One Little Victory

Just when you thought that this Administration has hit absolute rock bottom (before we bomb Iran), it gets worse. Below is a nice little tidbit from CNN; in the torture bill passed by both the House and Senate, the members of the Bush Administration get immunity for any war crimes committed. This country needs an enema.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN POLLSTER: Yes, I don’t know, Wolf. If war breaks out between Pakistan and Afghanistan, you know, you may have some guys coming by and knocking on your door asking for transcripts.

Ordinarily, we don’t do a question two days in a row, but this is important enough to be an exception. The House just passed President Bush’s bill to redefine the treatment of detainees, and the Senate’s expected to do the same thing tomorrow. Buried deep inside this legislation is a provision that will pardon President Bush and all the members of his administration of any possible crimes connected with the torture and mistreatment of detainees dated all the way back to September 11, 2001.

At least President Nixon had Gerald Ford to do his dirty work. President Bush is trying to pardon himself.

Here’s the deal.

Under the War Crimes Act, violations of the Geneva Conventions are felonies. In some cases, punishable by death.

When the Supreme Court ruled the Geneva Conventions applied to al Qaeda and Taliban detainees, President Bush and his boys were suddenly in big trouble. They had been working these prisoners over pretty good.

In an effort to avoid possible prosecution, they’re trying to cram this bill through Congress before the end of the week when Congress adjourns. The reason there’s such a rush to do this, if the Democrats get control of the House in November, well, this kind of legislation probably wouldn’t pass.

You want to know the real disgrace of what these people are about to do or are in the process of doing? Senator Bill Frist and Congressman Dennis Hastert and their Republican stooges apparently don’t see anything wrong with this.

I really do wonder sometimes what we’re becoming in this country.
(end)

So do I, Jack…. so do I.

HERE is a link to an on-line petition to indict George W. Bush for war crimes.

From earlier this week…

This is from ABC News….absolutely disgusting. So the answer to extremism is more extremism? These people are creating future suicide bombers for Christ. Unbelievable. The Far Right has gained way too much power in this country.

From ABC News:

And here is a great response on Phil Maher’s show:

One of the people on the maher show is Reza Aslan, whom I had first seen on “The Daily Show.” He has written a great book called “No God But God” that I am currently reading that covers the history and future of Islam. He is terrific in this clip.

Here is Reza in a 2005 interview with Jon Stewart:

And then one from last month:

Many people have littered the internet and the airwaves with pictures and commentary suggesting that George Bush is a Nazi, or worse yet, that George Bush is comparable to Adolf Hitler. So, in the spirit of fairness, let’s look at a comparison of the two men, so that we can put this issue to rest.

* Hitler slaughtered at least six million people. George Bush only been responsible for the death of over 50,000 or so people in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not a fair comparison.

* Hitler rounded up and killed those with physical or mental infirmities. George Bush only cut their medical benefits. No comparison.

* Hitler invaded his neighbors and overthrew their governments. George Bush only invaded and overthrew the governments of two non-Caucasian countries, and they were not neighbors. No comparison.

* Adolph Hitler believed in a “master race.” George Bush believes in a master religion. No comparison.

* Adolph Hitler was an eloquent and persuasive madman. George Bush is neither eloquent nor persuasive. No comparison.

* Adolph Hitler’s government was in tight control of its citizens. George Bush has only limited our right to privacy, free speech, and access to lawyers.

* Adolph Hitler demonized Jews. George Bush only demonized Islamic Fascists, Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein (with the leaders of Syria, Iran, and North Korea held in abeyance). No comparison.

Obviously, George Bush is no Adolf Hitler. And anyone suggesting that Bush is a Nazi or comparable to Hitler needs to understand that he or she may be arrested, held without charge, and tortured, all of which will be perfectly legal since they will be declared an enemy combatant, in which case President Bush gets to decide how to interpret the Geneva Conventions. But to challenge one’s government when that government is so clearly right is an outrage that should not be allowed in a free society. Seig Heil, Mein Fuhrer….I mean, Mr. President.

Jon Stewart and Torture:

Colbert Forgets “The Word”:

Stewart Rips Bush Response to NIE Leak

I love how Bush is so angry at the leak, and argues that people leaked it for political purposes. Hmmm, is that anything like keeping it secret for political purposes, Mr. President?

This comes from Laine at The Liberal Avenger:

Be Ashamed
September 29th, 2006 by Laine

An International Disgrace

Embarrassed, ashamed, angry, discouraged. These are the only words to describe how the last six years have made me feel.

This country is being lead by a handful politicians that have no concept of the true American way of life. They see their positions as dictators and cowboys. They move forward with no plan, no thought of an outcome or any ramifications. They have divided a nation. They have shredded the constitution and caused nothing but ill will for the American people. They have illegally wire tapped American citizens, rewrote the Geneva Convention to suit their own needs. They muscle in laws after the fact, as to not be held accountable later. They ignore all evidence and burrow ahead without a thought to a single soul, other than themselves and their financial backers. Using extreme fear, they still control 30% of this country.

Their latest shred to the constitution and the GC was the detainee bill. You will note that in many of the posts discussing this, the afraid are supporting it. Why? Because they feed into the control with fear agenda that this administration serves up on a fake silver platter. Does it bother you that this bill serves both ways? For instance, US soldiers in Iraq, or anywhere for that matter, can now be held indefinitely without a trial, or even hearing the charges against them. They can be subject to torture, as the holding government defines it.

Continued…


Does it bother you that the little, last minute write in by kingbush states that American citizens can also be held as enemy combatants? Of course not! I mean, seriously, here you have a blond haired, blue eyed artist who has already served in the military, comes from a long line of military personal, sitting on an FBI watch list. Why? I don’t know. I can’t be told because of “national security.” I have lost a brother and an uncle in Viet Nam. I have a nephew in Iraq. I am called unpatriotic because I believe in the constitution. In believing in that document, I have a right to speak out against the injustices I see in this currant government. They disagree.

I think former President Carter states it best:

“This country is now more sharply divided that it has ever been,” the former president told a crowd of at least 300 at the University of Nevada, Reno.

“I’ve been deeply embarrassed as a civil rights advocate that we have had the American government stand convicted around the world as one of the greatest abusers of civil rights,” said Carter, the 2002 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

“What has happened the last five years has brought discouragement and sometimes international disgrace to our great country,” he said.

In addition to Laine’s thoughts, I (of course!) have a great song from Rush that fits the moment:

The Weapon (Neil Peart, 1982)

We’ve got nothing to fear…but fear itself?
Not pain, not failure, not fatal tragedy?
Not the faulty units in this mad machinery?
Not the broken contacts in emotional chemistry?

With an iron fist in a velvet glove
We are sheltered under the gun
In the glory game on the power train
Thy kingdom’s will be done

And the things that we fear are a weapon to be held against us…

He’s not afraid of your judgment
He knows of horrors worse than your Hell
He’s a little bit afraid of dying
But he’s a lot more afraid of your lying

And the things that he fears are a weapon to be held against him…

Can any part of life be larger than life?
Even love must be limited by time
And those who push us down that they might climb
Is any killer worth more than his crime?

Like a steely blade in a silken sheath
We don’t see what they’re made of
They shout about love, but when push comes to shove
They live for the things they’re afraid of

And the knowledge that they fear is a weapon to be used against them…

OK, this one is priceless. My colleague and friend Mboka told me about this one. The following is a link to a video on ABC News (until I can embed one) and then the article related to the video. It shows the wonderful compassion of not only the soldiers involved, but of good old Haliburton as well. Maybe that’s where Dickless Cheney developed all of his compassion.

World News: Anatomy of an Ambush
LINK HERE

Exclusive: U.S. Troops Abandoned Me, Says Convoy Driver

September 27, 2006 11:16 AM
Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz Report:

Dramatic home video obtained by ABC News shows U.S. troops apparently abandoned a truck convoy after it came under insurgent attack in Iraq last year.

Three unarmed Halliburton truck drivers were executed at point-blank range once the troops left, according to a surviving driver, Preston Wheeler, of Mena, Ark., who taped the scene.

“They was murdered. To me, they was murdered,” Wheeler told ABC News in an exclusive interview to be broadcast Wednesday on World News and Nightline.

The tape shows an armored personnel carrier leading the trucks that Wheeler says was from the Virginia National Guard.

Continued…

Once insurgents opened fire and disabled four trucks, the personnel carrier can be seen racing ahead.

“They left. They, I don’t know where they went, they’re nowhere to be seen,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler says it was 45 minutes before a U.S. military force returned. By then, Wheeler says, he had seen two drivers shot at point-blank range. He identified them as Keven Dagit, of Jefferson, Iowa, and Sascha Greener-Case, of Sierra Vista, Ariz.

A Pentagon spokesman said the military had no immediate comment on the incident.

The tape documents the final 15 minutes of the convoy’s run out of Camp Anaconda, near Balad, Iraq.

Halliburton says the military commander took a wrong turn, and the convoy ended up in a neighborhood known as an insurgent stronghold.

Wheeler says Halliburton did not provide any of the drivers with maps or even rudimentary drawings of the location.

He says when he was hired by Halliburton he was promised the trucks would be equipped with bullet proof glass and armed guards every third truck.

“That’s a lie, it’s a gimmick, a sales pitch,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler says he was told not to talk to the press. A Halliburton security guard wanted to delete the video of the ambush so that it would not become public, he says.

“He was afraid it was going to get on the Internet,” Wheeler says.

A spokesperson for Halliburton declined to discuss the specifics of Wheeler’s accusations and tape. The spokesperson says its employees sent to Iraq are fully informed of the risky nature of the assignment.

Wheeler was hit by two AK-47 rounds and suffered serious damage to his right arm.

Two months after the ambush, Halliburton notified him he was fired, citing a “work-related” injury.

If you care about this nation, watch this ten minute video:

I want to thank Major General Batiste (Ret.) for his patriotism and service to this nation, not only twice during war, but also for his principle in retiring and speaking out. Thank you, Sir.

Pats Moves

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots re-signed fifth-year cornerback Hank Poteat today. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Additionally, the Patriots placed third-year cornerback Randall Gay on the reserve/injured list with a hamstring injury.

Poteat, 28, was initially acquired by the Patriots as a free agent on Jan. 10, 2005, and has played in 10 regular-season games and five playoff games for New England. The 5-foot-10-inch, 192-pound cornerback is in his sixth NFL season and has played in 52 career regular-season games and seven playoff games for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2000-02), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003) and Patriots (2004-05). The University of Pittsburgh product was originally drafted by the Steelers in the third round (77th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft. He was released by the Patriots on Aug. 29, 2006.

Continued…

With the Patriots in 2005, Poteat set a single-season career high with 24 tackles (20 solo) and also recorded his first career sack against the New York Jets on Dec. 26, 2005. He set a single-game career high with nine tackles (8 solo) in the 2005 regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 1, 2006. Poteat’s career regular-season statistics include 33 tackles (29 solo), one sack, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries. He has also returned 45 kickoffs for 818 yards (18.2 avg) and 76 punts for 788 yards (10.4 avg) and a touchdown.

Gay, 24, was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2004. The 5-foot-11-inch, 190-poind cornerback has played in 23 career games with 11 starts and has recorded 50 tackles (45 solo), two interceptions for 23 yards, seven passes defensed, two fumble recoveries (including one returned 41 yards for a touchdown) and four special teams tackles. Additionally, Gay started all three of New England’s 2004 playoff games at left cornerback as a rookie and was the Patriots’ leading tackler in Super Bowl XXXIX, notching 11 solo tackles. This season, Gay played in the first three games of the year and recorded one solo tackle.

Week Four Picks

Arizona at Atlanta

- There is no reason for a QB controversy in Arizona, and the distraction won’t help as Vick and Co. get back on track. Falcons by 5.

Dallas at Tennessee

- Cowboys coming off a bye week, though T.O. yet again manages to be a distraction for a team that he plays on. Go figure. But Tennessee is still very bad. Cowboys by 4.

Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets

- Everyone knows I hate the Colts, but that won’t help the Jets one bit this weekend. Colts by 10.

Miami at Houston

- Houston has had good efforts, while Miami generally has not. Texans by 3.

Minnesota at Buffalo

- Buffalo needs this game to keep their momentum going after a tough loss. Minnesota trying to show it’s for real after losing to the Bears. I’ll take the Vikings defense over the Bills offense. Vikings by 3.

New Orleans at Carolina

- My heart wants to pick the Saints, but Steve Smith is back and the Panthers are at home. Panthers by 5.

San Diego at Baltimore

- Ravens defense shuts down Rivers. Ravens by 3.

San Francisco at Kansas City

- San Francisco playing well and Trent Green out, but KC at home and still has a solid running game. Look for Chiefs to eek this out. Chiefs by 1.

Detroit at St. Louis

- Matt Millen and Mike Martz already looking at forming their own league. Rams by 7.

Cleveland at Oakland

- Browns Win! Browns Win! Browns by 6.

Jacksonville at Washington

- Portis will face tougher test this week, and Byron can’t leave points on the field, even on the road. Jags by 4.

New England at Cincinnati

- It’s hard to do it, but I have to take the Bengals this week. They are on a tear and the Patriots (most decidedly) are not. Hey guys, please prove me wrong. Bengals by 6.

Seattle at Chicago

- Shaun Alexander is out. I don’t care if they have a plethora of receivers… you can’t be one-dimensional against this defense. Low scoring battle, but: Bears by 2.

Green Bay at Philadelphia

- The Packers win streak ends at one. Eagles by 8.

Last Week: 8-6

Season: 28-18 (61%)

From September 12th, and one of the best commentaries I have ever heard. Well done, Keith.

“People should not fear their government, the government should fear their people” - V for Vendetta