I first saw this over at Morning Martini. Thanks Pop for posting this. I think it's a really devious angle on the reasons for the Iraq war. I wanted to post it as well.


The Guardian
Monday, March 20, 2006
by Greg Palast

Get off it. All the carping, belly-aching and complaining about George Bush's incompetence in Iraq, from both the Left and now the Right, is just dead wrong.

On the third anniversary of the tanks rolling over Iraq's border, most of the 59 million Homer Simpsons who voted for Bush are beginning to doubt if his mission was accomplished.

But don't kid yourself -- Bush and his co-conspirator, Dick Cheney, accomplished exactly what they set out to do. In case you've forgotten what their real mission was, let me remind you of White House spokesman Ari Fleisher's original announcement, three years ago, launching of what he called,

"Operation Iraqi Liberation."

O.I.L. How droll of them, how cute. Then, Karl Rove made the giggling boys in the White House change it to "OIF" -- Operation Iraqi Freedom. But the 101st Airborne wasn't sent to Basra to get its hands on Iraq's OIF.

"It's about oil," Robert Ebel told me. Who is Ebel? Formerly the CIA's top oil analyst, he was sent by the Pentagon, about a month before the invasion, to a secret confab in London with Saddam's former oil minister to finalize the plans for "liberating" Iraq's oil industry. In London, Bush's emissary Ebel also instructed Ibrahim Bahr al-Ulum, the man the Pentagon would choose as post-OIF oil minister for Iraq, on the correct method of disposing Iraq's crude.

And what did the USA want Iraq to do with Iraq's oil? The answer will surprise many of you: and it is uglier, more twisted, devilish and devious than anything imagined by the most conspiracy-addicted blogger. The answer can be found in a 323-page plan for Iraq's oil secretly drafted by the State Department. Our team got a hold of a copy; how, doesn't matter. The key thing is what's inside this thick Bush diktat: a directive to Iraqis to maintain a state oil company that will "enhance its relationship with OPEC." ...... Please go here to read the rest.

Wow, this is deep, and beyond the typical rant about the war being about oil. I want of course to see documentation. facts. dates. But it really makes sense.

Tags: Iraq war bush Oil

Nothing in the last couple days has really motivated me much. nothing that isn't over covered elswhere at least. So I've been playing around with graphics and made a couple computer screen backgrounds. Click the image for full size and save as background.

Great show tonight. No spoilers here, but discuss in comments.

From the WAPO

A federal appeals court blocked the Bush administration's four-year effort to loosen emission rules for aging coal-fired power plants, unanimously ruling yesterday that the changes violated the Clean Air Act and that only Congress could authorize such revisions.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with officials from 14 states, including New York, California and Maryland, who contended that the rule changes -- allowing older power plants, refineries and factories to upgrade their facilities without having to install the most advanced pollution controls -- were illegal and could increase the amount of health-threatening pollution in the atmosphere.
The Environmental Protection Agency's New Source Review policy was formally issued in 2003 but has never taken effect because of legal challenges by state officials and environmental groups. The administration has long argued that the existing standards are too stringent and have discouraged utility plants and other industries from upgrading and expanding their facilities. But opponents have characterized the rule changes as a favor to administration allies in the utility and coal-producing industries that would greatly add to public health problems.
New York Attorney General Eliot L. Spitzer, who led the court fight to block the administration's New Source Review policy, called yesterday's ruling "a major victory for clean air and public health" and a "rejection of a flawed policy."
"It will encourage industry to build new and cleaner facilities, instead of prolonging the life of old, dirty plants," Spitzer said.
In a statement, EPA spokesman John Millet said: "We are disappointed that the Court did not find in favor of the United States. We are reviewing and analyzing the opinion and cannot comment further at this time."

millet.john@epa.gov
Dear Sir, In regard to the recent ruling on coal fired plants you were quoted as saying “We are disappointed that the Court did not find in favor of the United States. “ My question to you is: Do you work for the Environmental protection Agency, or the Dirty Plant Protection Agency? I find it mind boggling that a ruling that is pro environment would be bad from your point of view. Think of all the people that could be employed renovating coal fired plants. Think of the research and intellectual properties that would be generated by making research into this area a priority. We could lead the world in clean energy technology, and export our equipment and know how around the world. Perhaps your agency should be scrapped all together. Quite frankly the mindset your agency exhibits is primitive and corrupt. Do you call a butcher a cow improvement technician?
B. Shilliday Tampa Fl

The Dems might have a plan, but is it a good one? According to the Washington Times, they want to stage events with active duty military personnel. The Republicans do it. Bush and Cheney almost always appear with the military. He is the Commander and chief, but he uses the backdrop of military personnel as if they approve of his policies, when in fact they are just ordered to come and sit. Will these soldiers that appear with Democrats speak? I understand that to Bush's base, these staged military appearances work. But does that make it right? Does a voluntary appearance by soldiers send a different message? Of course there are strict rules regarding military bases, and military personnel. The plan appears to circumvent some of these. I think it's a stupid idea. They will look like pencil necked geeks trying to come up tough. The events will look completely staged and unnatural.

If I hear “I'm workin' for the Amercin' people” one more time I'm going to spew all over myself. George Bush says he's always workin so hard.. but for who? He doesn't even know who the American people are. George, here's a news flash for you, people in Brazil and Chile are Americans too. Just like people in Chad are Africans. If you actually were working hard for the American people we wouldn't have a socialist revolution occurring in the Central and south Americas. Hugo Chavez, and Evo Morales wouldn't have been elected. CAFTA is bad for people in Central America, it enslaves them to corporate interests, and it makes polluting the environment easy and profitable. It also aids in the exporting of American jobs. Currently the Chinese government is training officers and troops from many Pan American countries, because we have made it illegal to assist them militarily. As they train, they are indoctrinated in Chinese ideology. We send in spooks, civilian contractors, and other shadowy groups to fight the war on drugs, and circumvent the rights and property of the native populations. We use Pan Americans how we want and when we want, then expect them to love us like a good neighbor. Workin' hard for the American people? Or hardly workin'?

Well? Are we broken or are we just maligned? Are we just outnumbered? Do we really not have a plan? I'm speaking as one that primarily identifies himself as a Democrat, and the problems of the Democratic Party. Is President Bush so strong with Republican representatives that we cannot pursue any of them to support progressive legislation? I think it is mainly a failure of will on our part. A failure of commitment and a lack of back bone. But we have said this over and over. We're accused of not having a plan. How can we even voice a plan if we did have one? Rumsfeld meets in private with Republican representatives to talk about selling the war. Republicans have policy meetings, and Democrats are literally locked out of the rooms. Are the Republicans afraid of Carl Rove and his threats? Do they really believe in what they are doing to our country? I remember when the Republicans took back Congress. Gingrich rallied the troops, he set the agenda. He pushed, and yelled, and eventually... he got what he wanted. Do we as Democrats have a void at the top of our ranks? Are Nancy Peloci, and Henry Reid just a couple of jerkloffs that are unable to accomplish the simplest of goals? I think before we can move foreword, we may have to take a step back. I think we may need to refresh our ranks with people that will fight for progressive ideals, and demand an equal voice in government. We need to find a leader that commands respect, and gets things done. Keeping ineffective Democratic representatives is in the long run unproductive. I would rather be weaker in the short run, and build, than continue on as we have been.
Tags: Democrat progressive Pelosi

Katherine Harris to stay in the Senate race. She has decided to use 10 million dollars of her own money to finance the campaign. She inherited this money from her father. As a Floridian I am very close to this race, and all I can say is that I hope this Plastic surgery disaster.. this manipulative shrew, spends all her money, then implodes into a mass of greasy feathers.

Tags: Katherine Harris Harris

Apparently President Franklin Roosevelt words carried little weight. He said “ "I don't want to see a single war millionaire created in the United States as a result of this world disaster" . Or consider that Truman referred to some profiting during war time as “treason”. In these times of war not only do we not have to sacrifice, but we're expected to profit. No meatless Tuesdays here, or rubber drives. We're not asked to buy war bonds, or grow hemp. Hell, if we're rich enough we get a tax break. Some companies are given 'No Bid” contracts, contrary to the notion in America of good competition. Halliburton and it's subsidiaries have made hundreds of millions of dollars, even though in many respects they did not perform their duties as stated, or deliver goods per contract. Since when does a sitting Vice President's former company get awarded no bid contracts, and no one does a thing about it? He does stand to profit, because his differed stock options rely on the companies current and future profitability. Not that money matters to this ghoul anyway, as power is his real trip. Money is just what the people who grub around beneath him crave. He produces it for them , and they capitulate with giving him unprecedented power. Power for powers sake has this government is the grip of paralysis. Money runs through the veins of our elected officials to the extent that they jingle when they swing their golf clubs. They have become the living essence of corporate greed sporting a beltway pimp suit and a tan. So where am I going with this? I want all political campaigns to be publicly funded. No trips! No Gifts! No intangible perks! I want, and demand a government of the people, for the people. I want the peace that can only come when the money is taken out of war, and politics.

Tags: war cheney halliburton

Patricia over at Morning Martini has written a spectacular piece on the war in Iraq. I think you'll find her imagery to be horrific, and true. Please take a moment and give her a read.

What can you get for 8.18 trillion dollars? I don't know, but our thrifty government is asking for it as an extension to our national debt ceiling.

Crooks and Liars has a great posting here. It features a scene from the TV show Boston Legal in which James Spader gives an argument in court concerning the rights of a defendant to protest. He goes right down the List of Bush Whitehouse abuses, and how our rights are being subverted. It's about 5 minutes long, and awesome. I encourage you to view it here.
Tags: Bush Boston Legal Abuses Spader

I just saw this story over at The Truth Will Set You Free. Apparently a group of Scholars has examined the events of 9/11, and have come to some stunning conclusion, and have made available information that was excluded from the much maligned 9/11 report. The basic premise? That just as Moussaoui who is being tried for having foreknowledge of 9/11, so did Dick Cheney, and he could be more easily prosecuted for the crime. JC has done an excellent job constructing this story and all the supporting links, please go read it.. This information is new and quite revealing.
Tags: Cheney9/11 Moussaoui

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) went to the Senate floor Wednesday afternoon and displayed an enormous sign that read (Dangerously Incompetent) while giving a speech attacking the Bush administration over first responder and Homeland Security funding.
Ripped off from Drudge


Yet another thing the Republicans have royally messed up. One example being that fire departments in Nebraska getting the same percentage of funding as Fire fighters in NYC.

They won't support Sen. Feingold's move to censure the President. They won't stand up against Republican corruption. If they won't do the job, they need to go. I urge anyone who agrees with this to make this button a part of their blog or website, and link it to MoveOn, or another url site that supports strong courageous Democrats.

I have included a black background button , and one with a transparent blackground.

censureFeingoldimpeachBush

In 1989 the Exxon oil tanker Valdez, under the command of drunken captain Joesph Hazelwood, ran aground and dumped eleven million gallons of oil into the pristine waters of Prince William sound. The oil spread out over thousands of miles of coastline killing thousands of birds, otters, fish. The local population of Prince William Sound, mostly fisherman, were instantly put out of business. Where fishing could previously make them $100,000 per season, they were now jobless and contending with foreclosures, bankruptcy, and addiction. The courts, citing Exxon's fault in the matter, awarded the people in the town of Cordova 5 billion dollars. Exxon has yet to pay ANY of those damages. Even though in 2005 they made a record 35 Billion dollars. So keep on driving your big SUV gas hogs. Keep supporting a company that fucks Americans, then charges them for the service. Don't demand accountability from any corporation. Don't demand accountability from your elected officials who are partners in crime. Where is Sen Ted Stevens? Oh, he's building bridges to nowhere, and deflecting accusations away from the Bush administration.
Exxon

Over at Clusterfuck Nation Jim Kunstler, has written what in my mind is the definitive explanation of what is going on with America today. His criticism is right on, and the humor is acidic. We have a Mommy and Daddy nation, and we're as dysfunctional as any family that has appeared on the Jerry Springer show

The Bush Whitehouse is just like that idiot cheerleader that fell on her head recently. Being carried out on a stretcher with a fractured neck, they still continue to cheer.

Cowards, for letting Sen. Feingold hang
Cowards, for letting Republicans win every time
Cowards, for letting Bush ruin the country
Cowards, for not standing up to the GOP
Cowards, for not supporting Russ Feingold
Cowards, for capitulating to stronger Republicans
Cowards, for silencing pregressive Democrats
Cowards, for not fighting for censure
Cowards, for cutting progressives from funding
Cowards, for towing the same tired line
Cowards, for notstanding behind Sen. Feingold
Cowards, for beleiving that being bold is risky
Cowards, for acting like gutless weinies

Feingoldcowardssenatedemocrats
censure

Tags:Bush2006 budget

Senator Dr. Bill Frist is rich. Bill Frist even owns a 7.7 million dollar house in Washington DC. His tax alone on this 1927 mansion is over $33,000 per year. Some back ground on Dr. Bill Frist. He is a surgeon. During medical school he went to local animal shelters and adopted cats under the pretense of wanting a pet. He then conducted experiments on them resulting in the death of the cats. Nice start to your professional life there Bill. Senator Frist believes intelligent design should be taught in schools. He cetainly cow tows to the religious right. Dr. Frist travels all over the world paid for by the pharmaceutical industry. Then when legislation comes up regarding that industry, he capitulates. Frist is also being investigated for shady stock deals regarding drug company stocks. When Terry Schiavo had her feeding tube removed, Dr. Frist watched a video of her and concluded that she would be able to be rehabilitated. That she was the victim of bad care. After Mrs. Schiavo death, the autopsy concluded her brain was actually nearly non functioning, and that she had very little living brain tissue left. Why talk about Bill Frist? Because he looks to be the leading Republican so far in the 2008 presidential election.
Tags: Frist