

Favoritism Shown Towards Wolfowitz's Girlfriend

2007-04-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION!!!

PLEASE SEE THE PHOTO OF SHAHA RIZA ON MY NEW WEBSITE:

Wolfowitz: A Wife.. A Girlfriend.. And A Job At The World Bank!

by S-Q @ 4:15 PM MDT

Huffington Post

Employees of the World Bank have been "expressing concern, dismay, and outrage" regarding favoritism shown by the bank and the Bush administration towards the one-time girlfriend of World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz, according to an internal memo circulated within the bank by the World Bank Group Association, which represents the rights of the bank's 13,000 employees. Among other things, the April 3 memo alleges that Shaha Riza, Wolfowitz's romantic interest was given a "promotion [that] clearly does not conform" to bank procedures. Moreover, the memo alleges, she was then given a raise "more than double the amount allowed" by the bank's rules.

A copy of the memorandum was leaked to myself and other journalists Wednesday evening as World Bank employees have become more outspoken in their criticism of Wolfowitz's tenure as president of the bank.

Note: Please don't get sick from the photo...it came with the article!

Govt Services Admin(GSA) Under Federal Probe! The Steam Kettle Blows...

2007-04-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 6:20 PM EDT

PROBE TARGETS GSA CHIEF!

April 05, 2007 3:38 PM

Justin Rood Reports:

Another federal investigation is targeting a Bush administration official, this time for possibly using government resources for partisan political purposes.

The Office of Special Counsel confirmed to ABC News it has launched an investigation into General Services Administration chief Lurita Doan, probing concerns she may have violated a ban against conducting partisan political activity at government expense by participating in a meeting featuring a presentation by a White House political aide on GOP election strategy.

The Blotter Brian Ross Report

YOU BETTER RUN

Gonzales Fights To Save His Job!!

2007-04-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 3:32 PM MDT

Gonzo's Inside Job
© 2007 Stephen Pitt

Washington Post

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales has retreated from public view this week in an intensive effort to save his job, spending hours practicing testimony and phoning lawmakers for support in preparation for pivotal appearances in the Senate this month, according to administration officials.

After struggling for weeks to explain the extent of his involvement in the firings of eight U.S. attorneys, Gonzales and his aides are viewing the Senate testimony on April 12 and April 17 as seriously as if it were a confirmation proceeding for a Supreme Court or a Cabinet appointment, officials said.

Ed Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chairman, and Timothy E. Flanigan, who worked for Gonzales at the White House, have met with the attorney general to plot strategy. The department has scheduled three days of rigorous mock testimony sessions next week and Gonzales has placed phone calls to more than a dozen GOP lawmakers seeking support, officials said.

Gonzales is seeking to convince skeptical lawmakers that he can be trusted to command the Justice Department after the prosecutor firings, which he initially described as an "overblown personnel matter." Subsequent documents and testimony from his former chief of staff have shown that Gonzales was regularly briefed on the process, revelations that have led to calls for his resignation.

We've Gone from a SURGE to a PURGE and so what's next a Nuclear SCOURGE ?!

2007-04-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 4:30 PM EDT

The Bush Administrations Steps Towards World War III

1. First there was the SURGE in Troops in Iraq(Which was/is a Fiasco) and from that we went TO..

2. An Attorney PURGE (Which was/is a Fiasco) AND..

3. Now we're being Bombarded with Propaganda about an upcoming Nuclear SCOURGE on Iran!

The Russians and Chinese have Warned Multiple Times not to strike Iran yet the Persian Gulf is humming with US War Ships...

I'm thinking this SCOURGE will be a huge FIASCO, but who can stop the Chimpster's URGE to SPLURGE ?

AMERICA NOW HAS LOOSE NUKES WITH A CRAZY MAN HOLDING THE BUTTON!

The PNAC Empire Script Continues...

"How to scare another Oil Nation into Compliance!"

So Who Cares ?!

He's Baaaack!!!!

2007-04-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 1:15 PM MDT

Cliff Schecter
by Cliff Schecter at 3:17 PM

He's Baaaack...

And no, I don't must mean me. Although I am. Score one for DSL.

I mean sewer-dweller, slim-merchant Sam Fox, the Swift-Boating jackass who couldn't make it through the Foreign Relations Committee to become an ambassador. So Bush, in the new bipartisan spirit he spoke about right after the 2006 elections--and we were supposed to take at face value or we were "angry liberals"--gave the scumbag a recess appointment.

But, hell, Joe Lieberman likes him, so he must be both qualified and a kindly gentleman (see Joe and Heckuva Job Brownie).
Here is Senator Chris Dodd's forceful statement, the kind of real straight talk that makes him a man I could most assuredly support for president:

"It is outrageous that the President has sought to stealthily appoint Sam Fox to the position of ambassador to Belgium when the President formally requested that the Fox nomination be withdrawn from the Senate because it was facing certain defeat in the Foreign Relations Committee last week. I seriously question the legality of the President's use of the recess appointment authority in this instance. I intend to seek an opinion on the legality of this appointment from the General Accountability Office and invite other Senators to join with me in that request. This is underhanded and an abuse of Executive authority -- sadly this behavior has become the hallmark of this administration."

And here is Senator John Kerry's equally terrific statement, which showed a lot of class and restraint considering he was on the receiving end of attacks funded by this human-waste dump:

It's sad but not surprising that this White House would abuse the power of the presidency to send a donor to Belgium over the objections of the Senate.

When it comes to getting body armor for our soldiers or relief for New Orleans, they're AWOL, but they'll move heaven and earth to reward a smear.

This White House has governed on fear and smear for far too long. Today's move shows it is wedded to the politics of personal character assassination that they are willing to take unprecedented steps to reward donor Sam Fox with an Ambassdorship.

Last week, the White House acknowledged that Sam Fox did not have the support of the Foreign Relations committee to succeed. Rather than lose a vote, they withdrew his nomination. Rather than fight on principle, they are hiding behind cowardly and perhaps illegal tactics. Today we see they will go to all odds to reward its biggest
donor.

This is another abuse of power by this White House and shows an utter disregard of Congress's role in the nominating process. It's time this White House learns it can't change the rules just to win its game.

Unfortunately, this White House is so inseparable from the politics of character assassination that they would take unprecedented steps to install Sam Fox as Ambassador. It's cowardly to buck the will of the Foreign Relations Committee to reward a donor whose nomination was withdrawn rather than face outright rejection. Never before has a president used a recess appointment to support a withdrawn nominee. Every time this White House shows that if they can't win the game, they just change the rules, our democracy and the Constitution loses.

Just in case you haven't read up on it lately Sam, Belgium is like this whole different country. They don't speak 'Merican there.

Todays News From The Blogosphere

2007-04-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 12:09:00 PM PDT

Iran uses pre-2000 American diplomacy & releases the British soldiers

Posted by kayinmaine on April 4th, 2007

Isn’t that interesting. George W. Bush has touted that he is the King of Everything for the past seven years, but yet hasn’t shown a stitch of diplomacy or peace in all those years.

(Did George Bush take up Saddam’s offer to talk things out before Bush decided to illegally invade his country? Nope! Did George Bush make a plea to any of the kidnappers of US soldiers or American citizens (media included) to be released unharmed? Nope! Did George Bush hold direct talks with North Korea all these years? Nope! (they have now, but it’s too late…North Korea has nukes because George ignored them) Did George Bush take up Iran’s offer years ago when they said they would help our country capture terrorists? Nope! Did George Bush talk with Saudi Arabia to tell them that funding the people who are killing our soldiers is making the war in Iraq worse and it must stop? Nope!)

Former Justice Spokesman Under Bush Calls For Gonzales To Step Down

2007-04-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 11:46 AM MDT

Raw Story

"Some Republicans, including former Justice Department spokesman Mark Corallo, say Lone Star loyalty 'is the only reason Gonzales is still around,'" USA Today reported. "He says Gonzales should step down over mismanagement of the U.S. attorneys flap."

"Alberto Gonzales' loyalty to George Bush has got to trump George Bush's loyalty to Alberto Gonzales," Corallo was quoted as saying.

A former Justice Department spokesman who served under the Bush Administration is calling for Alberto Gonzales to step down from his post as Attorney General, according to USA Today.

Mark Corallo, who served as Public Affairs Director for the Justice Department from 2002 to 2005, told USA Today that it was only Bush's sense of loyalty that was keeping Gonzales in his current post.

Iranian photo-ops rival the work of Karl Rove

2007-04-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 10:11:00 AM PDT

The newly-freed British sailors wave following their release in Tehran, 04 April 2007. Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad met the sailors as they were released at the presidential compound, wishing them success for the future.
STR / AFP/Getty Images
Updated: 11:58 a.m. ET April 4, 2007

The 15 British service personnel released by Iran, from left, Chris Air, Chris Coe, Andrew Henderson, Danny Masterton, Paul Barton, Joe Tindell, Nathan Summers, Adam Sperry, Mark Banks, Faye Turney, Simon Massey, Gavin Cavendish, Dean Harris, Arthur Batchelor, and Felix Carman prepare to board military helicopters at London's Heathrow Airport, Thursday April 5, 2007, after arriving back in the United Kingdom from Tehran, following 13 days in captivity. They were taken to a Royal Marine base in south west England.
9:50 a.m. ET, 4/5/07

Well...Looks like Iran is playing hankypanky with Bush&Co. They must have their own version of Karl Rove directing the photo-ops with the 15 sailors dressed in brand new suits for their departure photo's. This will certainly put some pressure on Dubya, if he doesn't have enough already, to lighten up on his stance on Iran. He is mad as hops about Nancy Pelosi visiting there and actually talking to Irananians like human beings, but not quite so concerned by recent visits by Republican representatives.

U.K. personnel arrive home after Iran captivity

Blair welcomes return, but calls for more international pressure on Tehran

LONDON - Fifteen British sailors and marines held captive for nearly two weeks in Iran arrived home Thursday, a day after the announcement of their release defused a growing confrontation between the two countries.

The crew, dressed in fresh uniforms supplied to them before their arrival, lined up beside the plane as photographers captured their arrival. They smiled and many stood with their hands behind their back before boarding two military helicopters at Heathrow Airport.

Wednesday’s announcement of their release in Tehran was a breakthrough in a crisis that had escalated over nearly two weeks, raising oil prices and fears of military conflict in the volatile region. The move to release the sailors suggested that Iran’s hard-line leadership decided it had shown its strength but did not want to push the standoff too far.

$8 Billion Missing In Iraq - Investigators Murdered!! What A Country! Democracy?

2007-04-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 7:24 AM MDT

The Pimp
© 2007 Stephen Pitt

AMERICAblog

Amazingly enough, the Iraqi constitution even allows Cabinet ministers to block investigations into corruption, which they have done. What a shining example of democracy.

Iraq's top corruption fighter said Wednesday that $8 billion in government money was wasted or stolen over the past three years and claimed he was threatened with death after opening an investigation into scores of Oil Ministry employees.

In the chaos and lawlessness of Iraq, such threats are not taken lightly. Radi al-Radhi, who runs the Public Integrity Commission, leads one of the more dangerous missions in the country. He said in an interview that 20 members of the organization have been murdered since it began its work.

In perhaps the most publicized recent case, an estimated $2 billion disappeared from funds to rebuild the electricity infrastructure.

Former Electricity Minister Ayham al-Samaraie, who holds both U.S. and Iraqi citizenship, was convicted in that case and sentenced to two years in prison. He escaped from an Iraqi-run jail in the Green Zone on Dec. 17 and turned up in Chicago on Jan. 15. Al-Samaraie has said the Americans helped him escape.

Iconoclast journalist Jane P. Stillwater: Report from Iraq

2007-04-04T23:49:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 11:49:00 PM PDT

JANE STILLWATER'S REPORT FROM IRAQ

Iconoclast journalist Jane P. Stillwater is now embedded in Kuwait. She maneuvered past the road blocks of bureaucracy to arrive there and has filed her first report from the Middle East. Stillwater's reports will be updated as they arrive on the Iconoclast site. Here, you can follow the stalwart and indomitable reporting of Stillwater to the Iconoclast and the world at large.

Stillwater is a grandmother from Berkeley, California who is dedicated to the truth and justice for all Americans. The Iconoclast is delighted to be able to enable this kind of coverage so that Americans can know.

Iconoclast journalist Jane P. Stillwater

Sunday, April 01, 2007
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun: Highway Baghdad revisited

Since I’ve been staying here in Baghdad's Green Zone, an old Bob Dylan song keeps running through my head -- "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" . Did I ever tell you that one time I actually MET Bob Dylan? It was at some folk music dive in Greenwich Village in 1965 and he was sitting at the bar with John Lee Hooker. Bob was so CUTE! But back then, even I was cute.

Jane Stillwater Blog Spot
.
.

Bush Appointed Sam Fox Ambassador to Belgium

2007-04-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 10:10 PM MDT

Raw Story

Kerry also assailed the legality of the move.

"Never before has a president used a recess appointment to support a withdrawn nominee. Every time this White House shows that if they can't win the game, they just change the rules, our democracy and the Constitution loses," he said.

President George W. Bush circumvented Senate opposition today and recess appointed a controversial nominee as Ambassador to Belgium. Sam Fox, who donated thousands of dollars to the anti-John Kerry Swift Boat Veterans For Truth before the 2004 Presidential election, received the nod from the White House in a quiet personnel announcement this afternoon that caught Senate Democrats off guard.

President Bush had formally withdrawn Fox's nomination last week when it appeared likely that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would reject it and prevent him from receiving a full vote on the Senate floor. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) issued a strong response shortly before boarding an airplane late in the day, questioning the legal basis for the action.

"I seriously question the legality of the President's use of the recess appointment authority in this instance," said the senior Senator from Connecticut, and presidential candidate. "This is underhanded and an abuse of Executive authority - sadly this behavior has become the hallmark of this administration."

Senator John Kerry (D-MA), who squared off with Fox in a February confirmation hearing, offered similar words, comparing Fox's appointment with Michael Brown, the former FEMA head who mishandled the response to Hurricane Katrina.

The Spin, I'm In!

2007-04-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 9:57 PM MDT

Tina Turner- One Of The Living

From Mad Max: Beyond The Thunderdome

Russ Feingold Talks Sense About Defunding The War

2007-04-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 9:00 PM MDT

Senator (D-WI) Russ Feingold talks with Keith Olbermann on Countdown about Bush's expected veto on the Iraq redeployment timeline & funding bill, and the Congress' Constitutional power to defund the war and the historical (bipartisan) precedent of such an action.

Read the News at The Lone Star Iconoclast in Crawford Texas,Dubya's Home Town

2007-04-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

by Geezer Power 8:39:00 PM PDT

For the best news coverage with a home town flavor there is no better reading than the Lone Star Iconoclast right out of Crawford Texas. Dubya's home town....Crawford Texas. I don't know if he reads it, but he should put in the archives of his soon to be Presidential Library, as it will be a part of world history.

Battle of Baghdad Cover-Up Four Years Later

Captain Eric H. May, Ghost Troop Founder

Interview With
CAPTAIN ERIC MAY
Ghost Troop Commander

Monday, April 02, 2007
By W. Leon Smith, Iconoclast Publisher

CRAWFORD — April 5-8 marks the fourth anniversary of the Battle of Baghdad, the bloody battle that was the lead-up to President Bush’s infamous and untruthful claim on May 1, 2003, of "Mission Accomplished."

However, according to news sources overseas, including American military operatives and various investigators, all was not what it seemed at Baghdad Airport. They claim that the Battle of Baghdad was largely covered up as something the American public should not see, with U.S. news coverage instead focusing on a staged photo-op rescue of captive Private Jessica Lynch and later the pulling down of the Saddam Hussein statue, as symbolic of an easy victory.

Captain Eric H. May, a former intelligence and public affairs officer in the military, told The Iconoclast, "The biggest story of the war became a non-event when the truth of the matter was that it was simply too bloody an event to report." He says that this played a part in persuading the American public to forfeit "thinking for themselves" when it came to this war.

As a unique way to acknowledge and honor the fallen — and oft-forgotten — soldiers in the Battle of Baghdad, Captain May formed what he calls Ghost Troop, an independent military cyber-cavalry movement aimed at fighting governmental propaganda — a/k/a info-war.

This hometown newspaper right in Dumbya's neighborhood has given excellent coverage in many areas with some comprehensive articles on such subjects as Depleted Uranium warheads.

Dedicated to Teak

HAVE DU WILL TRAVEL
.
.

GOPs Parting Company with Failed WH!

2007-04-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 9:20 PM EDT

3 Republicans Part With Bush on Syria

BEN EVANS | AP | April 4, 2007 09:22 PM EST

WASHINGTON — Three Republican congressmen who parted with President Bush by meeting with Syrian leaders said Wednesday it is important to maintain a dialogue with a country the White House says sponsors terrorism.

"I don't care what the administration says on this. You've got to do what you think is in the best interest of your country," said Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va. "I want us to be successful in Iraq. I want us to clamp down on Hezbollah."HUFFPO WIRES

Two Kool-Aid Flavors ? Imagine that! ;)

OK, Let's Present you with a Real Presidential Candidate!

2007-04-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 9:00 PM EDT

LET'S GET TO KNOW RON PAUL FOR A FEW MINUTES!
Technically he's still part of the Libertarian Party! :)

Radio Interview Part 1-3

Radio Interview Part 2-3

Radio Interview Part 3-3

Was The Firing of U.S. Attorney Iglesias, Discrimination?

2007-04-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

by S-Q @ 5:00 PM MDT

Raw Story

"I want to make sure they didn't fire me because of my military duty,” Iglesias told Newsweek. "When I was away from the office, it wasn't like I was going on vacation in Europe."

A fired U.S. Attorney is "striking back" at the Bush administration for what he feels is his improper dismissal, Newsweek reports.

"The Justice Department called David Iglesias, the U.S. attorney in New Mexico, an 'absentee landlord' -- a key reason listed for his firing last December," write Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball for Newsweek. "Just one problem: Iglesias, a captain in the Navy Reserve, was off teaching classes as part of the war on terror."

The explanation used by aides to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for the firing of Iglesias -- that, among other things, he "was spending too much time away from the office" -- may be a further complication in the embattled Gonzales' struggle for self-preservation.

According to Newsweek, Iglesias confirmed "that he was recently questioned by lawyers for the Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal watchdog agency, to determine if his dismissal was a violation" of a federal law (USERRA) barring workplace discrimination against U.S. military servicemembers.

BUSH SWIFT BOATS CONGRESS

2007-04-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

by Basheert @2:13 PM MDT

From Think Progress:

After previously "pulling" Sam Fox's nomination as Ambassador, Pweznit D**bsh*t today named Mr. Fox Ambassador bypassing Congressional Approval with his tricky little recess appointment. Appointment was pulled originally due to not having the votes for Sam "Swift Boat" Fox .. one of the Bushthugs biggest contributors:

“President Bush named Republican fundraiser Sam Fox as U.S. ambassador to Belgium on Wednesday, using a maneuver that allowed him to bypass Congress where Democrats had derailed Fox’s nomination. …
Recognizing Fox did not have the votes to obtain Senate confirmation, Bush withdrew the nomination last month. On Wednesday, with Congress out of town for a spring break, the president used his power to make recess appointments to put Fox in the job without Senate confirmation.
This means Fox can remain ambassador until the end of the next session of Congress, effectively through the end of the Bush presidency.”
UPDATE: The White House originally said that it had pulled Fox “his nomination would not have passed” the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Fox donated $50,000 to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Suzie-Q

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED TO A NEW SITE!!!!

Leahy: Missing RNC E-mails Are Like Nixon's 18-minute Gap

Joe Klein cites Bush failures

IMUS HATE-SPEAK YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Impeach Now!

An hour after I left it, the Iraqi Parliament was attacked by a suicide bomber!

Banana Republic USA: Mexican Truckers to Stampede America; "Bush outta Control!"

McCains Paradise Met Reality!

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA

The Dog Ate It!

Senators Expand Inquiry of Political Prosecutions

Does Anyone Want This Job?

"There's Always One Joker in the Pack!"

Ford apologises after joke on Bush blows up

FIRE GLEN BECK... and all hatemongers

Karl Rove to appear in Portland Oregon on Friday The 13th.

Hey McCain... Is It Safe? Can I Come Out Now?

Tens of thousands of Iraqi's demonstrate~Call for US troop withdrawel

GOP-ildent Despondent!

Paul Wolfowitz has an Arab Girlfriend. Don't Tell his Wife Clare Selgin Ok ?! :)

I Put A Spell On You Giuliani!!

Diabetes Epidemic Spreading Worldwide: Experts

The US Attorneys Who WEREN'T Fired - Part 2

The US Attorneys Who WEREN'T Fired, Part 1

BRING THE TROOPS HOME. NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY, WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT WE SAY!

Caring About Our Troops!

Gonzales Gets His First Subpoena

Feingold Introduces Bill To 'Effectively End Military Involvement In Iraq'

McCain’s Excellent Iraqi Adventure

Raking it in from the War on Terror!

We Want Those Documents... Hand Them Over!!

Gonzo's Intense Grilling will be Tasty!!

Dumbya Nearly Blows Himself Up!

Duck for President!

Iran under the threat of war?

Erotic Fantasy Service ? Oooh How titilating..Who's on that List ? ;)

Abramoff: The House That Jack Built

Jane Stillwater, blogger and grandmother in Iraq, interviews John McCain

So it's OK for Halliburton to do Work for Terrorist Nations!

Were The Multiple White House Email Systems Used To Conceal Activities??

The Unauthorized Biography of Dick Cheney

Waxman Grows Fond of Rice! :)

Gonzales Death Watch...While He Crams For A Senate Grilling!

Bush & Cheney Step on Down...We gotta talk!

When It Comes Back Around And Bites You In The Rear End!!

Torture and Selective Outrage

Bush Spreads Guantanamo Gangrene Globally

Delusional Joe ...Stop Drinking The Kool-Aid!!!

Rudy Giuliani In Drag Smooching Donald Trump

The Last Confessions of E. Howard Hunt

Another GOP hits at Gonzo: Gonzo Gotta Go, Need a "New Team" at DOJ

The senior view of the president's radio address

Another Day... Another GOP Scandal With Alleged Mafia Ties...

Refresher: Monica Goodling Outed as Bush/Cheney Oppo Operative by Josh Marshall at TPM Media

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 11:50 AM EDT

BOO!!Ms. 5th Amendment Outing!

McCAIN'S LATEST SCREWUP....More Catholic than the Pope?

Dick Cheney Ruins Easter

3 U.S. Attorney's Lawyers Resign Posts

The Spin, I'm In!

Bush's administrations claim to fame is it's "lies"

Special Announcement: Please Welcome Lydia Cornell As An Author On The S-Q Blog!

Fake Oil Crisis = Record Profits! The Continual Fleecing of Americans by the Oil Industry!

The Few. The Proud. The Disillusioned.

Time columnist says Bush 'unfit to lead,' but pans impeachment talk

McCain's Political Death Watch

Democrats Flip Flopping on Election Reform as Democracy Burns

Blair to Bush: Back Off and Shut Up!

John McCain Retreats Quietly Back into his Bubble!

Monica Goodling Resigned, Was Gonzales Top Aide

Things That Make You Go... WTF?

The Federal Govt wants to 86 our National Sovereignty! WHY ?$$$$

ODE TO DUHBYA

Good Morning/Afternoon... The Spin, I'm In!

Bolton: Saudi King 'Mistaken' Over Legality Of US troops In Iraq

TRAIN WRECK: Bush Loyal GOP calling for Gonzo's Head!

Special Announcement: Please Welcome Cliff Schecter As An Author On The S-Q Blog!!

Attorney Gate Update - Karl Rove is Uncle Fester!

Welcome To Anthony and Geezerpower!

BOO!!

Ms. 5th Amendment Outing!