According to Atrios, Connecticut residents will finally have the pleasure of meeting their reclusive Senator in person tomorrow (who admits he spends too much time in Washington DC to listen to things like local radio). And what is he likely to encounter? The peerless Colin McEnroe from the Hartford Courant tells us what the Senator who is conspiculously silent about Bush’s proclivity for playing hacky-sack with classified information might expect from local Connecticutians:
Wow. Can this man get through one week without a train wreck in the press? Not so far. Not in a long, long time. If you’re Joe Lieberman and you have a bunny in your bowler, a hare in your homburg, a cottontail in your cap, now is the frickin’ time to pull it out! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!
But no, Lieberman’s tin ear continues with his failure to denounce, thunderingly, the hypocrisy and untrustworthiness of the Bush White House and of the president himself. Of course, there’s a reward waitin’ over yonder when that mighty cloudy of witnesses, the Connecticut Republicans and right-leaning independents, get a chance to vote for him. Meanwhile, though, he has given Ned Lamont an almost unthinkable opportunityto gather more momentum and credibility than such a raw, unready candidate would ordinarily acquire in a race like this. By his own incompetence, Lieberman has effectively converted Lamont from Tim Foli to Luis Aparicio.
Bush’s favorite Democrat will be at the Windsor Town Hall at 11:30 am, Suffield Town Hall at 1 pm and Newington Knights of Columbus Hall at 2 pm. I have a few questions I’d like to ask Holy Joe myself, like "how’s your blockbuster of a war going?" "Any plans for a sequel in Iran?" and "Are you available for taxi rides to the nearest non-Catholic hospital in case anyone gets raped?" More good questions suggested by Connecticut journalists here.
But the biggest question is — who will be the Harry Taylor of these events? Who will have the courage to stand up to the warmongering Lieberman and speak the truth to power? If you attend please let us know, and don’t forget to bring recorders and cameras. I don’t like to brag about this but we’ve got a bit of an "in" over at Crooks and Liars and we may be able to hook you up, know what I mean?
Update: As Mary pointed out in the comments, Seymour Hersh’s new article says that "In recent weeks, the President has quietly initiated a series of talks on plans for Iran with a few key senators and members of Congress, including at least one Democrat….The House member said that no one in the meetings ‘is really objecting’ to the talk of war. ‘The people they’re briefing are the same ones who led the charge on Iraq. At most, questions are raised: How are you going to hit all the sites at once? How are you going to get deep enough?’ (Iran is building facilities underground.) ‘There’s no pressure from Congress’ not to take military action, the House member added."
Somebody really, really needs to show up and ask Lieberman if he is this "one Democrat," and what he has said to the President if in fact he is.
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kittz!
Gerald FitzPatrick!
Oooo, that would be fun! Yes, please take a camcorder!
And Fitz!
Lieberman is a big a bubbleboy as Chimpy. His Harry is definitely coming & will be a creation of the same cluelessness/insularity karma.
I’m EPU’d on the Hersh article below, but don’t you think someone should as Joe if HE is the “one” Democrat that Bush is including in the “Start WWIII” gameplan on nuking Iran with bunker busters?
Maybe Joe’s Harry will be one of us?
From the Hersh article – bold mine – could it be anyone but Leiberman?
In recent weeks, the President has quietly initiated a series of talks on plans for Iran with a few key senators and members of Congress, including at least one Democrat. A senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, who did not take part in the meetings but has discussed their content with his colleagues, told me that there had been “no formal briefings,†because “they’re reluctant to brief the minority. They’re doing the Senate, somewhat selectively.â€
The House member said that no one in the meetings “is really objecting†to the talk of war. “The people they’re briefing are the same ones who led the charge on Iraq. At most, questions are raised: How are you going to hit all the sites at once? How are you going to get deep enough?†(Iran is building facilities underground.) “There’s no pressure from Congress†not to take military action, the House member added. “The only political pressure is from the guys who want to do it.†Speaking of President Bush, the House member said, “The most worrisome thing is that this guy has a messianic vision.â€
This has been such a hopeful fitzy week and pretty horrible for the Increasingly Naked Evils. A strange gray drizzly day here in SoMD but it’s a goodlookin’ Saturday in my mind.
This image of Harry Taylor reminds me of Norman Rockwell’s famous image of Freedom of Speech from World War II:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I…..Speech.png
Rockwell was inspired by a neighbor of his who spoke up against an unpopular position at a town meeting. FDL, would be a good graphic for future posts!
Of course Joe is hoping we invade Iran, for the same reason the Bushie’s are. Distraction from the bad poll numbers.
Not my idea but did this seem staged? Bush didn’t become petulant or mangle the language.
J, I’ve seen this remarked upon a lot about the Harry Moment – thanks for the link – I didn’t know about Rockwell’s inspiration – I’ve done my share of ragging on NR’s sentimentality, but more and more I appreciate how subtly he used his powers for the good
Mary – In the last thread, you were asking after info on the effects of a strike on Iran. Siun directed folks to the following:
http://www.oxfordresearchgroup…..uences.htm
I thought Bush did very well (for him) answering Harry’s question. Something stinks.
Bush answering Taylor’s question: There is no way in the world his handlers wanted that to happen. There is also no way in the world they didn’t prep him for that eventuality over and over and over again. There is only so much control you can exert over those canned meetings, eventually somebody had to sneak through.
Man, this place has been hopping lately. When am I supposed to get any work done?
The Freepers were claiming Harry Taylor was outed as a MoveOn member by Democratic Underground, but they provided no links and I didn’t follow up on it.
Not my idea but did this seem staged? Bush didn’t become petulant or mangle the language.
The more I ponder Chimpy’s unaccountable relative poise, the more I wonder if a negative-question-moment wasn’t indeed meant for. (Rove is nothing if not responsive and ready to dance with the zeitgeist.) I still think Harry was real in his words, but I think Dipstick was meant to be ready – with joking, “you don’t like me, heh heh,” faux-magnanimity “no, let him speak,” of course followed by the the usual borg cheney fear reptile talking points.
“They don’t want me to protect you. They’re wrong. You deserve protecting and I intend to protect you and I’m going to protect you.”
Anon -
When am I supposed to get any work done?
you aren’t. just give in to it. or, follow my lead and go away for a week. but, wait: I still won’t get any work done….
I think they have to have been prepping him for this for awhile, and he does well with questions when he can feel the support from the crowd – and that is the only kind of crowd they seem to be letting him have.
JWR – thank you, excellent resource.
You realize that Bush has to strike Iran before the November elections. He needs 9/11 redux, and this is it. So, we have the prospect of unilateral nuclear aggression against Iran within 7 months.
Hiroshima, mon amour.
From yesterday’s email from MoveOn.org, re Harry Taylor:
—————–
When we saw this story on the news, we checked to see if Harry was a MoveOn member. That’s when we found out he was also the leader of an Operation Democracy team in Charlotte.
—————–
I can’t imagine a MoveOn.org member, let alone an Operation Democracy team leader, participating with the WH in a staged event. I agree that W was probably thoroughly scripted in the West Wing and at Crawford — I enjoyed the physicality of W’s dance while Harry talked, looked like he didn’t like having the guy above him and like he wanted to hit him too! Poor Harry Taylor, a future on the no-fly list and being audited by the IRS. Still, he’s my hero!
Checking out DiFi’s site to see if she’s going to be in town next week, no word on that, but I did see that I can “have breakfast with Dianne” so I signed up for that, since I’ll be in DeeCee the first two weeks of May.
JWR says:
April 8th, 2006 at 3:43 pmThe Freepers were claiming Harry Taylor was outed as a MoveOn member by Democratic Underground, but they provided no links and I didn’t follow up on it.Oh my goodness! The terrorists have won! A dues-paying member of MoveOn actually got that close to the Leaker-in-Chief!!! Surely folk like that aren’t covered by the U.S.Constitution, are they?
Tim Foli
http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/foliti01.shtml
Luis Aparicio
http://www.baseball-reference……lu01.shtml
Omar Vizquel
Christy and Jane (if you’re around) I didn’t know if anyone had pointed out this article in the WaPo, but it refutes Bitch O’Beirne’s claims that the feminist movement ruined education for boys. I thought you might enjoy reading it. I know I did.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..02025.html
Josh Marshall is pouring cold water on the London Sunday Times revelations in tomorrow’s newspaper:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a…..30,00.html is the awaited London Times story on the Niger Forgeries.
Laura Rozen says “Bullshit!” http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/003993.html
Lawyer: Bush Left Leak Details to Cheney
Another “attorney knowledgeable about the case” is trying to put a little daylight between Bush and Cheney.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..h/cia_leak
AP has a new article on Plame-Gate.
More…
Mary – You are most welcome, but props to Siun for raising such a ruckus about it downstairs.
*ilson46201 at 3:53 pm
(laughing) It would appear from my visit over “there” that people like Harry Taylor are to be tolerated, such as with the poise and humility shown by dear leader.
punaise,
I second the Omar!
A nuclear strike on Iran is taken as anything other than lunacy???? How did I end up in this universe?
I have a one word answer to this: Pakistan
Pakistan’s nukes will be loose within hours after the first reports of the attack.
May the Lord have mercy on our souls.
and if Pakistan goes, can India be far behind?
Arbogast #21
But, But, But, the only people who would see Iran as another 9/11 is the 30-33% who support him now
no one here thinks the American people are gonna go along with unilateral nuclear aggression (not that they’d be listened to) do they ?
I understand attempts will be made to sell it to them as ‘lightening quick and with minimal US casualties’ but I am firm in my faith no one but the bottom feeders are gonna buy it
“Another “attorney knowledgeable about the case†is trying to put a little daylight between Bush and Cheney.”
I knew this was coming. lol “We can’t comment about an ongoing investigation (so we’ll send out some proxy’s to do it) ; )
Looks like Joey-boy is spending *very little time* at each of those town hall meetings. Probably just enough to read his own prepared comments to the assembled unwashed and then take a few prepared questions from shills. Sound like anyone else we know?
The oxford report mentioned earlier is before the word that the White House is considering first use of nuclear weapons, so consider it a best-case scenario.
“attorney knowledgeable about the case†might be working for whom? Rove?
RANDOLPH, Vt. (AP) — Leaders of the state Democratic Party voted Saturday to urge Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against President Bush.
I can think of only one way this proposed nuclear strike on Iran is believable, which is that the end-timer christian nuts hold enough key positions to pull this off. There is no way that the professional military staff would sign off on a nuclear strike on Iran—they know it’s insane. The Christian crazies know it would provoke a larger war… which is exactly according to plan.
I noticed that Boykin was promoted recently.. it would be worth looking at other recent promotions to see if other crazy christian chiliasts have gotten them.
I see this new lawyer-leak (do ya suppose it is Harriet?) as another signal that Libby (& Cheney and Addington too?) is going to have to fend for hisself … someone is going to have to take the fall and it ain’t gonna be Bush.
Oh, I meant to add—look to see if there are any news reports of some fundy screwing a red heifer.. or whatever it is the prophecy requires.
Re: Sy Hersch’s column in the recent issue of New Yorker Magazine contends that Bush’s goal all along has been regime change in Iran, and that we are in lead up to war in Iran. He notes: “In recent weeks, the President has quietly initiated a series of talks on plans for Iran with a few key senators and members of Congress, including at least one Democrat.”
Would anyone venture a guess about who this Democrat is? Could it be Senator Lieberman? Before casting a vote in the Democratic senate race between Lamont and Lieberman, wouldn’t Conn voters want to know if Lieberman is supporting an effort to initiate WWIII with Bush. This ought to be the first question he is asked at all public appearances he makes.
Good chileasts elected a female Socialist President…
Wilson–it is a good bet that the Indian military would be able to secure its own warheads and prevent them from going loose. Though it’s useful to read the New Yorker article from about a month ago (sorry I don’t have a better link) on the early 2001 India-Pakistan nuclear faceoff.
The Pakistani military simply wouldn’t be able to secure the Pakistani warheads from the inevitable domestic chaos, even if it wanted to–which in the event, it probably wouldn’t.
“I see this new lawyer-leak (do ya suppose it is Harriet?)”
I was just thinking that. Someone who can assert attorney/client (and/or executive?)privilege if subpoenaed.
That Hersh article is just incredible. What on earth makes them think an unprovoked nuclear attack is even remotely a good idea?
JWR #13
Thanks for that link. A few points. Ahmadinejad is described as “somewhat unpredictable”. He is, in fact, an even bigger loon than our current Chief Executive. Perhaps what makes the whole Iran situation so dangerous is the ignorance and incompetence of the political leadership in both countries and that their leaders have an Apocalyptic vision of history.
The second point and I think this is a real weakness is that they say alternatives to a military conflict should be sought without suggesting what these might be.
The last point is that the study does not explore what the effects might be both on the NPT and on lowering the threshold of nuclear exchanges if nuclear weapons were to be used in an attack on Iran. I can see a nuclearization of East Asia resulting from such a strategy. Current weapons states, such as India, Pakistan, and China, would see the attack as a strategic threat and would be encouraged to increase their arsenals.
With a lowered nuclear threshold, currently non nuclear states such as Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan might look for nuclear deterrents that they directly control rather than relying on an increasingly erratic and irrational US for defense of their strategic interests. All of these states have the the wherewithal to become nuclear states in relatively short order. Many have longstanding historical enmities with each other and political tensions could be exacerbated the acquisition of such weapons. North Korea and Russia are further complicating factors and could make East Asia in the future the most nuclearized region on the planet.
Yay Randolph VT!!!! Bastion of old-school conservatism in the tradition of Republican Senators George Aiken and Robert Stafford. And Jim Jeffords. (I oughtta know cause I grew up in a nearby town) A lot of veterans in that town, I can tell you that (4th of July and Memorial Day Parades are a BIG DEAL there). And likely a fair number of soldiers who are or were there.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04…..ref=slogin is an interesting article about the DCCC’s campaign to win the House
I meant to say soldiers who are or were in Iraq!
A new form of gerrymandering, perhaps?
From the forgery article:
Security experts fear that terrorists could pack conventional bombs with radioactive material which would contaminate wide areas of cities.
snip
I take this to mean the “experts” are talking about the US, right?
What I would still really like to see is some kind of a graphic with map as to the possible sites for nuclear bunker buster strikes and a fallout pattern. As in, how close are, in addition to all the Iranians who would be affected, our troops and allies to the fallout zones?
Nuclear or not, attacking Iran is so nuts. All of this manufactured concern about how we “can not tolerate†a country like Iran to have nuclear weapons bc of the threats it presents if they were to “fall into†the hands of terrorists, etc. So, where’s Bin Laden been living lately? Someplace with nukes? Someplace that has made sure other countries get nukes? Someplace that Bush has now managed to identify as being a “different country†from India?
Of course the Iranian program is a threat – and those are going to keep piling up, bc that is the nature of our world today. The idiot who told Hersh that Iran has no friends – what is he smoking? As long as Iran has things(like oil) other people need, it has friends. As long as Iran has significant foreign capital investments (as per its oilfields and pipelines) it has “friends.†That “winning hearts and minds†thing is going so well in Iraq, where we managed to “lift the sanctions†with our invasion. The truth is, if we hadn’t gone into Iraq, Iran would have a different leader right this minute. Our tolerance of a nutcase in charge pretty much forced them to get their own.
Like Iraq, the problem is that we don’t really give a ratsass about the surface issue (wmds) and instead, it is all about “regime change.†If the Administration has such a problem with “Islamic Republics†why did they establish one in Iraq? I really thought we were just at saber rattling until Hersh’s article – maybe it’s his shot to make sure we STAY at just saber rattling?
ccmask: “dirty bombs” are kinda discounted by terrorism experts as being able to cause much significant damage. It’d affect just a few blocks and is ‘easily’ cleaned up. Even a teensy nuke is cataclysmic in its blast radius…
David and Colleen – Yes, something stinks. Bad. It was a hanging high softball for the chimp.
Attorney knowledgeable about the case – who knew about the discussion between the President and the VP? At the time? (I read it as sounding like they had timely knowledge, but that may be off base)
Gonzales was WH counsel at the time.
Think Andy Card might have resigned due to Iran?
Iran map with suggested targets http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new…..OAVCBQ0IV0
Here is a quote from Liberman from a post I am working on at my blog. Hopefully some of his constituents on here can ask him about this in the near future. This is from the Iraq was Debate, on the Senate Floor
There are way way more, and if anyone from CN would like some of them, please drop me a line. I don’t live in the area, but I would love to see the look on his face if people were to bring these things up to him in a public forum
I would bet my hard earned money that that AP story came right from Bush’s private lawyer Jim Sharp. I’m telling you – Rove has sat down with Bush and said “Boss, we have to save you (and btw, me). We may have to sacrifice the VP to do it. I know you are loyal, but Cheney exposed you and has let you down. We have to be careful. Cheney is dangerous. Lots of the neo-cons and the base love him. But he is draggin you and your legacy down. Let me and Jim handle it.”
Nothing else makes sense. Karl has no morals and would offer up his own grandma, and he knows his ultimate power card is Bush. That’s why he’s given up the emails. That’s why he is so cheerful lately. That’s why Fitz said Bush was covered but not Cheney. Cheney will be the fall guy for all of this. The old man/quail shooting incident set him up perfectly. They attach all of Bush’s problems to him and then jettison him when Bush gets into Nixon territory (under 30%). Tweety is already setting up the duck. Watch Hardball. Watch Tweety, Imus, the NY Times, and the cocktail weenie lovers at the WP push this meme next week. Cheney and his neo-con buddies (and their asinine worldview) will be thrown overboard – but only if we keep the pressure on.
TJ – apparently you and I both are way behind Atrios and Lamont’s blog on the Leiberman/ Bush/ Hersh connection. I betchas someone asks.
JWR, thanks for the link to the report. Professor Foland, #33, Not to mention N. Korea will react, too. I’m having flashbacks to high school, when I couldn’t sleep after understanding exactly what nuclear war means to the world.
isn’t it ironic that the WH is using yet another leak to mitigate the story about the Leaker-in-Chief ?
Pooer OedipWs Leaker. … he finally found the evil leaker!
Here’s another, slightly older info/map:
Iran’s key nuclear sites
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4617398.stm
the WaPo tries to redeem itself with slightly new info on Plamegate http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..00916.html
It aint friendly to the White House !
Six months ago Clusterfuck could have dumped Cheney and had at least some chance for recovery- the opportunity was there when Fitz indicted Libby and named Cheney. Now I think it’s too late. I don’t see anything that can save his sorry ass now. The Iran attack is more than likely a bluff- trying to pressure the Iranians to come to the table and bend over- don’t think it will happen.
Clusterfuck- the Blustercluck- is now faced with two of his “axis of evil” team members taunting him publicly- and he can’t find a way to blow em away. Pitiful!
Interesting that the Pentagon will be testing bunker busters in Nevada in June. From DefenseNews.com, Pentagon Plans Explosion at Nevada Site
Don’t know if this is news to anyone, but it frightened me, given the Hersch story.
left coaster:
Knowing the usefulness of strategic disinformation as this administration does, I have chalked up some of these stories to a futile effort to scare the Iranian leadership into a stronger commitment to negotiations….
But we now need to take seriously these rumblings, and wonder if our long-held suspicions about the groupthink and macho mentality in this White House will merge with their desire for a way to avoid a thrashing in the midterm elections….
…Bush actually thinks it is his chance to “save Iran”, just as he has saved Iraq,and that this is a matter of guts? Let’s revisit our concerns over this man’s mental stability, shall we? And let’s also remember who it was who destroyed our ability to track what Iran was doing when he himself blew up Brewster-Jennings.
And can at least one reporter, or activist this weekend pin down Joe Lieberman and ask him directly if he has been involved in any such briefings? Better yet, shouldn’t Harry Reid be on the phone to Lieberman wanting to know the same thing?
ccmask says: April 8th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
I’m inclined to view everything happening in DC these days through the prism of Iran. Any time a damaging intelligence leak comes out, or a damaging Plame/Niger revelation, you wonder if the intelligence community is desperately trying to head off Armageddon.
What’s scary is that at this point the dissenters in the civilian branches of government may all be gone. Perhaps Snow is trying to counsel about the economic meltdown this would precipitate, though I doubt it.
What about the media? I don’t think they have enough imagination to appreciate how real this may be. Politics is just a spectator sport for them.
With Congress completely prostrate, we’re left to fall back on General James Matoon Scott, God help us all.
What a reversal.
Iran has so far refused to halt its nuclear activity, saying the small-scale enrichment project was strictly for research and was within its rights under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Further heightening tensions, Iran last week unveiled a series of what it portrayed as sophisticated, homemade weapons, including flying boats and missiles invisible to radar.
Though experts questioned Iran’s claims about its weapons capabilities and believe much of the military technology displayed came from Russia, the war-games involving some 17,000 of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards in the Persian Gulf sent a message that Iran has the capability to hit oil tankers if antagonism with the U.S. turns into a confrontation.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com…..ional/home
Sir, during President Clinton’s last term in office, you criticized him on moral grounds.
But now with President Bush lying about WMD’s and showing hypocrisy about leaking classified information, you have failed to criticize him at all.
What are your reasons for demanding morality of one President, but remaining silent about the immorality of another President?
rwcole, I don’t think Bush bluffs, exactly. He quits abruptly, if he’s losing, sometimes, but he does intend to carry through. I think he wants to nuke Iran. did you see my #41, btw? Not tongue-in-cheek. In order to carry out an illegal nuclear strike, they need exceptionally loyal people. Examining promotions makes sense.
Thanks, Wilson! Very rarely do I get confirmation of posts so soon. (Of course, everyone could see this coming, but still. )
Thank you much Wilson. That is what I was looking for, and if you find one with nuclear bunkerbuster fallout superimposed, I would really like to see that.
Two main targets for bunker busters sit almost right on the Gulf. Some are pretty near the Iraq border. I don’t know air patterns, but add in all the depleted uranium already in Iraq — just what are our troops (and all kinds of civilians, babies, pregnant women, ied victims with missing limbs etc. ) going to be dosed with and what would dump in the Gulf?
Even if the attack is on, tell me that Pace, for all his glossing over of Rumsfeld’s maniacal, egocentric idiocy – would absolutely deep six nukes? If the attack is on – it’s the end of an era. Is Bush arabic for Nero?
I just read Seymour Hersh’s article in the New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/…..417fa_fact
Holy mother of God! Bush has gone messianic. I am scared to death.
Slothrop: oh ye of little faith! some wag in here observed that if GWB were to be caught getting oral sex from other than Laura, Senator Lieberman would denounce him just as sorrowfully…
AP’s Pete Yost has an article today that contains the toughest, least compromising, coverage that I have seen in the corporate media of the CIA leak. It’s nothing compared to FDL or Murray Waas or emptywheel, but it’s a huge improvement imo. The “answers” are all in the link and read like a primer on the CIA leak investigation.
Q: Now that the story is out that Bush and Cheney put Libby in play, are the president or the vice president expected to be called to testify at Libby’s trial?
Q. What did the president and vice president direct Libby to leak?
Q. If Libby was directed by Bush and Cheney to leak information from a classified National Intelligence Estimate, why did he allegedly leak information about Plame’s CIA identity as well? Did he do so with or without direction from his superiors?
Q. Didn’t a lot of people know that Plame worked for the CIA? So what was the big deal about identifying her?
Q. Did Bush do something illegal?
Q. If what Bush did was legal, why does this matter?
Q. What else did Libby leak?
Q. What is the main focus of Fitzgerald’s investigation?
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics…..id=1821503
Yeah, stand up and be audited, er, counted. While you’re bending over to get ready for tax time, remember that they know you’re a democrat. The datapimps are gonna get all the dirt on you real soon, for fun and profit! Think of the junkmail you’ll get then.
that 1st link should be:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/lo…..2739c.html
I’m with anon!
we’re moving and i’ve been trying to work, bake pies , pack and keep up here all day.
It’s dizzying!!!
Some bunker buster fallout info here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new…..GAVCBQWIV0
Experts say the United States will not attack Iran before September, if it sums up resolve to do so. General James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) would establish complete control over Afghanistan this August, rather than in October-November 2006. The United States will not declare war on Iran, unless it makes sure that Afghanistan is secured, according to RIA Novosti .
On the other hand, Washington should not delay the Iranian operation in the context of the congressional election this November. Consequently, September, October seem like an optimal deadline for attacking Iran.
http://www.iranmania.com/News/…..entAffairs
*ilson46201 – Yep, the chimp lies. Then lies about the lies. Then lies about that. Then spin. Then bomb. Nothing will stop em but us. We are the only hope the country has and all we can do is wring our hands and wail.
“Maureen Dowd: Bush Should ‘Fire Himself’ For Libby/Miller Leak”
By E&P Staff
Published: April 08, 2006 6:20 PM ET
NEW YORK “Maureen Dowd, for the first five-plus years of the Bush II presidency, has offered plenty of unsolicited advice to the man she dubbed Dubya….”
http://www.editorandpublisher……1002314393
vidkun – One must be willing to go to jail. It won’t be pretty.
RED ALERT! RED ALERT!
Tomorrow’s WaPo, page 1:
From the Sunday London Times:
“Bush plans strike on Iran’s nuclear sites”
Sarah Baxter Washington and Michael Smith
“PLANS are under way for a massive bombing strike on sites where Iran is believed to be enriching uranium before President George W Bush leaves office in less than three years’ time….”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a…..64,00.html
OK, I screwed up the html a moment ago, so GO READ the article on the WaPo website now. It says that the National Intelligence Council, the supreme coordinating committee for the then-extant US intelligence agencies, was unequivocal in calling the Niger story baseless, in a memo “…not reported before…” The memo arrived in the White House days before the State of the Union!!!
Has anyone noticed how much this photograph of Harry Taylor resembles Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom of Speech” painting?
I agree Bush was ready, even anxious, for a Harry Taylor question. He used the opportunity to repeat all his lies and his audience loved it. CNN ran GWB’s entire spiel which must have reenforced Bush’s believers’ idea that their hero is one swell guy. That the audience would boo Taylor and applaud Bush tells you what a sorry state this country is in.
Hell, that’s our best option for post-retirement health care, when we have the coup d’etat
Mary, no maps but concerning wind patterns in Iran.
“Wind patterns are deflected by the Zagros and Alborz ranges in the west and north. Summer winds are mainly north and northwest over much of northern and central Iran [the plateau] and are hot, dry, and strong for long periods. The Sistan “Wind of 120 Days” from the northwest blows from the end of May to September continuously and is very hot, dry and sand-laden. The “shamal” blows from the northwest over Khuzestan and coastal regions of the Persian Gulf from February to October, most intensely in summer. These summer winds undoubtedly contribute to the desiccation and, in some cases, filling-in of water courses. In the south the winds are west and southwest.”
http://www.briancoad.com/Introduction/Climate.htm
So most winds seem to be in general westerly.
About Harry Taylor not being real – He is from what has been going on here in Charlotte. As far as him getting into the meeting – they couldn’t give those tickets away. Harry is involved in the sponsoring organization, so received an email about getting tickets before the location had been publicly announced. My mother is a local Dem politician here in Charlotte and was called twice from the city and once from CPCC and offered tickets. She was not able to go. Our Mayor pro tem (Democrat) asked the question about the budget deficit and even though I don’t personally like her, she is much too much into power politics and climbing the DNC ladder to help Bush with a softball question. They didn’t even do the usual “free speech zone”. Protestors were able to chant, shout and wave signs as the motorcade passed and were across the street from the speech instead of a half mile away. This entire event is completely different from how I’ve heard other events are run, but Harry wasn’t the only Democrat/Independent given a microphone.
The Iranian Preznit is going to the World Cup in Germany.
The following is a great Iran nuke scenario: (I swear this is my last paste)
To test how Moscow might react to an escalating Iranian-American confrontation, I recently ran a role playing game with this scenario in my undergraduate Russian politics class at George Mason University. Russia, the U.S., and Iran were each played by teams with four students apiece. Others actors (including China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Hamas, and al-Qaida) were played by smaller teams, or even just by one student.
When it became clear that an American attack was imminent, the Russian team announced an extraordinary measure: the deployment of Russian troops to strategic sites in Iran.
in other news:
Hamburg – The German government will not oppose a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to watch his team play at the football World Cup, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Saturday.
http://news.monstersandcritics…..ran_crisis
YIKES
JimmyJeff, *ilson already linked to it above in 67. Thanks for commenting the “baseless” quote, which is pretty damning.
ccmask: apropos Russian troops in Iran – the Persians might get a tad huffy about the Russkies occupying territory – been there, done that
SALLY SAID “That the audience would boo Taylor and applaud Bush tells you what a sorry state this country is in.”
It tells me that it was a pod audience. I love the pic….the girl sitting next to him with her mouth open! She was Flabberjasted. Or goosed!
John Casper–indeed, in my excitement I missed @ilson’s link.
This previously unreported memo, for which the WaPo has 4 sources, is to me the best, hardest evidence of pure cherry-picking to emerge. Not even wingnuts can discount this example…
I wonder how Judy feels now about her fellow Aspen trying to feed her a complete crock of shit about the N.I.E.? …and then she went to jail to protect those assholes?
new thread: “Eat it Scooter”
I really wish that the military were actually allowed to “veto” their commander-in-chief’s war plans. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. He gives the orders and they follow them. He hasn’t listened to any military leader who disagrees with him in the past and isn’t likely to start now. The leaders who disagree with him are “retired” early. If one disobeyed him, they would, I believe, be arrested.
That’s what makes the reports of Bush’s plans to attack Iran so scary. The only ones who can stop it are: Us, hopefully with the help of our congresscritters.
Time to move on, and back to the Fitz stand-up routine.
New post by Jane. New thread.
And darn if we don’t have Bush’s sanitized groupies in the Senate and House who listened but didn’t really object to his talk of war. As if he would ever willingly talk to anyone who might object to his mad schemes. Let’s pray someone has a plan to sabotage his plan for Iran.
Wilson & Taylor: Thanks for your comments. I wish I went to college like you guys…
Note to self: Take back deep thoughts of getting rid of all the men to bring world peace.
Jaysus. Sometimes even the WP can do excellent reporting. That article is the bomb.
Dammit! I just got finished with hosting a dinner party and find out I missed this nice juicy Lieberman thread.
Oh well, it’s not like there won’t be plenty more Joe threads in the near future. Regarding Joe’s appearances tomorrow, he ain’t gonna be at any of them long enough to answer more than a couple soft-ball questions planted by his handlers. This won’t be the forum for a Harry Taylor moment. But the chance will come eventually.
Let me be blunt: I am going to the Windsor Town Hall event tomorrow. I am a constituent, a 17 year old student who has volunteered for Ned Lamont and will do everything in my power to get him elected.
Gimme ammo.
Someone needs to find out what glossy pics BushCo has of Lieberman in a compromising position. He might as well super-glue his lips to Bush’s ass.
I’m convinced Cheney Bush has something on Lieberman. He either has a girl/boy friend or some nasty financial arrangement that the brownshirt info trollers at the NSC dug up while “looking for terrorists”. I bet Karl Rove has a dossier on everyone in Congress..think of J Edgar Hoover with a super-computer instead of all those little recipe cards.
I like that perspective on it. I have to think about that and get back after I have had a chance to think about it more.