Al Gore on Charlie Rose. As Atrios notes, “The free ‘low quality preview’ is actually pretty good quality and it's the whole thing.” Worth your time.
A Message from Iraq
This morning I received an email from a reader who asked me if I would be willing to pass along a message from her husband, who’s currently serving in Iraq. After reading the statements from Republican Senators in defense of giving amnesty to terrorists in Iraq, compiled by The Huffington Post (via The All Spin Zone), he sent the following home, with the request that his response to those Senators be published. These are his words, and his name has been included at his request.
I am one of the soldiers that these proposals are dishonoring.
Did any of these men ever serve??? Have to go through memorial service after memorial service day after day for comrades they knew and loved???
Have they had to live in fear every moment of every unchanging, horrible day, waiting for a never-seen rocket or a mortar to kill them—or worse, kill those to whom they are close???
Have they bore body armor in 120 degree heat in the face of an unrecognizable enemy, one who uses terrified civilians as shields?
Have they seen the remains of tanks, HMMWVs, BODIES!!! that were rent asunder by invisible bombs, planted by fanatical zealots???
Have they truly seen the shatter lives of Iraqis, these lives broken by the very people they propose to grant amnesty?
Have they had to pull the trigger with the aim of killing another human being, someone you have never met or seen before, never knowing if the target was truly an enemy?
Do these gentlemen wrestle at night with the nightmares of guilt and second-guessing?
Every IED that injures or kills an American soldier exacerbates the normal soldiers' attitude toward those who he is sent to help and protect. Every sniper shot hardens our hearts.
Propose accolades for those who have lived through this hell, not for those who have opposed them in the shadows, in the dark.
When an insurgent—a terrorist—an enemy combatant—call them what you will—strikes at an American, he attacks Iraq.
When we these "right, honorable" gentlemen realize that we are in a war we should have never entered—one where our very presence provokes and increases the enemy's resolve and recruitment—perhaps then I will consider their words.
But until then, tell these paper warriors to go to Walter Reed, to Landstuhl, to Sam Houston and face the soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen whose lives have been drastically altered or ended.
Tell them to face the families of the fallen and propose their accolades to our foes.
Instead of resolutions that honor those who are trying to kill us, these senators, these congressmen should devote their efforts, their words, their very lives to try and figure out how we can extricate ourselves from this war.
Perhaps then they can look themselves in the eye and admit Iraq was a mistake and commit all our energies to saving American lives, instead of worrying about mollifying our enemies' rage.
Sean Frerking
A soldier serving in Iraq
From Bad to Worse
Got a new article up at The Guardian’s Comment is Free, “From bad to worse—To those who think the left and the right are as bad as each other, two words: Ann Coulter.”
Enjoy!
So How Long Do You Think it's Going to be...
...before Ken MacKenzie becomes Ann Coulter's new favorite whipping boy? I bet his name comes up in her next media appearance.
This is really heartbreaking.
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - As the families of two missing soldiers waited to hear if two bodies found Tuesday were their loved ones, the uncle of one lashed out at the government, saying it didn't do enough to bring the men home safe.And I'm sure that's putting it mildly. The thing is, I'm willing to bet that we're going to be seeing more stories like this as time goes on. As more news comes out about torture and murder, when we hear stories of "Hadji girl" songs and accountability is either weak or completely ignored, brutality will be met with brutality.
"Because the U.S. government did not have a plan in place, my nephew has paid for it with his life," Ken MacKenzie, uncle of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, told NBC's "Today" show.
U.S. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said the military has recovered what are believed to be the remains of two missing soldiers, but he said the cause of death was "undeterminable at this point."
A member of the Army's casualty assistance office was meeting with Menchaca's mother Tuesday morning and said it could take two or three days for DNA tests to be completed.
Menchaca's mother, Maria Vasquez, was sobbing when she answered the door of her Brownsville, Texas, home. Her niece, Felipa Gomez, said the family had been watching television news reports of the Iraqi military announcement.
"She's hanging in there," and still holding on to hope that Menchaca will make it back alive, Gomez said. "She might be frightened, but she won't show it."
Sgt. 1st Class Jesus Rolnmedina, who spoke with her, said the bodies "had a lot of trauma."
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The bodies of two U.S. soldiers reported captured last week have been recovered, and an Iraqi defense ministry official said Tuesday the men were "killed in a barbaric way." The U.S. military said the remains were believed to be those of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore.Barbarism met with barbarism. Torture and murder met with torture and murder.
[...]
Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility for killing the soldiers, and said the successor to slain terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had "slaughtered" them, according to a Web statement that could not be authenticated. The language in the statement suggested the men had been beheaded.
[...]
The director of the Iraqi defense ministry's operation room, Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Mohammed, said the bodies showed signs of having been tortured. "With great regret, they were killed in a barbaric way," he said.
The claim of responsibility was made in the name of the Mujahedeen Shura Council, an umbrella organization of five insurgent groups led by al-Qaida in Iraq. The group had posted an Internet statement Monday claiming it was holding the two American soldiers captive.
"We give the good news ... to the Islamic nation that we have carried God's verdict by slaughtering the two captured crusaders," said the claim, which appeared on an Islamic militant Web site where insurgent groups regularly post statements and videos.
"With God Almighty's blessing, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer carried out the verdict of the Islamic court" calling for the soldiers' slaying, the statement said.
The statement said the soldiers were "slaughtered," suggesting that al-Muhajer beheaded them. The Arabic word used in the statement, "nahr," is used for the slaughtering of sheep by cutting the throat and has been used in past statements to refer to beheadings.
An unwinnable war. An "enemy" that will never be wiped out. No end in sight. No plan.
And another family buries their butchered child.
(Cross-posted over at my place.)
South Dakota abortion ban goes to the ballot
South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson has announced that the state's rigid abortion ban will be put up for a vote on the ballot in November, after opponents collected enough signatures to raise the challenge. What's cool about this strategy is that is has the possibility of preempting one of the main intents of the architects of the ban:
Supporters hoped it would prompt a court challenge that would give the U.S. Supreme Court an opportunity to overturn its 1973 Roe. v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.Jessica echoes my feelings about this new development: "I'm simultaneously excited and terrified. Obviously collecting all those signatures (almost twice the amount needed) is truly amazing."
Instead of challenging it in court, opponents, who argue the law is too extreme, gathered enough petition signatures to put the question directly to voters.
Go here for information on how you can help.
(Crossposted at AlterNet PEEK.)
Pentagon lists homosexuality as mental disorder
Pam points to this article at SFGate.com, which would be alarming if it weren't so frustratingly par for the course with the nutwit homophobes tasked with running the country these days.
A Pentagon document classifies homosexuality as a mental disorder, decades after mental health experts abandoned that position.The American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973, and has condemned the Pentagon document, known as "a Defense Department Instruction." Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jeremy M. Martin said "the policy document is under review," perhaps because nine members of Congress have sent a letter to Rumsfeld pointing out that "other Pentagon regulations dealing with mental health do not include homosexuality on any lists of psychological disorders."
The document outlines retirement or other discharge policies for service members with physical disabilities, and in a section on defects lists homosexuality alongside mental retardation and personality disorders.
Critics said the reference underscores the Pentagon's failing policies on gays, and adds to a culture that has created uncertainty and insecurity around the treatment of homosexual service members, leading to anti-gay harassment.
What about narcissistic personality disorder? Is that of any concern to the Pentagon?
(Crossposted at AlterNet PEEK.)
Question of the Day
This is from a book I own called The Book of Questions. Some of them are truly, dreadfully dopey, but some of them are kind of interesting.
Would you have one of your fingers surgically removed if it somehow guaranteed immunity from all major diseases?
I totally would. Especially if I got to pick the finger. Because, you know, I use my middle ones a lot these days, so I'd kind of like to keep them.
This seems like such a no-brainer to me that I'm more interested to see if there's anyone who'd say no, and why.
(My apologies to any Shakers who have no fingers for leaving you out of the QotD, although you can always answer hypothetically.)
Blowjobs
I don’t really have anything of searing importance to add to the discussion of blowjobs fluttering around the feminist blogosphere; just this…
My feelings about what happens between two consenting adults when they have sex, and whether what happens degrades, exploits, oppresses, or in any way hurts one or both of them, is pretty much the same as my feelings about any relationship between two people in general: Only the two people involved can know its truth.
There are women who kept their last names and go home every night to husbands who treat them like shit. And there are women who get down on their knees and suck the cocks of partners who regard them as equals. That’s just the way this crazy world works.
No single decision or act doth a feminist make, nor a truly egalitarian relationship build. And, like just about every other aspect of any relationship, from what movie to see to where to live, decisions regarding gender roles will never end; the concerns and options will change as the people within the relationship change, necessarily requiring ongoing dialogue and compromise. Giving today’s blowjob may not feel the same as giving tomorrow’s, if tomorrow one’s partner suddenly decides to withhold reciprocation.
And thus ends the explanation as to why you’ll get no unilateral pronouncements on blowjobs from this cocksucking feminist.
There’s also another, perhaps less thoughtful, reason. I’ve never felt as though having a guy’s cock between my choppers left me in the vulnerable position. In fact, I once (briefly) dated a guy who once had the bright idea of shoving my head down further onto him while I blew him. I warned him if he ever did it again, he'd regret it. He didn't listen. Sometimes, it seems, blowjobs are about taking a bite out of the patriarchy.
I’ve no idea whether I left a scar, as I haven’t seen the cock (or his penis) again.
Illin’
So I’m reading this story at CNN which reports that US officials, “speaking on condition of anonymity” as always, believe that North Korea is fueling a missile capable of reaching Alaska, “raising the probability of an imminent test launch.”
And, because I am a jaded American news consumer, all I can do is wonder if these are the anonymous officials who like to use the media to disseminate propaganda on behalf of the administration, or the anonymous officials who like to use the media to leak information that shows the administration is mucking shit up. In other words, I have absolutely no idea whether this story is utter bullshit or totally true, or falls into some gray area in between.
Assuming it’s not true: Holy fuck. What disastrous mess will the administration lead us into based on nonsense this time?
Assuming it is true: Holy fuck. What disastrous mess has the administration led us into by diverting our attention from North Korea with their Middle East misadventures?
Who knows what to think of this shit anymore? Drum has some interesting thoughts about this being “a good real-life test of the ‘use of force’ question,” though, so go read him. I’m useless.
I 
Jason Reed
Jason Reed is a Reuters photographer so splendiferously talented at capturing Bush at his essence that I look forward to checking out his photos in the daily newsphoto dump the way I look forward to reading a favorite blog each day. I would bet that about 80% of the photos I choose for "Caption This Photo" are Jason Reed snaps.
But today, Shakers, he has outdone himself, giving me in a rare combo shot what is, to date, the best news photo I have seen since I began blogging, and quite possibly the best news photo ever.
U.S. President George W. Bush reacts in this combination picture as Merchant Marine Academy graduate Gabriel Whitney of Nashua, New Hampshire, gives him a big hug after Whitney received his degree at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point in New York, June 19, 2006. Bush addressed the Academy's 2006 graduating class. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
Absolutely priceless.
SHOES!
Mr. Furious just sent me this video with the note, “You’ve got to watch this—it reminded me of you for some reason!”
Hmm. What could that reason possibly be? Could it be his recollection of my dragging him to alternashops on a biweekly basis throughout the duration of our university years so I could spend the entirety of my paychecks building the finest collection of Doc Martens, weird sneakers, and various contraptions vaguely resembling platform shoes that the world has ever known? Surely not.
Lest there be some question that I like odd shoes, the last time I saw Spudsy, he asked, “What clown did you kill to steal those shoes?” LOL!
[This is so not work safe.]
Breaking: 3 Soldiers Charged with Murder
CNN: “Three members of the 101st Airborne Division have been charged in connection with the deaths of three detainees during an operation near in southern Salaheddin Province, Iraq, on May 9, the U.S. military announced Monday. A military news release said the charges in the case include murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, communicating a threat, and obstructing justice.”
The heart sinks, for so many reasons.
Corporations Looking at Dems
Passed on by Mr. Shakes.
Some big companies are boosting their share of campaign contributions to Democrats this year, a sign that executives may be starting to hedge their political bets after a decade of supporting congressional Republicans.
The shift includes backers of the Republican Party in the insurance, pharmaceuticals and tobacco industries, such as American International Group Inc., Wyeth, and Reynolds American Inc., according to PoliticalMoneyLine, a nonpartisan tracker of campaign contributions.
I don’t know that I’d bet the farm on this being a useful indicator of what’s going to happen in the November elections, but I thought I’d pass it along for your consideration. Personally, I just regard this as further evidence that we need publicly financed elections. Harrumph.
It would be a good start…
…if it were just a start, and not the end result of, presumably, lots and lots of careful consideration, but here it is nonetheless: The Democrats’ Call for a New Direction for America.
Democrats offer a New Direction, putting the common good of all Americans first for a change and will:Ezra, who gets the hat tip, says: “That's a -- whaddayacallit? -- an agenda right there. And it's a good one. The Medicare proposals are obvious and important, the college portions are worthwhile (though there's some revenue loss that'll needs to be offset), the fiscal responsibility stuff implies PAYGO without promising it, and you've of course got a minimum wage increase. I'm surprised that there's nothing about corruption, and apparently nobody could decide on an Iraq plank, but this is better than I expected.”
Make Health Care More Affordable: Fix the prescription drug program by putting people ahead of drug companies and HMO's, eliminating wasteful subsidies, negotiating lower drug prices and ensuring the program works for all seniors; invest in stem cell and other medical research.
Lower Gas Prices and Achieve Energy Independence: Crack down on price gouging; eliminate billions in subsidies for oil and gas companies and use the savings to provide consumer relief and develop American alternatives, including biofuels; promote energy efficient technology.
Help Working Families: Raise the minimum wage; repeal tax giveaways that encourage companies to move jobs overseas.
Cut College Costs: Make college tuition deductible from taxes; expand Pell grants and slash student loan costs.
Ensure Dignified Retirement: Prevent the privatization of Social Security; expand savings incentives; and ensure pension fairness.
Require Fiscal Responsibility: Restore the budget discipline of the 1990s that helped eliminate deficits and spur record economic growth.
Oy. File that under the soft bigotry of low expectations. Which is, by the way, not a criticism of Ezra’s response—with which I largely agree—but of the content we were given to consider.
In addition to the omission of corruption and Iraq, there are a couple other things given a pass that irk me, but I’ll focus on the biggest: Privacy. Hillary Clinton has called for a privacy bill, which would focus on protecting personal data, but the loss of privacy—and, more importantly, the loss of respect for citizens’ privacy—is bigger than simply personal data. Lots of issues of concern to progressives could be folded into a privacy plank, most notably gay marriage, reproductive choice, and church-state separation—all of which fall under the my rights end where yours begin definition of privacy, i.e. private choice. Call it the “Mind Your Own Fucking Business” plank, which could, of course, also cover government encroachment of civil rights.
It’s rather disappointing to see the Dems miss yet another opportunity to address a primary concern not only of progressives, but of a large swath of the populace irrespective of political affiliation. Disappointing, but sadly not surprising.
Deputy Secretary of State Resigns
Condi made the announcement this morning. I’m real sad to see Zoellick go—although it does give the Bush administration the opportunity to choose a new deputy about whom we can all get excited. I suggest Kip Dynamite. I just have this nagging suspicion that he’d be uniquely able to fill Zoellick’s shoes.
We Don’t Torture
Beating; punching with fists; use of truncheons; kicking; slamming against walls; stretching or suspension (to tear ligaments or muscles to cause asphyxia); external electric shocks; forcing prisoners to abase and to urinate on themselves; forced masturbation; forced renunciation of religion; false confessions or accusations; applying urine and feces to prisoners; making verbal threats to a prisoner and his family; denigration of a prisoner's religion; force-feeding; induced hypothermia and exposure to extreme heat; dietary manipulation; use of sedatives; extreme sleep deprivation; mock executions; water immersion; "water-boarding"; obstruction of the prisoner's airway; chest compression; thermal burning; rape; dog bites; sexual abuse; forcing a prisoner to watch the abuse or torture of a loved one.I don’t say this often, but go read Sully.
Spreading Freedom, Bush-Style
Editor & Publisher reports on a “shocking memo” from the US embassy in Baghdad which offers disturbing insight into the real situation on the ground in Iraq:
This cable outlines, the Post reported Sunday, "the daily-worsening conditions for those who live outside the heavily guarded international zone: harassment, threats and the employees' constant fears that their neighbors will discover they work for the U.S. government."There are long excerpts at the E&P link, and you can read the whole memo here.
It's actually far worse than that, as the details published below indicate, which include references to abductions, threats to women's rights, and "ethnic cleansing."
This is not the peacenik Dems “playing politics.” This is not the crazy liberal media refusing to report the “good news” out of Iraq. This is not the deviously traitorous leftwing blogosphere “celebrating” failure. This is a missive from Ambassador Khalilzad addressed to the Secretary of State.
I’m just wondering if the Secretary of State—or anyone else in the administration who insists on painting rosy pictures about what’s happening there—has bothered to read it.
More from Mustang Bobby, Cookie Jill at Skippy’s joint, Gideon, and Digby.
