As Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) pointed out yesterday on Meet the Press, there is an enormous gap between what the Administration says and realities that our troops face each day.
For example, the White House would like you to believe that al Qaeda is the number one threat in Iraq -- that way by staying there indefinitely we would avenge those that died on September 11th. But according to real soldiers that are actually fighting, it really depends where in Iraq you are talking about. In Western Baghdad, Moqtada al-Sadr's represents the number one obstacle to peace because they control the Iraqi infrastructure:
At 3 in the morning in a city notoriously hard up for power, these blocks were strangely bright.
Capt. Sean Lyons, the company commander leading the raid, said he knew why. "This whole area here is just absolutely dominated by Jaish al-Mahdi," he said, using the Arabic for the Mahdi Army, the Shiite militia led by the radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. "They control the power distribution."
Inthe 10-square-mile district of West Rashid, the Mahdi Army alsocontrols the housing market, the gas stations and the loyalty of manyof the residents, according to the soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment.
When a militia like the Mahdi Army can manipulate a city's power supply, they are undoubtedly in control of the situation. The Administration downplays the influence of the Mahdi Army because the militia had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks, and would not help their case to keep US personnel in Iraq. It's called evidence by convenience -- only evidence that helps Bush's case.
Many of us were left scratching our heads when Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff said he had "" that where would be a terror attack on US soil this summer. Just days after the comment, became the first Homeland Security official to denounce Chertoff's fear-mongering:
"The statement of the secretary, "a gutfeeling," and putting that out to unnecessarily concern people, isirresponsible," he told Channel 3. "We want to make timely, accurateinformed, reasonable decisions about protecting our citizens in thiscountry."
Kerry Sleeper is the Public Safety Commissioner in Vermont -- the highest ranking Homeland Security official in that state. Sleeper and other local officials nationwide have had a difficult time coming up with the budget money to pay for all the unfunded federal mandates.
Tip of the cap to Sleeper for standing up to Chertoff. It takes a lot of courage for a sitting department official to publicly challenge his national superior. I would like to see that kind of courage in the Justice Department.
In addition to his role in the , planning the Administration's , and pushing the program, Alberto Gonzales is in trouble yet again. This time, the political trouble involves statements Gonzales made to Congress about the Patriot Act. During an April 17, in front of a Senate panel, the Attorney General claimed there had not been one case in which civil liberties were violated since the first Patriot Act was signed:
The track record established over the past three years has demonstratedthe effectiveness of the safeguards of civil liberties put in placewhen the Act was passed. There has not been one verified case of civilliberties abuse.
But as uncovered this morning, just one week before that 2005 testimony, Gonzales was told by the FBI that the Patriot Act actually was violated. Also, Gonzales had repeatedly been told of these violations over the previous few months:
Six days earlier, the FBI sent Gonzales a copy of a report that saidits agents had obtained personal information that they were notentitled to have. It was one of at least half a dozen reports of legalor procedural violations that Gonzales received in the three monthsbefore he made his statement to the Senate intelligence committee,according to internal FBI documents released under the Freedom ofInformation Act.
Either Gonzales knowingly mislead Congress, or he did not read the multiple memos that the FBI had sent him.
The Justice Department quickly released a downplaying everything:
"The statements from the attorney general are consistent with statements from other officials at the FBI and the department."
The main point of this post is all the lying coming from The Hill.
Graham: "The military part of the surge isworking beyond my expectations," Graham said. "We literally have theenemy on the run. The Sunni part of Iraq has really rejected al-Qaidaall over the country. We're getting more information about al-Qaidaoperations than we've ever received."
In response to Lindsey Graham's Troop Surge "WorkingBeyond my expectations" Before I get into the "meat and pataths",lets first take a quick peek at Graham's service to our country (I didn't say"Military Service" because as you will see it was ALWAYS aboutpolitics)
: Graham has served in the United States Air Force since1982, serving on active duty until 1988, and then in the South Carolina AirNational Guard and as an Air Force reservist. During the Gulf War, he wasrecalled to active duty, serving as a Judge Advocate at McIntire Air NationalGuard Station in Eastover, South Carolina, where he helped brief departingpilots on the laws of war. In 2004, Graham received a promotion to Colonel inthe U.S. Air Force Reserves at a White House ceremony officiated by PresidentGeorge W. Bush.
While in the Air Force Standby Reserve, Graham served as an appellate judgeon the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. In September 2006 the United StatesCourt of Appeals for the Armed Forces ruled that it was a violation of theIncompatibility Clause of the Constitution, which states that "no Personholding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either Houseduring his Continuance in Office", for Graham to have been a judge on thecriminal appeals court.
I won't take away his service to our country, however I will take away anyknowledge of knowing what it's like crapping yourself in a combat zone when abullet whizzes by your Kevlar (helmet) or a roadside bomb goes off 20 feet awayfrom you . His military service reads like a campaign trail, and it does looklike he "knew someone".
Before I move on to the videos, here are acouple of articles that to "Flag Waving Right" (such as MelanieMorgan) would consider unpatriotic.
: MIKE HOFFMAN would not be the guy his buddies would expect to seeleading a protest movement. The son of a steelworker and a high school janitorfrom Allentown, Pennsylvania, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1999 as anartilleryman to “blow things up.†His transformation into an activist camethe hard way—on the streets of Baghdad.
When Hoffman arrived in Kuwait in February 2003, his unit’s highest-rankingenlisted man laid out the mission in stark terms. “You’re not going to makeIraq safe for democracy,†the sergeant said. “You are going for one reasonalone: oil. But you’re still going to go, because you signed a contract. Andyou’re going to go to bring your friends home.†Hoffman, who had his owndoubts about the war, was relieved—he’d never expected to hear such a candidassessment from a superior. But it was only when he had been in Iraq for severalmonths that the full meaning of the sergeant’s words began to sink in. ...
Get ready to see some unpatriotic Americans that aren'tas smart as Graham
Perry Jefferies is a representative for. A non-partisan non-profit founded in 2004 with tens ofthousands of members in all 50 US states, IAVA is America’s first and largestIraq and Afghanistan Veterans group. Perry served as a First Sergeant with theArmy’s 4th Infantry Division in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Afterdeploying to Iraq and traveling with the cavalry through the Sunni Triangle, hisunit moved to the Iran – Iraq border and set up Camp Caldwell, future home ofthe New Iraqi Army. Often frustrated by the absence of priority on planning andbasic Soldier needs, he has spoken out about the lack of basic necessities suchas food, water, and repair parts. Previously a prison guard in Texas, he saysthat in many cases, Soldiers are treated worse than the convicts he used toguard.
After enlisting in the Texas National Guard, he joined the Army and served inKorea, Germany, and the United States before deploying to Iraq. He has served ininfantry, armor, and cavalry units and was an instructor at the Armor School atFort Knox. He retired in 2004 and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Legion ofMerit. He is a member of the Order of Saint George for service to Armor andCavalry.
Perry Jefferies hails from Waco, Texas but settled in Copperas Cove, nearFort Hood, where he lives with his wife. He works for a large contractor withthe blood program at Fort Hood and rides motorcycles in his spare time
Countdown: Impeach Bush, Save the Troops? Part 1
Countdown: Impeach Bush, Save the Troops? Part 2
The faces of knowledge, service to our country and patriotism
Senator Peter Domenici (R-NM) is jumping President Bush's "supportthe Iraqi War" Ship. Although technically I supposeit's a good thing, I however do not believe it was a decision from the heart and for the people. Domenici is a "party loyalist and formerstaunch war supporter," and thus "one of the most significant GOPlosses to date." So why the change of mind? How about he's next year for starters?
Sen. Peter Domenici, a New Mexico Republican who is up for reelection nextyear, broke with President Bush on the Iraq war. Domenici's move is beingtreated as a significant development, indicative of Bush's increasingly weakposition within his own party. The says Domenici is a "party loyalist and former staunch warsupporter," and thus "one of the most significant GOP losses todate." The timing of Domenici's announcement is interesting. As the reports, "a showdown is likely" in coming weeks"over a Democratic amendment to the main Defense Department spending billdemanding that US troops begin leaving Iraq within 120 days." The notes that is "an idea Mr. Bush has alreadyvetoed," and in fact Domenici "made it clear Thursday that he did notsupport such measures either, saying, 'I'm not calling for an immediatewithdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops, but I am callingfor a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on thepath to continuing home.'" Instead, reports, Domenici "supports a bipartisan bill that embracesfindings of the Iraq Study Group, which said combat troops could be out by March2008 if certain steps were taken."
: The notes Domenici "said he has not talked to the administration about wantinga strategy shift," and the reports the senator's comments "drew a measuredresponse from the White House, which has been trying to maintain Republicansupport for the president's 6-month-old strategy of using additional Americanforces, primarily in Baghdad, to control sectarian violence." ABC WorldNews said the White House is worried over Domenici's defection, but"officials are taking some comfort by the fact that he said he wasn't readyto cut off funding, wasn't ready to call for a complete withdrawal oftroops." ...
In my opinion this is another example of "what'sbest for me?" self gain; more votes; campaign slogans; and whatever elsecomes along with decisions made for personal reasons and not for the people. Icould be wrong, but I need to see his true change if he does win the reelection. And if I know me, I'll dig this up after the elections and give him an "atta-boy" or a "you self promoting, self gain useless piece of crap" post.
In my opinion here is another fine example of government officials BS'ing thepublic. Forty Two thousand gallons of crude oil is happily cruising down a rivertowards a lake that supplies drinking water. The officials say "they're notsure of the extent of contamination" and a spokeswoman for the Dept. of EnvironmentalQuality says "the spill isn't expected tohave an impact on the water-supply intakes located below the surface at thesouth end of the lake. She says oil tends to float on the surface of the water,so the quality of water taken from below the surface of the lake should not beaffected." Personally I don't think you can put forty two thousand gallonsOF water in a river and it not have an impact of some sort.
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) - Forty-two thousandsgallons of thick crude oil are nearing an Oklahoma lake that supplies water fordrinking and recreation.
The oil spilled from the Coffeyville Resourcesrefinery in Kansas on Sunday into the Verdigris River. It has been floatingdownstream toward Oologah (OO'-luh-gah) Lake, about 30 miles northeast of Tulsa
Officials say a lot of the oil slick remainson the surface and is visible. They're not sure of the extent of contamination.
A spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department ofEnvironmental Quality says the spill isn't expected to have an impact on thewater-supply intakes located below the surface at the south end of the lake. Shesays oil tends to float on the surface of the water, so the quality of watertaken from below the surface of the lake should not be affected. ... (but this is all there is at this link.)
Then we can go down the list of all the things NOT to worry about:
None of the oil reached Oklahoma's Lake Oologah, a source of drinking water for Tulsa and other communities, Oklahoma environmental officials said Wednesday.
Some workers at the refinery and the fertilizer facility already are returning to work. Others have been told to remain at home until contacted by their supervisors to return.
Lipinski says the company is working closely with city, state and federal agencies engaged in mitigating the environmental impact of the loss and is actively reaching out to those people affected.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, was helping the Coffeyville Police Department to conduct air quality tests for potential hazards
At least 1,000 people have been displaced from their homes throughout southeast Kansas, says the Kansas adjutant general's department
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, KDHE, is distributing tetanus vaccine to prevent the illness in people who have come in contact with the floodwaters
Health officials are warning residents to stay out of the flood waters due to sewage, hazardous materials, and other contaminants. Individuals should contact their nearest health department for a tetanus vaccine if they have had a recent, significant injury or if they have entered the water and have not had a tetanus vaccination in the past 10 years.
The EPA advises people returning to property that may be contaminated with oil and other contaminants to wear work boots, open doors and windows for ventilation, and avoid taking oil-contaminated items to non-contaminated locations. ...
We all know accidents can happen, but when you look at the list of all the"agencies" working on this one, it is similar to Katrina's crack teamsof crack heads. And when fish, birds and other wildlife start popping up dead,or with more eyes and legs then they really need, then they will create afew more committees to investigate the new situation.
A few more emergencies like this and "we're in big troublemister"...ya see, all our federal funds are a little tied up right nowhelping democratize the world.
And besides, what's the worse that could happen? I ain't no tree hugger!
This is a continuation off the previous post about the Libby pardon.
It's interesting how the White House is not calling this a "pardon." Instead, they are choosing to use the word "commute." Nonetheless, it still is at least a partial pardon -- and it is , according to the 's own web site:
They “require a petitioner to wait a period of at least five yearsafter conviction or release from confinement (whichever is later)before filing a pardon application,†according to the Justice Web site.
Moreover, in weighing whether to recommend a pardon, U.S. attorneys aresupposed to consider whether an applicant is remorseful. “The extent towhich a petitioner has accepted responsibility for his or her criminalconduct and made restitution to ... victims are importantconsiderations. A petitioner should be genuinely desirous offorgiveness rather than vindication,†the Justice Web site states.
As we have seen with the ongoing battle over Executive privilege, the White House thinks it is above the law.
This has really got to stop -- but don't expect it anytime soon. President Bush is hyping the al Qaeda threat in Iraq in order to build national support for a continued presence there. of Americans still believe Saddam Hussein had a hand in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Quotes like this one from continue to do a disservice to realism:
"Al Qaida is the main enemy for Shia, Sunni andKurds alike," Bush asserted. "Al Qaida's responsible for the mostsensational killings in Iraq. They're responsible for the sensationalkillings on U.S. soil."
As Bush chooses not to point out, al Qaeda is not the in Iraq. Even so, if it weren't for our occupation in the first place, they would not be there:
U.S. military and intelligence officials, however, saythat Iraqis with ties to al Qaida are only a small fraction of thethreat to American troops. The group known as al Qaida in Iraq didn'texist before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, didn't pledge its loyaltyto al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden until October 2004 and isn'tcontrolled by bin Laden or his top aides.
This is becoming a broken record. Still, the White House continues with this logic.
Though Scooter Libby is still fighting to overturn his jail sentence, regardless of the fact he was found guilty on four counts by a grand jury, the US Bureau of Prisons has issued Cheney's former Chief of Staff an inmate number. Libby will be :
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has notindicated how quickly it will rule. Lawyers in the case said Libby hadnot yet been assigned to a prison or given a date to surrender.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald opposes Libby's bid to delay hisprison term. He says Libby does not have a good chance of having hisconviction overturned and should begin serving prison time immediately.
If Libby does go to jail, it is still uncertain where he will serve out his prison sentence. Usually, according to this same article, inmates tend to serve within 200 miles of their home. So we're probably looking at him serving somewhere in Virginia or Maryland.
Still, this does not stop from asking the President to pardon Libby, and in even giving Bush advice on how to play it.
President Bush does not have many political allies left on Capitol Hill. High-level US generals are the few remaining voices out there willing to champion the White House talking points.
Today in a , Army Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard claimed that Iraqi security forces are rising to the occasion:
"The growth of the Iraqi security forces over the past couple of yearshas really been quite dramatic in many ways," he said by videoconference. Among improvements: Iraqi officials have recruited Sunnisto the national police command, a group that a year ago was almostentirely Shia. The national police have been known for their ties toShiite militia.
Oh really? If the Iraqi government and its security forces are growing dramatically, then why have a US troop escalation?
The notion that Dana Pittard is trying to sell about the Iraqi security forces just is not true, and it contradicts what said today:
The Iraqi military does not even have enough ammunition, said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek: "They're not quite up to the job yet."
Hiscounterpart south of Baghdad seemed to agree, saying U.S. troops aretoo few to garrison the districts newly rid of insurgents. "It can't becoalition (U.S.) forces. We have what we have. There's got to be moreIraqi security forces," said Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch.
You can easily tell which people are speaking on behalf of the Administration, and which are speaking on behalf of reality.
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