October 28, 2005
Compare And Contrast
The special counsel today, as you are aware, announced the indictment of former White House official Scooter Libby. The legal proceedings in this matter will continue for some time, with various pre-trial matters and then possibly a trial. In our system of law, every defendant is entitled to a presumption of innocence; every defendant is entitled to due process and a fair trial. -- Scottie McClellan
[Padilla's] lawyers want the Supreme Court to rule that the Bush White House has overstepped its legal authority by holding "without charge an American citizen arrested on American soil" during the war on terror that is "indeterminate in scope and time".
But the government, which won a major ruling in the case last month when the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided Padilla could be held without trial, said the president has the authority in wartime to identify [sic] enemy combatants and hold them indefinitely. Prosecutors further warn that granting Padilla a trial and risking his eventual release from custody would allow him to again [sic] take up arms against this country.
When Padilla was arrested at Chicago's O'Hare Airport in May 2002, authorities said he was returning from Central Asia to scope out targets for a "dirty bomb" attack using chemical weapons. He eventually was taken to a Navy brig in South Carolina, where he remains.
But officials have since backed off the "dirty bomb" scenario and instead focused on allegations that he fought against U.S. forces in Afghanistan and is an enemy combatant dangerous to this country. [Emphases added.]
Posted by Eddie Tews at 07:35 PM
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You know, there's a lot of talk today in the Democratically controlled judiciary committee about going after the Bush Administration for crimes, for lying to Congress, and etc. And I'm all in favor of that, bring on the indictments, but don't stop at the Bush Administration. If you want to have a truly bipartisan indictment, you indict Madeleine Albright, you indict Sandy Berger, you indict every person on the Clinton Administration that committed the exact same crime that the Bush Administration has committed today. Lying during the course of your official duty: That's a felony, that's a high crime and misdemeanor. That's language in the Constitution that triggers certain events like impeachment. So let's not just simply turn this into a Bush-bashing event. This is about a failure of not only the Bush Administration but of the United States of America, and we have to look in the mirror and recognize that, well, all the Bush Administration did is take advantage of a systemic failure on the part of the United States as a whole, a failure that not only involves the executive, but it involves the legislative branch, Congress.
Quote Of The Moment
You know, there's a lot of talk today in the Democratically controlled judiciary committee about going after the Bush Administration for crimes, for lying to Congress, and etc. And I'm all in favor of that, bring on the indictments, but don't stop at the Bush Administration. If you want to have a truly bipartisan indictment, you indict Madeleine Albright, you indict Sandy Berger, you indict every person on the Clinton Administration that committed the exact same crime that the Bush Administration has committed today. Lying during the course of your official duty: That's a felony, that's a high crime and misdemeanor. That's language in the Constitution that triggers certain events like impeachment. So let's not just simply turn this into a Bush-bashing event. This is about a failure of not only the Bush Administration but of the United States of America, and we have to look in the mirror and recognize that, well, all the Bush Administration did is take advantage of a systemic failure on the part of the United States as a whole, a failure that not only involves the executive, but it involves the legislative branch, Congress.
Posted by Eddie Tews at 05:02 PM
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The headline -- "Bush Says War in Iraq Isn't Cause of Rising Terrorism" -- looked promising. But here's the Boy Wonder's entire argument:
And, uh, George; you wanna tell us what it means that the level of terrorist attacks has skyrocketed since September 11? C'mon, sure you do.
October 25, 2005
Reminder
The headline -- "Bush Says War in Iraq Isn't Cause of Rising Terrorism" -- looked promising. But here's the Boy Wonder's entire argument:
"Some have argued that extremism has been strengthened by the actions of our coalition in Iraq, claiming that our presence in that country has somehow caused or triggered the rage of radicals,'' Bush said at a luncheon for more than 500 wives of military officers at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington. "I would remind them that we were not in Iraq on Sept. 11.''
And, uh, George; you wanna tell us what it means that the level of terrorist attacks has skyrocketed since September 11? C'mon, sure you do.
Posted by Eddie Tews at 10:27 PM
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So after three years of kissing Bush's ass with regards to his depraved actions in Iraq (except if arguing that they're not depraved enough), if indictments are brought the lies that facilitated the invasion will have suddenly become a sign of "corruption". Uhhhhhh...
And, natch, once the White House has been "housecleaned", the Democrats can get back to calling for troop increases.
The "Opposition" Party
Democrats say that if top Bush aides are indicted, they will use the fact that Plame's identity was leaked in connection with the drive to invade Iraq to intensify their criticism of Bush.
''We'll try to take it back to the president," one Senate Democratic leadership aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity. ''We'll call for a wholesale housecleaning in the White House, like Reagan did after Iran-Contra, and call on the president to put an end to this culture of corruption."
So after three years of kissing Bush's ass with regards to his depraved actions in Iraq (except if arguing that they're not depraved enough), if indictments are brought the lies that facilitated the invasion will have suddenly become a sign of "corruption". Uhhhhhh...
And, natch, once the White House has been "housecleaned", the Democrats can get back to calling for troop increases.
Posted by Eddie Tews at 09:25 AM
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To any sheriff or peace officer of the state of Texas, greetings, you are hereby commanded to arrest Thomas Dale DeLay and keep him safely so that you have him before the 331st Judicial District Court of Travis County.
October 19, 2005
Quote Of The Moment
To any sheriff or peace officer of the state of Texas, greetings, you are hereby commanded to arrest Thomas Dale DeLay and keep him safely so that you have him before the 331st Judicial District Court of Travis County.
Posted by Eddie Tews at 05:02 PM
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And about 20% of the U.S. total, with a population four times as large. If the "world" truly is more concerned with Chinese military than U.S. military spending and designs, then let's hear the World's heads of states say so with their own mouths. What, they're so terrified of the big bad Chinese that they need this kook to speak for them?
October 18, 2005
Who The Fuck Let Him Out Of The Asylum?
The world is watching to see whether China will chart a path towards a more open society, and wondering why it is concealing the pace of its military spending, U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday. [...]
Rumsfeld accused China of understating the scope of its Defence spending, and he said this is sowing suspicion about how China intends to use its growing military might.
In an interview aboard his plane en route from Washington, Rumsfeld questioned China's motives in underreporting its Defence spending. He mentioned no figures, but the Pentagon said last summer that China may be spending US$90 billion on Defence this year -- three times the announced total.
And about 20% of the U.S. total, with a population four times as large. If the "world" truly is more concerned with Chinese military than U.S. military spending and designs, then let's hear the World's heads of states say so with their own mouths. What, they're so terrified of the big bad Chinese that they need this kook to speak for them?
Posted by Eddie Tews at 08:43 PM
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"Well, I think you know the President's views when it comes to issues of life. The President has stood strongly on the side of life."
October 17, 2005
Quote Of The Moment
"Well, I think you know the President's views when it comes to issues of life. The President has stood strongly on the side of life."
Posted by Eddie Tews at 03:21 PM
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It appears that George Bush was lying when he touted the ten terrorist plots broken up by the "international community" since September 11.
But it's often fun, when dealing with the Bush Administration's lies, to play "What If He Were Telling The Truth?". So, what if Bush wasn't lying?
That means that the "international community" has broken up ten terrorist plots -- while being unable to foil an increasing and now record-number of major terrorist attacks. In just the last two years there were about 900 significant attacks -- including 200 in Iraq, which piece of real estate Dubya has claimed the "central front" in the "War On Terror".
Hundreds of billions of dollars spent, two countries bombed to hell and back -- and irretrievably poisoned by the United States' toxic weaponry, tens of thousands of civilians killed, a possible Administraiton-toppling scandal, a major American city ravaged while the Administration could do nothing but sit and watch because needed manpower was stuck in Iraq, American prestige (not to mention Bush's poll ratings) at an all-time low. And all so that Bush could, in an "unprecedented" speech concerning the "War On Terror", trumpet his Administration's skillz in turning back something on the order of one-half of one percent of would-be terrorist attacks.
That's if Bush had been telling the truth regarding those skillz -- which wasn't, in fact, the case. Who in hell writes Bush's scripts, anyway? Osama himself?
October 09, 2005
Trust Us: We're Incompetent Fucks
It appears that George Bush was lying when he touted the ten terrorist plots broken up by the "international community" since September 11.
But it's often fun, when dealing with the Bush Administration's lies, to play "What If He Were Telling The Truth?". So, what if Bush wasn't lying?
That means that the "international community" has broken up ten terrorist plots -- while being unable to foil an increasing and now record-number of major terrorist attacks. In just the last two years there were about 900 significant attacks -- including 200 in Iraq, which piece of real estate Dubya has claimed the "central front" in the "War On Terror".
Hundreds of billions of dollars spent, two countries bombed to hell and back -- and irretrievably poisoned by the United States' toxic weaponry, tens of thousands of civilians killed, a possible Administraiton-toppling scandal, a major American city ravaged while the Administration could do nothing but sit and watch because needed manpower was stuck in Iraq, American prestige (not to mention Bush's poll ratings) at an all-time low. And all so that Bush could, in an "unprecedented" speech concerning the "War On Terror", trumpet his Administration's skillz in turning back something on the order of one-half of one percent of would-be terrorist attacks.
That's if Bush had been telling the truth regarding those skillz -- which wasn't, in fact, the case. Who in hell writes Bush's scripts, anyway? Osama himself?
Posted by Eddie Tews at 01:14 PM
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Dick Cheney's head is still planted firmly up his own ass, for instance:
And if the frequency and magnitude of terrorist attacks has steadily increased since the Bush Administration began to "hit back" (at civilians and "terrorist suspects"), well, that only proves that:
A. The terrorists are getting desperate. B. Al-Qaeda is in its last throes. C. We aren't dropping enough bombs, torturing enough niggers, destroying enough houses, changing enough regimes, building enough bases. Spending as much on the military as the rest of the World combined won't cut the mustard -- we gotta spend even more (after all, we wouldn't want the President's Uncle Bucky to miss a mortgage payment for his new home).
October 05, 2005
Some Things Never Change
Dick Cheney's head is still planted firmly up his own ass, for instance:
The Bush administration will aggressively pursue terrorism in Iraq and on "every other front," Vice President Cheney said Monday, asserting that the United States is now paying the price for two decades of weak responses to terrorist attacks.
Addressing Marines who have just returned from Iraq, Cheney said the failure of both Republican and Democratic administrations to retaliate decisively after terrorism incidents during the 1980s and 1990s led directly to the atrocities of Sept. 11, 2001.
"The terrorists came to believe that they could strike America without paying any price. And so they continued to wage those attacks, making the world less safe and eventually striking the United States on 9/11," Cheney said. [...]
"Time and time again, for the remainder of the 20th century, the terrorists hit America and America did not hit back hard enough," he said, rallying the crowd. "As President Bush has said, the only way the terrorists can win is if we lose our nerve and abandon our mission."
And if the frequency and magnitude of terrorist attacks has steadily increased since the Bush Administration began to "hit back" (at civilians and "terrorist suspects"), well, that only proves that:
A. The terrorists are getting desperate. B. Al-Qaeda is in its last throes. C. We aren't dropping enough bombs, torturing enough niggers, destroying enough houses, changing enough regimes, building enough bases. Spending as much on the military as the rest of the World combined won't cut the mustard -- we gotta spend even more (after all, we wouldn't want the President's Uncle Bucky to miss a mortgage payment for his new home).
Posted by Eddie Tews at 12:19 PM
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It's perhaps not polite to say, "I told you so." But a little less than a year ago, in "endorsing" George Dubya over John Kerry, this blog predicted:
To-day's events have been incubating for some time, of course. But a serendipitous trifecta it is: Shrub's Iraq-approval rating has dropped to 33%; Senate Republicans are said to be considering a filibuster of Bush's new Supreme Court nominee (while Dick Cheney is reduced to groveling at Rush Limbaugh's feet); and Tom DeLay (about whom we then wrote: (a spawn every bit as malevolent as -- and possibly even more powerful than -- his brethren in the Executive Branch) is time and again being called out for his ethical improprieties) has been bitch-slapped with a second indictment -- one that could land him in gaol for life (or at least see him scrubbing Martha Stewart's toilets for a few weeks).
Still to come may be some serious fucking at the hands of Plame Affair prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. All the while details of the magnitude of the sadistic horrors conducted at Abu Ghraib continue to leak, gas prices continue to rise, the deficit continues to explode, and the process of "standing up" the Iraqi Army continues to fail.
Perhaps it'll all blow over. But even if Dubya manages to escape tarring and feathering, do you really think he's going to be able to invade Syria and/or Iran any time soon? And when was the last time you heard any crap coming out of Dubya's hole with regards to privatising Social Security? The son of a bitch is the lamest of ducks.
Not that there's an opposition party ready to glide in and save the day -- the Democrats were all in hiding while Cindy Sheehan and co. were marching through the streets of DC. But shutting down the Bush Administration is a pretty good place to start, at least.
October 04, 2005
Hamstrung
It's perhaps not polite to say, "I told you so." But a little less than a year ago, in "endorsing" George Dubya over John Kerry, this blog predicted:
No American President since Eisenhower has completed a full eight-year Presidency without being waylaid by scandal during his second term. The opportunities for Bush to add another notch to this impressive record are many ... A second Bush Administration could well be too busy putting out fires to be able to concentrate on destroying the world.
To-day's events have been incubating for some time, of course. But a serendipitous trifecta it is: Shrub's Iraq-approval rating has dropped to 33%; Senate Republicans are said to be considering a filibuster of Bush's new Supreme Court nominee (while Dick Cheney is reduced to groveling at Rush Limbaugh's feet); and Tom DeLay (about whom we then wrote: (a spawn every bit as malevolent as -- and possibly even more powerful than -- his brethren in the Executive Branch) is time and again being called out for his ethical improprieties) has been bitch-slapped with a second indictment -- one that could land him in gaol for life (or at least see him scrubbing Martha Stewart's toilets for a few weeks).
Still to come may be some serious fucking at the hands of Plame Affair prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. All the while details of the magnitude of the sadistic horrors conducted at Abu Ghraib continue to leak, gas prices continue to rise, the deficit continues to explode, and the process of "standing up" the Iraqi Army continues to fail.
Perhaps it'll all blow over. But even if Dubya manages to escape tarring and feathering, do you really think he's going to be able to invade Syria and/or Iran any time soon? And when was the last time you heard any crap coming out of Dubya's hole with regards to privatising Social Security? The son of a bitch is the lamest of ducks.
Not that there's an opposition party ready to glide in and save the day -- the Democrats were all in hiding while Cindy Sheehan and co. were marching through the streets of DC. But shutting down the Bush Administration is a pretty good place to start, at least.