Somebody help me out here.
Looking at this story, is there any way to spin this, other than to think that the Bush Junta is trying to incite the troops in Iraq to frag visiting Democratic members of Congress — or at the very least not be as motivated to keep them safe during their visits?
The sheets of paper seemed to be everywhere the lawmakers went in the Green Zone, distributed to Iraqi officials, U.S. officials and uniformed military of no particular rank. So when Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) asked a soldier last weekend just what he was holding, the congressman was taken aback to find out.
In the soldier’s hand was a thumbnail biography, distributed before each of the congressmen’s meetings in Baghdad, which let meeting participants such as that soldier know where each of the lawmakers stands on the war. “Moran on Iraq policy,” read one section, going on to cite some the congressman’s most incendiary statements, such as, “This has been the worst foreign policy fiasco in American history.”
The bio of Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Calif.) — “TAU (rhymes with ‘now’)-sher,” the bio helpfully relates — was no less pointed, even if she once supported the war and has taken heat from liberal Bay Area constituents who remain wary of her position. “Our forces are caught in the middle of an escalating sectarian conflict in Iraq, with no end in sight,” the bio quotes.
“This is beyond parsing. This is being slimed in the Green Zone,” Tauscher said of her bio.
This is beyond slime. In my opinion, this is incitement to murder — or, at the very least, to dereliction of duty. I really can’t see how this can be parsed or spun any other way, considering the tight control that Bush and his minions exercise on the Pentagon — to the point where they didn’t even bother to tell Bob Gates, their alleged Defense Secretary, that they were going to ask for another $50 billion last week.
The Bush Junta’s total-control mindset extends to forbidding troop access to progressive web sites like ThinkProgress, even as FOX News and the National Review — to name two conservative sites — are allowed. There’s no way that those charming little leaflets in the Green Zone weren’t approved, if not actually drafted and created, by Team Bush operatives.
UPDATE: And sure enough, we find out from ThinkProgress that the Pentagon (specifically, the Strategic Effects office, or STRATEFF) has ‘fessed up to creating these bogus and dangerously misleading smear “bios”. And get this:
ThinkProgress spoke with one of the delegation’s military escorts, Maj. Toby Patterson, who said that he didn’t know who made the bios or why they were created in the first place. He added that his office, the Marine Corps liaison for the U.S. House of Representatives, usually just uses lawmakers’ readily-available bios off of congressionalquarterly.com.
Why would Bush’s Pentagon do this? Why suddenly break with established procedure to create and use bios that “cherry-pick the representatives’ ‘most incendiary’ statements”?
Sorry, I still can’t think of any good, or innocent, reasons to do this.
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Hiya!
3
Zed 2
Hey, Nori
Dos?
cinqo?
Hi Phoenix Woman!
siete?
PW: Sounds like incitement to murder to me.
on the other hand..maybe the “troops” will be happy to hear members of congress speak out against this ridiculous use of American service personnel.
I’m lost here. I am with you on the military’s shutting down soldier’s access to progressive (or even ordinary websites). But you’ve lost me on the frag business. Seems a bit risky given what is likely to happen to our government in 15 months, and I wouldn’t want to be the officer whose sig is on any of that paper.
It doesn’t make sense. I think more likely a rethug operation.
Besides here
Where’s the Outrage?
Josh at TPM seemed to think this story could end up being very serious business. To me, it seems like business as usual for this admin, but maybe getting publicly caught by living Congresscritters will give it legs.
PW, thanks for shining a light on the Bushrmacht
Why are we flying them over there when the pentagon could easily power point persuade them over here?
Our troops are brainwashing our congresscritters.
In my opinion, this is incitement to murder — or, at the very least, to dereliction of duty. I really can’t see how this can be parsed or spun any other way,…
Well – it *could* be an indication that these members need to get the super-duper propaganda sales job – or that these members can be ignored altogether as lost causes…
Wow.. did I just read that?
I bet the troops were glad to see that some of the reps thought that the war is a mess.
Knut Wicksell @ 10
The problem is that the Bushies have politicized every aspect of government, to the point where it’s honestly hard to tell where the government ends and the Bushies begin.
We’re talking about people that when looking for CPA hires placed ideology over competence every damn time.
GordonM @ 12
It’s magical thinking that this wil cause problems.
OT?..Is Ellen Tauscher getting a primary challenge in ‘08? What is her position on the Iranian war?
I find it hard to believe that the “near death” experience in’06 change her.
Knut Wicksell @ 10
It was done by our government who set up the trips.
SnarKassandra @ 17
Yeah. And according to the rest of the article above, some of them have managed to sneak past the Bush Junta handlers and tell them so.
It’s the old “who will rid me of this troublesome priest?”
probably just an experiment to see if a soldier would snap and take up the suggestion. hmmm not this time, they’ll try again.
disgustingly easy to imagine how hate radio and the reich-wing media would spin such a horrible occurence.
if only there was an opposition party in this country… can’t the (D)’s see how they are set up and demonized?
wake up and smell what the regime is cooking…
http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/
referencing
http://www.chris-floyd.com/content/view/1272/135/
But it isn’t demonized. It’s true! The congress people against this war should be proud that they want to bring the troops home and proud they can see the spin and not the propganda!
GordonM @ 12
That’s why I’m talking about it here tonight. Can you imagine the hue and cry that would have been raised in the media had this been done by the Clinton-Era DoJ to visiting GOP congresscritters touring Bosnia or Yugoslavia or Kosovo? There would have been Congressional hearing and it would have been all over TV; when they weren’t hyperventilating over the blue dress or trashing Wen Ho Lee, they’d be drooling over this.
Thanks PW for your important albeit chilling report. The invincible ignorance of this administration knows no bounds. Just drives me crackers the spineless democratic leadership continue to turn the other cheek. What will it take for them to snap out of it before the Bush Cheney criminal cartel carpet bombs Persia in all our names?
Wow — this is a truly shocking story. But will it get any traction? I doubt it.
In a little bit President Shit-for-brains will be on C-Span visiting the troops in Iraq. Just guessing here: it will be sanitized.
But see here:
Elliott @ 21
Yup. And the Bushies love to stage-manage anything having to do with Iraq. Even if they didn’t create the flyers themselves — which I find hard to believe — they certainly knew and approved of them, or else they wouldn’t have allowed them to be distributed in the Green Zone.
Is it impeachment yet?
Why even go visit. Might as well see a performance in Disney.. they’d be more real…
BigMitch @ 27
Good for the pilot, for risking his career that way. I fear that he’s going to find himself put in harm’s way as retribution.
Behavior like PW posted above is the reason for guys like Ted Nugent to call for killing sitting senators and maybe a military nut to go as far as downing an airplane with Dems aboard, instead of just scaring them. A Blackwater employee could actually do it and not have to answer for the crime, right?
In the good ole days, you would have the FBI at your door in 20 minutes, right?
Phoenix Woman @ 31
He’s a frickin Cobra pilot, his ass is in harms was everytime he takes off
I think the troops want to come home. Maybe this backfires.
Makes me wish even more that Jerry McNerney would have answered numerous pleas for more detailed information on what happened to him in Iraq last month. Clearly it played a role in his firmly narrow stance.
pw this is one excellant piece, written the way our issues NEED to be written
incitement to murder
that is EXACTLY what the bush administration was doing, that is EXACTLY the way this discussion needs to be framed and the democats HAVE GOT to start talking like this
we need to take the high road, we need to get INDIGNANT and we need to CHARGE these people with the crimes they commit each and EVERY time
they commit these crimes
get these neo fascists on the defensive, get them telling US we are over reacting and then jump down their throat
once again pw, excellant piece and spotlighted
This has Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner’s fingerprints all over it. He’s the new top military PR guy in Iraq replacing Maj. Gen. William Caldwell. Before that he was at the White House on the National Security Council staff as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Iraq. He is a straight propagandist and just makes things up. This sounds exactly like something he would do.
Goodnite all.
IMHO this doesn’t mean diddly. None of these people are going anywhere near the shit.
ccmask @ 39
goodnight cc, rest assured
raven,
Each time I took off in a helicopter, I gave my life over to the pilot, the co-pilot and the door gunners.
Eureka Springs @ 36
Better a narrow stance than a wide one. Just ask Larry Craig.
raven @ 40
What shit?
This is fairly radical stuff. Pure Rove and or Cheney.
SnarKassandra @ 17
Well, but I’m sure the troops in the Green Zone are a special breed. For Iraq, it’s a cushy job, so they’ve probably done something to deserve the reward.
raven @ 34
Eureka Springs @ 36
Did Jerry ever come back to FDL to answer some of the questions he neglected during the real-time chat? I know the pace was too frantic at the time, but I haven’t seen any follow-up, if he has. Just askin’…
Eureka Springs @ 43
Oh, I forgot, the current phrase is “in harms way” . I’m so sick of that bullshit phrase.
ccmask @ 33
Better the FBI than the DHS goons we have today; wearing black tac gear and riding around in black SUVs.
raven @ 49
But it is a pretty good movie…
Well, but I’m sure the troops in the Green Zone are a special breed. For Iraq, it’s a cushy job, so they’ve probably done something to deserve the reward.
Sorry kiddo, it doesn’t work that way.
Ummmm.
Where does anybody read incitement to murder?? Frag??
Am I missing something here? That is a pretty harsh insinuation.
msmolly, Sadly, no. In fairness the comment section on that thread closed shortly after he left.. However I am sure the power dogs would have been more than happy to post any additional input he wanted to add. *crickets*
raven @ 49
so am I raven
raven @ 40
I see it as more crossing a line. The military is supposed to keep its nose out of politics and this goes right into it. As I said above, this stinks of Bergner.
Hey — watching the six oclock news, and there I was!
Cool. They interviewed me as a man on the street, in favor of an initiative to get big money out of politics.
bg @ 35
I wasn’t seeing a lot of genuine smiles in that picture of Bush with the soldiers.
raven @ 49
And we know the President wouldn’t even fly into the Baghdad airport today… since congress critters were fired at last week upon their departure. But of course the MSM says that’s because it’s all so safe now.
dakine01 @ 51
I was watched it again last week. except for the incredible inaccuracies it is pretty good. The Marines never made a parachute assault in WWII and even John Wayne couldn’t throw a note wrapped in a weighted scarf from a C-47 at 5,000 feet to within 20 feet of troops on the ground. Pat Neal was great though.
How are you doing today, Raven? Is everything OK where you are?
LS @ 53
Whew, I’m glad I didn’t have to say that.
raven @ 52
I didn’t mean “militarily”.
raven @ 63
Whew, coming from you, I feel relieved…*g*
Do I hear Cicero?
In my opinion, this is incitement to murder — or, at the very least, to dereliction of duty.
So is anyone really surprised? This is from the criminal cabal that created 9/11.
IT WAS AN INSIDE JOB!
raven @ 60
And since when has a John Wayne movie relied upon historical accuracies?
Phoenix Woman @ 61
Yea, it’s cooled off in Georgia and with the new semester in full swing we are trying to come to some peace with the personal challenges we have had this spring and summer. Death has a way of making you appreciate life I guess.
thanks
Like every other tentacle of the Executive Branch, the US military has been turned into an extension of the Republican Party, to the greatest degree possible.
What other possible rationale could there be for having Rush Limbaugh on Armed Forced Radio?
woah. woah. WOAH.
Let’s take off our tinfoil hats for a minute and think about this. “Incitement to murder?” Iraq isn’t Jonestown, and I would say that any member of the US military that was prompted/instructed to kill a member of Congress would promptly blow the frickin’ whistle.
RonD @ 69
Rush his in a class with Tokyo Rose
kirk murphy @ 65
No, that’s just the sound of chickpeas.
dakine01 @ 67
That film has a very interesting mix of fact and fiction. The names of the islands are changed but many of the situations are based on fact. The Yamoto really did have the US Taffy III trapped in the Battle of Samar and broke it off but it was destroyers, not PT boats that attacked the Japanese. It was the greatest victory in American Naval history and it was basically ignored because Halsey fucked up so bad.
Mmmmm…curry wafting through the air…ahhhh….
RonD @ 69
And for not allowing Ed Schultz on Armed Forces Radio?
LS @ 64
Rut ro, gettin a bad rep on the lake!
Blender @ 70
The implication is for the whack job/true believer who would take the task upon himself/herself without being “ordered” to do so.
IIRC, The pentagon has it’s own news service now plus long arms of PR firms on its payroll.
Isn’t this about as wrong and dangerous as private paid militia?
raven @ 77
;> Luv ya man!
BigMitch @ 75
exactly right
it is all one big network special
i am hoping that the planned attack on visiting d’s backfires when soldiers who know they speak the truth have their eyes opened
dakine01 @ 77
Yea but that’s always possible, notes or not.
Eureka Springs @ 78
now that you mention it, yes.
there’s no end to their creepy programs
LS @ 80
ditto
raven @ 81
True, the notes can just be perceived as the final go-ahead authority.
Recall that the most serious incident of this kind in the Iraq war was the Muslim trooper in the 101st that shot up the joint in Kuwait.
littlebear @ 66
oh tut-tut-tut, that is Beyond the Bounds of Permissible Thought, decent people can’t think that and carry on their business as usual.
Desipte compiling the horrendous crimes the Cheney cabal commits day in, day out, there are two things they are assumed to be telling the plain truth about;
1) the number of U.S. military casualties.
2) the events of 9/11, that made it all possible.
I don’t know why this is, but so it goes…
BigMitch @ 75
Exactly. It’s not about protecting the troops from propaganda-it’s about promoting a particular ideology.
It will always be inexplicable to me why Bill Clinton, for most of his term, allowed Rush, the foremost demagogue and most successful propagandist in America, to stay on AFR, when every day was nothing but non-stop character assassina*ion of Clinton himself.
The mind reels.
raven @ 85
right before it started, right?
RonD @ 87
We would get and article 15 for having a peace sign bumper sticker on post back it the day!
Elliott @ 88
Yea, I think they were staging, everyone was waiting for the big gas attack at that time.
Pat Tillman?
Eureka Springs @ 78
Yes, even back in the first Gulf War the Pentagon had the media on a tight leash and put out a lot of essentially propaganda. The difference with this is that it represents a politicization of the military in ways reminiscent of the DOJ scandals. It goes beyond the usual dog and pony show in targeting specific politicians in a political way.
RonD @ 87
Because unlike BushCo, Clinton did understand the rights of free speech and that folks are allowed to have differing views.
Besides, with the Newt and Co in charge of Congress during the Clinton years, do you really think that was a battle he would have wanted to force? On top of all the other daily battles he was facing? And just imagine the wing-nut outcries of censorship should he have attempted it.
LS @ 54
LS, think about it:
Right as Democratic Congresscritters show up for a tour of the Green Zone (which while safer than the rest of Baghdad isn’t a walk in the part — it’s routinely shelled and everyone at the US embassy-fortress wears flak vests and helmets at all times), leaflets are sent around that are designed to show how these legislators are allegedly “anti-troop” because they dared oppose Bush somehow.
Why distribute such slanted and inflammatory material to the troops? Remember, websites like ThinkProgress are banned whereas FOX News and conservative propaganda are readily accessible; this wasn’t some lone nut out to slime a few visiting legislators — this was an official production.
What is the point in essentially trying to convince the troops responsible for the security of the visitors they’re guarding that these same visitors allegedly hate them and what they stand for?
Can anyone honestly see anything innocent in this?
If someone really wanted dead congress-critters, they’d be dead. No need for this kind of indirect approach.
raven @ 89
My stint in the USAF was more tolerant than that, but it was post-Nam…If you didn’t insist on forcing them to notice, you could get away with quite a lot…but if you forced them, they would drop a hammer on you.
The needs of the Air Force will control.
sporkovat @ 86
Morgan Reynolds, a distinguished economist that was part of the original monkey palace team in 2000 now goes around the country telling the truth about 9/11.
Don’t let anyone fool you – it is the official story that is a “crazy theory.” It makes no sense and any number of its parts can be readily disproved – remember – IF ANY OF THE OFFICIAL STORY IS FALSE, THEN THE WHOLE THING IS FALSE.
Morgan worked with all the folks in this administration and he came to know them as psychopathical liars that were capable of unthinkable crimes – including creating a “northwoods” style operation to rally support for the chimp after a stolen election and allow their criminal agenda to loot the federal treasury for the sake of the military-industrial complex (of which oil is a major component).
Hugh @ 92
With a small amount of tin foil one could easily imagine another folder/piece of paper with FISA gathered information on a congressman. It is exactly where one would use it, imo.
They didn’t tell Gates! That’s amazing. If the Dems were together, even slightly, there would be TV adverts now on this.
Phoenix Woman @ 94
Innocent by the perps, no, but we are giving no to credit to the service people.
fern @ 95
they still need deniability.
they are testing, seeing what can be got away with.
amazingly, the (D) party lets them get away with everything, so they keep pushing the envelope.
Sorry that I’m late to the thread, but, I wouldn’t construe it as dereliction of duty or fragging, I look at it as a sleazy attempt at propaganda! What seems to be missing in the discourse is the fact the servicemen do think on their own, witness, the heckling Shrub received today! If I was handed one of those leaflets I’d make it my mission to talk to either of them! Sorry, my $.02!!!
Hugh @ 38
It would take more than just him, of course. He’s got to have a staff of colonels, majors, and captains.
And all of them may have forgotten something: The consent of the US Senate is required for them to advance in rank.
Spreading misstatements and lies about the people who have your career in their hands is rarely a good idea. Somehow, I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this. I’m sure that Sen Levin and his committee will have some pointed questions.
raven @ 85
Actually, it was initiated by a Fragmentation grenade being heaved into the tent…!!!
I am with CTuttle.
CTuttle @ 102
That’s what I think too – ham-fisted attempt at propaganda. Besides dead senators would kinda belie the theory that everything in Iraq is all better now.
BTW here is a picture of hurricane Felix off Honduras and tropical storm Henriette off the west coast of Mexico and moving toward Baja. (This picture is not permalinked and will change over time.)
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/FULLDISK/GEIR.JPG
It the very least this dirty business is disturbing and has the scent of fascism coming from it.
Phoenix Woman @ 94
A warning to the troops: Loose lips sink military appropriations bills. You can talk freely around Rep A, but watch what you say around Rep B and Rep C.
And for God’s sake, keep them away from X.
CTuttle @ 104
Peterr @ 103
If nothing else, I would guess Bergner will go no further and will most likely submit his papers in November ‘08. Others can at least claim that they were following a lawful order and had no choice.
littlebear… I’m with you bro.
have you checked out
http://georgewashington.blogspot.com/
?
reputable, evidence based, thats how they like it.
good stuff. denial is a lifestyle choice, down the rabbit hole isn’t for everyone.
good point someone raised earlier about the Tillman precedent.
Didn’t anybody ever teach the republicans that you can’t just make stuff up! It’s OK for a fiction paper but not for this kind of stuff. Didn’t anyone ever teach them ANY of the rules?
Hugh @ 107
Hugh,
have you see this map about hurricyphoons?
Map: Where Do the Nastiest Hurricanes Emerge?
Eureka Springs @ 54
I just assumed (parse that word, ass-u-me) that he’d come back and FDL would “feature” his follow up answers. He has some ’splainin’ to do. But we’ve moved on to the more current topics, and probably so has he. Too bad. (And I suspect I’m at the end of a thread and more goodies await upstairs soonest…)
Blender @ 71
Incitements don’t generally say flat-out “kill so-and-so”; they’re a bit more subtle than that.
But you tell me: What was the intention behind passing out these leaflets to soldiers who were in charge of the safety of the people described in these leaflets?
And while you are right in that US troops aren’t Kool-Aid drinkers (in fact, as the article mentions, some of them got to slip past the official minders and talk to the congressmembers honestly about Iraq), the fact that they’re too smart and/or honorable to fall for such a ploy doesn’t make it any less vile.
SnarKassandra @ 113
Now Cassie, even if they did learn the “rules,” remember IOKIYAR.
Phoenix Woman @94 says
Of course not. It may not be quite in the same league as the “Wanted:Dead or Alive” posters that were distributed in Dallas for Kennedy’s visit in ‘63, but it was clearly an effort to communicate to a thoroughly-propagandized body of troops, “These particular Democratic politicians are the enemy.”
Left unsaid is the question, “So what are you gonna do about it?”
Since I have to hit the hay I’ll leave you with this. We spend a great deal of time on the Lake decrying the fact that the right-wingers try to control people through fear. We also spend an awful lot of energy being afraid of what they are doing.
Good night Raven
dakine01 @ 111
Somehow, I have a hard time believing that an order to distribute misinformation about duly elected members of the Congress of the United States of America would be seen to be a lawful order.
And I pity the officer who tries to make that argument before a court or Congressional committee.
raven @ 110
Yes, I agree with ya 100%, however it was a grenade(s) that was first utilized! *g*
raven @ 119
‘Nite raven. It wouldn’t be so scary if the POTUS wasn’t a rethug, and the Congress was less rethug…
Peterr @ 121
I would assume that most of Bergner’s staff were “cleared” by him and get most of their information from Faux Noise and would most likely not see it as distributing misinformation.
Fern @ 95
Part of me wonders almost if the Bushies hoped that Moran and Tauscher would find out about the leaflets, much in the same way that FBI agents will often do very blatant tails of people: for the intimidation factor. (If that’s the case, good for Moran and Tauscher for not being intimidated.)
Peterr @ 109
I wonder if they had these leaflets for O’Hanlon and Pollack. What would they have said? Braindead zombies who believe everything we say. Don’t worry about them.
raven @ 119
Evidently they are good at what they do.
Goodnight, raven.
q-bert;D
I couldn’t imagine being a rabid lamb congressman visiting the Green Zone and only going where they led me. I would have said something like General you have 90 mins for power point and then we are going to talk to some real soldiers and Iraqis.
Peterr @ 121
Heh, and the fact that any more stars are ‘awarded’ by that very same Congress… Hmmm… How receptive are they gonna be…??? ;-)
Hi Cassie, how’s the algebra going? For me (physicist) it’s bread and butter. In HS I found it a lot of fun. Something like doing crossword puzzles. Hope that you will come to enjoy it.
CTuttle @ 130
Perhaps some phone calls to the distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the Senate might be in order tomorrow. . .
“Yes, I’m calling to see if Sen X is aware of the misinformation campaign apparently being conducted by the department of defense, aimed at smearing the reputations of members of the United States Congress? . . . No? Have them ask Rep Tauscher about it . . . And there ought to be no promotions until the DOD gives some answers.“
sporkovat @ 112
I can remember when to even suggest that the looting of the federal treasury by the military industrial complex was deliberate and not “incompetence” was flamed and banned at the self-proclaimed “liberal” superblogs.
To suggest that chimpy was merely a distraction that enabled the real movers and shakers to implement a degree of criminality unparalleled in the history of the world was also flamed and banned.
The elite economic interests that are behind this administration (and the bush family) represent the same special interests that brought another fool to power almost 75 years ago – HITLER.
No one should be surprised that the grandson of a major war profiteer is the new figurehead – this administration was made possible by the same special interests that brought us nixon too.
Of course nixon would never had been president without the coup detat of 1963…
Were the same interests involved with that one?
If so, they were certainly behind RFK murder and probably Martin Luther King Jr. too (a court did rule that it was a conspiracy and not a lone-nut assassination).
To those that can read or access multi-media via the net, ignorance is a choice.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 45
My 1st thot too! I can smell their nasty breath thru the toobz.
This can’t be tolerated.
Step one is to blow the whistle.
Step 2?
sporkovat @ 101
Smack administration spokesliars upside the head, the more public the better. But then, I’m a sr. citizen, & we tend to fix things promptly or… – what was it I was just saying???
Seriously. rover, jr., shooter, neonasties, & goodpuppyMSM expect us to be easily distracted.
Are we gonna be? Or are we gonna call them on it?! Frustrated as I get at Congress, I know they need us to push back on this kind of thing. Without that, theirs is one of the loneliest jobs on earth, theoretically.
I don’t mind at all, speaking out to help Congresscritters remove that fragile, ineffective, self-serving little weapon from their little toolboxes, so they can stand up when they’re called upon to do so.
Peterr @ 121
Good point – but get real – THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT HAD TO ANSWER FOR ANY OF ITS CRIMES SINCE THE STOLEN ELECTION OF 2000.
What makes anyone think there will be any justice over this?
Late to the party again, and I haven’t read the preceding comments…
Those pamphlets strike me as the sort of information that would normally be given to local commanders and their staff officers, anyone who is doing PR work, and perhaps those detailed to help them during their stay. Why they would distribute this information to anyone else certainly isn’t clear to me. My impression of how the DoD treats information like that is the fewer people it’s distributed to, the better.
I’d guess that we will never find out what caused these things to be distributed so freely, particularly if it wasn’t a screwup of some sort.
Elliott @ 114
Interesting. This fits with my own ideas. The biggest engine for typhoons is to the east of the Philippines. There is one off of Latin America that as with TS Henriette spins hurricanes toward Baja. And then the one most of us know off the west coast of Africa that spins hurricanes into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Conditions in the Atlantic seem to be improving for storms. The standing storms off the west coast of Africa for most of the summer traveled in a very straight line across the Atlantic and dissipated after making landfall in South America. They are now trending slightly to the north both avoiding South America and picking up rotation.
Off on the business of the Queen. Good night, everyone-the best of all possible tomorrows to you.
Peterr @ 132
Excellent Idea! One of mine is a prominent member of the armed services committee, Sen Inouye!!!
RonD @ 138
You work with Sen Graham?
Is it an example of the reflexive thuglife mentality of the Cheney-Bush regime, and some of their high level operatives in the military?
Interesting to note that Gen Batiste is still is a self identified conservative. He went out of his way to say that he felt a bit out of his usual ideological territory in posting in on a progressive/liberal blog, and did so only after conservative outlets turned him down -one was the WSJ, I think.
I also read the low level military PR people didn’t know, or at least said, they didn’t know where these things came from. One guy was asked where he got his material on visiting congress people and said his unit always had distributed the official congressional bios, and was still doint that for his unit.
I don’t know about incitement to negligent homicide. Seems like a low level military person would be near anything that hit a visiting official, and even so, it would not be good on their record to have a visitor blown up.
And what is the rationale? Especially for reps like Tauscher, who were waffling on the war. If Cheney-Bush wanted to win over people they would not distribute such inflammatory material. Why wouldn’t they want the escorts and briefers to go the extra mile to convince these officials rather than distributing stuff that would send the message to blow them off (not up, but off).
So, it’s just pure mindless, self-defeating, nasty, vicious intimidation. Even if it makes no sense on any level, it seems to be what they do automatically. Like it’s hard wired into their brains -some kind of serious brain damage. I can’t think of anyone in recent memory who would do that, and I can’t think of anyone at all who would do it when it seems to accomplish nothing at all. Maybe Nixon. LBJ?-well, there would be plan behind it to accomplish something. With these people, just pure nastiness and thuglife philosophy of everything.
RonD @ 138
Good night, RonD.
Maybe those fliers are why Tauscher came back and was so gung ho in calling Cheney-Bush BS right after her trip. Need to hold her to her wise and insightful comments she made after her return. Maybe that extra zing she has was from being so pissed off.
kirk murphy @ 140
LOL-”the”, not “a”.
goodnight.
Hugh @ 137
thanks for all that. I’m not sure I care for your predictions for Atlantic storms, but that’s only because I don’t want any. ;)
Seriously, I’m going to note what you’ve said. thanks
Hugh @ 92
Emphasis on political, I think. It would take a lot to convince me that this was actually some sort of threat. It just feels like internal propoganda, or possibly some staff guy having too much “fun” with his job. My guess is that it was tolerated because the higher-ranking officers don’t care that much, and probably have political opinions similar to whoever wrote the leaflets.
Could easily be wrong, but that’s what it sounds like to me.
kirk murphy @ 140
Republican Senator violates Constitution, takes orders from Bush
by emptypockets
link
raven @ 119
I’m not afraid. I’m PISSED!
Cujo359 @ 146
I agree.
PW –
But you tell me: What was the intention behind passing out these leaflets to soldiers who were in charge of the safety of the people described in these leaflets?
Senior officers are politically aware of how politicians affect their jobs, their missions and the morale of those under their command. It doesn’t seem unusual to me that the public relations people on the general staff would make an effort to make sure any soldiers likely to speak to visiting congresspeople were aware of how what they said might be used. The only thing unusual about this incident is how clumsy it was.
I see no evidence of any intention to harm anyone, and the idea makes even less sense. If this was the intention, then why write it down on hundreds of papers left carelessly lying around. Sorry, but I don’t see the violence implication, and there are perfectly plausible alternative explanations.
Algebra is going a lot better. It was just that first day that threw me. And in physics I am trying to remember how you calculate the density of something without actually floating it in water or anything like that.
SnarKassandra @ 151
Rule of thumb: Republicans tend to be pretty dense. The exception is the space between George Bush’s ears which is a near perfect vacuum.
Hugh @ 152
Cool. Let me just copy that down on the homework paper.
CTuttle @ 102
What heckling? Is there a link?
Scarecrow @ 150
After thinking about this for, oh, let’s see – ten minutes or so, I’d have to agree. I’ve worked for ex-army officers, and I can tell you that they’re pretty careful to let you know when “outsiders”, particularly the ones who are able to affect funding, etc., are in the area.
As I said before, the only thing that really strikes me as unusual is the extent to which this information was distributed, and that may just be due to the increasing paranoia/apprehension of the pro-”stay the course” crowd.
Hugh @ 152
I figured that there was neutronium in there. Whatever occupies that head, it’s pretty impervious to outside stimuli.
Hugh @ 152
Right, but how dense? You need to divide their weight by their volume.
Since most of them are lightweights, if they take up an average amount of volume (space), they’re not so dense–in the physics sense, anyway.
goodnight, RonD :)
Astral Technician @ 154
‘Fraid not, and the audio was quickly squelched, I’m sure something might be floating around tho…!!!
Cujo359 @ 156
It is always astounding to me that someone who was educated at the best schools money can buy can still be so willfully obtuse. His alma maters must be so very proud.
Phoenix Woman @ 116
I agree with you that it’s vile, but it remains that it is just political garbage. Any grunt on the ground that was handed this kind of stuff would take a look at it, read half of it, say “what the f*ck is this????” and throw it away. Americans have a long and storied history of telling authority figures to go screw themselves, and the military is not an exception. Also, our men and women want to come home… why would they want to frag someone that’s fighting to get them there?
As for full disclosure – I spent 17 months prowling around the DMZ in Korea, and another two in Iraq during Bush 41’s war. We’re not dumb, and we’re not stupid enough to buy into Bush/Cheney/Rove’s propaganda.
Blender @ 161
I certainly hope so, but with the way standards have been lowered recently to meet quotas for enlistment, one does wonder.
Blender @ 161
Damn, sounds like are paths mighta crossed, when were you in the western corridor?
My brother is active military and he knows that bush is a sham.
madmommy @ 160
One of Bush’s Profs at Harvard said Bush was arrogant, belligerent and stupid when he was a student.
SnarKassandra @ 164
I’ve met a few military types who agree. And from what I heard, they pretty much uniformly detested Rumsfeld.
Well, I dropped out for awhile, ’cause I can’t see this as anything but hamhanded PR and the paranoia cases were getting to me. Went to my other favorite blog and came across someone talking about the “globalist plot to turn N America into a nature preserve”.
Memo to self: leave the effing computer off on national holidays.
G’night.
Steve-AR @ 165
Only one?
Steve-AR @ 165
Well, I guess some things never change. If only he had been able to fulfill his life’s ambition and become Commissioner of Baseball instead of President. Where would we be today?
PeterK @ 166
I endured five years of his ‘leadership’!!!
Cujo359 @ 155
Yeah, but their ability to affect funding doesn’t explain why the troop-rotation votes were left out, or why their most critical statements separate from funding arguments were included. This seems way more propagandistic than a straightforward “don’t say the wrong thing and screw up the funding.”
madmommy @ 160
Don’t put too much on education. For ex, Rumsfeld went to Princeton. Going to a good University gives you the resources to increase your knowledge, and maybe even wisdom, but it’s no guarantee.
GordonM @ 167
Nite, Gordon!
The only sane rationale I can think of is that it was in fact a threat, a psychological threat to servicemen to treat anyone not 100% ‘on the team’ as the enemy. Maybe to set up an atmosphere of tension and mistrust to alienate Democrats, prompt them to diss the military. Or just general psychological intimidation directed towards the troops that they had damn better not say or do anything that did not catapult the pre-approved propaganda, especially around specifically identified ‘enemies of the administration’. But then, was Tauscher a readily identifiable enemy of Cheney-Bush Iraq policies until after she got back? Many people here would say she was chump, stooge and general lackey of the administration’s Iraq policy. So, in the end, hard to make sense of it.
That is why I think there was no sense to it. There are people in this administration who seem to have real issues with hostility and control, any kind of rational thought under non-optimal conditions (and optimal to them means, everything happens just like you want all the time, everyone takes what you dish out and comes back begging to be allowed to make your dreams come true). Things ain’t going totally peachy? Hit something. Not fixed? Hit something harder. That attitdue would explain a lot. But it is sick and futile, and a bad example for our kids.
madmommy @ 169
Wstching the NFL, no doubt!
SnarKassandra @ 113
It seems that one of the lessons of the hearings that Congress has had for the past 6 months is that Republicans have disdain for the rules, and think they’re made for the little people. In the name of national security, they think they can do anything to anyone.
Don’t you feel safer now?
Bob in HI
PeterK @ 172
Yeah I know. But you’d think between prep school and college some knowledge would have taken root. But no, nothing, nada, zippo. his mind is a barren field where no seed can find purchase.
‘Nite Gordon.
PeterK @ 172
I agree. I have found most products of the Ivy League long on entitlement but otherwise mediocre, which is surprising given the resources they have.
Steve-AR @ 165
..read one report (http://www.thepoorman.net/archives/003160.html and other places) )that he used to have a gang of overprivileged thugs at Harvard who would intimidate professors and fellow students who dared to challenge or embarass him with whispering campaigns, based on lies and innuendo…. a tactic that he and Rover seem to have made the basis of their whole careers. He was and is a bad, bad man.
PeterK @ 175
That would piss me off, I do enjoy a good penant race. But still, if I had to choose, I’d let baseball go just to have my country back.
I imagine that Bush parachuting in preening around like a peacock must rankle more than a few rank and file.
Someone Give Bush a crown for God’s sake. Or at least a great title like Field Marshall, Il Duce or Dear Leader.
-GSD
I know this is OT and liable to be EPU’d by Late Nite, but ya’ll should really take a peek at this tremendously hilarious post over at Digby’s – White Flour!
Clown cars are optional.
GSD @ 182
Baby Doc?
madmommy @ 181
Yeah, how the rethugs came up with W is some kind of sick metaphor for the way government disfunctions in the US. He failed at everything he tried up to running for POTUS, and of course has been true to form since being elected. You would have thought it was obvious from the start.
Redshift @ 171
If they rely on Fox News and CNN for their information, they may not even have known about those votes.
Mad Dogs @ 183
Brilliant!
Mad Dogs @ 183
Priceless!
I just don’t understand how such a person could get elected to dogcatcher, much less president. I have to admit that I went to some of the same types of schools he did, and none of the people I knew there, who acted the way he did, amounted to anything at all… even those who were just as overprivileged. I just don’t get it. All the published reports I’ve seen of his teenage and college years basically said that this guy was a piece-of-shite spoiled-rotten malicious bigoted psychopath.
Mad Dogs @ 183
Thank you Mad Dogs. That made my day!!
PeterK @ 185
Hey, he’s just regular folks from Texas (not) that people would want to have a beer with.
Gag.
Peterr @ 109
A warning to the troops: Loose lips sink military appropriations bills. You can talk freely around Rep A, but watch what you say around Rep B and Rep C.
And for God’s sake, keep them away from X.
I agree.
Money, not incitement to frag.
just got online, and voila! new thread upstairs
madmommy @ 177
There is also something of wisdom and ethics one is supposed to pick up from their study of history, or “Western Civilization” as it was known in Rumsfeld’s time. IMHO, his monumental cynicism is a product of his association with Republicans (possibly his parents).
Phoenix Woman @ 25
Yes, it’s despicable and dangerous to involve the military in political discussions. And, it should be investigated and stopped. But, at the same time, there are more pressing matters.
a little humor:
“Keep your eye on the ball.”…no, not literally you dufus.
LindaR @ 29
Getting the veggies out.
Cleaning the veggies.
No, not soup yet.
BigMitch @ 75
Can soldiers stream Air America radio via the Internet?
What purpose is there in giving lower enlisted troops anything more than a visiting VIP’s name, official status and security clearance?
They should be giving all Congressmen and women the same treatment and showing them the same things (clearance permitting.)
The visitor’s voting record and stance on the war are absolutely irrelevant.
Do they bring out a different set of dogs and ponies for Dems?
Even the military is getting the Rove treatment.
Democrats..the new Jews in Bush’s push for feedom.Can’t oppose Bush verbally or on a t shirt.You have genocide in NOLA..when Blanco ordered shoot on sight if U.S. citizens would like to live by taking food and water…which Bush thought a bad idea. That’s the genocide part.The propaganda is MSM. What is different from Hitler?
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face…forever”