George Lakoff – Oil and Betrayal in Iraq
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092007B.shtml
George Lakoff, writing for Truthout, states: “Think about what it means for our troops and for the people of Iraq. Our troops were told, and believed because they trusted their president, they were in Iraq to protect America, to protect their families, their homes, their friends and neighbors, our democracy. But they were betrayed. Those troops fought and died and were maimed and had their marriages break up for oil company profits.”
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Beck said he “enjoy[s] watching” Taser videos; O’Reilly rolled out “Don’t Taze me, bro!” bumper stickers
In segments on University of Florida student Andrew Meyer, who was shocked with a Taser by campus police, Glenn Beck asserted: “To me, Taser videos are a little like potato chips. I just can’t watch just one,” and Bill O’Reilly announced that “[a]nyone buying anything on BillOReilly.com will receive a ‘Don’t Taze me, bro!’ bumper sticker.”
Read more
http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200709200004?src=other
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180,000 Private Contractors Flood Iraq
Sep 19 2007
The United States has assembled an imposing industrial army in Iraq larger than its uniformed fighting force and responsible for a such a broad swath of responsibilities the military might not be able to operate without its private-sector partners. More than 180,000 Americans, Iraqis, and nationals from other countries work under a slew of federal contracts to provide security, gather intelligence, build roads, forge a financial system, and transport needed supplies in a country the size of California [destroy Iraq's infrastructure so that they can get paid to 'rebuild' it].
At:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iDcTMPwEWvQzIhTYTWFwHzFDyZ1A
From: CLG News
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Gates: ‘I Don’t Know’ If Iraq War Worth It
Sep 19 2007
It’s been an article of faith for the Bush administration that the invasion of Iraq was the right thing to do. However, the man now in charge of running that war said he is not sure. Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ stunningly candid answer came in an interview with New York Times columnist David Brooks. Asked if the invasion of Iraq was worth doing, Gates first rephrased the question: “If I’d known then what I know now, would I have done the same? I think the answer is, ‘I don’t know.’”
At:
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=3626377
From: CLG News
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Iraq Bases and the Korea Model: An “Enduring” Relationship
ZOLTAN GROSSMAN, grossmaz@evergreen.edu,
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz
Grossman is a geographer and faculty member at The Evergreen State College (Olympia, Wash.) and wrote the new article “The Korea Model Rationale for Staying in Iraq: An Endless Occupation?”
http://www.counterpunch.org/grossman09192007.html
He said today: “The ‘Korea Model’ is President Bush’s rationale for extending the U.S. occupation of Iraq from four years to four decades — or more. But comparing Iraq and Korea is like comparing apples and oranges. Unlike in Iraq, U.S. troops are not fighting against an insurgency in the streets and villages of South Korea. Iraq has been divided along ethnic and religious lines, whereas South Korea is one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries on Earth.
“Washington claims to promote ‘democracy’ in Iraq, but it backed a string of military dictatorships to secure control over South Korea. Most Iraqis have wanted U.S. troops to leave (and do not view
neighboring countries as a threat), whereas many South Koreans at least initially backed a U.S. presence as ‘protection’ from North Korean attack. But the South Korean public is increasingly questioning the U.S. military presence as prolonging the North-South divide, and are opposing the expansion of U.S. military bases that disrespect women and rural people.
“Rather than following a ‘Korea Model’ in Iraq, the U.S. seems to following a ‘Palestine Model,’ using checkpoints, walls and imprisonment to control an independence-minded population. Permanent (or ‘enduring’ in the Pentagon’s wordplay) U.S. military bases in Iraq will merely increase Iraqi resentment over the years, draw more U.S. troops into continuing internal conflicts, and ensure more instability and a harsher ‘blowback’ in the decades ahead.”
Grossman contributed to the Transnational Institute’s recently-released mapping of hundreds of foreign bases using Google Earth:
http://www.tni.org/detail_page.phtml?act_id=17252&menu=11e .
From: Institute for Public Accuracy
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Senate votes to do PR for MoveOn
Chamber rouses itself to condemn MoveOn ad, but not Swift Boat attacks or Cleland criticism.
more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/5945.html
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PETRAEUS: A FAILURE BY HIS OWN STANDARDS
By Larry Beinhart, AlterNet
Fog Facts: How can we expect the man who failed at doing just part of the job — training Iraqi soldiers — to succeed now that he has the whole job?
At:
http://www.alternet.org/audits/63179/
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Commentary: Bush fulfills H.L. Mencken’s prophecy
By Joseph L. Galloway McClatchy Newspapers
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
It took just eight decades but H.L. Mencken’s astute prediction on the future course of American presidential politics and the electorate’s taste in candidates came true:
On July 26th, 1920, the acerbic and cranky scribe wrote in The Baltimore Sun: “…all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most easily (and) adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum. The presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
My late good buddy Leon Daniel, a wire service legend for 40 years at United Press International dredged up that Mencken quote several years ago and found that it was a perfect fit for George W. Bush, The Decider. MSNBC’s Keith Olberman highlighted the same quote this week. A tip of the hat to both of them, and to Mencken.
The White House is now so adorned by Mencken’s downright moron, and has been for more than six excruciatingly painful years. It wouldn’t be so bad if the occupant had at least enough common sense to surround himself with smart, competent and honest advisers and listen to them. But he hasn’t.
…
Complete article at:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/19824.html
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Republican Corruption Didn’t End in 2006!
Sep 2, 2007
Republican Scandals in 2007
When Republicans were swept out of power in 2006, they blamed the Mark oley scandal for their losses and declared an end to Republican scandals.
So how’s that working out?
April 19, 2007: The FBI raids a business tied to the family of Republican Congressman Rick Renzi, as part of an investigation into his business dealings
Complete article at:
http://www.democrats.com/republican-scandals-2007
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Borowitz Report – Limerick Contest Winners
Petraeus Limerick Contest Winners
Several Contenders for Moveon.org’s Proposed Mean Poem
Yesterday the Borowitz Report reported that Moveon.org was planning a “really mean” limerick about General David Petraeus. According to the story, Moveon had composed the first four lines of the poem, but was stumped about the fifth and last line:
Hey there, General Petraeus
You should be called General Betray-us
Your views on Iraq
Are one big crock
(last line here)
Within minutes, The Borowitz Report was deluged with hundreds of submissions from readers offering a last line to Moveon.org’s mean limerick. While almost all of the submissions rhymed with “Petraeus” and some of them even made sense, here are the lines that the Borowitz Report has decided to forward to Moveon.org:
“Get us out before they fillet us.”
“Urging private contractors to slay us.”
“And when will the world pay us?”
From Shakespeare:
“This doth really dismay us.”
From Bob Barker:
“Don’t forget to neuter and spay us.”
And from Yoda:
“Please remove from this fray us.”
Andy and Judy Gold – September 26
“Next Week’s News with Andy Borowitz” returns to Caroline’s on Broadway for one night only on Wednesday, September 26 at 7 PM, with special guest, the hilarious Judy Gold! Caroline’s is located at 1626 Broadway. Tickets: 212-757-4100 or at www.ticketmaster.com .
Andy with Arianna Huffington and Mo Rocca – November 7
Andy headlines a special event for the New York Comedy Festival, “Countdown to ‘08: Only 363 Days Left.” Andy’s guests will include Arianna Huffington and Mo Rocca (The Daily Show). Wednesday, November 7 at 8 PM at the 92nd Street Y, located at 92nd Street and Lexington Ave. Tickets available at www.92y.org
http://www.borowitzreport.com/
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three thousand words
Monte Wolverton: The Light at the End of the Tunnel
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/WolveM/2007/WolveM20070917_low.jpg
Signe Wilkinson: sorry but we don’t accept any of those plans
http://img.slate.com/media/34/070920_ed.gif
David Horsey: campaign 2008 – the spouses’ debate
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20070921/cartoon20070921.gif
