Home / dailykos.com rss archive / September-17-2007


Late night laugh
This came in last Friday. Today was a dark day for the antiamerican left  . The communist  organization Moveon.org and the left wing fascist movement have been demoralized and defeated . The Petraeus report has made it clear that the surge is working and it is clear that the US will have permanent bases in Iraq . The Democrats , the left wing antiamerican groups like yours , the socialist MSM and the Islamofascists  have lost , America  won . Give up , communist cowards  !  We will be in Iraq for generations , like in Germany , Japan or Korea .. Iran is next and you ( or the Iranians ) can't to a damn thing about it . The next President will be anther Republican . There will be new laws in the WOT ,   preventive detention camps for Terrorists and their helpers and many new pleasant surprises for the antiamerican left . It is unavoidable . I'll give this guy credit -- it's one of the very few of these crazy emails...

They're Uniters of Ex-Generals, Not Dividers
Head of government Dick Cheney and head of state George W. Bush seem to be uniting ex-generals on subjects beyond their horrendous plans for endless war in Iraq.  Now, a prominent ex-General has come out on the offensive against the Cheney administration's fixation on Iran: Every effort should be made to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but failing that, the world could live with a nuclear-armed regime in Tehran, a recently retired commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said Monday. John Abizaid, the retired Army general who headed Central Command for nearly four years, said he was confident that if Iran gained nuclear arms, the United States could deter it from using them. "Iran is not a suicide nation," he said. "I mean, they may have some people in charge that don't appear to be rational, but I doubt that the Iranians intend to attack us with a nuclear weapon." The Iranians are aware, he said, that the United States has a far superior military...

Fairy Tale
Once upon a time, everything was going great in our country -- its finances, its wars, its economy, everything! -- then some organization placed an ad in a newspaper and it was the most horrible thing ever. It was real bad -- there was an ad. In a newspaper. And then everything went to shit and that ad was the only thing the pundits could talk about. The end.

Open Thread and Diary Rescue
(Tonight's selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG) This evening's Rescue Rangers are nyc in exile, twilight falling (graciously covering a double shift), fatbyjhnsn, Cordelia Lear, grog, and srkp23.  joyful and Shayera are squashed together in the Editor's chair! Tonight's diaries cover a variety of interesting issues with perspective and analysis not offered by the Traditional Media: Changes due to global warming are threatening your next glass of wine. A Siegel has the story in Sipping our way to a warmer world: Wine and Global Warming. (twilight falling) The connection between declining interest rates, the national debt, globalization and the trade deficit is succinctly covered by New Deal democrat in Bankruptcy 2015 (Part II). (grog) Whether or not you agree with what an academic researcher says, dlcox1958 believes it is their colleagues — via discourse and the peer review process — who should determine the merits...

AFSCME, SEIU ... what's the difference?
Another Richardson gaffe. It seems Bill Richardson has no shortage of gaffes. Addressing SEIU today, Richardson thanked them for their applause: "Thank you, AFSCME!" That's right, Richardson named the wrong union. And it gets worse. SEIU, unfortunately, is an organizational rival to AFSCME in many states, and SEIU's audience responded to Richardson's opening line by shouting, "S-E-I-U!" These aren't Howard Dean-style "gaffes", in which the pundits pound someone for telling the truth (like "capturing Saddam won't make us safer"). These are the sorts of mistakes that are made from poor preparation and lack of concentration. Or something. All I know is that high-level politics requires a bit more care. I mean, look at the stage (here with Chris Dodd speaking): (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) There were only TWO SEIU posters pointed at the speaker, just in case the speaker forgot whose conference he or she was attending. And in the background, you can see the big purple SEIU...

Restore America's Moral Authority
A number of critical amendments are going to be offered to the Defense Authorization bill, and one of the most important was introduced today by Senators Leahy, Dodd, and Specter. Here's what today's Time's says about the effort: In 2006, acting in reckless haste before an election, 65 senators and 250 members of the House defied the Constitution, endangered the safety of American soldiers and hurt the nation’s global reputation by passing the Military Commissions Act. The law created a separate, substandard and clearly unconstitutional system of trial and punishment for foreigners. This week Congress has a chance to begin fixing that grievous mistake.... The protection from arbitrary arrest, embedded in the Magna Carta and in the Constitution of the United States, is one of the most powerful weapons against tyranny in democracy’s arsenal. Before President Bush, only one American president suspended habeas corpus — Abraham Lincoln, during the...

Salazar: Troops Say to Cut Funding
Via Greg Sargent Sen. Ken Salazar had an awakening experience on his recent trip to Iraq, one that could change his vote on funding for the war, according to the Denver Post. This change of heart, he says, was some service members telling him they wanted Congress to cut off funding. Salazar told reporters that he'd only support defunding "under certain conditions." "If we cannot work with the White House and with our Republican colleagues to develop legislation that will have our effort in Iraq move forward in a new defined mission, then I think we need to look at other possibilities," Salazar said in a conference call with reporters.... He would only advocate cutting funding, he said, "if it could be done in a way that would not harm our troops in any way. "If it could be done then I think we ought to take a look at it," Salazar said. Those are certainly conditions that could be met. No one in the Senate or anywhere else who is seriously considering cutting off funds...

Midday open thread
Rep. Murtha speaks at the National Press Club. If you look back at what Napoleon learned in Spain, what the French learned in Indo-China and Algeria, what the Soviets learned in Afghanistan, and what the U.S. learned in Vietnam, the lessons of history are clear: there is a limitation to military power.  Economic, political and diplomatic challenges must be solved.  They can’t be solved by military means and they shouldn’t be distorted by rhetoric. Rhetoric, spin and slogans do not win wars.  Likewise, the war in Iraq will not be won with charts, projections or sound bytes saying, “we will return on success.” The Administration claims we are witnessing another turning point in Iraq.  They claim progress is being made and now depending upon the “conditions on the ground,” more troops will come home. But we have heard this before.  The same predictions were made with Saddam&...

VA-Sen: the actual numbers
I wrote about this poll below, but I just got the actual numbers. SurveyUSA for media clients. 9/14-16. Registered voters. MoE 3.5% (No trend lines) Gilmore (R) 32 Warner (D) 60 Davis (R) 27 Warner (D) 62 Macaca (R) 37 Warner (D) 56 Those numbers are epically bad. Yeah, we need to guard against getting too cocky, but still, Warner looks more like a safe incumbent than he does a challenger for a Republican-held open seat. Favorable/Unfavorable/Neutral/Unfamiliar ratings Warner: 50/14/31/5 Allen: 40/34/20/6 Gilmore: 19/34/31/15 Davis: 13/10/31/46 Look at the George Allen. He's the highest profile Republican in the state, and the one with the highest favorable/unfavorable ratings (40/34), and he still can't crack 40 percent. He's certainly no shoo-in for the governor's mansion in 2009. On the web: Mark Warner for Senate

Will Ahnold sign same-sex marriage bill for California?
A week or so ago, the California legislature passed a same-sex marriage bill for the second time in three years. The bill seeks to make California the second state to legalize same-sex marriage, after Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage became legal in 2004. Since then, some 8,000 couples have been married by the state. Elsewhere, Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, South Africa and Spain offer full marriage rights to gays and lesbians [...] Leno's latest attempt was approved in the state Senate by a 22-15 vote, with Republicans voting unanimously against it. The governor has about a month to veto or sign it into law. Three months ago, the Assembly passed the bill 42-34. These aren't exactly close votes, but Schwarzenegger is expected to veto the bill as he did two years ago. If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger goes through with his expected veto of San Francisco Assemblyman Mark Leno's measure to allow same-sex marriage in California, it's almost guaranteed the governor will...

MN-03: Big retirement
We still haven't gotten into the meat of retirement season this cycle. And the worse things look for Republicans, the more they'll opt for K Street and the big bucks. The latest to call it quits is Rep. Jim Ramstad in a very much swing district (R+1 -- Bush got 50% in 2000 and 51% in 2004). MN Publius has the early rundown, complete with the names of possible candidates on both sides: First of all, this is anyone’s seat if Ramstad is retiring. Congressman Ramstad has done an amazing job in this district of securing a strong constituent base across parties through a combination of solid name recognition and bipartisan work in Congress. Absent his considerable clout, it is going to be impossible for a Republican new-comer to even come close to Ramstad’s margins in the 3rd. The Dem index is high and increasingly the suburban districts in the 3rd are represented at the state level by Democrats. Second, this has ramifications in the Senate race. Jim Ramstad...

The GOP finally has its savior! Alan Keyes
As if the GOP pigmies weren't a sorry enough bunch. On Friday, Sept. 14, Alan Keyes filed a Statement of Candidacy (Form 2) with the Federal Election Commission–thus officially announcing as a Republican candidate for President of the United States. Keyes told Janet Parshall, host of a nationally syndicated radio show, that he’s “unmoved” by the lack of moral courage shown by the other candidates, among whom he sees no standout who articulates the “key kernel of truth that must, with courage, be presented to our people.” He added, “The one thing I’ve always been called to do is to raise the standard . . . that there is a national standard of our allegiance to God and His authority that has been the foundation stone of our nation’s life”–and he decried the lack of “forthright, clear, and clarion declaration” from the other candidates concerning...

Smell the progress!
Uh oh. The political movement loyal to anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr quit Iraq's ruling Shi'ite Alliance on Saturday, leaving Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition in a precarious position in parliament. The move further weakens the ruling coalition, which even before the defection had failed to push through laws aimed at reconciling Iraq's warring majority Shi'ite and minority Sunni Arabs. Not only are they not meeting their benchmarks, but they are going in reverse.

The Very Serious counterprotestors who deserve equal time
The WaPo's Marc Fisher blogged the DC protests today, and spoke to participants in the "Gathering of Eagles" pro-war counterprotest: Choate said he and his friend felt compelled to come to Washington because most Americans refused to believe that "the terrorists have got people planted all over the country from Al Queda who are preparing to go on one day into many elementary schools in our country and kill our children. We have this on good authority, we have sources." Choate said he was disappointed to see how few people turned out to the Gathering of Eagles. "Most of the country doesn't want to believe it, " he said. "Everybody's getting a false feeling of security. Every morning, I wake up and just hope another 9-11 hasn't happened overnight." Choate said he and his friends, who he called true patriots, are doing their duty to spread the word that "most Muslims are out to kill us or convert us to Islam." How are we supposed to protect ourselves when our SuperPatriots...

Open Thread and Diary Rescue
Diaries up for rescue tonight: Reb Kaplan's Because Bush doesn't own the Bible... explains why a progressive would choose to re-engage with scripture and teach it to the next generation. markthshark's Waxman's Back on White House Connections to Abramoff brings us up to date on the Abramoff scandal and the reported expectation of documents to be handed over to the House Oversight Committee next week by the White House. StrangeAnimals' Suffer The Iraqi Children outlines the consequences and heartbreak of refugee status for Iraq's most vulnerable population. gmoke's Growing Green in the City gives an overview of the current state of urban agriculture and looks at the movement's roots. A Siegel's Improving learning: Greening Schools, the real payoff looks at both the immediate and long-term effects of turning school green. Executive Odor's Stop Defending; Stop Apologizing is an inspirational rant reminding us of the real America and who wears that mantle now. New Deal democrat's...

Sunday Talk: Wanna Bring All the Troops Home, But Bush Said No No No
Old school Keith Olbermann vids, various news items, funnies, and more tv alerts below the fold! The Lineup MTP: Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) & Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) on Iraq; WaPo's Chris Cillizza & NBC's Chuck Todd on NBC/WSJ poll & 08 FTN: Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) & Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ); WaPo's Tom Ricks This Week: Def. Sec Robert Gates & Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) on Iraq & Petreus report; roundtable of NYT's Thomas Friedman, Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria, ABC's Martha Raddatz and George Will FNS: Def. Sec. Robert Gates; Gen. David Petraeus; Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) Late Edition: Gen. Wesley Clark; Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT); Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN); Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX); Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA); roundtable of Candy Crowley, Barbara Starr, and Bill Schneider

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) In Iraq
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) is the only member of the Senate to have lost a relative in the Iraq War. His nephew, Marine Cpl. Philip E. Baucus, was killed in Al Anbar province last year. He was just 28 years old. Senator Baucus is in Iraq this weekend, along with Senators Ken Salazar (D-CO), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).  It is Senator Baucus's first trip to Iraq.  He has requested a meeting with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (who, by the way, "has refused to meet with visiting members of the U.S. Congress for a month").  The delegation has already met with Iraq President Jalal Talabani.  Here are some of Senator Baucus's comments: "I and others repeatedly made it clear to the [Iraqi] leadership that they’ve got to do a lot more than they are doing now," said Baucus, who is on his first visit to Iraq. "They need a bigger nudge. They could stand a greater dose of reality to move them." He added, "The clock is ticking...

McCain Versus McCain
In an attempt to inject some life into his dying presidential campaign, John McCain has embarked on a "No Surrender" bus tour around the country, where he is attempting the rather neat trick of distancing himself from George Bush while wholeheartedly embracing the "Petraeus Report."  You can understand why he retired the "Straight Talk Express."   At stop after stop, McCain: ...pays tribute to Gen. David Petraeus and the report the general issued about progress in Iraq. ...he has seized on Petraeus' report as a validation not only of the so-called surge strategy in Iraq but also of McCain's argument, made long before the White House came to the same conclusion, that victory in Iraq required many more troops there. He lauds Petraeus, portraying him as a hero to cheering crowds — "thank God America is blessed with that kind of leadership" So, let's do a quick review of what David Petraeus, the Savior of Baghdad, had to report:  That...

Chris Dodd's "Letters from Nuremberg"
Letters from Nuremberg My Father’s Narrative of a Quest for Justice By Sen. Christopher J. Dodd with Lary Bloom Crown Publishing New York, 2007 I feel that we are doing something so important that it is awesome—it is almost purifying. It has a deep religious meaning, of that I feel certain. Surely it is God’s wish that men not wage wars of aggression. The proof here is absolutely overwhelming. I would never have believed that men could be so evil, so determined on a course of war; of murder; of slavery; of dreadful tyranny. Never before has such a record been written and men will read it for a thousand years in amazement and wonder how it ever happened. ** It is as ever not easy for me to condemn. I see something worthwhile even in these evil men. And I regret that the greatness that went to evil did not exert itself for good. These men could have made Germany a great nation and thus enriched the rest of the world. The mystery of Hitler grows...

Broder: Running out the (grandfather) clock
There's never really all that much you have to say about a Broder column, just as there's never really any way to say it without being told in the comments that you should just stop talking about Broder. But the fact is, we're still stuck with him as a Wise Old Man of Washington. Until we finally break through with people that he's a broken record -- and a 78 at that. This time, Broder's slavering over Master Thespian Lindsey Graham. He's incisive! He's provocative! He's not as self-absorbed as Barbara Boxer! Whatever. So here's the final word from the latest dispatch: "What we do can affect the outcome. But if we don't see progress on two of the three big issues -- oil revenues, de-Baathification, provincial elections -- in the next 90 days, it may not happen. And Iraq could be a failed state." Despite the president's words, that sounds realistic. Note the brash independence! "Despite the president's words!" Scintillating! But seriously, you're buying into the "in...

Welcome to 2037
For months, I've been putting together the pieces of a book on what the world will be like in 2040.  I've been weighing the effects of climate change, contemplating Appalachians stripped of their forests and exposed as layers of limestone and shale, marble and schist, interrupted by scars of mining and the weedy beds of dry rivers.  Crumbling mountains that rise above a dusty southeast, where the drought-baked topsoil blows past the wave washed ruins of coastal vacation homes to fall far out at sea. And I've been thinking of ice.  Ice on land and ice on water.  Ice that slips, slides, fractures and melts.  Ice that vanishes, carrying away ecosystems and changing the map of the world. It turns out, that in trying to base my writing off the best predictions, I've been badly off base.  Because when it comes to the top of the world, 2040 isn't waiting.  It's here now. It's not news that the once-fabled Northwest Passage...

Bush issues proxy veto threat against Webb amendment
WaPo: Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday he would recommend a veto of a Senate proposal that would give troops more rest between deployments in Iraq, branding it a dangerous "backdoor way" to draw down forces. Democrats pledged to push ahead with the plan by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., and expressed confidence they could round up the votes to pass it, although perhaps not by the margin to override a veto. Gates was asked in broadcast interviews about recommending a veto to Bush should the proposal pass. "Yes I would," the Pentagon chief said. "If it were enacted, we would have force management problems that would be extremely difficult and, in fact, affect combat effectiveness and perhaps pose greater risk to our troops," he said. OK, no news (as such) in that. It's always been clear that Bush opposed operating within the framework adopted by actual military commanders that made the schedule Webb proposes the preferred minimum requirements. That's because giving service...

Aloha! It's the "It's Mid-Day(ish) in Hawaii" open thread
OJ got arrested In what can only be taken as a sure sign that Larry Craig's personal embarrassment is about to blow over, "his" Minneapolis airport bathroom stall has become a tourist destination Great controversies in American history: Miller Lite. Tastes great, or less filling? Shimmer. Floor wax, or dessert topping? John McCain. Episcopalian, or Baptist? Admiral Fallon called General Petraeus a "ass-kissing little chicken shit!" Ha ha! But does his scorn arise from his belief that Petraeus' plan pins down troops in Iraq that he might need for Iran? Oh no! In better news, I love YouTube. It's nuts. I mean, look at this: If you enjoyed Susan's live discussion with Matt Bai, we're going to try it again this Wednesday when Robert Reich drops in to talk about the ideas in his latest book, Supercapitalism.  So get your questions ready. (DT)

This is the rhetoric I've been looking for
Chris Dodd has been crystal clear on this. Now Obama has joined that club. Obama, who had resisted measures to tie money for the war to a deadline for withdrawal, said Sunday he would no longer support funding measures in the Senate that do not include deadlines. “We are going to bring an end to this war and I will fight hard in the United States Senate to make sure we don’t pass any funding bill that does not have a deadline,” Obama told the crowd. Perfect. Now can we hear this from Hillary? A unified front from the Senate presidential candidates on this front -- two of which are the two highest-profile Democrats in the land (Hillary and Barack) would go a long way toward framing the terms of this debate.

Day 1600: "Return on Success"
"The more successful we are, the more troops can return home." The cornerstone of Bush's latest Iraq "plan," laid out in his prime-time speech Thursday, was reiterated in his radio address yesterday: "return on success." (Mr. Bush's spin team is seriously lacking in the waning days of his would-be reign.) That plan is, of course, playing out the clock. That plan is telling the soldiers they can return to their homes when they achieve success, but gives them no hope of finding that elusive goal. To make that goal even more unattainable, Bush provides no definition of what success is. He just tells them that reinforcing troops will be pulled out, stretching the remaining forces even thinner, bringing them that much closer to the breaking point. And yet there he forces them to stay, until they succeed. At something. He tells their families and those of us back home, essentially, that until our troops figure out how to fix this mess, then they just have to stay there and...

Open Thread and Diary Rescue
(Tonight's selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG) This evening's Rescue Rangers are claude, ezdidit,dannyinla,kraant,twilight falling and joyful. vcmvo2 is behind the wheel of the Editmobile,with the rest of the Rangers riding along in the passenger seat. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.~ John F. Kennedy~ A Warrior For Peace Inof Dave Cline and his brothers dkos diarist, celticshel describes how one life can reach out and influence many. All we are saying is give peace a chance! (vcmvo2) Don't miss jimstaro's multimedia tribute to David Cline, whose life and work is remembered in A Tribute To A True American Veteran, Passionate Peace Advocate, and Friend. (dannyinla) War Fever & the Consequences Eternal Hope discusses some of the lesser-known but inestimably important decisions in Bush's wars, and how the duplicity proves that...

Come on Hillary, you can do it!
Dodd: I am pleased to see that Senator Obama has followed my lead and committed to oppose any Iraq measure without a deadline. I urge him to make such a deadline meaningful and enforceable by co-sponsoring the Dodd Amendment which sets a firm deadline that is tied to funding. However, I remain deeply distressed that Senator Clinton has yet to state whether she will oppose an Iraq measure without a firm and enforceable deadline. Ending our involvement in this civil war will take conviction and leadership that is willing to stand up to the President - not political gamesmanship and vote counting. Her silence is deafening.

Hagel: "it’s dishonest, it’s hypocritical, it’s dangerous and irresponsible"
Hagel, talking about the Petraeus dog and pony show. Maher: Isn’t a dirty trick on the American people when you send a military man out there to basically do a political sell-job?” Hagel: It’s not only a dirty trick, but it’s dishonest, it’s hypocritical, it’s dangerous and irresponsible. The fact is this is not Petraeus’ policy, it’s the Bush’s policy. The military is — certainly very clear in the Constitution — is subservient to the elected public officials of this country.. but to put our military in a position that this administration has put them in is just wrong, and it’s dangerous.”

VA-Sen: Warner (D) with HUGE early leads
Exact numbers are still not out, but the spreads are being teased: A poll commissioned by WJLA-TV found former Virginia Governor Mark Warner would easily defeat any likely Republican opponent if the election to replace retiring Senator John Warner (R-VA) were held now. The poll, conducted by SurveyUSA, found Mark Warner would defeat northern Virginia Congressman Tom Davis by 35 points, former Governor Jim Gilmore by 28 points, and former Senator George Allen by 19 points. The poll interviewed 900 Virginia adults between September 14 and September 16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent [...] Of the 783 registered voters polled, Mark Warner was the most favored of the four. Fifty percent of respondents had a favorable opinion of the former Governor, compared with 40 percent for Allen, 19 percent for Gilmore, and 13 percent for Davis. Davis is the only candidate to not have run for statewide office. Forty-six percent of respondents reported they were unfamiliar...

MoveOn hits Rudy back
Ha ha ha. MoveOn won't be any Republican's punching bag. This one will definitely leave a mark:

Help Wanted
It seems like it was only last week that David Petraeus told Congress about how well things were going in Iraq. Oh wait, it was.  So perhaps some crack reporter will ask the White House about this: But 10 days ago, his commanders in Baghdad began advertising for private contractors to work in combat-supply warehouses on U.S. bases throughout Iraq because half the soldiers who had been working in the warehouses were needed for patrols, combat and protection of U.S. forces. "With the increased insurgent activity, unit supply personnel must continue to pull force protection along with convoy escort and patrol duties," according to a statement of work that accompanied the Sept. 7 request for bidders from Multi-National Force-Iraq.

Blackwater USA License Being Pulled in Iraq
Winning hearts and minds: A U.S. State Department motorcade came under attack in Baghdad on Sunday, prompting security contractors guarding the convoy to open fire in the streets. At least nine civilians were killed, according to Iraqi officials. According to U.S. officials, the Blackwater USA security contractors, "escalated the force to defend themselves," while Iraqi officials say the incident, "involved excessive force and killed innocent civilians."  And today: The Interior Ministry said Monday that it was pulling the license of an American security firm allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of civilians during an attack on a U.S. State Department motorcade in Baghdad. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul-Karim Khalaf said eight people were killed and 13 were wounded when security contractors working for Blackwater USA opened fire in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood of western Baghdad. "We have canceled the license of Blackwater and prevented them from...