Al Gore, Iraq, Afghanistan, The Media and what Bush has done for abortion
Al Gore gave a great speech yesterday (text or video). It's a long speech but he does an excellent job of laying out how this Administration willingly and knowingly intended to deceive the American people on all of its decisions since taking power.

I did not accuse the president of intentionally deceiving the American people, but rather, noted the remarkable coincidence that all of his arguments turned out to be based on falsehoods. But since that time, we have learned that, in virtually every case, the president chose to ignore and indeed often to suppress, studies, reports and facts that were contrary to the false impressions he was giving to the American people. In most every case he chose to reject information that was prepared by objective analysts and rely instead on information that was prepared by sources of questionable reliability who had a private interest in the policy choice he was recommending that conflicted with the public interest.

Not just Iraq and foreign policy but economic and social issues and everything else. Whether you voted for him last time or not the speech it worth it. This part on Chalabi along is worth it:

In another example, we now know that two months before the war began, Bush received two detailed and comprehensive secret reports warning him that the likely result of an American-led invasion of Iraq would be increased support for Islamic fundamentalism, deep division of Iraqi society with high levels of violent internal conflict and guerilla warfare aimed against U.S. forces. Yes, in spite of these analyses, Bush chose to suppress the warnings and instead convey to the American people the absurdly Polyanna-ish view of highly questionable and obviously biased sources like Ahmad Chalabi, the convicted felon and known swindler, who the Bush administration put on its payroll and gave a seat adjacent to Laura Bush at the State of the Union address. They flew him into Baghdad on a military jet with a private security force, but then decided the following year he was actually a spy for Iran, who had been hoodwinking President Bush all along with phony facts and false predictions.

Iraq News:
This article, The Strategy to Secure Iraq Did Not Foresee a 2nd War, shows how the administration and the Defense Department came up with the post-war plan for Iraq. No matter that the State Department already had a plan that had worked in the Bosnia/Kosovo war. But that plan had a major flaw. It was used by the previous administration so therefore it could not be used.
It appears Fallujah has turned into one of the mainstreet scenes in an old western. When everyone clears off the street and hides to watch the battle. Fallujans flee from US, Zarqawi fight
We are training the Iraqi National Guard(ING), they are living amongst our soldiers and they are double agents. So there is deep mistrust between American troops and Iraqi soldiers they are training. I'm sure that makes for a good working relationship.
How's the planning for the upcoming Iraqi election coming you ask? It looks like the UN will be understaffed and the Iraqis will handle it, Limited U.N. Role Hinders Iraq Vote
But the big question is will there be any Iraqis left alive to vote? Not if this pace keeps up, How Many Iraqis Are Dying? By One Count, 208 in a Week.

Afghanistan Update:
Things are not as they seem or shall we say as the media what them to seem, Bush triumphalism masks mission unaccomplished in Afghanistan: analysts.

More on the media and its Orwellian Twist on the Campaign. An American loses his job for speaking out, Sinclair Broadcast Group's Washington bureau chief, Jon Leiberman, says he's been fired for his public criticism of the company's plans...

This story tells us that a person's financial situation influences their decision making process. And tells us Why abortion rate is up in Bush years.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 9:50 AM