Junior's Last Stand
UPDATES below.
Prissy is all for Dubya going to war-as long as he goes in first. The rest of the cabinet too.
They can form their own little brigade and go in with "the Army we have, not the Army we want."
They won't require armor or training-talk about doing a war on the cheap.
As Granny says "If it's good enough for our kids, it's good enough for them."
Lead the way, misleaders...
Hot Links
Dearest Readers, they are toast...Oh, the irony of it all-from the Huffington Post Up to the Grand Jury
Will Fitzgerald issue indictments? Washington and cable news care about nothing else these days. The answer is: No, he won’t. The most Fitzgerald will do is ask his grand jury to issue indictments. It’s really all up to them. Which raises the question: who are they? A federal grand jury has 23 members.
A typical Washington, D.C. grand jury is about 75% African American. Fitzgerald’s is slightly more than that. This is not the kind of group Karl Rove feels at home with. He has no professional experience trying to appeal to a group like this. He has been so unsuccessful at it that his boss’s job approval rating with African Americans is now 2%, which, factoring in the margin of error, could actually be zero. To make matters statistically and demographically much worse for Rove and Scooter Libby, only 12 of the 23 grand jurors have to agree to indict them.
And...The question Rove and Libby are asking themselves today is: Does this seem like the kind of grand jury that is going to think lying to an FBI agent or perjury is a serious crime--unless you work in the White House? I think they know the answer.
Only 12 of the 23 mostly African-American, mostly females must agree to indict. Oh my.
Al-jazeera Hamas Distances Self from Dead Guy Hamas distances itself from Bin Laden
He added that Hamas was "very keen to have good relations with the West" but said that its current policies were inflaming tensions.
"We say once again that if the Western siege continues against the Hamas ... it will create more tensions in the Palestinian street and in the Arab world."
"We reiterate that the West should stop this aggression because it will only result in a big response from the Arab street and the Palestinian street."
In the past, Hamas leaders have distanced themselves from al-Qaeda, saying their struggle is only against Israeli occupation and does not fit into the group's worldwide radical Islamist effort.
In Dubya's world it doesn't matter if you keep saying that you will follow the rules and want your government to be considered legitimate.
He doesn't follow the rules, and as a result, thinks everyone is just as dirty as he is. Unfortunately, some of them may be just like him.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963), In a speech at the White House, 1962
Like she doesn't have enough trouble...Zaman from Turkey 'We Share Intelligence and Inf. with Ankara About PKK'
When asked why the US has still not taken action in Northern Iraq against PKK terror, Rice said, “We have clearly expressed that the PKK is a terrorist organization,” and added northern Iraq should not be a place from which terrorism can be committed against Turkey.
Indicating that it is difficult to cope with all the threats in an Iraq where instability still continues, the Secretary explained that there is a mechanism between Turkey, US and Iraq and that these countries are trying to overcome the terrorism threat in Northern Iraq.
“It is correct that Iraq is still largely an instable place and it is hard to cope with all the threats at the same time. Yet, we preserve our determination in order not to let Iraqi territories be used as a terror platform. We share intelligence and information about PKK,” Rice expressed.
“We have very strong and long-term strategic relations with Turkey and now Turkey is a country undergoing change. It is a good time to be there,” said Rice as she explained that she was “impatiently” waiting for her Ankara visit.
Reuters-Dead Guy Calls for Jihad Bin Laden calls for jihad in Darfur
"I call on the mujahideen and their supporters in Sudan ... and the Arabian peninsula to prepare all that is necessary to wage a long-term war against the Crusaders in western Sudan," bin Laden said, accusing the West of seeking to divide Sudan.
Sudan hosted bin Laden in the 1990s, but on the tape he criticized Khartoum for not enforcing Islamic sharia law throughout the country and made clear his call to arms in Darfur was in spite of his differences with the Sudanese government.
Criticizing a U.S.-backed peace deal between Khartoum and southern rebels, bin Laden accused the United States of planning to send "Crusader troops to occupy the region and steal its oil under the cover of preserving security there".
Some U.N. troops have arrived in southern Sudan, the first of an expected 10,000 peacekeepers to be sent there. Sudan is resisting pressure for U.N. peacekeepers to deploy in Darfur.
Dubya go to war to steal oil? On what grounds, "bin Laden", do you make that statement...
Sydney Morning Herald...corporate owned US media is still playing games with our national security and what's left of the democracy. Fight ahead for anti-war prime minister
Unlike most of his fellow Dawa Party members, he was against the US-led 2003 invasion, outlining a rationale to a Lebanese newspaper in late 2002 that now appears remarkably prescient.
"The danger to Iraq lies in the possibility of the US Administration making mistakes in its supervision of this crisis," he told al-Nahar.
"Those who will rule Iraq after Saddam Hussein cannot be envied. Don't fight for ruling an Iraq full of widows and orphans, and burdened with heavy debt."
Responding to Sunni complaints about underrepresentation immediately following the December elections, he said: "Democracy means accepting the opinion of the majority. The Sunnis need to take this into consideration.
Now if he can make Dubya and republicans still in lock step (like Rep Pat Tiberi and Sen DeWine-OH) understand that definition of Democracy...
Prissy sees that Gov Dean is making folks aware of the voting machine problems. That is something Prissy can get behind. Dean has a lot of great ideas-he is sensible and smart.
If he can wrestle control of the DNC wheel away from Biden and Hillary, it will be what Americans need. Dean is the best thing that has ever happened to the Democratic party. He is a centrist fighting Dem. Nothing wrong with that, he did great things as governor of Vermont and didn't get bogged down on issues that divided.
Who cares if your gay neighbors get married, when life is good? Content people are not as quick to hate.
It is time to face the facts that the Republican party seeks to legimitize bigotry and sexism. And so far they have done a good job of this. Don't they ever tire of hating? Prissy is certainly tired of the rancor they spew at the masses.
Flashback-CNN- Jan 19, 2006 U.S. rejects bin Laden tapes 'truce' offer
"The war against America and its allies will not be confined to Iraq," the voice on the tape said, adding that "Iraq has become a magnet for attracting and training talented fighters."
"It's only a matter of time," the voice said, referring to attacks. "They are in the planning stages, and you will see them in the heart of your land as soon as the planning is complete."
Top U.S. officials responded by saying the United States would not be swayed in its fight against terrorists.
Unless you are Libyan Colonel Moammar Khadafi- then Dubya will deal.
TIME: Bush's five point plan to 'rescue' his presidency
The five key points include:
1) "Deploy guns and badges" -- to play to the conservative base on illegal immigration, using the cloak of Homeland Security.
2) Make Wall Street happy through tax cuts.
3) Brag more ("highlight the glimmer of success in Iraq").
4) Reclaim security by playing tough with Iran (On Iran, "Democrats will lose").
5) Court the press (pffer Tony Snow of Fox News the job of White House press secretary)
More of the same. One person's comment: hahahaha. oh my goodness. wait. wait. bwahhahahahahah. ooooooh my. hold on. my stomach hurts. Is this from the onion? the daily show? no?! This is actually from the White House?! snort hahahahha
Dearest Readers, Prissy has heard a six-year-old child laughing at Dubya's speeches. A little boy told Prissy "Ha,ha,ha...listen to him say "Ah,ah,ah" 'cause that is how you know he is LYING"...from the mouth of babes.
Al-Jazeera airs purported bin Laden tape
Al-Jazeera, which is based in Qatar, said the new tape is from bin Laden. CNN could not immediately confirm the tape's authenticity.
The speaker on the tape says "the opposition to the Hamas government is proof of the crusade against Muslims."
So does this mean Dubya leaning towards choosing another terror attack on the US? It is common knowledge it is a typical ploy of this cabal to control with fear.
Note to Dubya:You can only rub a dog's nose in it for so long, they will eventually turn around and bite you.
Being Dubya, one would think he would already know that.
Prime minister promises swift changes in Iraq
President Bush suggested the new Iraqi government could be the beginning of an eventual drawdown of American forces from Iraq.
"The new Iraqi government will assume greater responsibility for their nation's security," he told reporters during a trip to California. "It will have the popular mandate to address Iraq's toughest long-term challenges," he added.
"This historic achievement by determined Iraqis will make America more secure," Bush said.
In clear signs of the ongoing security crisis, five American soldiers died Saturday in roadside bombings south of Baghdad, and Marines killed four insurgents in a gunbattle in Ramadi.
Dubya, give it up. Bring them home or pay the price...at this point Prissy hopes you suffer the severe political consequences...
Dubya, they know in the "down under"...Sydney Morning Herald Tide turns on Dubya's wreck
"I'm the decider and I decide what's best," he squawked to reporters in the White House rose garden the other day, as the screws turned tighter on his disastrous Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. Can you imagine Roosevelt, Eisenhower or Kennedy blurting something like that?
Rummy is looking knackered too, with six retired generals going public to agree that he is "incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically", to quote one of them.
These men would have been junior officers in Vietnam, veterans of the all-American nightmare they now see replicated in Iraq. They don't want the mad old warmonger doing it over again in Iran. As former Marine Corps Lieutenant-General Gregory Newbold wrote in Time magazine: "we must never again stand by quietly while those ignorant of and casual about war lead us into another one and then mismanage the conduct of it".
Prissy is here to tell you, of all the stupid things Dubya has said over the years, he will never live down the "decider". Listen to Koo-Koo-Ka-Choo-very funny song...I'M THE DECIDER (Koo-Koo-Ka-Choo) Prissy can only think...what a loser.
Haaretz Virginia Judge allows defense in AIPAC trial to summon Rice
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis on Friday allowed the defense to summon Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to testify in the trial of two former AIPAC officials accused of disclosing classified information.
Ellis ruled that Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman's lawyers established sufficient reason to call for Rice to take the stand, adding that she could decline the invitation by handing in a written document explaining her reasons for doing so.
The two former pro-Israel lobbyists claim Rice and Rosen discussed the classified information during a meeting. The prosecution said Rice denied those claims.
April 22, 2006 -- As Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald meets with the Washington grand jury examining evidence against Karl Rove and others in the leaking of the name of Valerie Plame Wilson and her Brewster Jennings non-official cover (NOC) firm in a vendetta orchestrated by the Bush White House, WMR has been told by a very reliable source with high-level connections to the intelligence community that National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley is now under investigation for the leaking of the names of two CIA "NOCS" to the media. One is Plame Wilson. The other was the leaking of the name of CIA officer Johnny "Mike" Spann, a CIA NOC officer who transferred to the CIA's paramilitary Special Activities Division after 9-11 and was killed during a November 25, 2001 prison riot by Taliban detainees in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. According to the source, Hadley, who was then deputy to then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, leaked Spann's CIA identity to galvanize American public opinion in support of the Bush administration's policies. In October 2003, Spann's father said his son's name, address, and CIA status were revealed before adequate measures could be taken to protect his son's wife and children.
Pacific News Service 10-Year U.S. Strategic Plan For Detention Camps Revives Proposals From Oliver North News Analysis/Commentary, Peter Dale Scott, New America Media, Feb 21, 2006
The Halliburton subsidiary KBR (formerly Brown and Root) announced on Jan. 24 that it had been awarded a $385 million contingency contract by the Department of Homeland Security to build detention camps. Two weeks later, on Feb. 6, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced that the Fiscal Year 2007 federal budget would allocate over $400 million to add 6,700 additional detention beds (an increase of 32 percent over 2006). This $400 million allocation is more than a four-fold increase over the FY 2006 budget, which provided only $90 million for the same purpose.
And...
Significantly, both the KBR contract and the ENDGAME plan are open-ended. The contract calls for a response to "an emergency influx of immigrants, or to support the rapid development of new programs" in the event of other emergencies, such as "a natural disaster." "New programs" is of course a term with no precise limitation. So, in the current administration, is ENDGAME's goal of removing "potential terrorists."It is relevant that in 2002, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced his desire to see camps for U.S. citizens deemed to be "enemy combatants." On Feb. 17 of this year, in a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke of the harm being done to the country's security, not just by the enemy, but also by what he called "news informers" who needed to be combated in "a contest of wills." Two days earlier, citing speeches critical of Bush by Al Gore, John Kerry, and Howard Dean, conservative columnist Ben Shapiro called for "legislation to prosecute such sedition."
From former CIA analyst Larry Johnson at No Quarter The Firing of Mary McCarthy
I left the CIA in 1989 despite having received two exceptional performance awards during my last eight months on the job because I could not stand working under her.
That said, I take no delight in the news that she was fired. In fact, there are some things about the case that puzzle me. For starters, Mary never worked on the Operations side of the house. In other words, she never worked a job where she would have had first hand operational knowledge about secret prisons. She worked the analytical side of the CIA and served with the National Intelligence Council. According to press reports, she subsequently worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) from 2001 thru 2005. That is a type of academic/policy wonk position and, again, would not put her in a position to know anything first hand about secret prisons.
Sometime within the last year she returned to CIA on a terminal assignment. I've heard through the grapevine that she was attending the seminar for officers who are retiring while working with the Inspector General (IG). Now things get interesting. She could find out about secret prisons if Intelligence Officers involved with that program had filed a complaint with the IG or if there was some incident that compelled senior CIA officials to determine an investigation was warranted. In other words, this program did not come to Mary's attention (if the allegations are true) because she worked on it as an ops officer. Instead, it appears an investigation of the practice had been proposed or was underway. That's another story reporters probably ought to be tracking down.
I am struck by the irony that Mary McCarthy may have been fired for blowing the whistle and ensuring that the truth about an abuse was told to the American people.
Larry knows what he speaks of...
Information Clearing House Prominent U.S. Physicists Send Warning Letter to President Bush
Thirteen of the nation's most prominent physicists have written a letter to President Bush, calling U.S. plans to reportedly use nuclear weapons against Iran "gravely irresponsible" and warning that such action would have "“disastrous consequences for the security of the United States and the world.”"
The physicists include five Nobel laureates, a recipient of the National Medal of Science and three past presidents of the American Physical Society, the nation'’s preeminent professional society for physicists.
Their letter was prompted by recent articles in the Washington Post, New Yorker and other publications that one of the options being considered by Pentagon planners and the White House in a military confrontation with Iran includes the use of nuclear bunker busters against underground facilities. These reports were neither confirmed nor denied by White House and Pentagon officials.
Good Lord folks, do we need any more proof before someone does the right thing? Or will you let Dubya continue to tell the experts that they are not experts?
Or will you let him irritate us further as he tells us "He's the expert decider 'round this US of A..."
Turkey knows...Zaman Online CIA Warned Bush of no WMD in Iraq
Reportedly, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) warned President George W. Bush before the Iraqi war that it had reliable information there was no weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the country.
White House officials were not interested in such intelligences at the time and ignored the warning as the policy towards Iraq had already been set, , the retired CIA official Tyler Drumheller told American CBS television.
One of the most important claims of the American government to justify its Iraqi occupation of March 2003 was the existence of WMDs in this country.
Though President Bush did not have evidence to prove otherwise, on April 12 The White House had denied lying about itinerant biological weapon laboratories, which were shown as one of the reasons to go to war.
Voice of the White House? Prove him wrong, Prissy hasn't been able to so far.
The Voice of the White House April 20, 2006
There has been tentative talk about a seizure of domestic power using the military because of a faked "emergency" but Bush and his cronies can no longer rely on the military.
At this moment, it is a toss-up between a nuclear war with Iran and a faked "“terrorist attack" on American territory.
They have spoken about blowing up an American Embassy, Ambassador, staff and all, in some other country. Italy has been mentioned as has Greece but the logistics of accomplishing this without detection are immense.
Another, far easier to execute, ploy would be to blow up an American cruise ship filled with old ladies and children somewhere in international waters. That way, Rove has reasoned, we donÂ’t have to threaten some other country, like Italy or Greece, with punitive action, something an outraged American public would demand. The blowing up of small children would be a must for the fury it would engender in the soon-to-be-voting public.
Let's hope it's only talk. Surely they don't think the American people will stand by for another 9/11 type event and expect these bozos to take care of America.
If it comes to a shooting war ... by Victor N Corpus
Scenario One: America launches 'preventive war' vs China
Our first objective is to prevent the re-emergence of a new rival. This is a dominant consideration underlying the new regional defense strategy and requires that we endeavor to prevent any hostile power from dominating a region whose resources would, under consolidated control, be sufficient to generate global power. These regions include Western Europe, East Asia, the territory of the former Soviet Union and Southwest Asia.
Paul Wolfowitz, former US deputy secretary of defense and currently president of the World Bank
Consider these snapshots of China: Since 1978, China has averaged 9.4% annual GDP growth
It had a five-fold increase in total output per capita from 1982 to 2002
It had $61 billion in foreign direct investment in 2004 alone and foreign trade of $851 billion, the third-largest in the world
The US trade deficit with China exceeded $200 billion in 2005
China has $750 billion in foreign exchange reserves and is the second-biggest oil importer
Last year it turned out 442,000 new engineers a year; with 48,000 graduates with master's degrees and 8,000 PhDs annually; compared to only 60,000 new engineers a year in the US.
China for the first time (2004) surpassed America to export the most technology wares around the world. China enjoyed a $34 billion trade surplus with the US in advanced technology products in 2004 (The Economist, December 17, 2005). In 2005, the surplus increased to $36 billion
It created 20,000 new manufacturing facilities a year
It holds $252 billion in US Treasury Bonds (plus $48 billion held by Hong Kong)
Among the five basic food, energy and industrial commodities "grain and meat, oil and coal and steel " consumption in China has eclipsed that of the US in all but oil.
China has also gone ahead of the US in the consumption of TV sets, refrigerators and mobile phones
In 1996, China had 7 million cell phones and the US had 44 million. Now China has more mobile phone users than the US has people. China has about $1 trillion in personal savings and a savings rate of close to 50%; U.S. has about $158 billion in personal savings and a savings rate of about 2% (The Wall Street Journal, Nov 19, 2005)
Shanghai boasts 4,000 skyscrapers; double the number in New York City (The Wall Street Journal, Nov 19, 2005)
Songbei, Harbin City in north China is building a city as big as New York City
Goldman Sachs predicts that China will surpass the US economy by 2041.
Before China's economy catches up with America, and before China builds a military machine that can challenge American superpower status and world dominance, America's top strategic planners (Project for the New American Century) decide to launch a "preventive war" against China. As a pretext for this, the US instigates Taiwan to declare independence.
Victor N Corpus is a retired brigadier general. He has a master's degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. His major assignment while serving in the armed forces of the Philippines was as chief of the intelligence service.
A great "what if" read. Oddly enough, you'll only find it in the Asian Times. It's the only place General Zinni can get published too. Corporate media, how can we ever forgive you?
Dearest Readers, Prissy wonders if they understand they are little more than a free newswire service to the blogosphere...
We are sorry, world.
Philly News Bolton: Duel with Iran is a test for U.N.
"It is the intention that there not be armed conflict. We have tried for 3½ years to resolve this diplomatically.... One of the ironies here is that the Bush administration so often is criticized for being unilateralist cowboys, but we've been trying for 3½ years to work our way through the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and [are] now trying to work our way through the U.N. Security Council. But the purpose of these efforts is not just to chitchat about the Iranian nuclear-weapons efforts, but to bring them to a halt.
We have to ask ourselves at sometime, if our efforts fail, will we allow Iran to get nuclear weapons? Now, I believe the president is very serious when he says it's unacceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons. If it's unacceptable, that means it's unacceptable... . You have to remember that time is not on our side on this matter."
Considering all the people from every nation who cannot stand the sight of this madman, his time at the U.N. (and the dirty recess appointment Bush made to ram Bolton into place) should be limited to January 2007. So indeed Bolton's time is limited...
Bolton giving a speech at the U.N. representing you and me. ARG!
Some good news from John Edwards. A very likeable middle-class done good fellow-has what is called "common sense". Prissy is beginning to think it's a genetic trait, as you won't find this in the Bush family.
Hat tip to Fitz...Demand that Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald be empowered to investigate the President'’s role in manipulating intelligence on Iraq
Sign the letter to Gonzo...
Dear Attorney General Gonzales:President Bush initially told the American people that he did not know of anyone in his administration who leaked CIA secrets to the media in an attempt to justify the invasion of Iraq and discredit those who raised legitimate questions. Now, confronted with new court evidence, the White House has admitted that it was President Bush himself who authorized the disclosures. Clearly, the President has no intention of coming clean and telling us the truth about the use of classified intelligence for political gain.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has a mandate to find out who blew the cover of a CIA agent in order to punish her husband for telling the truth about Saddam Hussein'’s nuclear ambitions. But the new evidence has made it clear that this scandal goes far beyond that incident, and may even include the President'’s own words and actions.
Mr. Fitzgerald has famously said: "The truth is the engine of our judicial system. If you compromise the truth, the whole process is lost." For too long, there has been too much compromising and not enough truth from this White House. It'’s time for those responsible to be held accountable. I urge you to extend Mr. Fitzgerald'’s charter to include the behavior of the President in this disgraceful affair.
Pink's newest song. This girl owns some real talent. Prissy adores her, a youth America can be proud of. Dear Mr President
Quote of the Day
Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest of violence. --Francis Jeffrey (1773 - 1850)
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.--Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992), Salvor Hardin in "Foundation"
It is by no means self-evident that human beings are most real when most violently excited; violent physical passions do not in themselves differentiate men from each other, but rather tend to reduce them to the same state.--Thomas Elliot
I think that the Communist Party as a political organization is of no danger to the United States. It has no following and has been disregarded by the American people for many, many years.--Robert F. Kennedy (1925 - 1968), "A Thousand Days," by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. [1965]
Funny Flash sent by a soldier and Prissy Patriot reader: Bush and Bill Cosby
At the Broke Back White House?
"We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House-- make no mistake about it."-- Bush quote from Slate
Days gone by, isn't it, boys?
