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Photo via an AP stringer in Baghdad, Iraq.
Enough of the excuses. Enough of the backpedalling and labelling. Enough of the public tap dance around "stay the course."
The Bush Administration labels of the day are irrelevent -- Iraq is a mess, and it became the quagmire that it is today on George Bush's and the Republican rubber stamp Congress' watch, with some help from George's bff Joe Lieberman, who provided a consistent whiff of bipartisan cover every step along the way, and still is.
The time for accountability is now.
In what is turning out to be the deadliest month for American troops in Iraq, the Bush Administration is slinking creeping hightailing it away from its own words, despite there being so many instances of George Bush saying "stay the course" on videotape that you could put together a half hour highlight reel and leave some tape on the cutting room floor for good measure.
The American public are not complete idiots -- and we do not like a liar. And what we like even less than a liar? Not taking care of our own. To wit:
The women and children who formed a line at Camp Pendleton last week could have been waiting for a child-care center to open or Disney on Ice tickets to go on sale.Instead, they were waiting for day-old bread and frozen dinners packaged in slightly damaged boxes. These families are among a growing number of military households in San Diego County that regularly rely on donated food.
As the Iraq war marches toward its fourth anniversary, food lines operated by churches and other nonprofit groups are an increasingly valuable presence on military bases countywide. Leaders of the charitable groups say they're scrambling to fill a need not seen since World War II.
Too often, the supplies run out before the lines do, said Regina Hunter, who coordinates food distribution at one Camp Pendleton site.
“Here they are defending the country. . . . It is heartbreaking to see,” said Hunter, manager of the on-base Abby Reinke Community Center. “If we could find more sources of food, we would open the program up to more people. We believe anyone who stands in a line for food needs it and deserves it.”
The base's list of recipients swells by 100 to 150 people a month as the food programs streamline their eligibility process, word spreads among residents and ever-proud Marines adjust to the idea of accepting donated goods.
At least 2,000 financially strapped people in North County qualify for food and other items given out at the center and a Camp Pendleton warehouse run by the Military Outreach Ministry.
To the south, about 1,500 individuals pick up free food, diapers or furniture at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station and several military-oriented distribution sites supported by churches and the San Diego Food Bank.
The numbers don't include military households that frequent other charities countywide to get enough to eat.
It is no wonder that Generals who just retired from the military are speaking out and asking that folks vote for Democrats in the upcoming election. (If you aren't a Salon member, you can watch an ad to read the article - it's a good one and worth it. H/T to TeddySanFran for the link.)
Two retired senior Army generals, who served in Iraq and previously voted Republican, are now openly endorsing a Democratic takeover of Congress. The generals, and an active-duty senior military official, told Salon in separate interviews that they believe a Democratic victory will help reverse course from what they consider to be a disastrous Bush administration policy in Iraq. The two retired generals, Maj. Gen. John Batiste and retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, first openly criticized the handling of the war last spring, when they called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld."The best thing that can happen right now is for one or both of our houses to go Democratic so we can have some oversight," Batiste, who led the Army's 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004 and 2005, told Salon. Batiste describes himself as a "lifelong Republican." But now, he said, "It is time for a change."
The letters of redress detailed in the article that servicemembers are sending to their members of Congress, begging for accountability? It will break your heart and make you angry, all at the same time.
What could we possibly need accountability on, you ask? How about war profiteering? Or the cuts in veterans medical benefits? Or the fact that Donald Rumsfeld should have been out on his ass after the looting of the ministry buildings in Baghdad, his continued piss poor planning, and his need to cashier anyone out of the military brass who doesn't agree with him?
And that's just for starters.
The Republican party has controlled both houses of Congress and the White House for the last five years. FIVE years. There has been no oversight, no accountability and, frankly, could you trust them to shape up and actually start doing their jobs now?
I mean honestly -- after five years of cronyism and no-bid contracts and an utter failure to hold meaningful oversight hearings on much of anything at all -- why would anyone trust the Republicans?
Our military deserves much better than this. So do their families. So do we all. As a nation, we must stand up for the folks in uniform, because they are not allowed to talk about politics under the UCMJ while they serve. We must be their voice.
I cannot tell you how unusual it is to have high ranking Generals like Batiste and Eaton speak out so forcefully so soon after retirement. It just is not done. That they are doing so now -- along with so many others -- tells me that things are very, very bad indeed within the ranks, and that fears that the Army and Marines and our reserves and national guard are beeing broken from the inside out may be even more warranted than I already feared.
Had enough? Vote for Democrats. It is well past time for Iraq accountability, and we sure as hell are not going to get any from Republicans, are we?
Juan Cole has the latest in news from Iraq, along with Swopa and Laura Rozen.
[If you live anywhere near San Diego county and would like to donate food or other goods, the newspaper had the following for contacts: "Ways to help People interested in donating food, furniture or money to help military families in San Diego County can call: Military Outreach Ministry at Camp Pendleton: (760) 908-7043; Military Outreach Ministries at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station: (619) 843-8964." I'm sure there may be other groups as well, including groups around or near every military base in this country where soldiers are serving overseas at the moment. The holidays are coming up -- please think about the spouses and children of our folks in uniform and lend a hand. If there are groups you know of who help with this, please leave some information about them in the comments. Thanks!]
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Jagshemash!
twolf1 @
1
Is that Polish, twolf1?
Morning all!
What’s new, they’ve been screwing the troops ever since I can remember.
Accountability!
Good morning!
raven316 at 3 — what’s new is that I’m calling them on their hypocrisy. Because it is the right thing to do.
Right on!
angie - I do believe it is Polish. If you are familiar with Borat (a Sacha Baron Cohen character), he says it all the time.
It’s nice to donate to people in need & I do. But - why aren’t we on the phone to each & every congressmen & senator as well as the black house demanding that they “Support the Troops”! Isn’t that one of the basic functions of any society - to help its members in time of need.
The Karl Rove October Surprise Speculation?
This is pure
fantasyspeculation on my part on just what is the much-remarked “Karl Rove October Surprise”, so here goes:1. Junya announces at a press conference that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), the purported “mastermind” planner behind 9/11 goes on trial or already has been tried by a Military Commission at Guantanamo.
2. The “trial” would be of short duration since by KSM’s own admission while undergoing
waterboarding and other torture“interrogation”, he confessed to being the instigator and prime organizer of the 9/11 attacks. Because of this self-incriminating “admission”, the duration of the trial lasts less than 1-3 days with no other evidence or testimony deemed necessary.3. The “judges” on the Military Commission (all mid to senior-level officer-grade personnel) also act as the “jury” and sentence KSM to death (firiing squad, hanging, or other dramatic execution). The death sentence is to be imposed prior to the November 7th mid-term US elections.
4. The assigned Defense Attorneys for KSM (Judge Advocate Corps mid-level officer-grade personnel) strenuously object to the numerous “kangaroo” aspects of the Military Commission “trial” including the use of a torture-obtained confession, the unbelievable short duration of the trial, as well as the rapid imposition of the actual death sentence.
5. The assigned Defense Attorneys for KSM announce that they are immediately appealing all aspects of this Military Commission to a Federal Appeals court and to the Supreme Court if necessary.
6. The Cheney Administration holds a press conference where it stands up and firmly announces that the US Federal courts, including the Supreme Court, have no jurisdiction any longer based on the recently signed Torture Bill, that the Cheney Administration will not participate in any Federal Court action in this regard, and furthermore, the Cheney Administration will under no circumstances adhere to any Federal Court ruling in this matter (using a variation of the old Soviet Union adage of “How many Divisions does the Supreme Court have?).
7. The Supreme Court takes up this case on its own and issues a “cease and desist” ruling under penalty of “contempt of the Supreme Court” against the Cheney Administration.
8. The Cheney Administration, stating that they are following previous Executive Branch precedent of Abraham Lincoln as well as FDR, announce in another press conference by Junya that they will not be deterred from using their Unitary Executive powers as well as the recently signed Torture Bill, and that there is no “power” in the land that will stand in the way of their protecting the American people as stated in the Constitution.
9 Junya at the press conference also announces that the KSM execution will be televised, “in a most solemn and decorous manner”, so that all US citizens who have suffered by 9/11 can see justice being done “by America’s terrible swift sword”.
10. The execution of KSM takes place on the evening of Monday, November 6th at 8:00 PM EST.
So tell me, what happens on Election day, November 7th?
Christy will be gone for about 15 minutes when she realizes Amato put up 2 Sting videos.
Have fun!
Egregious at 11 — oooh, thanks! Amato is so good to me! ;-)
An Appeal for Redress from the War in Iraq
Many active duty, reserve, and guard service members are concerned about the war in Iraq and support the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to their Congressional Representative and US Senators to urge an end to the U.S. military occupation. The Appeal messages will be delivered to members of Congress at the time of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January 2007.
The wording of the Appeal for Redress is short and simple. It is patriotic and respectful in tone.
As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq . Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.
http://www.appealforredress.org/
Didn’t a bunch of active duty soldiers ask congress to end the war?
In his entire life, when has Bush been accountable for anything? It’s doubtful he ever will be.
EPU’d but more on topic here.
Last night at a fundraiser I met the former head of the [***] who resigned in disgust last year. He told me he was disillusioned with the Republicans. Yet when I asked him who he was voting for, it was all still Republicans. Hey, I tried.
Good Morning All
Christy - thanks so much for posting about the Camp Pendleton/San Diego dependents in need - I was spittin’ mad and throwin’ crap when I read that story last week - will spotlight your post
I’m sure St Straightalk would like to comment
another underreported story -
(except for Keith, natch)
Enlisted are protesting and e mailing Congress
h/t Gilliard
http://stevegilliard.blogspot......t-war.html
oh, and F - Jack Reed !
I recently spent a weekend visiting friends
at Camp LeJeune. The young couple have a toddler and one on the way. Dad will be off to Iraq in February on his second deployment. They are struggling, yet hesitate to accept foodstamps because they feel others may be more in need.
This broke my heart. I encouraged them to accept any available help - after all, if the US can spend 11 million a day in Iraq - this Marine Corp family deserves some foodstamps!
Lamont Gets Little From Senate Dems
By DAVID LIGHTMAN
Washington Bureau Chief
October 25 2006
WASHINGTON — Ned Lamont got little financial support from congressional Democrats - and none from Connecticut Sen. Christopher J. Dodd and key Senate veterans - in the crucial weeks after he won the party’s Senate nomination Aug. 8, according to new campaign finance data.
Lamont’s first detailed report on contributions and spending through Sept. 30 showed donations of only $31,000 from congressional sources since the primary.
Traditionally, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, as well as the political committees of incumbents, pour cash into the campaigns of potential colleagues. Those funds are considered particularly important in the early days of a campaign, as the candidate has to quickly build an organization for the general election.
Other Democrats in contested Senate races have received up to $37,300 from the DSCC - the maximum allowed - as well as six-figure pots of money from committees affiliated with scores of senators and other party leaders.
But between the Aug. 8 primary, when he beat Sen. Joseph Lieberman for the Democratic nomination, and Sept. 30, Lamont got help from just seven senators, according to his campaign finance report.
Lamont campaign manager Tom Swan was not surprised. “They call it the world’s most exclusive club for a reason,” he said of the Senate.
(snip)
Lamont’s total from Democratic leaders is dwarfed by Democratic hopefuls in other states.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington research group, major beneficiaries include: Bob Casey, Pennsylvania, who received $272,750; Claire McCaskill, Missouri, $186,454; Harold E. Ford Jr., Tennessee, $182,079; Bob Menendez, New Jersey, $180,924; Sherrod Brown, Ohio, $178,555; Debbie Stabenow, Michigan, $176,080; and Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota, $151,550.
The money came from other candidates’ campaign committees and from so-called “leadership PACs” - committees set up by members of Congress and other party leaders to help other candidates.
Few Democrats want to talk about their reluctance to donate to Lamont, but privately they cite a number of reasons.
(continued)
http://www.courant.com/news/po.....lines-home
The Republican party has controlled both houses of Congress and the White House for the last five years. FIVE years. There has been no oversight, no accountability and, frankly, could you trust them to shape up and actually start doing there their jobs now?
More coffee!!!
Mornin’
If everything is going great, how come they are going to send EVEN MORE TROOPS TO IRAQ?
Washington Post article “More Troops May Be Iraq-Bound.”
Glad to know everything is going so well.
Weird… strikeout works in preview, but not in the posted comment…
Maybe Wordpress needs some coffee, too.
:-)
The problems for the troops are not all just Iraq, they are giving the top brass BIG pay raises, but the troops who are getting Blown up squat and some of their families are told to go get welfare, even overseas….
They have GOT to be kidding;
Flag Officer Raise Touches Nerve
The 2.2 across-the-board military pay raise in January is a joke. So is the 8.7 percent raise set for 125 generals and admirals. How about reversing it?
Officers do not need the bigger raise. It’s the enlisted ranks who have people on food stamps and receiving assistance from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. With the price of gas and everything else higher, a 2.2 pay raise is a slap in the face.
It’s also a travesty what else our politicians did to the 2007 defense authorization bill. They basically screwed disabled retirees rated “IU,” or unemployable, by refusing to make them eligible immediately for “concurrent receipt” payments [of both full retired pay and their VA compensation].
Maybe America needs to evaluate what these politicians have as perks, benefits and pay so more of that money goes to the people actually fighting and dying for their mistakes.
************************************************
In other words, they are giving the Lt. Generals and Generals around a 1100 dollar raise, and the Privates who are patrolling the ground every day in Iraq a 33 dollar raise.
Hell the cola was 3.3%, so the 2.2% raise they gave everybody but the top brass is Below what the federal government figgered was the inflation rate for their cost of living adjustment.
BTW I did not know the Federal government had the HUBRIS to publish a program like this while they send the soldiers into combat.
Women, Infants and Children Overseas Program
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Overseas Program provides several important benefits: nutritious food that will contribute to a healthier diet, education on nutrition and proper diet, tips on how to prepare a balanced meal, nutrition and health screening, and access to other resources to lead a healthy life. WIC Overseas is designed to provide additional nutritional food items to supplement other foods purchased by eligible beneficaries. Participants receive redeemable food coupons called “drafts” for specified foods and quantities. Drafts can only be redeemed for specific food items at overseas commissaries and NEXMARTs. The following is a summary of the program:
Eligibility
Approved Food List
WIC Overseas Program Office Locations
WIC Eligibility:
Your family gross income falls at or below 185 percent of the U.S. income guidelines. A family whose gross exceeds 185 percent may be eligible if the woman, her infants or children are determined to be at nutritional risk for medical or dietary reasons.
Pregnant women are eligible throughout their pregnancy and up to six weeks after delivery, or when the pregnancy ends. Breastfeeding women can continue to use the program until the infant’s first birthday, while women who are not breastfeeding can use it for up to six months after the child’s birth.
Approved Food List:
Nutrition counselors provide approved food lists that specify type, brand, and quantity of foods that can be purchased using WIC Overseas, but the following food items are generally available through the WIC Overseas program:
Iron-fortified infant formula and infant cereal
Iron-fortified adult cereal
Vitamin C-rich fruit and/or vegetable juice
Eggs
Milk
Cheese
Peanut butter
Dried beans or peas
Canned tuna
Vitamin A-rich vegetable
WIC Overseas Program Office Locations:
The WIC Overseas Program offices are located in Germany, England, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Japan, Korea, Turkey, Portugal, Central America and Iceland. Please check with your local base or installation telephone operator to obtain the WIC Overseas office listing in your area.
For more information about the WIC Overseas program and program contacts, please visit the Website at: www.tricare.osd.mil/Wic/.
********************************************
Welfare for soldiers families because the Bush Administration can NOT pay the very people they have some on their THIRD deployment into combat enough to survive on.
But they have enough money to give the Generals who screwed the situation up a 1100 dollar raise?
Like they say, you can NOT make sh*t like this up.
egregious @ 21
They can honestly say things are going well in Iraq. Especially Darth Cheney. “Going well,” for them, means Haliburton et al are making lots of money - exactly as planned (insert evil laugh here).
The story in the Courant is no surprise to anyone. Yet it puts it all in black & white. At least the Dems have been called out on their weasling.
I love Ned, as you all know. He is an honest man and a man of integrity. The fact that he has gotten this far, put himself and his family on the line, invested so much of his own money - to represent us - just takes my breath away.
And I have so little tolerance for folks who look at the Lamont campaign and do all sorts of Monday morning quarterbacking. Anyone else would be far, far behind Joe in the polls.
Thanks Ned. It’s been an honor to do whatever I could to get you elected. And I’ll work my fanny off for you the next two weeks.
having trouble negotiating Military sites ?
(sometimes difficult to figure out all the acronyms - look for “MWR” - Morale, Welfare & Recreation))
try this -
go to sites of the base’s home city (in this case Killeen, TX - home to Ft Hood)
http://www.ci.killeen.tx.us/Vo.....t20006.htm
No More Viet Nams
With all props to Country Joe
Yeah, come on all of you, big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He’s up against a terrible beast
Way o’er yonder in the middle east
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We’re gonna have a whole lotta fun.
And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t know jack,
Next stop is Iraq;
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.
Well, come on generals, let’s move fast;
Your big chance has come at last.
Gotta go git those terrorists —
Those bad Iraqi’s on the no fly list
And you know that peace can only be won
When we’ve blown ‘em all to kingdom come.
And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t know jack,
Next stop is Iraq;
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.
Huh!
Well, come on Wall Street, don’t move slow,
Why man, this is war au-go-go.
There’s plenty good money to be made
By supplying the Army with the tools of the trade,
Just hope and pray that when they drop that shit,
They drop it on the terrorists.
And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t know jack,
Next stop is Iraq.
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.
Well, come on mothers don’t look back,
Pack your kids off to Iraq.
Come on fathers, don’t hesitate,
Send ‘em off before it’s too late.
Be the first one on your block
To have your boy come home in a box.
And it’s one, two, three
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t know jack,
Next stop is Iraq.
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.
Bushco blasted innocents, cut and ran (fast) from Afghanistan and will do so from Iraq as well after leaving a bloody and deadly trail and a stinking stench of destruction and corruption behind.
We lost both wars and guess what? No Eid Mubarak to anybody there or in Palestine or Darfur either.
We have sent our sick and broken soldiers back to these killing fields.
Read this from a Vietnam vet. (more at the link)
http://www.atlanticfreepress.c.....iew/95/32/
Hey dab, we need to figure out if we know each other! email me at dan AT twisted martini DOT com. I’m spotlighting that article to my brother who is an ex marine and is actually out at Pendleton right now. Nice job Christy.
Borat’s “Jagshemash” is apparently derived from the Polish “jak sie masz?” which means “how are you?”.
Did we ever learn how many people really died that day when the ammo dump exploded? I can’t believe it’s really zero. It might not be 300 either but someone could check out the individual names, and also whether such army units exist, and whether those people are in them, and alive or not.
Twisted - just sent you an email
Another thought…..if you have a house party or screening for Iraq fo Sale(I know,I’m obsessed,lol)you could charge a small door fee and donate the money to causes like Fisher House or Operation Helmet that actually supports the troops or ask people to bring non perishable food to be donated to families on bases near your home.
twolf1 @ 8
Thanks! My S.O.’s family says that all the time when we visit, but they write it in Polish.
LOL, actually 707!
Clif - it’s actually worse than that for some -
last week I was researching something through Stars and Stripes -
Some European based folks had there COLA decreased - based on some voodoo wrt strengthening Dollar -
if you read the LTE’s on this story, you find that COLA has never been subject to this kind of speculation (usually based on local retail surveys, etc.) - I smell a great big rat - robbing Peter to pay Paul
http://www.estripes.com/articl.....chive=true
dab from CT @ 25
dab - i’ve been wondering… and would like to know if there are any legal impediments to this idea…. could kerry donate some of his millions to lamont’s campaign (either directly or via dscc)? he might be looking for a way to make up (lots of bad netroots press over the last few days), and i’ve been trying to think of a win-win for us and him… one that is legally ok.
can any fdlers weigh in on this? legal / not legal. good idea / dumb idea…. don’t want to make a fool of myself by lobbying kerry’s staff for this if it is not doable or useful.
Christy,
Just a request - it would be great if you or Jane could do a piece based on the Courant article. I’d like to embarrass the Dem party as much as possible - before the election (so it doesn’t sound like sour grapes).
The reporter did contact various Dems about the disparity and they all sound pretty defensive. I’d like to hold their feet to the fire. They had a chance to back someone who wanted this country out of Iraq and certainly would not support another disaster in Iran.
Instead they decided to withhold their support and in doing so have helped one of the biggest warmongers in the Senate in his quest for a 4th term.
dab from CT @ 32
Back at you!
Selise,
According to the Courant article, I think other Dems can only donate up to $30K - but I might have misread that.
At this point I think there are other candidates who need the money more than Ned. I’m just furious at what withholding their funding and support cost the Lamont campaign in August, when they were scrambling to set up an organization capable of conducting a general campaign.
IMHO, this article points out why the campaign slowed down a bit in August and makes it more understandable why it didn’t get its footing until September.
I’m amazed at Ned’s fortitude in the face of all this “benign” (at best) neglect.
About the Large explosions at Camp Falcon, I originally posted this on Larry Johnson’s Blog;
Pictures of the Damage of FOB Falcon here;
I was an Army EOD officer(during Desert Storm), and Looking at the damage and distances to the baracks, and the fact it began around 11:30 PM Baghdad time, there would have been few personnel awake and in the ammo Dump area. It is possible the army dodged a very bad situation here. Also, if it was mainly Tank and artillery Ammo going up the danger area during the actual fire and explosions would streach out to the barracks shown in Photo 2.
The total damage is shown in the last two photos. It looks pretty bad but this is NOT a very large ammunition supply point.(ASP) This would probably resupply a brigade sized unit. These photo’s were taken a day after the fire and explosions so clean up would not have gotten to far along, and the kick outs do not seem very far, but because of the composition of the rounds supposedly involved that would not be too suprising.
I can not say Nobody was hurt or killed, but because of the size of the ASP and time of incident, it is possible.
I also spent quite a bit of time looking into the story linked by you susan and following the initial link it turns out the website is using some very anti american sources, so the “facts” they claim might not be all they claim. Especially some of the stories of massive armor vehicle losses.
There is NO way the number of personnel they claim are hurt..some quotes go as high as 300, like here;
TBRNews is run by a “Walter Storch” a pseudonym for Peter Stahl, a.k.a. Gregory Douglas. Google the name and find the trail of bullshit the man leaves behind wherever he walks, or read more about Gregory Douglas in this diary at Daily Kos. The man is a crackpot, not worthy of mention even on this the lowliest of blogs.
with out it leaking out by now. US GI’s do not keep secrets like this for long. Any large number of casualitied would have surfaced because the wounded need medical treatment and KIA’s would be home by now.
from here;
Link to Daily Kos diary about Storch
here;
The damage to the area around where the vast majority of personnel would have been around midnight..the barracks area is non existant thus leading me to believe that very few were hurt.
Just one old soldiers opinion.
LA Times/Bloomberg poll has Webb up over Allen 47-44.
http://www.latimes.com/news/po.....-headlines
Get out the vote in Northern Virginia !!!
Go Webb!
thanks lina; you brightened my dreary day considerably!
Dr. Bong at 20 — thanks for the heads up. My mom and Aunt were here this morning, talking nonstop to me while I was trying to write, and I didn’t get my usual second copyedit in before posting. Arrrgh. Hate it when I miss something that obvious — but that’s what I get for writing while distracted. SIGH
Bush presser coming up shortly on MSNBC. Yesterday was RW talk radio day at the WH. Racist ads in TN. Steel pretending to be a Dem in MD. Rush attacking MJ Fox. Wonder what phone calling’s being ginned up right now by these SOBs to scare out their base?
Sure wish Christy or Jane were in that WH press corpse. Could we possibly hope the ones who are will be asking some of these questions?
President Bush is going to talk with reporters and take questions about Iraq this morning. Wonder if he’ll clarify anything about the whole “we’ve never been stay the course” bit — or not.
right back at ya !
http://americablog.blogspot.co.....-back.html
standing apologoies if prev. posted
dab from CT @
19
Dab, I don’t know if it will help or hurt or have any effect at all, but I was moved by that article to write the following letter to Mr. Lightman with cc to the editorial page editor and the letters editor:
Dear Mr. Lightman,
I read your article today in the Courant, since I am following the Lamont/Lieberman/Schlesinger race closely, even though I live in New Orleans. I’ve been a supporter of Ned Lamont since he declared his candidacy and was appalled that Joe Lieberman would not accept the decision of his democratic constituents in Connecticut at the end of the primary. You may ask what business of mine it is who is elected to the Senate in a Connecticut race. My answer to that is that all senators serve on committees that have the power to affect the entire nation, and I’ve looked long and hard at Senator Lieberman’s record in the Senate. I don’t trust him to have the interests of the American people foremost in his dealings, his votes, and his words.
I happen to think that the senators who do not support their duly elected Democratic candidate are betraying those of us who call ourselves Democrats for some perceived political payback from Lieberman. I believe they will be “shocked” to watch as Senator Joe continues to stab them in the back as he has done for years. When he lost the primary and declared his candidacy in the “Connecticut for Lieberman” party, I think the Senator should have been stripped of his Democratic committee memberships, his privileged office and any other perks that come with being a Democratic senator. He is no Democrat (evidenced by his close support of this administration, his vote on cloture in the Allito hearings, his support of “stay the course”, his ties with Big Pharma (and insurance, and real estate), his providing so-called bi-partisan cover for the administration’s power grab, and his contempt for the democratic process.
Sincerely,
Initially, we were discussing troops and food. Now I’m thinking about the Girl Scouts of America. No reason, why do you ask?
LIEberman may have given bi-partisan (sellout) cover for the sockpuppet’s war but he wasn’t the only Democrat or liberal or to do so he had plenty of help from people who should have known better.
This list of Pro-war betrayers of this country who aren’t rethugs is long and shameful.
Chimpy on CNN now
mmmmmmmm…. cookies!
egregious, do tell more about the GS,I’m listening….
punaise last thread did you all know that the direction of earth’s magnetic field is about to flip from north to south? saw it on the TV.
I blame Clinton. He has a lot of magnetic attraction.
Chimpy on CNN - shorter chimpy - Today I am the explainer.
egregious @ 48
My mind is galloping ahead on a fund-raising opportunity for the GS. Let me shake my head to clear it, and pray, continue.
Adapt To Win !
Chimpy on CNN - “events of this month are of serious concern to me”
I loved being in the Girl Scouts. We would say the Pledge of Allegiance and it sometimes made me cry.
Now I often feel like crying. While I don’t follow their management much, aren’t the top people always former Scouts?
twolf1 @ 57
Well! That’ll be a first.
Shorter Bush — we overestimated, we did not expect, we f*cked up everything we touched. Vote Republican.
we didn’t expect the Iraqi Army/Republican Guard to “melt away” like it did -
you disbanded them you murderous imbecile!
We are shifting tactics, adjusting. Vote Republican. The Shifterator.
I cast no aspersions on the Girl Scouts. Let’s stop this train of thought immediately.
LindyH @ 55
Iraqis–it’s your problem now.
You know, listening to this murderous imbecile (H/T cbl), I feel sick, sick, sick.
He’s lying just as so many pols do. Soundbytes F.O.S., signifying nothing.
Let’s please GET REAL, America and stop blaming the poor victims who are bloodied, orphaned, childless, fatherless, motherless, sisterless, brotherless and bereft of hope because of us.
Don’t know if this has been posted yet, but…
Correction
Lieberman Often Repeated Key White House Phrase
By JENNIFER MEDINA
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10.....ref=slogin
Way to go, FDL!!!!
We broke it, you fix it! Hey Iraqis, here hold this for a minute…NOT IT!
chimp: stick with me on the course, or the Iraqis might get our oil!
egregious @ 63
I wasn’t taking it that way. I was actually thinking of the GS raising money to help the families of our troops. It seems to be a worthwhile and useful goal.
LindyH at 47,
The letter is great. Just as the establishment was caught off guard by the strength and commitment of support to Lamont during the primary and general election campaigns - they will be surprised by the level of anger they will face - not just in CT but across the country.
And someone in the Lamont campaign has a great book to write.
They will not be able to hold back those who call for reform and accountability - no matter how hard they try.
George II King of “The Emerald City” is attempting to sound humble, but no doubt he will soon sound conciliatory demeaning, and then just plain angry. “M-o-m-m-i-e…….nobody wants to play with me anymore.” It should be bedtime without dinner for this lying destructive third grader. Either that or Ritalin. OK….here we go…. he’s starting to enunciate. You know what that means. We should get prepared for mudslinging and insults. Oh boy, for one whose always on time for his photo ops, he’s always a day late and a dollar short with ideas. Anybody got soap.
dab from CT @ 39
well, kerry has been asked to give to the dscc and said no. so, i don’t see that happening - he may think there’s no upside for him now that the shit has hit the fan. was trying to think of a way to encourage him to do the right thing (that would help us) while allowing him to save face… i’m more interested in encouraging good behaviour than in holding a grudge.
Bush shifts from Iraq to AQ mentioning Khalid in custody saying that ‘most’ of the perpetrators of 9/11 have been caught - oops - shift to Palestinian stuff and then back to Iraq. What a scramble.
STFU and let the coelenterates ask their friggin’ questions puke !
ooh, Afghanistan is not a problem for the chimp cause they ain’t got the “resources” (oil).
sick.
The strategy has been inbred, that is what I heard……LOL
Benchmarks are not a timetable for withdrawal, because he has NO intention of withdrawing the troops ever, as long as he is the decider in chief.
LindyH @ 69
What about a campaign where people buy Girl Scout cookies for the troops, either here or overseas?
Like, I’ll buy 5 boxes for the family and pay for another 5, which will be donated to the troops, or the families of troops overseas. I’m starting to like the family support idea. The government won’t take care of them properly, we can do something nice for them.
Hope I didn’t break the margins.
If the Iranians will cave in to our demands we will talk to them about those demands.
selise @ 36
FYI, here is a chart from the FEC website on contribution limits.
Could the President at least TRY to hide his contempt for Americans,or anyone else not in his super secret tree house?
That is THE thing that gets under my skin about this man,if he yammers for more than a minute or so that damned smirk and the urge to do it is so strong it’s like his default setting. “I’m the Decider”was a blatant example,but that’s exactly his attitude ALL the time. Especially when anyone dares disagree or asks him a question that can’t be answered by a talking point. Grrrrrr.
If he didn’t have money and power,he’d be the guy in the corner pub who starts fights after a couple too many.An alcoholic used car salesman with a rep for being an asshole.
gotta go, will try to sneak blog later -
get out there and defeat this regime today !
much progressive love to y’all
Have A FDL Day!
Our Goal when we remind our partner that when we work together we can achieve our goals.
Simpler .. we tell them what we want them to do, and they damn well better or else.
I’m on the phone with my mom discussing this presser, she reminded me of the old saying “remain silent and be thought a fool, speak out and remove all doubt” - shouldn’t his handlers keep him out of view for awhile?
Members of GOP endorsing Lamont
By Neil Vigdor, Staff Writer
October 25, 2006
Republicans for Ned Lamont — it sounds like an oxymoron. But in Lamont's conservative-leaning hometown, dozens of GOPers say they are backing the Democrat for U.S. Senate in his general election rematch with incumbent Joe Lieberman. More than 70 Republicans from Greenwich and a few neighboring communities are endorsing Lamont in printed advertisements his campaign plans to run in several newspapers. They say Lamont best represents their views on a host of issues including excessive government spending and the Iraq war.
[Note from CHS: Please don't use full articles in the comments — just pull excerpts due to copyright considerations. Thanks!]
New thread, gang.
How can anyone with an IQ above 90 think this man has any intelligence what-so-ever after hearing him speak?
Those looking for a way to support the troops and their families might consider Operation Homefront:
http://www.operationhomefront.net/index.asp
I saw a presentation from them earlier this month, and I was terribly impressed. I wrote a little bit about it on my blog:
http://bonald3.blogspot.com/20.....ibbon.html
Christy Hardin Smith @ 45
Good. The more press ops Bush the Lesser does before Nov. 7, the better…for us.
When has he ever clarified anything about anything?
(I tried posting this earlier, but I don’t think it worked. Apologies in advance if it gets posted twice.)
Those looking for a way to support the troops and their families might consider Operation Homefront:
http://www.operationhomefront.net/index.asp
I saw a presentation from them earlier this month and was terribly impressed by their can-do attitude. I wrote a little bit about it on my blog:
http://bonald3.blogspot.com/20.....ibbon.html
FDL~~
Thanks for publishing this information because it should be very useful in our effort to persuade City Council to adopt a Resolution of Impeachment against Bush and Cheney. In the company of two members of Veterans for Peace, I met with the top aide to one of the four commissioners here in Portland yesterday. Our purpose was to thank commissioner Leonard for taking the lead on a Resolution to Bring the Troops Home, and to urge that the effort be a first, enormous step to adopting a local Resolution of Impeachment.
I am assembling information to further persuade Leonard to take the vital next step, and make Portland a leader among US cities in the use of Jefferson’s Manual to initiate impeachment investigations. I could use any help people would be willing to provide, and locating news like this is very valuable. Don’t know how people contact posters through FDL, but will check back here in a bit.
Thanks, Styve
selise — Re Kerry contributing to Lamont:
The problem is worse, since Kerry has said, in effect, “I’ve already done more than my share and you cowardly bloggers shouldn’t ask me for more.”
Following RevDeb’s report yesterday, in which the Kerry folks blew her off, I’ve sent an e-mail to JJ saying, “this is it. Be a leader, stop being selfish, or forget about our support.” You’re not the fool. If they can’t see how much this would benefit them . . . they’re clueless.
Bonnie @
90
Bonnie, I got a security alert on my computer when I went to that site. Something about domain names not matching.
A huge part of this problem with military families requiring assistance is that base housing gets assigned not on a basis of need, but a basis of rank (privilege). Waiting lists are years long for enlisted personnel, not so long for officers. It’s the generals and colonels who get the good housing. The lower rungs of the enlisted corps must “make do” with substandard housing–IF they can get it at all, or they have to serve, work and have a spouse work 1, 2, 3 jobs to afford off-base housing, as in renting or buying on the local market. In a place like SoCal, that can be devastatingly expensive. You can’t afford much on a general’s pay there, much less an E-2.
It’s long been a sticking point between commissioned and enlisted, that the people least able to afford to live off base are the very ones who must do so. But typical of the US miltary (all branches–ALL) to get it all ass-backwards.
To support our troops overseas this is an excellent way to do it:
http://www.anysoldier.com/
A spokesman/woman for a group of soldiers says what they need (letters, food, movies, books, sox, you name it..) and sees that it gets to the people in their unit who need it most.
You can search on branch of service, location or specific items, so you can share out that containload of white sox, romance novels, used DVDs whatever and know it’ll get to people who want them. One request was for art supplies, somebody else wanted history and political books, everybody wants food, sunscreen and body wipes.
The troops can only receive packaged food for security reasons, but Girl Scout cookies would probably be OK and most welcome.
Oh, and I’m referring to married military members needing housing in my post above. The singles of course get base housing. Or did. I don’t know if thiat’s so anymore.
Lindy, that is very strange. I clicked on it several times this morning when I was writing my blog post and never had a problem.
LJ/Aquaria, I can only speak to my own experience as an Army wife. Availability of quarters has varied widely by location. Here at Ft. Knox and in Germany, we were able to walk right into quarters. Germany was our first time ever living on post in my husband’s then-17 years of service. At Ft. Bragg and in Hawaii and DC, the waiting list for officer quarters was well over a year.
Bonnie do you live in the newer quarters or the old Brick ones, I was stationed at Ft Knox in 90-92, and was medically discharged from there.
Clif, we’re in the old brick ones. I do love this house. It’s quite possibly the nicest house I will ever live in, at least while my husband is active duty.
I lived off base in Vine Grove, but housing was tighter back then with the 194th on base, now I live about 50 miles south.
We’re practically neighbors! I have to admit, I was dragged to Knox pretty much kicking and screaming, but I really do like it here a lot. The kids are very happy in school, which counts for a lot.
I was sent there to command an EOD unit, and after Desert storm was medically discharged, and liked Kentucky enough to stay. I still like the state after 16 years here, and plan on staying.
During the press conference this morning, I’m so attentive of what (other or new) good words Pres. Bush will say when he answers. Still the same rhetoric and promises that he puts on the ears of the listeners. I’m tired and sick of all the mess created by this administration. We certainly want a change of new leaders, strategies, ideas and focus more our internal problems before solving or helping other countries. I’m sure that the democrats have other alternatives to solve the Iraq problem.
Bonnie @
98
Only a year? Pshaw! That’s nothing.
I was on the waiting list for 3 years before I was offered a place in the substandard housing unit. Substandard means just what it sounds like. The housing did not meet standards for military housing. It had lead pipes, lead paint, asbestos–stuff like that. Yeah, just the kind of place we all want to live, right?
From discussions with other airmen across CONUS (and I had contact with many, in my AFSC), I was lucky to get a chance at housing that soon. And to have it that good! What base housing was available for the enlisted personnel at one base (that will remain nameless here) looked like it belonged on Tobacco Road. I know. I saw it, and was appalled.
I’m not saying the housing problem happens at every base. But the exceptions pretty much prove the rule.
I can nearly guarantee a few things about those families lined up at Pendleton:
1) They’re the spouses of enlisted personnel, most likely E-4 or lower.
2) These people are not living in base housing.
In the 80s, most of the E-4 and below married service members stationed in California had to live off-base. Most of them were on food stamps.
It was an outrage that these people were serving their country, and they couldn’t afford to eat or have shelter.
I posted on this last week and it is tragic and shameful. An acqaintance that is retired Army said that this was common all over the country. California and the Northeast are the worse but you will see the same thing in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. Especially hard hit are the National Guard folks who have mortgages and expenses that were incurred when they had a decent paying civilian job and now can’t leep it all together on the crap military pay.
Or worse, they come home from a deployment in a financial bind, and find out their JOB suddenly went to India or China……………..or was just down sized.
LJ/Aquaria @ 105
Only a year seems like quite a bit when you move every other year. The wait in DC would have been closer to 3 years, one more than we lived there. Since 1994 we have moved every other year, crossing an ocean 4 times since 1999.
I certainly won’t argue with you though that military housing is downright shameful in places.
BUSH GONNA PULL US OUT OF IRAQ…
Wednesday, 25 October 2006
In Response To: TELLING? BUSH SAYS HE HAS NO INTENTION OF STANDING IN CROSSFIRE O RIVAL FACTIONS (APHRODITE)
Bush on Iraq: “If We Can’t Win, I’ll Pull Us Out.”
The president talks candidly to a group of conservative journalists.
By Byron York
Everybody knows George W. Bush is determined to win the war in Iraq. What came through in a meeting with conservative journalists in the Oval Office Wednesday afternoon, though, was the president’s frustration in not being able to find more meaningful ways to measure progress in the war, and in not being able to make the case more effectively to the American people that progress is, in fact, being made.
http://article.nationalreview......mQwYTgxNjY
By the way: New America dork and TNR fave Peter Bergen has an NYT column claiming that Osama wants us to pull out of Iraq.
But the CIA has got hold of top-secret Al-Qaeda letters proving that Osama wants and need us to stay in Iraq to a) unite Sunnis and Shiites against a common enemy (us), and b) inflame Muslims worldwide into going to Iraq and/or joining Al-Qaeda.
Write to the NYT to counter Bergen’s bull: letters@nytimes.com. (And urge your local papers not to reprint that Op-Ed of his.)