If You're Not Angry, You're a Moron

Reposted via AltBrainEx, via Skippy, who got it on Craig's List and now here at DeepCon. A heartfelt, angry diatribe from a widow, Veteran, Marine who lost her unborn baby's father in this sick fucking, illegal invasion/occupation in Iraq: Date: 2007-04-10, 1:00PM PDT

I'm having the worst damn week of my whole damn life so I'm going to write this while I'm pissed off enough to do it right.

I am SICK of all this bullshit people are writing about the Iraq war. I am abso-fucking-lutely sick to death of it. What the fuck do most of you know about it? You watch it on TV and read the commentaries in the newspaper or Newsweek or whatever god damn yuppie news rag you subscribe to and think you're all such fucking experts that you can scream at each other like five year old about whether you're right or not. Let me tell you something: unless you've been there, you don't know a god damn thing about it. It you haven't been shot at in that fucking hell hole, SHUT THE FUCK UP!

How do I dare say this to you moronic war supporters who are "Supporting our Troops" and waving the flag and all that happy horse shit? I'll tell you why. I'm a Marine and I served my tour in Iraq. My husband, also a Marine, served several. I left the service six months ago because I got pregnant while he was home on leave and three days ago I get a visit from two men in uniform who hand me a letter and tell me my husband died in that fucking festering sand-pit. He should have been home a month ago but they extended his tour and now he's coming home in a box.

You fuckers and that god-damn lying sack of shit they call a president are the reason my husband will never see his baby and my kid will never meet his dad.

And you know what the most fucked up thing about this Iraq shit is? They don't want us there. They're not happy we came and they want us out NOW. We fucked up their lives even worse than they already were and they're pissed off. We didn't help them and we're not helping them now. That's what our soldiers are dying for.

Oh while I'm good and worked up, the government doesn't even have the decency to help out the soldiers whos lives they ruined. If you really believe the military and the government had no idea the veterans' hospitals were so fucked up, you are a god-damn retard. They don't care about us. We're disposable. We're numbers on a page and they'd rather forget we exist so they don't have to be reminded about the families and lives they ruined while they're sipping their cocktails at another fund raiser dinner. If they were really concerned about supporting the troops, they'd bring them home so their families wouldn't have to cry at a graveside and explain to their children why mommy or daddy isn't coming home. Because you can't explain it. We're not fighting for our country, we're not fighting for the good of Iraq's people, we're fighting for Bush's personal agenda. Patriotism my ass. You know what? My dad served in Vietnam and NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

So I'm pissed. I'm beyond pissed. And I'm going to go to my husband funeral and recieve that flag and hang it up on the wall for my baby to see when he's older. But I'm not going to tell him that his father died for the stupidty of the American government. I'm going to tell him that his father was a hero and the best man I ever met and that he loved his country enough to die for it, because that's all true and nothing will be solved by telling my son that his father was sent to die by people who didn't care about him at all.

Fuck you, war supporters, George W. Bush, and all the god damn mother fuckers who made the war possible. I hope you burn in hell.

I stand without comment.

Had enough? Sean Becker's family has...

H/T to Watertiger and Sean in Alaska for the link.

Tenet's Remorse

What is with the name George? Will it now and forever be associated with incompetence? The studly Larry Johnson has posted a scathing, spot-on open letter to George Tenet on the occasion of the release of his throw-BushCo-under-the-bus missive.

It now turns out that you were the Alberto Gonzales of the intelligence community--a grotesque mixture of incompetence and sycophancy shielded by a genial personality. Decisions were made, you were in charge, but you have no idea how decisions were made even though you were in charge. Curiously, you focus your anger on the likes of Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, and Condi Rice, but you decline to criticize the President.

Read the rest...
If you can stand more of the Tenet debacle, and missed 60 Minutes last night, Scott Pelley interviews Tenet. Watch the squirm. Randi Rhodes posts clip-a-aplenty and has several linked stories on the shameless, weak-willed Sir-Tenetacle-the-duplicitous.

April US Death Toll in Iraq Passes 100

Officially now April is the deadliest month since the inception of this illegal occupation and war in Iraq. Video clip from the AP. (Courtesy of reader Jenny)

Habeas Corpus is Dead

This American Life with Ira Glass has updated a program done last year about people released from Guantanamo. It's valuable to get some back story about the human beings called "the worst of worst" by the criminal BushCo. Over 400 detainees, who were essentially kidnapped by the US government, have been released after being characterized by the administration as "al-Qaeda operatives, picked up off the battlefield." Listen to the shocking stories of a handful of these detainees.
"Habeas Schmabeas"

powered by ODEO

Hope Springs Eternal

The PRI show "To the Best of Our Knowledge" ran a segment this week called "Hope Springs Eternal." Given my pseudonym is based on that very phrase, I feel compelled to post the audio tidbit. Host Jim Fleming gives us three stories of hope, always welcome in the nihilistic world in which we've been living. Give it a listen.

I have your dance partner Mr. Preznit

This was a no-brainer, literally.


H/T to Watertiger for the photo.

And people wonder why we call him chimpy...

The River Bends

Riverbend, the intrepid Iraqi woman blogger, is leaving Bagdad. If you have not read her, please take the time to do so now. Read her few posts about the reality of being Iraqi through an unprovoked war of aggression, a promoted civil war, and living during this interminable occupation. Riverbend has told us about it firsthand. Now she is compelled by the weight of the utter destruction of her country, to flee to a safer locale. May she find peace, solace and not stop writing. Insha'Allah إن شاء الله.

Another KO Punch

Keith Olbermann is back in his chair, and slays with another Special Comment. Ghouliani: How Dare you? Crooks and Liars gives us the video.

Impeachment Pie, best served piping hot

And boy, am I hot. The Honorable Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has filed Articles of Impeachment against Dick Cheney, and not a moment too soon. He made the announcement of his intetions yesterday.

This story got exactly NO PLAY on mainstream media, not even Olbermann's show (in his defense, Allison Stewart is subbing for him this week). The buzz is, because impeachment is a long and involved procedure, by the time it comes to fruition, the point becomes moot. Horse feathers.

The weight of scandal as a result of negligence, malfeasance and criminal enterprise by this administration will ultimately bring it down. It will take actions like this by the Democrats and about 1000 more investigations, but it will happen. The only caveat: The American People. If we do not support and demand further action from our representatives, they get the idea that we don't give a shit and/or are too stupid to care.

Ohio newspaper, The Chronicle -Telegram writes this about Congressman Kucinich's bold move:

WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich filed articles of impeachment Tuesday against Vice President Dick Cheney, saying his action is driven by a desire to defend Americans’ right “to have a government that is honest and peaceful.”
The Ohio congressman said Cheney manipulated and fabricated intelligence on weapons of mass destruction to justify the Iraq war.
Kucinich said it was important to introduce the legislation “because the threat of war against Iran is very real.”
“This vice president cannot be permitted to continue to violate both the U.S. Constitution and the U.N. Charter,” he added. [snip] Kucinich had said earlier Tuesday that he was planning to postpone his plans to introduce the articles of impeachment due to Cheney’s health concerns. Cheney was taken to his doctor’s office for an ultrasound of a blood clot in his leg Tuesday. He later returned to the White House to resume his normal schedule, said Megan McGinn, a spokeswoman for the vice president.

Not said in the article was Rep. Kuchinich filed later in the day after Darth Cheney resumed his "normal schedule" of calling Democrats traitors and telling the American people to go fuck themselves.

Today WaPo's Dana Millbank, the cocktail-wienie-eating kiss-ass reporter smirks outwardly while narrating about the futility of Kuchinich's effort. Dennis addresses his rationale for impeachment in the only video of the news conference I could find. Wolf Blitzer takes Dennis on in The Situation Room and gives a bit of honest context and the serious weight this resoultion deserves.



Now, go call your representative to encourage them to go forward with H Res.333 impeachment proceedings and then go give a little love to Dennis Kuchinich for his bravery. It will take the pressure of the American conscience to raise the backbone of spineless politicians in this effort. Please throw your weight into the mix.

BlochHead

Just another in the long line of installed cronies loyal Herr Rover and Bush's Reich Wing. Oh please, "no stone unturned," Scott Bloch is a lying sack of crap. He's supposed to investigte KKK Rove? Rove hand-picked him for the job. Sheesh. Carpetbagger has the scoop.

Why?

I'm getting pretty sick of hearing the republican talking points. Most recently the one Mitt Romney used yesterday talking about the "goodness of the American people."

How can we say we are a kind, just people when conditions like this go on unabated? The Pulitzer Prize winning photo below is as shocking as it is tragic. The preznit lies as often as his mouth moves; the money spent on the war is at 1/2 a trillion dollars; soldiers die daily and delusional Americans give away their Purple hearts to Chimpy for the "emotional wounds" he has "endured" during his miserable failure as commander in chief. When does it end? Will it end? My
heart breaks for our nation and the world.

Click photo to enlarge, please read text.

Kevin Carter who won the Pulitzer for this photo, wrote this in his journal:

Dear God, I promise I will never waste my food no matter how bad it can taste and how full I may be. I pray that He will protect this little boy, guide and deliver him away from his misery. I pray that we will be more sensitive towards the world around us and not be blinded by our own selfish nature and interests.
I hope this picture will always serve as a reminder to us that how fortunate we are and that we must never ever take things for granted.

May Kevin Carter's words resonate in our consciousness and our actions from this day forward. May he rest in peace. Amen.

H/T to Corey for the photo.

New VA directive on traumatic brain injuries

The Veterans Administration has issued a directive dealing with TBI or Traumatic Brain Injuries. It 'establishes policy and procedure for screening and evaluation' of TBI. Read McClatchy coverage of the newest effort to pay attention to our war veterans.

Life During Wartime

Hello...I apologize for my absence, I've been busy beyond belief. Today I get back in the saddle with yet another horrific video about life in the war zone. Lara Logan reported on 60 minutes last night and IraqSlogger makes sure we don't miss it.

Liberal Bloggers Are Right About Media

The Horse's Mouth has a great post up: Liberal Bloggers Are Right About Media

How Many Dead Equal Failed Government?

Larry Johnson's No Quarter

What are we to make of the bizarre contrast between our national grief over the terrible slaughter of students and faculty at Virginia Tech and our muted reaction to the continuing bloodbath in and around Baghdad? One mass killing in the 209 years since Virginia Tech was founded is not exactly a trend. It is a terrible thing but not likely to be repeated anytime soon.

Brit Rant

It is said that people who curse to make their point suffer from a lack of creativity.Warren25Smash is a YouTuber with a markedly filthy mouth and while I don't agree with all his verbiage, his content makes a number of good points. Where he lacks creativity, he makes up for in passion.

Impeachment Pie Anyone?

WaPo's The Sleuth column by Mary Ann Akers, is posting the story,

"Articles of Impeachment To Be Filed On Cheney"

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), the most liberal of the Democratic presidential candidates in the primary field, declared in a letter sent to his Democratic House colleagues this morning that he plans to file articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.

Bush's Bubble

Great piece up by, as Eli calls him, "The All-Seeing Eye of Froomkin." Bush's Bubble

President Bush's public campaign to push back against Congressional demands for withdrawal from Iraq is becoming highly reminiscent of his failed effort two years ago to win support for a radical overhaul of Social Security.

The meticulously choreographed settings, the carefully controlled audiences, the mind-numbing repetition of hoary talking points (with a particular emphasis on stoking fears) -- it's like deja vu.

Bad Chimpy, No Banana

George W. Bush consistently shows himself to be an increasingly bigger asshole as each day goes by. During today's convocation for the VT victims, Chimpy relied on one of the most powerful weapons in his arsenal of bullshit--invoking terror. Junior is just not happy unless he's scaring someone. How lowdown does one have to be to speak of horrific details of murder as condolence? Don't answer that. Dubya has taken this country to new, unprecedented lows in virtually every area where his sphere of influence reigns, which to say is everywhere.

After invoking said details, the ceremony was briefly halted to attend to someone who had fainted. As if the damage he did today to the survivors of yesterday's murderous spree was not enough, he also spoke of, "some Americans will be praying for you today..." Another in a long-running series of divisive gaffes he routinely imposes on the American people. I guess the rest of us Heathens just don't give a shit.

Rest in Peace all those in Virginia and Iraq and Afghanistan who have died. May your journeys to peaceful shores be swift and your arrival triumphant.

The Sadness of the Day

I just read in The Times of London a day-two story of the massacre in Virginia. Today, tragedy has a face--28 of them. ToL has posted the photos and brief biographies of the victims of yesterday's horrendous events.

I notice how I'm affected by my viewing of the photo gallery. I feel sorrow and empathy for all affected, and grief for the violent shattering of my country. The other predominant emotion gnawing at me is shock. Shock at the massacre and shock at the lack of coverage of this type being available for our military dead and the casualties of war in Iraq. My reaction to the stories of the victims was because I was able to know something of the people that were lost, the lives they led, how they will be missed. This same courtesy obviously does not extend the "protectors of American Freedom," our troops.

All over the news is the Virginia Tech tragedy while today 127 157* Iraqis died as a result of four bombings. Anyone seen any pictures of any of those victims? Read a bio? Shed a tear? Almost certainly not. Images of Iraqis before they become tragic victims are virtually NEVER available except for the rare images on Middle East television. Even more tragically, our US military lost in Iraq do not get even the cursory treatment which the victims of the VT shootings received. This government, this media, do not want you to feel what I, like most Americans, felt today while viewing the very real faces lost in what is essentially the war we have over here in our own culture of violence. We have need to answer Bush's false, ridiculous question of, "Fighting the enemy over there so we don't have to fight them over here." We're already here, and the enemy is us.

* At 3:30 PM CST, the latest death toll in todays Iraq bombings stands at 183

Amazing Aretha

Brava! Encore! What a stunning, awe-inspiring performance. I speak of course of the show I saw last night, Miss Aretha Franklin. I foolishly did not bring a camera, but I made some new friends who took pictures and promised to forward them to me. I will post photos and a thorough review later today.

Tonight, I See Re-Re

The fabulous Miss Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul. Tonight I will find comfort and solace in beautiful music which I believe is the closest thing we as humans can know to the sound of God's Voice. Please take care of those you love and any others that cross your path today, we could all use a little help and inspiration. Here is Re-Re's Grammy night, last-minute step-in for Pavarotti performance of "Nessun Dorma"

None must sleep! None must sleep! And you, too, Princess,in your cold room, gaze at the stars which tremble with love and hope!

But my mystery is locked within me, no-one shall know my name! No, no, I shall say it as my mouth meets yours when the dawn is breaking! And my kiss will break the silence which makes you mine!(No-one shall know his name, and we, alas, shall die!)

Vanish, o night!
Fade, stars!
At dawn I shall win

Bush is a Coward

If you have any doubts about the veracity of my claims vis-a-vis president Bush read the reprinted Dan Guthrie article at the blog, Dept. of Homeland Conspiracy, "You are Still a Coward, Mr. Bush" And a little something from Digby's Hullabaloo:

A Moment

Suzanne Malveaux of CNN just compared President Bush’s appearance today at Virginia Tech to his famous “bullhorn moment” where he allegedly brought the country together after 9/11.

John, you may recall that what was called the “bull horn moment” when the president shortly after 9/11 stood on that pile of rubble and called out and really united the country at that moment, firefighters and others who recognized that that was a very significant moment for the country. This is again one of those moments Don, where a lot of people are looking at this wondering, you know this could have been my son or daughter…

Ugh. The bullhorn scene was not a “healing moment” in tragedy. It was a war cry, a far different thing. It did not bring the country together — virtually the entire world was united after 9/11. Within months Bush’s policies, especially the preposterous invasion of Iraq, began to tear the country apart and made us loathed throughout much of the world. God, I hope this isn’t one of “those moments” because his track record is just terrible.

I think it’s appropriate for the president to appear there today, it’s in nearby Virginia, and it’s a national tragedy. But the only slightly political dimension you can find in this is guns, which have been taken off the table as a political issue, (although gun owners have achieved their agenda so thoroughly that they now seem to be lobbying to actually require people to be armed at all times and shoot first and ask questions later.) I suppose that there will undoubtedly be some immigrant bashing too.

But from what we know now, we seem to be dealing with a crazy man and there’s nothing the president can say about that or do about that other than speak for the people as its leader and express our sorrow. For Malveaux to evoke Bush’s famous bullhorn moment is fluffing of the highest order. (She seems to have developed some sort of Stockholm Syndrome lately, so it’s not surprising.) But it would behoove the White House to keep a low profile on this and not encourage such talk. The country has had quite enough of the Bush administration trying to raise its approval rating on the backs of dead people.

H/T to Lotus for the Digby.

A Culture of Violence

3309 3311*,32,43. No, not the combination to the lock on your storage locker, but the number of deaths of American soldiers to date, in the BushCo 'war on terrah,' number of people killed in yesterday's campus massacre, and the average number of Iraqis that die each day in Iraq. Listening to the radio this morning, the news yesterday and the content everywhere in the US media today, I hasten to point out that the tragedy that befell Virginia Tech yesterday is a 'light' day in Iraq. Violence like this is daily fare in the 'preemptive war' on a country that had no connection to 9/11. Our invasion and subsequent occupation, was based on lies told to the American people, that are still being perpetuated today.

Whether it is the 40-something Iraqis dying daily or the 3 or 4 soldiers that are slaughtered, the carnage goes "the way forward," the admintration-produced, propaganda-filled new name for "stay the course," every single day. A senseless, sordid, waste of life. Where's the outrage? The outpouring of community support, the media, the murmurings of condolence? Is it because Iraqis who die are 'over there,' removed from the day-to-day lives of Americans? American soldiers are just 'doing their job,' one that comes with much risk so their deaths are more or less expected?
Please keep in mind as you read this, of the Iraqis dying daily, most all of them were just trying to go about their daily lives as best they can. Going to the market, work, school when suddenly a bomb goes off, or others open fire with automatic weapons. American soldiers would not be in harm's way if it weren't for the inhuman, murderous policies of the Bush administration.

Don't take my word for it. Read the the words of professionals, Larry Johnson, former CIA operative and State department official and read the article "Greetings from the Red Zone" by Lawrence Korb, a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and a Senior Advisor to the Center for Defense Information. We live in a culture of violence that is perpetuated daily and when it hits close to home is the only time we pay attention. Can we let this be our last wake-up call to stop this war? It's up to you America.

*Two more American soldier deaths since this was posted at 9:44 this morning.

Chains of Love

The gayest, bestest, most irony filled anthem of the 80's:
Erasure's Chains of Love.

How can I explain
When there are few words I can choose
How can I explain
When words get broken

Do you remember
There was a time ahaha
When people on the street
Were walking hand in hand in hand
They used to talk about the weather
Making plans together
Days would last forever

Come to me, cover me, hold me
Together well break these chains of love
Dont give up, don't give up
Together with me and my baby
Break the chains of love

Do you remember
Once upon a time ahaha
When there were open doors
An invitation to the world
We were falling in and out with lovers
Looking out for others
Our sisters and our brothers

Come to me, cover me, hold me
Together well break these chains of love
Don't give up, don't give up
Together with me and my baby
Break the chains of love
Together well break these chains of love

How can I explain
When there are few words I can choose
How can I explain
When words get broken

We used to talk about the weather
Making plans together
Days would last forever

Come to me, cover me, hold me
Together well break these chains of love
Don't give up, don't give up
Together with me and my baby
Break the chains of love
Together well break these chains of love

Breast Health

All the fun girl blogs have bra-of-the-day posts, so I'm posting a breast health video of the funnest order.

France warned CIA of hijack plot in 2001

Just another piece of evidence that in my mind, indicates the 9/11 was an inside job.

An Empathy Moment

Larry Johnson at No Quarter consistently hits the nail on the head.

Breaking news! At least 22 Virginia Tech students gunned down. Cable news channels are wild with activity as they pump up the coverage a focus on the latest "crisis". The media is commenting that this shooting is overwhelming the local medical facilities. Crisis is in the air. Well, at least it ain't Iraq.

Okay. Big deep breath. This is horrible and this is tragic and this gives us an idea of what it is like to live just one day in Iraq.

The Daily Show has smartest viewers

Also up at Think Progress, a reflective study by the Pew Research Center which shows the The Daily Show and Colbert Report viewers are the most savvy on national and international affairs. Fox News viewers rate near the bottom in knowledgability. That was a no-brainer right?

Damage to a Generation

Think Progress, the amazing progressive blog, has a devastating piece up about the trauma being experienced by Iraqi children. The long-term effects of this short-sighted war are examined in this article. Read it, and the other Think Fast posts up today at Think Progress.

MySpace, Their Space; Race to the Presidency

The Guardian is reporting the Rupert Murdock owned MySapce site will be conducting the grandaddy of all straw polls in January.

The candidates' campaign teams have already set up profile pages, promoting policy statements, selling merchandise, and encouraging networking among supporters. Barack Obama is streets ahead of the pack, seemingly pulling in the same kind of young, web-savvy supporters as Howard Dean did in 2004. With more than 99,000 "friends", he leads John Edwards (18,000) and Hillary Clinton (10,000), while Republicans Mitt Romney and John McCain languish with fewer than 6,000; Rudy Giuliani's figures are kept private.

Read the rest...

My Space,Your Space

This is why I don't have a MySpace page...The Guardian reports that Rachael Bell, 17, had a party while her parents were away and trashed the house--to the tune of £20,000. Yikes.

More Blog-Pimping

My friend Mary, who occasionally guest-posts here (I'm so lucky), has a terrific tongue-in-cheek post up at DKos. Read about the delusional Mike Pence(R-IN)and his newest visions.

DeepCon is Deeply Contrite

Yesterday I posted a video (which I've now pulled)that I received from a friend. As it turns out, we were both duped and I passed the deception right along by posting the video here. To my readers and anyone who watched the video at my site, I extend my humblest apologies.

After receiving an email from a friend, I did 2 seconds of research (which of course I should have done before posting) and found this about Jesse Macbeth…the little weasel.

Here's a wiki entry denouncing Mr McLiar: Jesse Macbeth

And here’s the retraction from the video company that produced the video:Pepperspray Productions

Just briefly in my own defense: Because I got the video link from someone I know, I didn’t check it out the way I should’ve, and simply trusted that it was legit. After watching it, I was so disturbed that I rushed to post it. Weird thing is, (I should have trusted my gut...)while talking during the interview, Jesse had his BDU shirt on and unbuttoned. A huge no-no, and a real Ranger, regardless of how “ashamed” he was would have NEVER worn his uniform incorrectly. I’m a dumb-ass. Sorry.

It's a Youth Thing

A message from some young friends that just started a new blog:

As the 2008 elections approach, which means the end of the Bush era, a new era will began. A new era complete with voices of reason and change. The youth vote will be a big part of that change.

We are announcing the creation of a new revolutionary community of liberal/progressive young adult bloggers!

YOUTHinkLeft.com (YOUTH THINK LEFT) will deal with political issues and information written in a blog article format or through original videos delivered in an online newsmagazine style blog and rss feeds.
We write about politics, and all articles are written by teens/young adults.
One of our writers is the popular Ava Lowery of Peace Takes Courage who recently appeared on CNN.

Please take a look, make a post about us, or add us to your blogroll!

Give Youth Think a look; they are our future.

The Routing of the Neocons

Times of London's Gerard Baker has a piece up today about just how wrong the neocons have been about the war/occupation in Iraq.

First, that you can, simply by the exercise of military and other forms of hard power, bring the blessings of liberal democracy to any part of the world. And secondly that, as matter of national security exigency, you should strive to do just that since only a world of liberal democracies will in the end guarantee peace and stability. Iraq doesn’t, it must be admitted, look good on either count.

Seal of Approval

I am joining the intrepid Watertiger, the natty NTodd and others in their dedication to free speech, good sense and the pledge to fight back against the vile right-wingnut blogosphere and the BushCo criminal enterprise. I never liked kid gloves anyway. The pledge link is now on the sidebar.

Commentary on the Sniper Shootings

Photo Courtesy of Eli @ MultiMedium
I watched the video below several times. It is obviously disturbing on many levels, but what warranted my repeat viewing was my incredulity, not of the ghoulishness of the sniper, but the slow and clumsy reaction by the American soldiers. Why didn't they hit the deck after someone was shot? Why didn't they suppress fire? Why did they continue to cross again and again in the line of fire? Why did it take so long to take cover? Why do the soldiers trying to get the downed man move at a trot while staying nearly erect, making themselves better targets?

There have been a number of news articles about extended deployments, not enough down time between deployments, soldiers being sent without adequate training and equipment, soldiers being sent on return deployment who were deemed not combat-ready, injured soldiers being sent back, soldiers with PTSD being redeployed, and now we see in real time the effects. One look at this video and the inexperience of the soldiers and the inadequacy of training becomes apparent. Maybe they're shell-shocked and exhausted, but clearly this is not a situation that can be handled militarily as so many military authorities have repeated.

If you've read any one of the articles above, it's easy to be detached from the tragedy of it. But when you SEE, see with your own eyes, the stunning consequences on real life described by the stories, it's harder to be indifferent about the impact.

And still, I do not understand the haunting silence from the American public.

I understand about denial and about people not actually knowing anyone in Iraq, but these are pointless murders of Americans and Iraqis alike. This isn't a movie about a bygone war or a fight for goodness, truth, freedom, "the American Way", all the ideals we were taught to believe in. These are our people in another pointless Hamburger Hill scenario. But this is not Vietnam. It's Bagdad, Mosul, Fallujah and Ramadi, Tikrit and Sadr City. Our people in a meat grinder that spins ever out of control so BushCo can have it's bloody oil money and Chimpy can secure his 'legacy' and a bloody, broken country with his name on it. Sometimes you get the legacy you have and not the legacy you want Mr. Bush.

There is a reason you don't see this stuff on the news or read it in American newspapers. They don't want you to feel anything but the desire to shop and watch Dancing With The Stars. Hey, is Sanjaya still safe on American Idol?

Sniper Shoots American Soldiers

I found this at Larry Johnson's No Quarter. He has a disturbing but vital post and the following video of an insurgent sniper preying on American soldiers. After the video, read Larry's post. Caution: Graphic

Now I want you to imagine that the soldier who was shot is your best friend or brother. Imagine that is your unit. Are you going to be in a "positive" frame of mind, eager to win hearts and minds when you go out on "routine" patrol tomorrow? I doubt it. If our units keep taking casualties like this they will eventually overreact and kill some Iraqi civilians. This will further inflame the situation and make it more difficult to pacify Baghdad. This is not a path to victory, at least for us.

West Pointers Quit at Record Rate

WASHINGTON -- Recent graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point are choosing to leave active duty at the highest rate in more than three decades, a sign to many military specialists that repeated tours in Iraq are prematurely driving out some of the Army's top young officers.

Which part of "senseless war" do the goopers not get? In fact another nail in the coffin proving that this ongoing occupation is not at all about "freedom" or "democracy" but increased war profits for the SOB's who profit and have not sacrificed a thing. Read the Boston Globe story.

Berkeley Grandma-Blogger Embeds with Military in Iraq

Wow! Jane Stillwater, Berkeley, CA resident and lefty-blogger, has gone to Iraq at her own expense, begged to be embedded with US soldiers, and blogs from the war-zone. Check out the Times of London article (Where's the San Francisco Chronicle on this?) and read Jane's blog, live from Bagdad. Californian's in action against the war in Iraq. Yea! Go Jane!

I'd ask the insurgents, "if the US troops do leave, will you actually be able to form an efficient and safe and organized government? Or are you guys the type who only understands violence, can only 'swift-boat' people and are at a complete loss when it comes to actually creating and building new stuff?" Well, if the insurgents ARE like that, then they need to give up their fixation with Iraq and come over to Washington DC where that kind of stuff is very popular. They'd fit right in.

NPR interviewed the the bold blogger from Berkeley. Give it a listen.

Face the Music

This is a face like many my husband sees everyday in his capacity as a military critical care physician. These are the faces of Americans. Some who enlist are excited by the sense of adventure and patriotism sold to them by media outlets and the incessant propaganda of BushCo. Some join the military as their only option out of poverty and hopelessness. Some are actual misbegotten believers in the bullshit spouted by men who have not found this cause noble enough to fight themselves, yet have no problem sending other people's children to die.

All of them are occupying and fighting a country embroiled in a civil war, being used as a private security force at the taxpayers expense, to enable American oil companies to greedily attain more profit. Is anyone furious? Ashamed? So caught up in cynicism that they think nothing can be done to stop this senseless squandering of blood and treasure?

Do something. Write or call congress or the senate. Tell them you want our people home now. Do it because it actually matters. The music is playing. Face it and please, dance.

H/T to Minstrel Boy for the photo.

Wolfowitz pays for sex with poor people's money

Paul "Putz" Wolfowitz, PNAC member, neocon conman and World Bank president can't buy himself new socks, but he can spend the money intended for the world's poor on a girlfriend. Gilly's blog has the story.

In other words

Comedian Kathleen Madigan does a bit about Dubya's use of "in other words." In fact she named her last stage show that very phrase, "In Other Words."

"I love it when he explains stuff to us the way they explained it to him. He does it a lot when he's 'free-speaking' and you can always tell when one's comin' 'cause he says, "in other words," but it's usually about stuff that didn't need 'other words' except earlier in the day, it did..." Her example while doing her best Dubya impression:"Osama bin Laden's on the run, still hidin' in a cave people...in other words, the man's jis' playin' peek-a-boo"

The Carpetbagger has a great piece up about most recent Junior's use of the phrase.
In other words, read it.

Town Hall Meeting on Iraq

Listen. MoveOn.org has sponsored a town hall meeting of all the Democratic candidates for president speaking on the topic of the war in Iraq.

The Regressive View on Global Warming

Newt Gingrich makes it apparent why conservatives, or regressives as I call them, cannot be trusted in government. In trying to explain why conservatives resist "doing the the right thing" in regards to the environment, he tells us it's because of a fear of "higher taxes and bigger government." In other words, no matter what the cost to the planet, human and animal life, and our very existence, the thing that really matters is not acknowledging our actions have consequences to the detriment of corporate responsibility and profits.

The GOP as a whole shows how very selfish and short-sighted they are in regards to the very foundation of life on the planet. I'm hoping for a little social Darwinianism to start having an effect upon republicans as a whole 'species'. Watch John Kerry back the toadster into a corner on the topic of changing course in our lifestyle choices in order to save the planet we seemed bent on destroying. Think Progress has the film.

Big Lies, Little Lies

NYT's Paul Krugman gives us a kick-ass editorial via TruthOut about the power of the repeated "little lie" which lends credence to BushCo propaganda.

Four years into a war fought to eliminate a nonexistent threat, we all have renewed appreciation for the power of the Big Lie: people tend to believe false official claims about big issues, because they can't picture their leaders being dishonest about such things.

But there's another political lesson I don't think has sunk in: the power of the Little Lie - the small accusation invented out of thin air, followed by another, and another, and another. Little Lies aren't meant to have staying power. Instead, they create a sort of background hum, a sense that the person facing all these accusations must have done something wrong.

Army Chief Bids Farewell

None to soon for my liking I must add. Military.Com writes:

Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, will hand over leadership of the nation's largest service today in a ceremony at Fort Myer, Va., to Gen. George Casey, former commander of coalition forces in Iraq.

Schoomaker took the reigns as Army chief after being called out of retirement by former Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld four years ago - a controversial move that sent shock waves through Army leadership.

The "shock waves" emanating out of the Dept. of the Army are sure to render more resignations as the utter failure of leadership becomes more apparent. The slimy commanders that made choices of CYA over soldiers lives need to be in prison, but their resignations are a good beginning.

In a related story, the Pentagon is considering extending the tours of duty for 15,000 soldiers in spite of the already long deployments, because of a shortage of combat-ready units. HuffPo has it here.

Radical Shiite Cleric Issues New Anti-U.S. Call

New York Times reporting:

Filed at 10:39 p.m. ET

BAGHDAD (AP) -- The powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his militiamen on Sunday to redouble their battle to oust American forces and argued that Iraq's army and police should join him in defeating ''your archenemy.'' The U.S. military announced the weekend deaths of 10 American soldiers, including six killed on Sunday.

The violence is getting worse and will only increase as long as we stay in Iraq. American soldiers are targets for Iraqis of virtually every stripe. Every day that goes by the danger worsens. Call congress, call the senate. Bitch until American soldiers are withdrawn from Iraq. It is time to end this war. Now.

Happy Easter

Back early from the beach, terrible weather. Hope everyone had a terrific weekend, a joyous holiday or just a well deserved weekend off nonetheless. This baby chick photo I found on a blog called 37 Days. Read the post from last year, "Name Your Pom-Poms" Very meaningful in a time celebrated for rebirth and crossing over.

Beach Bound

We are off to the beach for the weekend. I may post if I can find a 'hot spot' Have a great weekend all!

Teh Truth

And the hits just keep on comin' "Presidential Truth"

Lurking Cheney

Remember when Darth Cheney told us last year, "We've got to spend time in the shadows. We have to work toward the dark side, if you will" Oh no Dick, I won't.

If it is possible, Dick Cheney gets creepier by the minute. During Chimpy's speech yesterday, the one where he scolds congress for taking an Easter break which he himself took today, Darth was found lurking in the bushes by CSPAN's cameraman.

Oh Goody! We live in a police state

War and Piece's Laura Rozen reports that FBI logs have been discovered that implicate the FBI in collusion with the Washington DC police, detained and held war protesters for strictly political reasons.

A secret FBI intelligence unit helped detain a group of war protesters in a downtown Washington parking garage in April 2002 and interrogated some of them on videotape about their political and religious beliefs, newly uncovered documents and interviews show.

In Miss., veterans face cutbacks

God may be the only back-up returning soldiers get according to the news coming out of South Mississippi. What happened to "We Support the Troops"?

Affordable mental-health care took another blow last month, when Medicare and Tricare - one of the few health-care options for military veterans and their families - reduced the amount it will pay providers.This comes at a bad time, as a large number of returning veterans display a host of post-traumatic stress-related symptoms and average Coastians begin to show the painful long-term effects of traumatic stress from Hurricane Katrina.

"Let's start the cutbacks in Mississippi, no one will notice or care." This is almost certainly the thought behind these reductions. Mississippi has the poorest population in the country and the least able to 'fight back.'The cuts will affect health care in our newest, most vulnerable population--returning soldiers. We know the VA and the military hospital systems are already overwhelmed with demand, yet the Bush administration cuts funding. There are too few mental health resources currently available, these new cuts will add insult to injury. What's new? The actions of BushCo have been and will continue to be criminal, and without question, are morally and ethically bankrupt. Since the Walter Reed story broke, the focus has lasered on the military medical system, for good reason. Now just as the story has cooled, the administration slips this one past the goalie. Easy to do since no one is guarding the net. Democrats and Republicans need to step up and not allow the less than one percent of Americans who sacrifice for the war to be forgotten as well. Read the Mississippi Sun Herald story here.

The Dixie Chicks Rock

We just watched The Dixie Chicks documentary "Shut Up and Sing". I highly recommend it. The Chicks are so brave. The documentary tells the story of their meteoric rise and the fall from grace that occurred after Natalie's statement in London. Get the DVD or watch it on cable, but definitely watch it. Five Stars. Video of the Chicks Grammy winning song, Not Ready To Make Nice

Derailed "Straight talk Express"

Which part of 'delusional liar' are Americans not understanding? John McLiar went to Iraq announced it was safe and when called on his bullshit, sics the wingnut bloggers on CNN reporter Mick Ware. The McCain and Lindsey 'Huckleberry' Graham "tour" was preceded by a security sweep and during their "stroll" were protected by over 100 soldiers, 3 Blackhawk helicopters, 2 Apache warships and they were both wearing bullet-proof vests. Sound safe to you? Huckleberry touted his shopping prowess by bragging about his 5-rugs-for-$5. Way to rip off the locals Huckleberry. If you haven't heard this yet, check Think Progress' round-up of McCain's nonsense. And by the way, snipers were back on duty today at the very market visited by The GOP numbnut liars last week.I do so hope this ends his presidential run.

'Disposable Soldiers'

VA system ill-equipped to treat mental anguish of war.

Another Rat Jumps Ship

McClatchy is reporting Bush insider Meghan O'Sullivan will be leaving the White House, "later this spring." Bush losing key adviser on Iraq

Seattle Sailor Comes Home

From Think Progress: A surprised six year-old get a visit from dad just returned from Iraq.

Surge, Smurge

I missed posting yesterday. My doctor/husband brings home bugs from the hospital that see me as their hostess with the mostess. Alas. The first thing I see this morning when I opened my blog was that eleven more soldiers have died since I posted Sunday. I guess the Iraqis (and others) engaged in civil war (that's a misnomer if I've ever heard one) don't know that the escalation of the war is supposed to quell the violence.I don't watch or listen to the news when I'm sick, and still don't know what happened but I guess I'll find out. Slow start, but I plan on getting something out today.

Sunday Funnies

From Bob Geiger's "Saturday Cartoons"