2.22.2003
An independent inquiry into the Columbia Shuttle disaster was started right away.
Remember the 9-11 terrorist attacks? It has been a while. Not to mention that when investigating President Clintons alleged misdoings Congress gave Independent Counsel Starr 70 million dollars. The Bush administration has not been that hot on the very idea of and independent inquiry, and all this time later is allowing only at most a 3 million dollar budget.
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States is the name of what we are led to believe is an independent, bipartisan commission investigating the intelligence failures that led to the 9-11 attacks. Phillip Zelikow has been picked to be the executive director of the commision. His pedigree includes co-authoring two books with Condoleeza Rice, working in the state department under James Baker as well as spending three years on Bush 1's National Security Council. He currently is a Bush appointee to the Presidents Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. They might have found someone just a bit independent... After all the administrations foot dragging on getting the investigative ball rolling it would at least add some credence to the commision and its findings.
Are you aware that there exists a 'Standard Operating Procedure' for air emergencies, specifically hijackings? Do you remember the plane crash of the golfer Payne Stuart? His plane had a fighter 'escort' a short time after the air traffic controller found his plane to be non-responsive to attemped radio communications. Read this thought provoking account of FAA Standard Operating Procedure in the case of a hijacking not being followed on September 11, 2001. I believe the link offers chapter 5 of the book 'The War on Freedom' by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, a book I highly recommend. But don't take my word for it; Gore Vidal also recommends it in his book 'Dreaming War'.
In light of the different news stories we've heard I'm guessing you'll find the Presidents account of finding out about the World Trade Towers tragedy interesting: he is relating his account at an Orlando Florida Town Hall Meeting December 4, 01. Please take the time to read the articles and explore some of the links offered.
Food for thought...
2/22/2003
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2.21.2003
I read 'Dick Cheney's Song of America' by David Armstrong in Harpers magazine, October 2002. It shows that the Cheney, Powell, Wolfowitz plan for global domination that is being acted out now was retooled a bit under Rumsfeld recently, although it was first published in 1993 as 'Defense Strategy for the 90's'. Here is the Harpers article from a webpage and here from a pdf file.
2/21/2003
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2.20.2003
Been having trouble posting to the site since yesterday with Blogger, thank you for your patience. I know I am frustrated...
"All of us have heard this term 'preventive war' since the earliest days of Hitler. I recall that is about the first time I heard it. In this day and time...I don't believe there is such a thing; and, frankly, I wouldn't even listen to anyone seriously that came in and talked about such a thing."
--President Dwight Eisenhower, 1953,
upon being presented with plans to wage
preventive war to disarm Stalin's Soviet Union
Quotation taken from Jonathan Schell's article in the March 3 Nation Magazine. Do yourself the favor of reading it.
Dennis Kucinich as the Democrat's candidate for President? I'm a bit troubled by his stance against a womans right to make reproductive choices (he is a Catholic) although elsewhere he has pledged to stand by Roe V Wade. Frighteningly though, this member of the House Progressive Congress has voted to disallow female members of the military to have abortions in overseas military hospitals even if they pick up the tab themselves (see following link).
Do we have a candidate conerned with Peace? As Doug Ireland points out in a very informative article most of the contenders, Kerry, Gephardt and Edwards voted for the bill coauthored by another Dem candidate, Lieberman that gave Mr Bush free reign to attack at will, circumventing the Constitution. So that leaves us Howard Dean, who I need to learn more of but did see this article in The New Republic last summer; I saw the Dean headline on the cover of the magazine at my local library. And sure enough, I read rightwing materials on occasion to be aware what the dark side is up to... Here is a more current piece from the Boston Phoenix. Comfortable with gay folks, pro gun ownership and national healthcare, childrens issues... an interesting and unusual candidate, this Mr Dean... Certainly bears more looking into.
An interesting NY Times piece that will have you thinking about media consolidation, another angle on a topic we have touched on here. Listen to this short streaming media (RealAudio) clip about mainstream reportage of the Peace Movement Remember, the media shapes the mental environment of a great many of us. Analyse what you see and hear, seek out non corporate media sources. Listen to your friends, and talk with them; facts generate great discussion- and open eyes
It seems to me that when we started bombing Afganistan gas was in the $1.60 range for regular, and dropped as the bombs fell, a sort of reward to the American people- the gas pumps have had me nervous lately.
Wanted to send out a quick thank you to Dee and Eilene, wonderful folks, who at the airport offered us a shovel and mittens to clear our car off as well as giving us a jump when it wouldn't turn over. When a smiling person you've never met hands you a big ol' aluminum grain shovel and mittens without your asking, the airport security herding experiance grumpiness falls away; the damp cold of snow buried late night New England is mollified...
2/20/2003
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2.19.2003
New postings to commence later today; back now and energized... Thanks for your support! Just kept away from the computer and the news due to the storm. Keep those letters coming in : ) It means a great deal to me... Yup, we are the majority! Like you need me to mention that.
Peace,
m
2/19/2003
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