SAIC

It'll blow your fucking mind. Go read Pudentilla.

Outstanding

FORT HOOD, Texas - Army Spc. Charles Graner Jr., the reputed ringleader of a band of rogue guards at the Abu Ghraib prison, was convicted Friday of abusing Iraqi detainees in a case that sparked international outrage when photographs were released that showed reservists gleefully humiliating prisoners.

[. . .]

The jury of four Army officers and six senior enlisted men rejected the defense argument that Graner and other guards were merely following orders from intelligence agents at Abu Ghraib when they roughed up the detainees.

Firing squad, hanging, this is one instance where the death penalty would be a deterrent. Maybe hand him over to the Iraqis? The world is watching this trial and the sentence that will be handed down shortly. If we give this asshole the max, it might go a ways to restore our credibility. It would be better if Gonzales and Rummy were on trial too, but it's a start.

Update: 05:36:

DemVet:

. . . But for these trial to truly be seen as justice for all, some of the civilians in charge of this fiasco need to appear in the prisoners dock. Abu Gonzales would be a good start, followed by John Yoo, Rumsfeld and the Hugger-in-Chief.

[. . .]

Update: 18:07:

They gave him 10 years.

Saturday Cattle Dog Blogging

The Princess at about a year old.

"The Liberal Media," Part II

This just in from my boyfriend, who for some odd reason (which will be further investigated when I get home) was watching Fox News this morning. This gem was spoken by one of the Fox anchormen, who was discussing the Huygens mission to Saturn:

"Our government is wasting millions of dollars on foolish questions. A probe was recently launched
that might answer questions about how the universe was created, someone should tell them about god!"

Ah, yes, "fair and balanced." And a bit too Christian theocratic for my taste.

Figures

WaPo:

Iraq has replaced Afghanistan as the training ground for the next generation of "professionalized" terrorists, according to a report released yesterday by the National Intelligence Council, the CIA director's think tank.

Iraq provides terrorists with "a training ground, a recruitment ground, the opportunity for enhancing technical skills," said David B. Low, the national intelligence officer for transnational threats. "There is even, under the best scenario, over time, the likelihood that some of the jihadists who are not killed there will, in a sense, go home, wherever home is, and will therefore disperse to various other countries."

[. . .]

Yep. It's a shame they don't report all the good stuff going on over there.

The . . . cough . . . Liberal Media

Somerby:

[. . .]

How comical is the American discourse? Incredibly, as “newsmen” like [NBC's David] Gregory cover for Bush, the air is full of loud complaints about the press corps’ vast “liberal bias!” You live at a time of complete propaganda, and Storeboughts like Gregory (pet name: Stretch) know their prime role in the process.

[. . .]

Federal Bureau of Ineptitude

Laura Rozen on the FBI's computer problems. All I can say is, oy! And I thought the military wasted money.

Update: 06:10:

Speaking of wasting money:

[. . .]

The mayor's spokeswoman, Sharon Gang, says that includes reviewing stands for the inaugural parade and special license plates for the event. [my emphasis]

[. . .]

How White Trash can you get?

Link via WTF??

ANWR

From my dear friend, and Mrs. F's cousin, Encino Man:

With the White House claiming a so-called mandate to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to massive oil development, Congressional leaders are now planning a backdoor, budget maneuver that could doom the refuge to drilling and industrialization. Instead of having a full and open debate -- and vote -- on the fate of the Arctic Refuge, they will include projected revenues from Arctic drilling in the federal budget. If that budget passes, then Congress will almost certainly approve the actual oil development.

[. . .]

Link.

But if the raid on the Arctic Refuge isn't really about gas prices or energy security, then what is it about?

It's the symbolism.

The Arctic Refuge represents everything spectacular and everything endangered about America's natural heritage. It embodies a million years of ecological serenity . . . a vast stretch of pristine wilderness . . an irreplaceable birthing ground for polar bears, caribou and white wolves.

It is the greatest living reminder that conserving nature in its wild state is a core American value. It stands for every remnant of wilderness that we, as a people, have wisely chosen to protect from the relentless march of bulldozers, chain saws and oil rigs.

If we lose ANWR, it'll be a major setback for the environmental community. Write, bitch, and scream from the rooftops to your elected representatives about this.

Vietnam revisited

I posted about this last month, and I'm not advocating anyone to go UA or AWOL or desert, but you have to think there is something extremely wrong when:

[. . .]

An estimated 5,500 men and women have deserted since the invasion of Iraq, reflecting Washington's growing problems with troop morale.

[. . .]

And of course the Pentagon acts nonchalant:

[. . .]

The Pentagon says that the level of desertion is no higher than usual and denies that it is having difficulty persuading troops to fight. The flight to Canada is, however, an embarrassment for the military, which is suffering from a recruiting shortfall for the National Guard and the Army Reserves.

[. . .]

But, being that we have a tenth of the number of troops in Iraq that we had in Vietnam, the desertion rates work out about the same:

[. . .]

During the Vietnam war an estimated 55,000 deserters or draft-dodgers fled to Canada. There were amnesties for both groups in the late 1970s under President Jimmy Carter, but many stayed.

[. . .]

It all boils down to the fact that we're building the same fucking mess we did in Indochina 40 years ago. We'll probably be witness to the same sort of hurried departure we had in Saigon too. I just hope, that if Bush is planning to cut and run, he does it before too many more American lives are lost and too many more young Americans make a decision that could ruin the rest of their lives. (Thanks to DemVet for the link.)

Accountability

I don't normally read Richard Cohen, but this got me:

It took no less a sage than President Bush to put the firing of four high-level CBS News employees in perspective: "CBS said they would act. They did. And I hope their actions are such that this doesn't happen again." This from the man who fired not a single person in his entire administration for getting nearly everything wrong about Iraq and taking the nation to war for reasons that did not exist or were downright specious. Lucky for Bush he's only the president of the United States and not the head of CBS.

[. . .]

Now it is even darker. The capitulation to Bush and the GOP is nearly complete. After the firings, the White House voiced its approval. So did Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, who, keeping a firm grip on his emotions, did not suggest President Bush take note and do some firings himself. All over this great country, wherever right-wing pundits pund and bloggers blog, a chorus of gleeful approval was raised to the heavens. But in praising accountability, they were unaccountably silent about -- and here let me quote from the CBS report about what went wrong -- the "myopic zeal" of administration figures who got everything wrong, still do and have never been called to account for it. They had everything wrong but the target. It wasn't Iraq that was the pushover; it was CBS.

The Imminent Demise of the Republican Party

An uplifting and heartwarming thought. Excellent essay from Common Dreams via Corrente.

Housekeeping

Just a note, being that the audience here at the Brain isn't the same demographic who stops by at TF&G, Gordon and my automotive blog. So, I put a link to our Auto Wisdom page in the sidebar here, down at the bottom before the ads, if anybody is interested. Have I mentioned Gordon and I have been mechanics since cars ran on points and radial tires were science fiction?

Mission Accomplished

The Dog:

[. . .]

Knowing that the mission has been accomplished, the ball has been spiked, and the end zone party commences in just eight days time (unsportsmanlike conduct penalty be damned!), even White House spokesman and compulsive confabulator Scotty McClellan confirmed that Saddam had nothin'-- not secret caches deep underground, not moved to Syria... just nothin'. Doesn't mean the whole war wasn't justified (the Imperium WAS reelected, was it not?)

[. . .]

Nothing else mattered. Not the lives or the bucks wasted, nothing mattered but the continuation of the Bush Empire. All they cared about was the second term and keeping the Corporate Raid of America going. Wonder what scam they're gonna use to get JEB elected in '08?

Net May Be Closing On Bugs

The Carpetbagger Report reports that more companies and some former associates may be plea-bargaining by "offering" to testify against Bugs DeLay. Ya-fuckin'-hoo!

Sources close to the investigation said this week that similar deals were being negotiated with some of the remaining six companies indicted late last year. The six companies are the Williams Companies Inc., Bacardi USA, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, Questerra Corp. and Westar Energy Inc.

One legal source with knowledge of the investigation said the agreements with the companies could help target "big fish" in the Republican Party by persuading the three DeLay aides to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for leniency or dismissal of their cases. The aides face 10-year prison sentences if convicted.
"If you are looking at 10 ... years in jail, are you going to take the hit for Tom DeLay?" the source asked.

DeLay is the absolute epitome of the criminal IOKIYAR mentality that has ruined political discourse in this country. Bullying, gerrymandering, probably extortion, under the guise of a "Moral Values Christian" when he's really a scumbag Texas pol who ought to be chasing unlicensed dogs in East Bumfuck County, are his tactics, and they've paid off for him. It's high time to put this crooked bastard in the stony lonesome. If they have to let some perps off (for now) to do it, I say it's well worth it.

Good

Some folks are coming to their senses:

ATLANTA (AP) - A federal judge on Thursday ordered the removal of stickers placed in high school biology textbooks that call evolution "a theory, not a fact," saying they were an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

The disclaimers were put in the books by school officials in suburban Cobb County in 2002.

[. . .]

And some just refuse to take it:

The battle over attempts to introduce a version of creationism into the curriculum of American schools has become focused on a small town in Pennsylvania.

Biology teachers at a high school in Dover have rejected the instructions of local officials to read a statement in class today questioning the theory of evolution.

[. . .]

All I have to say is outstanding!

(Links via Jesse.)

Sleazy's List

In an open letter to Gonzales as to why he should not be confirmed, Marjorie Cohn includes the following, via TruthOut:

Mr. Gonzales, you have concurred in, even commissioned, advice that led to the following:

Sodomy with a broomstick, chemical light, metal object
Severe beatings

Water boarding (simulated drowning)

Electric shock

Attaching electrodes to private parts

Forced masturbation

Pulling out fingernails

Pushing lit cigarettes into ears

Chaining hand and foot in fetal position without food or water

Forced standing on one leg in the sun

Feigned suffocation

Gagging with duct tape

Tormenting with loud music and strobe lights

Sleep deprivation

Hooding

Subjecting to freezing/sweltering temperatures

"Dietary manipulation"

Repeated, prolonged rectal exams

Hanging by arms from hooks

Permitting serious dog bites

Bending back fingers

Intense isolation for more than 3 months

Grabbing genitals

Severe burning

Stacking of naked prisoners in pyramids

Injecting with drugs

Leaving bullet in body of wounded prisoner

Taping naked prisoner to board

Shooting into containers with men inside

Keeping prisoners in small, outdoor cages

Pepper spraying in face

Forcing heads into toilets and flushing

Threatening live burial, drowning, electrocution, rape and death

Beating prisoners to death

Killing wounded prisoners

Throwing off bridge into river and drowning

Rape

Murder

Saddam Hussein would be proud of you, Mr. Gonzales.

You will have the distinction of being the first Latino Attorney General of the United States. You come from humble roots in Humble, Texas. You should understand the struggles of people of color, yet you have turned your back on them. As overseer of the policies that led to the torture of myriad people of color in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay, you have betrayed your roots.

Your actions have shamed us in the eyes of the world and endangered our fighting men and women.

You do not deserve to be our country's top prosecutor, head of the Department of Justice, charged with protecting our civil rights.

Mr. Gonzales, you should be ashamed.

There's a lot more in the article. Go read.

Death penalty

(Hartford-WABC, December 6, 2004) — Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell says the state's first execution since 1960 will go on as scheduled. Convicted serial killer Michael Ross is due to be executed on January 26th.

The 45-year-old Ross, who admitted killing eight women in Connecticut and New York, is on death row for killing four young women in eastern Connecticut in the 1980s.

He reportedly wrote to the governor last week asking his death sentence be carried out as scheduled.

Now, unlike many lefties, I got no problems with the death penalty itself. I got problems with the implementation.

1.) The death penalty is supposedly a deterrent. It's not. When you hear they're gonna put somebody down, do you know what their crime was? Do you remember just what they did, ususally over a decade ago, to deserve this punishment? No. Where's the linkage? At what point does someone make the connection between the crime and the punishment?

2.) Mostly minorities get put to death, as it is in Bush's Texas, where Wetbacks, Niggas, and Retards are the only ones who get hung. There is a direct correlation between the type of legal aid you can afford and your chances of getting the death penalty. Until more white folks start sitting on Ol' Sparky's lap, I'll be against it.

There should be a national standard for the death penalty (killing a cop, premeditated murder, murder in commission of a felony, etc.).

There should be a determinite amount of time between the date of convition and the coup de grace.

There should be only one appeal. Each case reviewed by a panel of judges to assure that justice was meted out correctly (unlike Texas now, and Illinois in the past), and then a 'retrial' if you will, just to be sure we got it right. After that, off to get your needle. Only a year or so should elapse between conviction and implementation, so the crime is still fresh in people's minds.

Executions should be televised. On prime time, on every network, once a month. Now there's a deterrent. Ever watch someone die from 'other than natural causes'? You don't forget, trust me. Ever kill anyone? For that's what we are doing. If you've ever looked at an indictment it says, 'The People vs. Joe Mass Murderer. Remember 'We the People, in order to form a more perfect yadda, yadda, yadda'? With it televised, we will all collectively flip the switch. It won't be hidden by the dark of night in some obscure death chamber with 10 witnesses. I ask again. Ever kill anyone? You don't forget, trust me.

So yes, I am against the death penalty, until it can be used fairly and equitably.

As for the case above, however. If the guy wants to go that badly, I say we oblige him. He's a waste of my good air anyway.

Down an empty hole

ShakeSis this morning:

Link:

Congress allotted hundreds of millions of dollars for the weapons hunt, and there has been no public accounting of the funds. A spokesman for the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency said the entire budget and the expenditures would remain classified.

I wonder how many tax dollars were wasted trying to justify an already costly war. And might not they have been better spent securing the high-grade explosives we found that went missing?

David Kay came back a year ago and said there were no WMD in Iraq. We wasted a year and how much more money for this second fucking opinion that was unnecessary in the first fucking place. Thank God I don't have kids to whom I have to explain why their world will be bankrupt thanks to Chimpy's incompetence.

Absolutely nuthin'

The report from the Iraq Survey Group is in and guess what? There ain't no WMD in Iraq. Haven't been since before Gulf 1. So after all the bullshit, after Colin 'Colon' Powell trying to channel Adlai Stevenson, after 'Mission Accomplished', nuthin'. Bush is a murderer, period. Roger Ailes (the good one):

[. . .]

Thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis have died because of this fraud on the public. Put down your feces, Keyboarders, and say it with me: Bush lied, many thousands died.

Riding the Polarized Express

I recommend this article by Steven Laffoley via Selves And Others

No torture versus torture. Blue State versus Red State. Liberal versus Conservative. Fahrenheit 9/11 versus The Passion of The Christ. America is riding the Polarized Express - a national train fast approaching a fork in the tracks. One track leads to the republic rediscovered. The other track, to dictatorship and empire.

Consider: we have seen this all before. In fact, just a hundred years ago, at the start of the last century, the politics of the ‘western’ world was disturbingly familiar to ours, with many nations of Europe similarly on the Polarized Express - Germany, Spain, Russia, Italy, and France among others.

These polarized groups fought over economic justice, over ‘family values,’ over national pride, over the fear of anarchists (the terrorists of their day), over religious values, over empire, over ethnic superiority. And as the polarization intensified so did the politics and leadership of each nation, moving, election after election, from left to right and then back again.

And in some nations - Germany, Italy, Russia, and Spain - the polarization ultimately snapped the back of democracy. Extremisms of various sorts emerged with a sureness of purpose almost religious in intensity. These “isms” promised social safety and political clarity.

In one nation, one man’s story and another man’s words were a candle’s light in the dark saving a republic from collapse. It is their story that casts a faint light of hope on the growing darkness in America.

Did I mention that I'm a righteous asshole? You gotta go read it to find out which republic! Ha!

America is riding the Polarized Express. And its democracy may soon be bent to the breaking point. But by repeatedly telling the stories of injustice, and by repeatedly casting light on the truth, America may yet rediscover their republic.

"Casting light on the truth" is a worthy goal, but there's not enough of it yet. We are barely at the "turning over rocks" stage. The media, from what I can tell, may be starting to awaken from their long opium dreams about this administration, but don't count on it.