Your weekly compilation of news you may or may not have seen or read regarding America’s most disastrous ridiculous war.
First, a moment of silence for local historian Walt Crowley and Essential Bakery founder Jeff Fairhall. I knew them both — principled progressives who died much too young this past week.
In Iraq, dying prematurely happens hundreds of times daily. But the killing of up to 25 Iraqi civilians by private Blackwater contractors set off a firestorm last week in both Baghdad and Washington. It also, not incidentally, showed just how irrelevant the Iraqi government is. Prime Minister Maliki immediately condemned the killings, yanked Blackwater’s operating license, and ordered its personnel to leave the country — a move which was summarily ignored by the U.S., as without private contractors our heavily privatized military effort would grind to a halt. (And besides, U.S. contractors are immune to Iraqi law.) But Iraqis were so enraged by the murders that U.S. personnel were confined to the Green Zone for four days anyway.
Less covered, but more significant, was the withdrawal last week of Moktada al-Sadr’s parliamentary allies from Maliki’s ruling coalition — not only splitting the Shiites, but leaving Maliki with less than half of parliament in his camp. Who’s left? The Kurds and the Shiite exile parties (SCIRI and Dawa) with little constituency in Iraq itself. If Iraq had a, you know, functioning government that followed the law, this would end Maliki’s rule; if you want to get all technical and stuff, without a ruling majority, his leadership (sic) is now illegal. But this won’t happen, for two reasons: first, Parliament rarely has a quorum, and second, the opposition can’t agree on anything anyway. Iraq’s “government” is a joke.
Also on that theme, the target date for Iraqi control of security forces was quietly pushed back again last week, from November 2007 to July 2008. It’s the second delay this year, and security forces are under Iraqi control in only seven of the 18 provinces. (Generally, the least violent ones.) Most Iraqis, as well as Gen. James Jones’ recent commission, have been calling for Iraqis to assume full control immediately.
More bad news in the “Iraqi Life Is Cheap” Dept.: Word last week that northern Iraq’s cholera epidemic, which has now struck some 5,000 people, has spread to both Baghdad and Basra, with first cases confirmed in both cities. Cholera is a disease that happens only when there’s no safe drinking water and the public health infrastructure has broken down completely — conditions more than met throughout Occupied Iraq.
In the “But Life Is Cheaper In D.C.” Dept., Congress continued showing its priorities last week, spending ample time debating the appropriateness of a newspaper ad while Republicans blocked measures to address the war itself. In the Senate, the Reid-Feingold bill to cut off funding in June 2008 failed 28-70 (Patty Murray voted yes, Maria Cantwell, no). The Senate also rejected Sen. Jim Webb’s bill to give troops equal time at home, 56-44, short of the 60 votes needed to break the Republican filibuster. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that even drawing down to 55,000 troops in Iraq (a proposal on nobody’s table), George Bush’s perpetual war would cost $25 billion a year, or up to two trillion dollars overall. Those numbers actually seem low. And the ever-busy Rep. Henry Waxman has a new target in his oversight investigations: State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard, who Waxman accuses of cover-ups in investigations of waste and fraud in private contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The organization representing Foreign Service diplomats has joined in, calling on Krongard to resign.
In the latest confirmation of just how bad the internal refugee crisis has become in Iraq, a Red Crescent report last week says that not only have two million people (one in 12 Iraqis) fled their homes in Iraq, but a staggering one million of those were in Baghdad alone. What does that mean? Ethnic cleansing. Baghdad was one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in Iraq; all those people have been leaving because death squads would no longer allow neighborhoods to be mixed. Sunnis have all but been driven out of Baghdad, part of the de facto partitioning of Iraq that has already happened, much of it while the escalation surge was supposed to be putting an end to the problem.
In the latest US attempt at provoking Iran, last week the US arrested an Iranian trade diplomat in northern Iraq and accused him of smuggling IEDs into the country. The Kurdish government, which was hosting the man, protested strongly, but to no avail. And in the week’s most surreal bit of Iran-bashing — I know this didn’t happen in Iraq, but it’s too good to pass up — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, set to be in New York this week for the opening of the U.N. General Assembly, was refused permission by the U.S. to lay a wreath at the World Trade Center. (In the wake of 9-11, there was an outpouring of support from both the Iranian public and its government — a measure of how things have changed in six years.) Why? Well, the request angered U.S. diplomats, who accused the Iranian leader of — gasp — “wanting to use Ground Zero as a photo-op.”
Well, if that’s the criteria…
And David Vitter got hisself 100k of pork to fund the teaching of creationism! And David Vitter got hisself 100k of pork to fund the teaching
There are some Americans (sic) who won’t admit the invasion of Iraq has been a total disaster. These people are of course the nutcases. This number of people is identical to the number of people that think Preznit Bush is doing a good job.
Supporting Bush today would be like supporting Hitler after the concentration camps were discovered…..
The more corpses the better right righties?
First, a moment of silence for local historian Walt Crowley and Essential Bakery founder Jeff Fairhall. I knew them both — principled progressives who died much too young this past week.
Hear hear. Gone but not forgotten. Well at least their votes still count.
Has anyone ever asked Vitter where he got all that money he paid the hooker. She claimed she was $300 a whack, and he visited her 3 times a week for many, many months.
Lobbyists money?
What I loved was Pat Buchanan trying to claim the “Cons” are morally superior to the Democrats on Hardball a couple weeks ago. Of course he couldn’t keep a straight face……
Thanks Geov! I have been watching and worrying about Riverbend, a young educated woman reporting about what life has been like in Baghdad for the last several years. Looks like she and her family managed to get out of there in the nick of time, thankfully. I appreciate your commentary and links.
Geov said: “gasp — “wanting to use Ground Zero as a photo-op.”
One poster in another message board I post in is having serious difficulty helping with her elderly Dad’s health & back problems. I remember when it started. Her Dad had fallen (turns out, had broken his back) during Hurricane Katrina. The secret service shut down her cul de sac for HOURS, not letting the residents OUT of their street or back in, so that shrub Bush could take his photo-op – of screwing in a lightbulb, while displaying his “support” of Katrina victims. Doctors weren’t readily available, took her days to manage to get her Dad into a doctor later, as a result. Now, her Dad is paying the price for the delayed medical attention.
“gasp — “wanting to use Ground Zero as a photo-op.” just seems so hypocritical but what else should America expect from this creepy administration anyways?
The Senate also rejected Sen. Jim Webb’s bill to give troops equal time at home, 56-44, short of the 60 votes needed to break……..
The democrat led congress will hit single digits before 2008. And you dems thought Bush’s approval ratings were bad. hehehehehe
Geov,
Why do you automatically assume that anyone who critisizes Blackwater is accurate/honest and that Blackwater is inaccurate/dishonest? Did it ever occur to you that those who might fire weapons at Blackwater (or anyone else for that matter) or anyone who supports such shooting might not be credible?
I don’t claim to know if they screwed up or not because I wasn’t there. If you were onsite and a witness why don’t you come forward and testify before Congress? Otherwise, why not shut the fuck up and let those who are there sort it out.
Dan rather
What is funny? Only a traitor would laugh while Americans dies on a mission none can define,. Shame on you.
Hey Rather. 10 U.S. soldiers died this week. One from our state. Gonna laugh some more?
There is a recruiter on 5th ave NE just east of the northgate mall.
Why don’t you go sacrifice all for Bush’s bloodlust? The will give you an extra $10,000 for the straight to Iraq whirlwind Boot Camp.
I will save a gravestone for you….
8 What the fuck difference would it make these days to tell Congress ANYTHING?
Oh, yeah….yanno what? Maybe you weren’t anywhere near the incident in question, but Maliki was. Trouble is, the poor sot isn’t anywhere near what really counts: the money.
Another interesting little happenstance last week was Pope Benedict blowing off Condoleeza Rice’s request for an audience. It cerainly ain’t because His Holiness isn’t concerned with matters in the Middle East–more likely that he doesn’t consider anything the Secretary of State of the United States of America would have to tell him to be relevant.
Did you ‘Wipers see Hilary yesterday on Meet the Depressed?
Let me ask, why do Moonbat!s running for congress perform triangulation.
Hilary claims “I didn’t vote to fund the war” – Russert yes you did many times.
Hilary claims “I will ask my Secretary of Defense to tell me the truth of whats happening on the ground” – But Hilary you said to General Petraeus you had to suspend reality. So do you really know or not?
Hilary claims “I will not fund the troops anymore” But Hilary you claimed as president you will not remove the troops immediately your first year. So how will you fund the troops if you don’t fund the troops?
Hilary claims “The shieks are working with us” – But Hilary you claimed you need to speak to your Secretary of Defense to get the truth, because you had to suspend reality when Petraeus said something similar.
So I ask Moonbat!s, since she’s leading Obama by 18% which is the correct Hilary position of the minute?
And this was just on Meet the Depressed.
Also Moonbat!s she went on Fox first and the other Sunday crybabies got upset she wasn’t showing them love she did the quinfecta.
Bats did you read:
“An Iraqi official conceded Sunday that Blackwater USA’s exit would create a ‘security vacuum’ in Baghdad and said U.S. and Iraqi officials were instead working on revamping regulations governing private security companies after a deadly shooting of civilians.”
Implementing Pelltmaker’s fair use clause.
http://www.topix.net/content/a.....y-vacuum-2
If anyone broke the law, prosecute them! But is you a donk, there is no way governing your behavior!
14 “If anyone broke the law, prosecute them!” Puddy, Bush, and Cheney committed treason by lying to the American People (and Congress) about Saddam’s nuclear weapons program, yellowcake, and WMD’s. So you are saying they should be prosecuted too?
So I take it you consider lying to start a war just fine right?
Bad intelligence right?
I can accept the fact that we were lied to, repeatedly, and anyone asking for the truth was attacked (Wilson), can you?
Geov ..
Why is ti that neother party d making Burma an issue?
It all depends on the Monks — by the way, most are gay.
Remember, in Vietnam when they started committing suicide by lighting themselves on fire?
That is power. Burma? Keep watching, change is in the air, go Monks.
@16…SJ…
Burma deserves more attention…as do a lot of other global hot-spots.
But 10,000 monks? The Beeb reported “hundreds.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asi.....004074.stm
And the WSJ had a good Op-Ed raising visibality and calling for more action… http://online.wsj.com/article/.....lenews_wsj
The Piper
Oww mi Gawd!!!
Nothing gets PuddyStupid going more than “uppity” women: Hillary, Code Pink, Rosie O’Donnell…
If they have the temerity to exercise their first ammendment rights or run for office, PuddyStupid feels threatened. When the right wing bullshit publications or websites get bent out of shape, that really seals the deal. PuddyFool follows like just another right-wing sheep.
Poor Puddy. Still on the Hsu kick PFollower?
Piper ..
Take a lok at my blog .. I have a number of links.
Yes, as far as other issues, but this is a very clean case where the “right thing to do” and strategic interests do not collide.
As for monks being gay, I doubt that very much. In Theravada strict celibacy is the rule. Moreover, unlike a priest, a monk is NOT a lifelong commitment to some deity. Many Teravada spend part of their lives as monks.
I suppose one reason the Christian Qaeda types would not support the monks is that they are, after all, pagans.
Imagine this ..
(SJ News: Myanamur April 1 2010)
Former US President GW Bush arrived today to begin his training as a Buddhist monk. The President, like the Emperor Ashoka, has seen that suffering must be avoided and has chosen to seek Arhant status, “If I am able to follow int eh footseps of Lord Buddha.” Mr. Bush’s decision to leave behind all attachments has startled the world. He has recently suggested that the funds raised for the Bush LIbrary might be better spent in providing instruction in the four noble truths and eightfold pathway for all chicldren in the US schools. )
@19
As for monks being gay, I doubt that very much. In Theravada strict celibacy is the rule.
Strict celibacy is the rule for priests in Catholicism too, and that has always resulted in many homosexuals attempting to hide their “affliction” by choosing to be become priests. No doubt that the same phenomenon happens in eastern societies as well.
@19…SJ…
I never contended the Buddhist monks were gay…I don’t engage in perjoratives like that.
And you’d be surprised to know that one of the most zealous defenders of religious freedom for people of all faiths, including pagans, is the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC, while avowedly evangelical and doctrinally conservative, has probably done more through litigation to safeguard the rights of adherents to other faiths than any denomination in America.
Baptists believe that people of all faiths ought to have religious liberty, and that an assault on anyone’s faith is an assault on all faiths. We are content to leave the question of whose faith is good, bad, or indifferent to the marketplace of ideas and beliefs.
Someday, the question will be answered for all of us.
The issue of Buddhist monks in Burma isn’t determined by whether they’re Buddhists, but because they’re human beings exercising what we in America call political and free speech rights. The thugocracy that is the Burmese junta has suppressed the people of Burma for too long, and, you are 100% correct, the world community ought to do more to help the Burmese people get at least a modicum of the rights we in America take for granted.
Some unsolicited advice, though…Not all issues begin and end with GWB…Despite your sarcastic aside about him, I’ll still agree with you about Burma. But he’s not the issue here, so why drag him in? Frankly, doesn’t that serve to perhaps alienate some who might otherwise find common cause with you on Burma while disagreeing on Iraq or other issues?
Where we can stand on the same ground, let’s do so without dragging in mud from other ground.
The Piper
@20…Lee…
Using the phrase, “No doubt…” the way you do simply means you have no evidence. It’s reckless to make such an extrapolation.
The Piper
@22
Whatever. Those of us who have some common sense about how the world works figure out these things on our own:
http://www.globalgayz.com/buddhist-news.html
The Buddha was more tolerant of lesbianism than male homosexuality. Nuns who were caught in lesbian practices were not expelled from the order. They must confess to the fellows about their practice, and then the offence will be redeemed. (Vin. IV, 261)
The monastic rules do not guarantee Buddhist monasticism is entirely free from homosexuals. Indeed, they only say that monks and nuns are required to live a celibate life. Often in history, the monastic community has been plagued by homosexual scandals.
In Thailand, the worst such scandal took place in 1819, during the reign of King Rama II, when a high-ranking monk, a Somdet who was also the abbot of Wat Saket who had just been promoted to take the position of the Supreme Patriarch, one day was found guilty of enjoying homosexual activities with some of his good-looking male disciples.
It was a shock to all Buddhists of the time, and the case was considered the scandal of the century of Buddhism in Siam.
Interestingly, the graveness of the mistake was not severe enough to defrock him, although the King had him removed him from his position of honour and ordered him to leave the royal monasteries.
@20 I guess a lot depends on what you mean by “gay.” Since a large proportion of people may spend some time in the monkhood , the stats for the frequency of being gay argue against your hypothesis.
As for comparing Buddhist celibacy with Catholic, I really do not know of data, do you? Intellectually these two strike me as so different, I am not sure you are correct. Buddha surely would have been utterly opposed to the concept of priests.
@21 The tolerance of SB
You MUST be kidding!
Involvement of GWB …
I had two reasons. 1. If he were not a hypocrite, this issue would come to the fore. Unless it is true that he has destroyed the US ability top deal with such issues.
2. What is negative about the image in the news report? Do you doubt GW is capable of sincere religous action?
I guess a lot depends on what you mean by “gay.”
By “gay”, I mean homosexual.
Since a large proportion of people may spend some time in the monkhood , the stats for the frequency of being gay argue against your hypothesis.
I made no claims at all about the frequency other than to simply state that it happens.
As for comparing Buddhist celibacy with Catholic, I really do not know of data, do you?
Data of what?
Intellectually these two strike me as so different, I am not sure you are correct. Buddha surely would have been utterly opposed to the concept of priests.
You’re entirely missing my point. What I’m saying is that in any society where homosexuality is demonized, if there’s a particular life choice that is:
a) viewed favorably
b) requires celibacy
It will be seen by closeted homosexuals as a particularly appealing path to take in life. Many of them will see it as a way to hide their urges, but many will fail at it (because they’re going to then live with other people who made the same decision and have the same urges).
When I left the comment in #20, I knew nothing of the history of homosexuality among monks, but it’s common sense to know that any time you have this situation in a society, the outcome I described is inevitable.
@25
The tolerance of SB
You MUST be kidding!
I stared at that paragraph for while, and I don’t think he’s kidding. I was worried you might have hurt yourself laughing at that. Are you ok?
@25…SJ…
As Yogi said, “You can look it up!” Remember that Baptists were dumped on by all sides during the Reformation, and Roger Williams, a Baptist, was forced to flee that bastion of tolerance, Massachusetts, and found the Rhode Island Colony where he established religious tolerance.
Baptists take the First Amendment serously, both for themselves and others. This includes, BTW, the right speak and take positions that you might find objectionable all the while respecting your right to hold contrary beliefs. To Baptists, the term “free country” is something serious.
Off to meet the staff sergeant…
The Piper
GWB isn’t preventing the issue from coming to the fore; competing stuff, public indifference, and lots more is responsible.
Even though he’s not beloved around the world, U.S. positions and presence is still serious and respected. Witness Kim il Jung’s insistence on bilateral, as opposed to multi-lateral, talks.
I believe GWB is a sincere man of faith…Hammer away at me as you like.
@28
Historically, Southern Baptists have certainly been champions of religious freedom. Currently, though, they’ve strayed very far from some of their basic principles.
http://findarticles.com/p/arti.....i_88581887
Many Southern Baptists are very good people (and I have a lot of respect for guys like Rick Warren and others), but the leadership of the SBC is no friend to religious freedom in this country.
I believe GWB is a sincere man of faith…Hammer away at me as you like.
He is a sincere man of faith. So is Osama Bin-Laden.
There is no good data (I exclude anecdotes about some priest or toerh’s “estimate”) that indicates a higher percentage of homosexuals in the celibate priesthood than in society at large, let alone any good information about foreign organizations of monks.
This says nothing at all about pedophiles, who are most usually heterosexuals regardless of the gender of their victims. It is well-accepted that pedophiles often gravitate toward livelihoods that place them in a position of power or trust with regard to young people: priests, councelors, youth coaches, teachers, and leaders in groups such as Scouts, and so on.
However. while the RC church’s shielding of known pedophiles resulted in many, many children being molested, the numbers of identified pedophiles does not seem high enough to surprise, just lurid enough to be spashed across a lot of front pages.
Now regarding the Republican Party, it does seem possible and appropriate these days to say of THEM: “most are gay.”
@30
That IS offensive gay-bashing.
@29…Lee…
From the Baptist Faith and Message:
“XVII. Religious Liberty
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.
Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; 16:26; 22:21; John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; Romans 6:1-2; 13:1-7; Galatians 5:1,13; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17; 3:11-17; 4:12-19.
You may not like my doctrine, and I may not like yours. But both of us should be absolutely free to believe as we are led.
The Piper
@32
That’s fine and good, but they don’t follow it. Instead, they often push for things like organized prayer in public school and other public policies that would inherently infringe upon others’ religious freedom.
For all to see. Go back and reread what YLB – The Clueless One wrote in post #19.
Then, look at the time of my post. Go to the those who think right web sites and see when they posted their “topics”. You’ll see Puddy was first.
But then again when you have a single cell mind of YLB – The Clueless One, as ChristmasGhost wrote – the mind of a fourth grader, the only thing he could write was that which he wrote in post #19.
I realize Clueless being a Moonbat! you can’t remember what someone says after 24 hours. Well Puddy remembers!
Maybe you need to “suspend reality” and think for a change!
So Lee I guess teaching ‘Gay is right’ in school is “OK” with you huh?
Puddy the Pathetic Hypocrite
Still want to lecture on morals, do you?
You have SO MUCH respect and reverence here, because everyone sees you as the TRUE example of Holiness and CHRISTLIKE LIVING.
Snort
And… YLB – The Clueless One – My wife is a strong type and she is a thinker. She can “out-think you in a heartbeat.
Regarding the women you place forth,
Janice Rogers Brown – superior black woman judge scares Chucky Schumer and YLB – The Clueless One
Condoleeza Rice – superior russian expert, master of several languages, classical pianist scares YLB – The Clueless One
Zora Neale Hurston – considered one of the pre-eminent writers of African-American literature in the twentieth-century
More to cum, I got to go… important appointment
SeattleJew says:
Dan rather
What is funny? Only a traitor would laugh while Americans dies on a mission none can define,. Shame on you.
Seattle Jew what would you like to know? The point is to win not surrender like your Democrat friends have plan to do when they gain control of this Country. Have you heard Roger Rabbit is over in the Middle East learning to use his silk prayer rug. Last I heard he is having problems singing in Arabic and not offending the local Muslims
But WAIT: Puddy has the answer to all those uppity women:
CLARENCE THOMAS!
Well, Klakey, when we win, you can stuff, and like it.
How’s that for you?
The Bush that you worship fucked it up, and now he’s going to slough it off onto the Democrats to finish, because he can’t.
You guys can start shit, but you’re too fucking stupid to do it right, and so the Democrats have to fix it.
How’s it feel to have your hero so fucking inept he has to rely on the Dems?
YLB – The Clueless One I see you put forth a real intelligent one there Rosie O’Donnell.
Hey Chadt: No comment on educated black conservative women.
Typical, very Typical.
BTW Clarence Thomas is a AJUSSC
chadt: KLake is an American hero. He served!
So, who didn’t? And how would YOU know who did and didn’t serve, anyway? And what has THAT to do with Bush starting a mess the Democrats have to clean up?
You are an idiot.
@43 Clarence Thomas sexually harassed women, black women, and HE’S YOUR HERO, RIGHT?
We can figure it out Puddy.
The only “faith” GWB has is in his own inability to do wrong.
@36
So Lee I guess teaching ‘Gay is right’ in school is “OK” with you huh?
Teaching ‘Gay is part of human nature’ in school is the correct thing to do. Whether or not ‘gay is right’ should be something each child will figure out. I was born straight. If I have a child who is gay, I hope they understand that it’s part of human nature and that they should not see themselves as being “wrong”. If I have a child who is straight, I want them taught that homosexuality is normal and that gays should be treated with all the rights of other human beings.
What the hell is so hard about any of this?
“What the hell is so hard about any of this?”
Well, it’s Puddy. You have to talk real slow.
Really chadt: Commentary from one who is almost batting four sigma in worthless commentary?
Lee: Teaching gay to little school children is the correct thing to do?
Interesting philosophy!