1.24.2004
The General vs The Deserter
You may have heard the flap about Michael Moore saying he'd like to see Clark and Bush debate; He'd call it "The General vs The Deserter. (Scroll down offered Moore link for the David Broder WaPo story)
Here's a piece of the transcript of the NH debate where this was mentioned featuring Peter Jennings and Mr Clark... PJ: Let me ask you something you mentioned then because since this question and answer in which you and Mr. Moore was involved, you've had a chance to look at the facts. Do you still feel comfortable with the fact that someone should be standing up in your president, in your presence and calling the president of the United States a deserter?
WC: To be honest with you, I did not look at the facts Peter. That's Michael Moore's opinion; he's entitled to say that, I've seen, he's not the only person who's said that. I've not followed up on those facts, and frankly it's not relevant to me and why I'm in this campaign.
Michael Moore has compiled an extensive documentation on George AWOL Bush You might want to send a link to the Clark campaign.
1/24/2004
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Out with the Old, In with the New
For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction, because it was the one reason everyone could agree on," Wolfowitz was quoted as saying in Vanity Fair magazine's July issue.
JAMES BAKER [Former Secretary of State]: This is a war of choice, more so, perhaps, than a war of necessity.
The last fellow in charge of looking for Iraq's fabled "Weapons of Mass Destruction":
David Kay, who stepped down as leader of the U.S. hunt for weapons of mass destruction, said on Friday he does not believe there were any large stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons in Iraq.
"I don't think they existed," Kay told Reuters in a telephone interview. "What everyone was talking about is stockpiles produced after the end of the last (1991) Gulf War and I don't think there was a large-scale production program in the '90s," he said.
Charles A. Duelfer, the fellow thought to be taking his place:
...told NBC in an interview aired Jan. 9: "I think it's pretty clear right now that they're not going to find existing weapons in Iraq of either a biological or chemical nature."
Of course, Dick Cheney says they will. Could there be a plane loaded with some US surplus WMD agents flying there even now?
And then there is the nearly forgotten question of Iraqi Nuclear weapons.
Donald Rumsfeld knows where they are, at least he did 9 days into the attack on Iraq.
We know where they are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.
After his defeat in the Gulf War in 1991, Saddam agreed under to U.N. Security Council Resolution 687 to cease all development of weapons of mass destruction. He agreed to end his nuclear weapons program. He agreed to destroy his chemical and his biological weapons. He further agreed to admit U.N. inspection teams into his country to ensure that he was in fact complying with these terms.
In the past decade, Saddam has systematically broken each of these agreements. The Iraqi regime has in fact been very busy enhancing its capabilities in the field of chemical and biological agents. And they continue to pursue the nuclear program they began so many years ago. -- Dick Cheney, August 26, 02
""The evidence indicates that Iraq is reconstituting its nuclear weapons program. Saddam Hussein has held numerous meetings with Iraqi nuclear scientists, a group he calls his 'nuclear mujahideen' -- his nuclear holy warriors. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof -- the smoking gun -- that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud."
Mr Bush said the above in Cincinnati Ohio before the vote that saw Congress give away it's Constitutional Rights. Explore "The Two Georges, Orwell and Bush: A dramatic reading of George Orwell's classic work 1984 Interspersed with recent news clips from President Bush and others" for more Bush Administration "Big Lies", a Realaudio file from Democracy Now!
It was common knowledge among people who analyze the news, folks like you and me who read deeply to discern the truth of what the media tells us that Mr Bush was lying about Iraq's nuclear capabilities back then.
"We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud," National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice said on CNN's Late Edition
"We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons." -- Dick Cheney, three days prior to "Shock and Awe"
"I don't know anybody that I can think of who has contended that the Iraqis had nuclear weapons. I don't know anybody in any government or any intelligence agency who suggested that the Iraqis had nuclear weapons. That's fact number one." --Donald Rumsfeld June 24, 03
A slippery bunch, those war mongering Neocons.
...the Foreign Minister and I and the President and I, had a good discussion about the nature of the sanctions--the fact that the sanctions exist-- not for the purpose of hurting the Iraqi people, but for the purpose of keeping in check Saddam Hussein's ambitions toward developing weapons of mass destruction. We should constantly be reviewing our policies, constantly be looking at those sanctions to make sure that they are directed toward that purpose. That purpose is every bit as important now as it was ten years ago when we began it. And frankly they have worked. He has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors.-- Colin Powell February, 2001
1/24/2004
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Iraqi's rightly want Saddam to suffer justice. They also want his old friends from the US tried ( folks like you, Mr Rumsfeld). Here in the states the fact that the Reagan Administration was buddy-buddy with "Mr Evil" is glossed over; with the number of Reagan era politicos in the present administration you need not wonder why the collaborative press is mum on this fact. In fact Saddam Hussein rose to power with the help of our CIA.
Let justice be served.
1/24/2004
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Now this is what Democracy is about. A mix of people with different ideals sharing their perspective, in a forum where all get a chance to speak. When I say "different ideals" I mean it- in attendence were 2 Republican candidates for President, one who lead us in prayer. There was a Pat Buchanan supporter complete with confederate flag. A woman who claimed the use birth control pills is tantamount to having an abortion. The majority well informed, caring conscious Progressives. And all were heard, not heckled, not ridiculed. Folks with opposing points of view politely aired their say. A lively New England Town Hall Meeting in the spirit of that august tradition.
The evening started out with a presentation of Symbolman's "An Army of One" flash animation. This compelling video is being shown on TV commercials across the Granite State. I'd urge you to give it a look. The one minute TV version is a touch different; you'll get the tenor of their thought though from this internet piece. It was good to meet Symbolman, as another humble internet activist it was reinforcing to talk for a bit.
The centerpiece of this occasion was a screening of 'Uncovered: the whole truth about the Iraq war" ( Get this important DVD) by Robert Greenwald. You need to see this film, to purchase it and get copies circulating to everyone you know. Everyone. It is a damning expose` of the Neocon rush to war, very well done, the hypocrisy of the current Administration laid out for all to see. MoveOn and The Center for American Progress should be applauded for promoting this audio-visual monument to the truth of why our soldiers are dying in Iraq. And how lies wrest Democracy from the honest Americans that make up the majority of our nation.
I got to meet Stranger of Blah3, he too is associated with Take Back The Media and has been a blogging ally since I first started. He plays a serious sinuous strident strat too, if you didn't know. He rocked sweet playing his song "Den of Thieves" in a room where Democracy breathed. Later he played again, another cut from his upcoming CD.
CNN claims Mr Bush is running unopposed, but a viable Republican is running against George W. Bush. From hearing him speak I have to admit I admire the guy, despite his party affiliation. John Buchanan is his name, you may know him as the gentleman that outed the Bush family as Hitler supporters in America's oldest newspaper, The New Hampshire Gazette. Other newspapers in America have not touched the story in over 60 years. I talked with Buchanan, he has offered the story out widely.
Iona Bigga Yacht introduced the Billionaires For Bush video entry to the MoveOn "Bush in 30 seconds"contest "Leave No Billionaire Behind". F. Scott Fitzgerald was right, the rich are different from us, they have more money. And as the lovely Ms Bigga Yacht demonstrated, much cooler accents and diction than "We the People".
James, a lively guy from Walden3.org added to the festivities, offering us "Chicken Hawk-In-Chief World Domination Tour" hoodies- warm hoodies to counter the New Hampshire night deep in its single digit arctic blast. Much appreciated! Earlier this good man was marching in cadence to an accompanying video in an AWOL jumpsuit and helmet- and rubber George Bush mask. Working hard to get the message out. He was featured in a video with (I'm guessing) actors that looked like Mr Cheney and Mr Powell just rolling with corporate dough. What a hoot!
People to People TV was filming the action. This was not your usual "talking heads" manipulated media happening; it was real people coming together, making Democracy alive.
Meetings like this are what America is all about.
Even if you have a longish drive, you should be a part of this Sunday:
Sunday, January 25
Universal Unitarian Church
292 State Street
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
7-9 p.m.
603-436-4762
Tell them m prophet says "Hi"
Links Fixed
1/24/2004
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