The Freedom plank

Atrios and Yglesias make an argument for the Democratic Party to position itself on the side of personal freedom. Those who read this blog know I believe that this is a fertile field for us in this political environment.

Individual freedom is as All-American as apple pie and Let The Eagle Soar. The corporate police state theocracy is hostile to that All-American "value" and it is going to begin to encroach on people in ways that they will feel in their personal lives. There are at least three million votes there. Possibly many millions more. Plenty of Americans don't like being told how to live their lives by a bunch of priests, politicians or bureaucrats. And it ain't all about taxes.

Stole the whole thing from Digby 'cause it was short and I agree with this plan.

Hey, that worked

[. . .]

"In Afghanistan, drugs are now a clear and present danger," said Antonio Maria Costa, director of the U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime, on the release of the 2004 Afghanistan opium survey. "The fear that Afghanistan might degenerate into a narco-state is becoming a reality."

[. . .]

"What we have here now is a narco-economy where 40 to 50 percent of the GDP is from illicit drugs," said the Kabul-based official. "The heroin traffickers are naturally interested in supporting terrorism and doing what they can to destabilize the central government because the last thing they want is the establishment of the rule of law. In those terms, it is a matter of national security to the U.S. and Europe." [my emphasis]

[. . .]

Story.

Good thing the Taliban are gone, 'cause they got in the way of free trade. See what happens when people are free.

You know, if we would have dedicated half the resources to Afghanistan we did to Iraq, we could probably call the operation there a success story. Instead, Bush cheaped out, saving everything but a token force for Iraq, and now the drug lords are more powerful than Karzai. He'll probably be dead a year from now anyway and some other cutthroat in his place. The ineptitude of the Bush administration knows no limits.

What the Marine Did

Owen West and Phillip Carter write the best piece yet, in my not-so-humble opinion, about the events, mindset, and perception surrounding the shooting incident at the mosque in Fallujah. By the way, the Marines refer to it as 'the Loo', from the Brit term for the shitter. I think that's a very apt term for that shithole. The article is a little long, but well worth reading.

The twin essences of war are chaos and killing, so the very idea of placing inflexible constraints on the act of killing is at odds with the fundamental nature of warfare. Managing this cognitive dissonance while trying to stay alive takes tremendous skill. Professional militaries, like the U.S. Marine Corps, do this well because of their discipline and training. But the very existential nature of combat tilts the moral plane under these young riflemen's boots. In a place where you are fighting for your very survival, like the streets of Fallujah, any action that keeps you alive is a good one. And any misstep could get you or your buddies killed.

Further, the Marines were fighting in an enemy city with little uncontested territory. There were no "friendly lines" behind which they could rest. The Marine in question had been wounded already. He was no doubt exhausted by five days of continuous fighting by the time he risked his life and burst into the mosque on Saturday. A well-rested man would have faced a dilemma inside, filled with shades of gray. A sleep-deprived man weary from days of combat saw only a binary choice: shoot or don't shoot, life or death.

He devotes some space to the killing by Iraqi criminals of Margaret Hassan.

There is another key difference that reveals a great moral divide between the Marines and insurgents they fought this week in Fallujah. The insurgents choose the killing of innocents as their modus operandi and glorify these killings with videos distributed via the Internet and Al Jazeera. They recognize no civilized norms of conduct, let alone the rules of warfare. The Marines, on the other hand, distinguish themselves by killing innocents so rarely and only by exception or mistake. Collateral damage is part of warfare, and civilians will die no matter how many control measures are in place. Yet the U.S. military devotes a staggering amount of resources to ensuring that civilian deaths do not happen, from sophisticated command systems that control precision bombs to staffs of lawyers at every level of command to vet targeting decisions. And when such breaches do occur, as they apparently did on Saturday, U.S. military commanders act swiftly to punish the offender, lest one incident of indiscipline blossom into many. (Indeed, one Army captain currently faces charges for killing a wounded Iraqi after a firefight and pursuit through the streets of Baghdad.)

War may be hell, but no honorable warrior likes to spread the hell unnecessarily. Killing Hassan, regardless of any attenuated argument the insurgent apologists may make, was both unlawful and amoral—and beneath what any warrior would do. Killing the insurgent in a split second because it was instinctual, on the other hand, was a tragedy, not an atrocity. (my emphasis)

I saw the video, of course. If it had been me, that room would have been littered with my empty rifle magazines because I would want to make it home alive and screw the guys who had been shooting at me earlier.

You can also read more of Mr. West's and his dad's (Gen. Bing West) dispatches from Iraq at WestWrite.

Bush's Posse, Yo

In his Op-Ed piece in today's NYTimes, Bob Herbert, sounding off about the incompetence of Condi Rice, likens the Bush administration to a street gang.

Competence has never been highly regarded by the fantasists of the George W. Bush administration. In the Bush circle, no less than in your average youth gang, loyalty is everything. The big difference, of course, is that the administration is far more dangerous than any gang. History will show that the Bush crowd of incompetents brought tremendous amounts of suffering to enormous numbers of people. The amount of blood being shed is sickening, and there is no end to the grief in sight.

As I watch the disastrous consequences of the Bush policies unfold - not just in Iraq, but here at home as well - I am struck by the immaturity of this administration, whatever the ages of the officials involved. It's as if the children have taken over and sent the adults packing. The counsel of wiser heads, like George H. W. Bush, or Brent Scowcroft, or Colin Powell, is not needed and not wanted.

Some of the world's most important decisions - often, decisions of life and death - have been left to those who are less competent and less experienced, to men and women who are deficient in such qualities as risk perception and comprehension of future consequences, who are reckless and dangerously susceptible to magical thinking and the ideological pressure of their peers.

I like the gang analogy. Let's wear red or blue bandannas like the Crips and the Bloods. Open season on the opposite side.

Deja Vu

Does anyone else remember the Republicans raising hell when Clinton let Democratic donors stay in the Lincoln Bedroom? Wasn't there screaming about "the White House isn't up for sale"?

Well, now it seems that the whole government is up for sale. Once again, it's okay if you're a Republican.

Blowback

Josh Marshall:

Red state editorials give the thumbs-down to the DeLay Rule: Springfield News-Leader, Roanoke Times, Charleston Gazette, Indianapolis Star.

This should warm the cockles of Gordon's heart.

That is all, I'm off to work.

You're kidding, right?

WaPo via Kos:

[. . .]

The Transportation Security Administration this week invited airports to apply to leave the federal security screener system and return to private screeners. The government took over airport screening after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and is planning a transition for approved airports by spring or summer 2005.

[. . .]

Am I the only one who thinks this is highly FUCKED UP?

[. . .]

TSA said security companies must provide comparable pay and benefits to their workers and must give priority in hiring to current TSA screeners. But that isn't reassuring to many TSA screeners, said Ron Moore, a screener at BWI and president of Local 1, the American Federation of Government Employees union.

"We feel protected as federal screeners because we don't feel we can be pressured by airlines or airports," Moore said. "The passengers seem to respond better to us because we're federal. It would be a shame to start to break that." [my emphasis]

Does (p)resident Inept Loser want another 9/11 incident? What the fuck are these people thinking? Let's just go back to the system that enabled the 9/11 hijackers in the first place. BWI and Dulles are supposed to be first. Write, call, and email your elected representatives. Go see Kos for all sorts of links.

Info

The Clinton Library.

Law And Limits

Since I'm on the subject of 'Bugs' DeLay, here's some Molly Ivins on that roach, and the increased spending limit:

DeLay is one of the leading forces in making "Republican ethics" into an oxymoron.

DeLay has already been admonished by the House ethics committee three times on separate violations of ethics rules. Please note, that is the Republican-dominated ethics committee. The hilarious rationale offered by the R's for the new rule to exempt DeLay is that no one can accuse them of taking the moral low road here because, "That line of reasoning accepts that exercise of the prosecutor in Texas is legitimate."

These people consider themselves so far above the law that they feel the only motive must be political. That's what they say, anyway. They know DeLay's a crook, but he's their crook, and he shares the political loot, so they're more than willing to overlook and ridicule the legal process that, if a Dem Congressman did the same thing, they'd be using to demand his head in the name of "law and order". In a New York minute.

In furtherance of moral values, Congress now has to raise the debt limit by another $800 billion. We actually reached the debt ceiling in early October, but obviously the R's didn't want that vote coming up before the election. Then after they finish spending a staggering amount of money, the R's will return to make Bush's tax cuts permanent.

I realize the "liberal elites" are not allowed to even quote the word "dumb" lest we be accused of "cultural condescension" toward our salt-of-the-earth red-state compatriots. Since I'm a populist happily living in the midst of a quite red state (some of my best friends are named Bubba), I never pay any attention to such horsepoop. But I do resent it when the people running the country think we're so dumb they can rip us off and then tell us to pray.

It's not that they think we're dumb. It's just that they know there's nothing we can do about their crimes. They can piss on our legs and tell us they're pissing on our legs and smile, the arrogant criminal bastards. They lie, cheat, and steal, and they'll all be enjoying an exceedingly comfortable retirement on our money when the bill comes due.

Work Release

From Josh Marshall:

Rep John Dingell (D-MI) on Majority Leader Tom DeLay (TX-R): "These folks talk about values and decency, but then think it’s okay to change the rules once it appears one of their own may have broken them. This amounts to a work release program for the ethically challenged. We should all remember that a decade ago, Mr. DeLay helped to create this rule. Republicans said at the time they were the party of reform and good government. Now they’ve become the party of moribund hubris." (my emphasis)

These fuckers are going to go down like an express elevator. It's just a matter of time. Patience is a virtue. Patience, Hell, I wanna kill sumthin'!

The Big Dog

You gotta catch his speech at the opening of his library. He got some good jabs in on (p)resident Nutless.

Note 1: Chelsea don't look half bad.

Note 2: Chris Matthews is an asshole.

FUBAR

Regular reader Travis turned me on to this:

[. . .]

In the midst of two and a half wars, at a time when the Army is struggling to transform itself and must use extraordinary methods to find enough soldiers to fill the rotations to Iraq, Rumsfeld selected a man who's never served in the military or in government to be the Army's CEO.

[. . .]

Although the service secretaries are political appointees, they traditionally have been chosen from the ranks of those who've served the country in uniform, preferably in the uniforms of the services they've been picked to run.

[. . .]

Anybody who thought Rummy was on his way out has another thing coming.

Guniea Pigs

And no, I don't mean sloppy Italians. Via Skippy:

11/16/2004: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Bush appointees, is seeking input on a new proposed study in which infants in participating low income families will be monitored for health impacts as they undergo exposure to known toxic chemicals over the course of two years. The study entitled Children’s Environmental Exposure Research Study (CHEERS) will look at how chemicals can be ingested, inhaled or absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3 years old.

For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970, a free video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of appreciation.

In October, the EPA received $2.1 million to do the study from the American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry front group that includes members such as Dow, Exxon, and Monsanto (see full list of members on sidebar of this page). Critics of the research, including some EPA scientists, claim the study's funders guarantee the results will be biased in favor of the chemical industry, at the expense of the health of the impoverished children serving as test subjects.

[. . .]

Story.

When I was in Europe last year, the Mrs. and I visited the Natzweiler-Struthof Concentration Camp, the place where most of the medical atrocities were committed. The camp is still mostly there too. Maybe the Bush administration can ask the French to rent it out. Motherfuckers.

A plan

Bulletin from Sgt. Fixer of the Reality-based Intelligence and Covert Action Command. From Xan at Corrente:

[. . .]

I've heard people suggest that we join the NRA en masse, in part to establish credentials for the future and some implication of "taking over from the inside" in the matter of rational gun control . . .

[. . .]

Every fucking Liberal/Democrat/Person who gives a shit about America should apply for membership in every conservative organization and then vote in our own officers. Could you see the NRA clamoring for responsible gun ownership instead of 'from my cold, dead hands'? It's time for infiltration, boys and girls. Become a member and then vote with a Left-wing tilt. Wither the tree from the inside out.

Our Strength Is As The Strength Of Ten, For Our Hearts Are Pure....

Barbara Ehrenreich in AlterNet has something along the same line as Fixer's previous post, or scroll down one, you lazy so-and-so.

Of all the loathsome spectacles we've endured since Nov. 2 – the vampire-like gloating of CNN commentator Robert Novak, Bush embracing his "mandate" – none are more repulsive than that of Democrats conceding the "moral values" edge to the party that brought us Abu Ghraib. The cries for Democrats to overcome their "out-of-touch-ness" and embrace the predominant faith all dodge the full horror of the situation: A criminal has been enabled to continue his bloody work with the help, in no small part, of self-identified Christians.

Here beith the lesson for today, brethren, between the quoteth.

One last lesson from the Christians – the ancient, original ones, that is. Theirs is the story of how a steadfast and heroic moral minority undermined the world's greatest empire and eventually came to power. Faced with relentless and spectacular forms of repression, they kept on meeting over their potluck dinners (the origins of later communion rituals), proselytizing and bearing witness wherever they could. For the next four years and well beyond, liberals and progressives will need to emulate these original Christians, who stood against imperial Rome with their bodies, their hearts and their souls.

Yea verily, for when they pitch in the lions, forsooth, it will be too lateth.

The deacons will now pass among thee....

Tolerance

Okay, so maybe I take back a couple of the bad things I said about Jesusland.

[. . .]

They raised their signs. Fags Are Worthy of Death. Fags Doom Nation. Fag Church. Your Pastor Is Lying. Others involved obscene drawings and references to excrement. One of the protesters dragged an American flag on the ground.

[. . .]

Worshipers drove through the bottleneck, refusing to engage. Michael Shackelford rumbled past in his truck without notice. Janice arrived minutes later in her Oldsmobile, nervously gripping the steering wheel, eyes straight ahead.

[. . .]

A burly man with a crew cut gave Michael a thumbs-up. "Man, you be who you are," Shannon Watie said, holding his Bible. "We got your back."

Watie later said that he respected Michael for having the courage to come out. "I have the sin of pride, the sin of lying sometimes," said the 37-year-old father of two. "The reason why Jesus was on the cross was because we all do."

[. . .]

WaPo via Pandagon.

This took place in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Where people of faith and tolerance stood up for what they knew was right and decent and good. Call me an idealist, but this is what America is all about.

And No Sambo Jokes, Either...

My ol' buddy Wolcott again, this time sounding off on Powell and Rice. Scroll down a little ways to "Rice And Beans". And I don't wanna hear any "taco" or "whole enchilada" jokes, got it?

But her incompetence precedes her, as does her presumptuous statement that for their failure to support the U.S. in Iraq, France should be punished, Germany ignored, and Russia forgiven. Punished, ignored, and forgiven for being right in the first place and refusing to take part in this debacle?--such nerve.

I can exclusively report what finally drove Powell over the brink. Yes, he was bummed by years of being backstabbed by the neocon hawks, most of whom spent Vietnam masturbating in their dorm rooms. But the last straw was seeing and hearing Thomas Friedman on Tim Russert's CNBC weekend show, channeling Bush's voice to advocate that Powell devote himself exclusively to negotiating a peace deal between the Palestinians and Israelis--that he be dispatched to the Middle East deal and not to be allowed to return home until he had one, even if it took a year.

Powell put aside his peanut butter sandwich, muted the remote, pondered all those airplane rides and diplomatic meals, and said to himself, "I'm too old for that shit." And the next morning tendered his resignation.

There's ever so much more in the article.

One thing about Wolcott. It's easy for me to post his stuff because there's not usually much left to say.

I Wish I'da Said That

CultureGhost done nailed it in this post:

Life has become so absurd that I find it unreasonable to assume that I could contribute anything to the discourse that would elevate it to rational.

Couldn'ta said it better myself.

True to form

They screwed the troops, now they're screwing the cops. Via are you effin' kidding me?

[. . .]

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) said that cuts by the administration in federal aid to local police agencies have left the nation more vulnerable than ever to public safety threats. The 20,000-member group also said in a statement that new anti-terrorism duties for local cops - which have come as state and local budgets have declined and historically low crime rates have crept upward - have pushed police agencies to "the breaking point."

The statement reflected the ongoing tension between the administration and many local police chiefs, who believe the White House has saddled them with anti-terrorism tasks without much regard to the cost.

Among other things, members of the chiefs' group have long complained about localities having to pay millions of dollars in overtime costs when the U.S. government issued terrorism alerts. The group also is annoyed that President Bush is phasing out a $10 billion program begun by the Clinton administration in 1996 to help local departments hire tens of thousands more cops.

[. . .]

Story.

Seems Clinton did more to keep our homeland safe than (p)resident Chimpy. Like everything else they do, they expect our first responders, just like our troops, to work on a shoestring. Heaven forbid they take a bite out of the tax cuts all the rich folks are getting.

Texas School Nixes Dragsters For Camo

The Houston Chronicle reports that parents are irate about having a cross-dressing day for their four-year-olds, even though it's been a regular event for years.

Note to boys in the tiny Spurger, Texas, school district: Put away those high heels and pleated skirts. Instead, wear black boots and Army camouflage to school Wednesday

Yeah, better get used to it now, kids. Your chances of going to the Middle East are a lot better than your chances of ever getting to Fire Island or West Hollywood.