So elections do have consequences.
Someone please forward this to Ralph Nader.

Fitz!

Do you think they meant for it to be a flaming parrot, but someone didn’t enunciate properly?

DELBERT!

Great article PW. A really nice illustration of how the US Public are getting tired of boy george and his tantrums.

It’s amazing how people respond to politicians with a spine…let’s say goodbye to the invertebrate brand of Democrat, shall we?

OT, but has anyone heard from GrandmaJ lately?

Paging GrandmaJ! Are you there?

It’s enough.

Iraqis rioting in Karbala after bombings. Their once realtively calm city is now under seige because the “surge” is pushing attackers out of Baghdad.

-GSD

Its a plurality not a majority but MORE people support the congress which is moving in the right direction.

Not yet a majority, though I wish it were. The poll shows a pretty good plurality in favor of the Democrats’ position on war-funding and redeployment of troops.

Let’s hope the Dems hold firm.

The public will back those who stand up to Bush and his con-men.

Guitar_Playing_Bastard @
4

DELBERT!

ROCKS!

Hello, Congressional Democrats. His approval ratings are in the 30s. Hit him with a chair. When he starts spitting out bloody teeth and mewling about executive privilege, hit him again.

There is no political downside to pummeling him senseless, and no political upside to coddling him.

[Mod Note; all of this is metaphorical, correct?]

Yeah, the worm is really starting to turn. Too bad it took so long. I heard on NPR this morning that even Imus, of all people (I assume he’s pretty wingnut, tho I don’t know since I never listened to him) called Darth a war criminal several times.

GSD @
8

It’s enough.

Iraqis rioting in Karbala after bombings. Their once realtively calm city is now under seige because the “surge” is pushing attackers out of Baghdad.

-GSD

That is a dreadful report. The descriptions of parents carrying away their dead children is heart wrenching.

The worrisome thing here is that which ever party wins the WH in ‘08, not much will change in the Israeli-Palestinian situation. After all this is perhaps the largest originating factor in Arab distaste for the U.S. I don’t hear many Democrats elevating this issue.

I were an Iraqi, I’d be fighting the U.S. occupation and puppet government with everything I had. For as long as it takes.

allan_in_upstate @ 1

So elections do have consequences.
Someone please forward this to Ralph Nader.

Heh!

Nate @ 5

Great article PW. A really nice illustration of how the US Public are getting tired of boy george and his tantrums.

Yeah.

As Atrios says today, it’s amazing how there’s almost no representation on our teevees of what most Americans really think about Iraq — or anything else. That viewpoint is verboten because it’s “too far left” for the GOP/Media Complex to tolerate.

1,486 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..

Citizen Cleter and the Firepup Patriots:

“There is no political downside to pummeling him senseless, and no political upside to coddling him.”

A-MEN, brother Cleter, A-fuckin’-MEN!! Hit ‘im again he’s still breathin’!! The first rule of fightin’ fascists is the first rule of fightin bullies…hit ‘em first and hit ‘em hard and don’t stop until they run home to Texas.

We gotta learn from the success of the new Nazis who have come within a breath of takin’ over a country of over 250 million people with the support of less than 1/3 of the population. We got the majority now, we must restore the Constitution and use it to clean these evil bastards out of our lives forever.

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…DON’T TAKE ANY SHIT ANYMORE!!

It is an LA Times Poll.

Get the hell out of Hell (Iraq) now!

Totally OT - just read this on a local DC-area media website:

Gannon/Guckert shamelessly promotes himself at Nathan’s in Georgetown

Gannon, or real name James Dale Guckert, worked as an accredited White House correspondent for two years, representing Talon News, before other reporters attacked him as a “fraud,” and for tossing softball questions to President Bush. Soon after it was revealed that he had another job with a gay escort service and also appeared naked on the website hotmilitarystud.com. He was questioned by investigators during the Valerie Plame affair because of an interview he did with her husband, Joseph Wilson. Gannon now operates a website, jeffgannon.com, which he calls “a voice of the new media.” Thursday will be a very interesting Q&A Cafe. I hope you can join us. For reservations please call Jon Moss at 202.338.2000 weekdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., or reply here. The doors open at noon, the program begins at 12:30, and the fee is $35, all inclusive. Carol Joynt… PS- watch interviews with Fred Thompson, John F. Harris, George Michael, Bob Woodward, Jim Lehrer, Carly Fiorina and others on Q&A Cafe TV at www.nathansgeorgetown.com

Oklahoma kiddo @ 15

The worrisome thing here is that which ever party wins the WH in ‘08, not much will change in the Israeli-Palestinian situation. After all this is perhaps the largest originating factor in Arab distaste for the U.S. I don’t hear many Democrats elevating this issue.

at least you are OK… that’s a start.

what we really need is a complete rethink of our foreign policy… and i wouldn’t mind if it starts with a comprehensive peace plan along the lines of the saudi plan and/or the geneva accords. but i think it may actually come to one state shared by Palestinians and Israelis.

Great post, PW.

Once again, the old maxim that “If the People Lead, the Leaders Will Follow” is shown to be true. Now if we can just get our leaders to follow our lead, then we can start fixing this godawful mess we’re all in.

Eighteen little months until the general election. If my party doesn’t do something, we are going to inherit the Iraq horror. And perhaps something worse.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 25

Eighteen little months until the general election. If my party doesn’t do something, we are going to inherit the Iraq horror. And perhaps something worse.

i am waiting for the promised house bill telling bush he can’t attack iran without congressional approval.

The only reason why Bush doesn’t want a timetable is because he wants to be out of power before the pictures of a ravaged country come to town.

PW,
I agree with your main point.
But to quibble just a little, 45% is not a “majority.” You have to have more than 50% to have a majority. What you have here is a “plurality“!

Bob in HI

Phoenix Woman @ 18

Nate @ 5

Great article PW. A really nice illustration of how the US Public are getting tired of boy george and his tantrums.

Yeah.

As Atrios says today, it’s amazing how there’s almost no representation on our teevees of what most Americans really think about Iraq — or anything else. That viewpoint is verboten because it’s “too far left” for the GOP/Media Complex to tolerate.

That’s precisely right PW.

Ya ever notice in the rhetoric that the only people who are “centrists” are those who support the occupation, and those who are against the occupation are “fringe” leftists?

It’s all framing

selise @ 26

Oklahoma kiddo @ 25

Eighteen little months until the general election. If my party doesn’t do something, we are going to inherit the Iraq horror. And perhaps something worse.

i am waiting for the promised house bill telling bush he can’t attack iran without congressional approval.

That condition was dropped from a recent bill (the supplemental funding for Iraq, etc., I believe) with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. Not sure why, maybe A*P*C pressure.

Edited * by MOD

It’a a waste of time for the Democratic rank and file to pressure the Republicans. It’s not a wasted effort for Democrats to pressure elected Democrats.

Perhaps OT, but the war is one of the major reasons we must impeach both Bush and Cheney…
—————
Here’s a free-form, symbolic translation of the Ten Plagues that the Lord visited upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians — updated and modernized to characterize what we, in the name of the American Way, have visited upon the Children of Iraq. The original transliterated Hebrew is followed by a modern equivalent. Poetic license is used; poetic justice is coming.

Those of you who are familiar with the traditional melodies of the Passover Seder will perhaps find some rough correspondence with the rhythms, if not the literal translations, of the Lord’s plagues as recorded in the Torah and in the Haggadah.

One of the most memorable parts of the Jewish Seder has participants dolefully chant the names of each of the plagues while dipping a finger into their cup of wine and placing a drop of it onto their plates… and the last plague is sung with a grim finality. Participants are instructed to remember these plagues with sorrow because even oppressors deserve consideration for their suffering.

Imagine our Vice President and his Board of Directors sitting around the traditional ceremonial holiday Halliburton boardroom table, chanting the plagues, smilingly spilling drops of blood from their golden goblets…

2) Tze’far’day’ah — Occupation — Our country is filled with foreigners with guns! Why are they saying “Get off of OUR oil!”?

3) Kinim — Keening — The piteous sound of our parents, widows, widowers, children and orphans

4) Arov — Karl-Rove — Like a wild beast, he toys with us like pawns. Our lives mean nothing to him

5) Dever — Never — …will we forget the injustices done to us in the name of “freedom’s on the march!”

6) Sh’chin — Murder — They kill us, we kill each other… more blood in the streets

7) Barad — ElBaradei — Hail the peacemaker, whose wise counsel was cruelly rejected by the conquering Pharaoh

8) Arbeh — Larvae — We, the cradle of Western civilization, have lost our wings and been beaten into the earth; but we’ll escape this cocoon of death and fly again, one day

9) Choshech — Darkness — We have neither electricity, nor fresh water, nor sewage service

10) Makkat B’chorot. — Blackwater and Halliburton. — They say we wear no uniforms. Why do so many of our killers wear no US insignia?
—————

Who will say that in four thousand years, Mesopotamians will not be commemorating our inhumanity down their generations with words something like these?

I am so sick of the flamethrower beating around the bush, say what you really mean! :)

selise @ 26

Oklahoma kiddo @ 25

Eighteen little months until the general election. If my party doesn’t do something, we are going to inherit the Iraq horror. And perhaps something worse.

i am waiting for the promised house bill telling bush he can’t attack iran without congressional approval.

That was in a recent bill (the Iraq et al supplemental, I believe) but dropped with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. A*P*C pressure?

Edited * by MOD

PeterK @ 30

selise @ 26

i am waiting for the promised house bill telling bush he can’t attack iran without congressional approval.

That condition was dropped from a recent bill (the supplemental funding for Iraq, etc., I believe) with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. Not sure why, maybe A*P*C pressure.

i know it was dropped, but speaker pelosi has promised as stand alone bill.

selise @ 33

PeterK @ 30

selise @ 26

That condition was dropped from a recent bill (the supplemental funding for Iraq, etc., I believe) with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. Not sure why, maybe A*P*C pressure.

i know it was dropped, but speaker pelosi has promised as stand alone bill.

I don’t understand why you guys are so obsessed with a possible military strike.
Just look at a topographic map of Iran. It would be a cakewalk.

Sometimes ugly things happen in the pursuit of Democracy and liberty. Bushs’ buddy Putin is being brutal. And Bush is quiet and Hillary is quiet.

AP - Riot police beat and detained protesters as thousands defied an official ban and attempted to stage a rally Saturday against President Vladimir Putin’s government, which opponents accuse of rolling back freedoms Russians have enjoyed since the end of Soviet communism.

Bob Schacht @ 28

PW,
I agree with your main point.
But to quibble just a little, 45% is not a “majority.” You have to have more than 50% to have a majority. What you have here is a “plurality“!

Bob in HI

Thanks! Will fix.

Meanwhile, have you all seen Glenn Greenwald’s excellent piece on the Bush White House’s odd habit of losing key documents? It’s been endemic to this administration, and as one of Glenn’s correspondents points out, no judge would buy their arguments if they were being made by any other entity — especially given the Bushies’ long history of “losing documents”. Talk about “pattern and practice”!

Perhaps this is what happened to the Pharaohs of Egypt. One of them, a Boy King, with his childishness, illegalities and terrible leadership, ruined the position for all time.

Speaking of accountability, here’s another hearing to keep our eyes on:

Jessica Lynch to testify before House panel

By Klaus Marre
April 10, 2007

Jessica Lynch, the soldier who was captured in the early phase of the Iraq invasion and later rescued, is scheduled to testify April 24 in a hearing on “Misleading Information from the Battlefield,” the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced Tuesday.

The panel will look into Lynch’s case, as well as the friendly-fire incident that led to the death of NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman.

“The Committee will examine why inaccurate accounts of these two incidents were disseminated, the sources and motivations for the accounts, and whether the appropriate Administration officials have been held accountable,” the committee announced in a statement.

The panel will hear from Lynch, members of Tillman’s family and Pentagon officials.

Sorry, I don’t have the original cite, as I got this in an email that doesn’t name the source.

Bob in HI

Wow, this is sure a great trend. I think now that a lot of sh*t is hitting the fan, more people are paying attention. Something to publicaly push is also the raise in college loan rates by Rethugs and the resultant loan scandal that leads students/families into higher-rate loans because of kickbacks to the colleges.

The g*ddam crooks are everywhere!

all hail the mighty flaming carrot!

I’m not bothered by an attack on Iran by my government. It’s the aftermath I find a bit unnerving.

I think there’s something else to consider here with these numbers which show that more people think that Bush should sign the bill (or, I guess, one of the bills) that’s been passed funding the troops, deadlines and all, than think he should veto it; and that more people think Congress should withhold funding for the war until he does sign their bill than don’t.

First, those numbers are probably within the polls MOE. But even if we call it a dead heat, think how remarkable that is, given the electorate’s strong inclination to back the President (any President, not just our special little shrub) in wartime, and given the incessant bleating of both the White House and many in the MSM about how the Dems are withholding funding for the troops.

It raises a larger question - can a war be sustained, internally, with barely a simple majority supporting it? I was young during Vietnam, but once you get to these levels of opposition (which are much less visible these days, since the dynamic of protest is often internet as opposed to mass demonstration based), the wheels aren’t bolted to the axles anymore, and you’re just hoping they’ll keep spinning until you can land safely.

I think the numbers also confirm what has been apparent for a while - people aren’t listening to W, don’t trust him, which leaves him, like the ignored 5 year old he is, to stamp his feet and scream louder.

To no avail.

LetterMan @
24

Great post, PW.

Once again, the old maxim that “If the People Lead, the Leaders Will Follow” is shown to be true. Now if we can just get our leaders to follow our lead, then we can start fixing this godawful mess we’re all in.

We must also quickly smack down all and any attempts at smears directed at Congressional Democratic leaders. This recent Syria trip stupidity was a test-run, and the GOP spinmeisters were much more successful with it than with SpeakerAir. There will be more.

We — and our DeeCee Dems – need to be alert and immediately responsive to these canards.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 43

I’m not bothered by an attack on Iran by my government. It’s the aftermath I find a bit unnerving.

i expect an attack on iran by my goverment will be horrible for the iranians.

that bothers me.

We had no right to attack the sovereign country of Iraq. We have no right to attack the sovereign country of Iran!

LetterMan@24

The only problem is, Bush isn’t a leader. He’s a dictator.

PeterK @ 33

selise @ 26

Oklahoma kiddo @ 25

i am waiting for the promised house bill telling bush he can’t attack iran without congressional approval.

That was in a recent bill (the Iraq et al supplemental, I believe) but dropped with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. A*P*C pressure?

Edited * by MOD

I’m curious. Why the editing?

Phoenix Woman @
39

Meanwhile, have you all seen Glenn Greenwald’s excellent piece on the Bush White House’s odd habit of losing key documents? It’s been endemic to this administration, and as one of Glenn’s correspondents points out, no judge would buy their arguments if they were being made by any other entity — especially given the Bushies’ long history of “losing documents”. Talk about “pattern and practice”!

Uncle Jack Cafferty built an hourly question around Glenn’s Salon article!

karen allen @ 47

We had no right to attack the sovereign country of Iraq. We have no right to attack the sovereign country of Iran!

and while we’re at it…. we have no right to attack somalia (via proxies or directly)…. and we had no right to overthrow the democratically elected goverment of haiti.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 43

I’m not bothered by an attack on Iran by my government. It’s the aftermath I find a bit unnerving.

Ding, ding, ding

Click, and scroll down

Beyond mines, Iran’s most significant threat to Gulf shipping would probably come from its truck-mobile anti-ship missiles. Iran generally keeps eight SS-N-22 Sunburn anti-ship missile batteries stationed near Bandar-e Abbas, as well as at least 12 Silkworm anti-ship missile sites around Bandar-e Abbas and Kharg Island. Military ships’ defenses could easily shoot down the Silkworms, but not the hypersonic Sunburns, which have a 75-mile range. Any civilian shipping would be a sitting duck in a fight with either.

Iran also boasts three Tareq/Kilo-class diesel/electric submarines and several Ghadir-class midget subs (based on a North Korean design) that could be launched from Chabahar. Both ship types are capable of attacking shipping — or other energy assets in the Gulf — directly or indirectly by laying mines. Speedboats could also be used to harass tankers and terminals. Luckily, Iran’s air force would be of limited use since it has few anti-ship capabilities.

And that doesn’t even count the innocent people who would be killed in the airstrikes

Gotta run have a great day

PeterK @ 49

That was in a recent bill (the Iraq et al supplemental, I believe) but dropped with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. A*P*C pressure?

Edited * by MOD

I’m curious. Why the editing?

a certain word will get your comment caught by the spam blockers… but if you learn to edit from our mods, you will know how to make your comments understood by fellow readers - and not the spam blockers. *g*

PeterK—certain terms trip the moderation filters. The term that was edited in your comment is one of many of those. In the future, strategic placement of asterisks will help your comments avoid being caught in moderation.

Hope that helps.

selise @ 53

PeterK @ 49

That was in a recent bill (the Iraq et al supplemental, I believe) but dropped with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. A*P*C pressure?

Edited * by MOD

I’m curious. Why the editing?

a certain word will get your comment caught by the spam blockers… but if you learn to edit from our mods, you will know how to make your comments understood by fellow readers - and not the spam blockers. *g*

thanks

{{{{{{{ mods }}}}}}}}

Moral matters obviously do not matter to the GOP. They luv little lord George. If we attack Iran it will be the beginning of the end. The problem with the Iranians and Iraqi’s are twofold. They have lots of oil and they are way too brown. General George ‘W’. Custer rides again.

The results of an attack on Iran could be horrendous. After all, according to a recent study of “the Iraq effect” by terrorism specialists Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank, using government and Rand Corporation data, the Iraq invasion has already led to a seven-fold increase in terror. The “Iran effect” would probably be far more severe and long-lasting. British military historian Corelli Barnett speaks for many when he warns that “an attack on Iran would effectively launch World War III.”

The only consolation I have is that the
GOP base is melting faster than that witch
did in “The Wizard of Oz”…..

TeddySanFran @ 56

{{{{{{{ mods }}}}}}}}

amen, amen. (the chorus chimes in)

Iraq comes undone: at least 289 dead Saturday.

Bodies littered the street and body parts were found as far as 160 yards from the site of the explosion. Three buses of passengers were charred and storefronts lay in shambles.

At least 167 people were injured in the bombing, but the death toll was expected to increase because of still-unidentified bodies and serious injuries, said Saleem Kadhim, spokesman for the Karbala health directorate.

As police and ambulances approached to carry away victims, angry residents shot at them, witnesses said. The police responded, firing bullets into the air to dissipate the angry crowd. As the bullets rained down, a child and elderly man were killed, witnesses said.

Phoenix Woman @
39

Meanwhile, have you all seen Glenn Greenwald’s excellent piece on the Bush White House’s odd habit of losing key documents? It’s been endemic to this administration, and as one of Glenn’s correspondents points out, no judge would buy their arguments if they were being made by any other entity — especially given the Bushies’ long history of “losing documents”. Talk about “pattern and practice”!

Leahy nailed it with his “dog ate my homework excuse” don’t fly no more

How come the democrats are always so far behind the American people? One they maybe they will realize we actually want them to be leaders.

TeddySanFran @ 61

Iraq comes undone: at least 289 dead Saturday.

Bodies littered the street and body parts were found as far as 160 yards from the site of the explosion. Three buses of passengers were charred and storefronts lay in shambles.

At least 167 people were injured in the bombing, but the death toll was expected to increase because of still-unidentified bodies and serious injuries, said Saleem Kadhim, spokesman for the Karbala health directorate.

As police and ambulances approached to carry away victims, angry residents shot at them, witnesses said. The police responded, firing bullets into the air to dissipate the angry crowd. As the bullets rained down, a child and elderly man were killed, witnesses said.

I think I am going to be ill.

What the F**K are we doing!!!???

Bob Schacht @ 41

Speaking of accountability, here’s another hearing to keep our eyes on:

Jessica Lynch to testify before House panel

By Klaus Marre
April 10, 2007

Jessica Lynch, the soldier who was captured in the early phase of the Iraq invasion and later rescued, is scheduled to testify April 24 in a hearing on “Misleading Information from the Battlefield,” the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced Tuesday.

The panel will look into Lynch’s case, as well as the friendly-fire incident that led to the death of NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman.

“The Committee will examine why inaccurate accounts of these two incidents were disseminated, the sources and motivations for the accounts, and whether the appropriate Administration officials have been held accountable,” the committee announced in a statement.

The panel will hear from Lynch, members of Tillman’s family and Pentagon officials.

Sorry, I don’t have the original cite, as I got this in an email that doesn’t name the source.

Bob in HI

Bob, here is the Linky

http://www.oversight.house.gov/

karen allen @
48

We had no right to attack the sovereign country of Iraq. We have no right to attack the sovereign country of Iran!

Bush doesn’t care about THE RIGHT to do something. He stole our rights remember?

War crimes are being committed by my government each and every day. In my name. I am angry. Radically angry.

Crooks&liars has the Mahr video wrt the US Attorney’s firings and Pat Robertson’s college

http://www.crooksandliars.com/.....f-the-doj/

Fortune Favors The Bold

OK, to all the progressive politicians that read this BLOG, pay mighty heed;

Russ feingold’s popularity skyrocketed when he said cheney has been wrong on everything ever…and goes up each and every time he says the administration doesn’t have a military clue, it goes up each and every time he says the president is violating the constitution

Webb’s popularity went up EXPONENTIALLY when he made his speech PUNISHING the administrations moronic “military knowledge”

why, we started considering him a presidential candidate when he embarrassed the president in front of the world

each time waxman makes another statement that calls this administrations activities criminal, his popularity grows

there is NO politician that enjoys a spike in popularity when they agree with the president, there is NO politician that gains in popularity when they say the president should not be impeached, there is NO politician who’s popularity increases when they give the president or the vice president any play

the people that are in the administration are morons and the public LOVES when a politician calls them a moron, the public REWARDS the politicians that LAUGH at the things these morons say

pay mighty heed, the American public YEARN for you to criticize the president and his administration, WE WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY HIS TOYS AND WE REWARD YOU FOR IT

dakine01 @ 62

Phoenix Woman @
39

Meanwhile, have you all seen Glenn Greenwald’s excellent piece on the Bush White House’s odd habit of losing key documents? It’s been endemic to this administration, and as one of Glenn’s correspondents points out, no judge would buy their arguments if they were being made by any other entity — especially given the Bushies’ long history of “losing documents”. Talk about “pattern and practice”!

Leahy nailed it with his “dog ate my homework excuse” don’t fly no more

Someone, (was it here?) called this scandal Dogate, as in the dogate my homework. Gotta love that.

ccmask @ 68

Crooks&liars has the Mahr video wrt the US Attorney’s firings and Pat Robertson’s college

http://www.crooksandliars.com/.....f-the-doj/

Thanks. Watching it now.

SOS - your 10 plagues are so profound. Please do emai me at my name dot are eye eff kay eye enn by way of the comcast system.

allan_in_upstate @ 36
selise @ 33
PeterK @ 30
selise @ 26
i am waiting for the promised house bill telling bush he can’t attack iran without congressional approval.
==========

That condition was dropped from a recent bill (the supplemental funding for Iraq, etc., I believe) with the agreement of Nancy Pelosi. Not sure why, maybe A*P*C pressure.
==========

i know it was dropped, but speaker pelosi has promised as stand alone bill.
==========

I don’t understand why you guys are so obsessed with a possible military strike.
Just look at a topographic map of Iran. It would be a cakewalk.
==========

To this last comment, my mouth drops open in astonishment. Surely, this is one who is ignorant. I’ve been there, from Tabriz in the north, to Ahwaz in the south. Just what is it that you see in a glance at a topographic map that leads you to believe that a military strike would be a cakewalk?

You must be drinking from the same kool-aid as the Neo-cons, whose Iraqi “cakewalk” has cost more lost American lives than the 9/11 disaster, and many more times the lost lives of Iraqis, and which is breaking our armed forces.

A military airstrike would probably not be effective. But you don’t need to take my word for it.

The Army Doesn’t Think the Military Option Should Be on the Table.
“Last Stand” by Seymour M. Hersh – The New Yorker – 7/7/06
Hersh’s describes an “April Revolution” during which the military leadership of the United States began voicing its dissent against the policies of the Bush Administration. Military officials question the effectiveness of an air strike on Iran’s nuclear program and raise concerns over the potential economic, social, and political consequences. The military remains committed to “civilian control”; however, ultimately the decision remains up to Bush.

Our armed forces are at the breaking point now. A military strike on Iran just might provide the last bit of idiocy needed to complete the break.

Bob in HI

I’m beginning to feel a little SDS’ish today. Got to stifle it. Well… maybe not.

Thanks PW for a great post.
A little OfT, but FWIW a “war” requires nation states, the “Sioux nation,” the “Apache nation,” Japan, Germany, UK, France, Russia…..

Riffing off Karen Allen above, we are “occupying” a foreign country. IMVHO Democrats lose everytime we call Iraq or Afghanistan a “war.” WWII was a “war.” After Pearl Harbor, if the Japanese had wanted, their four air craft carriers, could have rolled into San Francisco harbor. There was nothing to stop them. After the Battle of Midway, those four air craft carriers (along with one of ours, Lexington) could not roll into SF Harbor, because they were all at the bottom of the Pacific.

SnarKassandra @ 63

How come the democrats are always so far behind the American people? One they maybe they will realize we actually want them to be leaders.

There’s an old phrase in politics, Cassie — figure out which way the parade is heading, then jump in front of it! Our national leaders are trying (with their fingers in the wind) to be sure that American sentiment is real — and that we have their backs.

One thing our leaders must be very, very afraid of is another terror attack on the Homeland — they know better than we do the incompetence of the Bush Administration makes this highly likely, and they fear the shift in opinion an attack would bring. It’s hard to be out front, opposing Dear Leader, in a time of war, when they know Dear Leader’s Team is unable, really, to protect us despite their tough talk and restriction of civil liberties. Our ports and borders are porous — and a dirty bomb in an American city would change the landscape forever.

That BushCo’s policies, procedures, and politics make such an event more likely than not must be a source of great frustration to our Democratic leaders as they try to stay abreast of public opinion. We must repeatedly let them know they are headed in the right direction, and that they must move faster.

Bob Schacht @ 41

Speaking of accountability, here’s another hearing to keep our eyes on:

Jessica Lynch to testify before House panel

By Klaus Marre
April 10, 2007

Jessica Lynch, the soldier who was captured in the early phase of the Iraq invasion and later rescued, is scheduled to testify April 24 in a hearing on “Misleading Information from the Battlefield,” the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced Tuesday.

The panel will look into Lynch’s case, as well as the friendly-fire incident that led to the death of NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman.

“The Committee will examine why inaccurate accounts of these two incidents were disseminated, the sources and motivations for the accounts, and whether the appropriate Administration officials have been held accountable,” the committee announced in a statement.

The panel will hear from Lynch, members of Tillman’s family and Pentagon officials.

Sorry, I don’t have the original cite, as I got this in an email that doesn’t name the source.

Bob in HI

Tilman inquiry is going to be explosive. According to one personal source, military idolizes Tilman & bad things military heirarchy might have done will have big consequences.

surfer @ 91

OT (and apologies to PW) I think it is a distraction to worry about impeachment this close to elections. According to Wiki:

On March 5, 1868 a court of impeachment was constituted in the Senate against to hear charges against President Andrew Johnson.

This was only eight months before the 1868 elections.

we need to impeach this president even IF it coumes AFTER he is out of office

this mans entire terms in office MUST BE REBUKED

Oklahoma kiddo @ 73

I’m beginning to feel a little SDS’ish today. Got to stifle it. Well… maybe not.

Go for it! Can’t hurt…might help! ;-)

Phoenix Woman @ 39

Meanwhile, have you all seen Glenn Greenwald’s excellent piece on the Bush White House’s odd habit of losing key documents? It’s been endemic to this administration, and as one of Glenn’s correspondents points out, no judge would buy their arguments if they were being made by any other entity — especially given the Bushies’ long history of “losing documents”. Talk about “pattern and practice”!

Excellent! Thanks for the link. Cafferty did a piece around this which C&L has.

Has anybody seen the actual “Loyalty Oath” Monica dished out? I really look forward to reading it!

I also believe he is breaking our military on purpose so that the Blackwater guys can take over completely. Blackwater answers to nobody and they were first on the scene in Katrina, although they did nothing but shoot animals.

Leahy nailed it with his “dog ate my homework excuse” don’t fly no more

Morris Sheppard @ 70

Someone, (was it here?) called this scandal Dogate, as in the dogate my homework. Gotta love that.

nice one! kudos to the coiner of that and of “Anatomy of Delete”

perris @ 78

Bob Schacht @ 73

Our armed forces are at the breaking point now. A military strike on Iran just might provide the last bit of idiocy needed to complete the break.

Bob in HI

the president is DELIBERATELY breaking our military, I don’t think ANYONE can doubt they WANT our armed forces weakened to the point of powerlessness

believe me, this is by design, the milirary told the president BEFORE the surge our forces were stretched too thin, they told the president THERE WERE NO ASSETS for the “surge” and THAT was when the “surge” was SUPPOSED to be “temporary”

there can be NO doubt the president KNOWS he is breaking our military, NO DOUBT

now he actually increased a tour by 50 %…FIFTY FUHCKING PERCENT GA DAMN IT

the man KNOWS he is breaking our military and he is doing it on purpose

My brother is a mechanic for the national guard and there’s practically no working trucks left here and the last set of stuff they sent to Iraq wasn’t anywhere near new and some of it so old it should be retired.

DogAte belongs to Kagro X, diarist at the Orangerie.

TRex mentioned “Anatomy of Delete” in last nite’s Late Nite, but without attribution.

perris @ 69

Fortune Favors The Bold

OK, to all the progressive politicians that read this BLOG, pay mighty heed;

Russ feingold’s popularity skyrocketed when he said cheney has been wrong on everything ever…and goes up each and every time he says the administration doesn’t have a military clue, it goes up each and every time he says the president is violating the constitution

Webb’s popularity went up EXPONENTIALLY when he made his speech PUNISHING the administrations moronic “military knowledge”

why, we started considering him a presidential candidate when he embarrassed the president in front of the world

each time waxman makes another statement that calls this administrations activities criminal, his popularity grows

there is NO politician that enjoys a spike in popularity when they agree with the president, there is NO politician that gains in popularity when they say the president should not be impeached, there is NO politician who’s popularity increases when they give the president or the vice president any play

the people that are in the administration are morons and the public LOVES when a politician calls them a moron, the public REWARDS the politicians that LAUGH at the things these morons say

pay mighty heed, the American public YEARN for you to criticize the president and his administration, WE WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY HIS TOYS AND WE REWARD YOU FOR IT

DING!

somewhat OT but I’d like to give you all a heads up on this excellent piece by The Nation

Bush’s Shadow Army

Jeremy Scahill reports on the Bush Administration’s growing dependence on private security forces such as Blackwater USA and efforts in Congress to rein them in. This article is adapted from his new book, Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army (Nation Books).

The video is at The Nation’s site, but here is the YouTube link:

Blackwater: Shadow Army

All very good.

Bob Schacht @ 71

I don’t understand why you guys are so obsessed with a possible military strike.
Just look at a topographic map of Iran. It would be a cakewalk.

To this last comment, my mouth drops open in astonishment. Surely, this is one who is ignorant. I’ve been there, from Tabriz in the north, to Ahwaz in the south. Just what is it that you see in a glance at a topographic map that leads you to believe that a military strike would be a cakewalk?

Our armed forces are at the breaking point now. A military strike on Iran just might provide the last bit of idiocy needed to complete the break.

Bob in HI

bob, don’t panic. i’m quite sure that comment was sarcasm. … just wanted to reassure you.

Bob Schacht @ 71

allan_in_upstate @ 36
=========

I don’t understand why you guys are so obsessed with a possible military strike.
Just look at a topographic map of Iran. It would be a cakewalk.
=======

To this last comment, my mouth drops open in astonishment. Surely, this is one who is ignorant. I’ve been there, from Tabriz in the north, to Ahwaz in the south. Just what is it that you see in a glance at a topographic map that leads you to believe that a military strike would be a cakewalk?

You must be drinking from the same kool-aid as the Neo-cons, whose Iraqi “cakewalk” has cost more lost American lives than the 9/11 disaster, and many more times the lost lives of Iraqis, and which is breaking our armed forces.

Egads. This is the third time in two weeks that I have been mistaken for a troll.

Nobody thinks my jokes are funny. Not my wife. Not my chldren. Not my students.
And I so much wanted to follow in Matt Cooper’s footsteps.

Phoenix Woman @ 39

Meanwhile, have you all seen Glenn Greenwald’s excellent piece on the Bush White House’s odd habit of losing key documents? It’s been endemic to this administration, and as one of Glenn’s correspondents points out, no judge would buy their arguments if they were being made by any other entity — especially given the Bushies’ long history of “losing documents”. Talk about “pattern and practice”!

Thanks PW. In addition to living in a post 9/11 world, we also live in a post-Arthur-Anderson-world. No ex-Governor of TX can say that he had not heard of the Houston TX based ENRON and their accountants at Arthur Anderson. As a result of AA’s destroying all the evidence “document retention” policy wrt Enron, AA no longer exists.

OT (and apologies to PW) I think it is a distraction to worry about impeachment this close to elections. According to Wiki:

On March 5, 1868 a court of impeachment was constituted in the Senate against to hear charges against President Andrew Johnson.

This was only eight months before the 1868 elections.

thanks TSF

John Casper @ 89

…at Arthur Anderson. As a result of AA’s destroying all the evidence “document retention” policy wrt Enron, AA no longer exists.

Accenture Consulting - an AA spin-off pre-Enron problems, I believe - is still around.

PeterK, If you are still here I left you message on the last post, but long story short Obama is very impressive, lively crowd and says all the right things. I haven’t made up my mind but I took the train down to the GA TECH campus where he spoke and it was a great use of $3.50. I wish more politicians would come to GA and do free events.

allan_in_upstate @ 89

Bob Schacht @ 71

allan_in_upstate @ 36
====

I don’t understand why you guys are so obsessed with a possible military strike.
Just look at a topographic map of Iran. It would be a cakewalk.
====

To this last comment, my mouth drops open in astonishment. Surely, this is one who is ignorant. I’ve been there, from Tabriz in the north, to Ahwaz in the south. Just what is it that you see in a glance at a topographic map that leads you to believe that a military strike would be a cakewalk?

You must be drinking from the same kool-aid as the Neo-cons, whose Iraqi “cakewalk” has cost more lost American lives than the 9/11 disaster, and many more times the lost lives of Iraqis, and which is breaking our armed forces.

Egads. This is the third time in two weeks that I have been mistaken for a troll.

Nobody thinks my jokes are funny. Not my wife. Not my chldren. Not my students.
And I so much wanted to follow in Matt Cooper’s footsteps.

We know you’re not a troll. :-/

surfer you may be right. The pros and cons have been kicked around a lot at TNH and I think it is a very complex question.

I think the GOP might eventually see impeachment and conviction of Cheney and Bush as a terrific way to inoculate itself going into the 08 elections. If that happens, I hope the Dems go along. It would send a powerful message to the rest of the world to see Bush and Cheney ev