we have to destroy the pillager to save him

VOTE
* "the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), comprising Shiite religious parties, has won an absolute majority (141 seats) after adjustments were made in accordance with electoral procedure. Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the list leader, expressed his pleasure at this 51 percent outcome for his coalition." just like america. 48% becomes 51% http://www.juancole.com/2005/02/shiites-take-absolute-majority-in.html

* "Iraqi Vice President Ibrahim al-Jaafari is favoured to become prime minister" (http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-02-15T123641Z_01_CHA545168_RTRUKOC_0_IRAQ-JAAFARI.xml) heres what he had to say in August " the strategic stance in my opinion should be protected with the aim of maintaining stable and normal relations with all neighboring countries based on mutual respect of rights, safeguarding common interests, and refraining from interference in each other's domestic affairs... I look forward to seeing Iraq's relations with Iran and all its other neighboring countries rise to the level of advanced countries. But in return, I expect all neighboring countries to refrain from interfering in our sovereignty like we do not interfere in theirs... Let's differentiate between the intentions of the citizen and those of the state as well as the determination of the citizen and that of the state. If a citizen from a certain country gets involved in violence in Iraq, does that mean that he is implementing his country's policy and decision? Of course not." (http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20040811-030906-9371r.htm) of course, the fun starts when the ams wanna go extra-territorial and do murder/kidnap runs into syria (and iran), given that the ams serve at the pleasure of the iraqi govt (sic). if the PM to respect the sovereignty of her neighbours, can he overrule the ams? HA! schmovereignty.

* "Yesterday's Gallup Poll Showing Bush Approval At 57% Had 9% (POINTS) More Republicans Than Democrats... 37% Republicans, 35% Independents, and only 28% Democrats." http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/003675.php

* chertoff 98-0 in senate :-(


WAR
* heres an update on an old story, youll have to go read. this is the one where some ams were awarded $1bn for being tortured by saddam. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-na-pow15feb15,0,3155150.story?coll=la-home-headlines

* ok - so there are say 1700 deadams in iraq - and lets be generous and say there are only 17000 grievously injured. using that multiple, if there are 100k deadiraqis, then there are 1million injured. raggies are baddies. and then lets add in all the malnourished kids - something like the 2nd worst rate in the world, ahead of only barundi or someplace. how bout dem freedomfries?

* josh "I don't know enough yet about the probable suspects behind the Hariri assassination in Lebanon or the precise geopolitical situation that surrounded it. Nor have I had a chance yet to talk to the people whose judgment I trust about this. And given where the pieces were on the chessboard, Damascus or friends of Damascus are certainly under a cloud of suspicion. But it is more than a little unfortunate that I at least find it hard to take at face value anything this administration says about the probable perpetrators. And again, I say that not with any particular knowledge of this situation, but simply on the basis of the track record and the region of the world." http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_02_13.php#004814

* i love all the signs at harari's funeral that are in english - brought to yuo by ketchum... i wonder when they made them...

* "ROBERT FISK: Oh, (hariri) feared everyone. He feared the Israelis, he feared the Syrians, he feared the Americans. He probably feared the Russians. When you're a billionaire tycoon like Rafiq Hariri was, you take these precautions. " http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/16/156249

* 'The American response is striking it its speed and extreme bellicosity. Hardly before the wreckage was cleared from the streets, the American government was making inflammatory threats regarding the killing. It has warned of further economic sanctions and a UN Security Council resolution against Syria’s occupation of Lebanon, which could then be used as a rationale for military actions... While in the past the US has been quick to link Al Qaeda to any terrorist attack, now the government has not stopped to even consider that possibility." http://wsws.org/articles/2005/feb2005/syri-f16.shtml


MEDIA
* "Reporters Must Testify in CIA Leak Case" ohhh judy... how much honor is there amongst your thievin friends? will notgannon get an invite? would he squeal in court? in jail?
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&e=1&u=/nm/20050215/pl_nm/bush_leak_dc

* heres a triffic amygoodman speech - from a doc called "INDEPENDENT MEDIA IN A TIME OF WAR" http://www.democracynow.org/static/IMIATOW.shtml

* amygoodman is in nyc feb 24 http://book.democracynow.org/tourpage.php?id=331

* eason jordan hooked up with danny pearle's wife. she is adorable. speaking of jordan, i havent seen any stories about his comments that also mentioned the palestinehotel. (and sharon stone http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/281091p-240753c.html)

* "The Right blogosphere sounds like a bunch of San Francisco ACLU liberals when the issue of Gannon comes up and the smart thing for the left to do is ask the Christian right if they agree with their fellow "conservatives."" http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2005_02_13_digbysblog_archive.html#110849435828569255

* boxer interview http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4493675

* aaronbrown does like a 20min bit or something on dogs. not dogs of war. not media lapdogs. not poodleblair. dogs. slow news day? and then 10 mins on hurrydate...

* okrent on bulgegate " I should make it clear here: having now had the opportunity to read the story that was spiked, I believe it should have been published." http://bushwired.blogspot.com/2005/02/karl-rove-new-york-times-and-bulge.html

* "Former Congressman Martin Frost of Dallas has signed a deal to be a political commentator for the Fox News Channel." he was challenging dean for dnc chair. imagine. http://www.kvia.com/Global/story.asp?s=2953317


AMDOM
* " President Bush's planned ballistic missile shield suffered another setback on Monday when an interceptor missile again failed to launch during a test of the U.S. missile defense system." http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7628425&src=rss/topNews

* "The Defense Department announced Monday it is investigating eight additional Air Force contracts worth about $3 billion that may have been improperly manipulated by the service's former top career acquisition official, Darleen Druyun... at least half of them were awarded to Boeing." http://govexec.com/dailyfed/0205/021405g1.htm



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four moron years.
wotisitgood4.blogspot.com