Where’s the Outrage?

Remember that President Bush is more engaged than ever. To quote Charlie Brown, “Oh brother.” Keith Olbermann has a rundown and several of the important questions and Bush’s answers or non-answers. (see previous post about WWIII)

From Matthew Yglesias: Our President: “So I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”

Two points. One: This is inane. World War III? Against Iran? Really? Because Iran seems a lot like a medium-sized middle income country with few military capabilities rather than a near peer-competitor of the sort against which you might fight a world war.

Two: Note where Bush has placed the goalposts here. Not preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon. Preventing Iran from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon. I’m not sure what the significance of that switch is, but it seems significant.

 

 Olbermann examines Bush' press conference [7:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Countdown, Iran by ecthompson
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There are times when the White House press corps simply gives me chest pain. When President Bush mentioned that “if Iran would get plans for nuclear technology”, someone should’ve asked the following question — “Mr. President, didn’t we give Iran nuclear blueprints?”

“Didn’t we give technical designs to a TBA 480 Russian reactor? ” “Wasn’t the operation to give ‘phony plans’ to the Iranians code-named, MERLIN?” “Wasn’t the whole operation delineated in James Risen’s book, State of War?”

I hate it when the press corp is stupid. I also hate it when the President thinks that we are stupid. I mean this is readily available knowledge. It is in a book about the CIA. The book sold well. Didn’t they read it or get the Cliff Notes?

To sum up, we, the United States, gave the “altered” plans for a nuclear reactor to the Iranians.  The thought was that if we gave them plans then we would know where they were in development of nuclear technology.  It was a stupid plan but that’s what happened.  This happened in late 2000 or 2001.  I’m not blaming the President for the CIA’s thoughtlessness.  I’m blaming the president for thinking that we are stupid.  Developing plans is not that hard any more.  We did it 60 years ago.  With modern technology it has to be easier.  Getting the materials is the problem.

 

 Bush talks of World War III [2:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Books, Bush Administration, Iraq by ecthompson
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The following is from American Colonies: The Settling Of North America by Alan Taylor.

The specific issue being addressed in the paragraph is the killing and enslavement of the Taino people on Hispaniola and nearby islands by Christopher Columbus.

“Columbus’s slaughter and enslavement of Indians troubled the pious Spanish monarchs, who declared in 1500 that the Indians were “free and not subject to servitude.” But Ferdinand and Isabella failed to close the legal loophole exploited by the Spanish colonizers. It remained legal to enslave Indians taken in any “just war,” which the colonists characterized as any violence they conducted against resisting natives.”

And there you have the self-serving logic of power defined.

Tags: Ethics, Other Political Thoughts by Texas Liberal
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I know that experts will say that there is instability in the Middle East and that there is decreased supply in the face of increased demand. Horse Feathers.  I don’t think that’s why the price of oil is climbing. I think that the oil companies are trying to get in their last minute mega-profits while George Bush is in office. Under a Democratic President and Congress there would be investigations into price gouging. Congress will roll back the tax cuts that the Bush administration gave to the Oil industry.

We are seeing greed. Soon we will be paying for greed also, at the pumps.

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From MSNBC.com:

Oil futures retreated from a record $89 a barrel Wednesday, ending lower after government data showing larger-than-expected gas and oil supplies outweighed worries about tension in northern Iraq.

Trading was volatile throughout the session as oil futures were buffeted by a number of headlines, including news that Turkey’s parliament approved a government plan to attack Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and word of an explosion at a small refinery in Montana.

Reports by the Energy Department, the International Energy Agency and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries over the past week have all supported a view that oil supplies are falling as demand is growing. (more…)

 

 Oil greed [1:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Big Oil, Economy by ecthompson
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The Right Wing has been particularly agitated the last week or so.  They have been very busy slamming a 12 year old boy and his family and a 2 year old girl and her family.  Then Al Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize.  Just the mention of the name, Al Gore, bring the Right to their feet in protest.  Jon Stewart points out who’s unhinged.

 

 TDS - Al Gore wins Nobel [3:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Party Politics, The Daily Show by ecthompson
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This is a problem. Colin Powell was required to personally intervene in order to stop a Turkish invasion back in 2003. We took our eyes off of the ball. Yes, there are many balls but the Kurds pestering the Turks was one of the balls. This was identified as a problem or potential problem early on. Now what?

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From MSNBC.com:

Turkey’s Parliament on Wednesday was expected to approve a possible cross-border military incursion into northern Iraq to chase separatist Kurdish rebels despite international calls for restraint.

Turkish leaders have stressed that an offensive against the rebels of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, would not immediately follow the motion authorizing the incursion.

Iraq has urged Turkey not to send troops across the border to pursue separatist Kurds in mountain hideouts. It dispatched the Sunni vice president to Ankara and called for a diplomatic solution to tensions that have raised fears of a new front in the Iraq war. (more…)

Tags: Iraq by ecthompson
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As usual, The Daily Show is funny.  Stephen Colbert announced that he is thinking about announcing that he may run for President.  Jon Stewart reads the Colbert written announcement.  Take a look.

 

 TDS - Colbert announces something [6:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: The Daily Show by ecthompson
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Senators Patrick Leahy and Arlen Spector join Wolf Blitzer in the Situation Room.  Will they confirm the Bush Administration’s nominee for Attorney General?  What questions will they ask him?  This is a good conversation.  Remember that although Senator Spector talks a tough game he has bent over backwards for the president on a number of occasions.

 

 TSR - Leahy and Spector [6:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Civil Liberty, Civil Rights, Torture by ecthompson
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Senator Larry Craig is now trying the last act of a disparate man. He is trying to be seen with wife in front of the camera. I’m not sure if this helps or hurts his case. There really isn’t any excuse. If you thought that you were framed then hire a lawyer. I panicked is his excuse. Please. What a load of horse feathers. The best part of the interview is that he is trying to blame the media. It is their fault. It isn’t his fault for bumping boots with a police officer. It isn’t his fault for not telling his wife, his staff or his lawyer about it. It wasn’t his fault for pleading guilty. It was the media’s fault for covering the story. I would like a Kilo of whatever he is smoking for next weekend!

Update:  Lauer’s interview style was terrible.   There were no probing (pun intended) questions.  It was a waste of time.

 

 Larry Craig interview [0:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Congress, Senator Larry Craig by ecthompson
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Didn’t we do this a couple of years ago? Gay priests were forced out of the closet by adults who talked about their abuse. Well, a priest who told an television crew that he was gay has been suspended pending further investigation. In my opinion, priests who abuse children need to be turned over to the authorities.

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From CNN.com:

A Vatican official suspended after being caught on hidden camera making advances to a young man said in an interview published Sunday that he is not gay and was only pretending to be gay as part of his work.

In an interview with La Repubblica newspaper, Monsignor Tommaso Stenico said he frequented online gay chat rooms and met with gay men as part of his work as a psychoanalyst.

He said that he pretended to be gay in order to gather information about “those who damage the image of the Church with homosexual activity.” (more…)

 

 Italian priest...gay? [1:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Foreign Affairs, Religion by ecthompson
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