The New York Times has called out the neocons.
The last thing this country needs as it heads into this election season is another attempt to push the intelligence agencies to hype their conclusions about the threat from a Middle Eastern state.
That’s what happened in 2002, when the administration engineered a deeply flawed document on Iraq that reshaped intelligence to fit President Bush’s policy. And history appeared to be repeating itself this week, when the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, released a garishly illustrated and luridly written document that is ostensibly dedicated to “helping the American people understand” that Iran’s fundamentalist regime and its nuclear ambitions pose a strategic threat to the United States.
It’s hard to imagine that Mr. Hoekstra believes there is someone left in this country who does not already know that. But the report obviously has different aims. It is partly a campaign document, a product of the Republican strategy of scaring Americans into allowing the G.O.P. to retain control of Congress this fall. It fits with the fearmongering we’ve heard lately — like President Bush’s attempt the other day to link the Iraq war to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
But even more worrisome, the report seems intended to signal the intelligence community that the Republican leadership wants scarier assessments that would justify a more confrontational approach to Tehran. It was not the work of any intelligence agency, or the full intelligence panel, or even the subcommittee that ostensibly drafted it. The Washington Post reported that it was written primarily by a former C.I.A. official known for his view that the assessments on Iran are not sufficiently dire….
If the Republicans who control Congress really wanted a full-scale assessment on the state of Iran’s weapons programs, they would have asked for one, rather than producing this brochure.
The nation cannot afford to pay the price again for politicians’ bending intelligence or bullying the intelligence agencies to suit their ideology.
It’s not just the blogs watching you any longer, Fred Fleitz. And Dick Cheney can take his desire for pre-fab intel and shove it. Never play politics with national security — especially when your record on the subject is an abysmal failure, filled with lies and half-truths.
What does President Bush think about all of this? Who the hell knows, he’s on vacation…again.
Had enough?
UPDATE: You can e-mail the NYTimes editorial board and thank them for following up here: editorial@nytimes.com (Thanks to *ilson for finding the e-mail addy for me.)
(Reader "LR" sent me an e-mail, giving me a heads up that this wasn’t an original — but it comes from Cj at Worth1000.com. Wanted to give credit where it was due — and that will teach me to not double-check on an image I receive in my e-mail.)
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NED!
Christy!
This has to be put down, vocally. I’m curious to see how the Hillarys of the party react to this Iran bullshit.
And good morning, Christy!
The Democrats should jump on this and question if the Iraq debacle is the Republician blueprint for success in dealing with Iran.
Iraq Israel Hezbollah Lebanon=Iraq; here we go again
Sorry thats = Iran - not enough coffee yet
Morning gang — this is one of those mornings where I am most grateful for coffee. Am coming down with Fi’s ick. *blergh* How’s everyone this morning? What’s caught your eye in the news?
And can I just say — good on the NYTimes for picking up on the Fred Fleitz reporting that Dafna Linzer did in the WaPo! This editorial made me SO happy this morning — it’s about damn time the corporate media started calling bullshit on this Administration’s faux sham of politicized intel. That is NOT how it is supposed to work — and they mess with the process to all of our peril.
Their desire to go to war is frightening. All in the name of lining the pockets of Halliburton and Big Oil. It saddens me.
…now I must find coffee
I wonder which one of his 25 summer reading books he packed? Sweet. A family wedding and some fishing. Must be wonderful to be able to spend time with his folks and his children. Must be nice to not be one of the 2500 marines that has to pack up and ship off to Bush’s hell on earth. I have had more then enough.
Good morning, Christy, and kudos to the NYT for getting something right.
I tried to find a good e-mail for the NYTimes editorial board folks to send thanks, but haven’t come up with one. Anyone have one that isn’t for a Letter to the Editor, but is just for a thank you note? If so, post it and I’ll update above for everyone.
Millineryman @ 4
Excellent soundbite – elected Dems, hop aboard.
Vulpes fulva ! ! !
Mornin’ Everyone
Oh Christy, thank you for this morning wake-up call. Hard to believe the MSM is getting in front of this, but I’ll take it. I also recommend Raimondo’s latest at Anti War. It’s a doozy on Iran and our history with it. Chalabi keeps turning up like a bad penny.
If these nuts think the American public has an appetite for more lies and more war and more plundering, they are wrong.
I hope you’re feeling better very soon.
Love the photo. Sometimes it seems as though the pack mentality will doom us–I’ll be curious to meet with John Dean on this issue on Sunday. Still, the presence of the fox within the herd, heads up and alert, maybe that’s us, and maybe we can divert the pack from the sort of suicidal mentality that seems to predominate now. I’ve had enough and then some……Thanks for your dedication, Christy. There are islands of hope in this lake…
I have been waiting and waiting to use this pix. A reader from Britain sent it to me — but didn’t want credit for the image. So thank you, person whose name I’m not going to mention, but you know who you are. :)
The NYT seems to imply that 2002 was the first instance of this happening. But as Digby (I think it was Digby) said: they’ve always been wrong.
They’ve always agressively criticised the intelligence agaencies who failed to see The Current Danger. Missile Gap, Dominoes in South East Asia, you name it, they’ve always whined that the CIA had a liberal bias, and they’ve always been wrong. And the result has invariably been a cost of billions of dollars, tens of thousands of American lives, and hundreds of thousands of foreign lives.
But they get into government and skim off a profit while the skimming is to be had, so that’s good.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..cut_senate
Anybody see the latest Ned?
And go check out peacetakescourage.com for the latestAva video. It is very moving.
editorial@nytimes.com
I knew Hoeskstra was planning something when he made this announcment. He’s looking to expand the war, not actually prevent.
twolf1 @ 8
well said! You can add the defense industry to the list of war profiteers as well.
“We have to stop this regime.”
“This regime is really scary.”
“They could bomb us, if we don’t act soon…”
Familiar message? As in the runup to the Iraq war, they’re saying, “We’re doing it, we’re doing it, we’re doing it.” Which is why I believe they really plan to do it. Public be damned, Pentagon be damned, polls be damned. They probably think 1) they have nothing to lose 2) it’ll give ‘em a bump in the polls 3) history will recognize the wisdom of their decision 4) God is whispering in the Deciderer’s ear.
Christy, I just hope the voices get louder & louder. OT. I saw a segment on CNN earlier, re: WIDOWS of men KIA were having their pensions cut by (RUMMY) by 60%,The widows are suing but, this thing needs to get out. Maybe someone will look in to this and try to help them. Maybe contact Paul Hackett, or Howard Dean ? What do you think ?
Really great graphic to the lovely person out there in our beloved Great Britain!
Millineryman, perfect question.
Christy, My all-time favorite FDL image! It’s a great picture. Thanks.
yesterday, cnn was showing, on a map, how far iran’s current types of missiles could reach. into parts of europe. then they said iran was maybe 10 years off from developing a missile that could hit the U.S.–and they showed the arrow start in Iran and make it’s way around the world to the U.S. All that was missing was a mushroom cloud and little stick figures running away screaming.
Nana Pam @ 22
or Murtha
Take this miraculous editorial and allow yourself to imagine for a moment that you live in a country that functions as something more than a blind engine of destruction.
What are the appropriate, just penalties and remedies for goading the country into war?
What are the appropriate, just penalties and remedies for omitting information in the process of goading the country into war?
What are the appropriate, just penalties and remedies for misconstruing informaiton to goad the country into war?
What are the appropriate, just penalties and remedies for lying to goad the country into war?
What are the appropriate, just penalties and remedies for profiting from this war?
Are there laws on the books now? If not, imagine that we had a Congress that could produce good, clear legislation. How would an effective, contsitutional law read?
That’s my appeal to the rational brain trust that reads here.
To those feeling “irrationally” angry, let’s put due process aside for a moment. (Where did I get that idea?) Who’s guilty?
Pick a favorite and build a case. You can be as sloppy as you like. (Where did I get that idea?) Why is he or she guilty?
cbl @ 13
Vulpes fulva? I prefer Vulpes vulpes.
Love the picture this morning, Christy! The game is indeed on.
ot – Lamont faults Lieberman, Bush on Katrina
The administration can crank up the mighty wurlitzer all they want, but they can’t rely on the AUMF for permission to invade/bomb Iran.
The default position is that Congress has the authority to declare war, and contols the purse strings.
Even the dimmest Republicans realize Iraq is a disaster. Any of them running for office must know that going after Iran would mean instant ejection come November.
Thnaks op99 and meta. I’m sure Murtha, Hackett, Dean or Lamont will say something similiar.
For those that questioned whether or not HoJo was campaigning with the Republicans here is some TV coverage and you decide..
http://www.wtnh.com/global/sto…..yHelp=true
goodness I love that graphic, keep going upthread to get another chuckle -
grs @ 6:00am – Amen! ya had to know something was hinky about that earlier Hoekstra blathering
is this a pre emptive strike from Gail (?) walling off Pinch and the other kids from going down that road again ?
but what will we tell
the childrenpoor Bobo Brooks ?am I greedy to think it would have been nice to include something in it about Valerie Plame and the setbacks to Intel her outing wrought ?
probably, but like everyone else am so glad to see this
“a product of the Republican strategy of scaring Americans into allowing the G.O.P. to retain control of Congress this fall. It fits with the fearmongering we’ve heard lately”
the agreed goal of terrorism is to frighten the civilian population. So what is the difference between a terrorist and republicans? (rhetorical question).
.
great pic!
anyone notice that the bushliar-criminal regime set the stage for the ‘no good intell on Iran’s nuke program’ meme by outing Plame – our CIA mole on ta da: Iran’s nuke program?
.
YES!! twolf1, Murtha God Bless Him.
Nana Pam — Murtha and Kerry have both done quite a bit of work on the benefits issue. As have a number of others — but Murtha has really been leading the charge in the House on this.
TIME: The Pentagon Plans for an African Command
Oh, golly. The NYT omitted something. I’ve helpfully corrected it, in bold:
Nana Pam, et. al.–
I was just talking to someone about how I looked at the Virginia presidential results county by county. It was close and Kerry took a lot of the highest population centers but Bush got the military towns.
I know the military traditionally votes Republican but I hope in November they register disapproval with the shabby way they’ve been treated with their benefits even as the Repugs rant about “Supporting our Troops”.
Good morning everyone!
This post is a reminder of why it is so important to take control of the House and Senate in November.
“Christy, I just hope the voices get louder & louder. OT. I saw a segment on CNN earlier, re: WIDOWS of men KIA were having their pensions cut by (RUMMY) by 60%,The widows are suing but, this thing needs to get out. Maybe someone will look in to this and try to help them. Maybe contact Paul Hackett, or Howard Dean ? What do you think ?”
NPR had a segment on this morming that indicated that the DoD refused comment and that Congress was divided on whether to repeal the current law (which allows the offset of DoD pension from the VA pension) – that’s the way to elevate this issue, find out the position of your Rep or Sen and hammer them if they are against paying war widows and widowers what their spouses were promised…
Tommy at 42 — mwahahahaha — I wouldn’t hold my breath on a correction for that, if I were you. *G*
gak @
38
emptywheel has been all over that for a long time, but it never hurts to get a reminder. Thanks.
I don’t know, do ya think it was the Crayola smudges that gave it away ?
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.c…..009523.php
cbl at 48 — oh, good heavens. Forged Niger documents 2.0 anyone?
…and the perfidious Kuwaitis are hiding all those missiles under premie baby incubators!
Bush, Cheney, Bolton and the rest of these criminals will get the war they want. What the hell is going to stop it, the public rising up in righteous anger and insisting on sanity and forceful diplomacy? Ha, the nation is xenophobic and violent, hence the election of violent, xenophobic politicians to lead it. Bush and Cheney ARE America. If they lust for war Americans will jump into bed with them and hump the reaper too. There is a reason millions upon millions chain themselves to the TV and radio listening to O’Reilly, Rush, Hannity, Savage, Beck, Ingraham, Reagan, Boortz and the rest of the hatemongers spewing their bile over the airwaves. It’s not out of morbid fascination they hang onto their every word, it’s because they AGREE with them. This nation is sick, and sicker since 9/11. Thanks to Bush many dream of killing and maiming brown people, Arabs and Muslims, or at least dream of sending someone to do it for them. War with Iran is coming. It’s coming because the nation wants it. These crazy bastards could get the country to sign on to firebombing Toronto with a slick enough PR campaign. Gaining acquiescence for nuking Tehran will be a piece of cake.
I just re-read the Bush vacation story in the WaPo, and I want to say for the record that protesting at someone’s wedding is bad form. The poor bride and groom can’t help it if they are related to George Bush — they were stuck with him at birth. I’m all for holding him accountable, but not for ruining someone’s wedding day. That’s a step too far for me, and I felt the need to say it out loud. I’m just saying…
Christy Hardin Smith @ 11
You could try this:
Michael M. Weinstein
Editorial Board
miwein@nytimes.com
Jane S. @ 43
I think Webb has a good chance of prevailing with the military. Sen. Dude Ranch Macaca wraps himself in a flame retardant flag, but Veteran Webb advocates for lifetime tax cuts for military service, and oh yeah, not starting unnecessary wars.
tommy yum -NICE rewrite but no nod to Judy Kneepads?
as I posted above — the Email address for the Editorial Board is editorial@nytimes.com
Good Morning Christy, good post, again, thank you.
(re: Ick. Try Miso soup, chock full of nutrients, it’s yummy, and the instant stuff isn’t half bad if you use more water than they recommend. Toss in some scallions and carrot, and voila! It’s better than at the restaurants)
On topic: George the first was head of the CIA, didn’t he make it clear to his dimwitted son that you *don’t* mess around with your intelligence sources? This has appalled me since he first took office. Iraq wasn’t bad intelligence. It was ignoring everything that the Decidererer didn’t want to hear. And they’re doing it again. (Hacking up a beardly hairball here)
This is stupidity of the first order. 20 years ago, when I was studying the history of espionage in college (Very strange class) had you given me a timetable of this presidency & the CIA, I’d have said you were nuts. No president would be so unimaginably self-destructive as to so piss off his intelligence agencies.
(I won’t type the string of expletives that I’m saying, it would melt the phone lines on the way to the server, and then around the country, and it’s fire season out there)
The default position is that Congress has the authority to declare war, and contols the purse strings.
The default administration position as described in John Yoo’s book is that the declaration of war by Congress is a formality, a recognition of a state of conflict. The president, in the administration’s view, can enter into any conflict without Congressional approval. The declararation of war power is backward looking, in this view.
Yoo limits the war-making powers of Congress to the purse strings. If they want to stop a war he says, they have to stop funding it. But the administration has even gone beyond that restriction. In the run-up to Iraq, before the AUMF was passed, the administaion “redirected” 2 billion dollars to preparations for war in Iraq.
steve duncan @ 51
I don’t think a majority of Americans are like that. Maybe a third. Unfortunately we all suffer for it.
It makes me feel powerless. I suspect a lot of people in Germany in 1939 felt the same way.
Christy, if Bush was your father, uncle, brother or friend you’d be rightfully horrified and ashamed of his genocidal actions. Common decency would dictate you pronounce your sadness, anger and disagreement with his policies. Maybe the wedding couple could have held a press conference calling for Bush’s indictment for war crimes and jailing at the Hague pending verdict. Perhaps then the protesters would have left them alone.
gak @ 38
I did notice that and was gonna ask if I recalled that correctly. I think they had this outcome planned all along.
Is this the “Eve of Destruction”? Bush, Cheney, Rove and Rice. The nation, not to mention the world, would benefit if these four, and a few others were placed on a rigorous diet. No sugar, no meat and no alcohol. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Especially broccoli. Supplemented by daily doses of thorazine from now until well after 2008.
I’m struck by the odd release of this report. A staff report, and one not approved by the full committee. According to the WaPo’s piece yesterday,
There’s something fishy going on here. My guess is that someone leaked the report to the media, and when the reporter called Hoekstra for comment, they rushed to make it public. Congressional committees don’t typically release staff reports like this that have not be “prepared and reviewed” and approved by the full committee. Here, it has not only been released, but the committee has made it clear that this is NOT the position of the committee, just one staffer – and they are willing to name the staffer at that. (Generally, only the members’ names get used – staff are held to be anonymous, if their presence is acknowledged at all – because the members want the credit for the work.)
Ah, the politics of leaking . . . I think someone in that committee or on that staff is scared to death of a repeat of the Iraq intelligence mess. Thank God someone’s awake on the Hill!
beard5 @ 56
If you’d told me ten years ago that the United States of America would jettison the Geneva Conventions, habeas corpus, and half the bill of rights, I’d have said the same thing.
Dru @ 53
tommy yum -NICE rewrite but no nod to Judy Kneepads?
Oh yeah. Forgot:
Thanks, Christy, for pointing us to the surprisingly on-the-money editorial from the Times. I suppose when the corporate media comes through (however seldom that is, and for whatever reasons…), they do deserve credit.
Like others, I really like Millineryman’s phrasing: “The Democrats should jump on this and question if the Iraq debacle is the Republician blueprint for success in dealing with Iran.”
Also, Steve Duncan: Bush is not America. America’s ruling class has never been broadly representative of America. Bush is the product of a dysfunctional democracy. Yes, it’s been dysfunctional since its inception. And yes, I agree that America is sick. But even justified pessimism is no excuse for defeatism. Everything good that’s happened in America’s political history has been the result of progressive struggle. I see it as self-defense; give self-defense a chance.
along these lines, did anyone catch Tweety w/ Biden yesterday ??
Tweety said things like ‘Neo-Con Job’, and was incredibly derisive and dismissive of their crap
then Biden said he was praying to God that ‘true repubs’ would reject “this nonsense” and “pass on drinking the kool aid this time”
Mr. cbl and I just stared at the box incredulously, both wondering Who the hell are you guys, and what the hell have you done with Tweety and Joe ?!?!
Atrios et Yglesias weigh in on Dem Response:
http://atrios.blogspot.com/200…..9783184545
Per CHS, one email to the NYT’s, thanking them for their fine editorial “Wanted, Scary Intelligence.”
jayackroyd @
57
Who’s gonna stop him from spending wherever he wants?
Ten bucks says a terror state of emergency will require postponing national elections indefinitely until the state of emergency passes, like gas from his . . . .
OT but Dana Milbank on George Allen:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..v=hcmodule
Go WEBB! (doin’ the happy dance here)
One less vote for neverending war is what we’d get with Webb in the Senate.
Well, I thought I might muster up a better mood than the one I was in yesterday, but I find this campaign to ratchet up a case for what we know is some kind of military intervention on Iran to just be the last straw for me. It’s clear that I have had more than enough – way more. In fact, I can’t even tell you when the last time I felt that the level of “enough” was even manageable.
Maybe it’s an indictment of how easily they were able to manipulate us into the war in Iraq that makes them think they can do it again, but do they also think we cannot see the mess that is Iraq, and increasingly, the mess that is Afghanistan, staring us squarely in the face? Do they think we weren’t paying attention when, after over a month of air strikes and ground attacks, Israel was unable to defeat a much smaller force? Do they think we haven’t read the materials that suggest that our reluctance to call for a cease fire was so that we could use the Israeli conflict as a test for launching a similar mission against Iran?
I am supremely tired of being treated as if I am too stupid to see what is in front of me. I am tired of elected representatives acting as if the media are a stand-in for what we, the people, are really thinking and feeling, and of the media believing they have the authority to substitute their own judgment and opinions for what we think and feel.
Screw that. Hear us. See us. Watch us head, in droves, to the voting booth on November 7.
Game on, indeed.
I wonder if Hillary, Biden and the rest of the no-nothings that supported the Iraq War will do likewise in terms of attacking Iran? So far at least, (I might missing something), but I haven’t heard from Senator Clinton on the matter.
Rep. Christopher Shays, who is locked in a tough re-election fight against an anti-war challenger, says the U.S. should consider setting a timeline for troop withdrawals from Iraq.
Dear Editor Yum,
How you wrote the NYT editorial. It was totally great. I hope you get to keep that job at the NYT. Cuz, well, we really need you there.
OK Kiddo– Senator Clinton fully backed the “action” in Lebanon, can’t see her not backing the “action” in Iran…
twolf1,
thanks for the Shays link. funny, don’t think this is what Mehlman had in mind for Adapt to Win
Peterr @
62
Peterr, as you know from reading Dafna Linzer’s article, neocon, Fred Fleitz, was the principle author of
this latest Pravda-like, treasonous, scare mongeringthe report.Here’s emptywheel’s take.
twolf1 @ 73
Thanks twolf1. Joe is running to the right of a CT Republican. Oh what tangled webs we weave.
Christy, I like you, hate to spoil their wedding day,BUT how many weddings,lives,& futures has Bush DESTROYED. If Bush cared about their wedding he could have stayed away,or at least not made it so public,Sorry Christy I have no pity for anyone related to him. OT go to Crooks & Liars for a really feel good story on ANN Coulter( I know Im tired of her too, BUT watch it’s worth it, I promise. HEE HEE
I am convinced that Senator Clinton is a neo-con, blind supporter of the Israeli government, and has lost her marbles as far as foreign policy is concerned.
Here are two ways NOT to have good Iran intell:
(1) Out of your top intelligence agents–Plame.
(2) Allow a single cell phone call to magically reach every secret contact in Iran, thereby wrecking all of our info sources there.
It’s almost like they were trying…
The possible war in Iran has the Bush admin in a quandry on how to sell it to th public.
They can approach it the same way they did the Iraq war and lie about the intellegence. But will people buy it?
They can create a situation in this country of an attack and blame it on Iran, but they risk looking soft on protecting us from the bad guys.
They can attack Iran anyway, not caring that they don’t have our support and when we balk, declare martial law and silence us forcefully.
I vote that they try the last one.
cbl, i caught chris and joe and the exchange about the report too. i was amazed (but pleased) to see them both be so forcefully dismissive of it as nothing more than a move of cheap political desperation. i took it as an encouraging sign that the gop has cried wolf over the “scary brown people in the middle east who all want to kill us” one too many times. it seems like the neocons just can’t function without some sort of bogeyman to point to. it’s really lost it’s punch though.
Tommy Yum at 42, thanks for finding those lost sentences.
OT: Loves me some d r i f t g l a s s
Coffee spew warning!
Oklahoma kiddo @ 80
I don’t think she’s a blind supporter. Everything she does is for political expediency.
Thanks for the WaPo link angie at 6:49. WOW, Dana really dropped the hammer.
steve duncan @ 59
…is still here why, exactly?
Good job by the NYT there. Whether or not to start a war with Iran is most certainly NOT the conversation we should be having right now!!
The picture reminds me of an early Iraq-related cartoon. The crowd of lemmings rushing toward the cliff and the leader looks to a partner and says, “Frankly, I’m having some second thoughts myself, but at this point I think that the best plan is to Stay the Course.”
peace,
jim
The nation cannot afford to pay the price again for politicians’ bending intelligence or bullying the intelligence agencies to suit their ideology.
Uhmmmm. Guess what! We couldn’t and cannot afford their bending it the first time!
Wow Christy!!
What a difference a week makes!
I’m breathing again, and that old adrenalin’s a pumpin’.
Let’s go get ‘em!
This is the sorta thing that’s gonna cement Tweetie & Scab*rough &… hello? Lou? Wolfie? Donner? Blitzen?
W/ a whole lotta work & cooperation, Nov’s gonna be sweet.
I have been dreading the “October Surprise” for some time. The rethugs at this point are a wounded, cornered animal, and this is VERY dangerous. All indications are that there will big big gains for Dems in November, (redistricting shenanigans notwithstanding) and investigative power for Dems, even in just the House, could be disasterous for team Bush.
That said, Rove is still Rove, and will work devilishly with what he’s got – which mainly boils down to FEAR, and it’s translation, VIOLENCE, all wrapped up in nationalism. In this case it seems to be that we cannot tolerate whatever it is Iran is up to, and to must ATTACK.
How will they pull this off? It’s heartening that there are signs that MSM might call them on this shit, which begs the question – what will BushRove come up with to trump the present skepticism? Another terror attack (allowed to happen)? An “incident” on the Iran/Iraq border (a la 1939)? Get the Israelis to start the shooting?
I dunno, but we have to be prepared for the most dishonest, contrived fiendishness, wrapped in a compelling “be afraid, America” narrative.
Had enough? Yes. I guess the next question is: Ready To Commit To The Fight For Change?
OT but I suspect (gulp) that some might be interested: I saw Ned last night at Crobar in NYC. Personally I think hot nightclubs with open bars aren’t exactly the most conducive settings for serious politics; but there was great music from Moby (who introduced Ned, which was nice) and The Roots, and the crowd din actually calmed down a bit when Lamont gave his 3-minute stump. Ned’s presence was somewhat stern, either because he wasn’t into the scene or maybe because he wanted to cut through the buzz. There were also readings by Rosie Perez and Julia Stiles, from “It Takes A Nation” about Katrina victims being scattered across the country. I’ve got pics here. [end of dubious aside]
I think we need not only thank the new york times, I think we need to beseach them to link the push for war in Iraq to the plan the PNAC set forward years ago
they need to post all the memebers of the PNAC, where those people are in the administration
I GUARANTEE even republicans will start talking about impeachment of we are able to get that story some legs
egregious at 81 -
What’s the story of the cellphone call in (2)?
About Hillary:
Dr. Bong @ 85
Christy Hardin Smith @ 52
Dr. Bong many thanks.
Christy I understand where you are coming from but I think that quiet, mindful protesting at a fatcat Republican wedding is perfectly acceptable. And I fully expect anyone who is there holding signs to be ripped apart and derided by the likes of Faux News unlike the neo-con religious nuts who came out to protest and interrupt the funerals of the servicemen and women all in the name of homophobia.
Dear NYTimes,
Thanks for finally waking up and smelling the coffee about the disastrous neocon national security policy. All we want is the truth. Keep it up and I’ll resubscribe.
lina @ 86
Oh yes. The Senator is quite wily. Her defect seems to be that she cannot or will not see there are many sides in the Middle East firestorm. She’s hewn to one view only. But I think you are correct. This individual is one calculating pol. And it is for this reason, that I don’t like her.
“The Democrats should jump on this and question if the Iraq debacle is the Republician blueprint for success in dealing with Iran.”
I agree Kai.
I think the easiest first step is for the Dems to begin demanding that the WH and
assholeBolton began working with our Allies and the U.N. A statement that we will not act unilaterally would be a good place to start. US forces have Iran surrounded. The ME understands that, but Americans have lost sight of the extremely provacative nature of our deployment.Nukes in Iran pose a much greater risk for Russia, Europe, and the rest of the Middle East than they do for us. The rest of the world knows that Bush’s war drums are about oil, not nuclear weapons.
portia.vz @ 98
Now if you would care to do a fair followup, you would do very niceley to point out the links of those people pushing for war in Iraq and their membership in the sick fraternity that have told us they wanted to attack Iraq and Iran just a few years before the president took office.
Those members of the PNAC are in the administration now, and they are continuing the plan that brought us into Iraq
Nana Pam @
23
I agree with you. This is utterly shameful…and those people have no shame. I guess it’s up to us to stop them. I’ve had MORE than enough.
Re protesting at a wedding: I don’t think the upside justifies the inevitable fussy distraction. Personally, I’m a fan of political protest, civil disobedience, direct action; but protesting a wedding strikes me as ineffective street theater. There are surely actions whose symbolism carries more dramatic clarity.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 99
My daily plug for Hil’s progressive Democratic opponent in the September 12th NY primary, Jonathan Tasini.
John Casper @ 77
Thanks for the link to emptywheel’s piece – good analysis of the report and its author, but no analysis of who wanted it out to the public. Fleitz is one suspect, of course – gotta scare the CIA into action and scare the voters into silence. If that’s the case, I think he and Cheney and Addington miscalculated, because the broader public isn’t going to take it at face value because of the lack of trust in the administration (and the twisted logic, which emptywheel deconstructs so nicely!). No, my money’s on a member of the committee, and if pushed I’d bet on a republican who sees the mess that things are in now because of republicans rushing the nation to war, and doesn’t want it happen again.
The only way for members to stand up to Cheney’s henchmen like Fleitz is to drag them into public view. Republicans in particular are learning that they can’t win the behind-the-scenes turf wars with Cheney, but by making it public, they’ve got a chance to head him off.
Cheney wants the win, not the public glory, in whatever battle he is fighting, so he’s happy behind the scenes where he can twist arms and make deals. Force him, his henchmen, and their policies into the sunlight, and he’s at an extreme disadvantage.
I hope it’s going to be a sunny, sunny autumn . . .
Thanks, that was perfect-o tommy yum; Spatial Agent Judy in her Nutshell!
Only took ‘em what, six years ? Just wait a week, they’ll probably have a relapse. Awakening is a process, as we know .. often helped by hot black coffee and cold showers.
Jenna Bush was there in Maine on vacation too. In grand Bush tradition, she was riding around in and fishing from the speedboat. Jenna looks pretty healthy. Why isn’t she serving in Iraq? If she did then at least one person would not have to serve an additional tour of duty. While I realize that no one in the Bush family will ever serve, Bush needs to be asked this question at every opportunity.
Who’da thunk it? The NYT learned how to spell “spine”!
rushing off to work -
wanted to leave you all with results of my anecdotal polling at yesterday’s high school football game -
remember, this is not groovy, blue Austin, this is exurban Williamson County (87% Bush 04)
‘wont get fooled again’
‘fool me once’
‘not with our kids’
over and over again. Not that there’s anything to stop Richard Cheney, but dont think he’s gonna get his slam dunk this time
enjoy the day Firedogs!
Hillary Clinton and Time-Warner are colluding to prevent a debate between Jonathan Tasini and Clinton. Time-Warner justifies their position saying that Tasini has not raised enough money. Outrageous! Tasini polled 13% recently against the Senator. There should be a debate. Hillary is afraid to.
Guess what, FirePups?? DCCC made it very easy for you to take other action against the dorks who prepared this piece-o’-crap masquerading as intelligence reporting.
One of the signatories to the report is Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI). He also happens to be a recipient of DeLay’s ARMPAC funds. DCCC documented this and some other atrocities committed by Rogers at their GOP Auction House website — but look, at the right of the page there’s a great link to help you write letters to the editors of Michigan newspapers! Tell Michigan’s 8th District voters that this dork is hurting not only them but the rest of America!
What a coincidence, but the illustrious Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) is a DeLay bagman, too!!! For some horrible reason, Michigan has more than its share of stupid Republican puppets who are too eager to take money without asking questions about ethics. Help Michigan voters help you; remind them with letters to the editors that Hoekstra is threatening Michigan security as well as that of our country.
To be more focused, you should select the following papers for each of these reps:
Rogers: Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Ann Arbor, Lansing (8th District is between/overlaps these areas)
Hoekstra: Grand Rapids, Muskegon, both Detroit papers, Lansing (2nd District is on the west side of Michigan, but many folks there also read the Detroit and Lansing papers – as does Governor Granholm’s office.)
And remind Michigan voters that DeLay is a criminal from Texas, like a whole ‘nother country; DeLay’s political influence and corruption should not be permitted to have influence on Michigan, nor on our nation’s security.
Go for it!!
With thanks;
Rayne (from Michigan)
Protesting at a wedding where you have a problem with a guest is wrong.
Protesting at a wedding where the bride or groom is directly responsible for a horrible act against humanity, which causes a great deal of pain and suffering for innocent poeple, now that I wouldn’t have a problem with.
John Casper @ 87
That is good news. Allen couldn’t catch a break in the Shenandoah Valley?? Just, wow.
John Casper @ 100
I agree. So how do we apply pressure on the ruling party to renounce unilateralism? And how do we awaken Americans to the “extremely provocative nature of our deployment”? (Well said; I can tell you I have relatives in Asia who are actually nervous that the US might strike them at any moment for no good reason. And I’m sure the neocons like that.)
Personally, I believe in international law with serious, hard-nosed, UN-empowered “special forces” enforcement. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Biological Weapons Convention, the Chemical Weapons Convention; they’re not that great but so far they’ve done a pretty good job of avoiding the worst kinds of major wars. Unfortunately, the US government (both parties, because of their corporate sponsors) have been at best ambivalent about serious international law for decades. Most of the world correctly observes that the US only invokes international law as a political weapon, not as a serious legal mechanism.
To Meta at 14, I just read Justin Raimondo’s lastest, it’s at http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=9603 for you fellow readers. I was somewhat shocked that Lamont comes across as holding the the same position as our current administration when it comes to Iran. After all you FDL people have done to support him I wonder if he is for peace or more war?
Well, Casey Sheehan will never have a wedding day nor will countless others. If GW had an ounce of grace, he would have met with Cindy Sheehan just like he did with good ole Rockey. I am quite sure that the wedding will not be ruined– the protesters will be out of sight and never heard from as the family is protected inside their compound bubble by the Secret Service.
Or, GW could just stay home and do some work and give up the par-tay and the fishing on Fidelity III. (what a doofus name for a boat!)
Re: the protests at Bush family wedding…
You all have obviously forgotten that this is George Bush we are talking about…the “free speech” zone for protests will probably be nowhere near the wedding site, and I doubt if any guest will ever see a protester, unless they turn on the TV later in the day.
Why aren’t the Bush kids serving in Iraq? Good question. Another question might be why isn’t Hillary’s kid serving in the military?
Nancy Wall @ 115
Nancy, it’s not clear to me from this quote from your link that they do hold the same postion.
“Devilish, diabolical Iran has become the new bipartisan whipping boy. Take the ‘debate’ between Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and challenger Ned Lamont in the New York Times yesterday. Lieberman says that he sees Iranian danger in U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, with Iran moving in. ‘We’ve got to wake up to this. It is the test, unfortunately, of not just this generation of American leaders, but of the next generation as well, because this enemy ain’t going away.’
“Lamont’s response? ‘The invasion of Iraq has had one big winner and that’s Iran,’ he argues. Iran is the real threat, Lamont says, and the war in Iraq has made the United States weaker in dealing with the new devil.
“…Hey, Bush and Lamont agree. I don’t know about you, but that make me very nervous.”
Lamont is on the extreme left of the Democratic party as it stands right now. A lot of us would like to see him go a lot further, but we have to be realistic.
With that said, I think Ned’s remarks on Iran were excellent. His point was, we never should have invaded Iraq in the first place. They were the counterweight against Iran, before we destroyed their army, which is why all the experts told Bush not to invade.
John Casper @
47
I also have been SCREAMING this ever since the Plame outing.. This was NEVER about revenge on Joe Wilson (although that WAS a convenient smoke screen). This was ALWAYS about shutting down Brewster-Jennings. Remember how they pulled the UN Nuke inspectors out of Iraq just before they finished their work and could report NO WMD ? This is the same exact thing. Be afraid people.. be very afraid… Depending on the poll numbers in mid October, an attack on Iran will be the 2006 “October Surprise”….
I hope I’m wrong, but I think these idiots are running the PNAC playbook step-by-step… Just visit their website and read this link to find out what horrors these evil bastards have planned
PNAC treason
tornado warning in NYC
Amen, Mojo.
Excellent and timely post, Christy.
Anne @ 118
As I see it, this is even more of a reason to spend the energy on a juicier target. I’m not worried about upsetting the wedding; I’m talking about effective political theater.
(Yes I know about “free speech zones”, I’ve been attending political protests for almost two decades. I protested Clinton’s illegal bombings of Iraq and Yugoslavia. There were “free speech zones” then too. And Kosovo remains far worse off than it was before Clinton bombed it.)
Mojo @ 121
this IS the pnac playbook, it’s IMPORTANT America finds out about it, it’s IMPORTANT America finds out who the members of the pnac, and they NEED to see the play book that has dictated our foreign policy
Folks in NY, stay safe, there’s a Tornado Warning for the area.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to know what Valerie Plame knows.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 111
Hey O-K, we oughta see if Jane will let one of us do a guest post about the Clinton/Tasini “race” – maybe that would help elevate it to the status of a “race.” I hereby volunteer to author it. Jane?
angie @ 117
This is the really sad part, angie…that those who have lost their lives will never clebrate weddings or anniversaries, won’t see their children grow up. Those injured have had their lives irreparably changed. Weddings have been called off, marriages have ended, minds have been damaged and lost, vets have ended up on the streets for lack of support and proper care.
This is the president who hasn’t been to one funeral, greeted one planeload of coffins…yes, he’s glad-handed at Walter Reed and Bethesda, and he jogged with a double-amputee. Big whoop.
It’s gut-wrenching to realize that a fake “victim” of Katrina was greeted with open arms and back-slapping as part of some twisted PR blitz, while the real tragedies are just swept aside.
There is a special place in hell for George Bush, and I’m kinda hoping he gets to experience it while he is still walking the earth.
Russia says NO to sanctions against Iran.
What was that about Pootie’s dreamy eyes, eh George?
China supports Bush arch enemy Hugo Chavez and his nation Venezuela, for a seat on the UN security council.
HU to US, FU!
It is much better to build bridges than to bomb them Georgie!
-GSD
Speaking a little reality here. I don’t want to see anybody’s kid serving in the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Lieberman and Hillary Iraq War. These kids should not be dying or getting maimed for a lie or to serve under these ego maniacs. I feel strongly about this.
beard5 @ 127
Wow. This is by far the most bizarre weather we’ve ever had in this region. Earlier this summer, the first tornado I’ve ever experienced ripped up the woods a quarter-mile from my house (in southwest CT, basically a NYC suburb). Now, this. Crazy.
Thank you for the warning.
This reported by Tim Grieve’s War Room.
As if she was interested in a philosophical discussion.
beard5 @ 127
can anybody say “Global Warming”?
Ten bucks says a terror state of emergency will require postponing national elections indefinitely until the state of emergency passes, like gas from his . . . .
I’ll take that bet and raise you $990.
IMO it’s at least even money that there will be a “terror event” of some sort of proportion and reported origin sufficient to enact your bet … and, incidentally, make at least a significant proportion of Americans think attacking the evil Iran is OK .. some time in the run up to the ‘08 elections if not sooner.
op99 @ 129
As far as a guest post, if offered, I’d have to respectfully defer to you. The feeling is that you would do a much better job.
Nancy Wall @ 116
I’m suspicious about the picture. It appears that the fox has been photoshopped in. Is this graphic from Jean Schmidt’s photographer?
Bush’s response? Halley said the president told her that “there was no point in us having a philosophical discussion about the pros and cons of the war.”
Yes, there’s abolutely no point in talking to an ignorant unresponsive arrogant dimwit like you, George. The way he treats these families is truly criminal. How would a patriot act?
In today’s NYT, there is an article by Helene Cooper entitled, “In Muted Response to Iran, US and Allies Seek Edge,” which describes the internal battles within the WH vs State Department regarding how to characterize the Iran situation. I can’t seem to link because Bill Gates won’t let me.
But the heart of the story is that the “battle” is between the Vice President’s office and the State Department — the President is nowhere to be found.
We need to call out these crazies, by name and position, exactly as Christy has done above.
op99 @ 128
IMHO, you would be better off putting it in the comments. If Jane wants to pick it up as a post she can.
I agree that Hillary has been a Vichy Dem, but she also supported the winner of the Dem primary in CT and gave Ned $5,000 after he won. If we, the blogs, go after Hillary now, she’s going to relax the pressure she is putting on Joe to drop out in CT.
If Hillary is as skillful a politician as everyone criticizing her says, she will respond to changes in the electorate. Recently she called for Rumsfeld’s resignation. I think if we take both Houses, Hillary will be absolutely huge in a move for impeachment. She’s been through it with Nixon, as a staffer. She probably knows more about Health Care than a lot of others, as a result of her efforts during Bill’s administrations.
OT – Think Progress Katrina Timeline
op99 @ 129
Do you need contact info for Jon? I can send you his email and his campaign mgrs email
Oklahoma kiddo @
137
I think that’s a great idea. Either one of you.
from RawStory: VIDEO: Army to reinvestigate Tillman’s death… Soon…
This administration often succeeds in making me feel terrorized – by them.
I have one kid living in NY city so I will be waiting to hear all is well there.
My teeth grit when the God is angry fundies blame extreme weather on gay marriage, abortion & blah, blah, blah. Such arrogance to think they know the mind of God to begin with. It’s much easier to blame what or whoever than to consider human abuse of the planet might have anything to do with off the charts weather events. I wonder what happened to the being stewards of the earth thingie…did the fundies delete that out of their Bible? Maybe that’s why God is so angry!!! (sarcasm)
NYC Tornado warning canceled
The tornado warning may be cancelled, but Boy o Boy is it ever coming down in sheets!
I have skylights in my living room and you can’t even make out individual drops it’s raining so hard. The sound is deafening.
inthedoghouse @ 141 -
Here’s your link!
Interesting dynamic in that piece . . . Condi reins in Bolton & Co, trying to keep the lid on the neocons and work with the allies.
Meanwhile (tying in with my earlier comments), back on the Hill, the Fleitz report comes out in a very unusual manner. Sounds like this may have been pushback against Condi. Bears watching . . . thanks!
The final paragraph of that NYT piece had me laughing out loud. Emphasis added:
Yes, by all means, let’s appear to be reasonable. If you can’t do the real thing, the least you can do is fake it!
Peterr at 62: it might have been a leak, but given the author and his ties to Cheney, it seems more likely that the reports’ creation and publication were part of a Cheney effort to steamroll Rice. There seem to be vicious games going on.
One wonders if the tornado warning and unsettled weather was prompted by the sudden drop in atmospheric pressure caused by the collective sucking in of thousands of breaths at the truth telling on the NYT editorial page…
or it could be that pesky global warming.
Re Tasini – I’m against triangulation. I think it’s important to learn about all the candidates. If there is someone out there that stands for the same principles as I do, I’d like to know about it. Let people make up there own minds about whether to vote for Hillary or not based on information.
I’m thrilled that Hillary gave Ned some money. But does that come with strings? Probably. But he’s against the war, so I pray there will be no compromises there. And when he wins, I hope they will work hard together to build a strong coalition that will bring us back to sanity. If Tasini is qualified to do that job, well, so much the better.
logging off now, cause I’m afraid the lighting will fry my laptop. See ya all later
A tornado can be sooo not fun.
inthedoghouse @ 152
Agreed – see my comments at 151!
And the games are just going to get more vicious. The Neocons are feeling backed into some tight corners, and are going to lash out at anyone who comes in range, democrat or republican.
looseheadprop @ 150
We hope you and other NYC-area Firepups stay safe and dry today!
John Casper, et al — in support of emptywheel’s take on the irony/outrage of complaining about Iran intell by those who outted Plame, Larry Johnson has also been all over that angle.
http://noquarter.typepad.com/
Oklahoma kiddo @ 156
Listen to the OK Kid! Been there, done that, and became quite proficient with a chain saw as a result. Stay safe, everyone!
Lamont Update From Atrios:
“Nedrenaline!
I hear Clinton’s meeting with Lamont went well, and that her guy Howard Wolfson will be working to coordinate the Dem response to Lieberman’s crap (my word).”
twolf1 @ 146
Gee big Army is going to investigate itself…again. 200 investigations by DoD of itself since we started down the path of our neverending crusade to resubjigate brown people and DoD and it’s subordinate services have exonerated themselves each time. Anyone who thinks this will be different has clearly lost the thread.
Peterr 151– thanks for the link. My work pc kept giving me an error report when I tried to link.
angie @ 153
That is totally hysterical!
Op99 at 88
thanks for saving me from myself by finding a polite way to do it ;->
(I was verstunkan for the right language, oops!)
apologies I suppose. we’re splitting wood today. hope to have a nice pic for a future posting.
may I trust you to keep watch over the little urchin? ;->
angie @ 153
angie, that comment is awesome.
John C.
I agree. What the Bush/Cheney folks seem to miss is that the opposite is also true: the ME has US forces surrounded. Feel safer? Supporting the troops? This is nuts.
Re: the WaPo vacation story-
So Jenna was the buffer between Daddy and Poppy? How fun. Remember, PonyBlow thru Poppy under the bus for not taking Baghdad in 1991 and blaming 9/11 on that decision. Bet that fishing trip was a barrel of laughs.
And I’m seriously impressed with the NYTimes today. It’s been a long time and it deserves a pat on the back email.
John Casper @ 142
Oh, we’ve been flogging it in comments now for a while, but how wide of an audience does that really garner? I don’t want to spend the time executing a prime-time-ready post to languish in obscurity.
Did anyone see this yet?
Dems use ignored rule to oust gay candidate
Alabama party committee disqualifies winner, loser in primary runoff
The money quote:
–MarkusQ
looseheadprop @ 144
I think it would be better to do it totally unaffiliated with the campaign, don’t you? Jon has plenty of info and positions already out there on the public record. If I wrote it, it would have some elements of a hit-piece against Hilary, so Jon should have clean hands, IMO.
Someone should point out that even if Iran should develop nuclear weapons in the next 5 years that they live in a rough neighborhood. The country doing all the squaking (other than the U.S.) Isreal, has already indicated they can deliver nuclear weapons from a nuclear sub. And they are buying another nuclear sub from Germany. The U.S. and Isreal need to shut up and quit occupying countries in the middle east.
inthedoghouse @ 167
True. If things get really crazy, many nations are positioned to drop serious devastation on many thousands of US soldiers.
Sun Tzu says, “When your weapons are dulled and ardour damped, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, neighbouring rulers will take advantage of your distress. And even though you have wise counsellors, none will be able to lay good plans for the future. Thus, while we have heard of blundering swiftness in war, we have not yet seen a clever operation that was prolonged. For there has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited.”
TGIF?
Shouldn’t this editorial’s timing be perfect for prompting C-Span call-in fodder, Sunday blather about an IMPORTANT topic for a change, etc.
If all the networks fill the weekend with endless JonBenet, I’m gonna, …. [have their advertiser’s addresses all lined up & ready, for one thing - harumph!]
GAME ON! HAD ENOUGH! YEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
More interesting “coincidences,” courtesy of Larry Johnson’s piece Republican Chutzpah on Iran . . .
Johnson notes that his “CIA buddy” Jim Marcinkowski is running against House Intelligence committee member Mike Rogers (R-MI 8).
Hmmm . . . a member of the intelligence committee running against a former CIA officer, and a staff report slamming the CIA comes out of the Intelligence committee without being vetted and approved?
No idea where that race stands in the polls, but if Rogers is feeling the heat, the public release of a report that slams your opponent’s former employer might just help keep some nervous supporters from bolting. OTOH, it might also blow up in your face for playing politics with intelligence matters. Fortunately, no one in DC would ever do that!
orangejumpsuit @ 134
Wow. I think that story’s got legs.
Middle East? Think atomic.
John Casper @ 78
That’s how Joe got elected the first time – running to the right of then-republican Lowell Weicker. This is nothing new for him and it’s good he’s finally being called on it after 18 years.
Adie @ 165
In the Post-Civility Era (PCE), lol.
new thread
When California Rootsters went to visit both our Senators’ offices in April, we were met with incredulity when we said we were there to talk about how to avoid a War on Iran. We said we thought that a War on Iran was very possible, and that we worried the lessons from the War on Iraq had not been learned. We talked about how this Administration, and its allies in Congress, would again cook the intel and lie to the American people. We said we were concerned that Senate Democrats could get steamrolled again on the casus belli, this time for a War on Iran that might even be nuclear.
We were assured that could never happen, because our Senators were alert — and now accustomed to looking for the signs of flawed and fixed intel. We were told our concerns were over-wrought and that we should not fear War on Iran. And we were told, especially, that our concern that this war could entail the use of nuclear weapons was unfounded.
Nothing’s changed to alter my assessment — a War on Iran now seems likelier in August than it did in April. That it will need to be nuclear if waged seems assured, given our depleted, worn out and used up conventional military.
I sure hope my Senators are paying attention.
sitting in NYC hotel … morning meeting cancelled which meant I got to order a nice breakfast and logon here … hoping the weather does not keep me from my flight back to Chitown which I miss whenever I’m away.
So much in the news and yet hotel CNN has none of it!
“I don’t want to spend the time executing a prime-time-ready post to languish in obscurity.”
I understand, but can you imagine the blowback Jane and Christy might get, as well as Ned?
IIRC, all the candidates Howie Klein has brought are Dems running against Repubicans.
You’re asking Jane and Christy to put the imprimatur of FDL on the table for someone running against Hillary (huge war chest, never been kissed by Bush, wife of Bill) Clinton.
I don’t know of anyone besides Kos who has so large a readership, who has made war against Vichy Dems, like Jane and Christy have. They just criticized Bill and Hill for not forcing Joe to drop out.
Is there anything besides Iraq that Tasini and Hillary disagree about?
Do you know the poll numbers?
Educating us about Tasini in the comments is fine and I think that makes the blog stronger.
I just think you are really, really asking a lot of Jane and Christy. If you educates us about why we should vote for Tasini in the comments, that will generate discussion, or not. Reading those comments may inform Jane and Christy’s decision about whether they want someone to post.
op99 –
You should write your piece on the Tasini/Clinton race, and let the chips fall where they may.
There are 3 gazillion blogs out there, and not one has guaranteed readership. You could post it here in the comments, at dKos and MyDD as a diary, and see what happens. Maybe it gets picked up, maybe it sinks like a stone. We place our bets, and we take our chances.
That picture sez to me “we CAN all get along if the creepy people with the guns wouldn’t divide in order to conquer, and make money selling their guns…”
al-Scooter @
158
We had this yesterday in the Chicago northern suburbs. Not nice at all.
it is about time Reid and Pelosi name the suckers aka Cheney’s people again who fabricated intel papers. Name them publicly. If Reid and Pelosi don’t know who Cheney’s ppl are they should not the minority leaders any longer.
We all know where this thing is going. By Oct we will have an Iran crisis with battleships and F15s rolling toward the Iran’s water. We already had Israel talking about bombing Iran alone, sure Israel going alone w/o our approval right?
Reid and Pelosi better stand up now or Dems won’t have a f* chance in hell in Nov.
John Casper @ 183
I’m not asking, just offering. Jane has a big picture strategic vision that I am not privy to, and maybe pissing on Hilary isn’t in her calculus; I respect her judgment. However, I appreciate your, -ck-’s and lhp’s comments. I think I will compromise and put out bullet points in comments instead of just embedded links to Tasini’s campaign site. Thanks for all y’all’s input.
phoebes @ 186
Sounds like our entire summer in southcentral Alaska! I can’t remember what a dry skylight looks like. Where I live, it has rained 14 inches in the past week.
Wow, what a fine thread! Kudos to (almost) alla yez, but in particular:
NYT — for doing right by the country and the world this morning
Our anonymous Brit pal — for an image that works on so many levels
Christy — for ongoing excellence (and this morning, in the face of creeping ick — may it creep on by before it really notices you good!)
tommy yum — for giving me reason to amaze certain cats with my antics (on the second helping, I caught one looking sidelong at the other and saying That tommy yum again!)
Anne — for more great analysis and passion
Kai — for crystalline insights, not to mention Sun Tzu!
Rayne — for tactical imagination that just can’t be beat
Peterr — for more alert, incisive thinking than the law ought allow
and
op99/OK kiddo — for thinking up and committing to produce a fine project (my advice: write it up and and email it to CHS/Redd for their “which-neighborhood?” call)
But then there’s . . .
steve duncan — for whom I can find no good reason to allow admission in this house ever again
and JCB — for a suspension of irony that I hope was merely temporary (of COURSE the fox is photoshopped in — GAH!)
excellent post Christy.
excellent list lotus.
I’m lookin’ fwd to watching the BabblingBrooks series on Lehrer tonite (yes, even if I have to grit my teeth thru a Gwen segment). Any takers? He dasn’t ignore the NYofThymes, no?? Get yer hankies out. heh.
as per “no good reason,” at lotus 190, does Christy prosecute under the “3 strikes, y’re OUT!” house-rule? I figure, being generous about the whole thingie, that’s 2. TBA
works for me. stay vigilent…
*crickets*
Darby1936……amen
leftofliberal @ 95
Going out of town again but the short version is all of our Iranian network was blown by an alleged “mistake” where one person thought she was sending an email or a cell phone call now I forget, but supposedly to one person but ended up to everybody in the country. They had to roll the network up and probably people were killed. Now we have even less intell about them. Way ta go Bush admin!
Rayne @ 112
*Applauding* As soon as I read this post I knew you would come through magnificently and jump right on this. Being I’m in the 8th District, looking for anything on Rogers.
As an aside, wondering if Dave Camp was also in on the take for Dirty Delay money?
Thanks Peterr, for the http://noquarter.typepad.com/m….._chut.html link.
You say: “Hmmm . . . a member of the intelligence committee running against a former CIA officer, and a staff report slamming the CIA comes out of the Intelligence committee without being vetted and approved?”
The other underlying nuance is that Rogers is a former FBI agent, which layers the FBI – CIA ‘rivalry’ and blame game one step further in the whole mess.
Let’s keep an eye on Abram Shulsky at the Pentagon also.
I watched a discussion about Middle East Realities hosted by Steve Clemons on C-Span yesterday. One of the people there, Daniel Levy, with the Center for American Progress wrote a piece called “The End to the Neoconservative Nightmare” as it pertains to the US and Israel. Levy talks about a need for a disintangling of Israel from an alliance with the neocons and the religious right in the US. Here’s an excerpt:
“Disentangling Israeli interests from the rubble of neocon “creative destruction” in the Middle East has become an urgent challenge for Israeli policy-makers. An America that seeks to reshape the region through an unsophisticated mixture of bombs and ballots, devoid of local contextual understanding, alliance-building or redressing of grievances, ultimately undermines both itself and Israel.”
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/746312.html
Thank you so much for following up on this Teddy. I saw your email to that wanker at DiFi’s office on the google group’s page. Good on ya!
TeddySanFran @
181
John Casper @ 183
Ned does not support Hillary’s opponent and had very specific reasons for not doing so. I heard him speak about it in a recent interview on NPR.
Ned does not support Hillary’s opponent and had very specific reasons for not doing so. I heard him speak about it in a recent interview on NPR.
Sorry – I posted 199 because the thread indicated that 198 was not going to
Late getting to this thread, but thanks for calling attention to Times piece and providing the editorial email address. I’m afraid we can only hope the desperate “wounded animal” will be checked from launching further catastrophe if a more responsible, courageous traditional press shines bright lights into the devil’s workshop. Hence, my two cents to the editor:
Editor:
Thank you for helping expose to more of the U.S. population what many of us have long found obvious. Sure wish you had been able to think and independenly and write so clearly last time around, and that your news department wil complement your own work now with more courageous journalism and less stenography. But I applaud your getting it right this time and hope that you will continue to earn back serious readers’ regard as the paper of record.
Christy, I absolutely love the photo. Bravo! This is the kind of world I want to live in and I want my daughter and grandkids to live in. Not “you’re either with us or against us.”