Comments on: Just Read These… http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/ Firedoglake weblog Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:29:31 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: tdraicer http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210844 tdraicer Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:00:45 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210844 <p>Nothing to add on the lunatic Bush foreign policy (which still has over two years to run!) but one never needs a reason to add some Buffy. Joss goes with anything.</p> Nothing to add on the lunatic Bush foreign policy (which still has over two years to run!) but one never needs a reason to add some Buffy. Joss goes with anything.

]]> By: felicity smith http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210724 felicity smith Fri, 28 Jul 2006 20:40:07 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210724 <p>Anybody ever wonder why we ended up with third stringers - Rice, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Gonzales, Chertoff, Bolton and everybody below when Bush, his partners in crime and those amorphous neocons intended to stage a World-Wide Super Bowl once he got in office? NOBODY ELSE WOULD TAKE THE JOBS. I used to think people were picked for their undying loyalty - how can anyone have undying loyalty to a shadow - or they were picked because they were dumber than George-the-Loser. Changed my mind. NOBODY ELSE WOULD TAKE THE JOBS.</p> Anybody ever wonder why we ended up with third stringers – Rice, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Gonzales, Chertoff, Bolton and everybody below when Bush, his partners in crime and those amorphous neocons intended to stage a World-Wide Super Bowl once he got in office? NOBODY ELSE WOULD TAKE THE JOBS. I used to think people were picked for their undying loyalty – how can anyone have undying loyalty to a shadow – or they were picked because they were dumber than George-the-Loser. Changed my mind. NOBODY ELSE WOULD TAKE THE JOBS.

]]> By: prostratedragon http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210556 prostratedragon Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:48:26 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210556 <p>Christy,</p> <p>What you describe from the Hirsch article is basically the central idea of Ron Suskind’s <i>One Percent Doctrine</i>—the Bush-Cheney Administration uses lots of panicky running around from rooftop to rooftop, as it were, as what appears to be a consciously chosen method of operation, with the inevitable result the kinds of fiascos that Hirsch and the others you have here describe. Perhaps you would consider Suskind’s book for a discussion this fall? I think it’s one of the best for at least understanding the roots of the chaos, if not for actually making “sense” of it.</p> Christy,

What you describe from the Hirsch article is basically the central idea of Ron Suskind’s One Percent Doctrine—the Bush-Cheney Administration uses lots of panicky running around from rooftop to rooftop, as it were, as what appears to be a consciously chosen method of operation, with the inevitable result the kinds of fiascos that Hirsch and the others you have here describe. Perhaps you would consider Suskind’s book for a discussion this fall? I think it’s one of the best for at least understanding the roots of the chaos, if not for actually making “sense” of it.

]]> By: Cujo359 http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210539 Cujo359 Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:39:16 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210539 <p>Larry Johnson’s article on Sibel Edmonds got me reaching for the Buffy clip. This crap has ruined what was a fairly good morning. Not blaming you, Christy, and in fact I should be thanking you for reminding me how much is wrong out there.</p> <p>Speaking of Buffy, I was getting caught up on this season of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0562993/"><i>Dr. Who</i></a> and there was Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), playing a headmaster who feeds on his students.</p> Larry Johnson’s article on Sibel Edmonds got me reaching for the Buffy clip. This crap has ruined what was a fairly good morning. Not blaming you, Christy, and in fact I should be thanking you for reminding me how much is wrong out there.

Speaking of Buffy, I was getting caught up on this season of Dr. Who and there was Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), playing a headmaster who feeds on his students.

]]> By: Wayne http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210503 Wayne Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:15:13 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210503 <p>Giles’ comment about currently popular music seems oddly appropriate when thinking about our major media: “Well, we listened to aggressively cheerful music sung by people chosen for their ability to dance, and we ate cookie dough and talked about boys.”</p> Giles’ comment about currently popular music seems oddly appropriate when thinking about our major media: “Well, we listened to aggressively cheerful music sung by people chosen for their ability to dance, and we ate cookie dough and talked about boys.”

]]> By: Norman Reuter http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210461 Norman Reuter Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:54:19 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210461 <p>I recommend Stephen Kinzer’s new book Overthrow. It documents America’s toppling of fourteen foreign governments. This clearly written account shows the ignorance, lack of planning and major corporation involvement in the overthrows listed. I have not finished it yet but it certainly gives perspective to the evnts before us.</p> I recommend Stephen Kinzer’s new book Overthrow. It documents America’s toppling of fourteen foreign governments. This clearly written account shows the ignorance, lack of planning and major corporation involvement in the overthrows listed. I have not finished it yet but it certainly gives perspective to the evnts before us.

]]> By: Pfifferling http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210458 Pfifferling Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:51:53 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210458 <p>Mommybrain @10:03, thank you very much for the welcome. I’ve been following your situation and am so sorry about what you are going through. You’re in my thoughts.</p> Mommybrain @10:03, thank you very much for the welcome. I’ve been following your situation and am so sorry about what you are going through. You’re in my thoughts.

]]> By: Eureka Springs, AR http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210451 Eureka Springs, AR Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:48:56 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210451 <p>Oh and Ricks mentions Odierno is up for promotion and still in Iraq iirc.</p> Oh and Ricks mentions Odierno is up for promotion and still in Iraq iirc.

]]> By: Eureka Springs, AR http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210444 Eureka Springs, AR Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:46:59 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210444 <p>Christy,<br /> I heard the Odierno name for the first time this week.<br /> Major General Raymond T. Odierno Was mentioned this week on The Charlie Rose show featuring Thomas Ricks and a review of his book “Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq” . This was a very interesting show, watch or pod it if you have the opportunity.<br /> Major General Raymond T. Odierno, CMDR. 4th INFANTRY DIV sounds like he should be placed high on the list for investigations into Geneva war crimes. He ordered torture according to sources (troops) in Ricks book.<br /> Interestingly Wikipedia has no entry on Odierno and Google initial hits date 2003.</p> Christy,
I heard the Odierno name for the first time this week.
Major General Raymond T. Odierno Was mentioned this week on The Charlie Rose show featuring Thomas Ricks and a review of his book “Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq” . This was a very interesting show, watch or pod it if you have the opportunity.
Major General Raymond T. Odierno, CMDR. 4th INFANTRY DIV sounds like he should be placed high on the list for investigations into Geneva war crimes. He ordered torture according to sources (troops) in Ricks book.
Interestingly Wikipedia has no entry on Odierno and Google initial hits date 2003.

]]> By: Mary http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210351 Mary Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:10:17 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/07/28/just-read-these/#comment-210351 <p>Very fast ck in - busy busy day.</p> <p>lhp - I believe you on the targeting, I just don’t know enough about the offices to pick that up from the piece. It sounds like, with almost 800 open slots, even offices that aren’t being targeted are in a crunch. Also that the 10M/hour spent in Iraq might have some better places it could go. </p> <p>Peterr - IMO, it depends on the whys and hows of the illegal behavior. If it is illegal based only on statutory provisions, then I think they can pull it off. If it is *illegal* based on Constitutional violations - then it’s a bit more touch and go. If it is illegal based on common law illegality, then you have to have a very tight statute to decriminalize prior behavior, bc you are legislating in derogation of the common law. Top it off with the fact that there are a boatload of different, interweaving statutes to see if you cover all bases, and if in doing so, you decriminalize a lot of things you didn’t mean to let off. </p> <p>But of course, the brilliant men and women, mostly men thank God, who have pulled things off so well, so far — I’m sure they’ll get it right. I’m also sure it will do not one thing to this country to have massive legislation decriminalizing a half decades worth of Bill of Rights, Torture Act, War Crimes Act, UCMJ etc. violations. OTOH - what are the alternatives that the A Team has left us, as a country?</p> <p>Oh, yeah, I forgot - we just take all the incompetent immoral bad lawyers and put them on the Appellate Courts and so they can finish what they started. </p> <p>You know what - the Exec DOES have the power of pardon. If the COngress had any balls at all they’d tell Gonzales & CO. that the PResident can just go ahead and go down in history as the first President to compile and cross annotate a huge long list of criminal violations, all undertaken at his own direction and under the “asbestos touch” insulation of his DOJ.</p> <p>Pardon IS his power. Let him start the list now of all the criminals he’s created and put pardon to their name. It’s his list - he should own it. </p> <p>Pissed and no time to be pissed.</p> Very fast ck in – busy busy day.

lhp – I believe you on the targeting, I just don’t know enough about the offices to pick that up from the piece. It sounds like, with almost 800 open slots, even offices that aren’t being targeted are in a crunch. Also that the 10M/hour spent in Iraq might have some better places it could go.

Peterr – IMO, it depends on the whys and hows of the illegal behavior. If it is illegal based only on statutory provisions, then I think they can pull it off. If it is *illegal* based on Constitutional violations – then it’s a bit more touch and go. If it is illegal based on common law illegality, then you have to have a very tight statute to decriminalize prior behavior, bc you are legislating in derogation of the common law. Top it off with the fact that there are a boatload of different, interweaving statutes to see if you cover all bases, and if in doing so, you decriminalize a lot of things you didn’t mean to let off.

But of course, the brilliant men and women, mostly men thank God, who have pulled things off so well, so far — I’m sure they’ll get it right. I’m also sure it will do not one thing to this country to have massive legislation decriminalizing a half decades worth of Bill of Rights, Torture Act, War Crimes Act, UCMJ etc. violations. OTOH – what are the alternatives that the A Team has left us, as a country?

Oh, yeah, I forgot – we just take all the incompetent immoral bad lawyers and put them on the Appellate Courts and so they can finish what they started.

You know what – the Exec DOES have the power of pardon. If the COngress had any balls at all they’d tell Gonzales & CO. that the PResident can just go ahead and go down in history as the first President to compile and cross annotate a huge long list of criminal violations, all undertaken at his own direction and under the “asbestos touch” insulation of his DOJ.

Pardon IS his power. Let him start the list now of all the criminals he’s created and put pardon to their name. It’s his list – he should own it.

Pissed and no time to be pissed.

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