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March 12, 2005

Uber-brother is making video for you

The "People's Governor" (that's according to his website) is using tax dollars to further hone his cinematic skills. Courtesy of the AP:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration has acknowledged making several videos masquerading as news stories to promote its agenda, creating an uproar from Democrats and labor leaders in a controversy parallel to one ignited by the Bush administration.

You may remember when BushCo pulled this stunt last year with Medicare, and the GAO declared them in violation of laws against the government making propoganda.

The videos included suggested opening remarks for a news anchor, a narrative by a state employee and interviews with supporters of the administration policies. It's not evident to viewers who produced them and no opposition is expressed.

The funny thing is, I bet a lot of people won't see anything wrong with this.

11:09 AM | Comments (3) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

Karen Hughes, friend of Islam

From the Washington Post:

Former White House counselor Karen P. Hughes will take over the Bush administration's troubled public diplomacy effort intended to burnish the U.S. image abroad, particularly in the Muslim world.

Is the thinking that if Hughes can help a multi-millionaire former cokehead act like a "man of the people," she can do anything? I just don't see the Arab street thinking, "Wow, Karen Hughes -- she's connecting with our hearts and minds."

Here's the rest of the farce.

10:51 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

March 11, 2005

Not just the facts, ma'am

So the troops that shot Nicola Calipari were in place to protect John "We Don't Need No Stinkin' Constitution" Negroponte, the US Ambassador to Iraq. More on this villain below.

Don't worry though, Rumsfeld is on the case. Remember how great Rummy was at getting to the bottom of the abuses at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo? I'm sure we can expect more misdirection and attempted burying of evidence from Dandy Don. Especially if he has Negroponte "helping" him.

Here's the whole story.

The fact that this shooting is, at this point, even tangentially connected to Negroponte would be enough to give any reasonable person pause. Negroponte is a bad, bad man. Here's a little on "Ambassador" Negroponte from Wikpedia:

From 1981 to 1985 Negroponte was the U.S. ambassador to Honduras. During his tenure, he oversaw the growth of military aid to Honduras from $4 million to $77.4 million a year. At the time, Honduras was ruled by an elected but heavily militarily-influenced government. According to The New York Times, Negroponte was allegedly involved in "carrying out the covert strategy of the Reagan administration to crush the Sandinistas government in Nicaragua." Critics say that during his ambassadorship, human rights violations in Honduras became systematic.

This is the guy in charge of US policy in Iraq, and NOW he's the nominee to be the first U.S. Director of Intelligence. It's like making Tony Soprano head of the FBI field office in Jersey. More on the federally funded criminal here and a great piece by David Corn in the Nation here.

10:13 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

March 09, 2005

Marine: Saddam capture story was bogus

Yet another soldier for the right-wing troop haters to demonize:

"I was among the 20-man unit, including eight of Arab descent, who searched for Saddam for three days in the area of Dour near Tikrit, and we found him in a modest home in a small village and not in a hole as announced," Abou Rabeh said.

Full story here.

11:09 PM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca

March 08, 2005

Guess Condi's not a role model

Army recruitment of blacks and women is down. One guess why. (Here's a hint: four letter word that starts with "I" and ends with "Q.")

From AP:

Young blacks have grown markedly less willing to join the Army, citing fear of being sent to fight a war in Iraq they don't believe in, according to unpublicized studies for the military that suggest the Army is entering a prolonged recruiting slump.

"More African Americans identify having to fight for a cause they don't support as a barrier to military service," concluded an August 2004 study for the Army. It also said attitudes toward the Army among all groups of American youth have grown more negative in recent years.

"In the past, barriers were about inconvenience or preference for another life choice," the study said. "Now they have switched to something quite different: fear of death or injury."

But...who's gonna go die for oil -- I mean freedom -- in Iran?

Here's the full story.

03:25 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

Porter Goss: "WHAT THE...?!"

CIA chief Porter Goss appeared at a press conference with Bush the other day and when Bush mentioned Bin Laden, Goss literally assumed a double-take "oh shit!" facial expression. In case you missed this brilliant moment featured on last night's Daily Show, go here.

09:19 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca

Oh, yeah, and the US isn't helping in Darfur

Courtesy of Human Rights Watch:

Twelve of the Security Council’s 15 members are on record in support of referring Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as part of a Sudan resolution that is currently under negotiation. However, the Bush administration opposes an ICC referral because of its ideological aversion to the court.

The United States has instead proposed creating a new ad hoc tribunal for Sudan that has serious flaws, Human Rights Watch said. In the face of no support for this proposal, the United States is now seeking a 45-day delay to make a decision on accountability.

I beg to differ with the use of the term "ideological aversion to the court." Our aversion isn't ideological, it's practical. We commit so many crimes and attrocities around the world that we quite simply don't want to have to be tried for them. And if it means a bunch of Africans have to wait another 45 days for some action to be taken...well...whatever, right? I mean, it's not our problem.

Except it is. By tacitly ignoring Darfur, we are creating yet another example of what the CIA calls "blowback," the act of making destructive causes that reap destructive effects for us in America. 9/11 is the mother of all blowbacks. The brilliant Chalmers Johnson wrote a whole book about this subject, which I strongly encourage every US taxpayer to read. Buy it here. Here's a bit from the blurb:

From a case of rape by U.S. servicemen in Okinawa to our role in Asia’s financial crisis, from our early support for Saddam Hussein to our conduct in the Balkans, Johnson reveals the ways in which our misguided policies are planting the seeds of future disaster.

02:23 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

Over 500 raped...did you know?

How many people know about Brad and Jen's fairytale romance going busto? How many people are aware that Michael Jackson is on trial? Probably not as many people that know that over 500 women have been systematically raped in Darfur over the last year. That's according to Doctors Without Borders.

But forget about Brad and Jen and Jacko. Let's just talk about Social Security. How many different "news stories" regurgitating Bush's spin on "the social security crisis" must we suffer through? Apparently, an ass load. Meanwhile, mass rape and genocide continue on a continent called Africa.

You may have heard of Darfur. It's in the Sudan. This story doesn't get the kind of airplay here in the States that the Tsunami got, but it is every bit as much of a disaster. The difference is, Darfur is not an act of nature, but one of human design and execution. At least 70,000 people have been killed in the genocide there. And now we learn of these rapes committed by militias and Government soldiers.

70,000 PEOPLE DEAD AND OVER 500 WOMEN RAPED IN ONE TINY REGION. Why is it not the top story every night and the front page above the fold story every day? Is it, perhaps, because the people don't look a lot like the people who produce the news?

Koffi Annan is pissed off. Read it here. More on the story here.
And here.

02:00 AM | Comments (7) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

March 07, 2005

Bush authorized torture, but no-one cares?

I suffered through roughly four hours of morning punditry yesterday and heard NOT ONE MENTION of the New York Times story which revealed the existence of a classified Presidential Directive authorizing torture rendition.

The impact of this story is enormous. The Bush administration has pledged in every forum available that they do not condone torture. We all know the truth, but information regarding this directive proves that they are liars, perjurers, and criminals. Say nothing of the fact that they've embarrassed us all.

And now, the mainstream media have become accomplices.

(I want my four hours of life back. Pay up, Russert. The only mention or use of the word "rendition" in this context came from Dave Foley, of all people, on Real Time with Bill Maher Friday night prior to the NY Times breaking the directive story.)

08:15 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca

Bush's Social Security Mobius Loop

Via Eschaton.

08:06 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca

Investigate the shooting of Sgrena

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has asked the UN to launch an investigation into the US shooting of Guiliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist. Here's the story.

US troops have killed a lot of innocent people in Iraq. But most of them were Iraqi civilians. Middle Easterners. On Friday, while US troops only wounded Sgrena, they killed an Italian, a member of the secret service who died protecting Sgrena. His name was Nicola Calipari. He was a husband and a father. His brother is a priest. Nicola's dead now. His wife is without a husband, his son without a father.

It's significant that RSF is asking the UN, not the US, to investigate. Smart move. Because the US doesn't want the truth. They can't handle the truth, as Jack Nicholson famously sneered. This fear of the truth is why we continue to oppose the International Criminal Court. It's the same reason any criminal opposes a court: because it will find them guilty.

We have a lot of blood on our hands, folks. And now it's European blood.

For those of you who may be fans of Brian Williams, Wolf Blitzer, Peter Jennings, or any of the Fox team, don't worry. They won't be shot at. Because they quit trying to report the truth a long, long time ago.

03:45 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

We shoot reporters, don't we?

Why did US troops shoot at Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist? According to Sgrena herself, she was warned by her Iraqi captors, "to be careful because the Americans don't want you to return." The shooters only wounded Sgrena, but killed Italian Secret Service Agent Nicola Calipari. He was shot in the head.

According to Sgrena and her companion, Pier Scolari, the US is lying about every aspect of the shooting, from the speed of the car to the alleged warnings given.

This is yet another vile act of an administration that has set itself up as the enemy of humanity.

So but why try to kill Sgrena? Perhaps because she has reported on things the US doesn't want the world to know. Will Pitt has some thoughts on his blog.

And it seems this is not the first time the US has killed a reporter. Steve Weissman has a detailed report via truthout.org here.

03:15 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By John Christian Plummer