Clay Bennett's brilliant work can be found HERE
Showing posts with label iran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iran. Show all posts
Friday, September 28, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Mitt Watch: Ugly Deals And Not So Blind Trusts
Sept 25th, 2012
While everyone is debating either the fairness of the rate or the bizarre and hypocritical over-payment revealed in the release of Mitt Romney's 2011 tax returns, there are some darker and more complicated issues raised.
After reminding us that it was Romney himself who stated years ago "you can always tell a blind trust what it can and cannot do," FT reports that his investments in Chinese energy concern Cnooc, a group with direct dealings in Tehran and a history of human rights abuses, seem to have been made and sold with suspiciously convenient timing regarding his political ambitions.
The short version: his "blind trust" invested in Cnooc after their practices were raising eyebrows and under investigation here in the U.S. but divested late in the Summer of 2011 just before candidate Romney made talking tough on China one of his campaign's talking points. More on this HERE.
While everyone is debating either the fairness of the rate or the bizarre and hypocritical over-payment revealed in the release of Mitt Romney's 2011 tax returns, there are some darker and more complicated issues raised.
After reminding us that it was Romney himself who stated years ago "you can always tell a blind trust what it can and cannot do," FT reports that his investments in Chinese energy concern Cnooc, a group with direct dealings in Tehran and a history of human rights abuses, seem to have been made and sold with suspiciously convenient timing regarding his political ambitions.
The short version: his "blind trust" invested in Cnooc after their practices were raising eyebrows and under investigation here in the U.S. but divested late in the Summer of 2011 just before candidate Romney made talking tough on China one of his campaign's talking points. More on this HERE.
The next time we hear anyone from Team Romney refer to the "morality of capitalism," it's worth asking them just what the hell they think they're talking about.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Will The GOP "Listen To The Generals"?
March 5th, 2012
As the right clamors more loudly everyday for war with Iran and against the backdrop of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's current visit to the U.S. comes this full page ad in today's Washington Post (via HuffPo) calling bullshit on a war of choice with Iran. It is signed by the following:
Major General Paul Eaton (USA, Ret.)
Tom Fingar, fmr. Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis
Lt. General Robert G. Gard (USA, Ret.)
General Joseph Hoar (USMC, Ret.)
Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.)
Maj. Gen Rudolph Ostovich III (USA, Ret.)
Paul Pillar, fmr. National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia
Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson (USA, Ret.)
Click HERE for better view
As the right clamors more loudly everyday for war with Iran and against the backdrop of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's current visit to the U.S. comes this full page ad in today's Washington Post (via HuffPo) calling bullshit on a war of choice with Iran. It is signed by the following:
Major General Paul Eaton (USA, Ret.)
Tom Fingar, fmr. Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis
Lt. General Robert G. Gard (USA, Ret.)
General Joseph Hoar (USMC, Ret.)
Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.)
Maj. Gen Rudolph Ostovich III (USA, Ret.)
Paul Pillar, fmr. National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia
Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson (USA, Ret.)
Click HERE for better view
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| From the National Iranian American Council |
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Obama's "Most Dangerous" GOP Opponent?
Feb 29th, 2012
In light of the news that Israel would "not warn" the U.S. prior to a pre-emptive attack on Iran, Sullivan fumes:
"I don't think you can understand the Republican strategy for this election without factoring in a key GOP player, Benjamin Netanyahu.
He already has core members of the US Congress siding openly with him against the US president and the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman - like McCain, Lieberman and Butters.
In light of the news that Israel would "not warn" the U.S. prior to a pre-emptive attack on Iran, Sullivan fumes:
He already has core members of the US Congress siding openly with him against the US president and the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman - like McCain, Lieberman and Butters.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The Real Threat Is Pakistan, cont...
Feb 28th, 2012
I have argued for some time that the already nuclear-armed nation of Pakistan is a far greater threat to our interests and international stability than Iran with a bomb could ever be. Here's more proof via RT:
"Senior officials in Pakistani military intelligence knew of Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts and arrangements for his safe house – that’s the implication of confidential Stratfor files disclosed by WikiLeaks. Pakistan has dismissed the allegations.
The leaked information from the rent-a-spy agency published on the WikiLeaks website on Monday shows that Osama bin Laden was in routine contact with several senior figures from Pakistan's military intelligence agency."
Unfortunately, the GOP seems to have little interest in this "ally." Discussions of foreign policy in that party's presidential "debates" devolved into little more than the candidates, with the exception of Ron Paul, promising to drag us to war in Iran. The few mentions of U.S.-Pakistan relations there have been were ill-informed at best.
I have argued for some time that the already nuclear-armed nation of Pakistan is a far greater threat to our interests and international stability than Iran with a bomb could ever be. Here's more proof via RT:
"Senior officials in Pakistani military intelligence knew of Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts and arrangements for his safe house – that’s the implication of confidential Stratfor files disclosed by WikiLeaks. Pakistan has dismissed the allegations.
The leaked information from the rent-a-spy agency published on the WikiLeaks website on Monday shows that Osama bin Laden was in routine contact with several senior figures from Pakistan's military intelligence agency."
Unfortunately, the GOP seems to have little interest in this "ally." Discussions of foreign policy in that party's presidential "debates" devolved into little more than the candidates, with the exception of Ron Paul, promising to drag us to war in Iran. The few mentions of U.S.-Pakistan relations there have been were ill-informed at best.
Friday, February 10, 2012
George Will Vs. The GOP On Defense
Feb 10th, 2012
A few days ago, conservative columnist George Will penned a withering critique of current Republican messaging on defense. He begins with nothing less than a rebuke of the entire Iraq misadventure:
"Hours — not months, not weeks, hours — after the last U.S. troops left Iraq, vicious political factionalism and sectarian violence intensified. Many Republicans say Barack Obama's withdrawal — accompanied by his administration's foolish praise of Iraq's "stability" — has jeopardized what has been achieved there. But if it cannot survive a sunrise without fraying, how much of an achievement was it?
Few things so embitter a nation as squandered valor; hence Americans, with much valor spent there, want Iraq to master its fissures. But with America in the second decade of its longest war, the probable Republican nominee is promising to extend it indefinitely." EMPHASIS OURS
In fact, all of the GOP contenders (with the exception of Ron Paul) are now in a mad dash to outdo one another in promising more wars, longer wars and bigger wars. The situation is out of hand and these positions are dramatically at odds with the will of the people.
A few days ago, conservative columnist George Will penned a withering critique of current Republican messaging on defense. He begins with nothing less than a rebuke of the entire Iraq misadventure:
"Hours — not months, not weeks, hours — after the last U.S. troops left Iraq, vicious political factionalism and sectarian violence intensified. Many Republicans say Barack Obama's withdrawal — accompanied by his administration's foolish praise of Iraq's "stability" — has jeopardized what has been achieved there. But if it cannot survive a sunrise without fraying, how much of an achievement was it?
Few things so embitter a nation as squandered valor; hence Americans, with much valor spent there, want Iraq to master its fissures. But with America in the second decade of its longest war, the probable Republican nominee is promising to extend it indefinitely." EMPHASIS OURS
In fact, all of the GOP contenders (with the exception of Ron Paul) are now in a mad dash to outdo one another in promising more wars, longer wars and bigger wars. The situation is out of hand and these positions are dramatically at odds with the will of the people.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
After The Iowa Caucus - ANOTHER Lurch To The Right?
Jan 4th, 2012
It's official; Mitt Romney is in serious trouble. Sure, he "won" the Iowa Caucus by an entirety of eight votes. But, he is still in very serious trouble.
It's not merely the near-upset by Santorum that we predicted might happen yesterday which endangers him. Nor is it the strong likelihood that Romney will be unable to resist pandering to the Dominionist voters who nearly defeated him.
No. What Romney should be very afraid of is Newt Gingrich.
It's official; Mitt Romney is in serious trouble. Sure, he "won" the Iowa Caucus by an entirety of eight votes. But, he is still in very serious trouble.
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| Screengrab from the Des Moines Iowa Register |
It's not merely the near-upset by Santorum that we predicted might happen yesterday which endangers him. Nor is it the strong likelihood that Romney will be unable to resist pandering to the Dominionist voters who nearly defeated him.
No. What Romney should be very afraid of is Newt Gingrich.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Bachmann Watch - Iranian Embassy Edition
Dec 1st, 2011
Despite the fact that we have embassy in Tehran, much less formal relations of any kind in over 3 decades, candidate Bachmann has declared that she will close said embassy. So there...
Her team is doing its best to spin this as an incidence of misreporting, stipulating that Rep. Bachmann was speaking in a "hypothetical" way. The problem with that is we now have the exact quote. While discussin England's decision to pull out its diplomatic team following recent student violence dirtected at their embassy, Bachmann said, "That’s exactly what I would do [if I were president]. We wouldn’t have an embassy in Iran. I wouldn’t allow that to be there."
Coverage of this very amazing gaffe is HERE, HERE and HERE.
Note to the GOP... Jon Huntsman is a very intelligent man and actually knows some stuff. Just sayin'.
Despite the fact that we have embassy in Tehran, much less formal relations of any kind in over 3 decades, candidate Bachmann has declared that she will close said embassy. So there...
Her team is doing its best to spin this as an incidence of misreporting, stipulating that Rep. Bachmann was speaking in a "hypothetical" way. The problem with that is we now have the exact quote. While discussin England's decision to pull out its diplomatic team following recent student violence dirtected at their embassy, Bachmann said, "That’s exactly what I would do [if I were president]. We wouldn’t have an embassy in Iran. I wouldn’t allow that to be there."
Coverage of this very amazing gaffe is HERE, HERE and HERE.
Note to the GOP... Jon Huntsman is a very intelligent man and actually knows some stuff. Just sayin'.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Chalabi... Again
Oct 4th, 2010
Ahmed Chalabi is news again. Discussing the run up to our Invasion of Iraq in 2003:
From Global Security Newswire:
"The weapons of mass destruction was to our view a marginal issue."
As Max Fisher notes in the Atlantic, "His many critics accuse him of misleading the U.S. into war by providing intelligence that Saddam Hussein's Iraq aided al-Qaeda and possessed weapons of mass destruction, both central rationales for the invasion for which evidence has never materialized."
I go further than Max. These weren't "central" rationales. They were the only rationales. There were no other issues that could have garnered widespread American public support for the war. This not an arguable point. The deeply corrupt Chalabi was a darling of far right groups groups like the American Enterprise Institute, as evidenced in this defense.
Examples of his impacts are here, here and here.
If the allegations that he was working for the Iranians all along are true, that may point to the the real triumph of our Iraq invasion and occupation: We are crippled strategically and our economy is in collapse. One has to admit that that's a success... for the Iranians.
Ahmed Chalabi is news again. Discussing the run up to our Invasion of Iraq in 2003:
"The weapons of mass destruction was to our view a marginal issue."
As Max Fisher notes in the Atlantic, "His many critics accuse him of misleading the U.S. into war by providing intelligence that Saddam Hussein's Iraq aided al-Qaeda and possessed weapons of mass destruction, both central rationales for the invasion for which evidence has never materialized."
I go further than Max. These weren't "central" rationales. They were the only rationales. There were no other issues that could have garnered widespread American public support for the war. This not an arguable point. The deeply corrupt Chalabi was a darling of far right groups groups like the American Enterprise Institute, as evidenced in this defense.
Examples of his impacts are here, here and here.
If the allegations that he was working for the Iranians all along are true, that may point to the the real triumph of our Iraq invasion and occupation: We are crippled strategically and our economy is in collapse. One has to admit that that's a success... for the Iranians.
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