Powell: "We're Losing." Bush: "Hit the Bricks."

From the Financial Times.

Mr Powell's bleak assessment, less than three weeks before Iraqis are due to elect a parliament, reflects what advisers close to the administration and former officials describe as an understanding in the State Department and Pentagon of the depth of the crisis.

But, they say, this is not a view accepted by President George W. Bush.

One counterinsurgency expert said Donald Rumsfeld, defence secretary, had a "brutally accurate" picture of the situation and the potential dangers.

But a member of an influential neoconservative policy group said that such warnings "stop well short of the president".

He said Mr Rumsfeld, criticised for the conduct of the war, had an interest in hiding the true picture from the president.

According to Chas Freeman, former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia and head of the independent Middle East Policy Council, Mr Bush recently asked Mr Powell for his view on the progress of the war. "We're losing," Mr Powell was quoted as saying. Mr Freeman said Mr Bush then asked the secretary of state to leave.

Analysts are concerned that with the departure of Mr Powell and his replacement by Condoleezza Rice, the president's loyal national security adviser, the White House will be further shielded from dissent.

Bush, you started this fuckin' war on a lie and it's not going the way you wanted it to, and now you don't want to hear about it? You're a fucking asshole.

Outta here

Stolen fully and completely from Skippy 'cause it was so good:

subject: california's secession letter to bush:

dear president bush:

congratulations on your victory over all us non-evangelicals. actually, we're a bit ticked off here in california, so we're leaving. california will now be its own country. and we're taking all the blue states with us. in case you are not aware, that includes hawaii, oregon, washington, minnesota, wisconsin, michigan, illinois, and all of the north east.

we spoke to god, and she agrees that this split will be beneficial to almost everybody, and especially to us in the new country of california. in fact, god is so excited about it, she's going to shift the whole country at 4:30 pm est this friday. therefore, please let everyone know they need to be back in their states by then.

so you get texas and all the former slave states. we get the governator, stem cell research and the best beaches. we get elliot spitzer. you get ken lay. (okay, we have to keep martha stewart, we can live with that.) we get the statue of liberty. you get opryland. we get intel and microsoft. you get worldcom. we get harvard. you get old miss.' we get 85% of america's venture capital and entrepreneurs. you get all the technological innovation in alabama. we get about two-thirds of the tax revenue, and you get to make the red states pay their fair share. since our divorce rate is 22% lower than the christian coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. you get a bunch of single moms to support, and we know how much you like that.

did i mention we produce about 70% of the nation's veggies? but heck the only greens the bible-thumpers eat are the pickles on their big macs. oh yeah, another thing, don't plan on serving california wine at your state dinners. from now on it's imported french wine for you. ouch, bet that hurts.

just so we're clear, the country of california will be pro-choice and anti-war. speaking of war, we're going to want all blue states citizens back from iraq. if you need people to fight, just ask your evangelicals. they have tons of kids they're willing to send to their deaths for absolutely no purpose. and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their kids' caskets coming home.

anyway, we wish you all the best in the next four years and we hope, really hope, you find those missing weapons of mass destruction. seriously. soon.
sincerely,

california

Bullshit's gettin' deep

NYT:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 - Over the objections of many of its own employees, the Social Security Administration is gearing up for a major effort to publicize the financial problems of Social Security and to convince the public that private accounts are needed as part of any solution.

[. . .]

But agency employees have complained to Social Security officials that they are being conscripted into a political battle over the future of the program. They question the accuracy of recent statements by the agency, and they say that money from the Social Security trust fund should not be used for such advocacy.

[. . .]

So the Repub Noise Machine is gonna inundate us with horeseshit until everybody believes Social Security is going down the tubes in 20 minutes. You can bet Fox already has the red staters lining up to 'git us one of them thar private accounts'.

[. . .]

Deborah C. Fredericksen of Minneapolis, who has worked for the Social Security Administration for 31 years, said, "Many employees believe that the president and this agency are using scare tactics to promote private accounts."

[. . .]

No shit, darlin'. If Chimpy didn't scare everybody, people would see his bullshit for what it is. It's their standard operating procedure, flood us with propaganda and slide legislation through once enough people believe it. His bonehead policies wouldn't stand up to objective scrutiny otherwise. The fact that using the fund's money to promote this propaganda is probably illegal, but you can be sure that wasn't given a second thought.

Update: 16:00:

[The Good] Roger Ailes adds:

[. . .]

George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice and their respective flacks lie to you. Repeatedly. Willfully. Without remorse. And they will continue to do so. Today. And tomorrow.

[. . .]

The list

Of donors to Chimpy's inaugural is up over at PSoTD. Modify your purchasing decisions accordingly.

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.