Paul Krugman. Fistfuls of Dollars.

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo explains what the new explanation about WMD will be.

If this wasn't so true it would be funny. How To Start A War In Iraq.

Seen this yet? Voting industry insiders hold secret meeting to hire PR firm to sell electronic voting to public. A little something to go along with this--I couldn't make stuff up like this. Voting machine controversy.

And so it goes....GI Killed, 6 Hurt in Separate Iraq Attacks.

This can't be good either. Bomb Explosion Reported in Najaf.

These people are amazing! Top Pentagon adviser (criminal) Perle admits key blunder in Iraq war planning.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:29 AM

 
People always say how September 11th changed everything. I find that to be a convenient excuse to change everything: To change the way we go about seeking change in our country and around the world. To take away freedoms in our country. To demonize people who do not go along with the current administration. To bankrupt our economy. To hide any controversy behind the excuse of national security.

Currently, one of my biggest problems with is when a proponent of this war is questioned about whether this administration lied us into war the hawk of the moment always tries to justify it by saying, "Well don't you think Saddam was a bad guy and Iraq is better off without him?" This is said to justify lying about a bad guy to kill thousands of people (notice I said "people", not "American soldiers"). In essence, they are saying that when we deem someone to be a bad guy we do not have to tell the people of this country the truth to justify using/wasting taxpayer money and soldiers lives. Is that not an outrage? We will lie to you and if found out, we will rationalize it by saying we had to lie to you for your own good.

Another thing I hear people say all the time is that now were there so we can just leave. This is true. So what is the best and probably easiest way to get out and make sure Iraq is a stable place in the shortest amount of time, (if that is really our goal)? As I wrote earlier this week, most people believe the best thing to do is internationalize the effort. When people talk about exit strategies and the like, they usually don't speak about what is best for the Iraqi people. They usually speak about what will keep America safe--as if they are the same thing. They might be, but it is also possible that they aren't. So what is best for the Iraqi people? I'm not exactly sure, but it probably isn't the same thing that is best for Halliburton, Bechtel, WorldCom, and all the other Bush campaign contributors who are there making billions. My guess would be to internationalize this as much as possible, especially with people from Arab nations, and get the water and electricity working ASAP.

I think it was the other day when a talking head again compared this struggle to World War II or the Cold War, saying that this may last as long as the Cold War--45 years. I had to ask myself whether I believed that to be true. I also asked myself how many of my fellow citizens believe that as well. Do the people of this country see this as a life and death struggle, that if we do not win we will all have to convert to Islam or die? I am not sure that this case was ever seriously made to the American people. If this is such an important fight, shouldn't we be asked to sacrifice for the cause? Shouldn't the people of this country be willing, and asked, to sacrifice time and money for the cause? Especially those with the most to give? Instead we get tax cuts for the rich, advice to go shopping to help the economy, and so on. My father, who was a 12 years old when WWII ended, has talked many times about the sacrifices that were made then. Rationing of tires, coffee, sugar, and many other things we take for granted now a days. This is another reason I don't take this seriously. If this was such a life and death struggle they wouldn't be afraid of taking away comforts. Instead, they worry that if things go too bad, they might not get reelected. They are not worried about winning the war; they are worried about holding onto their jobs!

So to try and sum up: When confronted with their lies, they change the subject. When challenged with the facts they, call people traitors. So what does that tell you us? It tells me that if the American people knew the truth they would not be happy and that if the people did this (mis)administration would be lucky to get off only with impeachment.

Duh. Bremer: Iraq Effort to Cost Tens of Billions.

Duh, again. Halliburton's Deals Greater Than Thought.

I'm surprised someone finally said it! Lott -- "cut domestic programs to fund Iraq".

The latest on the WMD's. U.S. Suspects It Received False Iraq Arms Tips.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 9:47 AM

 
This is my new favorite quote:

In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Today as I look over the news it is stunning what I see. We now, after our pre-war actions, can't even get help from the UN in Iraq. Many people believe that a multi-national force is the only chance there is for a peaceful solution in Iraq. These countries will not join us because we will not allow them to control their own troops. From what I understand what these countries want is for their troops not to be commanded by the US. Would US leaders let French commanders control ours? Hell no! So, back to what happened before the war. We are now asking for support from all the countries we offended as being appeasers. The most astonishing thing about this is that they are still willing to hlep us (there must be a whole lot of oil in Iraq!). All we have to do is give them a few concessions. But as this article shows we are not about to do that, Accord still beyond reach for UN resolution on Iraq:

"I think it is clear from the hesitancy on the US part that they would have to give up some power in running Iraq," said Stephen Schlesinger, director of the World Policy Institute at the New School University in New York. "They simply feel we sent the troops in there, we defeated [Saddam Hussein], and we are not going to let anyone participate in the rebuilding process unless they do it on our terms. It's very shortsighted."

Another article on this topic has an interesting paragraph as well, U.S. May Not Seek U.N. Support on Troops:

Powell had hoped that outrage over the devastating bombing of the U.N. compound in Iraq last Tuesday would make the council amenable to a resolution explicitly welcoming such a step.

One of those conspiracy theorists might believe that this is a convenient excuse for seeking UN support. Who was resonsible for the bomb blast at UN headquarters in Iraq? Well ask those who are in charge of security in Iraq. Gee, I wonder who Rumsfeld will blame this on?

It appears that Tony is in serious trouble. Ex-government official Clare Short is hitting him hard again, It's official - Saddam was not an imminent threat. She makes it pretty clear that Blair lied before the war about the 45 minutes:

We know through emails revealed by Hutton that Tony Blair's chief of staff made clear that the dossier was likely to convince those who were prepared to be convinced, but that the document "does nothing to demonstrate he [Saddam Hussein] has the motive to attack his neighbours, let alone the west. We will need to be clear in launching the document that we do not claim that we have evidence that he is an imminent threat. The case we are making is that he has continued to develop WMD since 1998, and is in breach of UN resolutions. The international community has to enforce those resolutions if the UN is to be taken seriously."

The saddest part of this article is when she writes about what could have been:

If there was no imminent threat, then Dr Blix could have been given the time he required. He may well have succeeded in ending all Iraq's WMD programmes - just as he succeeded in dismantling 60-plus ballistic missiles. Then sanctions could have been lifted and a concentrated effort made to help the people of Iraq end the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein - just as we did with Milosevic in Serbia.

Or if Blix had failed, we would have been in the position President Chirac described on March 10, when the issue would have come back to the security council. And in Chirac's view, this would have meant UN authorisation of military action.

The tragedy of all this is that if we had followed Jonathan Powell's conclusion, and the UK had used its friendship with the US to keep the world united on a UN route, then, even if it had come to war, a united international community under a UN mandate would almost certainly have made a better job of supporting Iraq's reconstruction. In this scenario the armed forces would have concentrated on keeping order; the UN humanitarian system would have fixed the water and electricity systems; Sergio Vieira de Mello, as Kofi Annan's special representative, would have helped the Iraqis to install an interim government and begin a process of constitutional change, as the UN has done in Afghanistan; and the World Bank and IMF would have advised the Iraqi interim authority on transparent economic reform, rather than a process of handover to US companies.

As I said earlier most people believe a multi-natioinal force would have made things considerably easier. Not paradise mind you but much better than it has gone so far. Why did we have to go then? Can you remember? He was an iminent threat. Another pre-war justification down the drain.

Analysis: Is 'Perfect Storm' Brewing for Bush?

GAO Cites Corporate Shaping of Energy Plan.

U.S. Passes Grim Milestone In Iraq.

I had to add this. The Air Is Thick With Lies. As well as this, EPA Misled Public on 9/11 Pollution
White House ordered false assurances on air quality, report says.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:46 AM

 
I'm Back!!!

On August 5th my wife gave birth to our second child, Grace Ann. Since then I have not had much time to spend scouring the internet for articles to link to the blog. I was lucky to get an hour or so 3 or 4 days a week. I, unfortunately, was getting much of my news from the TV. It reinforced what I already knew, that what you get on TV is much different from what is on the internet. Not much changed over the three week span. I shouldn't be surprised, it was only three weeks.

More dead (many different coutries soldiers as well as others), more lies exposed [HERE] [HERE].

Here is the transcript from a public panel hosted by Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA), on the intelligence problems?!

I think the best thing that I came across the whole time I was gone was Al Gore's speech at Moveon.org on August 7th. You've probably already seen it but if you haven't read it.

I thought these guys had been destroyed? Taliban fighters killed in Afghanistan.

Soctt Ritter on WMD, A Weapons Cache We'll Never See. Now as you know I'm no conspiracy theorist but do you think Saddam's receipts from Bechtel were in these documents?

Contribute If You Can. Contribute to MoveOn.org's "Defend Democracy" Campaign. Here is the description:

Please help make our "Defend Democracy" ad campaign possible to show Majority Leader Delay and Texas Republican officials that all of America is watching what they are doing. Let's show Texas Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that there are political consequences for doing Tom Delay's Congressional dirty work in Texas. Please support our television ad campaign to let all Texans know exactly what their politicians are up to.

Sounds good to me!

This is another one you might already have seen but it is hilarious! Obituary backs 'removal of Bush' Woman 'thought he was a liar'. Here is my favorite quote, "Oh, Bush, he's such a whistle ass!"
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 9:48 AM

 
In the coming weeks my families life will be changing. With the birth of our second child, August 5th if not sooner, we will start a new chapter. My wife will no longer work outside the home. Which will change our household structure, we believe making life better for us all. I will be off work for the next three weeks to help with the adjustment. At this time I am being optomistic and hope to post each day, though I'm not sure right now what time of day I will be able to do so. I am also hoping to have some time to work on a few subjects more in depth as well as getting more involved in the political process. I will be checking my e-mail regularly so feel free to contact me.

I cannot stress enough that the only way we can change our current situation is to change our current leadership. Impeachment will not happen with our current Congress so the only way to do this is to vote them out next year. I will probably say this many times until then but it is not only important for you to vote but we each need to get at least 5 people to the polls who currently do not vote.

If things are a little rough on the page for a little while it could be becauase my editor has not looked at it. My wife does that for me. She can take my raw, passioinate words and turn them into something that almost resembles coherent writing and for that I am extemely greatful. This site helps me work through my frustrations about our current situation and hopefully to inform whoever reads this page. Now a few links.

The best American investigative reporter! The only problem is he lives in England, BUSH AND THE SAUDIS SITTIN' IN A TREE . . . KAY EYE ESS ESS EYE EN GEE. An hour long Carlyle Group expose from Palast.

News from the jobs front, JobForJohn.com. This is a great idea, here is the premise:

Hello, thanks for visiting my site, JobforJohn.com. Last Thursday, July 24th I was "downsized" from my job of 3 years at a software company.

Later the same day I heard that President Bush's economic team would be doing a bus tour through Wisconsin and Minnesota this week touting Bush's tax cut and its prosperous economic effects.

"What a bunch of BS. I'd like to give their PR tour a dose of reality," is what I thought. So I packed up the minivan and decided to follow their bus around the countryside and talk to whoever would listen about the real facts--that this economy stinks, and Bush's tax cuts are making it worse.

How can we stand for this? Editorial: Bait and switch / The neocon case for war in Iraq. More of the same, Global Eye -- Snuffed Candles.

One opinion, US Nobel Laureate Slams Bush Gov't as "Worst" in American History .

The corruption, Outrageous Bush Executive Order on Iraq Oil Must Be Investigated.


- posted by Mom/Dad @ 9:26 AM