Posts with the tag Iraq

The Reality of the Afghan and Iraq War - Myth Behind the Troop Surge

"Voice for Humanity" — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:28:01 EST

By Padmini Arhant

I urge every reader of this article to view the contents of the preceding article published under the title ‘Global Terrorism – 9/11 and Osama Bin Laden Revelations,’ International Politics, on this website www.padminiarhant.com,

The adapted articles and segments substantiates the fact that 9/11 attack could have been prevented at all costs and the terror leader Osama Bin Laden apprehended during many opportunities presented time and again.

Article continued @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Message Alert to America and the Rest of the World

"Voice for Humanity" — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:31:37 EST

By Padmini Arhant

I’ll release my response shortly to the recent development on the Afghan war and the West Point address by President Barack Obama.

I urge every American to take responsibility for actions committed on their behalf and in their name on foreign locations through political activities and wars by the powerful establishment such as the Military Industrial Complex that not only undermines the American democracy but also serves as the primary reason for global terrorism against American lives.

These are serious times demanding absolute attention because ‘Change’ cannot happen with one person’s voice and it’s imperative for every human being on this earth to think and contemplate over the powerful controlling the destiny of billions of lives through dominance and unconstitutional interference in political domain.

Remaining article available @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Click For Obama

Click For Obama — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:24:53 EDT

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Worship from Aiea, HI — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:36:38 EDT

How do you post a blog?

Rally for president Obama, tomorrow, Courthouse, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia

jsq — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:45:22 EDT

This happened at Jack Kingston's Health Care Town Hall, Valdosta, GA, 28 Sep 2009: a veteran was booed for saying respect the president. To Kingston's credit, he shushed the crowd.The speaker was George Rhynes, who is one of the organizers of a rally tomorrow, Saturday 17 October 2009, on the Lowndes County courthouse steps, Valdosta, Georgia. Invitations on

Democrats.org and Facebook.com. But you don't need an invitation: just show up!

Sage Advice

Andrew Bairnsfather — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:44:14 EDT

Dear President Obama,

Please allow me to pass along this quote to you:

"Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master."

- Demosthenes

I gotta tell ya, it sure seems our country—even the corps—are out of control stomping the whole planet to pieces. "Crushing and devouring its victims and trampling underfoot whatever is left." Here's one of the ironies I see. The people pushing the hardest for all this are the ones behind the most unflattering characterization of all time; and behind the minion of the deceived.

Respectfully, Drew.

P.S. Have you contacted LEAP yet?

"On the Wings of a Snow White Dove"

James — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:41:30 EDT

A few days ago the media was reporting in the news that our forces in Afghanistan had killed a Taliban leader by the name of Mehsud. The reports came with detailed descriptions of the actual terminal event. It seems that Mehsud was spotted on the top of a home, sitting next to his second wife, by one of our Predators, Reapers or White Doves. That last designation is my term for these robotic flyers who fire missiles from beneath their wings. Missiles were launched and the house, with Mehsud and wife, was obliterated.

Are we at war with the Taliban? I thought that we were at war with Al Qaeda. I thought that we went into Afghanistan to get the Al Qaeda cells who had launched 9/11, and, in particular, the cell which contained Osama Ben Ladin. I thought that we fought the elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan to get them out of our way, in order to allow us to reach the followers of Al Qaeda. But then I was also led to believe that, eventually, we were fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq, until we changed the name of the opponents there to "insurgents." Now I just don't know.

Let's assume that we have to be at war with the Taliban. That assumption safely put where we can get back to it, let's take a look at the morality of killing the woman that was with him. We can even marginally presume that the guy on the roof of that building (Mehsud) when the predator struck down with six missiles was the Taliban leader we sought (there are many conflicting reports about that). But I want to write about that woman. Whoever she was. Were we at war with her when we executed her with full, willing and aforeknowledged intent? Nobody seems to care about this poor woman, blown to smithereens. Why not? Why is it that we keep getting reports that our White Doves shower down these missiles on all manner of people living in Afghanistan, and it is okay that many are not combatants at all? Who will cry for this woman?

I went to a party the other night. High class party. Everyone was higher class than I. My attendance was based upon the fact that I can usually be depended upon to engage in interesting discourse. The hostess of the party, when I was at a table deep in discussion about the Iraq war, said these words: "It's a war. Kill them all. Men, women and children. That's what war is. Kill them all." I looked at her. I like her. I want to be invited back to her parties. But I could not help myself. Quite forcefully I encountered her verbally: "I can understand your feelings, but I would like you to understand that this war should then have your husband and children laying here, dead at your feet, for you to have any comprehension of the enormity of what you just said." Even the mildest intimation that violence might be considered to be visited upon her, there in her own home, stopped the place dead for a moment. I still like this woman. I know that she is so very proto-American, however. She has not lived in those cities out there, humped those jungles, slogged across those deserts and certainly not spent any time with any of those wondrous cultures out there all over this planet. Those people are not people to her. Not like her husband and children. They are not even existent enough in her consciousness to be human beings.

They are very human to me. That woman on that roof who was blown to smithereens. That woman probably had a husband and children too. Maybe the husband is dead. But the children? If they survived the huge blast are they not thinking about enrolling in flight officer training as I write this? Or will that come later? I am not sure about that, the survival part, but I am deadly certain about the 'flight school' device I use here to describe the awesome hurt and hatred which will out itself one year soon. Where do you suppose all that emotion is headed?

And now, today, we have Fox and CNN running the same video of a White Dove watching some insurgents somewhere planting a bomb on a highway. The White Dove does what American White Doves do. It blows the living crap out of the insurgent. And it is all so very justified. And it all attempts to cloak a little secret that leaked out earlier in the day. The secret that we have designated fifty drug dealers in Afghanistan to be destroyed by our White Doves, came out this morning. You see, it is the drug dealers who are the sole remaining financiers of the Taliban. This, we are told very forcefully, then shown the video of a I.E.D. placing insurgent being killed again.

And where did we get out list of Taliban-loving drug dealers? Well, from our intelligence. Which takes us right back to the Monterey language school in Monterey, California. That is the language school the military uses to train our people to speak the languages of other countries so we will understand them. Without speaking the language, and isolated in a guerilla environment, we must depend upon local translators to tell us what people are saying. And to tell us the truth about it. How many graduates of Monterey have we turned out over the past few years who speak the languages of Afghanistan? I am willing to bet that the classified number is around ten, maybe twenty. So what we end up with is intelligence based upon what the locals are telling us. Remember those clowns from Iraq who supposedly gave us all that intelligence before this latest Iraqi nightmare? They lied to us time and again, and got paid hundreds of millions for doing it. We didn't find out about the lying for quite some time though. Today, in spite of the payments and lying, the chief-liar-in-charge of that crew is the Oil Minister of the country.

So here we are, killing supposed drug dealers, from the Wings of our Snow White Doves, all over the place. Do those drug dealer's have wives and family living with them? Or traveling with them? And what is the basis for assigning someone to this terminal hit list? The word of some locals, and very probably locals who would like a bit of the power that the person they are reporting on might have. I experienced this in Vietnam, in the field as a combat commander. Only after I was in country long enough to acquire some of the local language was I able to figure out that my "Kit Carson" local scouts were lying to me. That was after, by the way, we had already 'taken out' my scout's political opponents in a nearby village. The interpreters had, of course, indicated that they were V.C. (Viet Cong enemy, for you young people).

Why are we at war with the 'insurgents' in Iraq? Why are we at war with the Taliban? Why are we now killing drug dealers without true accusation or trial? Why have we allowed our assassination teams (as reported by Hersh) to rend and kill people all over the world on the basis of information which is worse than suspect? Why, if America does not like you, do you get visited, then carried away on the wings of Snow White Dove? I damn well think so. The hostess who invited me to that party probably thinks that this result is just fine with her. And I do not expect to be invited back, no matter how witty my 'House-like' commentary might be. But I have a problem with killing people willy nilly across the face of the planet and then expecting that we are not gong to be hated, vilified, and eventually hunted down ourselves.

It is hard for a Marine to say these words: "We must retreat." But retreat we must. We need to get our head and act together again. We need to stop locking up our own homeless, believing our own lies, and blaming the world out there for the problems we have here. If we were mentally healthy, as a culture, we would merely have absorbed the hit we took on 9/11, then made sure we caught up with Osama and his small band. We'd have rebuilt the towers and thumbed our nose at Silverstein in New York, or anybody else who got in our way (but we would not have struck down upon them with one of our White Doves!). With just the two trillion the Iraq and Afghan wars have cost us, and the seven or so years we've wasted, we could have bases upon the Moon, Mars and be running back and forth almost without limit. Now how could would that have been? You think the world might just be going; "God, but those American's are something else!" instead of "Those Yanks are bunch of violent imperialist creeps." And, finally, we would not have a huge crop of our young people coming home to kill themselves, or live their lives homelessly, drunk, drug-addicted and unemployed.

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Diverting Foreign Aid

My Vote Matters — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:55:33 EDT

I must comment on the idea that pulling down our $100 billion in foreign aid to help other initiatives in the US is somehow going to be “good” for America. This argument pops up every time the US Mindset returns to focus on the disastrous budget deficits we have been running for nearly 2 generations now. Unfortunately, like the ups and downs of our economy, all discussion related to the deficit dies as soon as the economy turns the corner and people go back to focusing on making money in the latest paper bubble. It is also unfortunate that these incredible "peace time" budget deficits do little more than expose the underlying reality that the US economy has become so reliant on consumer spending and non manufacturing "industries" that our bubble to burst cycles have become more frequent (about every 10 years) and more dramatic. Obviously, with the economy based on businesses that have no physical infrastructure and or physical output capacity (the production of intangible products) they are able to grow rapidly when able to exploit the latest economic / financial gimmick and can just as rapidly shrink when that "event" is played out. Consumption as we all know is primarily of foreign made products of all varieties.

Getting back to the argument that somehow reducing our "foreign aid" and bringing back a few billion dollars back to the US as having any tangible ability to "enhance" our economic development. This is a completely false argument and even when foreign aid has been reduced during tough economic times, it quickly returns during boom times and is usually a greatly celebrated event stamped by whoever happens to be in the White House as an example of the how "generous American" people are willing to back whatever pop-charity is prevalent at that time.

Before I go on, I will preface my argument with my own jaded view of the machine that functions in Washington of ex-piece-corp / lobbyist / international "aid" how to make $200k a year "non-profits" with "do gooder" figurehead cronies "leaders" related to the various politicians, lobbyist, ex-politicians etc., all of whom are very good at raking money out of the Federal Government to feed themselves using their idealistic agenda. These many folk are professional and very good at making carriers for themselves, backed by US Gov money under the guise of "international aid" and normally spend most of their time traveling the world, speaking, living in posh neighborhoods of DC and otherwise justifying their idealistic agenda to other folks who look just like them or aspire to create their "careers" picking up in their footprints. The vast majority of US Foreign "aid" goes in the pockets of these folks and their extended networks and little of it gets anywhere near the end "user" or "target" of the program or individuals it was designed to "help". I could go on but you get the point. In addition, the "International Aid" machine in Washington and associated labyrinth of non-profits (most often not of international focus) are also often the best way to pay for access to the political machine. "Give $50k to my wife's / sister's / friend's / ex-business partner's / other relative's charity and we can talk" kind of politics.

Having said all of that, I will go back to the argument that somehow reducing foreign aid is going to better our economy if we redirect that cash. We have directly spent since our pointless invasion of Iraq no less than $1 Trillion. I remember Bush's speech during the height of the financial crises when talk of $700 billion to bail out financial institutions was being thrown around and thinking, "George, why don't you just say it? You know how much $700 billion is, you spent more than that battling your fictitious "enemies" on the other side of the planet for the past 5 years." George could have just said, "T-ain't anything America. Just deal with it. I know the war was a great excuse to use my access to the largest "bank" on the planet to write checks to my friends and buddies, esp. the ones who lost so much money in the .dot com crash and Enron like debacles of the early part of my presidency, but this, well, now we have another "crises" primarily created by my friends and I got no nation to invade so please excuse me if I just hand this money over directly to them this time!"

Well, that is reality you know. So what about "foreign aid"? What about pulling our vast military presence out of Japan, 2/3 of it out of Korea and Europe? What about exiting Iraq? Can we get that Trillion Dollars (plus the estimated Trillion or so legacy costs) back? Never. What about the pointless war in Afghanistan? Does anybody ever ask themselves what the real long term ramifications of a decade war against Muslim extremist around the globe will have on the long term desire of these folks to one day actually organize themselves some kind of multi-nation alliance and truly threaten other nations? I mean really, right now and for the years going back to the beginning of radical Muslim movements against nations outside of Israel (the true root of all this mess), was there ever a time in modern history they had the potential to do anything more than cause a bit of terror by blowing something up with some rudimentary explosive devises or come up with more creative ways to use our own technology against us like in the 9.11 "attack"? Come on? Help me out here. How many Americans ever went to bed worried that some "army" from the middle east would invade their shores? We and a few other developed nations feed our "allied" Muslim nation friends all of their military technology for crying out loud. These folks cannot even make a microphone or CD player in their own nations let alone a computer or sophisticated guidance system, navy fleet, air force or any other mass weapon arsenal necessary to threaten other nations. Isn't it true the primary reason we don't want Iran to develop the technology to enrich uranium is that we really don't want any of the nations on the planet that do not align themselves with our capitalist / "democratic" value system to have the ability to create ANY technology or products which could head them in the direction of being able to create real weapons of mass destruction like we do?

And so with all this, is taking $25 or $50 billion out of our "foreign aid" going to solve anything? We are directing hundreds of billions of dollars every year to our global military infrastructure; billions more are spent subsidizing our agricultural and agricultural exports; billions more are being spent / or credited to companies for the removal of fossil fuels from all corners of the planet; billions of dollars are being sucked out of our economy, from each individual, by companies operating within pathetically designed regulation / lack of regulation of our energy companies and infrastructure; billions of dollars are being sucked out of the American taxpayer every year for the construction of and maintenance of a transportation infrastructure designed specifically for the single most destructive product in use on the entire planet, the automobile; billions of dollars in energy literally escape right in the atmosphere by the pathetically designed and geographically dispersed regulation of building standards that allow millions of structures to be built annually with the environmental soundness of a mid 20th century box; billions of dollars are being spent incarcerating millions of Americans each year instead of educating them (with more of these dollars going into private hands each year);billions of dollars are being sucked out of the wealth of people, their pension plans and their governments around the planet monthly by the vast unregulated financial industries that have learned to rake as much cash out of the planet's financial wealth as possible with no nation, government, regulatory authority or power to answer to but the pursuit of as much wealth as humanly possible... I could go on about how many ways $25-$50 billion a year are completely wasted, lost, sucked into the coffers of companies riding the "free economic" poorly regulated and wasteful economy we have created but I will rest here.

Suffice to say, any person who decides to go after the politically easy, populace target of "foreign aid" when the true causes of our financial mess and destructive economic model lies right in front of us, is only succumbing to a failed logic and worse, exposing themselves to a deeper sense of "America is right and great and we should look after ourselves even if much of what we do economically and militarily is pathetically harmful to the planet and humanity in general."

U.S. Foreign Policy in the 20th and 21st Century

"Voice for Humanity" — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:57:48 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

The United States foreign policy in the twentieth and twenty first century viewed by allies and adversaries differently depending upon the U.S. engagement viz. modus operandi in the conflicts of the affected regions.

Throughout the twentieth century, the United States direct and indirect dominant role brought peace and chaos to the world order, ominously the Cuban crisis and the infamous Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos war combined with constant interventions in the Korean Peninsula, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa as well as South and South East Asia...

Remaining article @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Michael Jackson and America's Superstardom

Eric from Covina, CA — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:23:48 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE
Michael Jackson and America's Superstardom

I greatly admired Michael Jackson. I admire anyone who's the very best at what they do, and Michael Jackson was definitely that. I remember when I first heard him. He was doing a tune called "Who's Lovin' You?" He was a mere child at the time, but his talent was so fully developed, and he sang with so much emotional maturity, I mistook the high pitch of his voice to be that of a very soulful adult female. Then later when he did "Billie Jean" at the Motown reunion, he seemed to literally defy gravity as he Moonwalked across the stage. So yes, this young man was, without a doubt, one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived.

But Michael's life - that shooting star that dazzled humanity with its awesome display, only to burn out much too soon - threatens to serve as a perfect metaphor for America itself. The story of the United States parallels that of Michael Jackson. It is also the story of a precocious child star that dazzled humanity with its awesome display. The United States is undoubtedly a superstar among nations, but we must not let hubris allow us to forget that among those very same nations, we are nothing more than a precocious child.

While the United States is 233 years old, that's relatively nothing when it comes to the history of nations. Iran, one of the oldest nations on Earth, is over 8000 years old. That means that when Jesus Christ walked the Earth, Iran was more than 6000 years older than the United States is today, even then. We need to keep that in mind as we formulate the language of our foreign policy, because believe me, it is a fact that has not been lost on the Iranian people.

Iranian Uprising – 21st Century

"Voice for Humanity" — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:37:48 EDT

Apocalyptic New Era

By Padmini Arhant

The Presidential election results were out in the Islamic Republic of Iran and predictably, the theocratic rule through flawed electoral process declared the incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner, with a landslide victory against the reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi of the Islamic Iran Participation Front, recognized as...

More @ http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Torture Prosecution Must Not Be Feared

Leo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:12:06 EDT

Regarding the friendly disagreement between the Bard and myself, Bush and Cheney already enjoy undeserved folk hero status, and within the far right realms, they will always enjoy such status regardless of outcome.

I appreciate the debate.

To Prosecute Torture Or Not...

Leo — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:33:45 EDT

For me it's coming down to what we are preserving- or attempting to preserve- I think the bad far outweighs the good here- and I believe that if Obama sidesteps this it will be his downfall.

President Obama will forever be linked to the Bush Torture Coverup and our great victory over the establishment will be torn down.

"It's a trap are you blind?" (Hamish) ~Braveheart

106 Billion, did you say BILLION??!!

Maria — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:51:26 EDT

Has everyone in Washington lost their mind, I wonder? I would not approve 106 Million for war efforts let alone making that billions. Who are they trying to kid? It is time to seriously get these guys under control and give them a serious dose of reality!

We all read of the mismangement of the other war money and they expect us to trust them with more? I do not think so!

Obama, please stand up and say no to this insanity! Until they can account for every penny of where the other money went they should not be allowed to get any more. If I am reading the news right it will take 80 billion to last June-Sept of this year. Where on earth does the money go?

Forget the war profiteers/arms dealers and remember Americans!

Maria

The American Taxpayer Should Never Be Censored Period

Leo — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:01:07 EDT

http://www.truthout.org/061009A

I understand the arguments and how our troops in additional harm's way and additional stain to our national image at a time when we are just starting to recover face in the world's eyes does us no justice.

At the same time, this has to be addressed-

The American taxpayer paid for and is still paying for Iraq...

Gabonese authorities have confirmed the death of the president: the country closes border

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The Speech That Needs To Be Written

Leo — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:33:31 EDT

So on this issue that has the world embittered over policies, presumably against the Geneva Convention, we are faced with the question: Do we, or do we not, turn our heads?

Islamic countries said that their relations with Israel depend on its willingness for peace

Unknown user — Mon, 25 May 2009 19:07:01 EDT

May 25, in Syria ended 36 th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

The meeting adopted a final declaration in which the Islamic countries criticized Israel, but at the same time expressed their readiness to improve relations.

"Developing ties with Israel should be linked to its compliance with specific obligations in reaching a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees the restoration of rights (the Palestinians) and the return of occupied territories", - says the paper, which is called the Damascus Declaration.

Representatives of countries stated that they do not have to reward Israel for its crimes. The final document, they strongly condemned the actions of the Jewish state to change the character of the occupied Arab land in East Jerusalem, continued his siege of the Gaza Strip and settlements in the West Bank.

The Foreign Ministers of 57 member countries of OIC also reaffirmed the right to an occupied people to struggle for the liberation of their land and noted that this can not be called terrorism.

In the Damascus declaration condemning the attacks on Islam, inciting religious hatred and hostility, states that terrorism is a "dangerous international phenomenon that has no national, religious or cultural affiliation."

Remember, today reported on the initiative of one of the parties represented in the Israeli Knesset, to oblige Israel to swear allegiance to the state.

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The U.S. Department of State is not supported Netanyahu's stance on the status of Jerusalem

Unknown user — Sun, 24 May 2009 18:18:24 EDT

A decision on the final status of Jerusalem must be reached in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, said the circulated today, 24 May, the statement of the American dipvedomstva.

"The question of the final status of Jerusalem unresolved. Israel and the Palestinians agreed to resolve its status in the negotiations", - noted in a statement.

As noted in the Washington, DC, United States will maintain "their efforts to reach agreement on final status issues."

That statement, U.S. Department of State had been circulated to journalists in connection the statement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that Jerusalem would remain under Israeli sovereignty and will never be divided. "

Remember, May 22 at the ceremony celebrating the 42 th anniversary of the city under the rule of Israel during the Six Day War, the head of the Israeli Government declared that Jerusalem will forever remain the undivided capital of the Jewish state.

These statements have caused a sharp reaction from the Palestinians insist that East Jerusalem was recognized as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Thus, the assistant head of the Palestinian National Authority Saeb Arikat stated that "Netanyahu's statements are tantamount to a declaration that the state of conflict will be eternal," and his colleague, Rafiq Husseini stressed that "the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem is illegal."

As reported, 18 May, after a bilateral meeting in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has promised U.S. President Barack Obama to immediately start negotiations with the Palestinian Authority on the peaceful settlement of the region.

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North Korea accused South Korea of military provocations on the border

Sosiq from Saint Just, PR — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:43:20 EDT

North Korea on Wednesday, April 22, accused South Korea of military provocations on the border between the two countries.

As the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the South Korean military reportedly moved pillar Pokus to the territory of the DPRK.

"Treacherous provocation was undertaken at a time when the confrontation between North and South had reached its limit. This is an insidious crime seriously annoys the Korean People's Army soldiers and the cause of their anger," - cites Korean official agency AFP.

North Korea demanded that South Korea immediately return the column to its original place, threatening otherwise to resort to "necessary measures in self-defense." In doing so, according to the North Korean agency, the responsibility for possible consequences would lie with the "South Korean instigator."

Remember, 21 April in Kaesong were the first since the beginning of last year, official inter-Korean talks at the government level. The talks lasted just 22 minutes after more than 12-hour delay caused by disputes on procedural matters. After an exchange of documents containing the requirements of each party, the delegation of the Republic of Korea (RoK) has returned home.

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National Security Act - Torture

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:43:16 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

Courtesy: www.padminiarhant.com

Torture

The nation riddled with recent events pertaining to national security. In the past few weeks, there have been vigorous debates and discussions on the release of the torture memos describing the torture tactics applied on the speculative terror suspects in Guantanamo Bay and those held in Bagram Prison, Afghanistan.

There are polarizing views regarding the...

Further info @ http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Obama Administration – Performance Assessment

"Voice for Humanity" — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:42:10 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

Courtesy: www.padminiarhant.com

It is one hundred days since the new administration under President Obama took office on January 20, 2009.

Precisely, around that time the nation was in a precarious situation specifically with the economy in severe recession heading towards a possible depression. It required urgent policy decisions to avert the serous economic crisis contributing to the crumbling housing market, potential bankruptcies of the auto industry, tremendous job losses, failing financial institutions and volatile stock market.

Even though, the crises are far from over, the administration demonstrated diligence with the legislation of the $787 billion stimulus bill through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act accompanied by various strategies to reform and revive the financial institutions and housing market.

The financial bailouts were justifiably controversial and awaiting the stress test results due on May 4, 2009. Meanwhile, the alternative of inaction would have proven equally detrimental and exacerbated the liquidity crisis in the financial market.

In addition to the measures in stimulating the economy, the administration’s effort to sustain the existing jobs in different sectors particularly the auto industry is noteworthy. Further planning and policy decisions to create new jobs phrased, as ‘green jobs’ through vigorous environmental and energy programs is the right course of action to efficiently deal with the challenging issues of global warming and energy independence.

Other achievements in promoting science and technology such as the stem cell research within the realm of ethical code, proposal to digitalize medical records as one of many innovative solutions in the health care policy, coordinating with the environmental agencies in the protection of threatened and endangered species are impressive. However, the request from the environmental groups to rescind the rule that limits the protection of polar bears from the melting Arctic ice caused by climate change is pending approval.

In social programs, the signing of two major pieces of legislation into law – the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, ensuring equal pay for men and women and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that guarantees 11 million low-income children affordable health care are significant actions.

World health crisis in the wake of the ‘pandemic swine flu’ appropriately handled by the Obama administration thus far.

Despite the fragile economic conditions, the Obama administration’s response and reaction to most issues has been right on target. The anticipated legislation of the budget focused on education, energy and health care should accelerate the economic growth for rapid recovery from the existing crises.

The administration must strive hard to isolate investment from wasteful spending i.e. earmarks or pork barrel that often finds its way through major budgets and stimulus packages. Likewise, preventing the special interests and lobbyists’ continuous dominance should be part of the administration’s agenda.

With respect to transparency and accountability, the recent scandals involving legislators raises credibility issue for the majority party. It is important to maintain bipartisanship in legislative matters for national interest since future holds no guarantee with the majority rule. Moreover, divisive politics contributes to polarization jeopardizing national unity and ultimately election results.

In foreign policy matter, the recent participation in international summits appears promising with the exception of the boycotting of the Geneva conference on ‘racism.’ Please refer to the article on ‘Racism – The Durban II Geneva Conference’ @ www.padminiarhant.com.

Obviously, the rising tensions in the international arena from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and North Korea are few of the many challenges ahead. Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the form of two states solutions is paramount to attain permanent peace in the region. It would create a pathway for others sharing similar aspirations.

Combat troops withdrawal from Iraq and simultaneous deployment in Afghanistan deserve individual criteria and attention. Military operation always yields immense casualties and often precious lives are lost in the process.

President Obama’s initiative with Russia in the reduction of conventional weapons and other arsenal is praiseworthy. Nevertheless, it remains subject to the real statistics and the actual defense spending contraction by the geopolitical powers. The bold and audacious declaration of nuclear disarmament was music to ears, although the reality of it relies on the willingness and commitment by the other nuclear nations.

At the G-20 summit, the United States’ reluctance to support France’s proposal to force international financial institutions unveil the corporations using tax havens for tax evasions was disappointing. The unpopular yet meaningful recommendation contributed to a major disagreement between France and China leading to the mediation by the U.S. President Barack Obama. The international sources attributed China’s objection to the potential ramifications on the corporate investments in that nation.

In conclusion, the result oriented performance reflects President Obama’s admirable leadership skills and the administration’s ambitious goals in education, energy and health care is a step in the right direction.

I wish President Obama and the administration success in all endeavors.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

politikonzo

saidi — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:54:48 EDT

peace and justice to all in usa and around the world

joyce to see a big organisation of the world without any

kind of discrimination(united nations as one),

where the son and daugther around the world will meet and sing

for peace together as one nation(one father,one mother, one nation,one religion:heart,faith...)

without discrimination of race,sex,religion...

Accountability: America's Moral Responsibility to Humanity

Eric from Covina, CA — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:51:12 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

Accountability: America's Moral Responsibility to Humanity

Eight years of Republican "leadership" has left America both economically devastated, and globally humiliated. Yet, far from apologizing for the damage that they've done to the stability and image of this great nation, instead, they've circled their wagons and gone into damage control mode–not to control the damage that they've done to the nation, but in an attempt to rewrite history in order to control the damage that they've done to themselves.

So now, as President Obama goes about the business of desperately trying to return America to its former position of economic stability at home, and respect, admiration, and moral authority abroad, the GOP leadership seems to be completely oblivious to the nation's desperate and immediate need for a concerted effort in that regard. They're like clueless children who find it impossible to see the big picture. Thus, at this point it has become abundantly clear that their primary concern is not with restoring America to a sound footing in the world, but rather, simply restoring themselves to power at any cost.

A Lot of Talk Finally Some Action

Tom Awtry — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:04:28 EDT

Call Centers - India

During the Presidential campaign we heard numerous politicians expounding on their concepts on ways to retrain our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and fellow Americans workers who saw their jobs outsourced overseas.

Finally we have one brave Democratic Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania with a workable plan to introduce a new law that aims to pay community colleges nationwide $1,000 per student to retrain laid-off workers, which Casey says would come from existing funds already allocated to job retraining in the department’s budget.

In an article authored by Anne Fisher of TIME, entitled: “Tuition Help for the Unemployed Gains Traction” the following excerpts regarding Senator Casey’s pending bill:

His inspiration for the bill: Pennsylvania’s community colleges, 10 of which have enrolled 1,062 unemployed workers in free training programs this semester, at a total cost to the schools of $741,788. “They shouldn’t have to foot the bill alone,” Casey says. “My bill will encourage other community colleges across the U.S. to do the same thing.” Senate Democrats are working to build bipartisan support for the bill and expect to move it forward in the coming months. (See TIME’s special report on paying for college.)
A few states already have a head start. California, whose 11.2% March unemployment rate is the state’s highest since 1941, is rushing to funnel $415 million in federal stimulus money to 49 job-retraining centers. Most of the training will be designed to qualify people for jobs in infrastructure construction, health care and green industries like waste recycling and wind-farm technology. In Texas, legislators will vote next month on a final version of a 2010-11 budget, already passed by the state senate, that boosts spending on higher education by $1.5 billion. That figure includes $500 million in federal stimulus funding for workforce retraining and a $134 million state-funded increase in financial aid for students.
Michigan, whose 12.6% jobless rate is the highest in the U.S., with still more auto-plant closings coming soon, launched its “No Worker Left Behind” program in August 2007. So far the state has footed the bill — up to $10,000 per displaced worker — for 61,434 unemployed Michiganders to learn the math, technology and science skills they need to embark on new careers at companies like Hemlock Semiconductor, Dow Chemical and Dow Corning, which are investing and hiring there. Also in demand: the program’s newly trained nursing assistants, physical therapists and health-care technicians.

Hopefully Senator Casey’s proposed legislation will quickly be approved, in congress, since it won’t be long before our long awaited veterans will finally be returning home and will be in direr need of employment.

The following video concerning outsourcing is a revolutionary twist on outsourcing. American workers have themselves gotten into the act of sending their jobs overseas. For example; there are tasks, such as proof reading that could be accomplished overseas as well as it could be done in the office back in the states, thus allowing more time, useful energy and increased productivity to be devoted to other, more important tasks. Give the video a watch it’s interesting.

More American Workers Outsourcing Own Jobs Overseas

The following video concerning outsourcing is a revolutionary twist on outsourcing. American workers have themselves gotten into the act of sending their jobs overseas. For example; there are tasks, such as proof reading that could be accomplished overseas as well as it could be done in the office back in the states, thus allowing more time, useful energy and increased productivity to be devoted to other, more important tasks. Give the video a watch it’s interesting.

Additional postings regarding this topic and others may be found here:

Obama seeks another $83 billion for Iraq, Afghanistan

Unknown user — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:02:09 EDT

The request is expected to pay for those conflicts for the rest of the 2009 budget year, two Democratic congressional sources said.

About $75 billion of that would pay for military operations, with the rest going to diplomatic programs and development aid.

The additional money is needed "to fund the new strategy in Afghanistan and fund the process in Iraq that will lead to a drawdown of all of our combat troops," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Since coming to office in January, President Obama has announced plans to shift troops out of Iraq and beef up U.S. forces in Afghanistan, where American troops have been battling al Qaeda and Taliban fighters since al Qaeda's 2001 attacks.

The money would bring the running tab for both conflicts to nearly $800 billion, according to figures from the House Appropriations Committee. Most of that money has been spent in Iraq, where most of the U.S. troops have been deployed and where the Pentagon estimated its costs at roughly $10 billion a month by October.

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Chisinau withdrew ambassador from Bucharest

Uanja from Saratoga, IN — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:53:08 EDT

At rallies, including in the Romanian capital - Bucharest, calls for "the overthrow of communism in Moldova
Moldova from Romania withdrew its ambassador for consultations related to have taken place in Chisinau on Tuesday riot.

As stated in the report the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova, circulated on Tuesday evening, April 7, in connection with the latest developments in the capital of our country, the Ministry withdrew the ambassador to Romania Lydia Gutsu in Kishinev for consultations. "

According to Moldovan law enforcement agencies, took place in Chisinau on Tuesday in the riots were involved organized groups of young people from Romania, who incited the demonstrators in clashes with police, storming parliament and the presidential administration.

As reported, still ostensibly the eve of the election authorities of Moldova issued a statement that the Moldovan opposition intends to organize riots in Chisinau with the help of students from Romania.

This information was brought to the attention of the Romanian Ambassador to Moldova Filip Teodorescu, 21 March, which led in this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova and was asked to check the relevant information in order to prevent possible interference of Romanian citizens in acts of provocation that would seek to destabilize the internal situation in Moldova. "

According to the radio station Echo of Moscow, at the rallies, including in the Romanian capital - Bucharest, calls for "the overthrow of communism" in Moldova, were used as the national flags of the Republic of Moldova and Romania, as well as symbols of the EU. Posters have the inscriptions "Basarabia - Romanian Land". Developments in Moldova have become central to all the Romanian media, radio and television channels. In the special issue of one of the leading news channels Romanian TV Liberty, they were named this "revolution" and compared with the events of 1989 in Romania, when Ceausescu was overthrown regime. "

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania on Tuesday called on the authorities of Moldova and the opposition to avoid violence during the demonstrations in Kishinev.

The report, circulated the Ministry, states that "all parties" must avoid violence and provocation.

In addition, the Ministry noted that "violence against government institutions was unacceptable." On the other hand, it is necessary to comply with the inalienable right of citizens to free assembly and peaceful demonstration. "

In addition, the ministry said that they supported the position of the European Union on developments in Moldova.

Official Romanian authorities say that did not intend to interfere in the course of events in Moldova and called for an end to violence and disorder. Nevertheless, while there is criticism of the Moldovan authorities for the lack of dialogue and understanding with the opposition.

*******

This is not the first time that the already difficult relations between Romania and Moldavia can be marred by the actions of the Moldovan opposition. In 2002, Kishinev few months shaken anti-government demonstrations organized by prorumynskoy Christian Democrats. Then the organizers of these actions supported the Romanian Premier Adrian Nastase, who sent a message of welcome to them. This led to a diplomatic dispute between the two countries - out of Chisinau was expelled military attaché of Romania, which is suspected of having links with the demonstrators. house tv show poster house tv show on line house tv show star house tv show australia house tv show season 2 house tv show photos house tv show stars nbc house tv show house tv show cuddy house tv show opening house tv show dr house tv show downloads house tv show official girl from house tv show gregory house tv show house tv show set house tv show reviews house tv show review house tv show doctor hot house tv show house tv show actor house tv show leg house tv show com house tv show medical house tv show t shirts sarahs house tv show 13 from house tv show house hunter tv show house tv show series house tv show hugh house tv show uk house guest tv show tv show called house house tv show premier house tv show blog house tv show amber house tv show season 1 house tv show 13 house tv show merchandise house tv show canada house tv show spoilers house tv show location house and tv show runs house tv show house tv show pictures house usa tv show house tv show times house tv show website new house tv show house tv show free house tv show theme house tv show 2008 house tv show episode guide house tv show episode house tv show episodes house tv show online house tv show cast house the tv show house tv show will cuddy and house tube house cuddy plays dr cuddy on house of cuddy from house me house cuddy is cuddy on house is cuddy from house house y cuddy se house y cuddy en house y cuddy 5 house where cuddy house tells cuddy house giving cuddy house give cuddy house et lisa cuddy house does cuddy house cuddy you house cuddy the house cuddy se house cuddy one house cuddy make house cuddy let house cuddy last house cuddy lap dr house et cuddy saison dr house cuddy saison do cuddy and house did cuddy and house de cuddy y house cuddy house saison cuddy gives house cuddy et house saison cuddy asks house cuddy and house in cuddy and house get 5 cuddy and house plays cuddy in house house cuddy streap house cuddy live cuddy en house

Residents of Iraq's time to take responsibility for the country itself - Obama

Unknown user — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:42:38 EDT

Obama said that the time for Iraqis to take responsibility for the country itself
U.S. President Barack Obama, who arrived today, April 7, in Iraq, said that after six years of American control of the Iraqis it's time to take responsibility for the country itself.

At a meeting with U.S. soldiers Obama said: "You gave Iraq the opportunity to get back on its feet as a democratic country. And this is a great achievement. Now the time has come to us to refer all Iraqis. They must take responsibility for their country."

According to the head of the White House, following 18 months will be a determining period for the U.S. mission in Iraq, because it will be necessary to ensure that the situation in the country is stable. Then, after one and a half years, American troops will be withdrawn from Iraq.

The commander of U.S. and allied foreign forces Ray Odierno, in turn, said that the level of violence in Iraq is now the lowest since March 2003, the country has begun a military operation the United States and its allies.

As reported, the majority of the 140 thousand troops are in Iraq, returned home for the past year. At the same time, the number of American soldiers stationed in Afghanistan are likely to be doubled - from 36 thousand to 60 thousand people.

Remember, a visit by an American leader in Iraq have not been reported. Then, in the White House explained that the purpose of this privacy - the maximum safety of Barak Obama. house bunny movie cast house the cast house cast change cider house rules cast cast of beta house house series cast house cast wiki house cast imdb house cast interview house episode cast cast in house big mommas house 2 cast house cast pictures house cast names new cast of house cast of big mommas house big mommas house cast house cast amber cast of runs house house cast photo in da house cast house bunny cast and crew house cast photos cast of house 2008 cast and crew of house cast of clean house house show cast cast for house house tv series cast cast of house party doctor house cast the lake house cast our house cast house full cast cast of house of wax house movie cast house of night cast house cast 13 house new cast cast from house cast of man of the house house cast 2008 runs house cast house party cast house of night pc cast clean house cast house tv cast house of wax cast man of the house cast house cast and crew cast of house bunny beta house cast house cast list in the house cast the house bunny cast dr.house cast house bunny cast cast of house house cast house kiss characters house five characters house disney characters house characters where are they house characters today house characters now house character sketch house character based house book characters house 2 characters hill house characters haunting of hill house character down the house characters down the house character da house characters club house characters characters of the house on characters of little house on characters of house on characters of house of the characters of house of characters little house on the characters in the house of characters in house on characters in house of characters in a house characters from the house on characters from the house of characters from house of characters by house character on house of character of the house of character of house of character in the house of character in house of character from the house character for house as a house characters a house characters

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The Blinds of Justice are Lifting

Tom Awtry — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:27:18 EDT

A couple of months ago (February 2nd to be precise), I authored a posting entitled, “John Yoo A Tough Decision to Defend for the President” regarding the redemption of America’s justice system in wake of all the miscarriages of justice which occurred during the Bush Administration and in particular those pertaining to John Yoo. Yoo was Bush’s lead legal adviser authoring legal memos concerning the treatment, incarceration and trial (hearings) proceedings of Iraqi and Afghan detainees.

Following up on my past posting I’ve learned others share equally in my interest of Mr. Yoo’s all encompassing ability of embarrassing our country in the eyes of the international community. In an article posted within Hoffington Post, Mr. Martin Garbus, a Trial lawyer, authored an article entitled: “The Times May Be Changing” where he states some of the following excerpts:

Now six years after Iraq started, nearly one hundred days into the new presidency, more and more information is coming out about the involvement of the Bush people in Iraq-related criminal acts. The legal memos and the statements of tortured detainees are only the beginning of what will soon be a flood of information.

The legal machinery is starting to build, case by case, a rejection of Bush’s legal theories.
Today’s decision from Federal Judge John Bates of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia that those detained in Afghanistan will have access to American courts builds on the recent cases that allow Guantanamo detainees access to the federal court. Judge Bates rejected both the Bush administration’s view and the recently articulated view of President Barack Obama that habeas corpus is not available to imprisoned non-Afghans who are arrested beyond Afghanistan.

We are seeing a pattern in the Washington federal courts. The judges are not shying away from tacking tough issues. The concept that a man sitting in Baghram has a right he can enforce in an American court seemed impossible a few years ago. The constant rat-a-tat of the media, with pictures of the tortured prisoners clearly influences judges along with the rest of the population. Judges respond also when the president too set a higher standard.

Attorney General Eric Holder is the one who must start the criminal process against Cheney, Gonzales, Yoo and the others. He does not shy away from difficult choices, given backing that lets him know he is not alone. He can, and has, taken positions that are ahead of Obama.

Attorney General Holder’s decision today is easier than it was yesterday, and as more and more stories of brutalized prisoners come out, it will get even easier, especially with our President’s recent executive order of allowing wider windows to be opened to the public through the “Freedom of Information Act.

Judge Bates, and the judges before him, including the Supreme Court, have rejected the rationale of Bush’s Attorney General and supporting lawyers that gave the President “unitary powers.”

The public should let Eric Holder and the president know they support criminal prosecution of the Bush people. This may be accomplished by contacting the Department of Justice here.

Additional postings regarding this topic and others may be found here:

Obama has promised to withdraw 2011

Unknown user — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:43:47 EDT

Let's see

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OBAMA SONG-17yr old positive lyricist

Fundamental — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:39:43 EDT

I'm a 17yr old positive lyricist out of Richmond,VA. i wrote a rap song about OBAMA. you can hear it at myspace.com/3rdeyeup
no cursing, no negativity. real positive, creative lyrics. hope you guys check it out. peace n bless

Libertarian Ideals that Obama is committed to

Libertarians for Obama — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:21:17 EDT

Granted, President Barack Obama is not completely "Libertarian" but who really is? Yet if you look at the Obama Agenda at: www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/ and look at Libertarian Party motto: Smaller Government, Less Taxes, More Freedom and LP issues at: www.lp.org/issues there are many areas of common interest. Below are some of the top Libertarian Party issues that Obama has some agreement with.

Libertarian Party motto: "Smaller Government, Less Taxes, More Freedom"

"Lower Taxes"
..."working families struggle to pay their taxes" www.lp.org/issues/taxes

PRESIDENT OBAMA: "I'll Cut Taxes for 95% of "Working Families"

Obama’s Comprehensive Tax Policy Plan for America will:
Cut taxes for 95 percent of "workers" and their "families" with a tax cut of $500 for workers or $1,000 for working couples.
Provide generous tax cuts for low- and middle-income seniors, homeowners, the uninsured, and families sending a child to college or looking to save and accumulate wealth.
Eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses, cut corporate taxes for firms that invest and create jobs in the United States, and provide tax credits to reduce the cost of healthcare and to reward investments in innovation.
Eliminating the need for millions of senior citizens to file tax forms

Libertarian Party: How Can We Cut Taxes?

... politicians spend millions to subsidize tobacco farmers...

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Goes After Farm Subsidies President-elect Obama gave an example of one piece of wasteful government spending: farm subsidies.
Obama cited a GAO report that said from 2003 to 2006, "millionaire farmers" got $49 million in farm subsidies despite earning more than the $2.5 million cutoff in annual income. "If it's true," Obama said, "it's a prime example of waste."

"More Freedom"

Libertarian Party: Freedom of Speech, Against Censorship"We defend the rights of individuals to unrestricted freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the right of individuals to dissent from government itself....
We oppose any abridgment of the freedom of speech through government censorship, regulation or control of communications media."

http://www.lp.org/issues/freedom-of-speech

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Freedom of Speech, Against Censorship

President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. To send questions, comments, concerns, or well-wishes to the President or his staff, please go to website: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/Contact/

Change the Culture of Secrecy: Obama will institute a National Declassification Center to make declassification secure but routine, efficient, and cost-effective.
Everyone can participate and inform the work of the President through the online front door of the White House at the Office of Public Liaison & Intergovernmental Affairs (OPL-IGA). OPL-IGA will bring new voices to the table, build relationships with constituents and seeks to embody the essence of the President's movement for change through the meaningful engagement of citizens and their elected officials by the federal government.
Engaging the American People on Foreign Policy: Obama and Biden will bring foreign policy decisions directly to the people by requiring their national security officials to have periodic national broadband town hall meetings to discuss foreign policy. Obama will personally deliver Your Weekly Address via webcast.

"Removing the troops from Iraq"

Libertarian Party: We established years ago that the war in Iraq had little to do with national security, if it ever did. Even those that initially supported the war in Iraq have come around to recognize that the longer we keep our troops in the region, the more lives we lose and the more money is wasted. It is time to bring the troops home. http://www.lp.org/issues/current-issues
"We support the maintenance of a sufficient military to defend the United States against aggression." - Libertarian Party Platform, Section 3.1 (adopted: May 2008)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: to remove all of our troops from Iraq.

"Immigration" http://www.lp.org/issues/immigration

Libertarian Party: "For those workers already in the United States illegally, we can avoid "amnesty" and still offer a pathway out of the underground economy. Newly legalized workers can be assessed fines and back taxes and serve probation befitting the misdemeanor they've committed. They can be required to take their place at the back of the line should they eventually apply for permanent residency."

President Obama: http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/immigration/

Bring People Out of the Shadows: Support a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.

Could our Country Go Belly-Up

Tom Awtry — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:36:13 EDT

A thought that had never really crossed my mind was: Could the United Sates go broke!

Yes, I guess it could in the international community’s eyes, which is an alarming possibility. I know this is a negative thought to contemplate when President Obama’s Stimulus Package is just beginning to work (see here and here) and we have two straight days of gains on Wall Street, but really who would have ever thought we would be in the economic troubles we are experiencing today.

In an article by TIME online the author presents this possibility, but this same article doesn’t really explore the events that could lead-up and cause our “kiss of death” of financial bankruptcy. Think about it for a moment!

Should we suffer through another conflict, such as what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, or even worse a full on war with a supper power this could really drain the money reserves our country has nest-egged away. Also, what about an issue we seem to avoid talking about and only rendering token understanding, which is, Global Warming. Suppose the world starts going into a free-fall mode of heating up? Again, our cash reserves would have to come to the rescue.

OK, enough gloom and doom, but I think we had better start watching and voicing our opinions to our politicians, letting them know the days gone by of spend, spend, spend or coming to an end and want to starting seeing where our money is going and for what!

Here’s the article I was referring to in TIME, entitled: “Betting the U.S. Government Won’t Pay Its Debts”

America Going Belly-Up

Betting the U.S. Government Won’t Pay Its Debts
Douglas A. McIntyre
By 24/7 Wall St. Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2009

It is one thing when someone can’t make a mortgage payment or a company cannot cover the interest on capital it borrowed to build a new factory. In a recession, those kinds of events are commonplace. It probably never crosses the mind of the average citizen that the ability of the U.S. government to borrow money for deficits, bailouts, mortgage-assistance programs, and refurbishing the monuments in Washington is not limitless. The term infinite may apply to the cosmos but it does not apply to the debt carried by the U.S. Treasury.

MarketWatch pointed out that the spreads on credit-default swaps for U.S. government debt jumped to 97 basis points Tuesday, nearly seven times higher than a year ago and 60% higher than at the end of last year, to a level roughly in line with those of France, according to data supplied by Markit. Those swaps are gambles that America will renege on its financial obligations. Being on par with France is even more humiliating than if we were compared to Cameroon which had a GDP of only $44 billion last year, less than Bernie Madoff took from his clients.

While it may be hard to imagine, what the market’s response means is that the economic crisis is so serious now that it is believed that the United States Treasury may not have the capacity to keep a net under all of the faltering bits and pieces of the financial and credit systems. Traders are sending a message and have decided not to be subtle about it. America is spreading itself too thin. It has taken on obligations to assist many of its largest financial institutions, aid hundreds of thousands of homeowners, create jobs through an economic stimulus package, and give a large portion of the working population tax cuts. Wealthy citizens and corporations will be required to pay more to offset these obligations. This income will only make a difference if these sources have more to pay. A deep recession can be a great leveler.

As economic data for the first quarter begins to come out in April and then second quarter information is released in July, it will become clear whether the idea that the Treasury can borrow enough money to right our national economic ship is plausible. There is absolutely no reason to believe that if GDP contraction hits 10% for a quarter or two and then unemployment increases to double digits that the government will be able to solve what the free market system cannot.

The most alarming information that the federal government should give up before it gets deeper into debt comes from experts who join business TV news show hosts. Simply stated, they argue that the economy got itself into this mess and it will have to get itself out. This idea destroys the belief that the government has the power to protect the financial interests of its own people and companies. It is a philosophy that will create despair in almost all quarters because it is based on the idea that we are on our own in this economic fight for survival. Our government cannot intercede for us.

If the U.S. government starts to have even a modest amount of trouble raising money, the concept of its citizens becoming self-sufficient will take on an entirely new meaning.

Complementing the TIME article is a YouTube video, which is more or less a tough-in-cheek comical view of how one Newscaster feels about our Federal Reserve (worth a careful watch).

Fat Glenn Shows Us Why America is Going BROKE!

Glenn puts on a great show as he shows us why our money is going in the dumper.

I have the small amount of precious metals and food storage I can afford and I hope you do too.

Here is a little info on the Federal Reserve Bank

The Federal Reserve Bank is NOT actually part of the Federal government. It is no more Federal than Federal Express, or Federated Department Stores. It is a private corporation with a legislated monopoly on currency and credit that is allowed to BUY its paper currency for nothing more than the cost of the paper, the ink and the labor from the Bureau of Printing & Engraving (U.S. Treasury). Originally this added up to about 2.3 cents per note, or $230 of cost to buy one million dollars (10,000 100 dollar bills). Today the cost is apparently still about the same.

The Federal Reserve Bank has never paid a dime in income tax and has never been audited, and a percentage of this private bank is owned (or controlled) by foreigners (or their corporate shells)!!

Can you buy your money for $230 per million ?

What happened to equal opportunity ?

“The Federal Reserve Banks are privately owned, locally controlled corporations”
[Lewis vs. U.S., 680 F.2d 1239, 1241](1982)

“As we have advised, the Federal Reserve is currently paying the Bureau approximately $23 for each 1,000 notes printed. This does include the cost of printing, paper, ink, labor, etc. Therefore, 10,000 notes of any denomination, including the $100 note would cost the Federal Reserve $230. In addition, the Federal Reserve must secure a pledge of collateral equal to the face value of the notes.”
- William H. Ferkler (Manager Public Affairs, Dept. of Treasury, Bureau of Engraving & Printing, Wash. D.C.

“It is well enough that the people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.”
- Henry Ford, Founder of the Ford Motor Co.

Why are private unelected individuals controlling the American currency system ? Vrtually running the country, the stock market, the banks, the lending rates, nearly everything ? Where is any of this in the Constitution?

Do you really believe they are representing We the People with their policies?

If you do, you aren’t thinking clearly!

Why are private unelected individuals controlling the American currency system ? Vrtually running the country, the stock market, the banks, the lending rates, nearly everything ? Where is any of this in the Constitution?

Do you really believe they are representing We the People with their policies?

If you do, you aren’t thinking clearly!

“AS GOES THE FATE OF THE CURRENCY, SO GOES THE FATE OF THE NATION !”

As this posting eludes to: Our nation is in serious economical trouble, but it’s good hear President Obama is pulling the plug on reckless spending by attempting to put a stop on needless earmarks, as can be seen in his remarks, which I have partially posted.

Remarks by the President on Earmark Reform
from White House.gov Press Office Feed

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I ran for President pledging to change the way business is done in Washington and build a government that works for the people by opening it up to the people. And that means restoring responsibility and transparency and accountability to actions that the government takes. And working with the Congress over my first 50 days in office, we’ve made important progress toward that end.

Working together, we passed an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that’s already putting people back to work doing the work that America needs done. We did it without the customary Congressional earmarks — the practice by which individual legislators insert projects of their choosing. We’re implementing the Recovery Act with an unprecedented level of aggressive oversight and transparency, including a website — recovery.gov — that allows every American to see how their tax dollars are spent and report on cases where the system is breaking down.

IN OUR OWN WORDS

Terry Danielson — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:18:34 EST

IN OUR OWN WORDS

A Collection of Stories and Photographs

From Military Families of the

Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

To our President and First Lady

On February 27, 2009, in his speech from Camp Lejeune, President Obama said, "…my strategy for ending the war in Iraq does not end with military plans or diplomatic agendas; it endures through our commitment to uphold our sacred trust with every man and woman who has served in Iraq.... And for you and your families, the war does not end when you come home. It lives on in memories of your fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who gave their lives…. You and your families have done your duty; now a grateful nation must do ours….”

“We also know that service does not end with the person wearing the uniform. In her visits with Military Families across the country, my wife Michelle has learned first hand about the unique burden that your families endure every day. I want you to know that Military Families are a top priority for Michelle and me, and they will be a top priority for my administration…. Each of you has your own story. And that story is now a part of the history of the United States of America..."

Recently, on a show from Walter Reed, Oprah talked about Military Families, reminding Americans that every day when we listen to the news, we hear another number, and we go on with our lives. Behind the statistics are real families. An injured service member at Walter Reed said, “No soldier comes back the same - it is a family process. Go to the floor upstairs where the injuries are not seen. They are just as injured as those with physical injuries."

As President Obama works to end the war in Iraq, and the war in Afghanistan continues, the faces and every day lives of Military Families who wait at home will remain at the center of the war and our stories will continue. During war, military family experiences are so much more than can ever be communicated in news reports, care packages, legislation, military or political strategies.

Our MYBO/OFA group, “Military Families Need Obama as We Share the Human Faces of War,” led by military parents and siblings, invites military spouses, children, grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles to be a part of "IN OUR OWN WORDS," a special collection of stories and photographs that will be presented to our President and First Lady.

"IN OUR OWN WORDS" will share the human faces of the consequences of war from the hearts and souls of those who live it everyday. It is intended to serve as a tribute to the lives of Military Families of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and will include both our inspirational and heart breaking experiences, with a special section honoring those service members who have been killed while at war. Together, Military Families will create "IN OUR OWN WORDS” with the hope that as we share our stories, it will lift us all up.

Stories and photographs will only be used in this project to be presented to our President and First Lady. They will not be distributed to any other group, organization, or the media. To learn more about how to participate in this project, please contact one of us:

Debbie: DebbieIngraham@gmail.com

Jessica: JessicaIngraham@gmail.com

Terry: Tdaniel333@comcast.net

"Astronomics"

Charles — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:53:41 EST

Astronomics$!

"No term exists to describe the current spiraling fiscal situation..."

The phenomenon of a 789 billion dollar stimulus package has quite simply exceeded the necessary vocabulary to be in any way adequately understood and encompassed.

So I hope you'll forgive this writer coining the term "Astronomics$."

No, it hadn't yet existed in modern parlance, but I, like most Americans, am dwarfed by the idea of it all, with its unparalleled price tag.

It's way out there, out in the Milky Way somewhere. And were it not from a great distance mentally, we couldn't possibly conceive of it at all.

I sat, stunned, with my mother watching the news, as CEO Vikram Pandit of Citigroup - which in the form of CitiMortgage owns the lien on my home - testified before testy Senators. They gnawed at him as if they were the old lady in the familiar Wendy's hamburger commercial in search of the patty of beef on the proverbial bun. So, "Where's the beef?"

And there's a beef all right, carnivorous in its intensity, angrily pervasive in this country of ours. Folks are hungry for help, but, politically and psychologically, and where their wallet is concerned, they're looking at accumulating lint. If they are nourished at all, it is with sarcasm, because they're all fed up!

And this sandwich, however, comes in the huge form of a sum hitherto unheard and even not thought of.

A stimulus package. It boggles the mind of any who try to wrap themselves around it.

It actually approaches a zillion dollars! Frankly, I'm surprised the spell-check let that one by me. But, apparently the word does legitimately exist.

If you, like I, am used to rounding cents upward to dollars in your checkbook in the best of times when the budget allows, then you cannot fathom this ridiculously high amount of money.

My research took me to multiple sites, all with the information below a matter of public record.

Just take a look of the summation below to see how the Treasury has thus far disseminated our tax, and as yet unearned, dollars:

TARP AID - Participants in Troubled Assets Relief Program

How Treasury has spend/committed the $350 Billion so far.
1)$168 billion in varying amounts to 116 banks
2)Committed another $82 billion to capitalize more banks
3)Bought $40 billion in preferred shares of American International Group (AIG, Fortune 500) so the troubled insurer could pay off an earlier loan from the Federal Reserve
4)Committed $20 billion to back any losses that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York might incur in a new program to lend money to owners of securities backed by credit card debt, student loans, auto loans and small business loans
5)Committed to invest $20 billion in Citigroup on top of $25 billion the bank had already received
6)Committed $5 billion as a loan loss backstop to Citigroup
7)Agreed to loan $13.4 billion to GM and Chrysler to get them through the next few months.
8)Invested $5 billion in GMAC
9)BofA to Get $20B More From TARP, Plus Backstop on $118B

Below, see a list of participating companies.
Last updated: 1/16/2009 using Treasury announcements.
Click the headers of the columns to sort by company, state and amount.

Date Announced*

Company

Headquarters

Capital, in millions

Status**

10/28/2008

Citigroup Inc***

New York

$25,000

Completed

10/28/2008

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co

New York

$25,000

Completed

10/28/2008

Wells Fargo & Co

California

$25,000

Completed

10/28/2008

Bank of America Corp

North Carolina

$15,000

Completed

1/9/2009

Bank of America Corporation**

North Carolina

$10,000

Completed

10/28/2008

Goldman Sachs Group Inc

New York

$10,000

Completed

10/28/2008

Morgan Stanley

New York

$10,000

Completed

That boils down to just six mega-banks when the vrous names are combined: Citigroup, Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs Group, and Morgan Stanley.

They've already gotten our money once, and are looking for more. Bucks we haven't yet earned, and yet have still invested in them.

In the first round of payouts, executives blatantly thumbed their noses at the American public, taking ridiculously high bonuses - many millions of dollars apiece. But none of this so far has caused them to loosen their grip on loan resources for John and Sally Q. Public.

Now it remains to be seen if the current astronomically high amount of investment infusion will produce the desired results: more jobs, a revived economy, and the salvation of American home owners in danger of foreclosure.

One Corporate bank CEO told Barney Frank's congressional committee that his bank had so far saved 60,000 debtors from foreclosure.

But thousands of homes have already been lost.

My dear old bungalow house is among those remaining, badly in need of repairs and a lower interest rate should I wish to survive.

My credit? I recently sent for a "free" credit report, but it didn't include sufficient detail to completely review my status and rating, so I ended up purchasing the reports in their entirety from Experian, Transunion, and Equifax.

Turns out I haven't incurred any registered reports of late payments, because my bills have always been paid within 90 days.

But as to the status of my credit, I have watched as my open to buy was downgraded by the ever cautious and conservative American Express, and then upgraded by Discover and Chase. It has been a teeter-tottering experience, if not a mad merry-go-round,

Still, from day to day and week to week, the figures of my credit worthiness on charge cards have varied wildly between $10,000 to $30,000.

In a conversation with a Wells Fargo customer service representative, I was told that I should refinance my bill payer mortgage loan with them, and that they were "the most solvent bank in the country."

I responded to this pomposity by saying, "fine, send me the application in the mail, and I'll take a look at it." But the information has yet to appear.

It's the same old story. Major banks have yet to put their money where their mouths are.

I've grown all too weary of just scraping along. The irony of it all was brought home, as I was completing this article, by comedian Bill Maher this evening on the Larry King show. He offered the same analogy as I have in my past writings: "The foxes," in effect the Republicans, "have been in charge of the chicken coop too long!" He went on to observe that the disparity between the very few wealthy two percent of Americans and the increasing debt of the middle and lower classes has worsened the situation. He spoke of stagflation, but also observed that the living wages of American workers have hardly changed at all in the past thirty years. But the continued to charge on their cards, and buy homes with ever more inflated property values.

Now the boom, or balloon seems to have burst.

Today, adding the most historical of ironies to our national and world situation, is the two hundredth anniversary of the births of both Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. When one considers the politically divided United States and the status of a world torn by war, famine, and disease, it isn't at all a very secure situation. Survival sis not something for which mankind has ever been able to purchase a guarantee.

One wonders in this crisis what such a president as Abraham Lincoln would do. President Obama has been stumping the country for his policies, speaking to the common people, just as Lincoln once was the first to do - drawing crowds numbering in the tens of thousands, city by city traveling by train..

Lincoln has come to be seen in refreshed, detailed, and more balanced terms these days, with the observations of historians on two National Public Broadcasting shows which on February 11, 2009 cast new light on the great emancipator.

It turns out that he was a white supremacist, and that he had, according to latest research, mostly had economic factors in mind in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.

Lincoln's personality is now in retrospect thought to have been flawed by deep depression and the common white prejudices of his day. But he was a person who struggled against poverty early in life. He remarked that his early years could be summed up in one phrase: "The short and simple annals of the poor."

Could today's CEOs survive on even a hundred times the per diem expense of 75 cents, as did Lincoln and his 300 pound, lawyer partner when making the rounds of Illinois circuit courts?

I doubt it.

Atop his horse, Old Tom, Lincoln rode through prairie grasses that grew as high as his head all about him.

A brilliant litigator, he urged townspeople to, if at all possible, avoid the expenses of the legal system.

Still, he had to earn a living, and took cases both for an escaped slave and later for a Kentucky slave owner in the affirmative.

He never truly new financial prosperity, despite rising to the highest executive office in the land. He felt fortunate enough just to manage, and had difficulty keeping his wife, southern belle Mary Todd, happy.

But he successfully traversed troubled times, determined to keep the American Union intact. That also reminds me of the sea of growing debt we are now attempting to navigate.

Having a temper just like you and I, he even became involved in a sword duel which was narrowly averted by the two people who acted as seconds negotiating a settlement. Well, if he were around now, I firmly feel he'd be angry as hell, and cursing. Yes, Lincoln did curse, and also visited a prostitute, as well as indulging in "blacky" jokes.

Struggling as a young lawyer, when he finally won a big Illinois Supreme Court case, he had to sue merely to recover his fee.

Would he be chasing an economic ambulance these days? Perhaps. Or maybe he would be among the senators or their aids who are peppering Bankers and corporations with questions as to how they are using and misusing public stimulus and TARP funds.

He agonized over the Civil War and its consequent cost in human lives.

We are now at war upon fronts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. And surely the most major cause of our national debt has been the horrendous military expenditures, as well as corporate greed by civil contracts acquired support without benefit of bidding and oversight. That has left former Vice President Cheney and his Halliburton far more wealthy than before.

Nothing is free. Everything innately in this life has its cost, whether in money, in patience, in labor, or in stress.

Which brings us back to the present day stress of bail outs and their price tags.

In our times adults responsible in the economic crisis have come to resemble children in a war of words.

Recall how, as kids we would try to outdo our playmates?

"You have a million of them? Well, I've got a billion!: Then the retort would be "a trillon" and following that a ba-zillion" and a "ga-zillion!" So went all the lofty taunts.

If money were humor, one could do a Jimmy Durante impersonation: "I've got a million of 'em, folks - a million of 'em!"

But it's greenbacks were talking about here.

Not jokes. Not astronomy either.

Yet we've had to put the subject of fiscal peril in terms that can only be viewed at such a great distance as to be cosmic in astrological euphemisms. And financial slavery has taken on the face of debt, rather than color.

Even the traditional national pass-time, baseball has been tainted. The Yankees will soon be playing in a stadium which replaces the "house that Ruth built," and its new name: Citibank! This sponsorship will benefit the team annually with its top heavy all-star payroll, to the tune of twenty billion dollars a year.

So one cannot help but draw the inevitable conclusion that poverty, with its attendant long term debt, is an equal opportunity mortgage banker - a present day Shylock - fixing the books, and embezzling the tax dollar. It's now a racetrack full of economically careless drivers. Just an accident, looking for a place to happen, it may soon resemble a veritable multi-vehicle auto accident resulting from veering around, and finally disastrously crashing. Or perhaps this has already occurred in terms beyond our wildest nightmares - and we are only just starting to realize it!

We've substituted dollar signs for stars in the process. Or are they planets - all of them red as Mars like the ink with which accounts note, penny by penny, our burgeoning budget?!

So, to quote the song from "My Fair Lady," "Are the stars out tonight? I don't care if it's cloudy or bright, 'cause I've only got eyes for you."

Unfortunately, it's not a love affair at all - if it ever was one - and it seems as though in point of fact our bankers only have unashamed lies for you.

They're at the top of the world, or out in the firmament, and they're looking down on us now.

But we've reached an impasse, and can no longer hold them in such high, starry eyed respect.

Maybe educators will one day thank them for introducing a new area of study. After all, they've introduced us to a possible whole area of research to be taught soon in our schools and colleges: "Astronomics$!."

Fallen Soldiers at Dover

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:41:30 EST

News coverage of flag-draped coffins has been a major debate since President Barack Obama announced a review of the policy, which we wrote about here today.

Since 1991, during the Gulf War, media access has been banned at the air force base in Dover where casualties -- now many from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars -- go through on their last journey home.

Nearly two-thirds of military families do not support lifting the ban, according to an informal poll released by one coalition of military families today. This is not a scientific survey, but the responses certainly add to the debate.

Families United for Our Troops and their Mission asked its 60,000-plus members via email how they felt. So far, they've received about 600 responses. Here's what they think:

64 percent believe that the policy should not be changed

21 percent feel if the ban is overturned then families of the fallen should determine media access on a case-by-case basis

12 percent indicated a desire to overturn the policy and allow all flag-draped caskets to be photographed.

"We at Families United are not advocating overturning the current ban, but if the Obama Administration is demanding a change then we strongly believe that the decision to permit media at Dover [air force base] should be left to the family members of the fallen hero," said Brian Wise, executive director of Families United, in a statement.

At least 4245 members of the US military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003.

Coffins of fallen troops arrive at Dover Air Force Base, Del. The Air Force released this undated photo after a Freedom of Information Act request.

Source: Dallas Morning News Wed, Feb 18, 2009

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/02/more-military-families-weigh-i.html

Right America

P Crawley — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:11:22 EST

I watched an HBO special last night called "Right America" it was quite an insight on the beliefs and reasons as to why certain people especially from the south didn't vote correctly on Nov. 4th (namley voted republican) here are some of the reasons given.

1) He's not a man of God he believes in murder. And will ellect all new supreme court judges to support him.

(obviosly the "God Squad" that don't believe in "free will" and dosen't know how the judical system works)

2) I don't like the fact that our taxes are going to go up.

(this was a school teacher, she must be REALLY rich or just watches fox news)

3) He's not an American, he's going to be sworn in using the Qur'an and since those were Muslims that attacked us on 9/11 I think he's in bed with terrorists.

(I think everyone in the south should be sent a version of the Constitution, then when they get past 3rd grade be made to read it, especially the part about only a natural born citizen can become president!)

4) America isn't ready for a black president.

(notably these were NAS-CAR enthusiasts that think going in circles really fast is cool and they also wanted to repeel the woman's right to vote, nuff said)

5) He'll turn this country Socialist just like Hitler and Marx did to Europe!

(What the ...... BLEEP!)

At this point my interest then laughter turned into utter shock. First, Hitler was a fascist and Marx was a communist, which by the way wasn't even living at the world war two stage, I think the name they were grasping for was Stalin! That would be about as far left and far right as you could politically get. Second, The "Evil" word of "Socialism", thanks to the republicans most people in the US think it means communism, it dosen't, it just means "ecconomic equality".

We have a socialist police force & fire service because it's considered good for everyone, why not a socialist health care system. Basic human rights should be covered by the government, my favorite quote, "A government FOR the people BY the people" should include taking CARE of the people.

Now i'm not saying that ALL socialist things are good, we don't need ALL electric power handled by the government but an option might lower some electric bills and maybe water and gas as an option. It would sure stop some summer price hikes when your air is running or winter gas hikes when you need to be warm. Just a thought.

Back to healthcare, my sister-in-law is a republican and my wife and I democrat, last year my wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, it took the administration more than two hours to get her to her room and most of that time was filling out paperwork and waiting around for return phone calls from our insurance provider. I asked my sister-in-law, "wouldn't you like to see a free health care system?", she said, "Hell no we have much better healthcare than other countries", lets see. My cousin in England is doctor, i asked him how long it takes, he sent me the form needed to enter an NHS (National Heath Service) hospital.

Name: xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Address: xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Date of Birth: xxxxxxxxxxx

NIN: xxxxxxxxxxxxx (stands for National Insurance Number, same as SSN)

Ok, the Dr will be right with you, that's it, done, no phone calls, not more waiting, off to your room.

Everything is on a central database (which no-one has ever hacked by the way, just like a bank, totally secure)

My wife has had her opperation and is now on her chemo and her radiation ($3000 per session, total with insuance $36,000, our insurance paid thank god, total in England $0) She's now taking four perscription drugs everyday one of them costs $105 per pill, thankfully the insuance covers them. I told my cousin what the medication was and he told me, "it doesn't matter what the drug is it's $10.00 per perscription". I asked him what about the $105 pill what if she need 30 of them, he said, "$10.00 per perscription no matter what, 10 pills, 100 pills same price".

"The taxes must be really high to have such a socalist healthcare system?"

5% extra tax and everyone is covered, not even perscription charges for children under 16 and people over 65, they pay nothing at all. I can hear people saying "5%" that's a huge chunk of my money, is it? is it really? think about it, if your employed you pay for a medical plan, A chunk comes out of your pay check each month and your employer pays the difference. Look at your pay stub next time you get paid and calculate how much your paying, it's about on average 2% of your income and your boss foots another 5%, that's 7%, 2% more than what you would pay, 1% on your side plus your employer could pay you more as they save money by not having to insure you!

Just do the math, if you paid a little more your employer could save money and maybe not offshore your job!

Unemployed people pay nothing, small business people get a tax rebate.

I lived and was born in England for more than 30 years, I think the longest i waited was about an hour without an appointment. As for long waiting lists, not true, if you have elective surgery then sure you might need to wait a while but for serious medical needs your seen right away, do Americans really think a heart attack victim has to wait a month before he gets treated?

Don't get me wrong I love this country and England is far from perfect, England is rated 18th best in the world for healthcare but America is listed at 37th?

Most Americans couldn't name 36 countries, Africa isn't a country by the way and neither is Europe:-)

Are we as Americans really sure we wouldn't want to have some free healthcare, sooner or later everyone gets sick, do you want to have to sell your house to pay for it?

Back to the five questions I heard above, one thing sticks out more than anything I heard, dis-information & lies. Any well educated person knows that there are two parties, not people but parties, there was Bush and then McCain, just because McCain is a likable fellow does not mean he thinks different, his "Party", is the same. Most of the people interviewed didn't like Bush alot but thought McCain could be trusted. Now i'm no magical wizz on politics but isn't republican being replaced by republican the same policy? Education, Education, Education. It's not the man/woman it's the policy then the person. If Joe the Plummer was running and won the nomination for the democrates I'd still vote democrat. I must admit though voting for someone that came from nothing make me tingle a little, least he knows how many houses he owns (the words silver & spoon spring to mind for McCain and wife).

A very smart man by the name of "Tony Benn" once said a very profound statment and it's happening right now in America, he said. "There are only two ways to control the people if your in government, fear and lack of education, scare the people and they will let you do anything even if it infringes on there civil liberties. Don't educate the people so they believe what you say"

Think about it, wire taps, getmo, people not knowing the facts, people not asking questions, people looking for WMD, wars started, terror, terror, terror. and the last thing the republicans wanted removed from the stimulus package, less on education. We have become a nation of sheep looking for a leader I hope we have found one, the fat cats in washington have raped this country enough, the private companies have transfered the public funds via a war not needed, American lives have been wasted in the name of corperate greed and the world has become more unstable than ever. Unless we realise that our government is broken we can never fix it. The french did just that several hundred years ago now they are ranked number one in human rights including healthcare. There government is afriad of it's people, Americans seem afriad of it's politicians. I hope we have the right person, I personally think so but like i said the fat cats want to keep there wealth, it's going to be hard to take it from them.

The Power is Yours.

Letter to the President from Army of Dude, Very Important

Annette Sousley — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:35:55 EST

This is for Alex, a young veteran of the Iraq War. I have linked to his blog before, in the B A D list, when the Weblog Awards were going on and I have talked about it at other times.

Well, this morning I noticed there was a new post, so I went to read it. I have been touched deeply by Alex's posts before, but this one really, really touched my heart. So, I am asking you to read this post, I am putting here, I will also link to his blog, he is a very talented writer, and you can follow your heart, but I think you will see where he and I are coming from. I hope you will write to Pres. Obama as I am and ask that he spare Alex's friend and all the others who are caught up in this back door draft that the Bushies got us into. Because that's how it is. So, read this and see what you think. Then if you want, go here to "http://armyofdude.blogspot.com/ and read more.

More after the fold

Subcommittee Assignments for House Veterans' Affairs Committee

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:26:44 EST

VETERANS: This is who is introducing legislation on your behalf.

*************************************

Washington, DC - Today, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Bob Filner, announced Subcommittee assignments.

Members of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs:

Bob Filner, CA, Chairman, Corrine Brown, FL, Vic Snyder, AR, Michael M. Michaud, ME , Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, SD, Harry E. Mitchell, AZ, John J. Hall, NY, Deborah L. Halvorson, IL, Thomas S.P. Perriello, VA, Harry Teague, NM, Ciro D. Rodriguez, TX, Joe Donnelly, IN, Jerry McNerney, CA, Zachary T. Space, OH, Timothy J. Walz, MN, John H. Adler, NJ, Ann Kirkpatrick, AZ, Glenn C. Nye, VA, Steve Buyer, IN, Ranking Member, Cliff Stearns, FL, Jerry Moran, KS, Henry E. Brown, Jr., SC, Jeff Miller, FL, John Boozman, AR, Brian P. Bilbray, CA, Doug Lamborn, CO, Gus M. Bilirakis, FL, Vern Buchanan, FL, David P. Roe, TN

Subcommittee Assignments for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs:

Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs:

John J. Hall, New York, Chairman, Deborah L. Halvorson, Illinois, Joe Donnelly, Indiana, Ciro D. Rodriguez, Texas, Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona, Doug Lamborn, Ranking Member, Jeff Miller, Florida, Brian P. Bilbray, California

Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity:

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota, Chairwoman, Thomas S.P. Perriello, Virginia, John H. Adler, New Jersey, Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona, Harry Teague, New Mexico, John Boozman, Arkansas, Ranking Member, Jerry Moran, Kansas, Gus M. Bilirakis, Florida

Subcommittee on Health:

Michael H. Michaud, Maine, Chairman, Corrine Brown, Florida, Vic Snyder, Arkansas, Harry Teague, New Mexico, Ciro D. Rodriguez, Texas, Joe Donnelly, Indiana, Jerry McNerney, California, Glenn C. Nye, Virginia, Deborah L. Halvorson, Illinois, Thomas S.P. Perriello, Virginia, Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina, Ranking Member, Cliff Stearns, Florida, Jerry Moran, Kansas, John Boozman, Arkansas, Gus M. Bilirakis, Florida, Vern Buchanan, Florida

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations:

Harry E. Mitchell, Arizona, Chairman, Zachary T. Space, Ohio, Timothy J. Walz, Minnesota, John H. Adler, New Jersey, John J. Hall, New York, David P. Roe, Tennessee, Ranking Member, Cliff Stearns, Florida, Brian P. Bilbray, California

Source:

http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4157&Itemid=1

Investigate Bush/Cheney for war crimes. Petition

Texas_Democrat_06 — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:04:41 EST

I will remember the last 8 years of financial destruction here in the US and the bloodshed of millions of civilians on a global scale. most honest political and financial experts consider him the worst leader america has ever had and this is why.

Worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression
Lied about the war in Iraq
No WMD's found in Iraq
Vetoed health coverage for kids
Ignored law, allowed torture
Illegal wiretapping
Had enough info to stop 9/11 and didn't, hid that fact from the public
Lost Bin laden at Tora Bora
Crassly unconstitutional signing statements
Stripped resources from Afghanistan and sent them to Iraq
Didn't catch Bin Laden
Allowed Al Qaeda to regroup in Pakistan Afghan war out of control
Lied about reducing greenhouse emissions, ignored warming
Muzzled warming scientists in NASA and elsewhere
Political appointments to Department of Justice and political prosecutions
Cheney, Rove, and others in contempt of Congress -- refused to tell the American people the truth
Fooled public into believing Saddam was involved in 9/11 when he knew otherwise
Made light of inabilty to find WMD's

Please sign the petition to investigate Bush/Cheney for war crimes.
Then pass it on to everyony you know that will sign it.

Petition link http://www.petitiononline.com/856798/petition.html

Iraq Elections - Why not US?

tinker.tc — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:57:08 EST

Hi.

This is just a quick post to direct all to recent blog posts on the best electoral reform site bar none:

http://www.fairvote.org/blog/

t.tc

Defense Official: Obama Calling for Defense Budget Cuts

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:05:15 EST

Some overall budget figures are expected to be announced Monday | Friday, January 30, 2009

The Obama administration has asked the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff to cut the Pentagon's budget request for the fiscal year 2010 by more than 10 percent -- about $55 billion -- a senior U.S. defense official tells FOX News.

Last year's defense budget was $512 billion. Service chiefs and planners will be spending the weekend "burning the midnight oil" looking at ways to cut the budget -- looking especially at weapons programs, the defense official said.

Some overall budget figures are expected to be announced Monday.

Obama met Friday at the White House with a small group of military advisers, including Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman, and Gen. Jim Jones, National Security Council chairman.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/30/defense-official-obama-calling-defense-budget-cuts/

HELP ME WIN A SCHOLARSHIP just by reading this

Marcella from Point Pleasant Beach, NJ — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:26:53 EST

Obama: An American Savior

The next four years won’t be all sugarplums and lollipops for America (or the world, for that matter). A regime change alone – even one as stark as President Obama’s – cannot restructure the direction of a nation. After all, the President is only one man. However, America has begun to weave a sustainable pattern in the fabric of real change. With the beloved, optimistic Barack Obama coming in on the heels of a tarred-and-feathered administration, the communication, unity, and will of the people have aligned in a constellation of transformation that will usher in a new era of American Federal Government.

Barack Obama’s presidency will be the dawn of a new relationship between the federal government and the American people. The beginning of change will come as communication improves between the American public and governmental leadership. Americans can expect President Obama to come out from behind his desk in the Oval Office not just to address them, but invite them in, listen, and interact with them. President Obama will use technology, including the Internet, cell phones, PDAs, and even MP3 players, to keep in touch with the American public and to keep the American public involved with the federal government. The Obama Administration will regularly meet with the press and keep the media abreast of governmental goings-on. The propaganda and rhetoric of late will be replaced with progressive conversation and bipartisan dialogue. Starting with his own administration, President Obama will permeate transparency through Washington like bleach through dirty water.

Never before has America been so prepared for a decontamination of D.C., a Congressional cleansing, and a purification of power. If there’s one thing Americans can agree on, it’s that the federal government is so tainted with sullied politics that the trust of the people it represents is in real jeopardy, if not already lost. The unity and will of the American people are as commanding now as they have been in times of great historical change. It has taken years of political misconduct to generate the atmosphere of mistrust that defines the nation's capitol at present. In this politically aggravated climate, Americans can be sure that President Obama will rise to the occasion and quench their thirst for change with the nectar of ethical and responsible ideology. Political recklessness and irresponsibility will not be tolerated in the Obama Administration. Expect a purge of problematic party politics, patronage, and pandering to special interests and a reach for reasonable, responsive, and accountable representation in Washington.

With D.C. under an Obama-brand broom and mop, the President will work to accomplish all he has promised in preceding months. Within (his first) four years, President Obama will address the most pressing issues facing America. This, of course, includes a resolution to the economic crisis, but many issues, including America’s dependence on foreign oil and weakening job market, must be resolved in order to solve the economic dilemma. He will create an environment conducive to energy independence and the proliferation of renewable energy sources that will create new industries for employment and liberate the country from dependence on foreign oil. He will cultivate infrastructure and the American auto industry to bolster the job market and reduce unemployment. Scientific investigation, including promising stem cell research, will increase under the Obama Administration to keep America up to speed with the international scientific community and expand job opportunities. He will also invest in America’s greatest asset – education – by increasing tax credits for higher education students, improving public education school systems, and either funding or eliminating the No Child Left Behind Act. He will increase the availability and affordability of quality healthcare coverage by offering a federal plan option to all Americans and cracking down on excess pharmaceutical charges. He will create a more balanced tax system that will begin to restore the federal budget and ensure the continuity of essential federal programs. He will close Guantanamo Bay detention camp, repeal the Patriot Act, and turn over power to Iraqi security forces to begin the removal of U.S. troops. President Obama will work to improve our international rapport and diplomatic relations, particularly in the Middle Eastern region, through open conversation with alliesand enemies. Change is what America expects and change is what she will get.

This change will not come immediately (C’mon, its politics!), but it will come in the next four years. Americans have spoken; we want change, we need change, and we’re ready for it. Now we look to President Barack Obama to make it happen.

If you like what you read, please vote for it on Brickfish.com! You'll help me win a scholarship.

URL:

http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/Blogs/BlogView.aspx?bid=35954&=HP_all_PPIMEMAIL&isep=1&pbapi=1898218&pbvi=57390710

Thanks! Be well.

Cella

US Army recalls 16,000 pieces of body armor

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:52:01 EST

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US Army announced Thursday it has recalled 16,000 units of body armor after an audit determined they were not tested properly and posed a potential danger to soldiers.

The army vehemently contested the conclusions of the audit report by the Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General (DOD IG), which said three out of eight designs tested and approved by the army had actually failed testing.

But the department nevertheless pulled the protective gear as a precautionary measure.

The report "identified a range of issues involving Army testing processes and documentation dating back to 2007," the US Army said in a statement.

The Army stressed it had already identified problems raised by the inspector general and "moved aggressively to fix them," including instituting reforms to equipment testing.

"Out of more than 2,300 body armor tests conducted by the Army, the DoD IG is questioning three of them," Secretary of the Army Pete Geren said in the statement.

The Pentagon's Directorate of Operational Test and Evaluation, "the government's preeminent independent expert, says the plates passed those three tests," Geren said.

According to a copy of the DoD IG report released Thursday, the first-article testing meant to confirm the product meets US Army specifications "was not consistently conducted or scored in accordance with contract terms, conditions, and specifications."

"As a result, the Army does not have assurance that all inserts purchased under Contract 0040 provide the level of protection required," the report said, referring to the armor plates inserted into bullet-proof vests.

The army argued that the report implied the military issued defective armor plates to its troops.

"There is nothing more important than the safety of our soldiers, their confidence in their equipment, and America's confidence in their Army," Geren said in a statement.

"We think we utilized valid processes and we came to the correct conclusion," Brigadier General Peter Fuller, who oversees the equipment issued to Army soldiers, said during a conference call.

"We provide the best we can to our soldiers. No one has been killed because they have defective body armor," Fuller added. "Why is that? Because we don't issue defective body armor."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hrEHJDYzokgq3hDXbPUZXMmaEL8g

Military substance abuse

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:41:25 EST

Sen. Claire McCaskill wants to force the Pentagon to change its substance abuse treatment policies worldwide in the wake of recent failures to help addicted personnel at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.

McCaskill, D-Mo., questioned Defense Secretary Robert Gates in a congressional hearing Tuesday and disclosed plans to introduce legislation that would give confidentiality to servicemen and women who get addicted to drugs such as Oxycontin, often after being wounded in combat.

McCaskill described to Gates what she called a "scandal" at Fort Leonard Wood in which more than 150 soldiers dating back to 2007 had trouble getting help for addiction and waited for as long as nine months for treatment.

She attributed chronic problems to military policy in which drug and liquor problems typically are treated as disciplinary matters, not medical issues.

Army records show that legal painkiller use by injured troops has increased nearly 70 percent since the start of the Iraq war six years ago. Surveys show that more soldiers are struggling with prescription drug addiction while also seeking help from Army doctors and counselors.

Eight soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood were convicted by court martial in 2008 of illegal drug use or distribution. Five more await trial on similar charges.

Jan. 27, 2009 -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates testifies about strains on the Pentagon's budget during an a appearance Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill. Gates, the only Cabinet holdover from the Bush Administration, is recuperating from surgery to his left arm, which he injured handling snow equipment over the holidays.

By Bill Lambrecht POST-DISPATCH WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF

Barrack-lets get out of Afghanistan and Iraq

William from McKinney, TX — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:48:15 EST

Barrack,

there is no real proof that 19 islamic terrorists ever attacked us on 9/11. Even the FBI does not want OBL for 9/11. About 30% of Americans now believe it was an inside job. the evidence points to the Bush Administration involvement.

There are many that claim the only reason we are in Afghanistan is the CIA is running drugs from there as well as Columbia.

Lets have some real change. Investigate 9/11 and get out of war.

let's also look at abolishing the Federal Reserve. There is no need for it.

Also, the bailout has turned into the biggest theft in the worlds history. There is no money out here in the real world. Look at unemployment rates. Bring me to Washington, I will assist with real change.

God Bless,

Ashley

Sacrifices Made for Democracy, Here and Abroad.

Karen from Coral Gables (Miami), FL. — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:33:49 EST

The events taking place are inspiring, uplifting, uniting a nation which is bruised and weary, witness to democracy at her finest. Electing our first African American president Barack Obama the day after honoring the man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whose courageousness and sacrifice made this possible shines an even more hopeful light on our democratic process. Just as families all across the nation are observing events of historic proportions, on TV, radios, the internet, blackberries, iPhones...Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, IM... military families too have their eyes glued to their TVs, the internet, IM, blackberries, etc. While the world is witness to the strength and resiliency of a well established democracy we are very aware of the continued struggles of a fledgling democracy in Iraq. While our nation is taking a huge step forward...in Iraq there are many days with steps forward and still other days with steps back. This past week the 82nd Airborne, 3rd BCT 'family' lost three fine young men. January 10, 2009, Staff Sergeant Justin Bauer, [24yrs, Loveland, Colo., 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division] and two others- January 16th and January 18th whose names have yet to be released by DoD. Amazing, how your heart can feel so joyful and filled with hope and at the same time the heavy anguish of knowing another mother, father, wife, husband, son, or daughter feels no joy or hope today nor tomorrow. Tomorrow as I witness and celebrate our democracy at its' finest hour ... I will be very mindful of the ultimate sacrifices these three young men and many others have made for the hope of an enduring democracy in the Middle East.

If You're Pro-Life...

Bill Ines, Barack Obama Fellow for Florida — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:26:07 EST

IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE…

If You‘re “Pro Life”…

Feed a starving child.

Ban guns.

Fund all Stem Cell research.

Repeal the Death Penalty.

Clean-up the environment.

Stop genocide in Africa.

Don’t drink-and-drive.

Adopt a homeless child.

Demand Universal Healthcare.

Bring our troops home from Iraq.

But most importantly… if you’re “Pro-Life”…

VOTE DEMOCRAT.

The Russian Threat to Our Energy Security

John from Dayton, OH — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:51:00 EST

My friend Chris (the best drummer in the world) sent me this link today, http://www.good.is/awesome/good_transparency_hidden_cost_of_war.html, that illustrates the total cost of our war for oil in Iraq. The graphic is a bit confusing for me, but the explanation on the right is pretty clear.

Indeed, the costs to the economy of this misguided adventure were painfully clear when I was still managing my auto parts business full-time. At first, we lost some of our best customers (members of the military) when they were deployed, so demand fell. Then soon after that, they called up the Reservists and National Guard - which removed key people from the production floor of many of our suppliers, so we could no longer get orders that were made correctly or delivered on time. After awhile, getting anything done became such a hassle that we just gave up. Add to that the effects of rising fuel and materials costs and multiply by the millions of small businesses like ours, and well, it is no wonder that the economy eventually tanked.

Not to mention the horrible loss of life, wounds, and emotional scars that will forever affect the lives of our soldiers and their families.

So I have been pretty outspoken about my opposition to the war in Iraq and the politicians that took us there.

However, I've learned some new things in the past few weeks that got me thinking...

Former Powell aide: Bush was ‘Sarah Palin-like’ in his knowledge of foreign policy.

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:41:40 EST

Former Powell aide: Bush was ‘Sarah Palin-like’ in his knowledge of foreign policy.»

By Satyam Khanna at 10:22 am @ thinkprogress.com

In an interview with Vanity Fair for its upcoming issue on the Bush White House, Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, ripped President Bush, saying that after the 2000 election, Bush’s knowledge of foreign affairs was as poor as that of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R):

We had this confluence of characters—and I use that term very carefully—that included people like Powell, Dick Cheney, Condi Rice, and so forth, which allowed one perception to be “the dream team.” It allowed everybody to believe that this Sarah Palin–like president—because, let’s face it, that’s what he was—was going to be protected by this national- security elite, tested in the cauldrons of fire.

Bush famously was unable to name the leaders of Pakistan, Chechnya, and India when running for President in 1999. In a recent interview, he reflected on his early days as President, stating, “I think I was unprepared for war.” Similarly, in 2004, Bush said he “was not on point” prior to 9/11. “I didn’t feel that sense of urgency, and my blood was not nearly as boiling.”

SOURCE - http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/30/bush-sarah-palin/

Torture, Slaughter and Lies

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:31:56 EST

War With Contempt for Civilians

Torture, Slaughter and Lies

By BRIAN CLOUGHLEY

In September an Afghan journalist, Jawed Ahmad, was released from a US military prison in Afghanistan where his jailers " broke two of my ribs during the beatings." He worked for Canadian TV and the BBC, among other media outlets, and he had done nothing wrong. That is obvious, because he was freed without charge after a year of hellish treatment at the hands of uniformed filth whose claim to being human is at best feeble. If there had been the slightest genuine suspicion that he had committed a crime he should have been put on trial, but that is not the way the US system works, in these horrible days. Bush policy in Iraq and Afghanistan is never to admit that anyone can be innocent because everyone arrested is automatically guilty. But will it get any better under Obama? Can he alter what has become normal behavior on the part of the robotic minions of the commander-in-chief?

In February Jawed Ahmad was declared an "enemy combatant," which is a glib catch-all description used by Washington's foulest to describe any foreigner who, in shades of the horrible McCarthy years, they suspect of possibly being involved in what they term anti-American activities. These victims of hysteria, of whom there are countless thousands around the world, are locked up in prisons where their treatment varies from casual brutality to hideous torture. From the British-owned, US-leased island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to the US colonial enclave at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, by way of Bagram and Kandahar in Afghanistan and equally horrible prisons in Iraq, the misery of innocent – or even guilty – detainees casts a dreadful blot on what the world used to think was a fair and free democracy............

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.counterpunch.org/cloughley12242008.html

Iraq Threatens to Expel Iranian Rebels (terrorists)

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:03:02 EST

Iraq Threatens to Expel Iranian Rebels

Exile Group Has Protected Status Under Soon-to-Expire U.N. Mandate

By Ernesto Londoño - Washington Post Foreign Service - Monday, December 22, 2008; Page A15

BAGHDAD, Dec. 21 -- Iraqi officials say they intend to expel members of an Iranian exile group living in a camp north of Baghdad that is protected by the U.S. military. The expulsion, which the Shiite-led government has long sought, is expected to become feasible once the U.N. mandate that regulates the presence of U.S. troops -- and which gave the Iranian opposition group protected status -- expires at the end of the year.

Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie on Saturday traveled to the camp with several other government officials to deliver the message to members of the Mujaheddin-e Khalq, or MEK, an Iranian opposition group that was closely aligned with deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein but has been under U.S. military protection since shortly after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.......

ARTICLE - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/21/AR2008122101832.html?hpid=moreheadlines

A U.S. Army soldier with an Iranian fighter belonging to the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq in 2003. The U.S. military has protected the camp, which lies 40 miles north of Baghdad, since 2003.

CBS: KBR knowingly exposed troops to toxic dust

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:03:01 EST

CBS: KBR knowingly exposed troops to toxic dust

David Edwards and Muriel Kane @ rawstory.com
Published: Tuesday December 23, 2008

A CBS News investigation has obtained evidence that a subsidiary of Halliburton, the giant energy company formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, knowingly exposed United States soldiers to toxic materials in Iraq.

CBS interviewed Commander James Gentry of the Indiana National Guard, who is dying of a rare form of lung cancer that he believes is the result of "months of inhaling hexavalent chromium" after his battalion was assigned in April 2003 to protect contractors from Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) working in Iraq at a local water plant. Other members of his unit are also suffering from cancers or rashes associated with the toxic chemical, which was all over the plant..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://rawstory.com/news/2008/CBS_KBR_knew_dangers_of_toxic_1223.html

SEMANTIC TRICKERY WILL CONTINUE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:46:33 EST

Trying to Redefine Role of US Military in Iraq

by Elisabeth Bumiller - Published on Monday, December 22, 2008 by the New York Times

WASHINGTON - It is one of the most troublesome questions right now at the Pentagon, and it has started a semantic dance: What is the definition of a combat soldier? More important, when will all American combat troops withdraw from the major cities of Iraq?

The short answers are that combat troops, defined by the military as those whose primary mission is to engage the enemy with lethal force, will have to be out of Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, the deadline under a recently approved status-of-forces agreement between the United States and Iraq.

The long answers open up some complicated, sleight-of-hand responses to military and political problems facing President-elect Barack Obama.

Even though the agreement with the Iraqi government calls for all American combat troops to be out of the cities by the end of June, military planners are now quietly acknowledging that many will stay behind as renamed "trainers" and "advisers" in what are effectively combat roles. In other words, they will still be engaged in combat, just called something else..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/22/washington/22combat.html?_r=1&ref=world

Iraq Ministry Says US Troops Kill Employees, Burn Office

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:42:30 EST

Iraq Ministry Says US Troops Kill Employees, Burn Office

Reason for Pre-Dawn Raid on Iraqi Grain Board Unclear

compiled by Jason Ditz @ antiwar.com - Posted December 18, 2008

Iraq’s Trade Ministry issued a statement condemned a pre-dawn raid by US forces on a flour mill belong to the Iraqi Grain Board, and demanding an apology.

During the raid, the ministry says US forces killed at least three of the mill’s security guards in their sleep, set fire to offices and searched through files and computers. It was unclear what prompted the raid and the US military declined to confirm the incident, though the statement claims a US officer returned to the scene later to apologize, saying the raid was a mistake.

SOURCE - http://news.antiwar.com/2008/12/18/iraq-ministry-says-us-troops-kill-employees-burn-office/

US Military Defiant on Key Terms of Iraqi Pact

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:36:44 EST

US Military Defiant on Key Terms of Iraqi Pact
by Gareth Porter @ antiwar.com

US military leaders and Pentagon officials have made it clear through public statements and deliberately leaked stories in recent weeks that they plan to violate a central provision of the US-Iraq withdrawal agreement requiring the complete withdrawal of all US combat troops from Iraqi cities by mid-2009 by reclassifying combat troops as support troops.

The scheme to engage in chicanery in labeling US troops represents both open defiance of an agreement which the US military has never accepted and a way of blocking President-elect Barack Obama's proposed plan for withdrawal of all US combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of his taking office.

By redesignating tens of thousands of combat troops as support troops, those officials apparently hope to make it difficult, if not impossible, for Obama to insist on getting all combat troops out of the country by mid-2010..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.antiwar.com/porter/?articleid=13923

Rick Warren, Obama’s New BFF, Still Supports Iraq War, Gave W. Peace Award

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:24:28 EST

Rick Warren, Obama’s New BFF, Still Supports Iraq War, Gave W. Peace Award

By: Blue Texan @ firedoglake.com - Thursday December 18, 2008

When he's not using the bible to justify the murder of heads of state the United States doesn't like or refusing to condemn BushCo's torture, Rick ~~Hagee~~ Warren runs interference on that awesome war in Iraq:

[W]hether or not they found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is beside the point. Saddam and his sons were raping the country, literally. And we morally had to do something. If you have a Judeo-Christian heritage, you have to believe it when God says that evil cannot be compromised with. It has to be resisted, it has to be overcome.......
ARTICLE / VIDEO - http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/18/rick-warren-obamas-new-bff-still-supports-iraq-war-gave-w-peace-award/

Gaffney: 4,000 Americans Had To Die In Iraq

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:14:07 EST

Gaffney: 4,000 Americans Had To Die In Iraq»

In a new interview with ABC News, Vice President Cheney claimed that the the case for war had nothing to do with whether Saddam Hussein had WMD; America would have invaded anyway. Today on MSNBC’s Hardball, right-wing commentator Frank Gaffney defended Cheney’s remarks, saying that the “real reason” the Bush administration wanted to invade Iraq was because Saddam was a “mortal threat” to the United States.

Host Chris Matthews was appalled that Gaffney seemed to feel no guilt or remorse than 4,000 Americans died because of the right wing’s mistakes. Gaffney replied that while it was “regrettable” anyone had to die, they “did have to die”:

MATTHEWS: You guys sold the war as a nuclear threat to the United States. A nuclear weapon was going to be delivered by a nuclear delivery device. It was going to take the weapon and drop it here. You sold every trick you could to get us into this war. Now you’re back pedaling. And I do find it astounding.............
ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/16/gaffney-americans-die/

Last week, at a meeting of his country’s ruling party, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak accused Iran of “trying to devour the Arab states.”

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:53:21 EST

Iran ate my Caliphate

Posted on December 16, 2008 by Jeff Huber @ scholarsandrogues

Last week, at a meeting of his country’s ruling party, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak accused Iran of “trying to devour the Arab states.” Don’t worry, Hosni. Iran won’t eat you. It can’t. It can’t sit on you either. It’s too far away.

What led Mubarak to say such a mean thing about Iran? Well, it seems that a bunch of Iranian students shouted a bunch of mean things at the Egyptian embassy in Tehran, including their apparently genuine wish that someone would hang Mubarak. The Iranian students shouted mean things about Mubarak because Egypt wouldn’t let the Iranian Red Crescent sneak around Israel’s blockade of the Gaza strip and deliver food and supplies to Palestinians, who have been reduced to eating grass.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2008/12/16/iran-ate-my-caliphate/

Panel calls for dropping Blackwater guards in Iraq

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:47:54 EST

Panel calls for dropping Blackwater guards in Iraq

By MATTHEW LEE

WASHINGTON (AP) — A State Department advisory panel is recommending that Blackwater Worldwide be dropped as the main private security contractor for American diplomats in Iraq, The Associated Press has learned.

A senior official familiar with a report commissioned by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the AP on Wednesday that the panel has called for Blackwater's contract not to be renewed when it expires next year. A decision on the recommendation will be left to the Obama administration, which will be in place when the contract comes up for renewal in the spring.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g4OiK8Bkks3epqQ-eXeiSGX6cu7gD954JJ700

Prominent neoconservative: 4,000 Americans 'had to die'

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:34:06 EST

Prominent neoconservative: 4,000 Americans 'had to die'

Four thousand American troops "had to die" in Iraq, even if the United States knew Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, a prominent neoconservative said in a shocking interview on MSNBC Tuesday evening.

Vice President Dick Cheney told ABC News earlier this week that the U.S. would have invaded Iraq regardless of whether or not they had weapons of mass destruction.

Adding fire to Cheney's surprising comments Tuesday was prominent neoconservative and former Assistant Secretary of Defense Frank Gaffney, who told MSNBC's Chris Matthews during Tuesday's 'Hardball' that the United States had to invade Iraq whether or not its intelligence was sound.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Gaffney_4000_Americans_had_to_die_1217.html

Think of it...

Joe on Mason Hill — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:33:41 EST

George, you'll have a big asterisk next to your name in the history books for having started the Iraq War and not finished it, I might add. Here's a question: Do you want an even bigger asterisk, A HUGH ASTERISK, next to your name in those history books? Here's what you could have done. Now listen closely. You and Dick and your wives, could have left the good ol' U.S. of A. and gone to CANADA! Just left! Abdicated!

(The next important word is : ANOINTED.)

You could have anointed the first woman President of the United States, Nancy Pelosi. Think of it! The first, The very first woman President, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

A month, a week, or just a day, by George. Too late. An other missed opportunity.

How happy are you to let criminals go free?

Marjani — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:03:40 EST

America’s renewal starts now img { display: block; }
How lame can our lame duck President get? How about pardoning war criminals before they get their day in court. Write your local paper today.

We all want to move on.

But just this past Friday, a bipartisan Senate report named Secretary Rumsfeld and other top officials directly responsible for sanctioning torture. Rumors in DC are that Bush will pardon Rumsfeld and others for these abuses.1

After eight years of defiling America's reputation and renouncing our founding principles, the Bush administration wants to jet off into the sunset without answering to the American public.

We can't let that happen. You and I have an important role to play as our nation's conscience.

Write your local paper and denounce any possible planned pardons for crimes committed in the "war on terror". Here are some sample letters and talking points you can follow.

America's renewal depends on a recommitment to human rights. And that recommitment starts by investigating past abuses and holding officials accountable. It's called justice, and the rule of law. And it's something our nation once held in high regard.
America's renewal depends on justice.

Write your local paper. And remember to register to participate in our inauguration day of action and our 100 days events. Your letter to the editor would support Senators that are starting to push for accountability. Senator Feingold just last week wrote President-elect Obama asking for a "detailed accounting of what happened over the last eight years" and that "we must fully understand the mistakes of the past in order to learn from them… and prevent them from recurring." 2

A record number of pardon seekers have flooded the White House. Some believe Bush may issue pre-emptive pardons that would abdicate anyone remotely connected to so-called "alternative interrogation techniques" (otherwise known as torture). Any such pardon would undermine any future efforts to seek and find justice for the past eight years of human rights abuses in the "war on terror".

Write your local paper and express your outrage over the possibility of impunity for crimes committed in the "war on terror".

One of our three main objectives during President-elect Obama's 100 days is to ensure an independent commission investigates abuses committed the U.S. government in its "war on terror". Pardoning key officials, or even worse, issuing a blanket pardon, would undermine this critical goal towards restoring our commitment to human rights.

We're all ready to move forward. But our best chance of restoring the America we believe in means starting off with justice and accountability.

Take a few minutes to write your local paper.

Thank you for all you do.

Sincerely,

Larry Cox
Executive Director

P.S. And remember we've got big plans for the first 100 days. We're so close to reaching our goal, help us reach 1000 events by registering today.

[1] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/12/11/ST2008121101970.html
[2] http://feingold.senate.gov/releases/08/12/20081210.html

Iraqi boy says U.K. soldiers beat him up before pretending to cut his throat

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:56:48 EST

British troops in 'mock execution' claim

Iraqi boy says soldiers beat him up before pretending to cut his throat

By Robert Verkaik, Law Editor @ theindependent.co.uk
Monday, 15 December 2008

Bariq Abdul-Razzaq, and the injuries he says he received during a beating by British soldiers when he was just 12

enlarge

An Iraqi boy who was beaten up at the age of 12 by British soldiers was subjected to a mock execution, it is claimed in disturbing abuse allegations facing the UK Government.

In a case being prepared for the High Court, lawyers for Bariq Abdul-Razzaq claim he was among a group of youths caught up in a demonstration in Basra who were dragged into a British Army compound and then kicked and punched for up to an hour.

After the beating, Bariq says he was handcuffed and forced to kneel facing a wall. "I felt I was going to be executed ... I was thinking about my family and I asked a soldier next to me if I could borrow his phone so I could tell my family I was going to die."

But instead, he says, one of the soldiers pulled out a knife and brought it across his neck in a cutting motion."I instantly froze thinking my neck was going to be cut and I would die," says Bariq in his witness statement. "The soldier was laughing at me."

Bariq, who has instructed his lawyers to force the Government to open an independent inquiry into the incident, says that he was so badly injured from the beating that when he was eventually released six hours later he had to be carried home.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-troops-in-mock-execution-claim-1067056.html

What's going on in that WSJ Article? India??? Discucssion Thread.

EMK — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:24:19 EST

Take a look at these articles and enjoy the disucssion!

WSJ: Some U.S. Troops May Stay in Iraqi Cities Beyond Deadline (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122917052669504345.html) (link discovered@ Campaign for Liberty)

BBC News: Officials Quit Over India Attacks -- "Pale-Faced...Fair-Skinned" -- (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7752625.stm) (See Also: Atheo News: Is Pakistan to Blame? http://atheonews.blogspot.com/2008/12/is-pakistan-to-blame.html; and the 12/2 & 12/7 Infowars articles.) Thanks Kestrel!

"The society's degradation relies/ not on our differences/ but the separation within."

--Linkin Park, "Frgt/10"

EMK

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

WEBMASTER — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 02:26:14 EST

The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.

Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.

Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when

individuals and organizations understand that alternative energy technology exists and
when people see the economic benefits of using alternative energy technologies

Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.

Alternative Energy
Source: David Apperson

url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy

Former U.S. Contractor Alleges 9-Month Detention in Iraq

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:41:36 EST

Former U.S. Contractor Alleges 9-Month Detention in Iraq

Translator Says He Was Denied Attorney, Phone Calls While Held For Months

By EMMA SCHWARTZ @ abcnews.com
December 11, 2008

For months, he worked closely with American soldiers, ferreting out threats to the troops and forging a relationship with a key sheikh who went on to lead the Sunni awakening. But when this 52-year-old translator and veteran of the U.S. Army headed for his annual leave as a contractor in Iraq, he claims he was wrongfully imprisoned for nine months by American forces, with no access to a lawyer and no contact with his family for months.

The allegations are laid out in a lawsuit against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, recently filed in federal court in Washington where the former contractor for Titan, and a naturalized U.S. citizen, alleges that his due process rights were violated when he was detained and held in "torturous conditions." "There was no justice in what happened to me," the translator said in an exclusive hour-long phone interview with ABCNews.com. "There was no justice involved in it."

The translator's suit is filed under an alias, John Doe, because he fears for his safety and his family. But through his lawyer, Michael Kanovitz, the translator agreed to an interview about the details of his imprisonment.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6436263&page=1

In this file November 2008 file photo, detainees are seen outside their cell block at the U.S. detention facility at Camp Cropper in Baghdad, Iraq. A 52-year-old translator and veteran of the U.S. army headed for his annual leave as a contractor in Iraq, claims he was wrongfully imprisoned for nine months by American forces, with access to a lawyer and no contact with his family for months.

Babylon's history swept away in US army sandbags

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:05:55 EST

Babylon's history swept away in US army sandbags

by AFP

BABYLON, Iraq (AFP) — Fragments of bricks, engraved with cuneiform characters thousands of years old, lie mixed with the rubble and sandbags left by the US military on the ancient site of Babylon in Iraq.

In this place, one of the cradles of civilisation, US troops in 2003-2004 built embankments, dug ditches and spread gravel to hold the fuel reservoirs needed to supply the heliport of Camp Alpha.

Today, archaeologists say a year of terracing work and 18 months of military presence, with tanks and helicopters, have caused irreparable damage. The Americans remained five months in Babylon and then handed over to the Poles who pulled out 16 months later..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jvUpUKpfGU3mupF7Xpyb-WMQGQAg

The ancient city of Babylon

A partially damaged statue of a lion in the ancient city of Babylon

US declines to free Reuters photographer in Iraq

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:58:58 EST

US declines to free Reuters photographer in Iraq

by REUTERS
Reuters North American News Service

Dec 09, 2008 06:09 EST

BAGHDAD, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. military in Iraq is not obliged to obey an Iraqi court order to release a freelance photographer working for Reuters news agency and will hold him into 2009, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Iraqi Central Criminal Court ruled on Nov. 30 that there was no evidence against Ibrahim Jassam Mohammed, and ordered the U.S. military to release him from Camp Cropper prison near Baghdad airport, where he has been detained since September.

"Though we appreciate the decision of the Central Criminal Court of Iraq in the Jassam case, their decision does not negate the intelligence information that currently lists him as a threat to Iraq security and stability," said Major Neal Fisher, spokesman for the U.S. military's detainee operations in Iraq.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://wire.antiwar.com/2008/12/09/us-declines-to-free-reuters-photographer-in-iraq/

NYT Reporter Chris Hedges:The Wars In Iraq and Afghanistan, When Viewed from the Receiving End, Are Acts of State-Sponsored Terrorism

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:06:54 EST

Confronting the Terrorist Within

A mother tends to her injured child in a hospital 35 miles northeast of Baghdad after a U.S airstrike that killed three civilians and wounded five others.

By Chris Hedges @ truthdig.com

The Hindu-Muslim communal violence that led to the attacks in Mumbai, as well as the warnings that the New York City transit system may have been targeted by al-Qaida, are one form of terrorism. There are other forms.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, when viewed from the receiving end, are state-sponsored acts of terrorism. These wars defy every ethical and legal code that seek to determine when a nation can wage war, from Just War Theory to the statutes of international law largely put into place by the United States after World War II. These wars are criminal wars of aggression. They have left hundreds of thousands of people, who never took up arms against us, dead and seen millions driven from their homes. We have no right as a nation to debate the terms of these occupations. And an Afghan villager, burying members of his family’s wedding party after an American airstrike, understands in a way we often do not that terrorist attacks can also be unleashed from the arsenals of an imperial power.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081201_confronting_the_terrorist_within/

Condi Rice Still Lying About BushCo’s WMD Claims, Implies We Would’ve Gone To War Anyway

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:13:57 EST

Condi Rice Still Lying About BushCo’s WMD Claims, Implies We Would’ve Gone To War Anyway

By: Blue Texan @ firedoglake.com - Sunday December 7, 2008 10:27 am Condi Rice was on "This Week" this morning, peddling BushCo's revisionism about pre-war WMD. She didn't like it when it was suggested the Bushies succumbed to groupthink.

GEORGE: Is that a fair criticism of the Bush White House...Could you have done a better job airing dissenting views on the WMD?
CONDI: We talked a lot about dissenting views. The idea that somehow within the Bush White House there weren't dissenting views during this period time is simply not true. But the intelligence didn't permit frankly, much in the way, of uh, alternatives for the weapons of mass destruction. Uh, now the..........
ENTIRE ARTICLE -
http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/07/condi-rice-still-lying-about-bushcos-wmd-claims-implies-we-wouldve-gone-to-war-anyway/

In Iraq, 'a Prison Full of Innocent Men'

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 13:50:53 EST

In Iraq, 'a Prison Full of Innocent Men'
Although U.S.-Run Detention Centers Have Vastly Improved Since the Abu Ghraib Scandal, No System Has Been Developed to Determine Who Is Guilty

By Amit R. Paley
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, December 6, 2008; A01

CAMP BUCCA, Iraq -- U.S. officials in Iraq have turned prisons once described as training camps for would-be insurgents into something more closely resembling American-style vocational schools. Religious and technical training are offered to detainees, who are allowed to visit with relatives through teleconferencing calls.

But the recently approved U.S.-Iraqi security agreement will soon require the American military to release the 16,000 Iraqi detainees -- the vast majority of them held in this southern desert prison -- or refer them to the nation's courts. As the U.S. military detention system here begins to come under Iraqi control, a complicated joint effort is underway to determine which of the men are safe to release and which may be insurgents.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503906_pf.html

Carrots/Sticks Phrase Invokes a Wrong Master/Slave Methaphor, Obama Should Not Use It.

PDSimic — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:50:27 EST

Source: New York Times
Link: Obama Says Will Pursue Carrot / Stick Iran Policy

"Carrot and Stick" phrase used by US foreign policy establishment for years is deeply insulting, as the implied semantic frame is that of an absolute superiority of us over them, a master /slave relationship, and not one of a respect and possible partnership. I still trust that Obama will make changes for the better in our foreign policy, but given some of his recent appointments it is reasonable to question if this trust is based on reasonable estimates and facts, or on a wishfull thinking (change *I want to believe* in). Nevertheless, I am surprised that a person with his multicultural background, experience, and sensitivities is not more careful with choice of methaphors.

Lying About the Iraq Invasion

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:31:59 EST

Lying About the Iraq Invasion

by Jacob G. Hornberger @ Hornberger’s Blog

In reflecting on his war on Iraq in an interview this week with ABC, President Bush made some revealing statements. He first said that “the biggest regret of all the presidency has been the intelligence failure in Iraq. I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess.”

He was, of course, referring to Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction, which turned out to be non-existent. According to AFP, Bush then “refused to say whether he would have ordered the March 2003 invasion if he had known that the late dictator Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction, calling it an ‘interesting question.’”

The overwhelming weight of circumstantial evidence leads to but one conclusion: that after the 9/11 attacks, Bush intended to invade Iraq for the purpose of regime change and that the WMD “threat” was nothing more than a fake and false covering rationale for the invasion. Bush’s statements to ABC do nothing to dispel that conclusion......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2008-12-02.asp

Racist Arabism & Violence: Dictatorship, Oppression, War, Terrorism

Unknown user — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:53:09 EST

Arabism - Violence

Racist Arabism & Violence: Dictatorship, Oppression, War, Terrorism

The front runners of Pan-Arabism, brutal tyrants and waged large scale wars, such as Egypt's Nasser [168], Saddam Hussein [169], Syria's Assad (on Lebanon [170] [171] [172] and on it's own people [173] [174] including the Hama massacre [175] [176] and the dictator in Sudan Al Bashir [177] [178].

The linkage to terror

Protecting terrorism, Pan-Arabism: the inhuman progenitor of Islamic Terrorism [179]. "Terror was used by the Arabs against the Jews in the Land of Israel since the dawn of Zionism." [180].

An Arabist group called Jamiat-e Dawa el al Qurani Wasouna. The J.D.Q., as it is known by American intelligence, is suspected of having links to both the Saudi and Kuwaiti governments [181]

Osama bin Laden is in fact the latest and quintessential product of pan-Arabism [182]

Palestinian Fatah Leader, School Books Supports Terrorism Against US in Iraq, quote: "We [however,] take pride in this [Arab nationalist] language because we are the authentic Arabs who believe in our Arabism, our faith, our cause" [183]