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"Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."-The Downing Street Memo, 7/23/2002
They Didn't Know Humiliation Was Against the Rules
The pictures have been circulating - the ones documenting the claim from former prisoners and human rights groups that prisoners held at Saddam Hussein's former torture chambers were in fact being abused, tortured, humiliated (pick a word) by our own United States military. How ironic. Now they are following their Commander in Chief's lead by not taking responsibility for their actions:
The six U.S. soldiers facing courts-martial in connection with mistreatment of detainees at an Iraqi prison did not receive in-depth training on the Geneva Conventions, which govern the handling of captives, a military spokeswoman said Friday.
Should intelligence testing be imposed on prospective recruits? If not, in light of these not so recent events, that may not be a bad idea.
Their actions warrant nothing less than a courts-marshal plus jail time.
Condemning the "mistreatment," President Bush said:
"Their treatment does not reflect the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do things in America. I didn't like it one bit."
I for one, believe that the majority of our military personnel over there are decent people. However, I doubt, especially after the release of these photos, that my opinion is shared by the majority of Iraqis whose lives have been irreversibly affected by the policies of my government. Now the Muslim world can put a face on the "ugly American."
Photo Friday
Vietnamese Girl Fleeing in Terror After a Napalm Attack, Nick Ut (Vietnam, 1972) Associated Press
Sometimes words aren't needed....
"Be My Baby"
Our society is doomed. I would have expected something like this from FOX, but on ABC's 20/20?
Stern to FCC: Play With Fire, Bush Will Burn
Have you been to Howard Stern's website lately? The site has been revamped and, in my humble opinion, greatly improved. Thanks (particularly MINE) to the FCC and Clear Channel, Stern's website has become an anti-bush smorgasbord (with some raunchy articles here and there - come on, it's still Howard Stern). He even has links to TruthOut and MoveOn, and has a great resource page on Bush Facts. Apparently, the "shock jock" did his homework, is mad as hell and wants Bush out of the White House as much as Al Franken. Who needs Air America when you've got Stern on your side? According to Jodi Rosen who wrote an opinion piece for the L.A. Times:...although Stern's approximately 8.5 million listeners are often dismissed as overgrown frat boys, they might more accurately be called swing voters. They are overwhelmingly white and male, many are well educated and well off, and they vote. And millions of them listen to Stern's show in battleground states - Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida - where the election will be decided.
Hmmm...How does a Kerry-Stern ticket sound? Nah...I wouldn't recommend Howard Stern quit his day job which is probably a big motivator, here - he wants to keep his job. When juggernaut Clear Channel dropped him from six of their radio stations, Howard Stern tasted a ghastly sampling of the George W. Bush administration and fears, justifiably, its full potential.
Getting back to his site, he has a great anti-bush radio ad "Bad American Presidents" in true Howard Stern style. Trust me, it's worth a listen to. It's hysterical. Should I mention John Ashcroft's Penis Face? I won't link it here as Jinky the Cat must maintain some level of good taste, but if you want to see it, visit the site. Scroll all the way down, OR just click here (damn the FCC).
Supervised Visitation Scheduled Thursday
It's official, George W. Bush, our self-declared "war president," will meet with the 911 Commission under the scrupulous supervision of Dick Cheney this week- Thursday morning, to be a bit more specific. They're probably going over their notes as I write this. According to the White House, Bush is "refreshing his memory."White House spokesman Scott McClellan insists the plan still calls for Mr. Bush and Cheney to appear together before the panel. McClellan rejects suggestions that they're appearing together to "get the story straight."
Actually, the panel insisted the pair appear separately, but like Edgar Bergen & Charlie, the duo are inseparable. For the panel, the show must go on even if their testimony will be in private and not under oath. To top it all off, there will be NO transcript of the session, though notes will be taken. Lovely. All sarcasm aside, how can THIS be allowed in a democratic society? Are the American people going to tolerate this?
On a positive note, the Press is looking a lot less like McClellan's biatches: Q: Scott, did the White House request there not be any transcribers -- any recording or stenographers in the meeting, in the 9/11 Commission hearing?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that was a request -- I checked on that -- that we discussed with the commission, and they were fine with it.
Q: And what is the advantage that you see in that? This is a very historic meeting.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, this is a private meeting, first of all, Elisabeth. And let's keep in mind that it is extraordinary for a sitting President of the United States to sit down with the legislatively created commission..[yada, yada, yada]
Q: Right, if I can just follow up. So if this session is an extraordinary event and such an extraordinary meeting, why do you not want an official record of it?
MR. McCLELLAN: Elisabeth, I don't think that this is unusual at all, if you look back at other meetings that have taken place, private meetings with the commission and other members of the administration.
Q: But this is the President, why don't we want an official record for history, of this meeting?
MR. McCLELLAN: There will be detailed notes taken of this meeting. This is about helping the commission complete its work, and helping provide the commission with all the information they need so that they can draw as complete a picture as possible for the American people, and make recommendations based on all that information that they piece together.
Q: But wouldn't there be better detailed records if you had it recorded, if you had a stenographer?
MR. McCLELLAN: Elisabeth, we have provided the commission with volumes of information, and unprecedented access to information...[blah, blah, blah]
I swear if I hear McClellan say "unprecedented" one more time...
Here's one more jewel, but for the whole transcript of the exchange, click here.
Q: On another point, it's unusual in these circumstances for the President to appear with somebody else. When President Reagan went before the Iran Contra panel, he went alone. He didn't have the Vice President sitting with him. Vice President Bush -- then Vice President Bush was questioned separately. Why is it important for these two men to testify -- or to appear -- to appear together, particularly with Democrats saying it raises the appearance that they have to get their stories straight, that there might be something to hide?
I doubt he signed up for this. It's sure to get uglier. Please get uglier.
The Truth Soon To Hit (and Fly Off) The Shelves
They probably thought they swept this issue under Cheney's office rug. I haven't forgotten. Have you? To spark your memory of George W. Bush's false claim that Saddam Hussein was purchasing nuclear material from Niger, Joseph Wilson's clearing the deception up, and in spiteful exchange, the administration's outing of his CIA agent wife who specialized in actual weapons of mass destruction, former Ambassador Wilson has written the next, I'm sure, best seller.
Buy it at Buzzflash
911 Mom: Questions 4 911 Commission
Joan Molinaro, mother of fallen firefighter Carl Molinaro has some questions of her own for the Sept. 11th Commission should they run out things to ask Mr. Perfect and his "higher father," Dick Cheney when they testify on Thursday. I don't think I need to remind the reader that the couple has stayed the course to a private meeting with the panel with the legal flexibility of telling more lies or "mispeaking."* Why has the White House done nothing to help the more than 6,000 9/11 families and survivors who are working to bankrupt terrorism by taking action against Al Qaeda's financiers?
Will they listen?
* Why did Bush let Saudi royals and Bin Laden relatives flee the U.S. right after 9/11 - violating the no-fly order - before they could be interviewed by the FBI?
* Why did our government let two alleged Al Qaeda members - one a roommate of lead hijacker Mohamed Atta - go free after they had been indicted in Germany by refusing to share evidence with the German prosecutors? I traveled to Germany twice to assist in their prosecutions, and I feel betrayed.
* Why isn't Bush changing immigration laws to make it harder for terrorists to get driver's licenses and visas? The hijackers had 63 driver's licenses among them, all the ID they needed to board the planes. more...
Catholic Hypocrisy
As a non-practicing Catholic that spent years upon years in parochial school, I am distressed by the focus of some Catholic leaders by attacking Presidential nominee Kerry for taking Communion while supporting the woman's right to choice. I don't know about you but I do remember from those countless hours of religion classes that God gave us all free will. What about the death penalty? What about the war in Iraq that the Pope was against? Are we now going to have a 10 question test before we give Communion to everyone? What about all the other politicians who are Catholic and are taking Communion? Who appointed these people god? Outrage.
Just In Time
"Fahrenheit 911," Michael Moore's latest documentary about you know what will hit theatres worldwide this summer.
It's Not JUST About Choice
Margot Magowan wrote a great piece on "Choice" and how it extends far beyond the boundaries of a woman's right to get an abortion. As John pointed out in the previous entry, "Its about the health and well-being of all women throughout the world." In Magowan's article:Choice has never been a single issue. Reproductive rights don't exist in a vacuum. They have everything to do with women's economic and political power, women's access to education and healthcare, women's status in society and women's abilities to take care of themselves and their children.
She quoted one birth control pioneer, Margaret Sanger:"If a woman does not have the right to control her own body, she has no rights." more...
Thank You Women's Rights Marchers
Via Atrios, thank you all, especially my co-work Aileen & her husband, who were able to march today in DC. This isn't all about abortion. It's about the health and well-being of all women throughout the world. As more and more funding is taken away from health organizations that promote women's health issues, all women are in for the fight of their lives, literally. This march is to promote Choice, Justice, Access, Health, Abortion, Global and Family Planning.
Give today if you can....
Update: The count for the march was reported to be in the range of 800,000 to 1.2 million men, women & children. See Trapper John at Kos for a at-the-scene report and the Washington Post's article on the day.
Tweaking (cont.)
After denying the cruel fact that "Jinky the Cat" takes forever to load on dial-up connections, I've accepted defeat and sacrificed some (I know, the monkey's not totally off my back) of my images to which I've unfortunately grown attached. In doing so, I've added the links to my F.Y.I. list (should any of you care, it's on the left of the page), and even alphabetized them. I've even added a new section "Blogs" which should make the site less cumbersome.
Off Topic, an actual Prince suggested that I update my "Coalition of the Willing" entry (A.K.A. Honduras post). I don't know if Prince Rathje is the "real deal," but I've upated the post.
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