Bush says 'War's hard' and will 'sprint to finish'

Oh thanks for that Bush. Didn't know war was hard. But you probably didn't know that war kills people who other people might care about or miss.

I hope Bush has a grand 'sprint to [the] finish', as his breath (a.k.a soldiers) will run out. There won't be any left.

In the interview with Neil Cavuto on Fox, Bush also stated, "We've got a war that we're fighting against extremists, radicals who would do us harm. We're in a major battle in that war in Iraq. And it's -- it's unsettling times when you're at war. War's -- war's hard. War's difficult. It's negative." Oh, except - WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE IN A WAR. War? You mean free-for-all bloodbath, that will continue to get worse.

Journalist Seymour Hersh speaks of Bush

Based in D.C., Seymour Hersh is an American Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author. Regularly contributing to The New Yorker, Hersh is most known for his reporting on the My Lai massacre cover-up during the Vietnam War, and his 2004 reports on the the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

At last week's conference "The 'War on Terrorism': Where Do We Stand" Hersh gave us his feelings and thoughts on prez Bush and what may come.

To sum Bush up in about two sentences, Hersh says, "[Bush is] a total radical, probably the most radical president we've ever had in terms of his definition of the power of the presidency," he said. "There's nothing more dangerous than a radical who doesn't have information, doesn't learn from information and doesn't learn from the past."

Hersh also stated, "I'm completely sympathetic to our [soldiers] - the kids we send are as much victims as [civilians]..." I support this statement the fullest extent. I have no hate towards those who serve the armed forces. We shouldn't hate anyone.

One last thing said by Hersh, "You will not believe what's going to be happening in the next few years with returning vets." And I couldn't believe him more.

Iraqi religious courts openly kill gays, call gays terrorists, U.S. watches

From self-appointed judges to religious fundamentalists, these are just some of the types of people ruling in the new Iraq. Put into place by the U.S., a proud George W. Bush is proud of the new Iraqi government and has said, "I reminded them the people had voted -- the people had expressed their desire for democracy and unity…” Uh, yeah. Nice and free.

“Attacks on homosexuals and intolerance of homosexual practices have long existed, yet they have escalated in the past year,” says the latest bi-monthly Human Rights Report of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), released on January 16.

Not much attention has been brought to the persecution of gays in Iraq, this is the first time the U.N. has officially recognized and made a statement regarding this situation. People need to know it's not just U.S. forces vs. 'Terrorists' - in fact, it's not even a war, it's a free-for-all bloodbath and IT WILL, without a doubt, continue to get worse.

“One of the self-appointed judges in Sadr City believes that homosexuality is on the wane in Iraq. ‘Most [gays] have been killed and others have fled,’ he said. Indeed, the number who have sought asylum in the U.K. has risen noticeably over the last few months... [This judge] insists the religious courts have ‘a lot to be proud of. We now represent a society that asked us to protect it not only from thieves and terrorists but also from these [bad] deeds.’"

When gays went to U.S. occupying authorities in Baghdad’s Green Zone for safety, they were of course treated with “contempt and derision."

And as expected, “A request to the U.S. Department of Defense press office in the Pentagon for comment on the UNAMI report went unreturned.”

How much longer will the freedom of these individuals be ignored?

More information regarding the gay community in Iraq at Iraq LGBT

Via TomPaine.com

Victory for Sarah Olson, Freedom of Press

Monday night the U.S. Army announced it has dropped its subpoena of Sarah Olson in the Ehren Watada court martial.

The news broke in an article in the Honolulu Advertiser.

Sarah Olson made a statement which reads in part:

“Personally, I am pleased that the Army no longer seeks my participation in their prosecution of Lieutenant Watada. Far more importantly, this should be seen as a victory for the rights of journalists in the U.S. to gather and disseminate news free from government intervention, and for the rights of individuals to express personal, political opinions to journalists without fear of retribution or censure. ... Journalists are subpoenaed with an alarming frequency, and when they do not cooperate they are sometimes imprisoned. Videographer Josh Wolf has languished in federal prison for over 160 days, after refusing to give federal grand jury investigators his unpublished video out takes. It is clear that we must continue to demand that the separation between press and government be strong, and that the press be a platform for all perspectives, regardless of their popularity with the current administration.”

“While I am glad to see the subpoena against me in this court-martial dismissed,” Olson adds, “I still worry about the U.S. military using this tactic to chill dissenting voices and whistle blowers from coming forward in the future. We need to be vigilant at this critical time in our country’s history in order to push back against these tactics.”

I recently wrote about Olson and the ridiculous plight she was facing.

Via GNN

Tony Snow: Spits more mindless propaganda at United States

Tony Snow (a.k.a. bitch) says, "I don't think [Bush] really thought a lot bbout [the Iraq Protest] "

From The White House Press Briefing:

Question: "What did the President think of the march on Washington?"
Mr. Snow: "I don't think he really thought a lot about it."

Well, is that a surprise? Bush not thinking a lot about something?

Via Huffington Post

Orwellian ideology hidden within '24'

A great article I came across today, one exposing some propaganda in the show on Fox called 24. The article, "The Orwellian Ideology of 24" by Matt McCaffrey, further supports my argument that the most dangerous propaganda is the kind people don't think they're being subject to - like a harmless, prime time television show. On Fox.

McCaffrey brings to our attention how "[24] pushes the absurd dichotomy of 'state vs. terrorist' — the 'You are either with us or against us' mentality. No room is left for anyone who genuinely cares about the preservation of personal liberty." And with various examples of this being reported and documented, this is true in today's Bush-led republic.

McCaffrey also points out that " [24] glamorizes the illegal actions of the state and convinces the viewer first, that Americans are always at risk from all manner of terrorists, and second, that the only thing preventing these potential disasters are the adrenaline-fueled adventures of federal agents."

Even a commercial is tied into this ridiculous glamorization of federal agents. In the commercial a new cell phone (one used by the characters in the show) is shown, then a voice asks, "Do you want to cruise the streets like a government agent?" Oh, yes indeed, I do! Can I rape personal freedoms too?

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

It's a common mis perception that, because I'm not Christian and I'm against the "War on Terror", I must be sympathetic to terrorist activities and fundamentalist Islam. And I know many people are branded with this misconception.

However, these people who label dissent as being one with the terrorists are completely wrong. It's both of these religions that I see as dangerous and the cause of mass murder. The only difference between radical Islamic terrorists and the 'War on Terror', is that the war in Iraq (and all other U.S., British, and Israeli imperialistic ventures throughout history) is state backed terrorism.

In "The God Delusion" by Richard dawkins, he says it's the scientist and humanist in him that makes him hostile to religions—fundamentalist Christianity AND fundamentalist Islam are to blame—that close people's minds to scientific truth, oppress women and abuse children psychologically with the notion of eternal damnation.

Below, Jeremy Paxman interviews Professor Dawkins as part of the Newsnight book club...

The Militarization of Local Police, a dangerous game

Today I came across the article, "Your Local Police Force Has Been Militarized", which in turn pointed me to Radley Balko’s “Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America” (Cato Institute, 2006). A report detailing the unnecessary and excessive militarization of local police units in the United States. The report also provides an extensive catalogue of abuses and mistaken raids, and offers recommendations for reform.

Today 17,000 local police forces have military equipment like Blackhawk helicopters, machine guns, grenade launchers, battering rams, explosives, chemical sprays, body armor, night vision, rappelling gear and armored vehicle. In 1999, the New York Times reported that a retired police chief in New Haven, Connecticut, told the newspaper, “I was offered tanks, bazookas, anything I wanted.”

According to Pentagon data obtained by the Associated Press, some 16,000 law enforcement agencies obtained more than 380,000 pieces of equipment from military surplus worth $124 million in fiscal 2005. (Homeland Stupidity)

See an interactive map of 'Botched Paramilitary Police Raids'

Shi'a Iraqi soldiers beat Sunnis as U.S. trainers watch

The following is footage of Shi'a Iraqi soldiers delivering a "brutal beating" to several local Sunnis, it was obtained by a British television station. So this is what is taught to the Iraqi soldiers, that it's ok to beat a suspect? Especially when they aren't even fighting back.

British Channel Four says. "Two journalists – embedded with the First Cavalry division – witnessed suspected insurgents being viciously beaten and abused."

Via The Raw Story

The Betrayal of America: How the Supreme Court Undermined the Constitution and Chose Our President

Instead of being impartial arbiters of the law, the five conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices knowingly, blatantly, gave the Presidency of the United States to their man, George W. Bush.

"The Betrayal of America: How the Supreme Court Undermined the Constitution and Chose Our President" by Vincent Bugliosi sets out the arguments, citing chapter and verse, on how this was achieved and how the Constitution has been seriously and dangerously undermined. Read The Betrayal of America...

CBS Refuses to broadcast excellent journalism and Iraq footage

This is The Battle of Haifa Street, a grassroots story and example of selfless journalism by Lara Logan, CBS's chief foreign correspondent.

In an email to AlterNet, Logan asks them for help in getting the word out on "a story that is largely being ignored even though this is taking place every single day in Baghdad, two blocks from where our office is located."

Watch the video CBS is ignoring and will only publish online:

Tens of thousands march in Washington protesting war

The protest sponsored by United for Peace and Justice was held today in D.C. at the National Mall. There were tens of thousands of people there including Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Sean Penn and Jane Fonda.

"The rally on the Mall unfolded peacefully, although about 300 protesters tried to rush the Capitol, running up the grassy lawn to the front of the building. Police on motorcycles tried to stop them, scuffling with some and barricading entrances." (AP) More pictures

Video via AMERICABlog

Tell U.S. military to dismiss subpoena of journalist Sarah Olson

"Sarah Olson is a journalist who published an exclusive interview with Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, the highest-ranking member of the military to refuse to deploy to Iraq. Now, the Army wants Olson to be their witness in the lieutenant’s upcoming court martial. The Army is trying to turn speaking to the press into a crime — and wants to have a reporter participate in the prosecution of political speech."

"By summoning this reporter to testify against her source the Bush administration is once again admonishing dissenters (and the press who cover them) to shut up and sing, a very un-American thing to do." (GNN)

"Journalists should not be asked to participate in the prosecution of political speech," Olson said. "Dragging a journalist into court like this ... really damages the barrier between press and government. When speech is the crime, the journalist really can be the investigative arm, the eyes and ears of the government." (SF Gate)

Stand up for a free press — send letters to Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates. Take action now — the military trial starts February 5.

Sir! No Sir! - GI war resistance in 1960's

Sir! No Sir! is a movie revealing the untold story of the GI movement to end the war in Vietnam.

Directed by David Zeiger, this is the story of one of the most vibrant and widespread upheavals of the 1960s – one that had a profound impact on American society, yet has been virtually obliterated from the collective memory of that time. This hidden history combines fast-paced archival footage with thoughtful interviews, “perfectly timed with new doubts about the Iraq War” (Variety).

McCain has sleepy time during State O' Union

I would have too, if I was watching it. Read...

Iran getting great deals at Pentagon 'yard sales' ; China too

Really now, is this a surprise? No. Not to me at least, just read up on the history of U.S. foreign relations/policy and you will see what I mean.

From GNN: "Wouldn’t it occur to someone not to sell F-14 Tomcat parts because the only country that uses those planes is Iran?"

Military gear bound for Iran, China traced to Pentagon [The Chron]
Iran gets army gear in Pentagon deal [AP]

Diebold voting machine key copied from photo on their website

In what has to be one of the stupidest moves ever made by any company in the history of the universe: Diebold lets people make their very own copy of the 'get into any voting machine' key. Just watch video below (or read more)