Showing posts with label George w bush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label George w bush. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Getting Back To "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs"
Oct 1st, 2011
Krugman makes an accurate observation in his latestet critique of GOP obstructionism and self-delusion:
"The starting point for many claims that antibusiness policies are hurting the economy is the assertion that the sluggishness of the economy’s recovery from recession is unprecedented.
But, as a new paper by Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute documents at length, this is just not true. Extended periods of “jobless recovery” after recessions have been the rule for the past two decades. Indeed, private-sector job growth since the 2007-2009 recession has been better than it was after the 2001 recession."
I have pointed out, time and again, that job creation ended as we once knew it a decade ago. We are now, in fact, on track to add more jobs to the American economy in a single Obama term than were added under eight years of Bush II.
Krugman makes an accurate observation in his latestet critique of GOP obstructionism and self-delusion:
But, as a new paper by Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute documents at length, this is just not true. Extended periods of “jobless recovery” after recessions have been the rule for the past two decades. Indeed, private-sector job growth since the 2007-2009 recession has been better than it was after the 2001 recession."
I have pointed out, time and again, that job creation ended as we once knew it a decade ago. We are now, in fact, on track to add more jobs to the American economy in a single Obama term than were added under eight years of Bush II.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Today In WTF? Rumsfeld Edition
Sept 30th, 2011
by F. Grey Parker
During the last ten years of Permawar, the reporters of Al-Jazeera have been attacked by our country in more than one location. Just prior to the capture of Kabul, Afghanistan in 2001, their affiliate was destroyed by American munitions. As Muftah Al Suwaidan, then London bureau chief, noted at the the time:
"Al-Jazeera's office is in the heart of Kabul. The building is the only one to have been hit so it looks like it was deliberate."
Then came the 8th of April in 2003 in Iraq. NPR reported dryly:
"Three journalists were killed in military operations in Baghdad Tuesday, including an incident in which a U.S. tank fired at a hotel housing hundreds of international reporters."
There have been allegations that these were very much intentional operations and that former President George W. Bush was all for them. There has even been reportage that Bush was so gung-ho about targeting Al Jazeera's journalists, he openly discussed bombing their headquarters in Doha, Qatar, with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair is alleged to have talked W out of it.
Think about it. This would have been akin to bombing Rockefeller Center to stop the free dissemination of information the W regime didn't want transmitted.
The thing is, the targeted killing of journalists during the W. years was not altogether uncommon.
The sheer number of the dead and the scope of the coordinated killings is unlike anything our country has ever been guilty of before.
Of course, that can be said of us on many fronts since the abandonment of Just War Theory by our government.
The now infamous "collateral murder" video, which helped to make wikileaks a household name was not the most brazen act of violence against the non-combatant press corps... it is simply the only one for which we have seen the military's video record.
These facts make this morning's news a heck of an eye opener. Via HuffPo:
"Former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has given an interview to Al Jazeera, ending his feud with a channel he once described as "vicious".
Questioned by Sir David Frost, Bush’s former right-hand man, who many see as the architect of the second Gulf War, struck a conciliatory tone in the interview.
"Its audience has grown and it can be an important means of communication in the world," he said of the channel.
"I am delighted you are doing what you are doing."
What Rumsfeld is trying to accomplish is anyone's guess. Distance from the last regime? Denial of complicity in outright war crimes? Who knows.
It is more than perplexing. It is disgusting. And here I thought the Dick Cheney "torture is good" tour promoting his "book" was beyond the pale.
by F. Grey Parker
 |
| Click for larger view. Image via |
"Al-Jazeera's office is in the heart of Kabul. The building is the only one to have been hit so it looks like it was deliberate."
Then came the 8th of April in 2003 in Iraq. NPR reported dryly:
"Three journalists were killed in military operations in Baghdad Tuesday, including an incident in which a U.S. tank fired at a hotel housing hundreds of international reporters."
There have been allegations that these were very much intentional operations and that former President George W. Bush was all for them. There has even been reportage that Bush was so gung-ho about targeting Al Jazeera's journalists, he openly discussed bombing their headquarters in Doha, Qatar, with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair is alleged to have talked W out of it.
Think about it. This would have been akin to bombing Rockefeller Center to stop the free dissemination of information the W regime didn't want transmitted.
 |
| Image via wikileaks |
The sheer number of the dead and the scope of the coordinated killings is unlike anything our country has ever been guilty of before.
Of course, that can be said of us on many fronts since the abandonment of Just War Theory by our government.
The now infamous "collateral murder" video, which helped to make wikileaks a household name was not the most brazen act of violence against the non-combatant press corps... it is simply the only one for which we have seen the military's video record.
These facts make this morning's news a heck of an eye opener. Via HuffPo:
"Former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has given an interview to Al Jazeera, ending his feud with a channel he once described as "vicious".
Questioned by Sir David Frost, Bush’s former right-hand man, who many see as the architect of the second Gulf War, struck a conciliatory tone in the interview.
"Its audience has grown and it can be an important means of communication in the world," he said of the channel.
"I am delighted you are doing what you are doing."
What Rumsfeld is trying to accomplish is anyone's guess. Distance from the last regime? Denial of complicity in outright war crimes? Who knows.
It is more than perplexing. It is disgusting. And here I thought the Dick Cheney "torture is good" tour promoting his "book" was beyond the pale.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Who Bears Responsibility?
June 20th, 2011
This NBC/Wall Street Journal poll conducted from June 9th to June 13th shows a shift towards holding Bush 2 more accountable for our current economic crisis.
This NBC/Wall Street Journal poll conducted from June 9th to June 13th shows a shift towards holding Bush 2 more accountable for our current economic crisis.
Monday, May 2, 2011
It Was Time Travel
May 2nd, 2011
Satire
The successful elimination of the terrorist Osama Bin Laden by the Obama Administration was just the beginning. There was another bombshell announcement from Washington this afternoon. It was revealed that early this morning President Barack Obama ordered the use of previously secret technology to send former President George W. Bush back in time to give a message of hope to the troops
and Bush himself one more chance.
Papers from the period in 2003 to which he was temporarily returned show that W, true to form, got the message a little wrong. Having taken along the MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner Secretary Clinton had made yesterday rather than the WE WILL GET BIN LADEN banner he was supposed to display, years of hilarity ensued.
Referring to the WE WILL GET BIN LADEN banner left behind by the former President, President Obama is rumored to have muttered, "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" When asked if perhaps the former President might be sent back to the past a second time to attempt to undo the damage, President Obama reportedly burst into hysterical laughter which subsided quickly before his asking, "you weren't serious, right? I mean, I try and throw the guy a bone once and look what happens."
Satire
and Bush himself one more chance.
Papers from the period in 2003 to which he was temporarily returned show that W, true to form, got the message a little wrong. Having taken along the MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner Secretary Clinton had made yesterday rather than the WE WILL GET BIN LADEN banner he was supposed to display, years of hilarity ensued.
Referring to the WE WILL GET BIN LADEN banner left behind by the former President, President Obama is rumored to have muttered, "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" When asked if perhaps the former President might be sent back to the past a second time to attempt to undo the damage, President Obama reportedly burst into hysterical laughter which subsided quickly before his asking, "you weren't serious, right? I mean, I try and throw the guy a bone once and look what happens."
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Continuing Rebuttal of Marc Thiessen
March 10th, 2010
Matthew Alexander, a former senior military interrogator who publishes under a pseudonym for security reasons, has written a caustic review of Marc Thiessen's recently released and garishly pro-torture manifesto:
As Thiessen continues his attacks on not just the rule of law but traditional morality as well, another voice has added itself to his growing chorus of detractors. This one is conservative author and editor, Conor Friedersdorf who argues that it is irresponsible for editors to even publish his work for it's lack of quality:
"The readers who propelled him onto the New York Times bestseller list can be forgiven if they’re not knowledgeable about United States law, the military code of conduct, or devastating counterarguments that require a bit of outside knowledge. But the editors who willingly publish this man again and again, despite the poor quality of his work and his inability to answer his strongest critics, are being negligent and unprofessional."
Thiessen, on The Daily Show last night, was skewered:
Matthew Alexander, a former senior military interrogator who publishes under a pseudonym for security reasons, has written a caustic review of Marc Thiessen's recently released and garishly pro-torture manifesto:
"My gut reaction on reading Marc Thiessen's new book, Courting Disaster, was: "Why is a speechwriter who's never served in the military or intelligence community acting as an expert on interrogation and national security?"
Certainly, everyone is entitled to a voice in the debate over the lawfulness and efficacy of President Bush's abusive interrogation program, regardless of qualifications. But if you're not an expert on a subject, shouldn't you interview experts before expressing an opinion? Instead, Thiessen relies solely on the opinions of the CIA interrogators who used torture and abuse and are thus most vulnerable to prosecution for war crimes."
Certainly, everyone is entitled to a voice in the debate over the lawfulness and efficacy of President Bush's abusive interrogation program, regardless of qualifications. But if you're not an expert on a subject, shouldn't you interview experts before expressing an opinion? Instead, Thiessen relies solely on the opinions of the CIA interrogators who used torture and abuse and are thus most vulnerable to prosecution for war crimes."
As Thiessen continues his attacks on not just the rule of law but traditional morality as well, another voice has added itself to his growing chorus of detractors. This one is conservative author and editor, Conor Friedersdorf who argues that it is irresponsible for editors to even publish his work for it's lack of quality:
"The readers who propelled him onto the New York Times bestseller list can be forgiven if they’re not knowledgeable about United States law, the military code of conduct, or devastating counterarguments that require a bit of outside knowledge. But the editors who willingly publish this man again and again, despite the poor quality of his work and his inability to answer his strongest critics, are being negligent and unprofessional."
Thiessen, on The Daily Show last night, was skewered:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive - Marc Thiessen Extended Interview Pt. 1 | ||||
| ||||
Saturday, March 6, 2010
It's Called Torture
March 6th, 2010
In a case that could prove to be dynamite in the Torture Debate, US District Judge Wayne Andersen ruled that the torture claims of two US citizens who served as contractors in Iraq may go forward in their suit against former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Again, the allegation is that two United States citizens, one a Navy veteran, were tortured by our own forces.
From the linked story:
"The men claimed they were subjected to sleep and food deprivation, threats of violence, actual violence (emphasis added) and prolonged solitary confinement, according to yesterday’s ruling. Andersen said if those claims were true, “a court might plausibly determine that the conditions of confinement were torturous.” "
In a case that could prove to be dynamite in the Torture Debate, US District Judge Wayne Andersen ruled that the torture claims of two US citizens who served as contractors in Iraq may go forward in their suit against former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Again, the allegation is that two United States citizens, one a Navy veteran, were tortured by our own forces.
From the linked story:
"The men claimed they were subjected to sleep and food deprivation, threats of violence, actual violence (emphasis added) and prolonged solitary confinement, according to yesterday’s ruling. Andersen said if those claims were true, “a court might plausibly determine that the conditions of confinement were torturous.” "
Friday, February 19, 2010
There Aren't Different Versions Of The Truth
Feb 19th, 2010
by F. Grey Parker
On Friday November 12th 1948, General Kenji Doihara, Baron Kōki Hirota, General Seishirō Itagaki, General Heitarō Kimura, General Iwane Matsui, General Akira Muto, General Hideki Tōjō were sentenced to death for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Primary amongst the actions for which they had been convicted were the torturous methods with which they interrogated prisoners. One of the principle tools was called the "water cure" otherwise known as waterboarding.
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