Ted Koppel's list

of dead US soldiers on ABC Nightline felt endless. After ten minutes, I tuned away to check out the Comedy Channel. I switched back after almost a half hour and the list, plus the flash of young faces, was still proceeding apace. Each name, each photo, a healthy, active life. Somebody's son or daughter, somebody's mom or dad or husband or wife or dearest friend.

I oppose war in almost all circumstances. I oppose Bush's wars absolutely.

Those awful photos

of torture of Iraqis in prison may drift out of the conscience/conscious of Americans quickly, but not out of the Iraqis'.

Tweedle Dee speaks

I've been watching John Kerry's speech at Westminster College (a speech that was covered live by cable TV because the college offered Kerry the opportunity after Cheney used the podium to attack him last week). Kerry didn't abuse the speech to attack Bush/Cheney directly, although of course he posited his "plan" for Iraq in terms that I suppose he thought was in opposition to Bush/Cheney's.

However, it hardly was. He harped on "internationalization" of the effort in Iraq, suggested the appointment (by whom?) of an International High Commissioner, and took a swipe at "no-bid" contracts of reconstruction. But other than those fluffy words, it was more of the same war-making under the guise of "security" in Iraq and the world.

Kerry's delivery was okay, but hardly inspirational. And the content? Well, the speech was broadcast at mid-day, which explains why it didn't cause me to fall asleep.

Okay, I couldn't resist...

I just had to visit this site, that authoritatively details coalition deaths in Iraq. Please, if you haven't already added it to your Favorite Places (or whatever your homepage calls it), do so immediately--and check it out tonight. With one day to go in April, a year and a month after Bush started this war, the casualties are mounting, monstrously so.

And now, to something really important.

I may not blog this evening because notwithstanding the ongoing madness in Iraq and the cosmos, I'm busy with a more important matter: Watching a documentary on TV: "The Beach Boys: An American Band" on KADY.

Later, dude.

Sauce for the goose...

Bring me the head of Donald Rumsfeld.

Let us see...

if this minor item finds its way into the mainstream US press: Taliban seize control of capital of second largest province in Afghanistan.

Wishful thinking, I think

While the Marines are destroying Fallujah, the Army has Najav under siege. Bush knows he can't attack the holy city and so he's waiting, hoping that al-Sadr's supporters will fade away. This article reports that al-Sadr's militia may be dwindling, but I'm not sure. Neither, of course, is Bush and his minions and I gotta say, you can read the article as being predictive of a civil war between branches of Shia.

On this slender reed our war machine hangs?

Am I a Libertarian?

This lengthy piece by Justin Raimondo, blogger on AntiWar.com, details the passage of the Libertarian party from being the articulate right-wing of the Republican Party to occupying no position within the party because of the Republicans' NeoCon doctrines. Justin bemoans the direction of Bush's cadre of warmongers and calls upon his fellows to rise up in reaction, literally, by forming a viable presidential alternative to Bush. Indeed, the candidate closest to his views on the war in Iraq is Ralph Nader.

If you want to read about the remarkable passage of American libertarianism over the last three decades, check out Raimondo's poignant essay.

Physically ill

Really. A roiling stomach as I watched CNN and Fox News this morning as we bombed and strafed in Fallujah. The reporters were cheerleading the attack. We have become monsters.

They still don't get it

Newscasters are wondering how Bush's favorability ratings are rising in the polls in the face of bushels of reports of military reversals in Iraq. What they still don't understand is that Bush wants this war to continue--this war, any war--so he can hold onto his status as war president, his position as tough guy and avoid answering for his mad administration.

Kerry's present position on Iraq sucks,

that much is certain. But here's a tack he can take that allows him to stake out a solid criticism of Bush's war, not as he has so far, merely parroting Bush's mantra of "staying the course."
He could fire high-power bullets at the administration's rush to war in Iraq--Cheney's war--by charging that it has been under-equipped, crony-run, and administered by goofballs, all because Bush couldn't wait for the UN inspectors to finish their task. This was, after all, an optional war and we've blundered into it without preparation and planning. He should hammer and hammer on this theme until Bush/Cheney bleeds.

This is too funny

After months of deliberation and a nationwide contest, the Iraqi Governing Councel has approved the new Iraqi flag.

Check it out. As I said, too funny.

After six months of silence...

This former US Army officer resumes his blogging now that he's been discharged. Insightful, painful.

Media bias

This article compiles instances of irrefutable media deference (and, for that matter, preference) for Bush over Kerry. I happen to have noticed both salient instances cited by the author: The extended coverage of Bush's stump speech in New Mexico, treating it as a news item, while cutting away from a policy speech by Kerry; and Tim Russert's puffball treatment of Bush during an interview, as opposed to his antagonistic questioning of Kerry.

This bald bias against Kerry, coupled with the broadcast radio and cable TV commentary favoring Bush, makes it clear: Kerry's going to have a tough time getting his message across the mass media. He's only going to win through grassroots effort.

Mike's Message

Check out Michael Moore's Message:

"I have never seen a head so far up a Presidential ass (pardon my Falluja) than the one I saw last night at the 'news conference' given by George W. Bush. He's still talking about finding 'weapons of mass destruction' -- this time on Saddam's 'turkey farm.' Turkey indeed. "

Great stuff, guaranteed.

Corruption and mendacity won't rescue Iraq's occupiers

As the occupation forces sink deeper into the Iraq imbroglio and the deadline for the bogus "transfer of sovereignty" on June 30 draws nearer, those responsible are lashing out in all directions.Guardian Unlimited

Poor little misrable failure...

He's facing a tough decision in Fallujah, and this time daddy can't bail him out. Even his Father's not on his side. What do bet he screws this up, as he's screwed up everything he's ever done in his life.

Problem is, as with all his failures, his life isn't on the line. But maybe, just maybe, his future is. And a certain Sunni cleric isn't making his choice any easier.

What say we make it so.

Support the Troops

OK, I’ve officially had it with the civilian rhetoric, just as much as with the political/military doublespeak we’ve become inured to. I was just listening to comments about the death of Pat Tillman at the NFL draft. What he did was an amazing act of patriotism. He's set a fine example of a selfless American. And it is a tragedy and our military people are all in a sense heroic. But then someone said something about them giving their lives for all of us. The other day, I was driving down the San Joaquin and on the radio a minister was speaking at the funeral of a fallen soldier. He said this young man died to protect our liberty. I found myself yelling at the radio.



I'm grateful for our volunteer armed forces. I'm proud of them. I'm sad they’re dying, I wish them God’s mercy and protection and I grieve with their families when they die. But they are not dying in Iraq or Afghanistan for our liberty. They are not giving their lives for us. The United States was never in any danger of attack by Iraq; our liberty was in no jeopardy. Afghanistan bred terrorists under the Taliban, but it’s a quagmire, a fire that was never completely out, and our troops there are in greater danger because resources have been siphoned off to Iraq.

George Bush’s miserable military atrocities are founded on nothing but lies and megalomania. He’s getting our bravest young people killed for nothing but an absurdity, with no clear mission but to own a land and civilization that Bush doesn’t even comprehend, cannot hope to govern.

Support the Troops – Bring them Home. Someday, our Liberty will be in danger, and we’ll need these protectors. We do them no honor by cloaking their losses of life and limb in misbegotten patriotism.

Say they have all the heart to love a country with fine dreams and flawed character.
Say they deserve an education, and shouldn't have to buy it with their limbs, their minds or their lives.
Say they are serving and dying well, with honor, following orders as they must, not being civilians like me, with the luxury and duty to question the ulterior motives and base cravings of Power.
Call them heroes if you must, though I don't know if they will agree.
But don't say they're fighting and dying for a great and noble cause, because our nation is engaged in no such thing.

We have marched forth and fallen in a quick sand of reactionary self-defense and a literal tar pit of self-interest. And we can't glorify needless sacrifice with a crass pawing of words.

Link

Tick, tick, tick...

The siege of Fallujah, the standoff with cleric al-Sadr, the rage of Chalabi at not being picked for the interim triumvirate, the rising temperature as summer approaches, the approaching date for the "sovereignty" handoff, the escalating number of deaths of US troops and Iraqis, the withdrawal of "coalition partners," Bush's slumping poll numbers on his handling of Iraq. How do you spell cataclysm?