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Thursday, April 16
Tempest in a TeaBagging
Spainish Prosecutor Recommends Against Torture Probe
MADRID - Spanish prosecutors will recommend against opening an investigation into whether six Bush administration officials sanctioned torture against terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, the country's attorney-general said Thursday.
Candido Conde-Pumpido said the case against the high-ranking U.S. officials — including former U.S. Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales — was without merit because the men were not present when the alleged torture took place.
Are you kidding me?
Apparently not.
"If one is dealing with a crime of mistreatment of prisoners of war, the complaint should go against those who physically carried it out," Conde-Pumpido said in a breakfast meeting with journalists. He said a trial of the men would have turned Spain's National Court "into a plaything" to be used for political ends.
If this is true then the only persons eligible to be prosecuted for torture are the CIA assests who - under the direction, orders and bogus legal justifications provided by the the Bush Six.
In this vein there happens to already be a wrongful death lawsuit against the Pentagon on behalf of two detainees who died at Gitmo.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Families of two Saudi detainees who committed suicide in June 2006 while being held at Guantanamo Bay have sued the Pentagon, alleging Jan. 29 that torture and brutal conditions at the offshore prison led the men to their deaths.
The New-York based Center for Constitutional Rights said the parents of Yassar Talal al-Zahrani and Salah Ali Abdullah Ahmed al-Salami are seeking unspecified damages for the “illegal detention, torture, inhumane conditions, and ultimate deaths” of their sons.
The final brief in the civil suit was filed Jan. 29 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
Also some victims of Abu Ghraib are also sueing...
In a ruling that could have widespread implications for government contractors overseas, a federal court has concluded that four former Abu Ghraib detainees, who were tortured and later released without charge, can sue the U.S. military contractor who was involved in conducting prisoner interrogations for the Pentagon in Iraq.
U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1998, denied a motion to dismiss the detainees’ claims by the contractor, CACI International. The Arlington, Virginia-based company is a major contractor to the Defense Department.
The former detainees allege multiple violations of U.S. law, including torture, war crimes and civil conspiracy
Whether our own Justice Dept will invoke a Special Prosecutor to investigation violations of 18 USC 2340 (Torture) and 18 USC 2441 (War Crimes) committed at Gitmo, Bagram, Abu Ghraib and the now closing "Black Sites" still remains unknown, as the last set of Bybee/Yoo Torture memos tiptoe toward release (Jeremy Scahill:They May be Redacted, First) and the internal OLC Inspector Generals report remains pending.
Vyan
Wednesday, April 15
CNN is all over the Tea Baggers!
Part 2 Where she points out the 3 Right-Wing think-tanks have been pushing this entire "Tea Party" idea through Fox News.
Which of course makes the Fox News guys whine and cry...Boo hoo!
Tuesday, April 14
Homeland Security Report: Right-Wing Terrorist Threat Growing
[R]ightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about several emergent issues. The economic downturn and the election of the first African American president present unique drivers for rightwing radicalization and recruitment.
Now it should be noted that this political shift in focus by Homeland Security could simply be the result of the change in administration. Let's recall that during the Bush Administation Peace Activists were targeted, surveilled and flagged as potential terrorists.
Three peace activists were detained at gunpoint in St. Paul yesterday by police who told them their car was on a federal "stop-and-search list." All three are prominent activists who've recently spoken out against Bush, McCain or the war in Iraq. They were held for 30 minutes then released without charge.
Similar targeting of anti-Bush peace groups took place in Maryland, where 53 Non-Violent Activists were added to the terrorist watch list, and in Milwaukee were 37 members of the Peace Action Milwaukee Group - including a priest and nun - were turned away at the gates because there names were included on the "No Fly List".
The path for this was laid out in 2001 an Energy Dept Report : “Left-Wing Extremism: The Current Threat.”
In 2005 DHS issues another similar report that listed various left-wing groups as "dangerous" - yet miraculously failed to include ANY anti-government, supramacist or radical right-wings groups.
So while peace activists and non-violent protesters have been harrased under Bush without reasonable cause or justification - Right-Wing Rhetoric has grown more and more vitriolic, paranoid and dangerous as shown by these highlights from the new report.
Anti-immgration: “Rightwing extremist groups’ frustration over a perceived lack of government action on illegal immigration has the potential to incite individuals or small groups toward violence. If such violence were to occur, it likely would be isolated, small-scale, and directed at specific immigration-related targets.”
Recruiting returning vets: “Rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat.”
Gun-related violence: “Heightened interest in legislation for tighter firearms … may be invigorating rightwing extremist activity, specifically the white supremacist and militia movements.”
Let's also recall that we don't actually need a "REPORT" to see the danger of the Radical Right-Wing. This is not theoretically - it's already begun to build a bodycount starting with the Anthrax Letters which were mailed to Congress, the FAKE Anthrax attack on progressive TV hosts such as Keith Olbermann and Jon Stewart, the shooter in Knoxville Tennesee - James Adkisson.
"Know this if nothing else: This was a hate crime. I hate the damn left-wing liberals. There is a vast left-wing conspiracy in this country & these liberals are working together to attack every decent & honorable institution in the nation, trying to turn this country into a communist state. Shame on them....
Not to mention the attempted Dirty-Bomber from Maine, and Richard Poplawski the Pittsburgh Cop-Killer who was in terror of an Obama Gun "Round Up".
Ignoring fact and reality, wingnuts who seem determined to play the self-described "Victim" card like Michelle Malkin are already calling this new report a political HIT JOB on Conservatives via Obama's DHS.
Malkin: By contrast, the piece of crap report issued on April 7 is a sweeping indictment of conservatives. And the intent is clear. As the two spokespeople I talked with on the phone today made clear: They both pinpointed the recent "economic downturn" and the "general state of the economy" for stoking "rightwing extremism." One of the spokespeople said he was told that the report has been in the works for a year. My b.s. detector went off the chart, and yours will, too, if you read through the entire report — which asserts with no evidence that an unquantified "resurgence in rightwing extremist recruitment and radicalizations activity" is due to home foreclosures, job losses, and...the historical presidential election.
No evidence? "Oklahoma City" Much? How about the Olympic Park Bombing? And the recent hightening reports of threats coming to the FBI? Typical.
This is what the reports says.
DHS/I&A assesses that lone wolves and small terrorist cells embracing violent rightwing extremist ideology are the most dangerous domestic terrorism threat in the United States. Information from law enforcement and nongovernmental organizations indicates lone wolves and small terrorist cells have shown intent—and, in some cases, the capability—to commit violent acts.
— (U//LES) DHS/I&A has concluded that white supremacist lone wolves pose the most significant domestic terrorist threat because of their low profile and autonomy—separate from any formalized group—which hampers warning efforts.
— (U//FOUO) Similarly, recent state and municipal law enforcement reporting has warned of the dangers of rightwing extremists embracing the tactics of "leaderless resistance" and of lone wolves carrying out acts of violence.
— (U//FOUO) Arrests in the past several years of radical militia members in Alabama, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania on firearms, explosives, and other related violations indicates the emergence of small, well-armed extremist groups in some rural areas.
Hey Michelle - how many people has The Sierra Club and Earth First killed? I mean really?
Just imagine how loud these guys will squawk, whine and cry if say - Glenn Beck winds up on the "No Fly List" (Like Al Gore, Nelson Mandela and Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam were), was being "Profiled", stopped and repeatedly SEARCHED simply because of his advocating the overthrow of the U.S. Government and organizing a set of nationwide protests of RABID TAX OUTRAGE against the duly elected President of the United States??To this criticism DHS officials have responded by pointing out that an report "Left-wing" extremists was released in January.
See that, EQUAL TIME Paranoia. What a change of pace.
Vyan
Monday, April 13
Right-Wing Bets on Pirates against Obama - And Loses!
Here's a great collection of right-wing whiners and complainers jawing about haw Obama is "weak and ineffectual" in responding to the Somali Pirate situation. At no point to they "Support The President in this time of Crisis" - all they do is kvetch about how he hasn't done this, or he hasn't done that.
I even got into a minor tweet/flame war with Michelle Malkin over this when she said.
@michellemalkin The U.S. government policy is to not negotiate." - Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney. Has Obama uttered these words yet? #tcot #pirates
about 21 hours ago from TweetDeck
This she said - almost at the exact MOMENT that the rescue was taking place. My response?
Vyan1 Obama OKd Seals to defeat Pirates rescue Captain @michellemalkin whines that they "Violated gov policy" by negotiating. Yeah, AND WINNING!
about 20 hours ago from web
Then I got his Direct Message from Michelle.
michellemalkin "You completely misunderstood and mischaracterized what I said."
about 12 hours ago from web
She also stopped follow me so I could respond to her directly. So I'm responded openly.
Vyan1 God, so sorry Michele my bad what part of Obama the "anti-christ-muslim-fascist-tyrant-surrender-monkey" did I get wrong? must flog self now
about 12 hours ago from web
And in fairness, maybe I did "misunderstand her". But I think she misunderstood me too. The point of my response was that it was through negotiating with the Pirates, offering them food, water and a TOWING LINE that the Navy was able to keep them under control, dependant and within Sniper Range of their ship.
If they hadn't done, exactly what the did - keep their mouths SHUT so as to avoid telegraphing their next move - negotiated the pirates into a vulnerable position then take full advantage of that when the oppurtunity arised, this entire story might have turned out differently.
It might have turned out the way that BUSH might have handled it - which would have been to Grandstand, Swagger, Bluster, talk a ton of SHIT then completley FUCK IT UP!.
Instead, Obama quietly got the job done and still had time for the Easter Egg Roll.
Man, that's gotta sting for them.
Vyan
Teabaggers Call for Ye Ole Fashioned Book Burnin'!
In this video of a Glenn Beck 9-12 Tea Party, one participant in response to a speaker describing the "Brainwashing" that goes on in our colleges loudly suggests that we Burn The Books!
A few seconds later she's asked whether she was serious and she says - "Yes! We should burn all those 'Brainwashing Books' - with all that Evolution Crap!"
Holy Sheep Shit!
And just to go one step deeper into the crazy, before this occurs the guy is loudly talking about the "Constitution Party" and suggests people "Google It".
Well I did. And this is what I found.
The Constitution Party gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of these United States. We hereby appeal to Him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and the protection of His Providence as we work to restore and preserve these United States.
This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been and are afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.
The goal of the Constitution Party is to restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit the federal government to its Constitutional boundaries.
These people are Full-on Theocrats! They want us to go back to Burning Books. Denying fact and science simply because it differs from religious doctrine. What's next - gonna go out Burn a Witch at the Stake if she ways more than a duck? I mean seriously - WHAT. THE. FUCK!!
Rather than embrace knowledge, rather than embrace truth - and openly debate and argue for the greater truth - (which includes the fact that Creationism and Evolution are NOT Mutually exclusive) these people would rather remove knowledge Farenheit 451 Style. This shouldn't be happening in the 21st Century. It really shouldn't.
Update: But in all fairness there is the "possibiliy" that this woman could have simply been - A SPY FROM ACORN!!!
Stranger things have happened...
Ok, well - no they haven't in reality, but in the mind of a Wingnut - all things are possible at the same time. People can be pro-Obama and Pro-Tea Party Tax Revolt (right after Obama CUT TAXES WITH THE STIMULUS BILL) simultaneously. Amazing.
Vyan
Sunday, April 12
Open Letter to Terrible Ted: Lessons in EPIC FAIL
Ted Nugent: Praying for Obama to fail
Observe how the Obama media machine and soulless liberal media jumped on Rush Limbaugh’s comments that he “wanted Obama to fail.”
Anyone with a half a brain knows Rush wants only this: for America to succeed and for anti-American policies to fail.
To leave no doubt where I, your humble Motor City guitarslinger, stands, let me report without ambiguity, that I get down on bended knee daily and pray to God that he does what he can to ensure President Obama fails.
Being a fellow Rock Musician, and yes a fan (of some of his music) I've felt for the last few days that a open-letter to Theodore was needed in response, one which shows the appropriate tone and respect. To wit.
Dear Ted, you ignorant pedaphiliac slut.
When you say that the current duly-elected President of the United states is "Anti-American" - exactly what the fuck does that mean? What is he Canadian? French?
Trust me, I have more than half a brain, and when Rush Limbaugh said he wanted "Obama to Fail" he seems to be under to sad delusion that their is any possible way that Obama might fail, and the rest of the country won't go down too. We are facing challenges to the economy, challenges overseas diplomatically and strategically that are enormous. Let me tell you something Theodore - FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!
Ok, to be fair - I'm gonna let you answer my question above for yourself, being slightly more than half-brained as I am.
Like Rush, I wouldn’t want Obama to fail if his agenda weren’t built on feeding the gluttonous, unaccountable Fedzilla beast, so clearly the enemy of the free market, of real jobs and proven economic growth.
Since that is Obama’s agenda, however, those of us who believe in a limited federal government and the wondrous wealth-and-job-creating free market should hope, pray and work to ensure Obama’s anti-free market policies fall flat on their face.
So let me get this shit straight, "Obama is feeding the FEDZILLA!"? Ok, he's doing this how? By putting money in the hands of the States with the Stimulus bill? If the FEDZILA was growing under Obama, how exactly are Palin, Jindal and other governors able to even make any arguement that they don't WANT the money? (Even though all of them are taking the money!) Obama wants to put funds in the hands of the people, not into a huge federal byzantine bureacracy that will dictate and control everything. That kind of thing was someone elses gig...
Wasn't it President Bush who instituted the largest growth in Federal Power and Employees of the past 40 years with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security? Why, yes it was. Wasn't it Al Gore, during the Clinton administration who reduced the size of all departments of the Federal Government by a an average of 10% in order to produce the first federal surplus in the last half century? Didn't Bush BLOW THROUGH THAT Surplus like a drunken sailor?
Yep, he did.
The guy who implemented a limited government was Clinton, Bush's government simply didn't work - period. The result wasn't a "wondrous wealth-and-job-creating free market" - it was a complete and total meltdown. How's Your 401-K doing Ted? Most people saw their incomes rise under Clinton, then saw them fall under Bush by an average of $2000. We had enforcement of the laws in order to keep criminal corporations for running rampant under Clinton - under Bush we had poison in our food, poison in our rivers, streams and fish, and a bunch of greedy drunken fucking pirates running our corporations like Enron, Global Crossing, Adelphia, Bear-Sterns, Lehman Brothers and AIG deep into the ground.
But then you aren't comparing Obama to Clinton are you - you have another hated Democrat in mind.
A wise man once stated that those who fail to remember the lessons of the past are destined to repeat them. If we can compare President Obama’s economic carnage agenda to anyone in the recent past, it unquestionably would be Jimmy Carter.
Carter’s deranged economic policies in the late 1970s ruined the economy and put America in the worst fiscal shape since the Great Depression.
Remember gas rationing, double-digit interest rates, stagflation?
Ok, let's get serious. Exactly WHAT policies did Carter implement that caused that? What did he do the CREATE inflation? Maybe it wasn't him, maybe it was something else?
How about Vietnam?
You remember the Vietnam War don't you Ted? That was the War that you avoided by spending weeks CRAPPING IN YOUR PANTS (or so you claimed), so you could duck out of the draft. I guess,it's tough for people who don't have few lucky anal cysts handy.
A lot of Carter's problems had to do with the post-Vietnam downturn that usually follows in the wake of a massive ramp-down in defense spending after a war. (The same thing happened in the early 90's as the cold-war ended, and would've happened after WWII if not for the massive domestic investments implemented by Truman and Eisenhower) Don't think so? Ok, look at this chart.
See that first spike of inflation in 1970, and the second in 1973? Who was President then? If you said "Carter" - you Fail!
Think seriously Theodore, the tendency for inflation was already in place. The match was already lit, what happened to Carter was the addition of a few thousand barrell's of gasoline - or rather - Oil. How much of the gas rationing of the 70's had to do with the OPEC Oil embargo of 1973-1974? I think just about all of it. The rise in inflation in the late 70's (under Carter) was clearly related to other factors including the Iran Hostage Crisis, which no one could have anticipated. Even the students who stormed our Embassy didn't know what the hell they were doing at the time, or what would happen as a result. Carter, I think to his credit, avoided letting that situation lead us into a war - but he did so at the cost of his Presidency.
The point here is many of these situations were created by the actions of Nixon, Ford, and U.S. policy going back for decades. Carter inherited all of that inflation mess from those who came before him. In fairness, I would agree that Carter didn't handle things well, but it's not because he implemented policies that created or exacerbated the situation - certainly not by raising taxes which he DIDN'T DO - it because of the opposite. The simple fact is, Carter didn't do enough. He sat on his hands, he was slow in responding - that's what he deserves to be criticized for, not "creating" that situation.
But what-oh-what Teddy, since you were so thoughtful as to dredge all this ancient history up - is it that Obama should do instead of the stagnating "policies" of Carter?
Fast-forward just a few months after American voters fired Carter for his gross incompetence on all levels. America was on the road to a 25-year economic expansion, possibly the longest in our nation’s history.
Recognizing that unfair, punitive high taxes were the road to economic destruction, Ronald Reagan cut taxes and the economy lifted off. Interest rates fell. Inflation was curtailed. Americans went back to work in droves.
It seems to me that taxes were pretty high in the 50s, and in the 60's and the economy was doing just fine. As a matter of fact they were - see the bottom chart number 2, which shows that the top marginal tax rate during that time actually peaked at 92% during the 50's. Somehow, life (and American prosperity) went on...
Yes, Reagan cut taxes for the wealthiest from about 80% all the way down to the low 30's (as the bottom part of the chart shows), but that not really what made the economy take off. He also dramatically increased spending - particularly defense spending.
During the 80's I worked for a defense contractor, and I can tell you from first hand experience - it was a major economy booster, at least until 91' when the cold war ended. People had jobs, with paychecks and they spent their money. On food, on cars, on homes, on travel and vacations. They spent quite a bit, and that defense spending put money in the pockets of lots of people who had nothing to do with the industry.
But it was nowhere near the utopia you paint.
One year after implementing what was then the largest tax cut in history, Reagan immediately implemented the largest tax INCREASE in history (at that time) after his first cut exploded the deficit (Y'know - the FEDZILLA beast you're so a-scared of...? That's Reagan's Beast, not Obama's.)
Oh and don't even play that "It was the Democratic Congress" that wouldn't cut spending game - every budget that Congress approved during Reagan's Presidency SPENT LESS than what he asked for.
The end result of Reaganomics was a massive shift of the tax burden away from those who for decades had easily been able to shoulder the burden onto the backs of those who couldn't. Inflation went down, but then unemployment went up. Some people got rich, other people - particularly Veterans, which obviously doesn't include YOU Teddy - went homeless and untreated for PTSD and other disorders. Reagan talked a great game, really he did, but he ignored those who needed help the most. He demonized them, and hobbled the government from being able to do it's job. He ignored the Vets, he ignored the sick - particularly those suffering from AIDS and drug addition until both became epidemics raging out of control. Nice job Ronnie.
When we were attacked in Beirut - he CUT AND RAN LIKE A SCARED RABBIT!!!!
He not only "Pal'd around with terrorists" he gave them weapons!! And when he got caught, he LIED about it. Whatta Role Model he was.
You wanna talk about the "Free Market"? Hey, don't you remember "JUNK BONDS"? Corporate Raiders whose entire reason to exist was to buy a company only to dismantle it and ship the jobs overseas? Remember Black Friday and the Savings and Loan Crash? Remember Gordon Gekko?
"Greed is Good!" Right Ted? "So what if a few million Americans get trampled in the process, they shouldn't have been laying on the road in the way. Lazy FUCKS!!! They probably need and F-150 up their ass to give 'em some motivation!"
All of that shit either occurred directly on Reagan's watch or as a direct result of his ROB THE POOR AND GIVE TO THE RICH policies, which were repeated and eventually led us to GRAND EPIC FAILURE of the Bush Administration.
And so, that's what you think we need to go back to?
I don't think so.
Remember your history and pray for President Obama to fail. I fear for America if we allow him to succeed.
America will succeed, but it's going to do with Despite You and your feeble self-defeating Prayers Teddy. We can't go back down the road we've been own after decades of Republican leadership. Only under President Clinton have we truly seen some of these massive fuck-ups straightened out, and even he didn't go far enough in ensuring that *everyone* has a decent and fair chance at properity, not just the connected, the lucky and the already rich.
You can pray for what you want - but I'm praying for YOU and Rush and Glenn and all your wingnut syncophats to massively fail - yet again - as your buddy Bush was too clueless and arrogant to pay attention to Bin Laden and failed to stop 9/11, failed to find ANY weapons in Iraq, failed to secure that country after they wrongfully invading it, failed to respond to the Insurgency, failed to understand that a person who trusts you will tell you truth while someone who fears you will tell you anything they think you want to hear, failed to keep the Congress safe from an Anthrax attack, failed after Katrina to rescue the desperate, failed to find, capture or kill Bin Laden, failed to provide us with vaccines to minimize preventable diseased, failed to realize Terry Schiavo was blind and brain-dead, failed to keep the American people safe from anti-freeze in our toothpaste, failed to protect us from poison in our medicine and a insane predatory lending/credit default-swap system of monitized mortgages that nearly brought the entire world economy crashing down around your ears!
Why the FUCK should we listen to you people now!!?
Republicans have done nothing but FAIL for years now. None of us have been praying for it - only praying for it TO BE OVER! Now it finally is. Show some class and eat your failure pie quietly in the corner like a good doddering old irrelevant Rocker. And take Up-Chuck Norris with ya.
If Obama had failed today - the Somali Pirates who had been holding a U.S. Captain hostage for the last several days would have succeeded. But they didn't, Obama succeeded while you were Praying. Against. Him! Good job, but you failed again.
Bottom line: You guys should already know a lot about MASSIVE TOTAL ABJECT FAILURE - it's all you're good at. Obama isn't Carter, and he's isn't Clinton either - he's his own person and the sooner you Wingnut Friedmanomic Luddites recognize that the better off we'll all be.
You're Real Rock friend, sincerely.
Vyan
P.S. If you haven't had enough from this whupping, I'll be happy to Whup your ass on Lead Guitar too, particularly since you haven't learned a new lick in 35 years. Hell, Tommy Shaw from you last credible band Damn Yankees could play circles around you Ted, what were you even there for - Comedy Relief? Haw!
Some may wonder why I bother spending so much time on a irrelevant dim-bulb like Nugent? It's because he's making noise about running for Governor of Michigan in 2010 - that's why! Yes, REALLY! One thing this nation doesn't need is another Palinite Blowhard NitWit Governor, Bow-hunting Deer from a Helicopter...while destroying our collective common sense.
Enough is enough.
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