This war is a criminal act of massive proportions. The blood of countless thousands clog the hands of George W. Bush, his administration, and each and every elected politician who voted for this war, no party exceptions whatsoever. (I’m looking at you Hillary!)

As for our “Independent Democrat,” there’s a very special place in Hell for him.

David Ehrenstein @
1

This war is a criminal act of massive proportions. The blood of countless thousands clog the hands of George W. Bush, his administration, and each and every elected politician who voted for this war, no party exceptions whatsoever. (I’m looking at you Hillary!)

As for our “Independent Democrat,” there’s a very special place in Hell for him.

I believe you mean the sole member of the “Kiss My Ring” party.

Wanted to post this link one more time
Gene Robinson on “Justice and the Common Good”

Not that writing up transcripts isn’t just *inherently* pleasurable even if no one reads them. :p

Really, though, Bishop Gene has some good insights that are worth checking out.

McCain/Lieberman in 2008? Sounds perfectly reasonable. Anyone care to present the possible Democratic match-up against these “centrists” Joe and John?

This photo really emphasizes the penile quality of Joe’s chin…

it WILL be fun in a way to watch them flounder with their pro-war ticket. Can you say “Landslide”?

Lieberman. What a smug bastard.

The Rrbel/The Last Honest Man ticket

McCain/Lieberman. Fine. How about Hillary/Newt.

“I believe you mean the sole member of the “Kiss My Ring” party.”

Which has inspired me to form a Kiss My Ass Party

“How about Hillary/Newt.”

Hey, how about Jeb/Satan?

OT end of the week gas and oil prices

Average price for regular gasoline 11/24/06 in 50 states and DC

$2.80 plus 1 state : Hawaii
$2.70 plus 0 states
$2.60 plus 0 states
$2.50 plus 4 states : California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
$2.40 plus 1 state
$2.30 plus 6 states
$2.20 plus 21 states
$2.10 plus 15 states
$2.00 plus 3 states : New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina

Average national price for regular gasoline: $2.241, up $.004 from yesterday
Most recent low: $2.196 on November 7, 2006

Highest average price: Hawaii $2.844
Lowest average price: New Jersey $2.089

http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/sbsavg.asp

Crude Oil:
Nymex Crude Future $59.24 from today
Dated Brent Spot $60.00
WTI Cushing Spot: 58.44 from 11/22/06

Gas prices are flat to slowly rising. Crude oil prices appear to be firming. Of course, the dollar is also falling against the euro so whether this is a financial thing or just a reaction to the most recent play to depress prices by creating artificial distortions in the flow of crude oil from well to pump is unclear.

Thanks Jane.

From an email that Juan Cole received today:

‘ It is desperate in Iraq, worse then ever and there is no end in sight. I had lunch with [a former high ranking medical educator in Iraq] two days ago. [He]noted that Iraq no longer has neuro-surgeons, no cardiac surgeons, few pediatric doctors – they are all gone, killed or fled to neighboring countries like him. He was given seven days to get out or be killed. He is one of the lucky ones. He and his family have an opportunity for a new life in the US. But what about all the others. Where are they to go?

Another friend, a Sunni sheikh of the Shammar tribe noted to me that thousands of former officers are prepared to assault the G[reen] Z[one]. It is no longer a matter of can they do it, they are only mulling over the timing. The breach of the Green Zone security the other day was a test of their ability to get in, and not a real attempt at a coup, though it is reported as such. Every Iraqi I talk to says unambiguously that the resistance attached to the former regime would take out the Shiite militias with barely a fight, but that the resistance will not commit wholesale revenge against the Shiite population. They just want to get rid of the “carpet baggers” from Iran. ‘

Apparently, someone forgot to tell the Iraqi’s that they were supposed to wait for James Baker III’s Iraq Study Group.

OT, I’m Spotlighting this to Meachum and eveyone else at Newsweek.

I can see it now. Loserman climbs aboard the Slick Talk Express.

David Ehrenstein @
10

“I believe you mean the sole member of the “Kiss My Ring” party.”

Which has inspired me to form a Kiss My Ass Party

I wanna be a member.

If we can’t impeach the him, can we establish a Regency to get us through the next two years?
Could the Baker Commission be just that?

So is McCain going to join Joe on the Lieberman4Lieberman ticket, or is Joe going to become a Republican?

Jane Hamsher @ 15

David Ehrenstein @
10

“I believe you mean the sole member of the “Kiss My Ring” party.”

Which has inspired me to form a Kiss My Ass Party

I wanna be a member.

I wanna take pictures.

.

.

.

Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

We’ve got the Bush dynasty, Lieberman, Hoyer, the Baker boys, Hillary/Bill, the DLC and others. Does it get any better? I’m getting f’ing pissed-off. Anymore, there’s just pissed-off and less pissed-off.

War is Peace

This Jon Meacham?

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/

shooogarp @ 20

War is Peace

We have always been at war with Iran.

Yes, that Jon Meacham.

Well at least it’s not a civil war. I just heard NBC’s Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski (unquestioningly as per usual) report that the Administration thinks that Iraq will be in civil war only after the “total collapse of the Iraqi government.” The 3,700 Iraqis who died last month and the hundreds who died yesterday will I’m sure appreciate the distinction.

You know our own government didn’t totally collapse during what I believe is so sloppily and inaccurately called the Civil War. It didn’t come close. Really, we should call that conflict that involved Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee something else. I favor the “Great American to do”.

Metaphorically speaking, we’ve got to run the straight talk express bus over these two clowns. They must be exposed as the phonies they are. Joe and Jane Sixpack are clueless as to their voting records. Of course, J & J 6 pack are clueless about any reps’ voting records and that’s a big problem that the so-called liberal media refuses to address.

Thanks John Casper. I saw him and “Lady” Quinn cooing lofty praises of each other together on teevee the other day.

They are both a bit much, imho.

Ah, Sally Quinn, the scabrous brood matron of the DC cogniscenti, who personally declared war on Clinton’s trailer trash penis.

neurophius @ 17

So is McCain going to join Joe on the Lieberman4Lieberman ticket, or is Joe going to become a Republican?

Joe has been a Republican for years.

Loserman and McCain.

I see a strong probability of a ‘Kiss Float’ redux.

Will the American people ever again be in charge of anything. In the end, when all is said, will it take a revolution?

Ah, Sally Quinn, the scabrous matron protecter of the DC insider elite society, who personally declared war on Clinton’s trailer park pecker.

Hugh @ 24

Well at least it’s not a civil war. I just heard NBC’s Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski (unquestioningly as per usual) report that the Administration thinks that Iraq will be in civil war only after the “total collapse of the Iraqi government.” The 3,700 Iraqis who died last month and the hundreds who died yesterday will I’m sure appreciate the distinction.

You know our own government didn’t totally collapse during what I believe is so sloppily and inaccurately called the Civil War. It didn’t come close. Really, we should call that conflict that involved Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee something else. I favor the “Great American to do”.

There are certain portions of the US where the “civil war” is referred to as either “The Recent Unpleansantness” or “The War Between the States.” Would it be a mere coincidence that the places that use these expressions are the Deep Red, Deep South of the GOP? I think not.

For those of you keeping score in the Land of Lincoln, that would be seven score and one years of denial.

Renee in Ohio @
3

Wanted to post this link one more time
Gene Robinson on “Justice and the Common Good”

Not that writing up transcripts isn’t just *inherently* pleasurable even if no one reads them. :p

Really, though, Bishop Gene has some good insights that are worth checking out.

Renee, I read them, almost always, and I thank you for transcribing them. I’m sorry I don’t say anything. Hi from a county south of you. ;)

Hugh @ 24

Well at least it’s not a civil war. I just heard NBC’s Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski (unquestioningly as per usual) report that the Administration thinks that Iraq will be in civil war only after the “total collapse of the Iraqi government.”

If Maliki meets Bush in Jordan that just might happen

Peterr,

In South Carolina, it’s called the War of Northern Aggression.

I hope the Joe and John War updates are a regular feature of FDL – both to keep the reality of the war visible – and to keep the crime of these two visible as well.

shooogarp @ 20

War is Peace

Poverty is Wealth… “It’s an ownership society.”

that is one ugly picture.

old gold @
16

If we can’t impeach the him, can we establish a Regency to get us through the next two years?
Could the Baker Commission be just that?

There has been speculation to that effect posted on earlier FDL threads. If what has been speculated about the ISG’s activities were true, the Iraq Study Group would apparently be engaging in activities outside the scope of activities that Congress authorized.

hackworth @ 25

Metaphorically speaking, we’ve got to run the straight talk express bus over these two clowns. They must be exposed as the phonies they are. Joe and Jane Sixpack are clueless as to their voting records. Of course, J & J 6 pack are clueless about any reps’ voting records and that’s a big problem that the so-called liberal media refuses to address.

Well, really. Sweet Baby Jesus, aren’t there enough film clips of both of them saying diametrically opposed things to make a feature-length film by now? Isn’t there someone out there with the video skills to put something up on YouTube and just send their crap viral? It may be that the “below the radar” attack will work best at this point. Even if Joe and Jane 6-pack don’t “do YouTube” once it gets really viral they’ll hear about it…

Well at least we know where McCain stands on peace in the Middle East. He wants no part of it. Same holds true for Lieberman and a not a few other “Democrats”.

Jane Hamsher @
15

David Ehrenstein @
10

“I believe you mean the sole member of the “Kiss My Ring” party.”

Which has inspired me to form a Kiss My Ass Party

I wanna be a member.

Me three!

Recommendation:

Invite Kitty Kelley to talk about her book “The Family”.

I picked it up last month and it’s interesting. Especially the parts with Bush 41’s affairs, including Jennifer Fitzgerald.

The thing that strikes me is how disfunctional the whole family is in “rich people” sort of way.

Hugh @ 34

Peterr,

In South Carolina, it’s called the War of Northern Aggression.

Right. Tell me about it. Even if the first shot was fired in SC by, pause, now wait for it… not the Union.

watching cnn … report on DeathRay Cheney and his entourage heading to Saudis to sort out the Middle East – how very reassuring.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 40

Well at least we know where McCain stands on peace in the Middle East. He wants no part of it. Same holds true for Lieberman and a not a few other “Democrats”.

“Peace in the Middle East.” Well, sure. I believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy too….

Siun @ 44

watching cnn … report on DeathRay Cheney and his entourage heading to Saudis to sort out the Middle East – how very reassuring.

Oh. Well, then. Nothing to worry about here, it’s all taken care of by people who know more than you do, so just move along…

Large brain Norah subbing for Matthews on Hardball. I cannot deal with her. Olbermann in 45.

I sure hope DeadEye has time to go drinking hunting in Saudi Arabia.

Oklahoma kiddo @
47

Large brain Norah subbing for Matthews on Hardball. I cannot deal with her. Olbermann in 45.

That’s funny… I simply can’t watch Matthews. He gives me an all-body rash. I can at least tolerate her (admittedly in VERY SMALL doses…)

Oklahoma kiddo @ 47

Large brain Norah subbing for Matthews on Hardball. I cannot deal with her. Olbermann in 45.

And it took her precisely 17 minutes to ask “Where are the Democrats on all of this” (Iraq mess)?

B oy
H owdy !!

I raqwar
S till
G oing

The American people, in our accountability moment earlier this month, completely rejected this Iraq criminality being committed in our name. That these two buffoons see their solution — more, bigger, longer, deadlier war — as any prescription for peace is ludicrous. We must mock them from the public square.

Troops
Home
NOW

Independent Democrat: Lieberman, ID(iot).

Oklahoma kiddo @ 47

Large brain Norah subbing for Matthews on Hardball. I cannot deal with her. Olbermann in 45.

Is KO live? I think he’s doing an Oddball Annual Roundup.

I am already sick of the local media getting “all a twitter” over McCain’s possible Prez run. The local media gush and fawn over St. McCain here in AZ.

But I do not see the excitement or ground game here to start the “ground swell”. Lately have not heard anyone call themselves a “McCain Democrat”. There is also so many anti-war libertarians here who know how much a uber war hawk McCain is.

Defense contracting is a big growing business here in AZ with a rate of more than $1 BILLION a year. “Since 2001, the value of defense contracts awarded to companies operating in AZ rose 91% to almost $9.4 BILLION last year.” This was front page Sunday 11/12/2006 in the AZ Republic(ian).

From the Washington Note column: “I think I’m the only person who’s worked for both Ralph Reed and Bruce Reed,” Mr. Wittmann added…

Gawd, he’s bragging about having worked for that fucking salimander?

TeddySanFran @ 52

Oklahoma kiddo @ 47

Large brain Norah subbing for Matthews on Hardball. I cannot deal with her. Olbermann in 45.

Is KO live? I think he’s doing an Oddball Annual Roundup.

Don’t know.

Lest we forget, John McCain is too old to be President.

St. Ronnie in 1980 (at his election): 69
SlickTalk in 2008: 72

Bob Baer, some sort of CIA dude, just said on Hardball, talking about the murder by Polonium poisoning of a former KGB agent: “Are we losing control of Russia…”

WTF????

katymine @ 53

I am already sick of the local media getting “all a twitter” over McCain’s possible Prez run. The local media gush and fawn over St. McCain here in AZ.

But I do not see the excitement or ground game here to start the “ground swell”. Lately have not heard anyone call themselves a “McCain Democrat”. There is also so many anti-war libertarians here who know how much a uber war hawk McCain is.

Defense contracting is a big growing business here in AZ with a rate of more than $1 BILLION a year. “Since 2001, the value of defense contracts awarded to companies operating in AZ rose 91% to almost $9.4 BILLION last year.” This was front page Sunday 11/12/2006 in the AZ Republic(ian).

“all a twitter” over McCain AND the Hill. My gawd!

katymine: Lately have not heard anyone call themselves a “McCain Democrat”.

Those will be found here in Michigan, the same as the former “Reagan Democrats”. They’re the racists who are only “Democrats” because they’re in a union.

TeddySanFran @
56

Lest we forget, John McCain is too old to be President.

St. Ronnie in 1980 (at his election): 69
SlickTalk in 2008: 72

SWEET! And, as we all know, St. Ronnie was drooling and helpless by the end of his reign… Oh, let’s DO start banging on this drum…

Marion, it’s a growing drum circle. Bang loud!!

Marion in Savannah @
57

Bob Baer, some sort of CIA dude, just said on Hardball, talking about the murder by Polonium poisoning of a former KGB agent: “Are we losing control of Russia…”

WTF????

I agree with you Marion, he didn’t say it well. The truth, however, imho, is that both Iran and Russia are the big winners in the region. Everyday we stay makes us weaker and them stronger. Russia is energy rich, which gives them incredible leverage. The former Soviet Republics and Europe have to be very concerned about our ability to help them avoid being drawn more closely under Moscow’s influence.

Marion in Savannah @ 57

Bob Baer, some sort of CIA dude, just said on Hardball, talking about the murder by Polonium poisoning of a former KGB agent: “Are we losing control of Russia…”

WTF????

AP – A rare radioactive substance killed an ex-KGB spy turned Kremlin critic, the British government said Friday. In a dramatic statement written before he died, the man called Russian President Vladimir Putin “barbaric and ruthless” and blamed him personally for the poisoning.

Putin: Bush buddy.

angie put this link up last thread:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wor…..392791.stm

TeddySanFran @ 61

Marion, it’s a growing drum circle. Bang loud!!

Also do NOT forget McCain’s health. Just how many ways can they position him in front of a camera so that you cannot see the extensive excision of one side of his face from skin cancer.

This is a BIG issue with Loserman in the #2 slot

the Administration thinks that Iraq will be in civil war only after the “total collapse of the Iraqi government.” The 3,700 Iraqis who died last month and the hundreds who died yesterday will I’m sure appreciate the distinction.

Hey, they’re just a comma.

Cnn again – McCain is advocating “take out Al Sadr” … at least the mil pundit is saying this is the wrong strategy.

How easily these big guys like St John just toss around the idea of murdering people’s leaders.

And note that Al Sadr is gaining respect amongst moderate Iraqis as the only one stepping up to kick the americans out.

Bob Baer is mostly loathesome imho.

You are very right, Siun @ 66.

We here in the US also hear very little about al- Sistani these days.

hmmm.

katymine @ 64

TeddySanFran @ 61

Marion, it’s a growing drum circle. Bang loud!!

Also do NOT forget McCain’s health. Just how many ways can they position him in front of a camera so that you cannot see the extensive excision of one side of his face from skin cancer.

This is a BIG issue with Loserman in the #2 slot

Yeah… I’ve been looking at McCain’s face and wondering if that’s not really jowels but something happening with his parotid glands… He has had several skin cancers removed, which in themselves are no biggie, but if they spread…

Are there any non-adulterer non-Mormon GOP candidates for President in 2008?

Siun @ 66

Cnn again – McCain is advocating “take out Al Sadr” … at least the mil pundit is saying this is the wrong strategy.

How easily these big guys like St John just toss around the idea of murdering people’s leaders.

And note that Al Sadr is gaining respect amongst moderate Iraqis as the only one stepping up to kick the americans out.

For the first time EVER, I agree with Spider Marks. McCain is an idiot!

TeddySanFran @ 69

Are there any non-adulterer non-Mormon GOP candidates for President in 2008?

idiot Duncan? oh wait, he’s all tangled up with the Dukester… ‘prolley a criminal…

Blofeld Cheney will be advocating the Simpson Option. Kill everyone and leave a bloody mess for someone else to find.

-GSD

JOHN MCAIN IS A TOTAL FUCKING MORON!

Maslow’s hierachy of needs
I am going to throw this theory out there as a reason why the moderates are flocking to Al Sadr. Right now, the Iraqi people are dealing with the two lowest needs, their physiological & safety needs. They do not have water, power, food, sewer to sustain them in comfort and the cannot deal with those issues due to their lack of safety. Their total existence is occupied with full filling those two needs that they cannot even think of starting a government or building a society. They will grasp anyone who will help them meet those needs or they leave the country so that their needs can be met.

This is also why Reich wing group wants to bring us down to that same level. If we are so busy trying to full fill our basic needs, who has time, money and energy to protest, vote, fight the encroaching fascism?

TeddySanFran @ 69

Are there any non-adulterer non-Mormon GOP candidates for President in 2008?

I think the simmering sociopath Bob Dornan has batted around the idea again.

-GSD

hey! I’m liking the new MacBook – you all look so shiny and bright! and you are speaking more quickly too!

Would McCain like to flood Iraq with 100,000 more troops before he assassinates Al Sadr to maxamize the angry Shiites target potential?

Please, that man isn’t fit to play Stratego, never mind Commander in Chief.

-GSD

don’t wake me up. my nightmares are more benign than this.

siun @ 4:38 pm, angie at 4:40 pm, and Rayne -

Have you had a chance to read this?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..34834.html

Documents Reveal Secret Talks Between U.S. and Armed Iraqi Resistance

Failures on the battlefield and in the recent American elections are propelling the Bush Administration to consider significant changes in Iraq policy. Having placed the Shiite majority in power, the Administration now wonders if the country is being delivered to Iran. Having fought the Sunni-led insurgency for three years, the Administration wonders if negotiations are the only way to reduce American casualties.

It is not for holiday purposes that George Bush and Condoleeza Rice are meeting next week with Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki in Amman while Dick Cheney rushes to Saudi Arabia. The only question being kept from the American people is what the high-level talks are about. (My emphasis)

On November 21 on the Huffington Post, I revealed that American officials have contacted Sunni nationalist insurgents to explore a cease-fire and even the possible replacement of the al-Maliki government with an interim one. This plan would reduce US casualties against the Sunni-led insurgency [recently one hundred deaths per month], while consistent with the Pentagon desire to focus firepower on the Shiite Mahdi Army, led by “radical cleric” Moktada al-Sadr, the most prominent Shiite leader calling for an American withdrawal from Iraq. The current obstacle to an all-out American offensive against al-Sadr’s stronghold in Sadr City happens to be Prime Minister al-Maliki, whose governing coalition includes al-Sadr.

Today’s car bomb explosions in Sadr City and the violent attacks against Baghdad’s health ministry are aimed at two main al-Sadr power bases [his representatives run the health ministry].

Sensing that al-Maliki will agree to anything Bush demands, al-Sadr now is demanding that al-Maliki call off his meeting with the President.

(snip)

TeddySanFran @ 69

Are there any non-adulterer non-Mormon GOP candidates for President in 2008?

OOOHH… Good question… I guess they’re going to appeal to “the base” again… According to Gallup’s poll Rudy is ahead. FAAABULOUSSS… Let’s all start getting that wonderful YouTube of him in drag with Donald Trump out into the Republican web sites….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IrE6FMpai8

And, as much as I dislike him, Tweety did have this on his show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cf99DaMR54

This could wind up being a BUNCH of fun… Who’s up for air-popped popcorn???

McCain/Lieberman: Unity2008
Romney/Giuiliani: GOP2008
Brownback/Musgrave: Theocrat2008

If the GOP fractures thusly, anyone we run will win. So, let’s figure out who’s best. Let the Speaker well-manage the country’s business for the next two years, and then we’ll elect a real people’s Democrat in 2008.

Do you think Congresswoman Pelosi has any idea of just how historic her moment is? Leave aside the “firsts:” Italian-American Speaker, Woman Speaker, Californian Speaker, 21st Century Democratic Speaker. But she’ll need to navigate the shoals of others’ ambition as well as the minefield of GOP misgovernance for the next two years. It would try anyone’s patience and test anyone’s mettle.

I really think she’s up to it — and much more. Could we peacefully and constitutionally remove the obstacles in her path? The wingnut head explosions would alone make it worthwhile, but I really think the woman’s ready for the task. (Except, of course, for her “weak, disastrous, divisive, poor judgment” exhibited last week *heh*)

Everything you need to know about Mitt Romney’s Mormon underwear.

Do they have the trap-door on the back?

-GSD

OldCoastie @ 76

hey! I’m liking the new MacBook – you all look so shiny and bright! and you are speaking more quickly too!

OC funny

why is our Secretary of State completely uninvolved in these “diplomatic” missions?

jayt @ 84

why is our Secretary of State completely uninvolved in these “diplomatic” missions?

Jimmy Choo keeping her busy

Programme and speaker list unveiled for ASF 2006

The Organising Committee of the 4th Arab Strategy Forum (ASF), which will bring together over 600 global leaders to discuss key issues impacting the Arab world, today unveiled the programme and speaker list for this year’s edition, which runs in Dubai from 4-6 December.

The impressive speaker list, which boasts a line up of 114 regional and international leaders from the government, business, political and media sectors, underpins the importance of the ASF as a holistic forum for the strategic development of the Arab world.

Nabil Al Yousuf, Vice-Chairman, ASF Organising Committee, said: ‘We have assimilated top-tier decision makers, thought leaders and industry captains from the Arab world and beyond, to bring diverse perspectives to the table. The level of participants and speakers is a clear indication of how this event is viewed as an important forum for addressing some of the most challenging issues facing the Arab world today.’

Being led by seven Co-Chairs, which include personalities such as Dr. Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer of Google, and H.E. Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali, Egyptian Minister of Finance, the speaker list is the largest to date.

Distinguished government leaders speaking at the event include Ahmed Nazaf, Prime Minister, Egypt; Sheikha Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa, President, UN General Assembly, United Nations, New York; Lakhdar Brahimi, Former Special Advisor to the Secretary-General, United Nations, New York; Saad Hariri, Majority Leader in Lebanese Parliament and Head of Future Movement; and General Wesley Clark, Former NATO Commander.

http://www.ameinfo.com/102965.html

jayt @ 84

why is our Secretary of State completely uninvolved in these “diplomatic” missions?

Is there a post-Thanksgiving sale on Manolo Blahniks????

Oh, God help me, I didn’t see KO do this last year. I’ll be back when it’s over…

Whew, Stephen Parrish at 79. I had read Hayden’s piece the other day, but not this one. Thanks for sharing it.

Why oh why did they wait til after the elections to admit that we have lost?

So many dead.

So much shame that we bear.

sorry if posted before:

New savage twist to violence in Baghdad

Revenge-seeking Shiite militiamen seized six Sunnis as they left Friday prayers, drenched them with kerosene and burned them alive, and Iraqi soldiers did nothing to stop the attack, police and witnesses said.

twolf1 @ 90

sorry if posted before:

New savage twist to violence in Baghdad

Revenge-seeking Shiite militiamen seized six Sunnis as they left Friday prayers, drenched them with kerosene and burned them alive, and Iraqi soldiers did nothing to stop the attack, police and witnesses said.

Burning victims alive, however, introduced a new method of brutality that seemed likely to be reciprocated by the other sect as the Shiites and Sunnis continue killing one another in unprecedented numbers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..mi_ea/iraq

McCain isn’t going to get the Republican nomination. The wingnut base turns-out, in droves, in the Republican primaries and Rove has already established the means and methods that appeal to them.

Cozumel @ 91

twolf1 @ 90

sorry if posted before:

New savage twist to violence in Baghdad

Revenge-seeking Shiite militiamen seized six Sunnis as they left Friday prayers, drenched them with kerosene and burned them alive, and Iraqi soldiers did nothing to stop the attack, police and witnesses said.

Burning victims alive, however, introduced a new method of brutality that seemed likely to be reciprocated by the other sect as the Shiites and Sunnis continue killing one another in unprecedented numbers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..mi_ea/iraq

…but it’s not a civil war

jayt @
84

why is our Secretary of State completely uninvolved in these “diplomatic” missions?

Please see Parrish’s post at 4:51 p.m.

twolf1 @ 90

Iraqi soldiers did nothing to stop the attack, police and witnesses said.

That would seem to be the truly salient quote here. So, correct me if I’m wrong…. We’re supposedly supporting, training and arming an “army” that DID NOTHING TO STOP THE ATTACK… Have I missed anything important???

Curious in Central Texas @
94

jayt @
84

why is our Secretary of State completely uninvolved in these “diplomatic” missions?

Please see Parrish’s post at 4:51 p.m.

Oh. I was gonna suggest maybe she’d been put in time-out for this:

Rice mentioned three reasons why the United States is currently unable to carry out a military operation against Iran: the wish to solve the crisis through peaceful means; concern that a military strike will be ineffective – that it would fail to completely destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities; and the lack of precise intelligence on the targets’ locations.

After gettin’ all nit-picky like that, I immediately threw her off my neo-con war-startin’ fantasy league team.

Since we are ostensibly in charge of Baghdad, I wonder if it was just the Iraqi soldiers who did nothing to stop the burning of live humans.

jinny @
86

Programme and speaker list unveiled for ASF 2006

The Organising Committee of the 4th Arab Strategy Forum (ASF), which will bring together over 600 global leaders to discuss key issues impacting the Arab world, today unveiled the programme and speaker list for this year’s edition, which runs in Dubai from 4-6 December.

The impressive speaker list, which boasts a line up of 114 regional and international leaders from the government, business, political and media sectors, underpins the importance of the ASF as a holistic forum for the strategic development of the Arab world.

Nabil Al Yousuf, Vice-Chairman, ASF Organising Committee, said: ‘We have assimilated top-tier decision makers, thought leaders and industry captains from the Arab world and beyond, to bring diverse perspectives to the table. The level of participants and speakers is a clear indication of how this event is viewed as an important forum for addressing some of the most challenging issues facing the Arab world today.’

Being led by seven Co-Chairs, which include personalities such as Dr. Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer of Google, and H.E. Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali, Egyptian Minister of Finance, the speaker list is the largest to date.

Distinguished government leaders speaking at the event include Ahmed Nazaf, Prime Minister, Egypt; Sheikha Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa, President, UN General Assembly, United Nations, New York; Lakhdar Brahimi, Former Special Advisor to the Secretary-General, United Nations, New York; Saad Hariri, Majority Leader in Lebanese Parliament and Head of Future Movement; and General Wesley Clark, Former NATO Commander.

http://www.ameinfo.com/102965.html

Wesley Clark – our next President.

Gore’s not running, Feingold’s not running and screw the rest of ‘em. The time to start is now.

The Baker “Iraq Study group” has never been about anything but saving the Republican Party’s ass in 2008 and yet democrats don’t say a damn thing about that…no they talk about how they can’t wait to see what they produce. Like watching lambs being taken off to be slaughtered.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.c…..yfuss.html

Since March, Baker, backed by a team of experienced national-security hands, has been busily at work trying to devise a fresh set of policies to help the president chart a new course in–or, perhaps, to get the hell out of–Iraq. But as with all things involving James Baker, there’s a deeper political agenda at work as well. “Baker is primarily motivated by his desire to avoid a war at home–that things will fall apart not on the battlefield but at home. So he wants a ceasefire in American politics,” a member of one of the commission’s working groups told me.

Specifically, he said, if the Democrats win back one or both houses of Congress in November, they would unleash a series of investigative hearings on Iraq, the war on terrorism, and civil liberties that could fatally weaken the administration and remove the last props of political support for the war, setting the stage for a potential Republican electoral disaster in 2008. “I guess there are people in the [Republican] party, on the Hill and in the White House, who see a political train wreck coming, and they’ve called in Baker to try to reroute the train.” …

The president may have had another political motive for giving his blessing to the endeavor. If–and it’s a very big if–Baker can forge a consensus plan on what to do about Iraq among the bigwigs on his commission, many of them leading foreign-policy figures in the Democratic Party, then the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee–whoever he (or she) is–will have a hard time dismissing the plan. And if the GOP nominee also embraces the plan, then the Iraq war would largely be off the table as a defining issue of the 2008 race–a potentially huge advantage for Republicans. …

But according to all accounts, the Iraq Study Group is Baker’s show, with the assembled cast of characters there to give Baker the bipartisan, protective coloration he needs. “Jim Baker is the gatekeeper,” one task-force participant told me, insisting on anonymity. “He’s by far the most dynamic, and everyone else is intimidated by him.” And Baker is keeping his cards very close to his chest. “He’s very secretive, he keeps his distance, and he compartmentalizes everything, which is not a bad way to organize a political conspiracy,” says another member of one of the working groups. …
To some, it’s unlikely that Baker will adopt anything resembling a plan that embodies a wholesale rejection of the Bush administration’s policy, though it isn’t impossible. Still, there is an outside chance, say observers of the task force, that Baker will come up with a report that uses diplomatic weasel-words, giving lip service to the idea of an American “victory” in Iraq but endorsing redeployment. “If Baker comes out with a report that basically says, if you read between the lines, we need to get out, that buys into the fundamental presumption of the redeployment crowd–the redeployment crowd is basically saying that staying there is worse than getting out–if he comes up in that consensus, that would be remarkable,” says Ivo Daalder of the Brookings Institution. “It would be earth-shattering.”

angie @
97

Since we are ostensibly in charge of Baghdad, I wonder if it was just the Iraqi soldiers who did nothing to stop the burning of live humans.

We’re no more “in charge of Baghdad” than someone who owns a block of Manhattan real estate (as valuable as that may be) could be said to be “in charge of New York City.” Please…

And Michael, the Iraqi government and the U.S. military in Baghdad keep saying this is not a civil war. What are you seeing?

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, firstly, let me say, perhaps it’s easier to deny that this is a civil war, when essentially you live in the most heavily fortified place in the country within the Green Zone, which is true of both the prime minister, the national security adviser for Iraq and, of course, the top U.S. military commanders. However, for the people living on the streets, for Iraqis in their homes, if this is not civil war, or a form of it, then they do not want to see what one really looks like.

This is what we’re talking about. We’re talking about Sunni neighborhoods shelling Shia neighborhoods, and Shia neighborhoods shelling back.

We’re having Sunni communities dig fighting positions to protect their streets. We’re seeing Sunni extremists plunging car bombs into heavily-populated Shia marketplaces. We’re seeing institutionalized Shia death squads in legitimate police and national police commando uniforms going in, systematically, to Sunni homes in the middle of the night and dragging them out, never to be seen again.

I mean, if this is not civil war, where there is, on average, 40 to 50 tortured, mutilated, executed bodies showing up on the capital streets each morning, where we have thousands of unaccounted for dead bodies mounting up every month, and where the list of those who have simply disappeared for the sake of the fact that they have the wrong name, a name that is either Sunni or Shia, so much so that we have people getting dual identity cards, where parents cannot send their children to school, because they have to cross a sectarian line, then, goodness, me, I don’t want to see what a civil war looks like either if this isn’t one.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA…..dt.01.html

Rice mentioned three reasons why the United States is currently unable to carry out a military operation against Iran: the wish to solve the crisis through peaceful means; concern that a military strike will be ineffective – that it would fail to completely destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities; and the lack of precise intelligence on the targets’ locations.

Why wasn’t she thinking this way in March 2003?

I gotta go eat something that is not turkey…

where IS condi this weekend, anyway?

Angie – reports from Baghdad were that US and Iraqi troops blocked ambulances from reaching the victims of yesterday’s bombings … and US Troops were in Sadr City before the bombings, searching for a missing soldier (?) and shooting 4 men dead (not bombers!) and wounding 7 others who were simply driving in a minivan.

Here’s a link to an article (Stamford Advocate) about one of the Dynamic-Duo: http://www.stamfordadvocate.co…..-headlines

There is one reason Lee Hamilton is on that cammission – to give cover and credibility to Baker’s deception and sucker the democrats into eating some of the blame for George’s plan-free war. Hamilton is there because he is a spineless worm who can be herded around.

Here, from a talk by Robert Parry on Iran Contra which Lee Hamilton did his best to help the REPUBLICANS sweep that under the rug:
http://www.copi.com/articles/rparry_a.htm

So this was what was happening by the Summer of ‘86, when Barger and I finally did a story – we had 24 sources by this point – it was getting silly, you know? You know, it wasn’t like two sources, or three sources, we were up to 24, and some of them named, and we did this story in June of ‘86 where we laid a lot of it out – we didn’t have all of it, I’ll grant – we didn’t know about Secord’s flights, but we had Rob Owen, and we had Jack Singlaub, and we had how the intermediaries were moving the weapons and so forth. So we get to this point, and we put this story out, and finally Congress – which had been very afraid of touching this – the democrats were extremely timid – finally Lee Hamilton, who was then Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee takes our little story with the rest of the Intelligence Committee over to the White House and they sit down with Ollie North and they say, “Colonel North – we have this story that says you’re doing these things which are kind of illegal, uh, what about it?” He said, “It’s not true,” they said “Thank you,” and they went back to Capitol Hill. And I get a call from one of Hamilton’s aides, and he told me, he said – I’ll never forget this, because it was probably my worst moment in the whole Iran Contra Scandal – I get this call from a Democratic aide who tells me that Lee Hamilton has looked into my story, and he had a choice between believing these honorable men at the White House or my sources and it wasn’t a close call.

Marion, the truth is that I have read on many very informed blogs (Riverbend, Dahr Jamail and MFI’s, etc.) that our soldiers are the overwhelming presence in the city and they do not stop the violence.

Siun, I had read that ;(

Here’s a funny picture of Lieberman

I suppose I’m the only one who thinks Loserman’s chin looks like a pair of buttocks.

But then again, I just saw “Borat” today, so that may be warping my perception.

Condi is scheduled to go to Jordan – the reports sounded like she was travelling separately from W but they would be there at similar times.

On the Tom Hayden articles – not sure what I think of these – there have been a lot of questions about his sources floating around. One thing that sticks out to me is the following condition of the agrement:

A Status of Forces agreement would be negotiated immediately permitting the presence of American troops in Iraq for as long as ten years. Troop reductions and redeployments would be permitted over time.

I do not see the Iraqi people agreeing to another 10 years of occupation – imho.

watertiger @ 110

I suppose I’m the only one who thinks Loserman’s chin looks like a pair of buttocks.

But then again, I just saw “Borat” today, so that may be warping my perception.

I did notice that. It makes sense though, that is region where most of the diarrhea comes from.

I suppose I’m the only one who thinks Loserman’s chin looks like a pair of buttocks.

You are so funny and perspicacious!

ROTFLMAO!

I do not see the Iraqi people agreeing to another 10 years of occupation – imho.

No way! Not ever.

angie @ 112

I suppose I’m the only one who thinks Loserman’s chin looks like a pair of buttocks.

You are so funny and perspicacious!

ROTFLMAO!

:-)

perspicacious!!!! great word!

new thread

angie @
107

Marion, the truth is that I have read on many very informed blogs (Riverbend, Dahr Jamail and MFI’s, etc.) that our soldiers are the overwhelming presence in the city and they do not stop the violence.

Siun, I had read that ;(

I simply wonder if we’re that much of an “overwhelming presence” why things aren’t going better… As I understand it, an “overwhelming presence” might have some sort of control, or authority, or something… There’s a HUGE difference between being “overwhelmingly visible” and being an “overwhelming presence.”

From the Hartford Courant Nov. 27, 2004 here’s a little forecasting of what we can expect from Joe. It looks like he’s been working towards a McCain/Lieberman link for a while.

[Joe Lieberman] has invoked McCain in campaign mailings and ads and mentions his friendship with McCain liberally, as he did again at a rally Monday. “There are a lot of McCainiacs,” he said at the rally, “and they have become Liebermaniacs.”It’s been so overt that on Monday, when New Hampshire Republican Rep. Charlie Bass was introducing McCain in Nashua, he said: “There’s one candidate who says he has the McCain vote all lined up. Joe Lieberman.”

FD, I question neither Robert Parry’s narrative nor your conclusions regarding Hamilton’s presence on ISG, but Parry errs when he says

Lee Hamilton, who was then Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee

Lee Hamilton never served in the Senate.

fyi

twolf1 @
108

Here’s a funny picture of Lieberman

He and Cheney could even be brothers under the skin.

angie @ 113

I do not see the Iraqi people agreeing to another 10 years of occupation – imho.

No way! Not ever.

A puppet can always be produced to go along with US hegemonic designs. In the meantime, the three factions will continue to kill each other with our troops in the crossfire.

You are right, Marion @ 117.

I think that the bushco plan may just have been for a civil war.

More empty space for our robber barons; just like Afghanistan.

Depopulation blamed on the victims.

jinny @ 120

twolf1 @
108

Here’s a funny picture of Lieberman

He and Cheney could even be brothers under the skin.

It may actually look more like Dennis Hasstert… but I stayed on topic ;)

A threat from al-Sadr.
“Radical anti-U.S. Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s political bloc, a key player in Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s government, threatened on Friday to withdraw from the cabinet and parliament if Maliki met U.S. President George W. Bush as planned in Jordan next week.”

I wonder why we are so afraid of a civil war in Iraq. #1: It’s already a civil war; #2: It’s been that way for the last 3000 years; #3 It’s going to be that way as long as there are Sunni’s and Shiites, which may be another 1000 years. So let’s get out of Iraq and let them do their own thing, burning each other and murdering each other until they finally realize that this is not the way to solve problems.

On Washington Week this evening, there was a correspondent (didn’t catch the name) who was saying that the Administration was saying that Democrats were less than eager to be tied to a schedule for withdrawal now that they were in the majority in the House and Senate and now partly responsible for Iraq.

This just goes to show how the Washington press corps remains bought and paid for by the White House. This idiot reporter doesn’t get his information about Democrats from, oh say, Democrats. No, he reports on what the White House says Democrats are saying (in secret, kind of, maybe). He also seems to forget that while the Democrats won in November they don’t take power until January and that it will be difficult to enact policy change with a recalcitrant and unreasonable President. He also conveniently passes over the fact that Iraq is Bush’s war and has been exclusively for the last 3 1/2 years. As Colin Powell once said so eloquently, “You break it, you own it.” The Democrats are left to clean up after the Republican’s mess and their failure. They can’t unbreak Iraq. They can only deal as best they can with a bad situation not of their making. But no matter what happens there quite simply Iraq is not their fault. It would only become their fault if they chose, like this President, to remain there.

Titanyum – you apparently missed the part where we invaded without cause and caused the deaths of 600,000 (or more) Iraqis.

I cannot recall a civil war that has been occurring for 3000 years.

Honestly.

Nir Rosen: The best thing we can do for Iraq right now is LEAVE.

The Shia-Sunni divide arose in the decades following the Prophet’s death in 632, and was full-blown by Ali’s death in 661

The term Shia or Shi’ite derives from a shortening of Shiat Ali or partisans of Ali.

Hmm. If the Shia-Sunni conflict began the moment of the Prophet’s last breath in 632, we’re still looking at a mere 1374 years.

Either my post-sandwich nap was fourteen centuries long, or the canard about a 3,000 civil war is bogus.

The cats, parents, and fridge look as they did earlier today, so I think we can rule out the fourteen century nap.

TeddySanFran @ 120

FD, I question neither Robert Parry’s narrative nor your conclusions regarding Hamilton’s presence on ISG, but Parry errs when he says

Lee Hamilton, who was then Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee

Lee Hamilton never served in the Senate.

fyi

As an extemporaneous comment, that’s understandable–Hamilton was, at the time, chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence.

“Choose the UnRepublicans!”

“We are UnPartisan!
We are UnPolitical!

“Be Undependent!
Vote for the UnRepublicans!”

McCain/Lieberman ‘08

(offered as warning of this campaign’s potential appeal)

Lieberman isn’t bi-partisan or un-partisan. He’s a whore.

And McCain is too old for the presidency. He’s so old (and needy) he doesn’t even understand the age factor as a negative trait in the presidency.