Duelling video atrocities

Video of Random Shootings in Iraq.

There you go, ay. Do we laugh, now?

Lil'flaccid reaction

Kim, over at the Blog which used to have the World's worst colour scheme (recently changed), has a post on that wacky survey undertaken in the UK - Rape: Never The Victim’s Fault.

Check the comments from a couple of the 'poor' lads. Very telling.

As they say in RWDB-land: Hmm... makes you think.

Squeezin' one out for a living

Now, this is some pretty neat sh*t from Jonah Goldberg. A perfect curl with a little crimped peak on it. Nice.

You may be able to guess the nature of the article by the title. Below is the first para to set the tone and spur you on to click the link.

A lie for a just cause;

STOP ME IF YOU'VE heard this already. But there are people out there — honest, decent, sincere people and deranged moonbats, too — who think that George W. Bush lied about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. No, seriously, it's true. "Bush lied, people died" is one of their catchier slogans.

Excellent stuff. FDR, Pearl Harbour and WWII cited. Can I get a "C'mon!"?

If you don't wish to smear your brain with this excrement, here's the shorter version from Busy, Busy, Busy;

American presidents always lie when they really, really want to start a war for which they can provide no honest legal or moral justification. Duh!

I assume this is why we have the current meme, that the Right has run out of intellectual steam, gaining so much traction. I'll see that and raise it with an abundance of amorality.

How high, sir!?!

Tell it to the Marine;

Mori came to the conclusion some time ago that the military commissions system is deeply flawed, that these will be political trials, driven by political considerations, that they are not about justice and that neither Hicks nor any other detainee will get anything resembling a fair trial.

"This is a process designed by the President and the Vice-President and the imperative is to get convictions," he says. "This process is nothing like a court martial, nothing like it. I'm still not an expert on international law, but I know enough to know this is not justice."

A bit of a fluff piece on Australia's sole Gitmo detainee's (David Hicks) lawyer, Major Michael Mori.

The Major has become a bit of a celebrity in Oz and for good reason.

Seemingly representing the last man standing in maintaining some semblance of honour and principle within the US Military's compromised justice system (thanks to Cheney & Rummy). He has been honest and outspoken regarding Hicks' predicament.

He has also taken a few shots at the Howard Government's obseqiousness and their total lack of action (unlike every other nation) toward gaining Hick's release and return to Oz. All the while looking your typical jar-head.

The Major is also a Cricket and Rugby fan. Big ups!

See! A clown wrestling a straw man

Juan Cole on the posturing from the Repugs in response to Murtha;

Republicans in Congress responded to Murtha's considered plan by introducing a phony resolution the bore little resemblance to Murtha's, and then helping defeat it overwhelmingly. The intent was apparently to force the Democrats either to look as though they were in favor of "cutting and running" or to vote against immediately withdrawing US troops and so associating themselves with Bush's 'stay the course' policy. The Republican straw man resolution was:


' Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately. '



Well, this stupid resolution is not what Murtha was saying, and the vote on it is meaningless. It is worse than meaningless. It is political clowning.

Ah, politicians, don't vote for them, it'll only encourage 'em.

Rockin a sockpuppet while jackin' off and lookin' in the mirror

I haven't been over to Tim Lambert's place for some time, until another Tim left a link and a comment on an amusing little adventure he (TL) had with a sockpuppet;

Well, that set off my sockdar — a constant theme of Fumento’s was how insignificant my blog was compared to his own towering eminence. Could he be using a sock puppet to pretend that I was too unimportant for him to write to? I looked up the location of Tracy’s IP address: she was posting from Arlington, Virginia. And what do I find in Fumento’s biography?

Can you guess?

F*ck. Some people are just plain sad. I shouldn't be surprised, it is the internets, after all.

Dept. of ain't a damned thing changed

From the Crikey email;

It's interesting to hear about the AWB saga and freight payments to Alia as if it was a one-off occurrence. When working in Peru in the mid 1970s – living next door to the Minister for Agriculture in a house owned by his daughter – we learned through our very close social contact that AWB wheat sales to the government of Peru's Juan Alvarasco Velado were similarly sweetened.

Trouble man

Cool.

Go home, Da' Poet, go home

Protesters tell Rumsfeld to leave;

A 500-strong rally in central Adelaide today called United States Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld a war criminal and demanded he go home.
...
"They are willing to kill, they are willing to murder innocent civilians by the tens of thousands to exploit the resources of other countries and sacrifice even their own soldiers for these goals of war and expropriation."

After about an hour the rally dispersed.

Nice work.

No way!

I sat through tonight's game never once daring to believe that 'we' would make it to the World Cup for fear of jinxing our chances.

You little beauty!

Hmm, looks like shit. Tastes like shit...

US used white phosphorus in Iraq;

The Pentagon has confirmed that US troops used white phosphorus during last year's offensive in the northern Iraqi city of Falluja.
'It was used as an incendiary weapon against enemy combatants,' spokesman Lt Col Barry Venable told the BBC.

Col Venable denied that the substance - which can cause burning of the flesh - constituted a banned chemical weapon.

Meanwhile Cheney argues for the use of torture in the US Senate.

I love the smell of Karma in the morning.

Via.

No War... booty!

US ban on AWB over Iraq bribes;

In the first official action from the Bush administration over the disclosure of bribes to Saddam under the UN food-for-oil program, AWB has been banned from using US credit programs.

The US action is highly embarrassing for the Howard Government as one of President George W. Bush's staunchest supporters on the invasion of Iraq. John Howard spoke to the President on the weekend and is likely to meet him informally at the APEC meeting in South Korea later this week.

Last night Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Mark Vaile said the Government was "seriously concerned" on behalf of Australian wheat growers.

Mr Vaile is seeking an "urgent clarification" from the US Government for the reasons behind the decision of the Department of Agriculture.

Vaile, you dopey cocky, has Australia lost 2,000 of its defence personnel in Iraq resulting in a potential election loss for the ruling political party? No. Work it out, fool.

The truth hurts

Bush Contends Partisan Critics Hurt War Effort;

"The stakes in the global war on terror are too high, and the national interest is too important, for politicians to throw out false charges," Mr. Bush said. "These baseless attacks send the wrong signal to our troops and to an enemy that is questioning America's will. As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy our way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them to war continue to stand behind them."

Yeah, sure.

Who cry? You cry, 'Wolf!'

Naomi posts over at Larvatus Prodeo on another reason why the Howard Gov't will need another distraction, such as further arrests of terrorists and/or an actual terrorist event;

Bad news for John Howard. Firstly, wheat sales to Iraq are vital, and we've got the first good harvest in years about to go under the combine harvesters right now. Iraq is our major export market for wheat in this age of 'free trade', so that's dire for us. Farmers who can't sell their wheat tend to get quite irate, as do their communities, which usually vote Coalition but are less likely to when their businesses collapse. Secondly, even though the Wheat Board was flogged off to private enterprise a few years back, these filthy contracts were signed when the Board was still under Government ownership, between 1997 and 1999. And the UN is quite firmly of the opinion that it was pretty obvious such corruption was taking place. That means that the buck does stop with the Government - in fact, the Government put the Wheat Board in that mess. Fourthly, Australia is the biggest offender, by far, in this oil-for-food scandal. Our US$220 million or A$290 is more than all the other countries lost via corruption put together.

If you voted for the Howard Gov't, then you voted for some corrupt, Saddam loving, wedge-monkeys.

Conscience deficient

Act on Hicks, backbencher tells PM;

She (Danna Vale) described his continued detention as "offence against the principal of law".

"Justice delayed is justice denied and this fellow does not appear to be able to access any justice at all," Ms Vale told ABC Radio.

"After examining my conscience I'm concerned that this fellow will either die there or he will be released.

I doubt the PM will consider this request, but at least we are starting to see a few cracks in the Libs unity. Could lead to something good. We gotta have dreams, right?

Obvious to most...

Australians Say They Foiled Terror Attack;

One of the suspects, Abdulla Merhi, wanted to carry out attacks to avenge the war in Iraq, police said in a Melbourne court.

Hmm, so the Police believe that Howard's involvement in the invasion of Iraq has increased the possibility of a terrorist attack in Australia.

F*ck your humble pie, I'll stay cynical, fool!

Critics lose face, from head to toe;

You'll recall that when John Howard demanded an urgent, if peculiar amendment to the criminal code last week to counter a potential but unnamed terror threat, the Prime Minister was almost knocked flat by the corresponding sonic boom of cynicism.

Which, to a point, was entirely understandable. Howard may be our Great Protector, but when all is said and done he's still a crafty operator. To believe the PM doesn't weigh everything he says and does for political gain is like awarding Paris Hilton a Nobel Prize for services to chastity.

Nonetheless, the circumstances of last week's brouhaha meant the smart money was always on Howard acting in good faith.

Right, so we're still yet to have any convictions. Maybe the chaps arrested recently will go down or, perhaps they are actually innocent (we should presume). We'll see.

Now, the main gripe many critics have with Howard's approach and recent actions is his milking of the terrorism issue for all its worth, politically.

It ain't right, son.

Even assuming we have no deaths resulting from terrorism and only considering the various impacts fear has on society as a whole, this is some major sh*t.

In the language of the conservative: money, I'm sure business folk aren't too happy when their markets fold due to consumers going into lock down for fear of falling victim. Unfortunately, for Muslims in our community, they will suffer the negative manifestations of this collective vibe.

Not to worry, our pollies have an election to win, or lose.

So, as I clean the egg from my face, I believe it is worth noting that the investigation leading to these raids commenced almost a year and a half ago and that the AFP have been continually requesting the change to the law since then.

Target: You

Terror targets 'not known';

The raids appear to have targeted suspects alleged to be involved in the potential terrorist threat involving the two cities that was announced by the federal government last week.

The Australian Federal Police has confirmed the arrests saying charges include intentionally being a member of a terrorist organisation and intentionally directing the activities of a terrorist organisation.

Howard stops terrorism. Its that easy.

Hollywood Conservatives

Via.

Wondering why the US is stumbling in its attempt to fight terra? Jason Apuzzo has a possible answer;

By the same token, probably the only prime-time exposure most Americans have to our successes in the War on Terror - particularly on the home front - comes from Fox's show "24." I wonder sometimes what the President's approval ratings might be like without that series - in part because that show sometimes explains the terrorist threat better than the President does.

Actually, he doesn't have an answer, he demonstrates why by displaying a severe lack of intelligence. Stand down, conservatives.



Jason, you goose.

Lock up your skills

Bahrainis released from Guantanamo;

The minister said King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa had raised the plight of the Bahraini detainees with US officials during a visit to Washington.

Saudi state media said a Saudi detainee, Majid al-Shamri, had returned to Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The four men returned a day after five Kuwaitis held in Guantanamo were released.

The Pentagon has said more than 250 detainees have left Guantanamo after a review of their cases and that approximately 500 remained.

So long and thanks for all the fish!

Fear to rule, OK?

Do not expect arrests yet, says PM;

"What it means is that as issues work out operationally, if I can put it that way, having this new law will mean that the response to situations as they emerge, and they can change every day and new situations can emerge, the authorities will be in a stronger position to deal with it."

So, after using the threat of an immediate attack (hmm, sounds familiar) to justify rushing parts of his 'Anti-Terror' Legislation through, "we need them, now! Waaah", he is now suggesting that the threat is not immediate, or specific and seemingly the new laws will not provide an ability to make arrests. Assume they will not protect us at this stage, also.

This man knows no bounds and is turning out to be an extremely irresponsible PM. Conservative my arse, this guy is pure megalomaniac with little or no ideological principles.

Meanwhile, the opposition (who?) and the State Premiers have gone along with the immediate threat charade. Sh*t is f*cked.

Oh, and it is worth mentioning that apparently the Police are pretty pissed off with the way their investigation has been used.

Janet Albrechtsen: Complete f*ckwit

This level of hysteria suggests anti-terror laws are sound;

AUSTRALIA has a new measure of sound public policy. Called the Fairfax Index, it works like this. The more hysterical the hyperbole on a particular topic on the Fairfax opinion pages and the greater the number of progressive pen pals spilling their outrage on the Fairfax letters pages, the more likely it is that the target of their anguish is good public policy. Using the Fairfax Index, the latest anti-terrorism laws must represent very sound public policy indeed.

What a f*ckin' idiot. This is what passes for intelligent opinion from so-called conservatives? By this standard, I should be writing for Murdoch's rag and I'm as thick as two short planks.

At least I wouldn't jump on whatever the Howard Government strap on.

You suck, Janet. I hope you gag on that fat wad of cash.

Wag the Lying Rodent

'Specific' terror threat against Australia: PM;

"The Government has received specific intelligence and police information this week, which gives cause for serious concern about a potential terrorist threat," he told reporters in Canberra.

Mr Howard said he could not comment further about the information he received and would not say whether the intelligence advice had come from Australian or other authorities.

As a result, Mr Howard said part of the new anti-terror laws would be introduced to Parliament today.

Well, well, so what'ya know. This is just too much. F*ck, we can afford a terrorist strike or two while we wait for the legislation to get nutted out. Ask the people, Johnny, you little twerp.

It's not as though you personally will be a victim of a terrorist act. If anybody, it's going to be some sadsack worker bees trooping off to their designated work station. The same ones whom may well be driven to stage a revolt once you wheel out your IR 'reforms'. The same ones you would love to class as terrorists for daring to oppose your vision of Australia as the Corporate state.

Egalitarian and free, that WAS Australia. With this unaustralian PM at the helm, gonski.

You go to war with the leadership you have...

The likes of Coulter and Malkin(s) are gonna go apeshit when they see the press publicity for this book (doubt they'll read it);

Terrorism experts Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon have reached a stark conclusion about the war on terrorism: the United States is losing.
...

"Everyone says there's a war of ideas out there, and I agree. The sad fact is that we're on the wrong side," said Benjamin, now a senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Couldn't agree more with this sentiment, but what do I know? Very little, compared to a previous Clinton adviser.

Partisan pontificating can be fun, especially when those likely to (and in fact are so far) suffer as a result of the actions of the leaders of the Coalition of the Suckered by Forged Documents will be any body but.. the leaders.

A terrorist attack which only cost the lives of those completely f*cking things up, as opposed to us hapless plebs, though still tragic, would be less so, I feel. But, in the past, it is the lil'folk who have scored the raw end of the prawn and ain't a damn thing changed.

It's been a long time since my vote went to the eventual winner of a national election, actually it never has. Looks like I will lose, again.

How to make an omelette

Thousands Gather at the Capitol to Remember a Hero;

"I can honestly say," Ms. Rice said in Montgomery, "that without Mrs. Parks, I probably would not be standing here today as secretary of state."

Having Condi (get the name right!) in our faces is a small price to pay.

The World needs more folk like Rosa Parks. Obviously.

I read somewhere (Amsam?) that she was refused to acquiesce to the racist laws a number of times, back in the day, and that it took a few goes before a 'spontaneous uprising' took place. Nice work.

Downer is a gormless twit of a spooner, no doubt

Hicks didn't tell us about abuse: Downer;

"All of his claims would need to be tested very carefully indeed because why otherwise has he been held for nearly four years without a proper court process? There must be something people are trying to hide," Mr North said.

To coin a phrase: Hmmm.. makes you think.

Puritan pundits

Bob Somerby over at The Daily Howler is amazed by Howard Kurtz' latest column;

The underlying issue in the Plame debacle—the alleged manipulation of intelligence used to justify a war and retaliating against a critic, Joe Wilson, who challenged that effort—is arguably more important than the Clinton-era debates over whether oral sex was sex.

Of course, having your cigar rolled during a time of war is much worse.