Once Again in Washington
Prissy will be back in Washington this week, blogging live. Military Families Speak Out will be making an important announcement later this week in D.C. More details will follow.
Thank you to those that emailed and left comments about the podcast. That will be held up a week or so, since the D.C. trip has come up.
Hot Links
Black Commentator for Blackwell, the first African-American republican to run for Ohio governor The Consequences of Believing Your Own Propaganda by Mamadou Chenyalu (who also writes good books)
A new mental disorder has been born. (Either that or its an old disorder with a new application.) Like all newborns, this new mental disorder needs to be named. Its official name should be a catchy, clinical-sounding term. The term should contain reference to each of the multiple characteristics that converge with one another to form this mental disorder. It should be self-definitional and worthy of its uniqueness in human behavior. Those characteristics include (1) ill-fated policy, because that’s the symptom of this mental disorder; (2) self-delusion, because that’s the cause of the disorder; (3) collective, because this behavioral disorder has reached epidemic proportions; and (4) nationalistic, because the common denominator of those in this collective is national origin. Space for this new category should be reserved for inclusion in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Flashback on misuse of the Guard Governor threatens to sue over air base
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Gov. Ted Kulongoski threatened on Tuesday to sue the Department of Defense if the government transfers fighter planes and personnel from the Portland Air National Guard base.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Kulongoski cited federal statutes he said required his consent for such a move. "I do not consent to deactivation, relocation or withdrawal of the 142nd Fighter Wing," he wrote.
"Given Oregon's geographic location and unquestionable need for air superiority in the Pacific Northwest, this recommendation places the entire region at risk if it is accepted," Kulongoski wrote.
Zaman Turkey Japan Announces Plan to Withdraw Soldiers from Iraq
The Japanese forces, the largest military deployment since World War II, are stationed in the city of Semawah. (800 soldiers)
According to the Japanese press, once Iraqi soldiers receive responsibility of security in Semawah, the Japanese forces will leave.
Never say the bad guys will win. Here is one of the cabal that did not win today. Washington Post Safavian Guilty of Lying, Obstruction of Justice
Safavian, 38, a former chief of staff of the General Services Administration and top federal procurement officer, was accused of lying about a 2002 golfing trip to Scotland with Abramoff and obstructing an investigation by the GSA inspector general and other investigators. He was also charged with concealing his efforts to help Abramoff acquire control of two federally managed properties in the Washington area.
He became the first person to be put on trial in connection with Abramoff, who pleaded guilty in January to fraud and conspiracy charges. Four other former Abramoff associates also have pleaded guilty so far. As part of their plea deals, they have agreed to cooperate in an investigation of Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio) and other lawmakers allegedly embroiled in a broad public corruption scandal involving the acceptance of various inducements in return for official acts. Ney denies any wrongdoing.
CNN U.S. soldiers' bodies mutilated, booby-trapped
Just bring them all home. The Iraqi Prime Minister asked Dubya for a pull out date. Dubya of course, refused his "offer." This is the third time and government that asked coalition forces to pull out.
Prissy guesses that is why Dubya won't let them continue to be "the government".
The Jurist University of Pennsylvania The Devil in the Details: The CIA Leak Case
Each of the crimes charged may be brought ancillary to a primary investigation or alone. Here, the identity of the person or persons who initially disclosed the name of Valerie Plame has not yet been revealed. It was obvious from Fitzgerald’s announcement that this underlying unauthorized disclosure of classified information charge might be forthcoming. Whether it is or not is irrelevant to the present charges which stand alone.
The grand jury is entitled to every person’s evidence if it is to ferret out criminal activity. In this case their critical nature of the lies and obstruction is compounded because of the sensitivity of the information that was compromised. With a typical perjury or false statement case, the lie must be material and central to the investigation. Trivial lies, such as those concerning a sex partner, are not usually prosecuted as a federal offense. By contrast, here, the lie is directly related to critical governmental function: the operation of the CIA and its undercover agents. Plame’s classified status was released by high ranking government officials and this signals to the world that our own government does not stand behind its agents and is willing to compromise operations around the globe. This disclosure gives hostile governments an inside look at the operation of the CIA, something the agency vigorously protected.
Because Plame is an ambassador’s wife, this tells the world that that the CIA uses an ambassador’s spouse as an investigative tool. The fact that Plame’s cover was protected for many years, even from her neighbors and family, puts into question the status of other spouses of ambassadors who might also be working for the CIA. Moreover, the fact that this revelation came from our own government makes it that much more troubling. The serious damage from this leak will be felt for years to come, and it is quite possible that we will never know the extent of the damage, given the fact that an internal CIA investigation into the leak will also be classified. These lies and attempts to prevent a full investigation are of the most serious type.
Quotes of the Day
Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.--Ovid (43 BC - 17 AD)
Do not trust all men, but trust men of worth; the former course is silly, the latter a mark of prudence.--Democritus (460 BC - 370 BC)
You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough.--Frank Crane
When you really trust someone, you have to be okay with not understanding some things.--Real Live Preacher, Real Live Preacher weblog, 07-08-0
