(From last night’s meet-and-greet-the-Commander-in-Chief.) I agree. So let’s see how well we’re doing on the credibility-with-the-world front: Source Mmmmm . . . doesn’t look so good . . .
Waist Deep in the Big Muddy
Based on my thorough research (i.e., scanning a few blogs and catching a few minutes of Rush), the right-wing line du jour seems to be that the media is over-exaggerating the problems in Iraq. Which may or may not be true (who can say??), but I wonder how long that meme will float. Kos goes out on a limb with … Read More
Rice vs. Bush
Apparently, Dr. Rice doesn’t read my posts here. Like this one. Today, before the 9/11 Commission, she characterized the threats that were coming in (during the Spring and Summer of 2001) as: "Troubling, yes. But they don’t tell us when; they don’t tell us where; they don’t tell us who; and they don’t tell us how . . . " … Read More
Another Bloody Day?
Sky News out of Britain is reporting that 130 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq. I don’t know how much stock to put in that (it’s a Murduch publication, so . . .). Other (more realistic, but nevertheless tragic) reports are coming out saying "Six U.S. soldiers dead". Let’s hope they’re ALL wrong. UPDATE: As of this entry (6:05 … Read More
Bush vs. Bush
"Let me just be very clear about this . . . Had we had the information that was necessary to stop an attack, I’d have stopped the attack. … If we’d have known that the enemy was going to fly airplanes into our buildings, we would have done everything in our power to stop it." – Bush, quoted recently here … Read More
Front Burner, My Ass – Pt II
Last one, I promise. (Well, maybe I’ll touch upon it again when Cheney and his chauffeur meet with the 9/11 commission . . .) This, too, is a confirmation of Clarke’s allegations. National Security Adviser Condi Rice was to speak at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. She had a major policy speech that was to … Read More
Milestones
Well, with the nine Americans(!) killed in Iraq today, we’ve gone over the 600 dead mark(!), and enjoyed the second-deadliest month(!) since the end of major combat eleven months ago. As I saw the AP photos of the four charred American bodies (all civilians!) being hung from a bridge in Fallujah, I was struck by the complete and utter absence … Read More
Powell Adds Credence to Clark Testimony
Not intentionally of course. Here’s the timeline which tells the story: December 16, 2000 – Powell nominated by Bush to be Secretary of State. December 20, 2000 – Powell meets with CIA, FBI and the State Department for the transition. "We talked about al Qaeda," Powell later admits. January 17, 2000 – Powell testifies at his confirmation hearing. Outlining the … Read More
Outsourcing Torture
The Village Voice has an interesting article on a CIA practice known as "extraordinary rendition". What it basically means is this: we pick up a suspect (i.e., a terrorism suspect) in a foreign country. Then, rather than interrogate him here in the United States, we ship him off to Syria or someplace where the authorities there can practice, uh, more … Read More
Eric Embarrassment Watch I
Who’s "Eric"? I don’t know — perhaps a Special Assistant to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Whoever he is, chances are he’ll be out of a job by the end of the day. Why? It looks like he left his notes regarding strategy sessions on how to deal with Clarke, etc. at a D.C. Starbucks. (Included in his … Read More
Rice To Testify
The White House is backpeddling. Which is fine. Doing the right thing . . . eventually . . . is the best we can hope for from the Bush Administration. But here’s something that struck me as odd — today’s letter to the 9/11 Commission from the White House counsel, especially this self-serving statement: The President has consistently stated a … Read More
More Corroboration of Clarke
[Outgoing Deputy National Security Advisor Lieutenant General Donald L. Kerrick], who stayed through the first four months of the Bush administration, said, "candidly speaking, I didn’t detect" a strong focus on terrorism. "That’s not being derogatory. It’s just a fact. I didn’t detect any activity but what Dick Clarke and the CSG [the Counterterrorism Strategy Group he chaired] were doing." … Read More
New Rule (with Apologies to Bill Maher)
Politicians cannot engage in political humor, if they don’t know what’s funny. At last night’s Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association 60th annual dinner, Bush presented a series of slides: A recurring joke involved photos of the president in awkward positions — bent over as if he’s looking under a table, leaning to look out a window — accompanied by remarks … Read More
Uh . . . Question?
Fox News in August 2002 had an interview with Richard Clarke (then working for Bush White House). Clarke was on background, which is why Fox had to seek permission from the White House to release the transcript yesterday, identifying Clarke as the source. (The White House, of course, granted permission) Apparently, this is how it is done. I have no … Read More
Newdow v. Rehnquist
Michael Newdow, the atheist-doctor-attorney from California who wants "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, made his argument to the Supreme Court today. And HE made it HIMSELF, not some high-priced experienced appellate lawyer. By one first-hand account, Newdow wasn’t too shabby for a guy who doesn’t actually practice law for a living. He even one-upped Rehnquist at one … Read More