2

This president has been hiding behind someone his whole life.

Hello again…

er, investigations?

I’m EPUing this:

http://www.democracynow.org/ar…..12/1410237

“In 2004, 2005, he was given the mission to train all Iraq military and police forces. And, in fact, in July 2004, Newsweek had this cover of him, saying that Petraeus was going to train Iraqis to take over the fight. Now, the reality is, is that was, of course, a failure, because three years later he was back with an escalation of US forces.

Now, one of the key things that Petraeus did was they decided — him and his command decided — that they were going to create this paramilitary force, the Special Police Commandos. They armed them. They funded them. They trained them. And they also issued the usual denials: “Oh, we’re not giving them any weapons. This is an Iraqi initiative.” And so, now he’s saying the same thing with the Sunni militias.

So, anyway, the Special Police Commandos quickly morphed into Shiite death squads that were used against the Sunni insurgency and against Sunnis, in general, throughout Iraq. And this played a key role in terms of stoking and fomenting the civil war, because you had these death squads wearing government uniforms, being armed and trained by the US, going around killing Sunnis randomly. It generally alienated the Sunni Arab population from the government and drove them into the arms of the resistance.

Now what Petraeus is doing is he’s funding and arming these Sunni militias. And there are reports that have stated clearly with these militias saying, like, “Yes, we’re getting weapons from the US government.” And part of it is, is that they do want to fight al-Qaeda in Iraq, which is another Sunni-based group. It’s an Iraqi-based group. But their main purpose is they want this money and weapons and aid to fight the Shiite militias.

So here we have them, like in 2004, setting up these Shiite militias, and now he’s setting up these Sunni militias to fight these Shiite militias. And what it portends is just an absolute disaster for Iraq. And, of course, it will also be used as justification: “Well, we can’t leave because a bloodbath will result.” But we’re not looking at the fact that it’s the US that’s creating this bloodbath.”

Oathtakers Beware…

Christy:

Jon Soltz…*g*

[Mod: got it, and thanks]

The Gen. is just another enabler of the prez’s bad behavior. General P. serves his purpose. Nothing more. Nothing less.

sporkovat @ 4

er, investigations?

There’s nothing to investigate here.
An (small) increase in troops has resulted in the ability to report small military gains.
The state of the Iraqi Nation?
SNAFU
The President asked Congress for 6 months and got it.
He now has nothing to show.
Pull the friggin plug already.

Personal strategy - I call every day.

OT
The Putin Shuffle

“Ostensibly to guard against importation of Iranian weapons and fighters targeting Western troops in Iraq, the UK is sending up to 350 troops to the Iranian border instead of bringing them home, The Independent of London reports Wednesday.

The troop move was requested by US commanders, the paper says, and it will delay — perhaps indefinitely — the homecoming of 250 British troops who were told just days ago that they would be returning to the UK as part of a drawdown of forces in Iraq.”

http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0912.html

N.Y. Times: U.S. official says Israel believed N. Korea giving Syria nuclear material; Syria: Our response to IAF air strike has not yet come.

http://www.haaretz.com/

LS @ 11

“Ostensibly to guard against importation of Iranian weapons and fighters targeting Western troops in Iraq, the UK is sending up to 350 troops to the Iranian border instead of bringing them home, The Independent of London reports Wednesday.

The troop move was requested by US commanders, the paper says, and it will delay — perhaps indefinitely — the homecoming of 250 British troops who were told just days ago that they would be returning to the UK as part of a drawdown of forces in Iraq.”

http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0912.html

Like I said before, that’ll really slow the flow. Can you say Ho Chi Mihn Trail!

Move on hit it on the head “Betray us” indeed.

Did anyone figure out the most appropriate number to call about the guy who had his leg broken by the Capitol police.

I have been trying to find more articles about one of the seven soldiers who wrote the op-ed in the Times that was ‘allegedly” shot in the head and is still surviving.

Anyone reading more about this?

LS @ 11

“Ostensibly to guard against importation of Iranian weapons and fighters targeting Western troops in Iraq, the UK is sending up to 350 troops to the Iranian border instead of bringing them home, The Independent of London reports Wednesday.

The troop move was requested by US commanders, the paper says, and it will delay — perhaps indefinitely — the homecoming of 250 British troops who were told just days ago that they would be returning to the UK as part of a drawdown of forces in Iraq.”

http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0912.html

wonder if they will stop any of the US special forces from going into Iran that Seymour Hersh wrote about quite a while back in the “Iran Plan”

Cheney’s Iran roll-out propaganda:

“According to Fox News, the United States has crafted an Iran bombing plan.”

http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0912.html

Reports say Syria drafting reservists, IAF targeted either Iranian-Syrian missile installation or nuclear facility sponsored by N. Korea.

Hamas begins evacuating installations in anticipation of an Israeli retaliation over Zikim attack.

West Bank, Gaza on lockdown for holiday

http://www.jpost.com/

Fantastic ad. Wonder how many in Congress will get in a tizzy about it and want an apology?

From LS:

But we’re not looking at the fact that it’s the US that’s creating this bloodbath.”

There is that.

And there is the fact that Warner & others hit squarely on the head. It doesn’t matter if it’s going swell in Iraq or not. We’re not safer because of it. And that’s why we’re not listening to this “report” and why we’re not buying Bush’s BS.

Join the GWOBS.

Wonder if Jerry McNerney is still waiting for some of those moderate, “open-minded” Republicans to come around. Hope he brought a good book.

“It was a really wonderful piece, we thought. I am proud of them. I thought it was great and what the Op Ed page is for,” Rosenthal said. “We had heard they got some grief from bosses about writing about this. But this is the 21st Century and people communicate with each other. Not every soldier in Iraq buys this Potemkin war that they are selling.”

Oklahoma kiddo @ 17

Reports say Syria drafting reservists, IAF targeted either Iranian-Syrian missile installation or nuclear facility sponsored by N. Korea.

Hamas begins evacuating installations in anticipation of an Israeli retaliation over Zikim attack.

West Bank, Gaza on lockdown for holiday

http://www.jpost.com/

Seems like all hell’s about to break loose. Shrub and Chee-Knee are smiling no doubt. Oh and let’s not forget about Wolfie and Addington. They all love it when a plan comes together.

LS @ 16

Cheney’s Iran roll-out propaganda:

“According to Fox News, the United States has crafted an Iran bombing plan.”

http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0912.html

Seems like we recycle this, they have a plan to bomb everywhere, that’s what they do.

Wonder if the New York Times ,Matthews or FDL will get to Staff Sergeant Jeremy Murphy (soldier shot in head who was part of the Op-ed) to ask questions. That is if he is still able to answer questions.

Can’t find anything about his condition or whereabouts on the web.

LS @ 16

Cheney’s Iran roll-out propaganda:

“According to Fox News, the United States has crafted an Iran bombing plan.”

http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0912.html

For boneheads asking us to be “patient” with Iraq and the occupation, they’re certainly impatient with diplomacy with Iran.

Fricking insane warpigs.

There has been “no political reconciliation overall in Iraq or increased security, despite our military’s strongest efforts.”

You’re quoting this? John Soltz (never heard of him) is obviously a hack! Anbar has been a huge success, a bottom up effort that will redound to the benefit of the regime.

And no increased security? You guys ought to quit those late-night FDL bong hits! Man, you’re stretching. This almost as bad as MoveOn.org.

Any good indicators mean bad news for you guys - what nihilism!

kdh22 @ 21

Oklahoma kiddo @ 17

Reports say Syria drafting reservists, IAF targeted either Iranian-Syrian missile installation or nuclear facility sponsored by N. Korea.

Hamas begins evacuating installations in anticipation of an Israeli retaliation over Zikim attack.

West Bank, Gaza on lockdown for holiday

http://www.jpost.com/

Seems like all hell’s about to break loose. Shrub and Chee-Knee are smiling no doubt. Oh and let’s not forget about Wolfie and Addington. They all love it when a plan comes together.

It is difficult not to want these creeps to suffer consequences for their warmongering ways.

Donald Douglas @ 25

There has been “no political reconciliation overall in Iraq or increased security, despite our military’s strongest efforts.”

You’re quoting this? John Soltz (never heard of him) is obviously a hack! Anbar has been a huge success, a bottom up effort that will redound to the benefit of the regime.

And no increased security? You guys ought to quit those late-night FDL bong hits! Man, you’re stretching. This almost as bad as MoveOn.org.

Any good indicators mean bad news for you guys - what nihilism!

Re-up bad ass. Oh’ he’s an associate prof, whoop to fucking doo.

Hillary’s letter to Bush, hope we see more of this from our party.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.c.....age=1&

Will we witness a U.s. military coup?

Has anyone else noted the irony of the Bush War Mongers who claim that all hell will break loose in Iraq if we leave are the same crowd that are pushing for war with Iran.

I mean a war against Iran is bound to stabilize things.

Good God.

-GSD

The Shrub must be furious at his puppet general! All Petraeus had to do was say, “Yes, of course, America is safer today.” Forget the facts-it’s a relative statement. Bush desperately needed Petraeus to say we’re safer.

Instead, he refused (by omission or on purpose?) to give Bush the cover he needs.

I don’t like the referrals to “Betray-us”. And now I’m thinking that he may have handed the anti-war movement the opening it needs:

“Sir, I-I don’t know, actually. I have not sat down and sorted out in my own mind, uh-what I have focused on and been riveted on is how to accomplish the mission of the Multi-National Force Iraq.”

Bush’s General couldn’t say we’re safer. That’s huge.

Jon Soltz is the Co-Founder and Chairman of VoteVets.org and a “leader of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans community.”[1][2]

“From May to September 2003, Soltz served as a Captain during Operation Iraqi Freedom, deploying logistics convoys with the 1st Armored Division. During 2005, Soltz was mobilized for 365 days at Fort Dix New Jersey, training soldiers for combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also served his country with distinction in the Kosovo Campaign as a Tank Platoon Leader between June and December 2000. Soltz is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College with dual degree in Political Science and History. He has completed graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.”[1]

I don’t know why my comment posted twice (maybe my eyes got crossed reading this post).

In any case, let me make a correction on this sentence:

“This is almost as bad as MoveOn.org.”

has anyone noticed the nihilistic vacuum left in place by non-fact-checking shrub lovers?

Donald at 25 — Soltz is a veteran of the Iraq war. And you are, what, sitting there eating your cheetoes?

GSD @ 30

Has anyone else noted the irony of the Bush War Mongers who claim that all hell will break loose in Iraq if we leave are the same crowd that are pushing for war with Iran.

I mean a war against Iran is bound to stabilize things.

Good God.

-GSD

For the last four years. Or when I read the defense strategies of the Project for a New American Century six years ago.

Reassigning the British troops to the Iranian border has nothing to do with weapons smuggling, but it is a ploy to encroach closer and closer on Iran. This is just further escalation of war aggression towards Iran.

The Saudis are doing a better job smuggling arms to the Sunnis. Iran would have to be crazy to arm a Shia group that is at odds with its own objectives.

Bush and his NeoCons are salivating at the war build up they have going on in the gulf. They will use it.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 35

Donald at 25 — Soltz is a veteran of the Iraq war. And you are, what, sitting there eating your cheetoes?

Like I said above, he’s an assistant professor from Orange County.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 35

Donald at 25 — Soltz is a veteran of the Iraq war. And you are, what, sitting there eating your cheetoes?

or perhaps, doing daytime bong hits.

GSD @ 30

Has anyone else noted the irony of the Bush War Mongers who claim that all hell will break loose in Iraq if we leave are the same crowd that are pushing for war with Iran.

I mean a war against Iran is bound to stabilize things.

Good God.

-GSD

to them the Surge is the necessary E.S.C.A.L.A.T.I.O.N. for the attack against Iran

has there been any mention of the report that the General was not sworn in?

Probably a deal made ahead of time, wouldn’t want to get fouled up with any perjury jeopardy, would we?

http://www.antiwar.com/mcgovern/?articleid=11594

Diane @ 28

Hillary’s letter to Bush, hope we see more of this from our party.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.c.....age=1&

Good going Hillary. Pre-empt Bush’s speech. Just wish she had mentioned the Iraq Study Groups recommendation for a Middle east Conference on Iraq. This should have all ready taken place.

raven @ 27

He writes like he’s been hitting something himself. Aren’t trolls so wonderful? We must have hit a nerve somewhere.

GSD @ 30

Has anyone else noted the irony of the Bush War Mongers who claim that all hell will break loose in Iraq if we leave are the same crowd that are pushing for war with Iran.

I mean a war against Iran is bound to stabilize things.

Good God.

-GSD

Additionally, we have so many extra troops that a few more war zones have no effect on our preparedness. In fact, we have so many troops that Bush’s own family members can’t even find a place for them to serve. Every position’s already filled and the waiting lists are long. That has to be the only reason that patriotic warriors like the Bushes are not now serving.

I amglad that moveon put the truth out there-we have way too many stats quoted without the backup data-providing the data is crucial. (the devil is always in the details)
Like the Anbar good news-which,acccording to this the tide turned in NOV 06-not exactly due to surge
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/052858.php

NYTimes editorial page director Andrew Rosenthal reacts to the deaths of two of the soldiers who wrote the NYTimes op-ed piece.

But where’s the story in the NYTimes, folks?

P J Evans @ 43

raven @ 27

He writes like he’s been hitting something himself. Aren’t trolls so wonderful? We must have hit a nerve somewhere.

And then we go and take the bait. . .tsk tsk.

I need to keep saying this for the representatives that come to the lake and read what we have to say, and most should because we speak for the majority of America

the democrats need to march into the real republicans offices, they need to have conversations…man to man, women to man, man to women, most important, patriot to patriot

we have got to deal, we have got to get the votes and we have got to get this administration as far from the reigns of power as possible

I am POSITIVE there are republicans that will agree, I am POSITIVE we can make it at least close

AND CLOSE IS ALL WE NEED

look, we need to bring articles of impeachment, we NEED to have the trial, we NEED Americans to bear witness and take stock of the evidence

this administration is deliberately dismantling our country, they are dismantling our government, dismantling our armed forces, our ability to defend ourselves

it is deliberate, they have weakened our country, destroyed our international influence, they have squandered all they inherited and they have brought us to the brink of world war 3

we can broker, we can bargain, we can guarantee quick confirmation of the president and vice president of their choosing, we can promise pork for their statewe can promise uncontested elections

WE CAN BRIDGE THE GREAT DIVIDE and bring this nation back together in a common cause, to bring America back to the position it was before these despots took office

we cannot wait for another catastrophe, we cannot wait for more depravity, we cannot wait for more from the sick an maniacal fraternity that calls itself the PEEnac

WE MUST DEAL and we must get this done

Badwater @ 44

GSD @ 30

Has anyone else noted the irony of the Bush War Mongers who claim that all hell will break loose in Iraq if we leave are the same crowd that are pushing for war with Iran.

I mean a war against Iran is bound to stabilize things.

Good God.

-GSD

Additionally, we have so many extra troops that a few more war zones have no effect on our preparedness. In fact, we have so many troops that Bush’s own family members can’t even find a place for them to serve. Every position’s already filled and the waiting lists are long. That has to be the only reason that patriotic warriors like the Bushes are not now serving.

Don’t forget the Lieberkinder… they’ll be right in the front wave, right? Right?

OT..Kagro X on Ted Olsen

Well, here’s a little problem that should give Olson a little problem getting through the confirmation process: He’s one of the chief architects of the White House strategy that seeks to render Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy (who sits on the front lines on this nomination) utterly powerless in pursuing his investigation of the very scandals which led to Gonzales’ resignation in the first place.

link

If Olsen is the one Bush picks..will the Dems roll-over?…

kdh22 @ 21

Oklahoma kiddo @ 17

Reports say Syria drafting reservists, IAF targeted either Iranian-Syrian missile installation or nuclear facility sponsored by N. Korea.

Hamas begins evacuating installations in anticipation of an Israeli retaliation over Zikim attack.

West Bank, Gaza on lockdown for holiday

http://www.jpost.com/

Seems like all hell’s about to break loose. Shrub and Chee-Knee are smiling no doubt. Oh and let’s not forget about Wolfie and Addington. They all love it when a plan comes together.

SOmebody on an ealrier thread said that there were stock market indicators that showed that somebody was investing a lot of money on a bet that the market would lose a lot of value before Spetember 21st.

War sometimes causes a sharp drop in the market…

raven @ 27

Donald Douglas @ 25

There has been “no political reconciliation overall in Iraq or increased security, despite our military’s strongest efforts.”

You’re quoting this? John Soltz (never heard of him) is obviously a hack! Anbar has been a huge success, a bottom up effort that will redound to the benefit of the regime.

And no increased security? You guys ought to quit those late-night FDL bong hits! Man, you’re stretching. This almost as bad as MoveOn.org.

Any good indicators mean bad news for you guys - what nihilism!

Re-up bad ass. Oh’ he’s an associate prof, whoop to fucking doo.

oy! fucking! vey!

mack @ 8

sporkovat @ 4

er, investigations?

There’s nothing to investigate here.
An (small) increase in troops has resulted in the ability to report small military gains.
The state of the Iraqi Nation?
SNAFU
The President asked Congress for 6 months and got it.
He now has nothing to show.
Pull the friggin plug already.

It’s not like any of the investigations have gotten us anywhere anyway. For some reason the Dems don’t even try to pull the fucking plug.

oddmommy @ 39

Christy Hardin Smith @ 35

Donald at 25 — Soltz is a veteran of the Iraq war. And you are, what, sitting there eating your cheetoes?

or perhaps, doing daytime bong hits.

double bingo!

Jon Soltz reminds me of a contemporary John Kerry.

Jon, if you ever want to run for office, you won’t have ANY trouble finding all the support you need…

We need people like you in office.

oddmommy @ 39

Christy Hardin Smith @ 35

Donald at 25 — Soltz is a veteran of the Iraq war. And you are, what, sitting there eating your cheetoes?

or perhaps, doing daytime bong hits.

Or on your way to interview 4 million Iraqi refugees?

I generally do not like to be part of pile ons but…

Donald can you tell me why 70,ooo Iraqi people are leaving every month if things are getting better?

Normally, in a negotiation the first offer is to solicit interest and signal sincerity.

What we got yesterday from Gen. Petraeus was ‘we’re mid-term election levels of violence in Iraq and you can have the Surge troops back next summer.’

What was originally a 30-60 day short-term proposition to deliver on 18 benchmarks, agreed-to by the Iraqis, has morphed into a 19 month commitment that seems to have lost all bearings to the original 18 benchmarks.

In addition, the report to Congress was delayed by Bush earlier in the summer. I have to say, I was chagrined to hear Gen. Petraeus preface more than a few of his ’success’ examples with ‘Just in the last month…’ He must be a good student - just look at how he turns-in his homework!

This is hardly a principled negotiation. If Bush’s signalling of interest and sincerity is an ‘in your face they’re my troops and I’ll keep them as long as I want’ opening - delivered through a ‘three-bags-full’ General - then we should back away from the table and, at the very least, refuse to be compliant.

GSD @ 30

Has anyone else noted the irony of the Bush War Mongers who claim that all hell will break loose in Iraq if we leave are the same crowd that are pushing for war with Iran.

I mean a war against Iran is bound to stabilize things.

Good God.

-GSD

I’m glad you’re finally coming around to the neocon logic, GSD. Of course, bombing Iran will stablize the M.E. /s

That’d be Associate Professor.

Soltz’ doesn’t look like he knows what he’s talking about, vet or not. Just more of the smear campaign.

That’d be “Cheetos,” by the way, but whose checking? I’m sure they go well with “Visine.”

raven @ 38

Christy Hardin Smith @ 35

Donald at 25 — Soltz is a veteran of the Iraq war. And you are, what, sitting there eating your cheetoes?

Like I said above, he’s an assistant professor from Orange County.

Ooops, I thought he was a Scottish steam engine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_and_Douglas

*g*

Turkey just had another skirmish with Kurdish rebels. Not to mention the large bomb diffused on 9/11.

The whole region is marching towards an untold disaster.

-GSD

WaPo opinion from Andrew Bacevich:

“Petraeus’s recommendation to kick the can down the road will suit the Bush administration, which is determined neither to confront nor to acknowledge responsibility for the debacle it has created. But his recommendation will not suit the soldiers he commands, the army to which he has devoted his life, or the nation he serves.

The moment calls for an assessment and recommendations that cut to the heart of the matter. Instead, Petraeus has temporized. History will not judge his hesitation kindly.”

Bacevich’s son died in Iraq in May and his thoughts afterward are poignant, highly recommended. He is fron outside Boston and was interviewed on our local NPR affiliates in June. A very thoughtful and qualified man.

“I Lost My Son to a War I Oppose. We Were Both Doing Our Duty.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....02032.html

P J Evans @ 43

raven @ 27

He writes like he’s been hitting something himself. Aren’t trolls so wonderful? We must have hit a nerve somewhere.

Truth nerve??

Kathleen @ 14

Did anyone figure out the most appropriate number to call about the guy who had his leg broken by the Capitol police.

The injured activist was Rev. Lennox Yearwood, chairman of the Hip-Hop Caucus and former US Army Chaplain. Reverend Yearwood has been a vocal fixture of the DC and national Peace Movement for the psst few years, and is an inspiring, passionate speaker. The incident with the police in the hallway of the Cannon House Office Building was frankly quite bizarre. I was there. Rev. Yearwood had no intentions of getting arrested or getting into any altercations with the police in the hallway. The whole thing sprung from a misunderstanding over ‘cutting in line’ in a pretty tense and crowded situation. Reverend Yearwood will be OK. I don’t want to pass on any half-baked information about his legal status, but legal troubles are nothing new to those of us who take to the streets and the halls of congress every day to try and and this stupid war. You can learn more about ‘The Rev’ at hiphopcaucus.org.
peace,
jim

Steve-AR @ 50

link

If Olsen is the one Bush picks..will the Dems roll-over?…

YES!

sporkovat @ 41

has there been any mention of the report that the General was not sworn in?

Probably a deal made ahead of time, wouldn’t want to get fouled up with any perjury jeopardy, would we?

http://www.antiwar.com/mcgovern/?articleid=11594

Lying to Congress is a seprate crime.

Donald Douglas @ 59

That’d be Associate Professor.

Soltz’ doesn’t look like he knows what he’s talking about, vet or not. Just more of the smear campaign.

That’d be “Cheetos,” by the way, but whose checking? I’m sure they go well with “Visine.”

Yes, we’d much rather have the weighty assessments of Dick “last throes” Cheney.

-GSD

zennurse @ 62

WaPo opinion from Andrew Bacevich:

“Petraeus’s recommendation to kick the can down the road will suit the Bush administration, which is determined neither to confront nor to acknowledge responsibility for the debacle it has created. But his recommendation will not suit the soldiers he commands, the army to which he has devoted his life, or the nation he serves.

The moment calls for an assessment and recommendations that cut to the heart of the matter. Instead, Petraeus has temporized. History will not judge his hesitation kindly.”

Bacevich’s son died in Iraq in May and his thoughts afterward are poignant, highly recommended. He is fron outside Boston and was interviewed on our local NPR affiliates in June. A very thoughtful and qualified man.

“I Lost My Son to a War I Oppose. We Were Both Doing Our Duty.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....02032.html

I have followed what Bacevich has been writing all along. He was on the Rehm show several years ago. One honorable man!

Any good indicators mean bad news for you guys - what nihilism!

www.goarmy.com

put your ass where your mouth is.

looseheadprop @ 66

sporkovat @ 41

has there been any mention of the report that the General was not sworn in?

Probably a deal made ahead of time, wouldn’t want to get fouled up with any perjury jeopardy, would we?

http://www.antiwar.com/mcgovern/?articleid=11594

Lying to Congress is a seprate crime.

still, it pissed me off…. 3 hearings chaired by dems and no oath to tell the truth.

Thanks Jim Preston @64

Donald — Instead of being a dick, why not back things up with facts. We just sat through two straight days of testimony from Petraeus and Crocker, which even John Warner, Dick Lugar and Lindsey Graham found thin and lacking on specifics in terms of real, long-term measurable progress. In fact, I’m hearing through the Beltway grapevine this morning that a rumor is going around that the WH has had to launch an all-out charm offensive with Warner to keep him from coming out publicly on the Senate floor today or tomorrow and calling them out for trying to shade the facts altogether and for not taking adequate care of our troops. (We’ll see if it works, or if he does, indeed, speak up more forcefully.)

But trying to paint anyone here with a “MoveOn” taint is laughable. Because we don’t consider it to be one. You really need to work on your trolling skills. Oh, and you might want to do some better research — I’m a former prosecutor who used to put drug dealers in jail for a living. Never smoked in my life. And trying to insinuate some fact free drivel is just…well, it’s fact free.

Donald Douglas @ 59

That’d be Associate Professor.

Soltz’ doesn’t look like he knows what he’s talking about, vet or not. Just more of the smear campaign.

That’d be “Cheetos,” by the way, but whose checking? I’m sure they go well with “Visine.”

I think our Mr. Douglas works for John ONeill..

He’s trying to swiftboat Soltz here.

Jon Soltz is most certainly hyperarticulate, wired for sure, and he definitely knows what he’s talking about. I’ve seen enough of him speaking on teevee to be convinced of that. He gets the best of his adversaries every time.

Now we’re getting somewhere. At the National Press Club this morning, Gen. Petraeus for the first time peeled back the curtain behind his questioned methodology for tabulating ethno-sectarian violence. Calling his methodology “pretty logical and rational,” the general said he has a “three-page document” — he read from it at his Press Club podium — that refutes a senior intelligence official who told Karen DeYoung of The Washington Post that Multi-National Force–Iraq doesn’t count front-of-the-head executions as sectarian incidents. “It’s just not true,” Petraeus said. So what is a sectarian murder?

“Civilians who show signs of being blindfolded, tortured or being shot anywhere, and so forth.”

selise @ 70

looseheadprop @ 66

Lying to Congress is a seprate crime.

still, it pissed me off…. 3 hearings chaired by dems and no oath to tell the truth.

testifying under oath is old school, only applies when you get a b. j. from an intern. Important issue

“whose checking?”

apparently not the hiring committee at this Orange County institute of higher education. For rudimentary spelling skills.

Donald Douglas @ 59

That’d be Associate Professor.

Soltz’ doesn’t look like he knows what he’s talking about, vet or not. Just more of the smear campaign.

That’d be “Cheetos,” by the way, but whose checking? I’m sure they go well with “Visine.”

That is just silly. You already corrected yourself for omitting a word in your other comment.

tbsa said:

…put your ass where your mouth is.

That’s just an old radical lefty chicken hawk slur. Dumb and passe…

Christy Hardin Smith @ 72 -

thanks for doing the heavy lifting, christy.

Oh Shit! The Foul-Mouthed Fem Bloggers have awakened. Katy bar the door…and as a tribute to Norske…PASS THE AMMUNITION!

Donald Douglas @ 79

tbsa said:

…put your ass where your mouth is.

That’s just an old radical lefty chicken hawk slur. Dumb and passe…

No, chickenhawk is someone sitting in front of a keyboard cheering for men and women to die while his coward ass would never dream of enlisting. You people don’t even deserve to consume oxygen.

“General Petraeus has a very limited area of concern - the US military in Iraq - and his testimony today reflected that.”

I think one of the useful aspects of the various hearings over the last few days with Petraeus was that it gave us a much better idea of who General Petraeus is. What I took away from the hearings is that David Petraeus is very likely a workaholic, that he is very ambitious, that he is politically conservative (see his love affair with Fox News), that he reacts badly to being challenged (see his moment with Menendez), that he is perfectly willing to doctor the data and spin his message, and that his strategic vision is seriously limited.

One of my longstanding criticisms of him and his approach to Iraq is that he fundamentally does not understand that a civil war is different from an insurgency. This has ensured that the “surge” was going to be nothing more than whack-a-mole on a slightly larger scale. But his testimony showed that this is not the only blind spot he has.

It has meant also that he has been supporting various sides in the civil war, making a resolution to it less likely, making our troops more likely to be targeted by all sides, and making any bloodbath after our departure worse.

He had no clue how Iraq fit (or whether it did) into the larger “war” on terrorism. You might think he would have some ideas on the subject because it goes to the heart of the Bush case of why we are in Iraq. And again if Petraeus has no real understanding of how we got into Iraq (even if the justifications were false), it is unlikely he will find a way out of Iraq.

He also seems to be spectacularly unable to give any input into how an attack on Iran might impact his situation in Iraq. I kind of got the impression that it wasn’t his problem. It was Fallon’s and others’ business so he didn’t have to think about it.

I said yesterday that I thought Petraeus was like a kid hoarding all the marbles, unwilling to share. He doesn’t seem to have much awareness of how his troop demands are breaking the army in Iraq but also more generally. That kind of blindness is inexcusable in a general officer.

Finally, he seemed incredibly ill-informed about the status of Iraq forces. Maybe he was lying or simply trying to avoid discussing how bad they are. But you might think that his own much heralded experience in training them in the past would have given him a clue. Again my impression was that he saw them largely separate from his mission, either irrelevant or simply adjuncts.

I always knew the “surge” would fail. It would take unbelievable luck like winning the lottery 3 times in a row for it to succeed. It was the wrong approach, and too little too late. But I had no real feel for Petraeus. I do now and I do not like what I see. He will do everything in his power to keep us in Iraq until he replaced or fired. He is not a big picture guy. People with tunnel vision never can.

Donald Douglas @ 33

I don’t know why my comment posted twice (maybe my eyes got crossed reading this post).

In any case, let me make a correction on this sentence:

“This is almost as bad as MoveOn.org.”

Given your vast knowledge on this subject you must be very upset with the revised criteria on the Petraeus Report to measure the decrease in violence in Iraq. Not only did the criteria change to alter statistics but it was used to measure progress from the past that used a different standard of measurement.

At one point in my life I was Vice President of a marketing research firm and I can tell you we would have been responsible for putting our client out of business if we changed criteria on which measurement is based and still compared it to past performance and results.

You must be really pissed at the Petraeus flawed report.

tbsa — That one comes awfully close to the line on the end there. Do watch it…

Biodun @ 46

NYTimes editorial page director Andrew Rosenthal reacts to the deaths of two of the soldiers who wrote the NYTimes op-ed piece.

But where’s the story in the NYTimes, folks?

From the e&p article ref’d above:

“The column sparked a strong reaction from Pentagon officials, who defended the U.S. operation in a statement, but stopped short of punishing the soldiers for speaking out.”

Hmmmmm……wouldn’t want to place a bet on that. :-(

Call it denial, or call it stubbornness, or whatever you want; it all boils down to the same thing - this president still refuses to listen to those he needs to listen to, in favor of those who tell him what he wants to hear.”

I call it political expediency and avoidance of responsibility.

BTW, regarding Donald Douglass, with the emphasis on ass: There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Murtha predicted that the Iraqis would deal harshly with Al Qaeda if we got out of the way, the premise being they would tire of Al Qaeda killing their civilians and wreaking havoc on their society. I guess they got tired of waiting for us to remove ourselves from the equation, and decided that Al Qaeda was more of a hazard than we were. Therefore, under the theory of the enemy of my enemy is my friend, they switched sides and now are working with us. This is not a surprise to anyone here, but the effort of the surge supporters to take credit for this is despicable. That means you too, Donald. FYI, this all started to occur before the surge, so you can’t have any credit. If any credit is due, it may be due the soldiers that were already there before the surge and some credit may be due to a young Captain named Capt. Travis Patriquin. Look it up.

From Donald D’s blog: Bwahahahahaha

“I’m starting a new blogging series with this post. The series is entitled “Blog Watch,” and it will provide periodic commentary on varous blogs - big and small - that raise compelling issues of political importance or those that pose particular ideological challenges.

Here’s what I plan to do: Every few weeks or so I’ll put up a post commenting on a political blog that I see raising significant questions involving style, analysis, and ideological orientation. I’m particularly interested in dissecting and challenging radical, antiwar bloggers. As I mentioned in my inaugural post, I’m disgusted with rampant anti-Americanism, and especially that found in the left wing blogosphere. I intend to rebut such nihilist projects through my “Blog Watch” series.”

BTW DD, you misspelled “various” in the third line. ;>

tbsa @ 82

Donald Douglas @ 79

tbsa said:

That’s just an old radical lefty chicken hawk slur. Dumb and passe…

No, chickenhawk is someone sitting in front of a keyboard cheering for men and women to die while his coward ass would never dream of enlisting. You people don’t even deserve to consume oxygen.

But they are exactly who the Republic Party gladly welcomes as members.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 85

tbsa — That was comes awfully close to the line on the end there. Do watch it…

I’m sorry. People such as that are difficult to take. Too many funerals in these parts.

I’m not anti-American. I’m anti-stupid.

tbsa & mack…

I’m the skunk at the tea party.

When I say ‘investigations’ as a jaunty early thread post, I’m being sarcastic.

Prior to their great victory in 06, many thought the (D) party might manage to accomplish more than just a little investigating.

I remained skeptical - I think most of the washington (D) team is willfully complicit in the crimes of the Cheney cabal, and the vast litany of excuses like “we don’t have the votes, we’re afraid of what the meanies will say, we need to investigate further, etc” is just window dressing.

I don’t think BushCo will have a problem with having numerous war-fronts going simultaneously with their new thriving industry supported by our tax dollars - mercenaries. The country will go broke but mercenary/hit man companies will thrive. Then they can come after us.

Donald Douglas @ 59

That’d be Associate Professor.

Soltz’ doesn’t look like he knows what he’s talking about, vet or not. Just more of the smear campaign.

That’d be “Cheetos,” by the way, but whose checking? I’m sure they go well with “Visine.”

Seriously, though. It is simply incomprehensible how any political science professor, educated in the United States, can endorse anyone remotely related to the “unitary executive” hocus or the deception upon deception which led us to where we are.

tbsa t 90 — I hear you. We have far too many of those in WV, too. And I’ve had too many friends and family in and out of Afghanistan, Iraq, S. Korea and elsewhere the last few years to be altogether serene, either. SIGH

Watching the whole Rev. Lennox Yearwood at You Tube arrest is telling. What the hell did this guy do? Dressed in a suit, standing in line?

Donald Douglas isn’t here representing cogent arguments for his point of view, so ignore him.

Re Petraeus:

Two or three things you need to know about him:

He is “widely regarded as one of the brightest soldiers of his generation”[3] and has been described as “brilliant” by retired four-star Gen. Barry McCaffrey[4]. Newsweek also noted of Petraeus, “Leadership is always a bit of a confidence game. Project authority, display ability and power, and others will follow. Few do this as well as Petraeus.”[5]

(snip)

Described by one former subordinate as “the most competitive man on earth,”

Do not feed the trolls.

Christy Hardin Smith: I would, but for the name-calling…? Is that all you got?

I see no facts in this posts…just attacks.

I’m goading you in any case, duh!

Any right-leaning critic of this blog is a troll? Seriously, is that how you dispense with clear-headed rebuttals?

And you’re an attorney?

BTW, you need a question mark on the end here: “Instead of being a dick, why not back things up with facts.”

Maybe they don’t teach punctuation in law school.

John Warner? Sorry, not to be trusted…he’s retiring and will not face voter rejection of his views.

In any event, I’m done here…off to lecture on civil liberties…those warrantless wiretaps make for such great discussion!

JEP: That’d be “Dr.” Douglas.

Hans Blix dutifully reported on the progress he made in inspecting Iraq for WMD’s as the build up in the gulf transpired.

Even after the invasion, when no WMD’s were ever found, Saddam could have been given a raise and reinstalled. It would have been better that a fractured state of sub states run by angry Muslim Clerics.

That’s how it will play out no matter when the Americans leave, that is unless the Americans stay forever.

Feed no trolls.

Biodun @ 98

Re Petraeus:

Two or three things you need to know about him:

He is “widely regarded as one of the brightest soldiers of his generation”[3] and has been described as “brilliant” by retired four-star Gen. Barry McCaffrey[4]. Newsweek also noted of Petraeus, “Leadership is always a bit of a confidence game. Project authority, display ability and power, and others will follow. Few do this as well as Petraeus.”[5]

(snip)

Described by one former subordinate as “the most competitive man on earth,”

How smart can you be if you dated Judy Miller? How smart can you be if you are carrying water for the Bush administration?

Biodun @ 46

NYTimes editorial page director Andrew Rosenthal reacts to the deaths of two of the soldiers who wrote the NYTimes op-ed piece.

But where’s the story in the NYTimes, folks?

They’ll get it out in a Friedman Unit or so.

Oh, lor’! He’s here doin’ *research*.

I don’t ever remember using this one but IAROTFLMAO, quite literally.

Biodun — He is very bright. And he’s assembled an incredibly sharp team around him, some of whom are officers who have been highly critical of operations to date and frequently had run-ins with Rummy’s boys at the Pentagon. He’s a formidable commander, and very hyper-competitive from everything I have heard about him. And none of that makes Iraq any less of a mess on the ground at the moment…

Instead of the kabuki, the hearings, the letters to languish to the prez… how ’bout Congress en masse walk down Pennsylvania Avenue and pound on the front door and say get off the frickin’ exercise bike Junya, we’re here to talk.

No more b.s. Bring our troops home. Alive. Whole. And Start Now.

Demand better. Be better.

Oh, Donald, a fact free rebuttal. So very sad. Best of luck to your class — they could probably use it. As for name-calling? Well, I call it as you earn it…

Biodun @ 98

Re Petraeus:

Two or three things you need to know about him:

He is “widely regarded as one of the brightest soldiers of his generation”[3] and has been described as “brilliant” by retired four-star Gen. Barry McCaffrey[4]. Newsweek also noted of Petraeus, “Leadership is always a bit of a confidence game. Project authority, display ability and power, and others will follow. Few do this as well as Petraeus.”[5]

(snip)

Described by one former subordinate as “the most competitive man on earth,”

That’s why I think calling him Betray-us serves the anti-war movement poorly. Misguided though he may be, the General is just a loyal soldier following his commander in chief.

Calling the President “Clusterfuck”..well, that’s another matter entirely.

From the Government Accounting Office report to Congressional Research Service report to the report by General Jones, it is clear that there has been no political reconciliation overall in Iraq or increased security, despite our military’s strongest efforts. From Admiral Fallon to Admiral Mullen, those above General Petraeus in the chain of command are telling the president that this war is hurting our military and our global security.

Nice set of facts listed there, Christy, from all kinds of sources, with all kinds of degrees and titles to go with them.

Rev. Dr. Peterr

raven @ 38

Christy Hardin Smith @ 35

Donald at 25 — Soltz is a veteran of the Iraq war. And you are, what, sitting there eating your cheetoes?

Like I said above, he’s an assistant professor from Orange County.

Long Beach ain’t OC. From OC, but works in LA County. I also presume he means California State University at Long Beach.

Strange.

I can’t see where being a professor is a disqualification for being either biassed (Ghu knows we’ve seen enough of those on both sides of everything) or a troll. He also needs to learn to use spelling and grammar checkers.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 106

Biodun — He is very bright. And he’s assembled an incredibly sharp team around him, some of whom are officers who have been highly critical of operations to date and frequently had run-ins with Rummy’s boys at the Pentagon. He’s a formidable commander, and very hyper-competitive from everything I have heard about him. And none of that makes Iraq any less of a mess on the ground at the moment…

Sounds just like Enron.

oddmommy @ 77

“whose checking?”

apparently not the hiring committee at this Orange County institute of higher education. For rudimentary spelling skills.

*g*

Kathleen @ 103

Biodun @ 98

Re Petraeus:

Two or three things you need to know about him:

How smart can you be if you dated Judy Miller? How smart can you be if you are carrying water for the Bush administration?

he’s a salesman alright…

“America… just a nation of two hundred million (sic) used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable.”

~ Hunter S. Thompson

too fucking bad GenPet don’t know right from wrong!

loyal soldier-I think not. His loyalty-his oath-is to the constitution and he is betraying it

Peterr — Yes, I know — have been writing about all of this for weeks. But Dr. Cherry-Pick The Facts isn’t interested in any real information, now is he?

hackworth @ 101

Hans Blix dutifully reported on the progress he made in inspecting Iraq for WMD’s as the build up in the gulf transpired.

Even after the invasion, when no WMD’s were ever found, Saddam could have been given a raise and reinstalled. It would have been better that a fractured state of sub states run by angry Muslim Clerics.

That’s how it will play out no matter when the Americans leave, that is unless the Americans stay forever.

Since that wasn’t done, it shows that the reasons cited for going to war remain fake. Bush wanted to show his Dad how tough he is by getting revenge. Cheney wanted to get oil and get more rich. Honestly, neither of them cares about the deaths and destrucion they have caused.

CHS:

Re: Petraeus. Yep. Smart. The team he assembled around himself is full of doctorates like himself. But I remember what my mom once told me: Being very smart doesn’t exempt one from being a prick.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 117

Peterr — Yes, I know — have been writing about all of this for weeks. But Dr. Cherry-Pick The Facts isn’t interested in any real information, now is he?

Yes.

Another edition of Simple Answers to Simple Questions. (h/t Atrios)

Biodun @ 119

CHS:

Re: Petraeus. Yep. Smart. The team he assembled around himself is full of doctorates like himself. But I remember what my mom once told me: Being very smart doesn’t exempt one from being a prick.

My father used the term educated idiot for folks like that.

As I’ve said before, Christy: Your patience is quite admirable. Teaching civil liberties is hilarious! Poor students.

Tony Snow: “If it was a success, the troops would be coming home…”

Douglas, you ignorant blogwhore!

“I intend to rebut such nihilist projects through my “Blog Watch” series.””

So, the all-seeing eye of Douglas focuses in on FDL and you see…wait for it…nihilism!

A pimp and a prostitute, too!

You missed your calling, baby! You should have been a rain-maker!

Peterr @ 104

Biodun @ 46

NYTimes editorial page director Andrew Rosenthal reacts to the deaths of two of the soldiers who wrote the NYTimes op-ed piece.

But where’s the story in the NYTimes, folks?

They’ll get it out in a Friedman Unit or so.

I’ve been bringing up the name of Bill Keller a lot recently. The NYT reflects his priorities as executive editor and I think it is important to note that Keller’s hawkish views spill over into how stories on the war are or are not covered. I think it is important to name names.

So I congratulate Andrew Rosenthal for his actions and condemn Keller for his.

Greetings all, back again.

Well, I see you’ve had wee Donald visitin’ today …

What was it (forgive the liberties)? “A
foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of
(complacent) little minds …”

Sad wee chappie, his mind, in its splendid
entirety, is all made up.

Like the notorious Liberty Lee, it is not discussion such folk seek, merely an opportunity to spout.

Could someone clarify for me whether 3 of the 7 have died, or 2?

pb @ 111

Long Beach City College, I think. At least they have a PoliSci instructor named Donald Douglass. At a junior college, a teacher with a doctorate doesn’t speak well of ability.

Hugh @ 125

Peterr @ 104

They’ll get it out in a Friedman Unit or so.

I’ve been bringing up the name of Bill Keller. The NYT reflects his priorities has executive editor and I think it is important to note that Keller’s hawkish views spill over into how stories on the war are or are not covered. I think it is important to name names.

So I congratulate Andrew Rosenthal for his actions and condemn Keller for his.

It says something that Rosenthal’s views had to come out via Editor and Publisher, while at the NYT . . . *crickets*

LS @ 127

Could someone clarify for me whether 3 of the 7 have died, or 2?

Two died last night.
A third had already been injured by the time the original article was published, last month. From what I heard at the time, he was expected to survive.

btw, all, I updated the post above with a Rush Limbaugh low-light. Enjoy…

Biodun @ 119

CHS:

Re: Petraeus. Yep. Smart. The team he assembled around himself is full of doctorates like himself. But I remember what my mom once told me: Being very smart doesn’t exempt one from being a prick.

What a great mom!

LS @ 127

Could someone clarify for me whether 3 of the 7 have died, or 2?

One was hit before the article came out, I don’t know if he died or not. The other 2 were killed in the truck wreck that killed 7. The died so this moron Dr Douglass could do his research.

Re: the “taking the oath issue”

On NPR, interviewing ???, discussing the ethics of the military testifying–

No question P was put in a squeeze, had to walk a very fine line between personal and professional. Ethically obligated to speak the truth, but always going to follow administration policy. my bold

Didn’t ask why they weren’t sworn, of course.

O/T and I apologize if it has been mentioned before:

Dennis Kucinich is kicking ass and taking names on the Ed Schultz show for the next hour and 45.

LS @ 127

Could someone clarify for me whether 3 of the 7 have died, or 2?

As I understand it. 2 have died. One was shot in the head while the group was writing it but he is still alive. Very, very sad.

Biodun @ 122

As I’ve said before, Christy: Your patience is quite admirable. Teaching civil liberties is hilarious! Poor students.

Wasn’t it in CA that students complained about being abused by teachers for expressing their left wing views?

mc @ 109

Biodun @ 98

Re Petraeus:

Two or three things you need to know about him:

That’s why I think calling him Betray-us serves the anti-war movement poorly. Misguided though he may be, the General is just a loyal soldier following his commander in chief.

Calling the President “Clusterfuck”..well, that’s another matter entirely.

If my memory serves me well, didn’t we have trials in Nuremberg to address commanders who “just followed orders” to excuse terrible things they did during war time? I can understand Petraeus taking full responsibility for his choices but he cannot hide behind “just following orders” as an excuse. For that matter, no one can be they military or civilian.

Sad wee chappie, his mind, in its splendid
entirety, is all made up.

heh heh. Yep, all 3 neurons of it.

I have long known that lawyers can be stupid. I used to think that doctors (medical), couldn’t be stupid….but was corrected of that misconception by a physician I know. Never though much about doctors of philosophy, but now that’s settled too.

Boys and girls….is there ANY profession for which not being stupid is a necessary condition?

Oh, I know….President of the United States!

Fresh thready goodness, up and ready for the reading.

sorry - I first posted 3 of 7, I thought the poor fellow shot prior to publication had not made it.

Send good luck to the rest of the courageous authors…they may need it.

Dennis Kucinich has been given a three hour appearance on the Ed Schultz show. He has been hitting home-runs, one after another.

New thread upstairs.

Donald Douglas @ 25

There has been “no political reconciliation overall in Iraq or increased security, despite our military’s strongest efforts.”

You’re quoting this? John Soltz (never heard of him) is obviously a hack! Anbar has been a huge success, a bottom up effort that will redound to the benefit of the regime.

And no increased security? You guys ought to quit those late-night FDL bong hits! Man, you’re stretching. This almost as bad as MoveOn.org.

Any good indicators mean bad news for you guys - what nihilism!

Go back to reading your favorite book about rabbits and all the other neocon trash…The Fountainhead? Atlas Shrugged?

Anbar is such a success that the very day Bush was there four Marines were killed by an IED.

John Stoltz actually served his country with distinction and if you’ve never heard of him it’s because your head is yoo far up Limbaugh’s ass or his name doesn’t appear in Watership Down anywhere.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as a favorite movie…there’s an analogy in there somewhere. Two criminals robbing every bank they can find surrounded by the police and army troops figure they can just make them all go away by thinking it and they go into something without a plan for getting our.

Too bad faux conservatives cannot accept lack of success for what it is…lack of success.

So much for the liberal professors in California.

BTW associate professor in a CC or a real college?

This little ditty came to me today, it’s gospel-based “call and response” style* hymn:

When our troops were in Iraq-land,
Bring our soldiers home!
Opressed by their Suppreme Command,
Bring our soldiers home!

Go down, (Go down) Congress, (Congress)
Way down in DC-land,
And tell old (tell old) Bush&Co (Bush&Co)
To bring our soldiers home!

To the tune of “Let My People Go”

Oh, and FYI, Warner used to be Secretary of the Navy, after serving in the Navy in WWII and in the Korean conflict as a Marine. I can see how outer wingnuttia would find his views — as opposed to President Short Attention Span’s — completely without foundation. Ahem.

raven @ 22

LS @ 16

“According to Fox News, the United States has crafted an Iran bombing plan.”

http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0912.html

Seems like we recycle this, they have a plan to bomb everywhere, that’s what they do.

Every branch of the US military that has air strike capability has bombing plans and those plans include countries supposedly friendly to us.”

Having plans is good strategy, using them, not so much…

mc said:

That’s why I think calling him Betray-us serves the anti-war movement poorly. Misguided though he may be, the General is just a loyal soldier following his commander in chief.

I agree - that just raises a side issue for the repugs to point to - as witness their attempts during the hearings - which, I understand Petraeus ignored. Let’s stick to the important points here, fun as those puns can be among ourselves.

Calling the President “Clusterfuck”..well, that’s another matter entirely

.

mc - with that I agreee wholeheartedly!

At least Shays isn’t trying to hide from the truth. It’s about the Oil .

So let’s change the discussion to the reality that oil is heroin for our economy, because until we get this, we can’t change it. Ceraintly the delusional messianic oilpatch idiots that got us into this mess aren’t going to change anything. Why would they?

Let’s not kid ourselves, if we’re leaving Iraq’s oil alone, we are giving to the Iranians who are going to sell it to China. So what are we going to do, invade Venezuela?

Why not just send Exxon-Mobil the Blackwater Security bill, and convert the economy directly to blood. Less people would die.

I guess I’m over my bout of “outrage fatigue”.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 145

Oh, and FYI, Warner used to be Secretary of the Navy, after serving in the Navy in WWII and in the Korean conflict as a Marine. I can see how outer wingnuttia would find his views — as opposed to President Short Attention Span’s — completely without foundation. Ahem.

Webb was Sec. of the Navy as well.

Ask Chris Dodd to filibuster Levin-Reed.

Kathleen @ 96

Watching the whole Rev. Lennox Yearwood at You Tube arrest is telling. What the hell did this guy do? Dressed in a suit, standing in line?

He was arrested for really following the teachings of Jesus. He cared too much about his fellow man.

“I’m particularly interested in dissecting and challenging radical, antiwar bloggers.”

Won’t be long, and even these stupid rednecks willhave to drop the word “radical” from their anti-left-blog vocabulary, because every day “we” become more mainstream.

And we are well past the point of equal numbers, I would guess “The Blogs” ceased being “radical” long ago, but the MSM and the wingnut media don’t weant to admit it.

kdh22 @ 21

Oklahoma kiddo @ 17

… Seems like all hell’s about to break loose. Shrub and Chee-Knee are smiling no doubt. …

A few days in a row the Dems looked aggressive and seemed ready to call for an end to the Iraq war. Now, Republicans are smiling all around and many Dems are dour. I wonder if Bush & Co. laid some nasty anti-Iran “intelligence” on the Dems to shut ‘em up.

Man, I got you guys going! Sheesh!

I like this one the best, at 128:

Long Beach City College, I think. At least they have a PoliSci instructor named Donald Douglass. At a junior college, a teacher with a doctorate doesn’t speak well of ability.

P.J. Evans: That’s one “s” there on Douglas, but I’m sure you too like the misspellings so you can call me an “ass.” That’s just pure brilliance.

Is that all you got? Attacks on my credentials? There’s no question of ability, about which you know nothing. But hey, ad hominem attacks are easy, right?

I’m proud of what I do and who I am. I’m also proud of my students. Instructors like myself obviously have infinitely more concern for the disadvantaged than such supposed “progressive” types like you (if I may call you such from your habituation on this blog).

“Junior college?” No one uses such a term in academe and hopes to be taken seriously.

And at 125, I’m a “blogwhore?” What’s with all the name calling? This post is junk - a bunch of partisan name-calling. I called you guys out!

Look at all the attacks on me. For what, actually supporting the mission in Iraq, and respecting Petraeus for integrity and commitment?

If we go into the primary caucuses and primaries split between various liberal or progressive candidates, then Clinton and Obama win. They are only two candidates and don’t split up the more conservative Dem vote so much. Of course, one of them will be out at some point and then it will be what, 5 liberal/progressive Dems splitting their vote against one conservative Dem?

Edwards for President — One Progresive Democrat speaking for Everyone!

LS @ 88

From Donald D’s blog: Bwahahahahaha

“I’m starting a new blogging series with this post. The series is entitled “Blog Watch,” and it will provide periodic commentary on varous blogs - big and small - that raise compelling issues of political importance or those that pose particular ideological challenges.

Here’s what I plan to do: Every few weeks or so I’ll put up a post commenting on a political blog that I see raising significant questions involving style, analysis, and ideological orientation. I’m particularly interested in dissecting and challenging radical, antiwar bloggers. As I mentioned in my inaugural post, I’m disgusted with rampant anti-Americanism, and especially that found in the left wing blogosphere. I intend to rebut such nihilist projects through my “Blog Watch” series.”

BTW DD, you misspelled “various” in the third line. ;>

And I doubt that Mr. Douglass sees any irony at all in his later reaction to a person that HE booted off his blog site. He immediately posts something on this site that is insulting and confrontational and yet he whinges about being called out upon his stand defending torturing untried and unconvicted “enemy combatants”.

“Dave came to my blog one day out of the blue (no pun intended) and left a stinging attack on my posts. I told him that he’d have to write something intelligent, and quit with the name-calling, or I’d ban him. I did respond to his later remarks with thoughfulness - even friendliness - but he ended up going ballistic, denouncing me as a fascist.

He became so frustrated in his sheer impotence in rebutting my points intelligently (I had made the case for the American use of torture in handling enemy combatants), he ended up going over to my entry on RateMyProfessors.com (http://ratemyprofessors.com/) to leave a bogus review of my class.”

Actually the respondant pointed out that Douglass was a right-wing pro-war zealot. I would have gone further and said that he is a pompous, self-important individual and that students should read his blog to see his attitude about students with family and personal problems, as well as a host of OTHER issues.

peanutbutter @ 111

raven @ 38

Like I said above, he’s an assistant professor from Orange County.

Long Beach ain’t OC. From OC, but works in LA County. I also presume he means California State University at Long Beach.

Strange.

Actually Donald Kent Douglass teaches the basic US Government class at LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE (LBCC). He doesn’t teach any upper division classes. LBCC is a community college.

I can’t find anything more about his academic background. Community Colleges generally don’t have a status called “Assistant Professor”. There are Instructors and Professors. I suspect that Donald is the former, as he doesn’t seem to serve on any institutional committees, as a full-time Professor would. The requirements for teaching as an instructor at a Community College can be as low as an in-progress M.A.

cinnamonape said:

Actually the respondant pointed out that Douglass was a right-wing pro-war zealot. I would have gone further and said that he is a pompous, self-important individual and that students should read his blog to see his attitude about students with family and personal problems, as well as a host of OTHER issues.

I’m not surprised you’d defend Dave from the Blue Voice. But the record is clear: The guy’s impotent and took out his frustrations on RateMyProfessors.com by calling me a fascist.

If you’re going to cite my blog, at least demonstrate you’ve got enough brains and honesty to get it right. (You might start by showing where I allegedly attack people with personal issues.)

I’d also point out your complete ignorance about community college professional titles. At my school all faculty members are identified as “instructors” for their first four years of probationary status. After that time, faculty are eligible for the titles of “assistant professor,” “associate professor,” and “professor,” and the eligibility for professional assignments depends on years of service and levels of educational attainment (M.A., Ph.D., etc).

I’m an associate professor, and you can check with human resources at my campus if you’re so obsessed with it.

I must say though that the present propensity for attacking one’s credentials demonstrates the utterly weak intellectual firepower of those commenting.

I seemed to have broken into a little Bush-bashing love-fest, and folks are looking desperately for anything to smear me.

I’d note, again, that I’ve never seen my name misspelled so many times. These kiddies just love seeing “ass” at the end of my last name.

Grow up folks. My criticism was on this post’s continued attacks on Petraeus, which remind me of MoveOn’s.

Have you people no shame?