Robust Liberty

Consequences of Iran being Attacked

2007-12-05T13:15:00.000-05:00

In an effort to intimidate Iran, the Bush administration has regularly placed two aircraft carrier group formations in the Persian Gulf, LINK. The size and timing of possible U.S. military attacks on Iran's nuclear and/or military facilities, will influence the speed and scale of an Iranian response. Iran's response will predictably result in a military escalation that culminates in Iran using its arsenal of anti-ship cruise missiles on the U.S. Fifth Fleet and closing off the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping. Iran's ability to hide and launch cruise missiles from mountainous positions all along the Persian Gulf will make all Fifth Fleet ships in the Persian Gulf vulnerable. The Fifth Fleet would be trapped and unable to escape to safer waters. The Millennium Challenge war games in 2002 witnessed the sinking of most of the Fifth fleet.

If an attack on Iran were to occur before the end of 2007, it would lead to the destruction of the USS Enterprise with its complement of 5000 personnel on board. Further losses in terms of support ships and other Fifth Fleet naval forces in the Persian Gulf would be catastrophic. An Iranian cruise missile attack would replicate losses at Pearl Harbor where the sinking of five ships, destruction of 188 aircraft and deaths of 2,333 quickly led to a declaration of total war against Imperial Japan by the U.S. Congress.

The declaration of total war against Iran by the U.S. Congress would lead to a sustained bombing campaign and eventual military invasion to bring about regime change in Iran. Military conscription would occur in order to provide personnel for the invasion of Iran, and to support U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that would come under greater pressure. Tensions would rapidly escalate with other major powers such as Russia and China who have supplied Iran with sophisticated weapons systems that could be used against U.S. military assets. The closing of the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping and total war conditions in the U.S. would lead to a collapse of the world economy, and further erosion of civil liberties in a U.S. engaged in total war.

Conclusions
The above scenario is very plausible given the military capacities of Iran's anti-ship cruise missiles and the U.S. Navy's vulnerability to these while operating in the Persian Gulf. The Bush administration has hidden from the American public the full extent of the Fifth Fleet's vulnerability, and how it could be trapped and destroyed in a full scale conflict with Iran. This is best evidenced by the controversial decision to downplay the real results of the Millennium Challenge war games and the dissenting views of Lt. General Van Riper over the lessons to be learned. This culminated in General Van Riper joining a group of retired generals in calling for the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld. LINK.

Neo-conservatives within the Bush administration are fully aware of the vulnerability of the Fifth Fleet, yet have at times tried to place up to three carrier groups in the Persian Gulf which would only augment U.S. losses in any war with Iran. Yet the Bush administration has still attempted to move forward with plans for nuclear, conventional and/or covert attacks on Iran which would precipitate much of the terrible scenario described above.

A reasonable conclusion to draw is that neoconservatives within the Bush administration are willing to sacrifice much or all of the U.S. Fifth Fleet by militarily provoking Iran to launch its anti-ship cruise missile arsenal in order to justify 'total war' against Iran, and force regime change. A new Pearl Harbor can be averted by making accountable Bush administration officials willing to sacrifice the Fifth Fleet in pursuit of a neoconservative agenda.

source: http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/11/08/01932.html

When America Went Fascist

2007-09-27T11:44:00.001-05:00

People speculate about what fascism in America will look like, or how they might fight it. Others boast that they plan to flee the country ahead of the coming fascist takeover. One cannot read these without a sense of bitter irony, because one thing is clear to those who are watching carefully - The US is already a fascist state.

read more | digg story

Neil Young: Let's Impeach The President

2007-07-29T20:31:00.001-05:00

This video is top notch.

Get Out of Iraq: Impeach

2007-07-29T13:11:00.001-05:00

What do we fear more:
1) a president that has exceeded his authority and committed illegal acts, or
2) the effort required to have him impeached.

Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott Debates Impeachment

2007-07-28T13:24:00.001-05:00

How gutless and irresponsible can a congressman be when he fails to utilize a majority opinion and press for impeachment? Congressman Bobby Scott, a Democrat from Virginia who serves on the Judiciary Committee, was one of the furthest from backing impeachment

read more | digg story

Florida Democratic Party Fails to Support its Own

2007-07-19T08:12:00.001-05:00

Michael Collins offers numerous examples of disloyalty to Democrat candidates and their causes, including accepting lobbying money from Republicans. Whose interests are served?

read more | digg story

Voter Intimidation More Effective Than Computer Fraud

2007-06-22T12:31:00.001-05:00

Will your vote be counted next time around? Why is so much effort spent disenfranchisiing citizens from the electoral process? Beware, political hacks are corrupting our American democratic republic.

read more | digg story

The story that won't go away

2007-05-30T18:53:00.000-05:00

David Ray Griffin's latest book is a compilation of essays by 10 very qualified individuals that address the 9/11 disaster from their own vantage point. One statement made therein should help fellow protesters to understand that we are up against a mindset.

The American people don't refuse to consider alternative causes of 9/11 because they're foolish or stupid. They refuse to consider that the government they permit to lord over them to keep them safe and secure could be complicit in such a tragedy and the death of thousands of fellow citizens is unbearable. "For many Americans, the idea that we're living in a country whose own leaders planned and carried out the attacks of 9/11 is simply too horrible to entertain. Unfortunately, however, there is strong evidence in support of this view." Griffin, 9/11 and American Empire.

If citizens were more concerned with evidence and accuracy, rather than the fear of changing their world view (no small shift), the massive evidence, both direct and circumstantial would enlighten them.

no steel building, before or since 9/11/01, has collapsed due to fire (even after being fully engulfed in fire for days as in Madrid in 2002),
large pools of molten steel were observed under all 3 buildings 6 weeks after 9/11,
the "pancake" collapse would not only have left the 47 supporting center beams standing, like an old record player, but the speed of its fall would not have been at free-fall speed (because of the resistance of the floor below that would slow the fall) unless demolition removed the lower floor before the upper got there. Only in this way would it fall straight down at freefall speed,
when concrete is dropped from a height, it breaks. It doesn't turn to dust. There's no good explanation for the pulverization of the floors or the ejecting of steel beams horizontally from the falling building except for explosives,
if the government has nothing to hide, they would have released the thousands of photographs and hundreds of hours of video they have, submitted by citizens; just as they would have released the 2 known videos of the attack on the Pentagon: one from the gas station and the other from a nearby hotel. The FBI confiscated these within an hour after the attack and will not release them. If they have nothing to hide, if they were not complicit, they would release them. After all, the 9/11 commission's task is over, right?

My recommendation, for the short term, is to support Ron Paul. He is certainly the only one that can turn things around in any way. The weak democrats and the neocon republicans are too busy digging the grave for the American empire.

TwoWheelsRule is on line

2007-05-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

We are now on line. Visit www.twowheelsrule.com to see our selection of electric bicycles, mopeds, electric and gas scooters. We even have some scooters for kids, like a cool electric car that has a remote - by which parents can take control. That's pretty cool when your kid is about to drive her pretend car into the real street!
We offer free shipping on all items.
This is the beginning of the explosion of high-powered scooters in the US for urban use. Commuters will enjoy their ride and save gas money.
Come see us today!

TwoWheelsRule.com

2007-04-19T14:18:00.000-05:00

When all the stress of the news and politics are too much, it's a wonderful relief to grab the moped and ride. I'm starting up a site that will offer mopeds, electric bikes, electric scooters and other accessories for very good prices - probably better than you'll find elsewhere on the web. I have low overhead and am not too greedy, so you'll get a deal. Check it out at www.twowheelsrule.com and tell your riding friends!

V for Vendetta

2007-03-21T18:16:00.000-05:00

A recent film has generated a great deal of fear for Radical Muslims. This appears to be a well justified fear and the West should be prepared to defend itself.

Let's assume we do nothing and the radicals take over their area of the world: They would clear out from their region any occupying force and even natives that got in the way. They would develop and expand their armies, claiming a defensive purpose. And, when they look around the globe and see opportunities for more power and control, these defensive armies will come full force and invade our country. They might charge our president with crimes against minority groups and hang him. They will disband our government. They will destroy our cities and recreate our military to serve their ends. They will steal the riches of our precious country. We will have to become terrorists, all of us, to rid our land of these people. They don't respect human life as they kill our families, so we mustn't respect theirs. And since they will have become so powerful and our weapons feable, we will have to attack the enemy on other lands - wherever we can find him around the world. Maybe we we can lodge an attack in his own land. After all, this is justified retaliation!

Now, I invite you to re-read the previous paragraph and replace the word "radicals" with Americans, and imagine you live in the Middle East.

There is certainly danger from radical Islamists, but if we first try to understand what and who gives them power, we may be able to nip it in the bud. After all, the government of the US is the cause celeb for these radicals. Our out-of-control, overly militarized government has a presence in over 100 other countries, often in opposition to the will of the local population. Our recent approach has been to look for enemies. Hell, we're making more enemies all the time. And certainly, with a military-industry as vast and expensive as ours, consuming more than half our discretionary federal budget, there's an urge to use those weapons - even if they DO kill humans.
Most Americans prefer to remain oblivious to some very important facts. For example, "According to the Defense Department's annual "Base Structure Report" for fiscal year 2003, which itemizes foreign and domestic U.S. military real estate, the Pentagon currently owns or rents 702 overseas bases in about 130 countries and HAS another 6,000 bases in the United States and its territories." http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0115-08.htm

Likewise, most Americans prefer to swallow the government story told about the 9-11 and the responsible parties. How about you. Have you ever viewed the Loose Change video or any other 9-11 related videos on this blog. WHY would you want to continue accepting the story, hook, line and sinker after seeing just how quick this government lies???

Watch V for Vendetta for an example of people waking up against power.

Predicting the fall of WTC7

2007-03-03T10:55:00.000-05:00

Apparently, the BBC got word of the collapse of WTC7 a little prematurely. This video from the BBC of that day (including the time of collapse) shows the British take.
The challenge faced by those that want 9/11 investigated is the willingness of Americans to look the other way when ANY questions are raised. A simple thing like fires still burning weeks after the collapse. A building that collapsed, even with a fire, will not still be in flames even hours later.
They only way to get people to wake up to the reality that threatens them is to chip away at the image of the government. This is tedious, but those who could call for investigations must be called to account for their inaction and embarassed. Rational arguments will not work (they rarely do). A congressman must constantly balance the interests of his financial supporters in the corporate world and the interests of the public. He will satisfy the interests of the former until he's publicly embarassed or humiliated, or his public support is seriously threatened.
And until those in power are held to account for their deeds, they and those that succeed them will continue to play chess with the country.

Nutritional Supplements

2007-01-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

What is it with CBS' ethics? There's apparently a bill in Congress to restrict the free trade of nutritional supplements. And who would benefit by the passage of such a bill? Big Pharma.

Currently, CBS sells more than half their advertising for their Nightly News to Big Pharma. So it's interesting timing to see that the Nightly News will be doing an expose on the dangers of supplements. "If you know of someone that takes vitamins and supplements, tell them to watch CBS Nightly News each night this week." The news program is expected to be a somewhat balanced review of the news. Is it really ethical to be running a piece that seves to benefit it's advertisers?

Here, you can find low-cost nutritional supplements and colon cleansing products.

Demographic Reality and the Entitlement State

2006-11-20T10:12:00.000-05:00

Frank DeMarco, Hampton Roads Publishing: Ron Paul is a Republican congressman from Texas — yet he consistently tells the truth, and is economically literate, and is no friend of the all-devouring state. Who’d ‘a’ thought it?

by Ron Paul

The Government Accountability Office, or GAO, is an investigative arm of Congress charged with the thankless task of accounting for the money received and spent by the federal government. As you might imagine, people who spend all day examining the nitty-gritty realities of federal spending and deficits might not share the voters’ enthusiasm for grand campaign promises.

David Walker, Comptroller General at GAO, has been on a speaking tour of the U.S recently – and he pulls no punches when explaining just how precarious our nation’s entitlement system really is.

He explains that Social Security and Medicare are headed for a train wreck because of demographic trends and rising health care costs. The number of younger taxpayers for each older retiree will continue to decline. The demand for “free” prescription drugs under Medicare will explode. If present trends continue, by 2040 the entire federal budget will be consumed by Social Security and Medicare. The only options for balancing the budget would be cutting total federal spending by about 60%, or doubling federal taxes.

Furthermore, Walker asserts, we cannot grow our way out of this problem. Faster economic growth can only delay the inevitable hard choices. To close the long-term entitlement gap, the U.S. economy would have to grow by double digits every year for the next 75 years.

In short, Mr. Walker is telling the political class that the status quo cannot be maintained. He is to be commended for his refreshing honesty and unwillingness to provide excuses for the two political parties, the administration, or the even the entitlement-minded American public.

I urge everyone interested to visit the GAO website , where you can view a report entitled: “Our Nation’s Fiscal Outlook: The Federal Government’s Long-Term Budget Imbalance.”http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d061077r.pdf This report should be required reading for every politician in Washington.

Are ever-growing entitlement and military expenditures really consistent with a free country? Do these expenditures, and the resulting deficits, make us more free or less free? Should the government or the marketplace provide medical care? Should younger taxpayers be expected to provide retirement security and health care even for affluent retirees? Should the U.S. military be used to remake whole nations? Are the programs, agencies, and departments funded by Congress each year constitutional? Are they effective? Could they operate with a smaller budget? Would the public even notice if certain programs were eliminated altogether? These are the kinds of questions the American people must ask, even though Congress lacks the courage to do so.

If we hope to avoid a calamitous financial future for our nation, we must address the hardest question of all: What is the proper role for government in our society? The answer to this question will determine how prosperous and free we remain in the decades to come.

November 14, 2006

Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican member of Congress from Texas.

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05956.pdf voting system

Impeachment is Just

2006-11-18T21:42:00.000-05:00

During the Vietnam war, the Congress of the United States in 1973 passed a resolution known as the War Powers Resolution that states that the President of the United States cannot engage the Armed Forces of the Unites States in hostilities for more than 90 days without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, and further states that at any time that United States Armed Forces are engaged in hostilities outside the territory of the United States without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, such forces shall be removed by the President if the Congress so directs by concurrent resolution. 50 U.S.C., Sec. 1544(b), (c). (source: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/downloads/uraniumimpeach.pdf )

If Congress fails to open investigations into Bush administration actions, they will be giving a green light to any future president to again violate the Constitution. This is not a partisan request. I would feel the same regardless of the Clinton experience. Congress has a responsibility to their Oath of Office to 1) restore some respect to their branch of government and 2) restore justice to the behavior of the executive.

The world is NOT safer because the USA attacked Iraq. We were lied to about the WMD's, the connection of Hussein with al Qaeda, and the extent of secret wiretapping. George Bush has stood by or directed the illegal use of depleted-uranium weapons and transporting terrorist suspects to countries that practice torture. The list goes on. When asked why we’re in Iraq, you can answer “because Bush lied”.

The president has not been a "Uniter" but a divider, especially in our country. Let us unite by demanding the justice we all believe in.

If the Democratic Congress fails to press for hearings, they will prove themselves irrelevant. Americans didn’t sweep Republicans out of office because they liked Democrats; we just wanted to kick some of the bums out. The political balance will swing the other way if the corrupt politicians are not brought to account. This is the Democrat’s crucial opportunity; I hope they don’t fail the nation.

Prepare WTC for Demolition

2006-10-10T12:37:00.000-05:00

Many people are suspicious when told that explosions brought down the WTC buildings, and they should be. The most common question is, well, someone would have to wire the buildings and insert the bombs. How could it be that no one saw these activities?

Here is one answer, first hand:

Scott Forbes Interview

Imprisoned For Nearly Five Years Without Charge

2006-09-27T15:50:00.000-05:00

STRASBOURG, France, Sept. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- As the United States Administration seeks new legislation stripping Guantanamo prisoners of the right -- now affirmed twice by the U.S. Supreme Court -- to judicial review of their imprisonment, attorneys for Lakhdar Boumediene, a Bosnian citizen imprisoned for nearly five years without charge at Guantanamo, today filed an application in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against Bosnia and Herzegovina for on-going violations of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Boumediene's wife, commenting on the application stated, "I want peace, law and justice. I desperately want my husband back home with me and the girls. My daughters and I both really miss him and need him. It will be five years in October that he has been separated from us. I hope that this suit brings justice." ...

[Despite] two U.S. Supreme Court rulings confirming Boumediene has a right to a federal court hearing to review the government's claimed reasons for his imprisonment, Boumediene continues to languish while the administration tries to persuade U.S. legislators again to strip that right.

more... http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=73290

Congress Bans Funding for Permanent U.S. Military Bases in Iraq

2006-09-27T15:44:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S. Congress this week finalized legislation that bars funding to construct permanent military bases in Iraq and states definitively that it is the policy of the United States government not to exercise control over Iraq's petroleum resources.

"The perception that the U.S. military plans to stay in Iraq indefinitely has fueled the insurgency and undermined the stability of the Iraqi government," said Ruth Flower, legislative director for the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). "This legislation is an important first step in changing the failed U.S. policy in Iraq."

more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=73231

911 Eyewitness - Witnesses reported rumbling and dust clouds before collapse

2006-09-26T17:52:00.000-05:00


Eyewitnesses reported an "earthquake" type rumbling and street level dust clouds before each tower fell. These were ignored by the 911 Commission because they said no video evidence was available. In 911 Eyewitness, you can listen to the massive explosions and watch a cloud of dust rise from the streets between two waterfront buildings well before the North Tower WTC 1 starts to fall.

From the 105 minute video analysis

911 Eyewitness - Review of the scientific principles involved in WTC collapses

2006-09-26T17:44:00.000-05:00


A review of the three building collapses/demolitions that occurred on 9/11/01 using Newton's first, second and third laws of science. These laws and others would had to have been temporarily suspended in order for WTC 1 and WTC 2 to have collapsed as the official 911 Commission suggests. They don't even try to explain the demolition of WTC Seven

Watch "Olbermann blasts Bush and Fox News" on Google Video

2006-09-26T10:36:00.000-05:00

Attention!

Olbermann blasts Bush and Fox News

10 min 36 sec - Sep 26, 2006
Average rating: (4 ratings)
Description: The nation's freedoms are under assault by an administration whose policies can do us as much damage as Al-Qaeda; the nation's "marketplace of ideas" is being poisoned, by a propaganda company so blatant that Tokyo Rose would've quit.
Nonetheless.... ...the headline is this: Bill Clinton did what almost none of us have done, in five years. He has spoken the truth about 9/11, and the current presidential administration. "At least I tried," he said of his own efforts to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden. "That's the difference in me and some, including all of the right-wingers who are attacking me now. They had eight months to try; they did not try. I tried."
Thus in his supposed emeritus years, has Mr. Clinton taken forceful and triumphant action for honesty, and for us; action as vital and as courageous as any of his presidency; action as startling and as liberating, as any, by anyone, in these last five long years.
* The Bush Administration did not try to get Osama Bin Laden before 9/11.
* The Bush Administration ignored all the evidence gathered by its predecessors.
* The Bush Administration did not understand the Daily Briefing entitled "Bin Laden Determined To Strike in U.S."
* The Bush Administration... did...not...try.

Moreover, for the last five years one month and two weeks, the current administration, and in particular the President, has been given the greatest "pass" for incompetence and malfeasance, in American history!
* President Roosevelt was rightly blamed for ignoring the warning signs -- some of them, 17 years old -- before Pearl Harbor.
* President Hoover was correctly blamed for -- if not the Great Depression itself -- then the disastrous economic steps he took in the immediate aftermath of the Stock Market Crash.
* Even President Lincoln assumed some measure of responsibility for the Civil War -- though talk of Southern secession had begun as early as 1832. But not this President. To hear him bleat and whine and bully at nearly every opportunity, one would think someone else had been President on September 11th, 2001 -- or the nearly eight months that preceded it. That hardly reflects the honesty nor manliness we expect of the Executive.

If you're having trouble watching the video, try copying the following URL into your browser:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3932719463459133063&q=olbermann&pr=goog-sl

Dobbs: Voting machines put U.S. democracy at risk

2006-09-21T14:30:00.000-05:00

Voting problems are being revealed in Ohio, Illinois and Maryland that raise serious concerns of accurately counting votes. It appears that 8 out of 10 Americans will be using an electronic voting machine this Fall and problems persist. Lou Dobbs, in a recent article http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/19/Dobbs.Sept20/index.html tries to raise the level of concern.

"Congress and the White House need to immediately take steps to assure the integrity of electronic voting with paper trails that could be audited in any recount, or provisions must be made for paper ballots if the reliability of e-voting cannot be assured before November 7.

"When voters lose confidence in our elected representatives, we can vote the bums out. But what is the recourse if American voters lose confidence in our electoral system?"

Clinton's Record on Terrorism

2006-09-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

There are frequently criticisms raised regarding the performance of the Clinton administration regarding the "War on Terror". Most of us have short memories, and what we do recall from those years is colored by the impeachment hearings. It's really a shame, because he did quite a bit of respectable work towards peace in Northern Ireland and in the Middle East. Significantly, he worked with Congress to change the yearly US budget from a deficit to a surplus.

The following comments are from a posting by Bushwhacked_2 of Yahoo Discussion boards. Rather than letting it slip away, I'm posting it here for your appreciation. Many thanks to Bushwacked_2 for these reminders of the oft-overlooked contributions of President Clinton:

WHAT CLINTON REALLY DID -- sent legislation to Congress to TIGHTEN AIRPORT SECURITY. (Remember, this is before 911) The legislation was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the airlines. -- sent legislation to Congress to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF TERRORIST FUNDING. It was defeated by Republicans in the Senate because of opposition from banking interests. -- sent legislation to Congress to add tagents to explosives, to allow for BETTER TRACKING OF EXPLOSIVES USED BY TERRORISTS. It was defeated by the Republicans because of opposition from the NRA.

When Republicans couldn't prevent executive action, President Clinton: -- Developed the nation's first anti-terrorism policy, and appointed first national coordinator. -- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up 12 U.S. jetliners simultaneously. -- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up UN Headquarters. -- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up FBI Headquarters. -- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the Israeli Embassy in Washington. --Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up Boston airport. -- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up Lincoln and Holland Tunnels in NY. -- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the George Washington Bridge. -- Stopped cold the planned attack to blow up the US Embassy in Albania. -- Tried to kill Osama bin Laden and disrupt Al Qaeda through preemptive strikes (efforts denounced by the G.O.P.). -- Brought perpetrators of first World Trade Center bombing and CIA killings to justice. -- Did not blame Bush I administration for first World Trade Center bombing even though it occurred 38 days after they had left office. Instead, worked hard, even obsessively -- and successfully -- to stop future terrorist attacks.

Named the Hart-Rudman commission to report on nature of terrorist threats and major steps to be taken to combat terrorism. -- Tripled the budget of the FBI for counterterrorism and doubled overall funding for counterterrorism. -- Detected and destroyed cells of Al Qaeda in over 20 countries -- Created a national stockpile of drugs and vaccines including 40 million doses of smallpox vaccine. -- Robert Oakley, Reagan Counterterrorism Czar says of Clinton's efforts "Overall, I give them very high marks" and "The only major criticism I have is the obsession with Osama" -- Paul Bremer, Bush's Administrator of Iraq disagrees slightly with Robert Oakley saying he believed the Clinton Administration had "correctly focused on bin Laden. " -- Barton Gellman of the Washington Post put it best, "By any measure available, Clinton left office having given greater priority to terrorism than any president before him" and was the "first administration to undertake a systematic anti-terrorist effort."

Here, in stark contrast, is part of the Bush-Cheney anti-terrorism record before September 11, 2001: -- Backed off Clinton administration's anti-terrorism efforts. -- Shelved the Hart-Rudman report. -- Appointed new anti-terrorism task force under Dick Cheney. Group did not even meet before 9/11. -- Called for cuts in anti-terrorism efforts by the Department of Defense. -- Gave no priority to anti-terrorism efforts by Justice Department. -- Ignored warnings from Sandy Berger, Louis Freeh, George Tennant, Paul Bremer, and Richard Clarke about the urgency of terrorist threats. -- Halted Predator drone tracking of Osama bin Laden. -- Did nothing in wake of August 6 C.I.A. report to president saying Al Qaeda attack by hijack of an airliner almost certain. -- Bush - knowing about the terrorists' plans to attack in America, warned that terrorists were in flight schools in the US - took a four week vacation.

Republican-to-English Dictionary

2006-09-18T19:51:00.000-05:00

Thanks to muserwood on the Yahoo discussion board for the following definitions:

growth /n./ 1. The justification for tax cuts for the rich. 2. What happens to the national debt when policy is made according to Definition 1.

healthy forest /n./ No tree left behind.

honesty /n./ Lies told in simple declarative sentences (e.g., "Freedom is on the march.").

House of Representatives /n./ Exclusive club; entry fee: $1 million to $5 million (See: Senate).

insanity /n./ See: staying the course.

laziness /n./ When the poor are not working.

leisure time /n./ When the wealthy are not working.

liberal(s) /n./ Followers of the Antichrist.

No Child Left Behind /riff./. There are always jobs in the military.

ownership society /n./ 1. A civilization where 1% of the population controls 90% of the wealth. 2. A political system in which all power is in the hands of the owners.

Patriot Act /n./ 1. Pre-emptive strike on American freedoms to prevent the terrorists from destroying them first. 2. The elimination of one of the reasons why they hate us.

pro-life /adj./ Valuing human life up until birth.

Senate /n./ Exclusive club; entry fee: $10 million to $30 million.

simplify /v./ To cut the taxes of Republican donors.

staying the course /interj./slang./ Continuing to perform the same actions and expecting different results (See: insanity).

stuff happens /interj./slang./ I don't have to live in Baghdad.

voter fraud /n./ A significant minority turnout.

woman /n./ 1. Person who can be trusted to raise a child but can't be trusted to decide whether or not she wishes to have a child. 2. Person who must have all decisions regarding her reproductive functions made
by men with whom she wouldn't want to have sex in the first place.

War planned in 1990s

2006-09-16T15:48:00.000-05:00

The West Virginia Gazette reports on the new wave of skepticism making inroads into the US Legislative branch. Maybe it's not too late to save responsible American patriotism from being overshadowed by the greed of politicians and corporations.

West Virginia’s Sen. Jay Rockefeller stirred a hornet nest this week by saying White House insiders twisted evidence four years ago to dupe America into backing President Bush’s plan to invade Iraq.

“They deliberately led the American people to war because they wanted to do that,” Rockefeller told CBS News. He called it “absolute cynical manipulation, deliberately cynical manipulation, to shape American public opinion.”

Afterward, West Virginia’s Sen. Robert C. Byrd followed with a blazing U.S. Senate floor speech saying the Bush administration, “by design and deception,” shifted the war on terror away from al-Qaeda to Iraq. ...

In 2000, while Clinton still was president, many of the same neoconservatives, as leaders of the Project for the New American Century, drafted a plan to use America’s colossal military might to impose U.S. interests around the world, especially in the oil-rich Iraq region. In addition to Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Perle, PNAC members included Dick Cheney, Jeb Bush and other Republicans allied to the Bush family.

Also in 2000, Bush aide Condoleezza Rice wrote a Foreign Affairs article calling for removal of the Saddam government in Iraq — and she told the Council on Foreign Relations that “regime change” in Iraq was needed. ...

After George W. Bush narrowly won the presidency in 2000, he began planning an Iraq invasion even before taking office. The New York Times reported on Jan. 11, 2001, that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and other insiders went to the Pentagon for a top-secret meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, mostly about Iraq.

After Bush entered the White House, secret efforts toward an Iraq attack began “from day one,” according to insider books by former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill and former counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke.

Famously, Time reported that President Bush once told some U.S. senators visiting Rice at the White House, long before the Iraq invasion: “F—- Saddam, we’re taking him out.”

From all this, it’s clear that Bush insiders privately plotted the Iraq war for at least a decade. But they couldn’t induce Americans to back an unprovoked invasion of a little country that hadn’t attacked America — until a fluke of history made it possible. The Muslim suicide terrorist strike of Sept. 11, 2001, roused U.S. patriotism. Although none of the 9/11 fanatics were from Iraq, the White House implied that invading Iraq would avenge the national tragedy. Many Democrats in Congress couldn’t oppose the war cry, lest they seem unpatriotic.

Thus 9/11 enabled Bush to launch his Iraq war that had been planned in secret for years. Rockefeller was correct to call this a “cynical manipulation” of America. Byrd was correct to say the White House, “by design and deception,” shifted America’s focus off terrorism and onto Iraq.

http://wvgazette.com/section/Editorials/2006091522

Was it really a "fluke of history", or were these men so desperate to further their war plans that they induced the "new Pearl Harbor", as mentioned in the PNAC document?

"Further, the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event — like a new Pearl Harbor." http://www.newamericancentury.org/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf

There is a good expose at http://www.antiwar.com/orig/stockbauer1.html but remember to be ProPeace rather than AntiWar. Being anti-anything gives it power. Let's all be pro-peace, pro-truth and pro-America.

9/11: Press for Truth

2006-09-14T08:15:00.000-05:00

Here is a film that you can see in full on Google Video. Called 'Press for Truth', it describes the journey taken by the widows of 9/11 WTC victims.
It's a very well made film, quite professional and respectful.

Leave My Life Simple

2006-09-11T13:39:00.000-05:00

Please stop it with all this conspiracy stuff. Life is complicated enough as it is. Why can't I just trust my government and live a happy life?
You say that the buildings couldn't collapse that fast without assistance from explosives. You say that there should have been bodies and debris at the Pentagon and Shanksville. BUT the government says they just vaporized, and that's OK with me.
You say that wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are fighting the wrong enemy, but I don't care. At least Bush is doing something.
I visited your site and saw the video of bin Laden's confession and saw your 2 photos of him. I know they look a little different, but it's similar enough for me. I trust that my president always tells the truth when he can.
It scares me that something like 9/11 might happen again, so I prefer the fighting be done in a country other than mine.
You say that there were at least 5 major military exercises occurring on 9/11/01 including one that simulated hijackings. You say that many people could have been involved performing all the necessary actions that day and not thinking they were doing anything unusual, even in hindsight. You say that some military official could have worked with just a few people to flip the switch from "exercise" to "real world", but I can't imagine that people would be that callous.
You say that "False Flag" events have gotten into wars in years past, but I think we're better than that now.

Really, I'd prefer not to hear about conspiracies. What did it hurt to believe in the single-bullet theory regarding the Kennedy assassination? He's was dead either way, right?

Does it really hurt to ignore the truth?

Liberals ARE ashamed

2006-09-11T10:45:00.000-05:00

That we didn't
1) work harder at getting out the vote in 2004
2) suspect the corrupting of the election processes in states like Ohio
3) select a candidate for president that could speak energetically, forthrightly to fellow Americans.

Let's NOT make the same mistakes again!!
Start now to get the vote out. Raise the level of suspicion of BushCo by keeping the failed wars and 9/11 in the forefront.

In Memory of 9/11

2006-09-06T15:17:00.000-05:00

There is NO answer to someone that lost a family member, especially a son or daughter.
The only way to get any value from the loss is if it proves to be the straw that broke the camel's back:
Governments are often lying to their citizens and orchestrating situations to get what they want. This government is not so perfect that it's beyond suspicion.
In the Kennedy years, a document was prepared by the defense department and signed by ALL the joint chiefs. It called for "dirty tricks" that would create public anger towards Castro and give the military an excuse to launch a full invasion. One trick was to simulate a hijacked plane of college students and explode it over waters near Cuba. Many other things too. (called Operation Northwoods) Kennedy was furious with the document and the chairman of the joint chiefs, Lemnitzer, was denied a second term as a result. Click the image for page 13 of the declassified Northwoods document, or read the 14 pages for yourself.
Anyway, the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us of is in full swing and was the prime beneficiary of the 9/11 events. (You don't think al Queda benefited in any way, do you?)
So, if our representatives in D.C. listen to our demand to reopen the 9/11 investigation, it could be the beginning of the unraveling of this military/government group and return government to the people of the United States; and then perhaps, the innocent lives will not have been lost for nothing.

Which Conspiracy Theory?

2006-09-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

Who do you trust and what will you believe? There is a modest but worthwhile site that provides the information below. Considering how many Americans think there is no doubt that bin Laden is responsible for the 9/11 attacks, this expose raises a serious question.

Every idea put forward remains a theory until it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt, at which point it becomes 'fact'. The US government has not offered a shred of evidence that 9/11 was committed by Osama bin Laden. The tape in which bin Laden allegedly confesses to carrying out 9/11 is a fake, as can be seen by examining the two photos below. Do they look like the same person?

'Osama bin Laden' as he appears in the 'confession video'
released by the Pentagon in December 2001.

A known photo of Osama bin Laden, with a

much thinner and longer nose and face

Furthermore, just days after 9/11, bin Laden denied any involvement in the attacks.

The only reason that people are so convinced that Osama bin Laden was behind 9/11 is because we were told so by the US government within hours of the attacks, lies blindly echoed by the mainstream media.

Whilst millions were correct in not trusting the US and UK government's 'evidence' that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, far fewer people are willing to question their version of events relating to 9/11.

Who's Fascism is it Anyway?

2006-08-30T20:26:00.000-05:00

Tonight, we heard a powerful essay from Keith Olberman at the end of his regular broadcast on MSNBC. It was precipitated by the Rumsfeld/Cheney road show of late that refers to "Islamo-fascism" and how those who criticize our government's response to it are either ignorant, or traitorous. It will probably be on You Tube in just a few minutes, but here is the link to the transcript
An excerpt:
"It [the claim that critics are ignorant] demands the deep analysis and the sober contemplation of every American.
For it did not merely serve to impugn the morality or intelligence - indeed, the loyalty of the majority of Americans who oppose the transient occupants of the highest offices in the land;
Worse, still, it credits those same transient occupants - our employees with a total omniscience; a total omniscience which neither common sense, nor
this administration's track record at home or abroad, suggests they deserve. Dissent and disagreement with government is the life's blood of human freedom;
And not merely because it is the first roadblock against the kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of as "his" troops still fight, this very evening, in Iraq.
It [dissent] is also essential. Because just every once in awhile it is right and the power to which it speaks, is wrong."

Definition of Compassion

2006-08-27T10:01:00.000-05:00

The following quote, posted by the NY Times, seems to be a wonderful example of a compassionate regard for the suffering:

"I wish we could have identified everybody. Ninety-nine percent is a failing rate if it's your kid missing."
DR. LOUIS CATALDIE, Louisiana's medical examiner, on the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Voting Process CAN be Fixed

2006-08-25T16:54:00.000-05:00

OR, "Computer expert advises against using Direct Recording Electronic voting machines."
I think Aviel Rubin's post at Forbes.com regarding verifiable voting machines is terrific. I can easily visualize a voter executing the two-stage process he describes: select candidates via a user-friendly interface which prints out the selections onto a readable card. The voter verifies the selection and moves to the vote-casting station where their identification is checked and ballot accepted. The card would be stamped as read and the voter could walk away with the card as their receipt.
Could this prevent voting twice? A proper audit of the scanners would provide us confidence in the results. An audit would consist of checking that the scanner properly reads and tabulates the voting card.
This is much less sensitive to the quirks of immature computers, and would stifle the urges of the corrupt.
We must be sure that the ballots are counted at the voting district and eliminate the possibility of ballots being counted by a different machine across town in a different precinct. The idea of ballot rotation is insane and invites fraud.

Watch "Arsenal of Hypocrisy" on Google Video

2006-08-21T18:33:00.000-05:00

Arsenal of Hypocrisy

Description:
The Space Program and the Military Industrial Complex and how it will change your life

If you're having trouble watching the video, try copying the following URL into your browser:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4835966027154828456&pr=goog-sl

Gullible Americans

2006-08-15T11:41:00.000-05:00

Here is a sensible essay by a former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan Administration, a former editor and columnist for the Wall Street Journal and author of The Tyranny of Good Intentions.

By Paul Craig Roberts
Information Clearing House
08/14/06

I was in China when a July Harris Poll reported that 50 percent of Americans still believe that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when Bush invaded that country, and that 64 percent of Americans still believe that Saddam Hussein had strong links with Al Qaeda.
The Chinese leaders and intellectuals with whom I was meeting were incredulous. How could a majority of the population in an allegedly free country with an allegedly free press be so totally misinformed?

The only answer I could give the Chinese is that Americans would have been the perfect population for Mao and the Gang of Four, because Americans believe anything their government tells them.

Americans never check any facts. Who do you know, for example, who has even read the Report of the 9/11 Commission, much less checked the alleged facts reported in that document. I can answer for you. You don't know anyone who has read the report or checked the facts.
more...

FOIA request Reveals GTMO

2006-08-14T14:06:00.000-05:00

A fellow blogger has provided a link to an ACLU page. It gives the results of a FOIA request of the FBI: 600 references
I've just started looking it over, but it's quite revealing.

What I Missed the First Time

2006-08-13T13:39:00.000-05:00

Have you ever watched a movie more than once? Isn't it surprising the additional tidbits you somehow missed the first time?

I watched V for Vendetta yesterday and scenes are still going through my head. Things the inspector said about St. Mary's and Three Rivers. Things V said (oh so quickly) that presented windows into his past and how he thought today. This is a fantastic film. (See IMDB for an accurate comment.) The trailer makes it seem very horrific but that is not the case. There is violence, but it's controlled and the overall excitement made my heart pound. A little scary how the movie reflects a concern that hit the papers today: using prisoners as pharmaceutical test subjects. NY Times Consider looking into MK Ultra.

It also brings to mind that there are other situations in which we have to re-view to gather all the visual input; like how a goal developed in a hockey game, or how a particular block made possible a long touchdown run. There are other movies, such as Office Space, that we watch repeatedly to appreciate all the different subtleties. We find more twists and turns each time.

Then there are other videos, like the Zapruder film which, after its release to the public, had everyone doubting the lone-gunman theory. Perhaps that was the reason (?) for withholding it: keep the public believing the simple government answer.
Then there are videos already available for the public to see, if they wish, of the World Trade Center buildings (1, 2 and 7) falling straight to the ground. Think of what an inferno looks like and that’s what the Windsor building in Madrid, Spain experienced. A steel building, 32 stories was engulfed in flames for 21 hours. Yet it did not collapse. No steel structure has experienced a total collapse due to fire either before or since 9/11. WTC 7 had only a few fires and was not hit by a plane, yet it fell straight down to the ground, just like WTC 1 and 2 – nearly freefall.

So repeated viewing of a film can give us new or fuller insights, and sometimes surprises.

Lou Dobbs calls for 9/11 investigation

2006-08-11T16:45:00.000-05:00

Responding to the book by Hamilton and Kean on their commission, Lou is rightly outraged by the post-9/11 deceit by our government. You can view this short broadcast by clicking the arrow.

Yes, In My District !

2006-08-09T12:57:00.000-05:00

What a pleasure to discover that a strong Democrat with a real social conscience is running for Congress in my district! What an opportunity to assist in regime change.
You can read his position (which is exemplary) at
Dr Bob Bowman

America is Great!

2006-08-08T18:38:00.000-05:00

Americans, on the whole, are wonderful people. But the government that rules us is evil. And because Americans feel powerless to stop the evil, they close their eyes and ears to the horrors that our government and military inflicts.
Even if invading a country that didn't threaten the United States were justified, the use of depleted uranium in weaponry is now and will continue to cause painful cancers. The use of napalm is equally inhumane. These behaviors are illegal by international standards. The United States is a signatory to the Geneva Convention of 1949 and should abide by its Humanitarian Law that forbids weapons using the following measure:

Humanitarian Law
There are four rules derived from the whole of humanitarian law regarding weapons:

Weapons may only be used in the legal field of battle, defined as legal military targets of the enemy in the war. Weapons may not have an adverse effect off the legal field of battle.

(The "territorial" test).Weapons can only be used for the duration of an armed conflict. A weapon that is used or continues to act after the war is over violates this criterion. (The "temporal" test).

Weapons may not be unduly inhumane. (The "humaneness" test). The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 use the terms “unnecessary suffering” and ”superfluous injury” for this concept.

Weapons may not have an unduly negative effect on the natural environment. (The "environmental" test).DU weapons fail all four tests.
Wikipedia - Depleted_uranium

Please see Dennis Kucinich for further details.

Did the US military use chemical weapons in Iraq?
See http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1108/dailyUpdate.html
It's appalling.

Foreign Opinions of a Different Light

2006-08-08T15:45:00.000-05:00

Former minister Joan Ruddock said in a BBC radio interview there is “despair” in Labour ranks. “I have not met any member of the party who agrees with our strategy,” she said. Wars tend to develop their own momentum. The people who went to war in 1914 expected to be home for Christmas, but that conflict was to have repercussions that were to last for the rest of the century.

The British and US military are now admitting that civil war is likely in Iraq. They went to war in Afghanistan, but before they finished it, they went into Iraq, and now, before it’s over, they are courting another war by their blind support of Israel. Nobody should underestimate the stupidity of George W Bush, or anyone naive enough to follow him blindly.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=opinion-qqqm=opinion-qqqa=general-qqqid=10082-qqqx=1.asp

It's time for real American principles

2006-08-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

Read the following clip from The Independent (UK) and see if you're not astounded and angry:

Of all the prisoners ever held at Guatanamo since it was established in January 2002, only 10 have been formally charged. An investigation earlier this year by New Jersey's Seton Hall University showed that, based on the military's own documents, 55 per cent of prisoners are not alleged to have committed any hostile acts against the US, and 40 per cent are not accused of affiliation with al-Qa'ida.
The same documents suggested only 8 per cent of prisoners are accused of fighting for a terrorist group, and that 86 per cent were captured by the Northern Alliance or Pakistani authorities "at a time when the US offered large bounties for the capture of suspected terrorists". news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article1204499.ece

The main point of their story is to alert us to a building up of Guantanamo. It may be a good thing that a new cell block opens up if the intention is to provide more decent care for those detained. However, we should be concerned that the intent is to detain more individuals.

If any of the detainees have committed a crime, they should be charged. If we don't have enough evidence to charge, they should be released. That is the American standard, called due process.

Relevant Quotations

2006-07-25T08:29:00.000-05:00

Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first. -- General Charles De Gaulle

A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against its government. -- Edward Abbey (1927-1989)

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.
I love my country too much to be a nationalist. -- Albert Camus

'My country, right or wrong', is a thing that no patriot would think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like saying, 'My mother, drunk or sober.' -- Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Review of United 93

2006-07-22T19:11:00.000-05:00

While this movie did a very good job at depicting the events of the morning of 9/11, we only know a little more about flight 93 than the other 4. It was particularly accurate in showing that the flight was less than half full for the flight to SFfrom Boston (40 passengers). Normal load is 70-90% but the 4 hijacked planes each went with about a 30% load.
The film was quite riveting and had my heart pounding. It was like an "Airport" movie, but the tension was actually increased by our knowledge of the end game.
The film did a fine job of respectfully showing each of the characters, though I hope the flight attendants would hold it together better than the film displayed.

The question that still hangs in the air though, is where is the wreckage? People of Shanksville found debris from the flight miles from the crash site. An engine was found hundreds of yards away. But no bodies, luggage or aircraft. We've seen crashes before -- they don't disintegrate or "pulverize". Just like at the Pentagon, I have to ask: Where are the passengers???
If you're prepared to look at more 9/11 questions, view Painful deceptions:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1336167662031629480

We must be careful how we execute vengeance!

Painful Deceptions

2006-07-21T14:36:00.000-05:00


counter-enquiry about 9/11

Indian Affairs Question

2006-07-20T16:17:00.000-05:00

How many ways can you use sovreign in a response? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9sa7YjCblU

The Radical Right

2006-07-19T14:48:00.000-05:00

Why is it that Christians gravitate to a military lifestyle???
When referring to the far right wing, the more appropriate phrase should remove the claim to being religous. They should be called the Radical Right.