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Monday, November 03, 2008
Monday,
November 3, 2008. Chaos and violence continue, the treaty is still
iffy, Syria still wants answers, Article 50 comes back . . . maybe, a
Democrat 'explains' Barack's mentor, and more. Starting with the treaty masquerading as a Status Of Forces Agreement. Sameer N. Yacoub (AP) quotes Iraqi
news editors Ahmed Abdul-Majid ("Out coverage of the U.S. election is
not heavy because we believe that the result of the elections will not
have a direct impact on the future of Iraq") and Adbul-Halim Saleh ("In
the end, strategic policies made in the United States will not
be affected by the changing of the administrations") on the US election
and explains, "The agreement, under negotiation for months, would keep
American troops in Iraq for three more years but give Iraqis a greater
role in deciding U.S. military operations." China's Xinhau notes
al-Sabah (Baghdad newspaper) is reporting three of the five amendments
have been agreed to by DC. Among the rejected are supposedly the issue
of immunity for US troops and among the agreed to changes is that US
forces would leave in 36 months and that the treaty will be called
"agreement on withdrawal of US forces." Indo-Asian News Service adds, " British
Ambassador in Iraq Christopher Prentice told the Kurdish newspaper
al-Taakhi that Britain was keen on reaching an agreement with the Iraqi
government since 'very little time remains until the end of this year'." The United
Nations mandate allowing foreign forces to be on Iraqi soil expires
December 31st. Without something in place, there is no legal
authorization for foreign forces on Iraqi soil. This mandate covers
the occupation, there was no mandate that allowed for the illegal
invasion. The UN Wire notes the Washington Times
story that "American officials are looking to the UN Security Council
to extend the mandate for U.S. troops to remain in Iraq beyond Dec. 31
as direct negotiations with Iraqi officials on a deal remain plagued by
'numerous' differences." At the White House today, spokesperson Dana
Perino addressed the negotiations and talk of seeking an extension on
the UN mandate: We are working
towards responding to the Iraqis. Our negotiating team, led by
Ambassador Crocker, is finalizing that and we expect to be talking with
the Iraqis over the next week. And I think that their parliament is
back in session starting next Tuesday, so hopefully we'll make some
progress soon. And I think reports about us looking at an alternative
are overwritten. We are focused on getting this agreement done. I
think the Iraqis recognize that it is their interest, and it's
certainly in America's national security interest for us to finalize
it. So we're working through all the requested changes that they had,
and there might be some that we can support, there might be some that
we won't be able to support. I'll just let the negotiators work that
out with them privately. At the US
State Dept today, spokesperson Robert Wood said of the SOFA, "Nothing
new to report. We're taking a look at the material we got from the
Iraqis last week, and we'll be replying in due course. But I don't
have anything further than that." Iran's Press TV maintains
the treaty allows for attacks on foreign countries: "Under the US
-sought agreement, American military and civilians planes will be able
to use Iraqi airspace without Baghdad's oversight." The treaty faces
more hurdles as a result of the US creating a crisis two Sundays ago by attacking Syria, AP reports
that Walid al-Moualem, Syria's Foreign Minister, has used the word
"painful" to describe the responses from Syria to the US should the
White House and its agencies continue to stonewall regarding the
attack. Iran's Press TV quotes
al-Moualem stating: "Syria may resort to more painful measures if the
United States does not give an official explanation for the attack."
Meanwhile AKI reports
that the US Embassy in Syria reopened yesterday (it was closed Thursday
due to protests and closed Friday as well although the State Dept
maintained that was due to a holiday). The US school has been closed
and Sami Moubayed (Asia Times) explains,
"A belated victim of the United States raid on Syira on October 27 was
the American school in Damascus. The institution has been a
controversial satellite of US interests in Syria since its founding
more than a half-century ago, and it has often been featured as
political football during the two nations' turbulent, often bitter
relationship." In the US, the White House, Defense Dept and State Dept
have refused to speak publicly about the attack -- despite the fact
that the US is supposed to be a democracy with leadership answerable to
the people -- and Phil Sands (UAE's The National) explains that the stonewalling has taken place in Baghdad as well: US
officials would stand in the safety of the Green Zone and lecture
journalists -- lecture Iraqis -- about all the progress that was being
made even as, out there beyond the concrete barriers, the country
collapsed and descended into a sectarian chaos that has claimed tens of
thousands of lives.
Regardless of what was actually said,
however, the Americans were at least willing to stand up and publicly
answer questions. It was something. Last week, however, they finally
made a mockery of even that basic principle. The
usual press conference was held, as planned, on Wednesday afternoon and
was attended, as always, by the dwindling Baghdad press corps. Brig Gen
David Perkins, the US military spokesman for Iraq, sat down in front of
an American flag and read out a bland statement. It mentioned the
Status of Forces Agreement negotiations, interference by Iran and
progress in training Iraq's security agencies.
He failed to address
just one small issue: the cross-border attack into Syria by US forces
that took place on the Sunday before. Given
that the airborne assault, which left at least eight people dead, was
carried out from Iraqi soil and supposedly targeted an al Qa'eda figure
who was helping launch attacks inside Iraq, you might consider it worth
talking about. In light of the fact that it was technically an act of
war by both the US and Iraq on Syria and made international headlines,
you might imagine something would be said. Instead, there was a
deafening silence. After reading his
opening statement, Brig Gen Perkins asked if there were any questions.
One of the Iraqi reporters duly asked about the attack on Syria. The
officer's response was brief and to the point: "Umm," he said, "I've
nothing to add on that."
A few minutes later, another reporter,
this time an American, asked about the poor quality of water supplies
in Iraq and the US attack on Syria. Brig Gen Perkins entered into a
lengthy treatise on the improving security situation and reconstruction
efforts, before stating: "I have nothing to add on any other
subjects." In the course of the press
conference, two more reporters asked about the raid inside Syria and
Brig Gen Perkins simply pretended as if the questions had not been
asked. He did not so much as acknowledge them. The
US Embassy in Syria remains the only US outlet issuing statements. Last
week, it announced the Embassy would be closed due to protests (and
later that day the State Dept refused to confirm that announcment).
Today the Embassy's website
displayed: "Public Announcement, November 3, 2008 In response to the
Syrian government's request, the American Cultural Center is
unavailable to the Syrian public as of October 30, 2008 until further
notice, and classes at the American Language Center have been cancelled
until further notice." Asked about it and if that meant that the
Cultural and Language centers were only closed to Syrians, Robert Wood
declared, "Well, that's right. It is closed to the Syrian public. But
we still -- we have, you know, officers, officials there." Associated
Press' Matthew Lee pursued this. Matthew
Lee: What if you're not Syrian? What if you're -- if you're not a
Syrian citizen and you happen to be living in Damascus, can you still
go to the American Cultural Center?
Robert A. Wood: Well, if -- it's closed to the general -- the Syrian general public and so -- Matthew
Lee: Yeah, but I -- you know, I'm sorry. When the Syrian government
came to you, they didn't just say to close it to the Syrian public, did
they? They said to close it down. Robert
A. Wood: Well, it's -- let me just say, Matt, it is closed to the
Syrian general public, as far as I know, to the general public at
large. But our work continues. We have people who are there who work
at the Cultural Center, and they'll continue to do their business. But
it is closed to the public. Matthew
Lee: So your interpretation of their request is not that they told you
to close the thing down, but rather they just told you to close it to
the public. Robert A. Wood: THe only thing I can say, Matt, is it is closed to the public. Meanwhile IranVNC reports
that country's Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, visited Syria
today for a meet up with Bashar al-Assad (Syrian President) and Faroq
al-Shar'a (vice president) during which he declared, "Instead of being
a show of American strength aiming to weaken Syria, this action
demonstrates Washington's own weakness and desperation." Yesterday
Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced:
"Syrian Foreign Minister Waleed Al Moallem, made a phone call with His
Excellency Foreign Hoshyar Zebari on Saturday 1st November, 2008. Both
sides discussed the ways to encircle and contain the repercussions of
U.S. military raid against the Syrian region Albu Kamal. The two sides
stressed their joint keenness to support and strengthen the bilateral
relations between both brotherly countries and peoples and the need to
pass the tension on the relations after the raid. The understanding
between both sides was discussed on the practical measures to correct
the path of Syrian-Iraqi relations and placing those relations in its
proper frame to serve the interests of both brotherly countries." The
unrest comes at a time when the puppet government tightens the economic
belt (around the neck of the average Iraqi) and when the security
situation grows more iffy internatlly. Yesterday the New York Times finds Suadad al-Salhy and Katherine Zoepf explained
the price of oil per barrel going up and slightly down has Iraq's
concerned about their budget for next year and have cut it by $13
billion dollars. And what do they plan on cutting? It's not detailed;
however, Liz Sly (Chicago Tribune) reported:
"The Iraqi government plans to cut salaries for the estimated 100,000
members of the Awakening movement whose revolt against Al Qaeda in Iraq
played a key role in bringing about the sharp fall in violence in
Iraq. The move is certain to aggravate building tensions between the
Sunni volunteer force and the Shiite-led government, which assumed
responsibility for the Awakening movement from the U.S. military
earlier this month." Sly notes $300 is how much members were
paid but leaders were paid $400 to $500 a month and that both are being
cut. Gen David Petraeus (now over Centcom but until recently the top US
commander in Iraq) has credited the "Awakening" movement with the fall
in violence as has US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. October 1st, the
central government in Baghdad took over payment of approximately 50,000
"Awakening"members and one month later (next checks go out November
10th), they can't even maintain the payment level. It's not as if they
didn't know how much the US was spending. So obvioulsy, just as they
never planned to absorb the "Awakening" into police, military and
security forces, they never intended to pay them. Sly notes the hopes
of one "Awakening" who believes the US will pick up the difference.
However, that's not going to be the case according to the article.
That, however, was supposed to be the case when the handover was made.
That was one of the promises the US made to the "Awakenings." Not even
a month later and the handpicked and handtrained "Awakenings" are
seeing the US go back on their word. Now
might not be the best time for Iraq to monkey around with it's internal
security. Iraqi Christians have been under attack since they protested
the dropping of Article 50 in the provincial elections law. Hurriyet reports:
"Iraq's parliament voted on Monday to guarantee religious minorities
seats on provincial councils to be selected next year, but drew ire
from Iraqi Christians by setting aside fewer spots than a U.N. proposal
had urged." China's Xinhau provides
the breakdown the vote (106 out of 150 MPs voted for it) and notes that
it's six seats: "A seat will give to each Christians and Sabeans in
Baghdad, and a seat for each Christians, Yazidies and Shabak in
Nineveh, and a single seat for Christians in Basra." Leila Fadel (McClatchy Newspapers) reports
that the religious minorities say the number is too small and quotes
Yonadem Kanna (Assyrian Democratic Movement) stating, "They failed in
the examination of democracy. . . . Getting nothing is better than
this insult." On the topic of Iraq's Christians, CNN reports
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has promised $900,000 (US
equivalent)will be spent in some manner on protecting Iraqi Christians
and that the distribution of the money will be supervised. Saturday in
London, there was a demonstration in support of Iraqi Christians. Independent Catholic News reports protestors
marched to No 10 Downing St on behalf of Iraqi Christians. A petition
was presented and citizens and residents of Great Britain who wish to
sign the petition can click here. In some of today's reported violence . . . Bombings? Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports
a Baghdad bombing not far from Sahib Salman ("under secretary of the
oil ministry") which wounded Salman and "one of his guards," 4 Baghdad
roadside bombings that claimed 6 lives and left twenty-nine people
wounded, 2 Baghdad sticky bombings that wounded five people, 2 Mosul
roadside bombings that claimed 2 lives and left four wounded and a
Baquba roadside bombing that wounded nine people. Shootings? Corpses? Turning to the US presidential election. To The Contrary's Bonnie Erbe (US News & World Reports) notes, "The only prediction I have made, and with which I shall stick, is that Tuesday is going to be a long, long night." Erbe also notes, "If nothing else is obscene about this presidential election (and plenty is IMHO), then the fact that together the candidates will be spending $8 per vote
to win the White House clearly meets and exceeds the obscenity
descriptor." Erbe's referring to the Democratic presidential ticket
and the Republican ticket only. There are other candidates. But
starting with the Republican presidential ticket, John McCain is the
nominee and Sarah Palin is his running mate. Scott Conroy (CBS News) reports
Palin's agenda today was "six cities in five states" and that she flies
late tonight back to Alaska to vote Tuesday morning only to fly to
Phoenix later Tuesday. At the McCain - Palin '08 blog, Matt Lira offers: Cindy McCain (disclosure, I know and like Cindy) is John McCain's spouse and they have four children -- one of whom, Meghan McCain (McCainBloggette), wrote the following at her site yesterday: "America
is worth fighting for" is my favorite line of my father's speech. I
think it is so poignant, and essentially, it captures the reason why I
have always loved, supported and believed in my father. It is why I
believe he would be the best President for our country now, at a point
where we face many challenges abroad and also at home, where so many of
our fellow Americans are going through difficult times. The fact that
our country is and always will be worth for fighting for is the essence
of why I have been so inspired to participate in this campaign, and
throughout this process I have been even more inspired by the people
and the places I have encountered along the way, around our great
country. We
are truly the luckiest people in the world, and I have been very
fortunate to be a part of this experience on the campaign, and to be
able to share it with so many of you. The next three days will fly by
and no doubt be pretty crazy, so let me just say thanks right now for
getting involved too. This is what was at the heart of what I hoped to
achieve with my blog, and it has gone beyond my expectations. Stay
tuned for more from the trail tomorrow! John and Cindy McCain issued a statement today:
"We offer our deepest condolences to Barack Obama and his family as
they grieve the loss of their beloved grandmother. Our thoughts and
prayers go out to them as they remember and celebrate the life of
someone who had such a profound impact in their lives." Meanwhile
Brian Montopoli (CBS News) reports that Democratic Party presidential
candidate Barack Obama finally found an 'issue' he could sink his teeth
into: "Having said that, brothers should pull up their pants. You are
walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear showing.
What's wrong with that? Come on." Come on, indeed. Barack with an
issue that matters to him and finally a concrete plan for an issue. It
only took until the day before the election for the fashionista and Men's Vogue cover boy to find an issue. But
the press bias towards Obama doesn't represent a simple revulsion for
the Republican party. It was on display in the Democratic primaries
with the persecution of Hillary Clinton. Worst of all, in the
primaries, the press let the Obama campaign get away with continuous
insinuations below the radar that the Clintons were race-baiters.
Instead of exposing that absurd defamation for what it was - a nasty
smear - the media sedulously propagated it. Clinton
made the historically correct and uncontroversial remark that civil
rights legislation came about from a fusion of the dreams of Dr Martin
Luther King and the legislative follow-through by President Lyndon
Johnson. The New York Times misrepresented that as a disparagement of
King, twisting her remarks to imply that "a black man needed the help
of a white man to effect change". This was one of a number of
manipulations on race by the Obama campaign, amply documented by the
leading Democratic historian, Princeton's Sean Wilentz. Clinton came
close to tears in a coffee shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which
many thought helped her to win an upset victory there. MSNBC television
gave a platform to the Chicago congressmen, Jesse Jackson Jr, where he
questioned her tears and claimed that she'd not shed any tears for the
black victims of Katrina, and that she'd pay for that in the South
Carolina primary, where 45% of the electorate would be
African-Americans. In fact, MSNBC ran a
non-stop campaign for Obama propelled by the misogyny of its anchors,
Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and David Shuster. Chelsea Clinton
joining Clinton's campaign prompted Shuster to report she was "pimping"
for her mother. Meanwhile Democrat Jerry Nadler raised the issue of Jeremiah Wright in Florida. Jake Tapper (ABC News -- link has video) quotes
Nadler stating, "Think of the history here. You have a guy who's
half-white, half-black. He goes to an Ivy League school, comes to
Chicago . . . to start a political career. Doesn't know anybody. Gets
involved with community organizing -- why? Because that's how you form
a base. OK. Joins the largest church in the neighborhood. About
8,000 members. . . . Why did he join the church? . . . Because that's
how you get to know people. Now maybe it takes a couple years [before
Barack's thinking] 'Jesus, the guy's a nut, the guy's a lunatic.' But
you don't walk out of a church with 8,000 members in your district. .
. He didn't have the political courage to make the statement of
walking out." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Marc Abizeid, 202-471-5833, marcabizeid@votenader.org
TUESDAY, NOV. 4 - Nader to Hold One-Word Response Press Conference *NOTE CHANGE OF DATE
Special questioning/interview opportunities for members of the foreign media
In
deference to the sound bite journalism that dominates presidential
political media coverage, independent presidential candidate Ralph
Nader will host a press conference at which he will only issue one-word
responses to questions for the first 30 minutes.
Who: Ralph Nader
What:
Special One-hour Press Conference. For the first half of the Press
Conference, Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word
response. For the second half of the press conference, foreign press
credentialed media will be given priority.
Where: National Press Club, Murrow Room, 13th Floor - National Press Building, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC
When: 12 Noon, Tuesday, November 4 My name is Pat and I am a resident in Nutley, N.J.
Today, I took my ten year old son to the Nutley Public Library, where a
mock election was being held for all elementary school students. Over
the last two weeks, flyers came home with my son's homework about the
event. The flyer promoted the event to kids and told them they could
have their photos taken with their favorite candidate. My
son, who is aware of my support for Mr. Nader, said me "Dad, I bet they
don't have a picture of Mr. Nader there at the library." I agreed with
him and he deceided he wanted to participate in the mock election on
November first. We left for the library
with our camera in hope of seeing Mr. Nader. Upon arrival, we were
directed to the Stockton Room, where the election was being held. As we
entered the room, two life sized cardboard cutouts of Sen, Obama and
Sen, McCain were in the center of the room. I laughed to myself when I
saw that Sen. McCain was standing on the left and Sen. Obama on the
right. Mr. Nader's cardboard cutout was nowhere to be found. We were
greeted by two women and a young girl, who were poll workers. They
greeted us and asked my son his name. They had him sign his name in a
book and proceeded to give him a ballot. This ballot contained only two
names: John McCain and Barack Obama. Again, Mr. Nader's name was not on
the ballot. The children were not even given a place for write in
candidate. After giving my son the ballot , he was directed to one of
three voting booths, where he could make his selection. From behind the
cutrtain my son called to me, "Hey Dad, how do you spell independent."
I told him I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T. He told me he wrote that below the
other choices and placed a large check mark next to the word. He also
wrote down Mr. Nader's name and placed his ballot in a collection box. Upon
emerging from the voting booth, my son was asked if he would like to
have his picture taken with his candidate. He said he would and he
stood off to the far left away from the two cardboard cutouts, next to
an American flag standing in the corner. As, I flashed the picture, the
two women said, "No, stand next to your candidate and take the picture"
With that my son said, "But my candidate is not here" All we heard from
the women was a puzzled "Oh!!" Teach civics in the schools. -- Pat Sweeney
Nutley, NJ
Obama's
job is to present a benign, even progressive face that will revive
America's democratic pretensions, internationally and domestically,
while ensuring nothing of substance changes.
Among
ordinary Americans desperate for a secure life, his skin colour may
help him regain this unjustified "trust", even though it is of a
similar hue to that of Colin Powell, who lied to the United Nations for
Bush and now endorses Obama. As for the rest of us, is it not time we
opened our eyes and exercised our right not to be lied to, yet again?
And
finally, Cynthia McKinney is the Green Party presidential candidate and
Rosa Clemente is her running mate. We'll again note Kimberly and Ian
Wilder's " Vote Green Party On Tuesday!" ( On The Wilder Side): November 1, 2008
This is an exciting time for us! The Green Party has never been as relevant as it is today. As Congress offers trillion-dollar bailouts to Wall Street, people living on Main Street struggle to stay in their homes and pay for basic needs. Why is Congress bailing out corporations while the public slides into economic insecurity? Because the industries that will benefit from the bailout are some of the largest campaign contributors to political campaigns.
But never fear because you can VOTE GREEN on Tuesday and choose People Power over corporate power. Support Cynthia McKinney for President andRosa Clemente for Vice President; and, support other Green candidates running in your community. Greens are running for office across the country for 60 types of office. Check them out! To find out who's running in your community, click here.
Once elected, Greens will not betray the public interest for corporate cash. We accept no corporate money because we believe corporate influence is what's wrong with politics.
If you believe healthcare is a right for all, not to be governed by the profit motive of insurance companies, support the Green Party and our campaign for Single Payer Healthcare.
If you believe offshore drilling furthers our national addiction to fossil fuels;
and want to see positive solutions like renewable energy, local food
production, local businesses and better public transportation- Help elect Greens who will make it a reality.
If you believe every vote must be counted, that higher education should be available to everyone, that climate change is real, that the war on drugs is racist, and that the privatization of public goods and services is wrong and that we need to BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW stand up and support the party that will stand up for you The Green Party.
If you want to see a clean, healthy future for our children, make sure we have a strong Green Party today
Posted at 03:34 pm by thecommonills
Permalink
In
the past year, Khudaer Muhammad Abdullah, 49, endured the loss of his
two older sons. On Sunday he lost his last son, and his 4-year-old
daughter is now hospitalized with serious wounds. His last son,
Muhammad Khudaer Muhammad, 7, was killed when part of a
rocket-propelled grenade exploded on a vacant lot where he was playing
soccer with three other children, according to police reports.Muhammad
was killed instantly in the blast. His friend, Ahmed Hamid Jelu, 9,
lost both his legs and died at a hospital shortly afterward.Two other children -- Hassan Dhaya, 7, and Muhammad's sister, Ahlan Khudaer Muhammad -- were seriously wounded.The above is from Katherine Zoepf and Sam Dagher's " A Decline in Deaths in Iraq Is Not Enough for a Family" ( New York Times)
underscoring the realities of "decreased" violence in a country torn by
violence. The provincial elections are hoped to take place in Iraq at
some point near the end of January. Whether the much delayed elections
take place or not, Article 50 has been addressed. Hurriyet reports:
"Iraq's parliament voted on Monday to guarantee religious minorities
seats on provincial councils to be selected next year, but drew ire
from Iraqi Christians by setting aside fewer spots than a U.N. proposal
had urged." China's Xinhau provides
the breakdown the vote (106 out of 150 MPs voted for it) and notes that
it's six seats: "A seat will give to each Christians and Sabeans in
Baghdad, and a seat for each Christians, Yazidies and Shabak in
Nineveh, and a single seat for Christians in Basra." On the topic of
Iraq's Christians, CNN reports
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has promised $900,000 (US
equivalent)will be spent in some manner on protecting Iraqi Christians: A
committee of Christian leaders and representatives from Talabani's
office will supervise the distribution of the money, the statement said.More
than half of Mosul's Christian population -- an estimated 13,000
people, or 2,300 families -- fled the city last month, though the
departures tapered toward the month's end, Nineveh province's Deputy
Gov. Khasro Goran told CNN on Tuesday.Independent Catholic News reports
that London saw a demonstration in the form of a Saturday march to No
10 Downing St on behalf of Iraqi Christians. A petition was presented
and citizens and residents of Great Britain who wish to sign the
petition can click here. Bonnie notes Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts " Ms. Troll" went up Sunday. And we'll note Investing For The Soul which is investment news with an emphasis on green. Turning
to the US presidential race. Cynthia McKinney is the Green Party
presidential candidate and Rosa Clemente is her running mate. (No link
to their website because it has been down since Wednesday. It may up
come up before tomorrow but I doubt it.) The Green Party notes: Greens appeal to progressive, independent, antiwar voters: invest your vote in McKinney & Clemente on Election Day GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES For Immediate Release: Sunday, November 2, 2008 Contacts: Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.orgGreens
promote ten videos of McKinney speaking on major issues; Green leaders
stress 'Green Imperative' of building a progressive US party
Obama
doesn't represent the views of millions of his own supporters who want
real change in US politics; voters who seek a permanent alternative to
two-party politics should vote for Green McKinney instead of
independent Nader
WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders are urging progressive,
independent, and antiwar voters to invest their votes in a growing
progressive, antiwar party on Election Day 2008 by voting for the Green
Party presidential ticket: Cynthia McKinney for President, Rosa
Clemente for Vice President.
Greens are making a special appeal to Obama and Nader supporters to
vote for the 'Green Imperative' on November 4. Ms. McKinney is
currently featured in ten online videos in which she details her
positions on major issues, including corporate bailouts, foreign
policy, health care, the rights of Katrina survivors, and the Green
challenge to two-party dominance. Links to the clips are listed below.
"Millions of Americans who favor the Green Party's positions on the
wars, health care, global warming, and other important issues plan to
vote for Barack Obama, who doesn't share their views. It's not enough
just to defeat John McCain and the GOP agenda," said Green vice
presidential candidate Rosa Clemente.
"Democrats have retreated over and over and voted for Bush-Cheney
policies -- war funding, the unconstitutional US Patriotic Act,
telecomm immunity, corporate handouts and taxbreaks, the death penalty,
record incarceration rates, and a $700 billion Wall Street bailout that
doesn't help working Americans. The only way to reverse the dangerous
direction of US politics is to build a real opposition party. Voting
for Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente will strengthen a party that's
dedicated to ecological, antiwar, and truly democratic values and
doesn't take money and orders from corporations," Ms. Clemente added.
Greens stressed that votes for the Green presidential candidates, as
well as for Green candidates for state and local office, will also help
some state Green Parties achieve or keep official party status in their
states. For example, Iowa requires 2% in a presidential race to
maintain a party's ballot line, Arkansas requires 3%, and Minnesota and
Rhode Island each require 5%.
Green Party leaders praised Ralph Nader for his strong political
positions and have argued for his inclusion in the presidential debates
(along with Ms. McKinney and other excluded candidates). But they said
that votes for Mr. Nader would have no effect after Election Day, since
he's running as an independent. Mr. Nader's Green run in 2000 helped
put the Green Party on the political map, but his independent campaigns
in 2004 and 2008 leave no lasting legacy.
"A vote for the McKinney-Clemente ticket is an investment that will
continue to pay off as the Green Party grows and challenges bipartisan
corporate-money politics in the years to come. A vote for an
independent like Ralph Nader is a valid protest vote, but does nothing
to establish a permanent political alternative. The Nader campaign will
be over after Election Day, while the Green Party is a permanent
political fixture with the hope of achieving major party status in the
coming years," said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the
United States.Video clips: Cynthia McKinney on various issues, produced by Don DeBarSingle Payer Health Care Sustainable Investment instead of Corporate BailoutsGreen Values: Grassroots Democracy, Peace Social Justice, Environmental Wisdom Green Party Seat At The Table will invite the PublicThe Two Party ParadigmsRestore Our Constitutional RightsRebuild the Economy with Energy Efficient CarsBring All The Troops HomeKatrina survivors right of returnOppose AfricomMORE INFORMATIONGreen Party of the United States 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN Fax 202-319-7193Green candidate database for 2008 and other campaign information:
Green Party News Center Green Party Speakers Bureau Green Party ballot access page 2008 Green candidates to watch Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente 'Power to the People' Campaign for the White HouseHereHereCynthia McKinney on videoherehereBreakTheMatrix.com interview, Oct. 19Democracy Now! interview, Oct. 16Music videoRosa Clemente on video Interview: Current TV/Rock the VoteRalph Nader is the independent presidential candidate and Matt Gonzalez is his running mate. Charlie notes this from Team Nader: Pass It On: An Earful  Now
that the election is approaching, everybody is coming down from the
hype to ask: what will happen after? They are referring, of course, to
how we will pressure whoever becomes president. But the question
becomes relevant in a more disconcerting way when we look at the
advisers backing both candidates, who are—from the looks of
things—going to take us down the same paths as before. If Colin
Powell’s recent endorsement of Obama isn’t enough to convince you of
executive continuity, these articles should shed some light on the
issue. Both are from several months ago, but what they lack in currency
they make up for in clairvoyance: their warnings about the connections
between advisers and abdicating on the issues has proved prescient.
Both invite us to remember that whatever organizing we do after the
elections can be outdone by a few people who have the president’s ear. Onward! Ashley Sanders
The Nader Team
Today’s Pass It On interview appeared on Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now! You can read the transcript or listen/watch the interview here.
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/3/vote_for_change_atrocity_linked_us
The article was written by Elizabeth Schulte and appears in Counterpunch. You can read the original article here.
http://www.counterpunch.org/schulte07072008.html ShareThisShareThis And we'll also note this from Team Nader regarding a press conference tomorrow: *DATE CHANGED - Nader to Hold One-Word Press Conference Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Marc Abizeid, 202-471-5833, marcabizeid@votenader.org
TUESDAY, NOV. 4 - Nader to Hold One-Word Response Press Conference *NOTE CHANGE OF DATE
Special questioning/interview opportunities for members of the foreign media
In
deference to the sound bite journalism that dominates presidential
political media coverage, independent presidential candidate Ralph
Nader will host a press conference at which he will only issue one-word
responses to questions for the first 30 minutes.
Who: Ralph Nader
What:
Special One-hour Press Conference. For the first half of the Press
Conference, Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word
response. For the second half of the press conference, foreign press
credentialed media will be given priority.
Where: National Press Club, Murrow Room, 13th Floor - National Press Building, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC
When: 12 Noon, Tuesday, November 4
-End- ShareThisShareThis The
Nader campaign has a new video. I'm not linking to it (or posting it
here) and the only one bringing it up is a visitor e-mailing the public
account. If it gets the campaign votes or attention, good for them;
however, we have no interest in it and never would. Guts and strength
are not gender based and we've called out that thinking before. In
fact, the only version of that term used here was done by Isaiah in a comic that made fun of the notion and, even then, he used the Spanish term. John
McCain is the Republican presidential candidate and Sarah Palin is his
running mate. Cindy McCain (whom I know and like) is Senator McCain's
spouse and they have four children. Meghan McCain (McCainBloggette) wrote the following at her site yesterday: "America
is worth fighting for" is my favorite line of my father's speech. I
think it is so poignant, and essentially, it captures the reason why I
have always loved, supported and believed in my father. It is why I
believe he would be the best President for our country now, at a point
where we face many challenges abroad and also at home, where so many of
our fellow Americans are going through difficult times. The fact that
our country is and always will be worth for fighting for is the essence
of why I have been so inspired to participate in this campaign, and
throughout this process I have been even more inspired by the people
and the places I have encountered along the way, around our great
country. We
are truly the luckiest people in the world, and I have been very
fortunate to be a part of this experience on the campaign, and to be
able to share it with so many of you. The next three days will fly by
and no doubt be pretty crazy, so let me just say thanks right now for
getting involved too. This is what was at the heart of what I hoped to
achieve with my blog, and it has gone beyond my expectations. Stay
tuned for more from the trail tomorrow! I noted that. I have not endorsed and am not endorsing. (I have stated I'm not voting for McCain or Obama.) The Albuquerque Journal has endorsed and Sofia notes this from McCain - Palin '08: "McCain For President"
Editorial
Albuquerque Journal
November 2, 2008 Weekly
town hall meeting-style debates for the last two months, as proposed by
Sen. John McCain, would have done much to inform the public about the
issues -- and about McCain's long, clear record as a moderate who works
across party lines. Sen. Barack Obama, whose record is very thin,
shrewdly rejected the joint tour that could have given swing voters a
more substantial comparison of the candidates. The
Republican hasn't fared well in the traditional campaign that ensued,
though voters caught a glimpse of the real McCain when he firmly told a
supporter there was no reason to "fear" his rival, publicly squelching
the notion that Obama is anything other than a patriotic American who
has run a masterful campaign. We
encourage those who are still uncommitted and those who vote on the
basis of a candidate's qualifications instead of party label to give
McCain's experience a closer look and to consider the consequences of
concentrating too much political and economic power in the hands of one
party. Vernon notes that the McCain - Palin campaign has a very busy schedule today: 11/3/2008 10:45:00 AM - Moon Township , PARoad to Victory Rally in Moon Township, PAPlease join Senator John McCain for a Road to Victory Rally in Moon Township, PA on Monday November 3rd. Doors open at 10:45 a.m.11/3/2008 12:00:00 PM - Dubuque , IARoad to Victory Rally in Dubuque, IAPlease join Governor Sarah Palin for a Road to Victory Rally in Dubuque, IA on Monday November 3rd.11/3/2008 1:00:00 PM - Indianapolis , INRoad to Victory Rally in Indianapolis, INPlease join Senator John McCain for a Road to Victory Rally in Indianapolis, IN on Monday November 3rd. Doors open at 1:00 p.m.11/3/2008 3:00:00 PM - Roswell , NMRoad to Victory Rally in Roswell, NMPlease join Senator John McCain for a Road to Victory Rally in Roswell, NM on Monday November 3rd. Doors open at 3:00 p.m.11/3/2008 3:30:00 PM - Colorado Springs , CORoad to Victory Rally in Colorado Springs, COPlease
join Governor Sarah Palin for a Road to Victory Rally in Colorado
Springs, CO on Monday November 3rd. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.11/3/2008 4:00:00 PM - Henderson , NVRoad to Victory Rally in Henderson, NVPlease join Senator John McCain for a Road to Victory Rally in Henderson, NV on Monday November 3rd. Doors open at 4:00 p.m.11/3/2008 5:30:00 PM - Reno , NVRoad to Victory Rally in Reno, NVPlease join Governor Sarah Palin for a Road to Victory Rally in Reno, NV on Monday November 3rd.11/3/2008 8:30:00 PM - Elko, NVRoad to Victory Rally in Elko, NVPlease join Govenor Sarah Palin for a Road to Victory Rally on Monday November 3rd in Elko, NV.11/3/2008 9:00:00 PM - Prescott , AZMidnight Road to Victory Rally in Prescott, AZPlease
join Senator John McCain & Cindy McCain for a Midnight Road to
Victory Rally in Prescott, AZ on Monday November 3rd. Doors open at
9:00 p.m.11/4/2008 8:30:00 AM - Grand Junction , COElection Day Road to Victory Rally in Grand Junction, COPlease
join Senator John McCain for an Election Day Road to Victory Rally in
Grand Junction, CO on Tuesday November 4th. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.A visitor wanted a highlight. We'll gladly note it and thank you to ____ for sending it. This is from William H. Willimon's " Electing Not to Vote: Christian Reflections on Reasons for Not Voting" ( The Christian Century):
If
there is one idea that unites Jim Wallis and Pat Robertson, it is the
idea that voting is a good idea. American Christians of both the right
and the left have been so thoroughly indoctrinated into thinking that
democracy is an unarguable good and that voting is the price we pay for
the privilege of life in a constitutional democracy that there's nobody
left among us to question the practice. Voting has been inflated from a
democratic right to a Christian responsibility, and we have been so
accustomed to thinking positively about voting that it's difficult for
us to think like Christians.
Here is a wonderful little book that
answers a big question that most of us American Christians have lost
the theological resources even to ask: Why vote?
Each of these nine
essays defends Christian refusal to vote—"conscientious
abstention"—with a variety of reasons, all of which (with the possible
exception of those offered by a Catholic author) seem indebted to the
ecclesiology of John Howard Yoder. American Christians have succumbed
to a state-as-savior mentality in which voting has assumed
religious-like trappings. Registering, showing up on the appointed day,
entering the curtained booth and secretly voting has become an
unquestioned, sacred "confession of faith," says Andy Alexis-Baker;
it's the little pinch of incense we offer to Caesar. All of the essays
argue that though voting doesn't make much difference one way or the
other, Christians ought to take care in their worship because the pinch
of incense may not be inconsequential.I haven't read the
book but it's a point worth noting: You have the right not to vote.
We've noted that many times but we'll note it again. This is a
democracy and your vote is your business and no one else's. That
includes who you vote for, who you don't vote for or whether you vote
at all. You should vote (or not vote) as is comfortable and feels right
to you. Non-voters are stereotyped as lazy, ignorant and apathetic.
Some may be. Some are making a decision and doing so for various
reasons. They owe no explanations. Your vote is your vote. Use it as
wisely -- by your definition of wisely. And we'll go out with
this from independent journalist John Pilger -- one of the few who can
make that claim and one of the few who can hold their head high. For
those who've forgotten how embarrassing Panhandle Media has been in
2008, flash back on Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts " Wheel of Greed"  Pilger never sold out and this is from his " The Diplomacy Of Lying" ( Information Clearing House): The
beatification of President Barack Obama is already under way; for it is
he who "challenges America to rise up [and] summon 'the better angels
of our nature'", says Rolling Stone magazine, reminiscent of the mating
calls of Guardian writers to the "mystical" Blair. As ever, the Orwell
Inversion Test is necessary. Obama claims that his vast campaign wealth
comes from small individual donors, yet he has also received funds from
some of the most notorious looters on Wall Street. Moreover, the "dove"
and "candidate of change" has voted repeatedly to fund George W Bush's
rapacious wars, and now demands more war in Afghanistan while he
threatens to bomb Pakistan.Dismissing
the popular democracies in Latin America as a "vacuum" to be filled by
the United States, he has endorsed Colombia's "right to strike
terrorists who seek safe havens across its borders". Translated, this
means the "right" of the criminal regime in that country to invade its
neighbours, notably uppity Venezuela, on Washington's behalf. The
British human rights group Justice for Colombia has just published a
study concerning Anglo-American backing for the Colombian regime of
Álvaro Uribe, which is responsible for more than 90 per cent of all
cases of torture. The principal torturers, the "security forces", are
trained by the Americans and the British. The Foreign Office replies
that it is "improving the human rights record of the military and
combating drug trafficking". The study finds not a shred of evidence to
support this. Colombian officers with barbaric records, such as those
implicated in the murder of a trade union leader, are welcomed to
Britain for "seminars".As
in many parts of the world, the British role is that of subcontractor
to Washington. The bloody "Plan Colombia" was the design of Bill
Clinton, the last Democratic president and inspiration for Blair's and
Brown's new Labour. Clinton's administration was at least as violent as
Bush's – see Unicef's report that 500,000 Iraqi children died as a
result of the Anglo-American blockade in the 1990s.The
lesson learned is that no presidential candidate, least of all a
Democrat awash with money from America's "banksters", as Franklin
Roosevelt called them, can or will challenge a militarised system that
controls and rewards him. Obama's job is to present a benign, even
progressive face that will revive America's democratic pretensions,
internationally and domestically, while ensuring nothing of substance
changes.Among ordinary
Americans desperate for a secure life, his skin colour may help him
regain this unjustified "trust", even though it is of a similar hue to
that of Colin Powell, who lied to the United Nations for Bush and now
endorses Obama. As for the rest of us, is it not time we opened our
eyes and exercised our right not to be lied to, yet again?The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com. iraqthe new york timeskatherine zoepf sam dagher cnn independent catholic reporter william h. willimon john pilgerthe world today just nuts
Posted at 07:15 am by thecommonills
Permalink
"Our
coverage of the U.S. election is not heavy because we believe that the
result of the elections will not have a direct impact on the future of
Iraq," said Ahmed Abdul-Majid, chief editor of Azzaman, a major Baghdad
newspaper.
"There is no difference between McCain and, Obama because
both of them will follow the strategic policies drawn up by
decision-making circles," he said.
Abdul-Halim Saleh, senior editor
at the government-owned newspaper Al-Sabah, offered a similar view: "In
the end, strategic policies made in the United States will not be
affected by the changing of the administrations."
The idea that
institutions and not presidents determine U.S. policy helps explain why
the security agreement commands so much attention. The agreement, under
negotiation for months, would keep American troops in Iraq for three
more years but give Iraqis a greater role in deciding U.S. military
operations.The above is from Sameer N. Yacoub's " Iraqis keep an eye on US vote, but security pact has full attention" ( AP) and on the treaty masquerading as a Status Of Forces Agreement, China's Xinhau notes
al-Sabah (Baghdad newspaper) is reporting three of the five amendments
have been agreed to by DC. Among the rejected are supposedly the issue
of immunity for US troops and among the agreed to changes is that US
forces would leave in 36 months and that the treaty will be called
"agreement on withdrawal of US forces." Moving from the treaty to the continuing crisis created by the White House when it decided to attack Syria two Sundays ago, AP reports
that Walid al-Moualem, Syria's Foreign Minister, has used the word
"painful" to describe the responses from Syria to the US should the
White House and its agencies continue to stonewall regarding the
attack. Meanwhile AKI reports
that the US Embassy in Syria reopened yesterday (it was closed Thursday
due to protests and closed Friday as well although the State Dept
maintained that was due to a holiday). The US school has been closed
and Sami Moubayed's " American dream expelled from Syria" ( Asia Times) addresses that: A
belated victim of the United States raid into Syria on October 27 was
the American school in Damascus. The institution has been a
controversial satellite of US interests in Syria since its founding
more than a half-century ago, and it has often been featured as
political football during the two nations' turbulent, often bitter
relationship.
The American school in Damascus, known as the Damascus
Community School (DCS), was one among many US academic institutes that
started appearing in the Middle East in the mid-20th century. Unlike
the American University of Beirut (AUB), a missionary school, or the
American College in Aleppo, northern Syria, DCS was part of American
initiative fostered by then-US secretary of state John Foster Dulles
during the Cold War in 1956.
There was no US ambassador in Syria at
the time of its founding - as is the case today - and relations were
tense. The White House, under president Dwight D Eisenhower, had
accused the Syrian government of transforming Syria into a Soviet
satellite. Yet a key architect of the school's opening was Syria's
ex-foreign minister Salah al-Din al-Bitar, ironically also one of the
two founders of the Baath Party. Bonnie notes that Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts " Ms. Troll"
went up last night. Turning to the US presidential election, Ralph
Nader is in the independent presidential candidate and Matt Gonzalez is
his running mate. Sarita notes this from Team Nader: Breaking Point: The Real McCoy Posted by Loralynne Krobetzky on Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 08:51:00 PM ShareThisShareThis  I’m
39 years old; I have never voted in my life. There are many reasons as
to why, none of which I will bore you with. I saw Mr. Nader on C-Span
the other day, he will get my first vote as an American citizen. That
is all. —Todd Mr. Nader,
Congratulations
for standing up and supporting the American Taxpayer for all these
years. As a registered(conservative)Democrat for 38 years, I have
decided to change my party affiliation to Independent. I certainly
admire your tenacity and want thank you on behalf of all Americans that
have come to understand often, as a result of your irrepressible
energies that the current two party system has become untenable and
that it is crucial for our country to have a viable third party choice.
Stay well.
Sincerely,
—Jonathan Galin Anchorage, Alaska I just saw you (Ralph Nader) on CNN
which prompted me to visit your website. As I read through your stance
on the issues I realized you stand for everything I do. Prior to today
I was going to vote for Obama. Not anymore.
Ralph Nader has my vote now.
Thank you for explaining your agenda in a clear, concise manner. This is the kind of straight talk and ACTION that will make America great once again, and restore our good reputation in the world.
Thank you! —Joel Nethery Redding, CA Dear Mr. Nader,
On
October 21st, I attended your Seattle rally along with my husband and
brother. Two days have passed since then and I just wanted to say that
your words are still buzzing in our house! My husband, who was until
then an Obama supporter, has been watching your videos on youtube
non-stop, and has also starting reading your books that I’ve had on my
shelf for years! I am proud to say that you have our whole family
hooked now! My husband and I have been very moved by your message and
will pledge our support to you as long as you are running. Never again
will we vote for the "least worst". Our first child is due in the next
three weeks, and we hope that someday he will get to see a president
like you or Mr. Gonzalez in office. Please know that our hearts are
with you, our votes have been cast to you, and our lives have been so
inspired by your cause. Much luck to you and your running mate!
Be well, —Jamie Kostek
Photo above provided by a supporter.
If you haven’t reached your breaking point, visit www.breakingpoint08.com.
Send me your Breaking Point story to share at loralynne@votenader.org, so the growing numbers of independent voters can join our voices, and together, we can change the system. Loralynne Krobetzky
Communications Director
Nader for President 2008 ShareThisShareThis John
McCain is the Republican presidential nominee and Sarah Palin is his
running mate. The campaign picked up another endorsement and Robert noted this: "America's choice this Tuesday"
Editorial
By Joseph W. McQuaid
New Hampshire Union Leader
November 2, 2008 This
presidential election comes down, as they often do, to trust. We must
trust the person's competence, courage and ability to defend us from
our enemies and to fight for the best economic conditions possible. In
both areas, John McCain stands head and shoulders above his rival.
McCain has been tested as few men ever have, and he has never been
found wanting. Barack Obama has no experience -- none. He may be the
most unprepared major-party candidate ever. His own vice presidential
pick says our enemies will test him quickly and severely. There is no
good reason to take that chance. Cynthia McKinney is the
Green Party presidential candidate and Rosa Clemente is her running
mate. We'll again note Kimberly and Ian Wilder's " Vote Green Party On Tuesday!" ( On The Wilder Side): November 1, 2008
This is an exciting time for us! The Green Party has never been as relevant as it is today. As Congress offers trillion-dollar bailouts to Wall Street, people living on Main Street struggle to stay in their homes and pay for basic needs. Why is Congress bailing out corporations while the public slides into economic insecurity? Because the industries that will benefit from the bailout are some of the largest campaign contributors to political campaigns.
But never fear because you can VOTE GREEN on Tuesday and choose People Power over corporate power. Support Cynthia McKinney for President andRosa Clemente for Vice President; and, support other Green candidates running in your community. Greens are running for office across the country for 60 types of office. Check them out! To find out who’s running in your community, click here.
Once elected, Greens will not betray the public interest for corporate cash. We accept no corporate money because we believe corporate influence is what’s wrong with politics.
If you believe healthcare is a right for all, not to be governed by the profit motive of insurance companies, support the Green Party and our campaign for Single Payer Healthcare.
If you believe offshore drilling furthers our national addiction to fossil fuels;
and want to see positive solutions like renewable energy, local food
production, local businesses and better public transportation- Help elect Greens who will make it a reality.
If you believe every vote must be counted, that higher education should be available to everyone, that climate change is real, that the war on drugs is racist, and that the privatization of public goods and services is wrong and that we need to BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW stand up and support the party that will stand up for you The Green Party.
If you want to see a clean, healthy future for our children, make sure we have a strong Green Party todayThe e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com. iraq sameer n. yacoub sami moubayedkimberly wilderthe world today just nuts
Posted at 07:06 am by thecommonills
Permalink
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Isaiah's The World Today "Ms. Troll"
Posted at 09:25 pm by thecommonills
Permalink
And the war drags on . . .
Today's New York Times finds Suadad al-Salhy and Katherine Zoepf offering " Iraq and U.S. Confer on Iraqi Economy." With the price of oil per barrel going up and slightly down, Iraq's concerned about their budget for next year and have cut it by $13 billion dollars. And what do they plan on cutting? It's not detailed; however, Liz Sly (Chicago Tribune) reports: The Iraqi government plans to cut salaries for the estimated 100,000 members of the Awakening movement whose revolt against Al Qaeda in Iraq played a key role in bringing about the sharp fall in violence in Iraq.The move is certain to aggravate building tensions between the Sunni volunteer force and the Shiite-led government, which assumed responsibility for the Awakening movement from the U.S. military earlier this month.Sly notes $300 is how much members were paid but leaders were paid $400 to $500 a month and that both are being cut. Gen David Petraeus (now over Centcom but until recently the top US commander in Iraq) has credited the "Awakening" movement with the fall in violence as has US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. October 1st, the central government in Baghdad took over payment of approximately 50,000 "Awakening"members and one month later (next checks go out November 10th), they can't even maintain the payment level. It's not as if they didn't know how much the US was spending. So obvioulsy, just as they never planned to absorb the "Awakening" into police, military and security forces, they never intended to pay them. Sly notes the hopes of one "Awakening" who believes the US will pick up the difference. However, that's not going to be the case according to the article. That, however, was supposed to be the case when the handover was made. That was one of the promises the US made to the "Awakenings." When people find their pay cut, are they going to say, "Great!"? Are they going to go on strike? Will the "Awakenings" again take up arms against the puppet government and the US? They're just there to try and make the people free,But the way that they're doing it, it don't seem like that to me.Just more blood-letting and misery and tearsThat this poor country's known for the last twenty years,And the war drags on.-- words and lyrics by Mick Softly (available on Donovan's Fairytale) Last Sunday, ICCC's number of US troops killed in Iraq since the start of the illegal war was 4,188. And tonight? 4189 is ICCC's count. Just Foreign Policy's counter estimates the number of Iraqis killed since the start of the illegal war to be 1,284,105 finally up from 1,273,378 where it remained without updating week after week. Turning to some of the reported violence today . . . Bombings? Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 4 Baghdad roadside bombings which resulted in 1 police officer being killed and seven people being wounded and a Diyala Province roadside bombing targeting an "Awakening" Council leader that resulted in his death along with 2 women and 3 childrenm a Hawija roadside bombing that wounded three people. Reuters notes a Mosul roadside bombing that claimed the lives of 2 Iraqi soldiers. Shootings? Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports a Diyala Province home invasion (by unknown persons "wearing the Iraqi army uniform") that resulted in 3 deaths (a woman and 2 daughters) and two more people being wounded (two of the women's other daughters), a Kirkuk sticky bombing that wounded one person and another Kirkuk bombing that claimed the lives of 2 children and left two more wounded. Reuters notes 1 person shot dead in Mosul. Kidnappings? Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports Iraqi army uniforms were also worn by the persons who "kidnapped three Kurdish truck drivers" outside of Kirkuk, no word on what the kidnappers of a 14-year-old girl were wearing (she was also kidnapped outside Kirkuk). Corpses? Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 2 corpses discovered in Baghdad. Reuters notes 4 corpses discovered in Al Anbar Province. Turning to the US presidential race. Becky, Vernon, Robert, Sofia and Stuart note a number of things for the John McCain - Sarah Palin campaign. McCain is the Republican Party's presidential nominee and Palin is his running mate. 11.02.08 New Hampshire Union Leader Endorses John McCain
11.02.08 ICYMI: "Secret Service Shuts Down Pueblo Businesses for Obama Rally"
11.02.08 What They're Saying On Barack Obama's Attack on Agriculture
11.02.08 ICMYI: "Sen. Mel Martinez: John McCain Will Bring The Right Type Of Change"
11.02.08 ICYMI: Albuquerque Journal Endorses John McCain
11.02.08 ICYMI: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Endorses John McCain With so much to offer, we'll note the links above and note this one in full: What They're Saying On Barack Obama's Attack on Agriculture
"This incident reveals a true anti-farming slant to the Obama campaign"
Gov. Tim Pawlenty on ABC's Good Morning America: Obama Not Offering "Positive Vision" for Iowa Farmers. BILL WEIR: "People want to follow hopeful, optimistic, civil, decent leaders. Are those qualities what has him so far ahead in the polls, do you think? And how would you relate those qualities to the McCain campaign?" GOV. TIM PAWLENTY: "Well, I think whether its Barack Obama or anyone else, people want to see a hopeful, positive vision for the future of the country, but that's not what Barack Obama's been offering. For example, here in Iowa, he said recently to Joel Klein of Time magazine, that agriculture is to blame for the nation's health problems partly, including diabetes and heart disease and others. You can imagine what Iowa farmers are going to think of that." WEIR: "Well, I think he was talking about corn syrup in soda and fast food. That's a little bit out of context. I won't ask --" GOV. PAWLENTY: "But Bill, farmers don't grow soda, they grow corn." (ABC's "Good Morning America," 11/1/08)
Commentary Magazine's Jennifer Rubin: Obama's Rural "Condescension" Slips Out. "In loose moments, Obama's lack of understanding of and condescension toward rural and small-town America always slips out. And really, is his point that if farmers grew less food, Americans would be thinner? The mind reels." (Jennifer Rubin, "Obama to Farmers: Stop Growing Food," Commentary Magazine Contentions blog," http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/rubin/40941, 11/1/08)
Bemidji (MN) Pioneer: Sen. Grassley: "It Is Ludicrous to Blame Farmers for Obesity." "'It is ludicrous to blame farmers for obesity and pollution,' Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters during a Friday conference call. 'I think he really doesn't understand agriculture.'" (Don Davis and Scott Wente, "CAMPAIGN NOTEBOOK: Obama comments upset GOP farmers," Bemidji Pioneer, 11/1/08)
St. Paul Pioneer Press: Sen. Grassley: Obama "Doesn't Have a Very Good Foundation." "In a conference call arranged by the McCain campaign, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, called it 'ludicrous to blame farmers for obesity and pollution.' Said Grassley: 'It shows that Sen. Obama doesn't have a very good foundation in American agriculture.'" (Tom Webb, "McCain faults Obama's comments on farming," St. Paul Pioneer Press, 11/1/08)
St. Paul Pioneer Press: Sen. Grassley: Obama Gets Ag Ideas From "Professor At Cal-Berkeley." "(P)eople in agriculture need to know that if Sen. Obama is going to get his ideas on agriculture from a professor at Cal-Berkeley, they should think twice about what they are voting for." (Tom Webb, "McCain faults Obama's comments on farming," St. Paul Pioneer Press, 11/1/08)Des Moines Register: Farmer Ron Litterer: "No Question About" Obama' s Conflicting Message to Farmers. "But Ron Litterer, a Greene farmer who is chairman of the National Corn Growers Association, said Obama's comments in the Time interview were 'in conflict with what he's been saying about agriculture, no question about it.'" (Philip Brasher, "Obama links health issues to farming, then backs off," Des Moines Register, 10/31/08)
Hoosier Ag Today's Gary Truitt: Obama's "True Anti-Farming Slant." "In my view this incident reveals a true anti-farming slant to the Obama campaign and demonstrates a fundamental lack of support for farmers." (Gary Truitt, "Obama, Open Mouth-Insert Foot," HAT CHAT, the official blog of Hoosier Ag Today, http://hatchat.net/, 10/31/08)
· Truitt: "Major Blunder" "Obama, however, has made a major blunder by quoting (Michael) Pollan, an outspoken critic of agriculture and an environmental radical." (Gary Truitt, "Obama, Open Mouth-Insert Foot," HAT CHAT, the official blog of Hoosier Ag Today, http://hatchat.net/, 10/31/08)
· Truitt: "Unlike Obama, McCain Stuck to His Position" "Early in the campaign John McCain was criticized by the ag community, and this blog, for his comments on the ethanol subsidy. Unlike Obama, McCain stuck to his position and explained he was against all subsidies and had nothing against ethanol." (Gary Truitt, "Obama, Open Mouth-Insert Foot," HAT CHAT, the official blog of Hoosier Ag Today, http://hatchat.net/, 10/31/08)
###Ralph Nader is the independent presidential candidate and Matt Gonzalez is his running mate. Brenda notes this from Team Nader: He Can't Win
Posted by The Nader Team on Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 04:25:00 PM
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"He Can’t Win"The biggest threat to our democracy and our way of life today are those three words. Bigger than terrorism? Bigger than losing our homes, our jobs, our healthcare, our education? Yes, for the very simple reason that once we believe these three words we will refuse to even consider, let alone support, the candidates for office that may well have, not simply the best, but perhaps the only, solutions to all of these threats.I wish I had a nickel for every time I have heard someone who, after having heard so called "minor” candidates said, "Yes I agree with this person, I would like to vote for him, but I won’t because HE CAN’T WIN”. But I don’t have those nickels and neither do they or they would be able to buy all the "air time” they needed so that no one could say the other thing I hear so often, "Who’s he, I never heard of him?” And they don’t have those nickels for the simple reason that the people like you and me that these candidates represent are running out of them and have to spend them on other things like food, clothing, housing, education and healthcare.I have been around long enough to have seen how far down both "major” parties have brought us, and, although I am a "registered” member of one of them, try as I might I cannot believe in their candidates anymore. This country was founded on principles not parties, on ideas not ideology. When the parties have abandoned their principles and their ideology trumps our ideas, in short, when they have abandoned us, it’s time to abandon them.There was a time the ‘law of nature” was perverted in order to physically subjugate one group of human beings to another based on the color of one’s skin. Now it is the "law of markets’ that is being perverted to financially subjugate an even bigger group of all colors to another much smaller one based on the size of one’s purse. But the end result of both perversions is the very real loss not only of freedom but of the ability to make our and our children’s lives better.And the way this travesty is being foisted upon us is very simple – just convince folks that "there is no alternative” and that anyone who suggests there is "can’t win”. Astonishing, isn’t it, that such a simple idea can be so destructive. Amazing that we can be so easily convinced to not "spoil” the chances of either of the "major” parties that have both done so much in the last few decades to spoil OUR chances for a better life. Have our ideals become so shriveled that we use the ballot box, won for us by the blood, sweat and tears of so many, to vote, not for what we need and aspire to, but only for the table scraps the media tells us is the most we can hope for, or just to "beat the other guy”.150 years ago we had to fight an actual war to free victims of that first perversion. This time we don’t have to use guns, we CAN use the ballot box to reclaim that heritage and defy the establishment once again to free ourselves from that second perversion, but only if we truly understand that we can. It is time, past time, for us to do so. If we do not believe in the power of the ballot to achieve a revolution, then what is democracy for?And to remind yourself to "never doubt that a….group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world…”, every time you hear or are tempted to think those three words of mass destruction, silently say a prayer of thanks for those men and women of the Revolution who refused to say, "I like Washington’s ideas, he’s right, but I won’t support him because HE CAN’T WIN.”(I apologize if this is not so very eloquent; I am not a professional writer. But I wrote it because I believe it and I would post it on every tree I could find (instead of at your door), but there aren’t so many of those anymore, either….)--Sue HammondNew content at Third: Truest statement of the week I
Truest statement of the week II
Truest statement of the week III
A note to our readers
Editorial: Silence
TV: The Uglies
Robin Morgan: Troll (Ava and C.I.)
Heroes and villains
Only Once (Ty, Betty, Cedric and Marcia)
Film quotes
Matt Gonzalez asks the big question
Highlights Isaiah's comics goes up after this. The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com. iraqand the war drags ondonovanliz slythe new york timeskatherine zoepfhussein kadhimmohammed al-dulaimymcclatchy newspapersthe world today just nutsthe third estate sunday review
Posted at 09:19 pm by thecommonills
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Saturday, November 01, 2008
The relative calm that has descended on Baghdad over the past year has helped keep Iraq mostly off center stage as an issue in the U.S. presidential race. But the violence is still at a level that would be intolerable in any other society. Take the sniper of Mansour, who has killed at least six Iraqi soldiers in recent weeks in this upscale neighborhood, shooting from a distance across crowded shopping streets and a busy traffic circle. The U.S. military says the sniper is operating as part of a sophisticated, highly trained team affiliated with Al Qaeda in Iraq, the down-but-not-yet-out terrorist group that stubbornly persists in its efforts to stage a comeback.The above is from Liz Sly's " Iraq smolders even as it cools as voter issue" ( Chicago Tribune) and Iraq fell off the radar sometime ago. Those who think they can pick it up after the election (I'm not speaking of the MSM) and be listened to have kidded themselves. They have no credibility. Maybe they can write another Hurricane Katrina column? Or maybe a "War coming on Iran!" feature? In Iraq, Corinne Reilly (McClatchy Newspapers) reports on Sumer FM, an Iraqi radio station which went on air in November 2004. In terms of violence . . . Bombings? Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reports a Barsa bombing (landmine) that claimed the life of 1 boy and left another wounded, and a Mosul roadside bombing that wounded two police officer while a Mosul car bombing wounded two more police officers and an Al Anbar Province bombing wounded two Iraqi soldiers. Shootings? Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 2 Iraqi soldiers shot dead in Mosul. Turning to the US presidential race, Francisco notes the following from Nader - Gonzalez: Matt Gonzalez on NPR's Latino USA
Posted by The Nader Team on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 03:37:00 PM
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Listen to our Vice Presidential Candidate, Matt Gonzalez, on National Public Radio’s program, Latino USA, in a conversation with host Maria Hinojosa: [here]Ralph Nader is the independent presidential candidate, Matt Gonzalez is his running mate. John McCain is the GOP presidential candidate and Sarah Palin is his running mate. Becky notes this from McCain - Palin : JUST WORDS: Barack Obama And Business Taxes
ARLINGTON, VA -- This afternoon, Barack Obama told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that there was an argument for cutting business tax rates -- despite attacking the very same tax cuts earlier today. Once again, the American people are left with a tax plan that changes by the day and is little more than just words. Check out the facts below:
"By Barack Obama's own measure, Obama now supports billions in 'tax cuts for big oil companies' and corporations that are sending American jobs overseas. The truth: Barack Obama has a difficult time coming to terms with the devastating effects of his own economic plan, is learning as he goes and just isn't ready yet." -- Tucker Bounds, McCain-Palin 2008 spokesman
Today, Barack Obama Remained Open To Cutting The Business Tax RateBarack Obama: "And, In Fact, You Can Make An Argument For Lowering The Corporate Tax Rate." CNN'S WOLF BLITZER: "At a time of economic distress, is it wise to increase the corporate tax rate?" OBAMA: "We're not increasing the corporate tax rate." BLITZER: "I know, but there's some talk that you want to increase it, it's 35% right now. you talked about --" OBAMA: "Where is that talk coming from?" BLITZER: "I don't know, you tell me. You want to keep it at 35%?" OBAMA: "I have no plans for increasing the corporate tax rate. And, in fact, you can make an argument for lowering the corporate tax rate, but only if you, at the same time, close all the corporate loopholes. The problem we have right now, on paper we've got a high corporate tax rate; in actual terms, corporations aren't paying their fair share." (CNN's "Situation Roo m," 10/31/08)
Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehT82CXU3BwBut Even Today, Barack Obama Decried These Very Same Business Tax Cuts
Just Today, Barack Obama Decried Giving Tax Cuts To American Businesses. OBAMA: "At a moment like this, the last thing we can afford is four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else." (Barack Obama, Remarks, Des Moines, IA, 10/31/08)
Barack Obama: "It's Not Change When He Wants To Give $200 Billion To The Biggest Corporations Or $4 Billion To The Oil Companies." (CNN's "American Morning," 10/29/08)
Barack Obama Criticized John McCain For Proposing "Another Huge And Permanent Corporate Tax Cut." OBAMA: "Senator McCain used the crisis as an excuse to push a so-called stimulus plan that offered another huge and permanent corporate tax cut, including $4 billion to the big oil companies, but no immediate help for workers." (MSNBC's "Countdown," 9/16/08)
In Addition To Changing His Position On Business Tax Cuts, The Obama-Biden Campaign Has Changed Their Tax Plan Numerous Times In The Past Week
CHANGE #1 ($250,000): In July 2008, Barack Obama Said: "If You Make $250,000 A Year Or Less, We Will Not Raise Your Taxes. We Will Cut Your Taxes." (Barack Obama, Remarks, Powder Springs, GA, 7/8/08)
CHANGE #2 ($200,000): In New Obama Ad "Defining Moment" The Threshold For The Obama Tax Plan For Families Seeing A Tax Cut Is Lowered From $250,000 To $200,000. OBAMA AD: "The Obama Plan: Families Making Less Than $200,000 Get Tax Cut." (Obama Ad, "Defining Moment," 10/25/08)
CHANGE #3: In An Interview With A Scranton, PA, News Station, Joe Biden Said That Only Families Making Under $150,000 Would Get A Tax Cut. BIDEN: "Spreading the wealth was not--he was talking about is all of the tax breaks have gone to the very, very wealthy. For example you have right now, this year, under the old tax policy that was just -- that was put in by George Bush, people making an average 1.4 million a year, good people, decent people, patriotic -- they're going to get an $87 billion tax break. What we're saying is that $87 billion tax break doesn't need to go to people making an average of 1.4 million, it should go like it used to. It should go to middle class people -- people making under $150,000 a year." (Joe Biden, Interview With WNEP Scranton, 10/27/08)
Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAEE1_IUycsCHANGE #4: Obama-Biden Campaign Aides Said That Those Making Between $150,000 And $250,000 Will Actually Not See A Tax Increase Or A Tax Cut. "Biden aides say his comments were actually consistent with Obama's tax plan -- people under $150,000 get a cut, and people making up to $250,000 stay the same." (Mark Murray and Mike Memoli, "$150,000 Vs. $250,000," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com, Posted 10/28/08)
CHANGE #5: Obama Surrogate Governor Richardson Said Only Those Making Less Than $120,000 Would Get A Tax Cut. GOVERNOR RICHARDSON: "What Obama wants to do is he is basically looking at $120,000 and under among those that are in the middle class and there is a tax cut for those." (Governor Richardson, Interview On KOA-AM, 10/31/08)
Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G88ebXY2uaI Cynthia McKinney is the Green Party presidential candidate, Rosa Clemente is her running mate. Kimberly Wilder (On The Wilder Side) is supporting that ticket (and the Green Party in other races as well) and she notes: Board of Elections gives Spanish Speakers the WRONG DATE for Election!
I now heard this from two sources: A person from the League of Women Voters and this Long Island immigrant support organization. By Patrick Young CARECEN October 31, 2008 2:44 PM
On Fridays I work at the Westchester Hispanic Coalition in White Plains. This afternoon Grace Heyman, the director of the Coalition, showed me a letter that had been received by one of the group's supporters. It was from the Board of Elections and it contained some disturbingly misleading information.And Kimberly and Ian Wilder also offer " Vote Green Party On Tuesday!:" November 1, 2008
This is an exciting time for us! The Green Party has never been as relevant as it is today. As Congress offers trillion-dollar bailouts to Wall Street, people living on Main Street struggle to stay in their homes and pay for basic needs. Why is Congress bailing out corporations while the public slides into economic insecurity? Because the industries that will benefit from the bailout are some of the largest campaign contributors to political campaigns.
But never fear because you can VOTE GREEN on Tuesday and choose People Power over corporate power. Support Cynthia McKinney for President andRosa Clemente for Vice President; and, support other Green candidates running in your community. Greens are running for office across the country for 60 types of office. Check them out! To find out who’s running in your community, click here.
Once elected, Greens will not betray the public interest for corporate cash. We accept no corporate money because we believe corporate influence is what’s wrong with politics.
If you believe healthcare is a right for all, not to be governed by the profit motive of insurance companies, support the Green Party and our campaign for Single Payer Healthcare.
If you believe offshore drilling furthers our national addiction to fossil fuels; and want to see positive solutions like renewable energy, local food production, local businesses and better public transportation- Help elect Greens who will make it a reality.
If you believe every vote must be counted, that higher education should be available to everyone, that climate change is real, that the war on drugs is racist, and that the privatization of public goods and services is wrong and that we need to BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW stand up and support the party that will stand up for you The Green Party.
If you want to see a clean, healthy future for our children, make sure we have a strong Green Party todayThe following community sites have updated since Friday morning: Rebecca's Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude;Betty's Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man;Cedric's Cedric's Big Mix;Kat's Kat's Korner;Mike's Mikey Likes It!;Elaine's Like Maria Said Paz;Wally's The Daily Jot;Trina's Trina's Kitchen;Ruth's Ruth's Report;and Marcia's SICKOFITRADLZThe e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com. iraqliz slysahar issacorinne reillymcclatchy newspaperskimberly wilderlike maria said pazkats kornersex and politics and screeds and attitudethomas friedman is a great mantrinas kitchenthe daily jotcedrics big mixmikey likes itruths reportsickofitradlz
Posted at 10:07 pm by thecommonills
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Robin Morgan's homophobic candidate
McPeak drew a parallel between racially integrating the armed forces after World War II and trying to sell the ranks on accepting openly gay colleagues. "We've only had mixed races in combat units for 50 years or so," says McPeak, who led the Air Force during Desert Storm. "The first mixing of races was by the Army in Korea in 1950. It was done because service leaders, generals, chiefs of staff, were able to get ahead of it, were able to go to the lunch at black history week and talk about American values that include equal opportunity for everybody no matter what color their skin is. So the service leadership made a commitment to racial equality and made it happen. Otherwise it wouldn't have happened."
Says McPeak, "If you want to do something like racial integration or the integration of openly homosexual soldiers, sailors and marines, airmen, the service leadership will have to get ahead of it. Service leadership will have to go to the gay and lesbian annual ball and lead the first dance. I've spoken many, many times at black history week and am proud to do it. . . . But I couldn't see how I could become an advocate for open homosexuality in Air Force combat units. I don't see how people can do it today."That's the disgusting Merrill McPeak and probably naming a boy "Merrill" led to the non-stop sexual panic McPeak has long found himself in. The above is from Paul Bedard's " Barack Obama's Military Adviser Says to Stick With Gay Ban" (US News & World Reports). McPeak's the liar who's covered for Barry all through the campaign and you need to grasp how offensive what Merry's saying is. For African-American advancement, Merry says, people just needed to attend a lunch but for equality for all, Merry thinks (or maybe hopes) he'll have to "lead the first dance" at "the gay and lesbian annual ball." We'll get back to that phrase but for African-Americans to be integrated with Whites, et al, Merry tells us a bit of history was needed. Okay, let's play. Frank McCarthy. Gay. Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Brig General. Took part in the Allied confrences. Attempted to become an assistant secretary in the State Dept (nominated by then president Harry Truman) and that's when he had to hightail it out of DC because the witchhunt was for 'subversives' and, as usual, 'victims' rush to leave the LGBT community out of history. Brig Gen McCarthy isn't the only gay man who has severed in the military by any means. But look at who he knew: FDR, Truman, Eisenhower. And his service was never in question. Had he gone for a Defense Dept appointment, he would have been waived through. (The State Dept was the original focus for the witchhunt -- another detail often left out of the 'history' of that era,) We can do that over and over because gay men and women have served in the US military -- have always served. But that requires knowing history and actual knowledge and, goodness knows, you can't get that dispensed in Pat Healy's EZBake Reporting. "The gay and lesbian annual ball." You need to grasp how much homophobia is oozing out in that condescending phrase. This is the man that homphobic Barack Obama selected. The same as he selected Jeremiah Wright who, on PBS, compared gays and lesbians to murderers. You need to grasp that (and remember that Bill Moyers just sat there grinning like an idiot -- apparently you can't take the boy out of Backwater, Texas -- and that's an insult to a state of mind, not to Marshall, TX). This is the man who put homophobes on stage in South Carolina last November to scare up the vote. This is the man who put a homophobe onstage during the 'values' swing-state tour that only just wrapped up. This is the man that Robin Morgan has pledged her limited intellectual powers to, the man she's hitched her wagon to in an act of desperation that rivals any fix-up Laura and Rob attempted on behalf of Sally ( The Dick Van Dyke Show). Here's Patrick Healy in today's New York Times explaining Robin Morgan's Dream Date: Several gay friends and wealthy gay donors to Senator Barack Obama have asked him over the years why, as a matter of logic and fairness, he opposes same-sex marriage even though he has condemned old miscegenation laws that would have barred his black father from marrying his white mother.The difference, Mr. Obama has told them, is religion.
As a Christian -- he is a member of the United Church of Christ -- Mr. Obama believes that marriage is a sacred union, a blessing from God, and one that is intended for a man and a woman exclusively, according to these supporters and Obama campaign advisers. While he does not favor laws that ban same-sex marriage, and has said he is "open to the possibility" that his views may be "misguided," he does not support it and is not inclined to fight for it, his advisers say."As a Christian," yeah, that's funny. But Healy's a dumb ass, he's always been a dumb ass and if his topics weren't so 'pleasing' and so easy for the paper to syndicate to other papers around the country, his tired byline would have been retired long, long ago. Loving v. Virginia is not about religion nor is same-sex marriage. Ava and I addressed this lie from Barack as far back as January but Healy just waives it through. But let's go over the issue again and let's start with the fact that Churches really do not marry in the US. Churches can be a place where a ceremony takes place. But if you show up at a church today (with no paperwork) and convince a member of the clergy to marry you, you're really not married in any legal sense other than common law. That's because Churches do not control marriage. The state issues a marriage license -- not a church. Marriage is an issue to the state, it is an issue controlled by the state. Were marriage about churches, Loving v. Virginia would have been Loving v. [insert Church's name]. The state of Virginia was sued, not a church. The state of Viriginia was refusing to allow inter-racial couples to marry. It's not a religious issue, it's not a church issue. States determine whom they will issue marriage licenses too. Now you can get married in a church and by a your clergy of choice, but only with the state's permission, only with the state's approval. So that's the legal realities that Barack continues to dance around and ignore. It's all so strange, not unlike his claim, prior to visiting Africa in 2006, that he would be getting an AIDs test because he wanted to be sure that a stigma was removed and yet, in 2007, he's on stage offending many as he cracks 'wise' about the same AIDs test. Barack can't hide behind religion to deny rights. He needs to admit that he surrounds himself with homophobes because that is who he is. Who he's always been. And Robin Morgan needs to ask herself when feminism became about endorsing homophobia and homophobes? Our Modern Day Rose Marie is getting on everyone's last damn nerve. And to be really clear -- remember Barack didn't grow in the United States, he suffers from a failed education (which explains why he thinks there are 57 states in the US) -- religious objection was the basis for opposition to inter-racial marriage. The same way it's used by freaks and zealots to oppose same-sex marriage today. The plan is to do another entry today. That may or may not happen. Right now, Ava, Dona, Jim and I are going over possible topics for Third. Iraq? Find the coverage. It's not in the New York Times. Do you see it anywhere? Reuters runs an article claiming that October had the lowest death toll for US service members. Oh really? No, they're lying through their teeth. 13 is the death toll for US service members. 13 was the death toll in July and when you embarrass yourself by claiming you're referring to X-type of deaths, you damn well better grasp that some deaths from October are still under investigation. Translation, you don't know how the service members died so stick with the data, don't go inventing. On the treaty, Reuters notes: The pact, which would allow U.S. troops to stay until 2011, has been held up after Baghdad asked for amendments, including tightening the wording on the withdrawal deadline and a stronger pledge not to use Iraqi territory to attack neighbouring states.
Maliki made the pledge in a phone call with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, his office said in a statement.
"The prime minister confirmed that he will send delegations to neighbouring countries to show them the security pact after receiving a response from the United States to the amendments which the Iraqi government proposed," the statement said. The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com. iraqthe new york timespatrick healypaul bedard
Posted at 10:03 pm by thecommonills
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Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008. Chaos and violence continue, the treaty remains in doubt, four US Senators speak out on behalf of Iraqi Christians, and more.
Starting with Iraqi Christians. The Saudi Gazette notes that Professor Ekmeledding Ihsanoglu (Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference) declared, "As we have consistently demanded that the rights of Muslim minorities be respected all over the world, we do emphasize the need to respect the rights of all minorities across the Islamic world." UPI reports that US Senators Sam Brownback, Bob Casey, Carl Levin and Mel Martinez have "called on Iraqi President Jalal talabni and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to take the steps needed to end the violence plaguing the Christian community in nothern Iraq." This is the press release in full from Levin's office:
In a letter spearheaded by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Senators Carl Levin (D-MI), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Mel Martinez (R-FL) today urged Jalal Talabani, President of the Republic of Iraq and Nouri al-Maliki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, to take all necessary measures to end the violence in the north against Iraqi Christians. According to the United Nations, thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled Mosul in reaction to the increased violence and intimidation.
"This violence is emblematic of a larger pattern of severe persecution by extremists that threatens to deprive Iraq of her non-Muslim citizens. It also highlights the possibility of increased violence ahead of provincial elections," the Senators wrote.
They went on to write, "We urge your government to take all necessary measures to increase security in the north on behalf of all Iraqis."
Full text of the letter is below:
Dear Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister:
We write to express grave concern over the recent violence in Mosul that has driven away large numbers of Iraqi Christians. This violence is emblematic of a larger pattern of severe persecution by extremists that threatens to deprive Iraq of her non-Muslim citizens. It also highlights the possibility of increased violence ahead of provincial elections. We urge your government to take all necessary measures to increase security in the north on behalf of all Iraqis.
To this end, we welcomed statements of support from Prime Minister al-Maliki's office calling for an end to these vicious attacks and committing the Iraqi security forces, particularly the additional security forces sent to Mosul, to protect all Iraqis regardless of sectarian affiliation. These actions send a strong signal to the extremists that they will not succeed in spreading division, hatred, and mistrust among Iraqis.
We also hope the Iraqi Parliament will seriously consider the issue of minority representation in the provincial elections law. We believe Iraq's leaders can play a critical role in ensuring that the Iraqi government remains a representative body of all of Iraq's people, including its minorities.
For over one-thousand years, Iraq has been home to people of many faiths who have lived and worshipped side by side, including Shiites, Sunnis, Jews, Yazidis, and Christians. This long and proud tradition has made Iraq a cradle of human civilization. It is a tradition we hope will be restored.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey Jr.
Carl Levin
Sam Brownback
Mel Martinez
Meanwhile, UPI reports that many "Christian communities in northern Iraq are setting up ad hoc militias to secure their neighborhoods, rights advocates said Wednesday." In the last few weeks many Christians in Mosul have fled for safety (and very few have returned). International Medical Corps announces they have "delivered 142 tons of emergency food rations, hygience kits, and household items to more than 2,000 families, or 8,044 displaced persons" and they note "International Medical Corps' most recent reports from field monitoring teams indicate that approximately 173 families have returned to Mosul, 106 families to Hamdaniya, and 67 families to Tel Kef. The Government of Iraq is offering displaced families and returnees financial assistance; however, fears of further violence have prevented many from returning." This page contains links to a slide show of photos from that assistance mission as well as to their [PDF format warning] report entitled " Forced from Their Homes: Mosul Emergency Response Action Report." The report includes a day by day synopsis starting with October 8th:
IMC Iraq's Baghdad headquarters was alerted by field staff in Mosul that groups had been using loudspeakers to intimidate Christians in the western and central areas of this district and that Christians were fleeing the area. IMC's humanitarian programs manger confirmed this report with IMC staff in other locations in Ninewa Governorate and learned that at least 40 families had arrived unannounced in Tel Sqof and were staying at the Assyrian Aid Society, with some families campaing in the facility's garden.
Assyria Times reports that tomorrow in San Jose, there will be a support rally for Iraqi Chrisians (from one p.m. to three, Courthouse and Federal Building): "The support rally will exhibit a unified stance for the reinstatement of Article 50 of the Iraqi constitution; a key clause whose original intent was to erserve seats on Provincial Councils for Christians and other minorities."
And let's stay with Iraqi politics for news of the SOFA, Article 50 and more. First, Abeer Mohammed and Katherine Zoepf (New York Times) explain that Iraq's Defense Minister Abudl-Kader Jassem al-Obeidi has instituted a policy of being "politically neutral" which is thought to be in response to Iraq's Minister of the Interior Jawad al-Bolani and his Iraqi Constiutional Party. Meanwhile on Article 50, UPI reports that provincial elections could be delayed even further: "The Iraqi Independent High Electoral High Commissions Thursday said, following a meeting with officials from the U.N. Assistance Mission to Iraq, that lawmakers needed to address the articles for minority representation before Wednesday, Voices of Iraq reported." That's the issue of religious minority representation, Article 50, which was pulled. UPI notes this may delay the elections "in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces." From provincial elections to the treaty the White House wants to force off on the puppet government in Baghdad. The Tehran Times reports that Nouri al-Maliki, in conversations with Abdul Aziz al-Hakim (Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council chief) has stated, "We do not call agreement with America a security agreement, but (we) call it a pact of retreating of (US) troops and regulating their presence during the specified time." Iran's Press TV quotes Hoshyar Zebari (Iraq's Foreign Minister) stating, "We must clarify some points such as that on jurisdicition that is to say that the American law has precedence inside their bases but not in the streets. . . . And finally, the sovereignty of the country is at stake over certain aspects such as that of the air space which, for the time being, is still under their control."
Did someone say sovereignty? Sunday the US attacked Syria. Jordan's Al Bawaba reports Syria has announced it is severing "diplomatic ties with Iraq". Iraq's Alsumaria adds, "However, Government spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh denied in a statement to Alsumaria reports about cutting off relations with Syria hoping it would not reach that point." Farrah Hassen (Asia Times) reminds that 8 Syrians died ("including a farmer, three children, and a fisherman") and that while "numerous questions" continue, no answers are provided. Hassen notes, "By violating Syrian airspace and apparently not consulting the Syrians about its supposed intelligence on Abu Ghadiya ahead of the attack, the Bush adminsitration has confirmed, yet again, its disdain for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter." Mohammad Akef Jamal (Gulf News) observes that an agreement allowing cross borders raids is one thing but, "Breaking into the borders of any country without a similar agreement is considered a hostile act and a violation of this country's sovereignty, besides being a breach of international laws. This attack raised many questions about its targets and content. First, the US never carried such attacks when the Syrian-Iraqi borders were almost open and Syria was accused of allowing hundreds of militants to infiltrate into Iraq to carry out vandalism operations. However, the situation has changed lately as these accusations decreased and Syria was no longer the country that allows militants into Iraq. Syria has also taken steps to mend its relations with Lebanon and France, which should bring it closer to the US, not the opposite." Yoav Stern (Haaretz) notes, "The Syrian government has demanded Washington apologize for the strike of the Abu Kamal border community and earlier this weeek threatened to cut off cooperation on Iraqi border security if there are more American raids on Syria territory." Atul Aneja (The Hindu) speaks to the fallout, "The news of the attack has strongly echoed in neighbouring Iraq, whose territory was used to mount the raid by U.S. commandos, who used military helicopters for the strike. Analysts say the raid has reinforced the argument within the Iraqi political circles, who have been insisting that an agreement for extending the stay of American forces in Iraq beyond 2008 should be considered only if Washington accepted the condition that it would not use Iraqi soil to mount military strikes against neighbouring countries."
At the US State Dept today, spokesperson Sean McCormack declared, "We did have -- our charge Maura Connelly on the 29th so that's two days ago -- was called into the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We reported that and I think we talked about that. And she received a verbal demarche communicating the Syrian government request that the Damascus Community School known as -- known in Damascus as 'the American scool' be closed by November 6. We are considering our response to that demarche. It is the weekend in Damascus right now. These facilities, in any case, wouldn't be scheduled under normal circumstances to reopen until Sunday."
Turning to some of today's reported violence . . .
Bombings?
Shootings?
Reuters notes a Mosul shooting that left a police officer injured.
Corpses?
After defending Sarah Palin, I heard from a member of the angry left who wrote: "Your (sic) from a Third World country, or your family is, stop trying to be white." I also heard from baby boomer activists who regret -- as they see it -- yanking me off that landscaping crew and sending me to the Ivy League. Or as one put it: "Unbelievable that you can sit there and defend Sarah Palin. I broke down doors for you to have a foot into the society you now participate in."
When I praised McCain, a liberal asked: "What are you, the Uncle Tom of Latinos?" She advised, "Make your people proud because you are shaming them."
When trying to assert control over freethinking Latinos and African-Americans, the liberal catchword is "disappointed." Lately, I've received dozens of e-mails from readers who use that word to describe how they feel about me. In the liberal tradition, most of the missives are condescending. Like this: "At one time, your articles were interesting to read but ... it seems you have lost your way." Or this: "You are feeding the ignorant and twisting truths so badly they become lies ...One day my words will resonate, sorry you lost your way in the meantime."
To read their complaints, it seems the last time I had my bearings was -- coincidentally -- the last time I wrote something with which they agreed. It's part of how broken our political discourse has become. We're not allowed to say that we think either Obama or McCain would make a fine president. We can't agree to disagree; we have to destroy the other side. We're trapped in an all-or-nothing paradigm where partisans demand complete agreement and undying allegiance.
It would probably be very wise for certain White Anglo 'helpers' to grasp that they do not control the world or anyone else. That's a point Marcia makes regularly at her site ( including this week with White Tim Wise attempting to tell the African-American community what their lives are like). It is offensive and it needs to stop. Something else that needs to stop is Robin Morgan's public tantrums. It's an election, Robin, and you are not ruler of the universe. Robin's back with more nonsense at (Democratic) Women's Media Center and the latest garbage is entitled "Moose, Mousse, and Spalinism". No surprise, there's no attempt by Robin to apologize for her GROSS FACTUAL ERRORS (also known as LIES) in her previous writing on Palin. It's just more scattered, bitchy comments from a woman who truly should know better but apparently will bow and scrape before any man until her dying day. Wally and Cedric grabbed the previous crap from (Democratic) Women's Media Center this week [see their " Women's Media Center -- fact free for most of 2008..." and " THIS JUST IN! KEEP HER AWAY FROM A KEYBOARD!"] because I was too enraged to tackle that 'historian.' Now Robin shows up for one last cat-fight. It's all so damn pathetic.
But if any actual feminists are concerned about the effect on Women's Movement institutions and energy of this clutch of "formers" (a former chapter official of a national feminist organization, a former editor of a feminist publication, former Democratic funders, former Hillary supporters, and so forth), let me reassure you. The "trust date" had already long expired on these women, who'd been voted off feminist leadership posts, or fired, or quietly asked to resign. Some are confessed consultants to the campaign whose candidates they now--surprise!--endorse. I never imagined I'd see a "feminist" mercenary. But then I never heard of rats climbing onto a sinking ship, either.
I think Joni Mitchell best dealt with crap like Robin's churning out when noting of Rickie Lee Jones, that Rickie thought she could own jazz and it was her own private sidewalk. Robin writes as if feminism belongs just to her but she will dole it out in morsels to whomever she deems worthy. That's not how it works. Robin's got to have a screaming tantrum again because things aren't working out the way she wants. Someone needs to correct her on her sense of entitlement. She does not own feminism.
There will never be an excuse for Robin's actions in the last three months. She has chosen to attack Sarah Palin repeatedly and she's done so with lies. There's no excuse for her shameful behavior. Certainly not 'an election.' And love Joe Biden though I do, let's stop building him into "feminism salvation." But possibly when you're as frail and pathetic as Robin's become, you need a man to save you.
I'm not voting for McCain - Palin. That's been stated before Palin was on the ticket but, unlike Robin, I at least have enough ethics not to try to tear Sarah apart with lies. Unlike Robin, I have enough sense not to join in Bash the Bitch and, unlike Robin, I realize that actions like Robin's aren't about feminism or empowerment (they're about whoring yourself
out to the patriarchy). All week, numerous strong women (many I know) have stepped foward and I've kept it out of the snapshot but let's bring it in since Robin wants to have her tantrum. Elaine Lafferty is one of the unnamed women Robin's hissing at. Yes, Robin is hissing at Elaine. In public. That's how pathetic Robin's become. That's how decreipt and useless Robin's become. Elaine wrote " Sarah Palin's a Brainiac" ( The Daily Beast):
For the sin of being a Christian personally opposed to abortion, Palin is being pilloried by the inside-the-Beltway Democrat feminist establishment. (Yes, she is anti-abortion. And yes, instead of buying organic New Zealand lamb at Whole Foods, she joins other Alaskans in hunting for food. That's it. She is not a right-wing nut, and all the rest of the Internet drivel--the book banning at the Library, the rape kits decision--is nonsense. I digress.) Palin's role in this campaign was to energize "the Republican base," which she has inarguably done. She also was expected to reach out to Hillary Clinton "moderates." (Right. Only a woman would get both those jobs in either party.) Look, I am obviously personally pro-choice, and I disagree with McCain and Palin on that and a few other issues. But like many other Democrats, including Lynn Rothschild, I'm tired of the Democratic Party taking women for granted. I also happen to believe Sarah Palin supports women's rights, deeply and passionately.
First, although I disagree with several of her positions on social issues, I do not fear that she is a threat to the rights we have as Americans. As Governor of Alaska she vetoed a bill that would have denied hospital rights to gay couples because the bill violated the Alaska constitution. In her debate with Joe Biden, she clearly stated her tolerance, with the same position on gay couples as her opponent.
Although she is personally pro-life, Palin has proven she will uphold the law of the land. Like McCain, she will work with a Democratic Congress on acceptable judicial appointments. It is time to stop allowing the Democratic Party to scare voters into believing only they can protect a woman's right to choose.
Second, the attack on Palin's qualifications is sexist, a bias abetted by the media. On CNN, Obama contrasted Palin's experience to his own by saying Wasilla has only 50 employees and a budget of $12 million a year while his campaign has 2,500 employees and a budget of $36 million per month.
Excuse me, but she is Governor of a State with 29,000 employees and a budget of $11 billion. She has actually reduced taxes and cut spending.
The party I believed in wouldn't look down on working people under any circumstance. And Joe the Plumber is right. This is the absolutely worst time to raise taxes on anyone: the rich, the middle class, the poor, small businesses and corporations.
Our economy is in the tank for many complicated reasons, especially because people don't have enough money. So let them keep it. Let businesses keep it so they can create jobs and stay here and weather this storm. And yet, the Democratic ideology remains the same. Our approach to problems--big government solutions paid for by taxing the rich and big and smaller companies--is just as tired and out of date as trickle down economics. How about a novel approach that simply finds a sane way to stop the bleeding?
That's not exactly the philosophy of a Democrat. Not only has this party belittled working people in this campaign from Joe the Plumber to the bitter comments, it has also been part of tearing down two female candidates. At first, certain Democrats and the press called Senator Clinton "dishonest." They went after her cleavage. They said her experience as First Lady consisted of having tea parties. There was no outrage over "Bros before Hoes" or "Iron My Shirt." Did Senator Clinton make mistakes? Of course. She's human.
But here we are about a week out and it's déjà vu all over again. Really, front-page news is how the Republican National Committee paid for Governor Sarah Palin's wardrobe? Where's the op-ed about how Obama tucks in his shirt when he plays basketball or how Senator Biden buttons the top button on his golf shirt?
First, with the candidacy of Sen. Hillary Clinton, who won 18 million popular votes from the people of the United States and was ridiculed, marginalized, and put in her place when she wasn't even offered the vice presidency slot.
But the really big attack on women occurred when John McCain selected only the second woman in history to be on a major-party ticket. He chose a governor of a state critical to our energy crisis. She is a very popular governor with an 80-percent approval rate. She was elected on her own merit without previous political ties. She is her own political creation, not the wife, daughter, sister or mistress of a politician.
I thought Americans would be proud of her nomination, whether we agreed or disagreed with her on the issues. Was I in for a shock.
The sexism that I believed had been eradicated was lurking, like some creature from the black lagoon, just below the surface. Suddenly it erupted and in some unexpected places.
Instead of engaging Palin on the issues, critics attacked attributes that are specifically female. It is Hillary's pantsuit drama to the power of 10. Palin's hair, her voice, her motherhood, and her personal hygiene were substituted for substance. That's when it was nice.
The hatred escalated to performers advocating Palin be "gang raped," to suggestions that her husband had had sex with their young daughters, and reports that her Down syndrome child really was that of her teenage daughter. One columnist even called for her to submit to DNA testing to prove her virtue. Smells a little like Salem to me. I was present at an Obama rally at which the mention of Palin's name drew shouts of "stone her."
"Stone her"? How biblical.
Or take the one and only Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. From Reuters:
Bloodworth-Thomason and others seemed especially critical of the way MSNBC -- and other media -- has attacked Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin while demeaning her supporters.
"We should stop the demonizing," she said, adding that Democrats have been worse than Republicans as far as personal attacks on candidates are concerned. "It diminishes us," she said of her fellow Democrats.
Bloodworth-Thomason even suggested a defense of Palin and her supporters should be written into TV programing, just as she went out of her way to portray Southern women as smart in her hit TV show "Designing Women."
Now grasp that all these women and more are "wrong" and only Robin is right. In Robn's mind that's how it works. She really needs to stop embarrassing herself in public. Instead of scraping and bowing before a man, WomenCount is calling on action: The next president, whomever he or she may be, should "create, withint the first 100 days, a presidential commission on women that will bring together the best thinkers from all backgrounds, sectors, and political parties, to impact the future of women in our nation." Or let's take The New Agenda where Cynthia Ruccia writes:
As women, we have several positions that we fall back on. One is exhaustion, which is where I believe many find themselves now. How can we not be tired when everywhere we turn these days there is one heinous example after another of our national disease: Misogyny. Unlike racism, which we are growing to tolerate less and less in America, sexism is absolutely acceptable. If this campaign year has proven anything, it is that Americans not only tolerate discrimination against women, in many instances they revel in it.
Another position we women take is denial. And why not deny? Who wants to spend a lifetime screaming about this inequity? It's exhausting, and let's face it, joy is a much more pleasant way to live.
But our best position by far is when we decide we are all in this together and we rise up against this injustice. Believe it or not, we have so much to be grateful for having watched these two courageous women, Hillary and Sarah, buck the system. By going where no woman has gone before, they have been human targets, willing to take the incoming fire. Although what Hillary withstood has receded a little in our memories, we have the spectacle of Sarah being eviscerated with glee by the Democrats. They are taking her apart with great creativity and total impunity. Why? Because as a society, we still permit the exercise of sexism without shame.
I could list many examples of what Governor Palin has endured--the ridiculous clothing flap (who cares?), the trashing of her family (after all, women must pay for their sins of the family—Geraldine Ferraro did and Hillary paid for the sins of her husband), the c**t t-shirts that the creators wore with glee (they got more "attaboys" for having the courage to do it than shame for having done it), the constant minimizing of her accomplishments, since, after all, she's only a woman. The list goes on, day after day, on and on and on. And on.
At first we're mad, then we can't stand it and hide, and then we realize that since NO ONE is stopping it, we must make that step ourselves. But once again I note how lucky we have been to have two brave women, Governor Palin and Senator Clinton, who have shown us what courage is. And if they can summon this courage, so can we.
Imagine that, the notion that women matter. A notion Robin no longer subscribes to which is why she hisses and snarls from (Democratic) Women's Media Center in attempts to bully the (small number of) readers into voting her way. She doesn't respect women. We're stupid -- in Robin's eyes. If it weren't for Robin, we wouldn't know how to vote. Or that's what she likes to kid herself. The failed child star who's hold on reality has become increasing fragile (never a good thing for a writer or non-fiction) is going out in one of the most embarrassing slow fades. Robin's hardly the only one embarrassing herself. Kim Gandy's doing a delightful job, such an 'amazing' job that she may be responsible for NOW losing its tax status since NOW's not allowed to endorse a candidate. (NOW PAC is, NOW is not.) As Mike pointed out last night, Kim Gandy's latest scribble promotes a 'scary' theme at NOW's website: dressing like McCain and Palin. This follows, as Elaine pointed out last month, Gandy using NOW's mailing list and official NOW stationaiy to promote Barack Obama's campaign.
Turning to Kim and Robin's crush Barack Obama, Jake Tapper (Political Punch, ABC News) reports: "The Obama campaign has told three reporters they have to drop off the campaign plane this weekend. All three work for papers that endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.: the New York Post, the Washington Times, and the Dallas Morning News." Tapper explains St. Barack got a little snitty over the fact that the editorial boards of all three papers endorsed McCain. Tapper explains the Post and Times importance but skips Dallas. The Dallas Morning News is the paper with the largest circulation in Texas. Not only that, pay attention Cult of Barack, it (actually Belo) also owns cable and broadcast channels in the area -- including WFAA Channel Eight (which also reaches as far north as into Oklahoma). The reporters for the Dallas Morning News are expected not only to file text reports, they also provide reports for the TV channels. In addition, they supply to the the paper's Spanish language paper as well as to the freebies (such as Quick). To the north of Dallas county, to the south of Dallas county and to the east of Dallas county, the broadcast channels and the paper are widely available. As far to the east as Smith County, the Dallas Morning News is the dominant paper (Tyler has one paper under two names, it is not the dominant paper in Smith County -- under either name). (The Dallas Morning News' reach to the west is non-existant due to the understanding it and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram worked out to avoid another paper war -- the sort that allowed the Morning News to take out the Dallas Times Herald.) So this was a vanity move on the part of the Cult of Barack that effects a huge number of people. If the Cult wants to reduce it to 'voters,' no Barack's most likely not going to carry Texas (no Democrat has since Jimmy Carter in 1976) but for a candidate who claims to stand for reaching out, it was a really petty and juvenile move.
Scott Conroy (CBS News) reports Mike Ditka of Chicago Bears fame campaigned in Pennsylvania with Governor Palin today and explained, "I'm not here because I'm a Republican, which I am, and I'm not here because I'm a conservative, which I am. I'm here because I am an American. It's time in this country you put party lines on the backburner and you put your country first." Meanwhile, the Latino vote was never Barack's -- not in the primary and not in the general. But he didn't really want to compete for it and his Cult in Panhandle Media was too busy ignoring Latinos. Point, the campaign is freaking out about the new numbers (which don't just include Florida where Barack's own polling says he's losing the Latino vote). This as McCain-Palin '08 announces:
Today the McCain-Palin campaign announced the endorsement of Maria Conchita Alonso, a Latin American actress who has starred in television and film for three decades. Alonso, who was born in Cuba and raised in Venezuela, recently appeared on CSI: Miami and Desperate Housewives and starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Running Man.
"As a Latina and a new American citizen, I believe in this country and its people, and I believe that we need more than just 'change.' We need a leader who can bring about the right kind of change, and John McCain has the experience and judgment necessary to lead us in these uncertain times," Alonso said. "I grew up in Cuba and Venezuela, and I am appalled that Barack Obama apparently wants to emulate the "spread the wealth" economic policies of those countries and negotiate with their leaders. For me the choice is clear, and I believe it is my duty to share my views even though it might not make me popular in Hollywood."
After a successful career in Venezuela as a beauty queen, telenovela star, film actress and singer, Alonso emigrated to the United States from Caracas, Venezuela in 1982. She has appeared in dozens of films and television shows since then and was the first South American star to star on Broadway.
Apparently Marica Conchita Alonso, like many women, do not take their marching orders from Robin Morgan. Someone help Robin off the floor. Let's see Robin's insulted all religious people, she's insulted Ralph Nader specifically and all third-party candidates and she's insulted a lot of women. At some point, in a functioning feminist movement, she would have been pulled aside and told to cool her damn jets. She would have been informed just how ridiculous she looked and just how much damage she was doing to the movement. Ralph Nader is the independent presidential candidate and Robin Morgan thinks you're an idiot and an awful person if you vote for him too. So reject Robin Morgan, make it clear to her that she is not in charge of America's vote. Declare your independence from Robin Morgan -- a declaration that's necessary only because her ego is greater than her intelligence (or her reach). Matt Gonzalez is Ralph's running mate and Team Nader notes:
Happy Halloween.
Today, you can help us Freak Out the Corporate State.
How?
Why?
Ralph Nader is pulling four percent among registered voters in the latest CNN poll in battleground states.
Four percent in Arizona.
Four percent in Nevada.
Four percent in Ohio.
Four percent in Pennsylvania.
Let's say the predictions are right and 130 million Americans vote.
And let's say the four percent holds up.
That's 5 million voters for the Nader/Gonzalez shift the power agenda.
From the corporations back into the hands of the people.
That's enough to freak out the corporate state.
Even the thought of that this Halloween is enough to freak them out.
But to get there, we need to hit our last fundraising goal of $4 million by election day.
And we're $170,000 away.
So, today, Halloween, 2008, let's freak out the corporate state.
We're driving toward a winning election day.
When we send a strong message.
We're here.
We're near.
We're not going anywhere.
Get used to it.
Onward to November and beyond.
Public TV notes. On most PBS stations, NOW on PBS begins airing tonight but check local listings. The topic for the latest broadcast is: What Women Voters Want
[Streaming video of this program will be available online after broadcast]
Election 2008: Tough decisions for undecided women voters in the swing states.
There are roughly eight million more female voters than male, and more women than men say they are still undecided. Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin have undoubtedly changed the debate for many women voters, but the question is: how will they ultimately respond in the booth?
This week, NOW on PBS travels to the swing state of Colorado to get insight from a diverse group of women. These pro-choice, pro-gun women don't fit into neat categories, but they do respond to issues built around working moms: pay equity, family leave, and child care. On the show, NOW also interviews former Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro for her take on the role of women in this election.
Will the women's vote decide the election?Also on PBS (begins airing Friday on many stations, check local listings) Washington Week where Gwen sits down for a ghoulish chat and chew with Doyle McManus ( Los Angeles Times), David Broder ( Washington Post), a mystery guest who shows up costumed as a Bobbsey Twin and, as a special treat, Time's Karen Tumulty offers up her impression of Bette Davis from Beyond The Forest. Watch in wonder as she really digs into the line, "What a dump." Marvel as truer words were never spoken. Oooh. Scary. That's the trick, the treat comes Monday, on commercial TV: Cher makes her first appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
xx
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Posted at 03:15 pm by thecommonills
Permalink
Two
years ago, President Bush hailed Najim al Jabouri as a symbol of
success in the battle to curb Iraq's sectarian violence. Today, Jabouri
is a symbol of how uncertain that success is.Last
month, Jabouri quietly left Tal Afar, an ancient city near Iraq's
desert border with Syria where he was the police chief and the mayor,
collected his wife and four children and flew to safety in the United
States."There was no other
choice," Jabouri, 52, a retired Iraqi army lieutenant general, said in
a recent interview that was translated by his eldest son, Omar, 21. "I
had been serving my homeland, the Iraqi people and Iraqi soil my whole
life. I decided I had to do something for my own family. I saw that
their lives were in great danger." The above is the opening to Jonathan S. Landay's " Another success? Iraqi mayor Bush once hailed flees to U.S." ( McClatchy Newspapers) and you can file it under 'progress.' At the New York Times Iraq blog, photographer Marko Georgiev offers " Funeral of Sand and Fog" which details sandstorms, militias and other difficulties in covering Iraq: The
bomb was planted at the base of his front gate, and his car was blown
to pieces. When we got to the area, there were Awakening members with
Kalashnikovs strategically placed on every corner, on every street.Since
the visibility was reduced to less than 500 meters, they would just
appear out of the fog. All the sounds were muffled from the sand in the
air surrounding us and the orange/red tint just added to the eeriness
of the mood. It was a very tense situation. Everyone was expecting
trouble and we were the least welcome people in the area.After
a screaming session they searched my bag and let me through. We arrived
just in time to see the coffin brought from his house and carried to
the mosque. Suddenly everyone who was carried a weapon fired in the air.Some
people positioned far away from us also fired, but I had no way of
knowing if they were shooting in the air or firing at us. It's a bit
difficult to think of the correct white balance while a person three
feet away from you decides to fire his AK-47. The sound blasted into my
left eardrum and the empty shell hit my head.I carried on, knowing that my guards were one step behind me and they would grab me if something went wrong.Thankfully
it didn't, but at one point they told me it's time to go. I was a
little disappointed since I had gone deaf and was just getting used to
all the firing.In the print edition of the paper, Abeer Mohammed and Katherine Zoepf offer " Iraqi Ministry Adopts Political Neutrality"
covers the decision by Iraq's Defense Minister Abudl-Kader Jassem
al-Obeidi to institute a policy of being "politically neutral" which is
thought to be in response to Iraq's Minister of the Interior Jawad
al-Bolani and his Iraqi Constiutional Party. Staying with politics, UPI reports
that provincial elections could be delayed even further: "The Iraqi
Independent High Electoral High Commissions Thursday said, following a
meeting with officials from the U.N. Assistance Mission to Iraq, that
lawmakers needed to address the articles for minority representation
before Wednesday, Voices of Iraq reported." That's the issue of
religious minority representation, Article 50, which was pulled. UPI
notes this may delay the elections "in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces." Public TV notes. On most PBS stations, NOW on PBS begins airing tonight but check local listings. The topic for the latest broadcast is: What Women Voters Want
[Streaming video of this program will be available online after broadcast]
Election 2008: Tough decisions for undecided women voters in the swing states.
There
are roughly eight million more female voters than male, and more women
than men say they are still undecided. Senator Hillary Clinton and
Governor Sarah Palin have undoubtedly changed the debate for many women
voters, but the question is: how will they ultimately respond in the
booth?
This week, NOW on PBS travels to the swing state of
Colorado to get insight from a diverse group of women. These
pro-choice, pro-gun women don't fit into neat categories, but they do
respond to issues built around working moms: pay equity, family leave,
and child care. On the show, NOW also interviews former Vice
Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro for her take on the role of
women in this election.
Will the women's vote decide the election?Also on PBS (begins airing Friday on many stations, check local listings) Washington Week where Gwen sits down for a ghoulish chat and chew with Doyle McManus ( Los Angeles Times), David Broder ( Washington Post),
a mystery guest who shows up costumed as a Bobbsey Twin and, as a
special treat, Time's Karen Tumulty offers up her impression of Bette
Davis from Beyond The Forest. Watch in wonder as she really digs into the line, "What a dump." Marvel as truer words were never spoken. Oooh. Scary. Freak Out the Corporate State  Happy Halloween. Today, you can help us Freak Out the Corporate State. How? Donate $4 to Nader/Gonzalez now.
Why? Ralph Nader is pulling four percent among registered voters in the latest CNN poll in battleground states. Four percent in Arizona. Four percent in Nevada. Four percent in Ohio. Four percent in Pennsylvania. Let’s say the predictions are right and 130 million Americans vote. And let’s say the four percent holds up. That’s 5 million voters for the Nader/Gonzalez shift the power agenda. From the corporations back into the hands of the people. That’s enough to freak out the corporate state. Even the thought of that this Halloween is enough to freak them out. But to get there, we need to hit our last fundraising goal of $4 million by election day. And we’re $170,000 away. So, today, Halloween, 2008, let’s freak out the corporate state. We need 4,000 of you — our loyal supporters — to hit that there donation button.
And donate $4 now.
We’re driving toward a winning election day. When we send a strong message. We’re here. We’re near. We’re not going anywhere. Get used to it. Onward to November and beyond. The Nader Team PS: Remember, if you donate $100 or more,
we will ship to you the hard cover 40th Anniversary edition of Unsafe
at Any Speed — Ralph’s historic expose of the American automobile
industry — autographed by the man himself. It was the book that
launched the American consumer movement and saved hundreds of thousands
of lives. This autographed edition is bound to become a rare
collector’s item after the election. So, get it now. Only a limited
number left. (This book offer ends November 4, 2008 at 11:59 p.m.) PPS: Look for Ralph this morning on CNN Morning America. ShareThisShareThis Ralph Nader is the independent presidential candidate, Matt Gonzalez is his running mate. West noted the above.
John McCain is the Republican presidential candidate and Sarah Palin is his running mate. Vernon notes this from McCain - Palin:
McCain-Palin 2008 Launches New Television Ad: "Obama Praising McCain"
ARLINGTON,
VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released
its latest television ad, entitled "Obama Praising McCain." The ad
highlights Barack Obama's past praise for John McCain on the issue of
confronting global climate change. As he said numerous times during the
first debate, Barack Obama often believes John McCain is right. The ad
will air in key states. VIEW THE TELEVISION AD HERE:
Script For "Obama Praising McCain" (TV :30) ANNCR: The truth on global warming: BARACK OBAMA: The right approach begins with the proposal put forward by Senator Lieberman and Senator McCain. The
Lieberman-McCain bill establishes limits for greenhouse gas emissions.
It's a framework that's not only good for the environment, it's also
good for business. I want to thank Senator Lieberman, as well as Senator McCain, for the outstanding leadership that they've shown. JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message. AD FACTS: Script For "Obama Praising McCain" (TV :30) ANNCR: The
truth on global warming: BARACK OBAMA: The right approach begins with
the proposal put forward by Senator Lieberman and Senator McCain. The
Lieberman-McCain bill establishes limits for greenhouse gas emissions.
It's a framework that's not only good for the environment, it's also
good for business. I want to thank Senator Lieberman, as well as
Senator McCain, for the outstanding leadership that they've shown. JOHN
MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message. -
Senator Barack Obama (D-IL): "Since coming to Washington, I've believed
that the right approach begins with the proposal put forward by Senator
Lieberman and Senator McCain, a proposal they've been pushing for
years, and I thank them again for their leadership on this issue. The
Lieberman-McCain Bill establishes limits for greenhouse gas emissions
well into the 21st century. To remain below these limits, the bill
encourages the market to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, rewarding cost effective approaches using a system of
tradable allowances." (Sen. Barack Obama, Hearing, Committee On
Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate, 1/30/07)
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com. iraq mcclatchy newspapers jonathan s. landay the new york times marko georgiev washington week now on pbs pbs abeer mohammed katherine zoepf
Posted at 06:33 am by thecommonills
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Tens
of thousands of Syrians turned out Thursday for a massive
government-orchestrated protest against a deadly U.S. raid near the
Iraqi border Sunday.
A mile away, hundreds of Syrian riot police
formed a protective ring around the closed U.S. Embassy, but the crowds
dispersed peacefully after a couple of hours.
Also Thursday, Syria
demanded a formal apology for the attack, which it says killed eight
civilians, and threatened to cut off cooperation on Iraqi border
security if there are more American raids.
There has been no formal
acknowledgment of the raid from Washington, but U.S. officials have
said the target was a top figure in al-Qaeda in Iraq.The above is from the Syria section of the Washington Post's news brief roundup " Around the World" and Jordan's Al Bawaba reports Syria has announced it is severing "diplomatic ties with Iraq". Iraq's Alsumaria adds,
"However, Government spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh denied in a statement to
Alsumaria reports about cutting off relations with Syria hoping it
would not reach that point." Farrah Hassen's " A bumpy ride for the US over Syria" ( Asia Times) offers perspective that the US media can't bother to provide: The
details of the attack remain murky and the White House has declined to
comment. Not so murky is the fact that eight Syrian civilians,
including a farmer, three children, and a fisherman, died as a result
of the strike. They were all victims of collateral damage, like the
Iraqis and Afghans who have perished as a result of Bush's reckless
wars.QuestionsNumerous
questions abound about the timing, purpose, and legality of the strike.
Was the attack directed specifically against Syria, which has
cooperated with the United States in the "war on terror" and the Iraq
War, or is it more of a desperate pre-election move by the Bush
administration to showcase the image of stability and US resolve?Other
pundits have called the attack a "parting shot" from Bush and
neo-conservatives in his administration, who have long advocated but
failed to bring regime change to Damascus, particularly in response to
Syria's early opposition to the invasion of Iraq.By
violating Syrian airspace and apparently not consulting the Syrians
about its supposed intelligence on Abu Ghadiya ahead of the attack, the
Bush administration has confirmed, yet again, its disdain for
international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.Indeed,
the United States, in the name of fighting "terrorists", has carried
out other cross-border raids in recent months, including against the
Taliban along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In justifying the Syria
attack, a senior US official told The Washington Post: "You have to
clean up the global threat that is in your backyard, and if you won't
do that, we are left with no choice but to take these matters into our
hands."Does this standard
apply to other countries and legitimize their counter-terrorism
operations? Imagine if Cuba offered a similar justification for going
after scores of Cuban exiles in Miami who have acted anti-former Cuban
president Fidel Castro, including Orlando Bosch and Luis Posada
Carriles, who carried out the October 6, 1976, bombing of a Cuban
civilian airliner, killing all 73 passengers and crew members on board.
Meanwhile, Leila Fadel's " What to do with the detainees?" ( Baghdad Observer, McClatchy Newspapers) explores the issue of Iraqi prisoners held by the US: Following
the killing of 17 civilians last year by Blackwater, security
contractors that protect diplomats, the Iraqi government could do
nothing. When a teenage girl was raped and her family killed, south of
Baghdad, by a U.S. soldier, the Iraqi government could do nothing.While the negotiations continue and seem to be hitting a wall we've forgotten about the detainees.Right
now the U.S. military is trying to pare down the number of Iraqi
detainees in custody before the U.N. mandate expires at the end of the
year. They've reduced the number by almost 10,000 since last year;
currently there are 17,000 people in U.S. custody. Most are detained
and are never charged or go on trial, many are held for months or years
until they are no longer deemed a threat. If and when a security
agreement is actually in place the U.S. will have to transfer the
remaining detainees to Iraqi custody. On the subject of the attacks on Iraqi Christians, the Saudi Gazette notes
that Professor Ekmeledding Ihsanoglu (Secretary General of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference) declared, "As we have
consistently demanded that the rights of Muslim minorities be respected
all over the world, we do emphasize the need to respect the rights of
all minorities across the Islamic world." UPI reports: The
government of Iraq needs to take all necessary actions to bring a halt
to the targeted killings of the Christian minority population, U.S.
lawmakers said.Democratic
Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Carl Levin of Michigan, along with
Republican Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Mel Martinez of Florida,
called on Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki to take the steps needed to end the violence plaguing the
Christian community in northern Iraq."This
violence is emblematic of a larger pattern of severe persecution by
extremists that threatens to deprive Iraq of her non-Muslim citizens,"
the senators wrote. "It also highlights the possibility of increased
violence ahead of provincial elections (in January)."Turning to the US presidential race. Dana notes this from Team Nader: The Final 100 Hours: Get Out the Vote  In the final 100 hours before the election, we need your help to implement our get out the vote (GOTV) plan.
To make tens of thousands of phone calls, knock on doors in hundreds of
communities, and pass out thousands of flyers and leaflets. To remind voters that Nader/Gonzalez is the independent choice on November 4th. It’s a simple five step process. Here’s what you need to do: Step One: Vote for Nader/Gonzalez.
Get your friends and family to vote for Nader/Gonzalez. Vote early.
Vote on election day. But vote independent. Vote Nader/Gonzalez. Step Two: Connect with Nader Supporters in Your State. Go to our state-by-state map. Connect with your state, regional, community, and campus coordinators to find out how you can help. Step Three: Spread the Word. Great Nader/Gonzalez literature is available in every state. Click here to see the location of the campaign literature nearest you. You can download GOTV flyers
to help pass out in your local community. You can knock on your
neighbors’ doors. Canvass door to door, telling your neighbors why
you’re voting for Nader/Gonzalez. Urge them to do the same. Step Four: Create Visibility.
Help us distribute Nader/Gonzalez buttons, window signs and more. We’ve
unloaded all of our materials to our coordinators around the country. Click here
for people with campaign materials in your state. To find a state or
local coordinator with bumperstickers and other Nader/Gonzalez merchandise, click here.
Step Five: Join our Nationwide Phone Bank. Are you willing to help phone bank supporters and independents across the country? If yes, please contact liz@votenader.org to sign up for our national GOTV
phone bank effort. Over the next 24 hours we’ll be sending them
information on how to vote for Nader/Gonzalez in your state and sharing
with them a GOTV video from Ralph that he shot last night on why they
should join the GOTV effort. That’s five simple steps.
History will look back on this effort as the end of the two party
domination in this country and the beginning of a new era of citizen
politics. We can’t make that happen unless you help us get millions of votes for Nader/Gonzalez on November 4th. Onward to November. Jason Kafoury
National Campaign Coordinator
The Nader Team ShareThisShareThis Ralph Nader is the independent presidential candidate, Matt Gonzalez is his running mate. Ryan notes this from Team Nader: Breaking Point: Voting for the First Time in 40 years...for Nader! Posted by Loralynne Krobetzky on Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 10:59:00 PM ShareThisShareThis  Voting for the first time in 40 years – for Nader!
My
husband, Rick, and I are overjoyed you have decided to declare your
candidacy for President! In 2000 I fell into the trap of voting for Al
Gore even though I knew you had what it takes to turn this nation
around for the better. I won’t make the same mistake again.
This
time around you have my vote and would still have it even if it were
Barack Obama against Dick Cheney. Too many people are looking at who is
more likely to win for their party, and the result is too many people
compromising what is important for their lives and their values. ALL
your stands on the issues and your values are our dream for what we
wish this nation could be. You have already done so much for this
country, not only by voicing your stands to steer this country in the
right direction, but also with all the improvements in safety for the
public that you have championed.
Rick is so turned off by
politics in America that he hasn’t voted in more than 40 years. He
hasn’t registered to vote since we were married 39 years ago. He tried
to get me to vote for you in 2000, but was still feeling too cynical
about the election procedure back then to register to vote himself. Now
with your candidacy he will register once again in order to vote for
you. We both have never felt worse about this country than we do now,
and your candidacy will be a motivating factor in getting him to
register.
Thank you!
—Amy and Rick If you haven’t reached your breaking point, visit www.breakingpoint08.com.
Send me your Breaking Point story to share at loralynne@votenader.org, so the growing numbers of independent voters can join our voices, and together, we can change the system. Loralynne Krobetzky
Communications Director
Nader for President 2008 ShareThisShareThis And Becky notes this from McCain - Palin: In Case You Missed It: "Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama's Pledges"
"The
fact is the savings Obama has identified do not cover his spending.
According to a CBS News estimate, he's around $90 billion short. The
Obama campaign disputes this, saying everything including the stimulus
is paid for over 10 years. But other analysts say - even presuming
Obama saves money in Iraq and chops the federal budget as promised - he
falls short." -- CBS News' Wyatt Andrews "Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama's Pledges"
Wyatt Andrews
CBS News
October 29, 2008 Without
question, the Barack Obama infomercial served as a very slick and
powerful recitation of the biggest promises he's made as a presidential
candidate. But the very bigness of his ideas is the problem: he seems
blind to the concept his numbers don't add up. Obama
has already proposed a new stimulus package of $188 billion over two
years. His tax cuts will cost $85 billion a year. His "army of new
teachers": $18 billion; Renewable energy: $15 billion. CBS News and
various independent experts estimate Obama's total first year spending
could exceed $280 billion. Still Obama repeated his claim he can find the money to pay for every proposal. "I've offered spending cuts above and beyond their cost," he has said. The
fact is the savings Obama has identified do not cover his spending.
According to a CBS News estimate, he's around $90 billion short. The
Obama campaign disputes this, saying everything including the stimulus
is paid for over 10 years. But other analysts say - even presuming
Obama saves money in Iraq and chops the federal budget as promised - he
falls short. Let's
break all of this down, starting with his highly suspect, and widely
discredited, claim that he can find federal "spending cuts beyond the
costs" of his promises. Very few independent economists believe he has
identified the savings needed to offset his remarkable list of tax
credits, tax cuts and spending pledges. Fact:
Even if you believe Obama intends to fix health care, most independent
analysts say the cost is massive - $1.2 trillion over ten years,
according to the highly respected Lewin Group. When the new Congress
wakes up next year to a $1 trillion deficit, and answers the
overwhelming new demands for another stimulus package, will the
leadership really bite on a health care reform package that digs the
deficit hole so much deeper? And that's just the beginning of what Obama would spend. Fact:
The tax cuts he promises, which are mostly refundable tax credits (code
for cash back), will cost $60 billion just in year one, according the
National Taxpayers Union, though the Obama campaign's own estimates in
July put that figure at $130 billion. Fact:
His new promise to give businesses a $3,000 tax credit for each new job
created will cost $40 billion. But economists say this credit is far
more likely to benefit companies already planning to expand and will
likely not be enough to help companies create new jobs or forestall
layoffs. Fact:
Obama's claim he will lower health care premiums by $2,500 is: 1.)
guesswork, which is 2.) based on health care savings that might, in a
perfect world, happen over 10 years - a fact Obama neatly glosses over.
Fact:
Obama, when referring to savings he can make by leaving Iraq ($90
billion, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates), has spent
these savings several times over, across several different promises
depending on the crowd he's addressing. Most
of the time he spends the Iraq savings in the context of the roads he
wants to build; sometimes it's for the teachers he wants to hire.
Tonight, he riffed rhetorically on the savings, asking how many
scholarships could be funded, or how many schools could be built. In
the end though, presuming he really saves $90 billion, he can only
spend it once. Remember
he also mentioned rebuilding the military ($7 billion/yr); his
education initiative ($18 billion/yr); and his energy initiative ($15
billion/yr). He did not mention the $188 billion that he would spend on
the brand new stimulus package he has proposed. If
he closes every loophole as promised, saves every dime from Iraq,
raises taxes on the rich and trims the federal budget as he's promised
to do "line by line," he still doesn't pay for his list. If he's
elected, the first fact hitting his desk will be the figure projecting
how much less of a budget he has to work with - thanks to the
recession. He gave us a very compelling vision with his ad buy tonight.
What he did not give us was any hint of the cold reality he's facing or
a sense of how he might prioritize his promises if voters trust him
with the White House. Read The Article John McCain is the GOP presidential candidate, Sarah Palin is his running mate. And Ava and I were talking yesterday about writing something on the topic above for Third. The garbage in today's New York Times makes it all the more likely. The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com. iraq the washington postmcclatchy newspapers leila fadel farrah hassen
Posted at 06:32 am by thecommonills
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scott conroy
cbs news
brian montopoli
