Wow, there is so much going on today. It appears that more lies are being exposed. Not only did they lie about the WMD it appears they lied about Iraq being able to pay for the reconstruction, Report Offered Bleak Outlook About Iraq Oil. Here is an excerpt:

The task force, which was based at the Pentagon as part of the planning for the war, produced a book-length report that described the Iraqi oil industry as so badly damaged by a decade of trade embargoes that its production capacity had fallen by more than 25 percent, panel members have said.

Despite those findings, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz told Congress during the war that "we are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon."

I love Wolfowitz he should be nicknamed "The Foot" because he sticks his foot in his mouth even more than the President.

Although this administration will never openly admit a mistake it is clear that is what this is, White House to Overhaul Iraq and Afghan Missions. They take all reconstruction power away from Rumsfeld and give it to the NSC and what has transpired was not wrong it's just there has now been, in Condoleezza's words, "a recognition by everyone that we are in a different phase now". What a joke. As we can now see all the pre-war assumptions were wrong and we are in deep and this is there latest attempt to save themselves.

Don't forget all the reports we've been hearing about how the press is just reporting the bad in Iraq and not the good. Well, I don't buy it, but even if I did how can you ignore stories like these: INSIDE THE SUNNI TRIANGLE, Iraqi raids fostering fresh enemies Once-supportive, critical villagers now openly Anti-American, Goodwill Suffers During a Pay Protest in Baghdad. Now in both of these articles it tells about how bad the conditions are in and around Baghdad. Things may be better in the North and South but that is just because they have been given more autonomy and there is less US presence. I feel very bad for the Iraqi people because they have been suffering for so long. I also feel very sorry for our troops that have been put in an impossible situation that was completely avoidable.

All of this and I haven't even gotten to the leak news yet. First the hypocrisy, Critics See White House Double Standard on Leaks. Then just the utter disregard for right and wrong, Fair Game. David Corn, one of the first to break the story, with and update, Of Lies and Leaks: Bush Threatened By New Revelations. I could go on for days posting links about this. So check these out and if you still want to read more just do a Google search on something like, "Wilson, Plame, leak".

I have to say something about Texas redistricting. For the latest go to Off The Kuff. Read this, Bickering may blow spot in Super Tuesday primaries for Texas. I have a take on this tidbit:

"If the primary is moved from March 2, Texas Democrats will have no voice in who will be the nominee of the Democratic Party," said state House Democratic Chairman Jim Dunnam of Waco.

Dunnam said most candidates will have been winnowed out of the race either before or on March 2.

"I'd like to have a voice in who is going to oppose George Bush," Dunnam said.

Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, described moving the primary as un-American.

"That's something that happens in other places," Coleman said. "We don't move elections in the United States of America to make room for power grabs."

Other than that last part about moving elections lets think about this for a minute. Why do you think it is all of the sudden taking the Republicans so long to agree on a map? Well how does payback sound. For all the stalling the Democrats did we will move the primary and take away their ability to play a serious role in selecting a Presidential candidate. Maybe I'm going a little too far with this. Although, if they all of the sudden come up with a compromise once the primary is moved it might be worth remembering. (See FDR quote above).

Here are a couple on my pet peeve, the 9/11 (non)investigation: (Notice both of these were in British papers).
-Michael Moore, Answers please, Mr Bush.
-Why isn't the truth out there?


- posted by Mom/Dad @ 8:04 AM