Hope you can join me on my radio show, 6-7 p.m. eastern – 3-4 p.m. pacific.
I'm ready and loaded for Bush, so to speak. A lot to talk about today.
UPDATE (4:20 p.m.): One of the things I covered on the show today was that Zarqawi's replacement, al-Masri, is now recruiting nuclear scientists. …Oh, and did I mention that Iraq now costs $2 BILLION per week?
The fugitive terror chief said experts in the fields of “chemistry, physics, electronics, media and all other sciences — especially nuclear scientists and explosives experts” should join his group's jihad, or holy war, against the West.
“We are in dire need of you,” said the speaker, who identified himself as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir — also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri. “The field of jihad can satisfy your scientific ambitions, and the large American bases (in Iraq) are good places to test your unconventional weapons, whether biological or dirty, as they call them.”
The 20-minute audio was posted to a Web site that frequently airs al-Qaida messages. The voice could not be independently identified, but it was thought to be al-Masri's. He is believed to have succeeded Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who died in a U.S. airstrike north of Baghdad in June, as head of the al-Qaida-linked organization. … …
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
VOTE REPUBLICAN in '06! REPUBLICANS 219 for TORTURE (7 against) DEMOCRATS: 34 for TORTURE (160 AGAINST)
Republicans for torture unite! Vote Republican in '06!
Nice.
How very democratic.
How very Christian.
How very un-American.
WHY ISN'T ANYONE COVERING THE IRAQ WAR?
Listen to my radio show from 6-7 pm eastern – 3-4 p.m. pacific. (By the way, here's the link to the Olbermann story I covered on my show. h/t)
Torture is one topic, but the main issue is still the NIE for me, as well as Bush's goal to keep the Iraq NIE quiet until after the 2006 elections.
But I can't let the moment go without talking about the Democrats' position on the Military Commissions Act Republican Torture Act, which has JB out swinging. Yes, it's the Republicans pushing this one, because the Democrats aren't in charge of squat.
… This bill is simply outrageous. I doubt whether many Democratic Senators or staffs have read the bill or understand what is in it. Instead, they seem to be scrambling over themselves to vote for it out of a fear that the American public will think them weak and soft on terror.
The reason why the Democrats have not been doing very well on these issues, however, is that the public does not believe that they stand for anything other than echoing what the Republicans have been doing with a bit less conviction. If the Republicans are now the Party of Torture, the Democrats are now the Party of “Torture? Yeah, I guess so.” Not exactly the moral high ground from which to seek office.
The Democrats may think that if they let this pass, they are guaranteed to pick up more seats in the House and Senate. But they will actually win less seats this way. For they will have proved to the American people that they are spineless and opportunistic– that, when faced with a genuine choice and a genuine challenge, they can keep neither our country nor our values safe.
The current bill, if passed, will give the Executive far more dictatorial powers to detain, prosecute, judge and punish than it ever enjoyed before. Over the last 48 hours, it has been modified in a hundred different ways to increase executive power at the expense of judicial review, due process, and oversight. And what is more, the bill's most outrageous provisions on torture, definition of enemy combatants, secret procedures, and habeas stripping, are completely unnecessary to keep Americans safe. Rather, they are the work of an Executive branch that has proven itself as untrustworthy as it is greedy: always pushing the legal and constitutional envelope, always seeking more power and less accountability. …
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
Lots of things to talk about today on my radio show, including the latest news on the NIE. The declassifed “key” findings have been released. Of course, I can't resist talking about Condi the Incompetent getting all indignant about President Clinton slamming her. This is classic.
NY Post: Senator Clinton, do you have any reaction to what Condi Rice said about your husband?
HRC: Well as I said yesterday, I think my husband did a great job in demonstrating that Democrats are not going to take these attacks. All you have to do is read the 9/11 Commission to know what he and his Administration did to protect Americans and prevent terrorist attacks against our country. You know, and I'm certain, that if my husband and his National Security team had been shown a classified report entitled “Bin Laden Determined To Attack Inside the United States” he would have taken it more seriously than history suggests it was taken by our current President and his National Security team.
A “Significant” terrorist incident is one in which a person was killed, wounded or kidnapped (or there was property damage in excess of $10,000). The statistics tell a very clear and simple story (I bet someone who can read My Pet Goat can figure it out).
The total number of international terrorist incidents, both significant and non-significant, declined until 2002.
The number of significant incidents increased steadily starting in 1992.
Most of the significant incidents were caused by radical Islamic extremists.
2004 marked the single, largest increase in terrorist activity ever recorded since the CIA started keeping records dating back to 1968.
The four fold increase in significant terrorist incidents (attacks in which people were killed and wounded) was a direct consequence of the war in Iraq. All you have to do is look at the attacks recorded and the people killed and wounded in those attacks. Iraq and India were the big targets in 2004.
I also interview Kristen Breitweiser in the second segment of the show about her new book “Wake-up Call”. I went to her publisher's website to get Kristen's book tour schedule for you, but couldn't find one. I'll ask her where she's headed on her book tour during the interview and get a link for you. As an aside, I get unsolicited books from publishers all the time to review. I've even covered conservative writers from time to time, when the book is good. But Warner Books, the parent company of Hachette, Kristen's publisher, didn't send me a copy of her book. I don't take it personally, but it seems they'd want everyone to review the book.
Kristen's book is quite a read, especially the substance sections. I thought I'd share just one with you, which I'll post in a little while, but will talk about during my show. Stay tuned.
As for terrorist attacks being up, here's a graphic that says it all.
UPDATED (4:15 p.m.): While I was on the air, Senator Harry Reid released his statement, which he gave earlier. All I can say is give 'em hell, Harry.
REID: THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE PROVES WE MUST CHANGE COURSE IN IRAQ
“The declassified findings contained in the National Intelligence Estimate confirm what the American people have long believed – the Bush Administration's failed policies in Iraq are fueling global terrorism and making America less safe. These results are the unfortunate consequences of the Administration's decision to cherry pick pre-war intelligence, ignore our senior military leaders, and completely fail to plan for the post-Saddam occupation. With such a devastating and authoritative analysis of the Bush Administration's failures in Iraq, the President and the Republican-controlled Congress now have a choice to make. Will they stubbornly follow a failed stay the course strategy that America's intelligence community has concluded makes America less safe, or will they finally admit their mistakes and change course? On behalf of our troops and the security of the American people, it is time to change course. We need a new direction in Iraq so that America can finally win the war on terror.”
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
… Just heard Allen on CNN, then Larry Sabato later on “Hardball”. Sabato dropped a bomb, which I'll cover on the show.
I'll be on the air 6-7 p.m. eastern – 3-4 p.m. pacific. Oh, and don't forget that tomorrow I have Kristen Breitweiser on the show talking about her new book Wake-Up Call. It's only an hour, so we'll get Kristen for one full segment. Looking forward to it and hope you can join me.
As for today, the leaked NIE is causing quite a stir. Why? Because no one in the Senate seems to have been given it to read. Frist said as much yesterday on “This Week” on ABC.
But the big story follows up on former President Bill Clinton's humiliation of Chris Wallace yesterday. Bill Kristol weighs in on why.
1. Helping Democrats in 2006.
In the Fox interview, and in other recent interviews (Meet the Press, the New Yorker), Clinton has shown himself well aware of Republican efforts (engineered by the dastardly Karl Rove) to paint Democrats as unreliable in the war on terror. Clinton would have known that these were doing some damage to Democrats, and that Bush and Rove have had a few good weeks on this issue. And he would know that the Democrats haven't fought back well (e.g., they're now in a difficult position on the Bush-McCain detainees legislation).
In this interview, Clinton rallied Democrats. He reminded them of their talking points on Bush's alleged passivity in his first eight months in office (remember Richard Clarke!), and on the alleged distraction posed by Iraq from the more worthwhile war in Afghanistan. He nicely laid the predicate for the leaked portions of the National Intelligence Estimate that appeared in the press the next day. If the Bush-Rove war-on-terror offensive stalls out this week (and much of the media is committed to making this happen), and Democrats do well in November, Bill Clinton can take credit, at a crucial moment, for discrediting the terror issue as a mere political ploy, and showing Democrats how “to fight back” and how “to stand up to the right-wing propaganda machine” (in the words of Howard Dean).
2. Helping Hillary in 2008. … …
Hillary Clinton has been having problems with the left wing of the Democratic party. With this interview, Bill Clinton has the entire left wing of the Democratic party rallying to him. Some of this solidarity can presumably be transferred to Hillary. And the dangerous move of the left-wing of the party toward Gore and Edwards, and their rise in national and Iowa polls respectively, can perhaps be stopped.
3. Intimidating Critics. … …
Bill Clinton is a smart (and calculating) politician.
Whatever Clinton's motives, he cut Fox “News”, but especially Chris Wallace, down to size.
Now to the NIE, which according to Josh Marshall, has House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the ranking member of the senate intel committee, Sen. Rockefeller (D-WV) and Sen. Clinton (D-NY) coming out to declassify the document. The White House is freaking out and in full damage control. They're all terror and torture menu has been hijacked.
Meanwhile, we've got SoreLoserman ripping into Ned Lamont with a statement that is a flat out lie. Basically, Lieberman is trying to prop up the Republican stay the course stance, while lying about Ned Lamont's position on Iraq, so that he can get reelected. But in the middle of it, Lieberman is alos calling John Kerry a liar and claiming he doesn't know what he's talking about. Can't wait to hear what Kerry has to say about that one.
Today, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee Hearing had three starring guests: Major General John R.S. Batiste (Retired U.S. Army), Major General Paul D. Eaton (Retired U.S. Army), Colonel Thomas X. Hammes (Retired Marine). You can read their statements here, here and here (pdf versions). It's about IRAQ-Iraq-Iraq. Here's the video of Batiste.
So let's get something straight. The latest NIE was finished in April 2006. I want to know why the Senate hasn't seen it. Better yet, I want the NIE declassified. Don't you? George W. Bush has been giving speeches since April, in May, June, July, August and September, particularly on 9/11, that we are safer. The NIE proves we are not. Why was it kept secret? Take a guess.
UPDATE (4:20 p.m.): Below is the bombshell Sabato comment to which I refer on my radio show today. Again I say, GEORGE ALLEN IS TOAST. Accepting Alle is toast graphics now. If I get a good one, you'll get a CD.
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
Hope you can join me on my radio show, from 6-7 p.m. eastern – 3-4 p.m. pacific. We'll have a lot of fun, great clips, including some good ones of President Bill Clinton. Every time I listen to the man it reminds me of everything I miss. You can bet Chavez wouldn't have talked about Clinton like he did Bush yesterday.
In the, OH, BROTHER department… see Allen's HELP! MY CAMPAIGN IS TANKING video plea above. As far as I'm concerned, James Webb should demand equal time from CNN, preferably to talk about Iraq.
Also, we covered Rajiv Chandrasekaran's article yesterday, which was adapted from his new book, \”Imperial Life in the Emerald City\”. Today Democrats sent a letter to the GAO asking for a review of just exactly what the hell went on in Iraq in the post-war period that has led to the collapse of the country. The House sent a letter to Rummy yesterday.
In other news, Pakistan's President Musharaff is letting loose in an interview this Sunday. The teaser is a whopper.
Musharraf, in an interview with CBS news magazine show \”60 Minutes\” that will air on Sunday, said the threat came from Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and was given to Musharraf's intelligence director.
\”The intelligence director told me that (Armitage) said, 'Be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age,\”' Musharraf said. \”I think it was a very rude remark.\”
Armitage was not immediately available to comment and a Bush administration official said there would be no comment on a \”reported conversation between Mr. Armitage and a Pakistani official.\”
But the official said: \”After 9/11, Pakistan made a strategic decision to join the war on terror and has since been a steadfast partner in that effort. Pakistan's commitment to this important endeavor has not wavered and our partnership has widened as a result.\” …
As for the rumored terror deal, Feckless Frist and Senator Warner spoke today, but said nothing. I looked for John McCain, but he was waaaaay in the back and didn't speak until later. Can't wait to read about the details on this one.
Last, but not least, I have to give a big shout out to Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake. As you likely know by now, she did a terrific interview with Keith Olbermann last night. Jane has been nothing but gracious to me, as has Christy. I guest blog often over at Firedoglake, as you know, and I've gotten some criticism from the commenters over there at certain times, especially on Iraq. Early on, when one commenter suggested I be thrown overboard, with others also criticizing my Iraq views, I offered to step down from the guest blog spot. Jane wouldn't hear of it, because she promotes all views, even those a bit more centrist than her commenters are at times. It's important to remember that bloggers don't always agree and are not responsible for what their commenters write. Duh, but it warrants repeating sometimes. Jane doesn't get near the credit she deserves for all she does, but she sure gets more than her share of the blame when things go wrong. What she's done for me and my work cannot be overstated. I loved seeing her on \”Countdown\”. Chalk one up for the ladies.
Anyway, the show today should be fun and I hope you can join me for my show.
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
Who you calling “hegemonistic”, pal? It wasn't my plan to preemptively invade Iraq, and I've got lots of Americans standing beside me.
We have to listen to an anti-semite pipsqueak like Ahmadinejad, with a dose of a socialist narcissist like Chavez as a chaser, with hyperbolic hysteria that should infuriate every American interested in our stature around the world. After all, there is life after the Republicans, which hopefully begins after November. GET OUT THE VOTE, people.
Radio live today from 6-7 p.m. eastern – 3-4 p.m. pacific. All sorts of things to discuss. First up: can you disapprove of President Bush while being insulted by the thugs he's elevated to international stardom? In a word, YES.
Front and center will be the fact that this is what the United States presidency has been reduced to in the era of George W. Bush. But who gets blamed? Democrats and progressives, of course. Today on his show, Rush Limbaugh compared Aghmadinejad and Chavez to John Kerry and Harry Reid, saying the former is saying what the latter has already said.
The elevation of both Ahmadinejad and Chavez is a result of Bush's reactionary rhetoric, which began when our president decided to put Iran in the “Axis of Evil” club, complete with State of the Union kleig lights. Bush has elevated these thugs so that they actually feel obliged to disgrace the presidency and the United States because no one in the world is willing to back Bush anymore. Few in America will either.
As for what the press has to say, Eric Boehlert says it all.
…just as disturbing, is the categorical refusal by the press to put Bush's consistently dreadful poll numbers into any kind of historical context. The fact that Bush has been bogged down for much of this year with poll numbers in the 30's is nothing short of astonishing. In the last half-century, the only other comparable second-term collapse belonged to Richard Nixon, whose fall, of course, was fueled by the revelation that a criminal enterprise had been operating from inside the Oval Office. Yet Bush's second-term performance is rarely mentioned in the same breath as Nixon's.
Quite the contrary, despite historic dissatisfaction with Bush, the press continues to depict him as the central, charging force in American politics, while setting aside all sorts of time and energy trying to document Bush's (we're told) inevitable rebound.
The White House's recently orchestrated 9-11 PR blitz, a calculated effort to elevate the issues of national security for the Republicans' midterm elections, simply illustrated the unfortunate trend. Just look at Thursday's Page 1 Wall Street Journal piece.
Headline: “Bush Gets a Lift From Emphasis On Terror, Iraq.” …
One another note, I'm proud to have a BlogAd from Tammy Duckworth. Please take the time to click on the ad and show your support for Ms. Duckworth and this humble blog. Her veteran's story is remarkable. Let's send Tammy to Congress.
Hope you can join me today, 6-7 p.m. eastern – 3-4 p.m. pacific.
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
If you think Iraq was bad, wait until you get a load of George and the Republicans targeting Iran. It only gets worse from there, my friends. On the air from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. eastern (3-4 p.m. pacific). Hope you can join me.
UPDATED (4:50 p.m.): A couple of post updates on the subject that I didn't have time to include above before the show, which is now in the radio archives: Worst Idea Ever, as well as Fred Kaplan's Mind Games. Also, Bill's book, which I covered in the show too.
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
I love the smell of victory in the afternoon. The rubber stamping Republicans are in big trouble.
It's today from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. eastern (3:00 – 4:00 p.m. pacific) time, my radio show, that is. As usual, I've got lots of Keith clips, which are always fun, but today I've also got Keith's interview with Turley over torture, which is important.
There's also the clip of Brit Hume threatening John McCain's 2008 bid.
Hope you can join me. I want to add to the Webb – Allen narrative as well. Hint: one of them wears combat boots like his son – who is currently serving in Iraq – and the other guy wears cowboy boots.
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
UPDATE (4:16 p.m.): I was supposed to be in the conference call with Senator Harry Reid today, but was busy setting up things for the Donna Edwards interview tomorrow. The bottom line is that in the conference call Reid said Specter\’s bill is DEAD and will not pass. Here is Glenn Greenwald\’s post on it, as well as McJoan\’s. This is HUGE news, so spread it far and wide. The Democrats are pushing back hard. Game on.
It starts at 6:00 p.m. eastern/3:00 p.m.(There will be a quick link at the very top of this blog at 6:00/3:00 p.m.)
Here\’s Article 3, where all the snarling is centered. I\’ll be talking about this and more, including Arianna\’s interview with Bill O\’Reilly yesterday. But it\’s Laura Ingraham who takes the prize for being not only prejudice, but proud of it. Hope you can listen in.
Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949. Article [Display Introduction] [Display Full text] [Display articles] [Display commentaries] Part I : General provisions
ARTICLE 3 In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each Party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:
(1) Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed \’ hors de combat \’ by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria. To this end, the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:
(a) violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
(b) taking of hostages;
(c) outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment;
(d) the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.
(2) The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.
An impartial humanitarian body, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, may offer its services to the Parties to the conflict. The Parties to the conflict should further endeavour to bring into force, by means of special agreements, all or part of the other provisions of the present Convention. The application of the preceding provisions shall not affect the legal status of the Parties to the conflict.
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
At 3:00 p.m. today, my radio show will be on the air right here. You'll see an instant link at the very top of my blog.
The subjects today are Bush, Iraq and reality. Our president isn't doing very well on either Iraq or reality.
I hope you can join me. It's fun to be back on the air!
…One Army officer summarized it as arguing that in Anbar province, “We haven't been defeated militarily but we have been defeated politically — and that's where wars are won and lost.” …
Veteran political analyst and author of "The Hillary Effect - Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss," now available in print at Amazon.com, and 1 of 4 books chosen by Barnes and Noble to launch their "NOOK First" Featured Authors Selection program. Former Miss Missouri, Broadway dancer, & relationship consultant at LA Weekly, produced & wrote one woman show "Weeping for JFK."
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