"Desmond and Molly Jones" spamspamspamspam.org> wrote in message
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Now we know you're a blowhard.

IRAQ: Just When (or How Much) of Enough. is Enough?

By Fred Cederholm
Created Jan 15 2007 - 12:43pm

I've been thinking about "enough." Actually I've been thinking about Iraq,
vagueness, polling, duration/costs, November 7th, constitutional semantics,
Rockford/Rochelle, and "the speech/interview." The quagmire of Iraq is
finally getting its due on the front page national domestic media as well as
in the features in the nightly news. It is surprising how often the word
"enough" is figuring into those stories and commentaries. But. therein rests
the dilemma - and the rub.

GOP Senator Lashes Administration For "Insensitive" Troop Treatment

By Bob Geiger
Created Jan 15 2007 - 12:14pm

In a vivid sign that George W. Bush's incompetent handling of the Iraq war
has fully reached across the political aisle and become too glaring for even
his Congressional allies to ignore, Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) sent a blunt
letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates late last week bitterly complaining
about how another extension of Minnesota troops in Iraq has been handled.

"I am extremely disappointed to hear that the President's decision to
implement a troop surge in Baghdad will have a major, negative impact on the
Minnesota National Guard," Coleman wrote in the letter. "These soldiers have
made the ultimate commitment to serve our country and defend our freedom.
They deserve better than to find out just two short months before their
planned return that their tours will be extended for at least another 125
days. Most don't know when they'll be coming home at all, and none know what
their extended mission will entail."

"Everyone Agrees That Failure in Iraq Would Be Disastrous": The Talking
Point That Is A Recipe For Further Disaster

By Steve Young
Created Jan 15 2007 - 12:08pm

Once again, the Vice President reiterated the "Everyone agrees that failure
in Iraq would be disastrous" talking point on Fox Friendly News Sunday.

It's another one of those "Do you want America to lose?" idioms that pretty
much leaves you with one answer otherwise you've pretty much admitted that
you're continuing to beat your wife.

What the cice President wants you to believe is that, if you don't want
failure you'd have to choose the President's plan.

What the Vice President wants you to believe is that there is a VictoryT to
be had.

What the Vice President doesn't want you to believe is that failure has
already be achieved.

Simply, what the Vice President presents is a scenario that succumbed to
this administration's blunders long ago.

The Logic of a Wider Mideast War

By Robert Parry
Created Jan 15 2007 - 10:08am

White House press secretary Tony Snow dismisses expectations of war with
Iran as an "urban legend" and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Peter Pace says
that "from a military standpoint" there's "no need to cross the Iranian
border." But there are still strong reasons to suspect the Iraq War may soon
spill over to Iran and possibly Syria.

Indeed, absent some blinking of eyes in Tehran over its nuclear program or a
chilling of feet in Tel Aviv and Washington over military options, the logic
of a wider war seems compelling - and would fit with both recent evidence
and motives of key protagonists.

Take, for instance, George W. Bush's announcement that he is deploying
Patriot anti-missile missiles to the region, reportedly to protect key U.S.
military installations in Kuwait and Qatar. That wouldn't make much sense if
Bush wasn't anticipating some reason for Iran to fire missiles at American
bases.

Holiday Hypocrisy

By Stephen Lendman
Created Jan 15 2007 - 9:57am

Borrowing the line from Gilbert & Sullivan's HMS Pinafore: "Things are
seldom as they seem, Skim milk masquerades as cream." It's as true here in
the US today as it was in 19th century England, and its message explains how
to understand and view our affairs of state and why the title of this essay
was chosen - to reflect on our national federal holidays that, in fact,
represent something much different than the stated reasons we commemorate
them for. Eleven such holidays are reviewed below moving chronologically
through the year post-New Year's Day discussed briefly at the end because
it's part of the Christmas holiday season celebration.

Martin Luther King Day

If Beale Street Could Talk - Part 2

By David Swanson
Created Jan 15 2007 - 9:41am

Impeach Disney and General Electric: Remarks at the National Conference for
Media Reform in Memphis, Tenn., January 13, 2007.

By any serious standard of journalism, impeachment should be in the news
right now. This illustrates the worst problem with our media. It's not how
they cover stories. It's how they do not cover stories.

A Newsweek poll a while back said that 51 percent of Americans want Bush
impeached and 44 percent do not. That's about double the support there was
for impeaching Clinton when it was in the news every single day.

Dozens of cities have passed resolutions for impeachment. State legislatures
have introduced the same. One outgoing congresswoman introduced articles of
impeachment in December. Dozens of scholars have written books advocating
for impeachment. There are DVDs, forums, marches, rallies, protests. A week
ago, we packed a huge ballroom for an impeachment forum, and to make it
easy, it was the ballroom in the National Press Club. The media couldn't
make the elevator trip to be there.

If Beale Street Could Talk - Part 1

By David Swanson
Created Jan 15 2007 - 9:29am

Bush's Escalation Speech: Remarks at the National Conference for Media
Reform in Memphis, Tenn., January 13, 2007.

I'd like to request that nobody shout during this event, and I'll tell you
why. I watched Bush's speech with some people who thought it would be a good
idea to take a sip of liquor every time he told a lie. Three days later my
head is aching.

But it aches mostly because of the media's coverage of the speech. Idiots
don't offend me as much as smart people following idiots do. The Washington
Post printed Bush's speech for those who missed it, and then printed some
analysis of it. But the analysis was provided by the White House, which
published a glossy brochure that so-called reporters could plagiarize.

Has Anybody Here Seen My Old Friend Martin?

By Gary Vance
Created Jan 15 2007 - 8:47am

In 1968, a pop singer and recovering heroin addict named Dion Dimucci
released a haunting song eulogizing Abraham Lincoln, John and Bobby Kennedy,
and Martin Luther King. This simple song stirs a mournful longing and lament
for these fallen leaders. "Abraham, Martin, and John" has been resonating
through my soul as we celebrate the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.

Girls for Gender Equity: An interview with Mandy Van Deven

By Mickey Z.
Created Jan 15 2007 - 6:33am

I first knew Mandy Van Deven as the editor of Altar Magazine and later as a
co-editor at Clamor. Only recently did I learn of her role as Director of
Community Organizing at Girls for Gender Equity (GGE), a Brooklyn-based
non-profit. "GGE's mission is to improve the physical, psychological, social
and economic development of girls and women," Van Deven told me. "GGE
encourages communities to remove barriers and create opportunities for girls
and women to live self-determined lives through a combination of advocacy,
leadership and self-esteem development, community organizing, education, and
service provision."

In order to educate myself and help spread the word, I asked Mandy a few
questions via e-mail.

Mickey Z.: Tell us a little more about GGE.