Maybe 10,000 Civilian Deaths In Iraq --- The "war" in Iraq may have killed 10,000 innocent bystanders. A report in the Guardian, here, lists that the figure is currently around 5,000 but may rise as high as 10,000. How many deaths have to happen before it becomes important to the outside world? We found now WMDs, we have not installed law and order, and the country is not on its way to becoming a western-styled democracy. 10,000 killed, not to mention all the US and British soldiers who continue dying in this fight for cheaper oil. At what price?
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Sex Pistols --- More filthy lucre in store! Oddly, long after we'd all gotten over the novelty of seeing these gnarled geezers perform in 1996, the Sex Pistols are going to play a few more shows. According to the NME, "...The band's original line-up - Lydon (vocals), Steve Jones (guitar), Paul Cook (drums) and Glen Matlock (bass) - play Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York on August 21 and Toronto Molson Ampitheater on August 25." I guess rent is due...
So Much For The Truth --- Despite a growing mountain of evidence that the Republicans pressured CIA and Defense Department analysts to fabricate the "threat" Saddam Hussein posed to the world, an impartial investigation into the disinformation and lies emanating from Cheney, Rumsfeld & Company will not see the light of day. To quote the BBC News, "...they felt any such inquiry could harm the intelligence agencies." Read more, here. Why is it always important to go outside the US for news on the US? Because foreign news agencies have less vested interests in towing the line and swallowing the crap force-fed them from the White House.
To read what the rest of the world is thinking, take a look at Robert Scheer's latest column, here. In essence, instead of finding WMDs, we are finding evidence that Rumsfeld intentionally lied to our allies and to Americans in order to prosecute this war on Iraq. From Scheer, talking about a Defense document reporting no such threats existed: "...a leaked report from the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency — secret since its completion last September — that indicated the depth of our government's confusion as to the nature of the Iraq WMD threat.
The report stated that "there is no reliable information on whether Iraq is producing and stockpiling chemical weapons, or whether Iraq has — or will — establish its chemical warfare agent production facilities," according to U.S. officials interviewed by The Times. Yet that very month, Rumsfeld told Congress that Hussein's "regime has amassed large, clandestine stockpiles of chemical weapons — including VX, sarin, cyclosarin and mustard gas."
Did Rumsfeld know of the DIA report? If so, did he keep that information from the president? Or did he and Bush knowingly deceive the American people? And isn't that an impeachable offense?"
Goddamn right it is an impeachable offense!
To read what the rest of the world is thinking, take a look at Robert Scheer's latest column, here. In essence, instead of finding WMDs, we are finding evidence that Rumsfeld intentionally lied to our allies and to Americans in order to prosecute this war on Iraq. From Scheer, talking about a Defense document reporting no such threats existed: "...a leaked report from the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency — secret since its completion last September — that indicated the depth of our government's confusion as to the nature of the Iraq WMD threat.
The report stated that "there is no reliable information on whether Iraq is producing and stockpiling chemical weapons, or whether Iraq has — or will — establish its chemical warfare agent production facilities," according to U.S. officials interviewed by The Times. Yet that very month, Rumsfeld told Congress that Hussein's "regime has amassed large, clandestine stockpiles of chemical weapons — including VX, sarin, cyclosarin and mustard gas."
Did Rumsfeld know of the DIA report? If so, did he keep that information from the president? Or did he and Bush knowingly deceive the American people? And isn't that an impeachable offense?"
Goddamn right it is an impeachable offense!