It is now August 2007 in IRAQ. Another month down the tubes. We made some progress during the month of July 2007, but, oh my, we do have LONG way to go. There is no end in sight to this OCCUPATION!
Our military leaders are now talking about a possible withdrawal [of a large number of troops] by the Summer of 2009.
So, the NEXT PRESIDENT will be the one dealing with the troops withdrawal.
See, I told you so, there will be no BAR, CAR, or PAR during GWB's watch.
Note that the increase of troops during the surge [SAMO] in IRAQ is giving our ground commanders what is needed to improve security in that messed up country.
As per Admiral Mike Mullen security is better, not great, but better in IRAQ. But, Admiral Mullen acknowledged in front of Congress today that there does not appear to be much political progress in IRAQ.
And we know that the IRAQ Parliament is taking a LONG break during the month of August [makes no difference, they should remain on vacation for the rest of the year]. My vote goes to the members of the IRAQI SOCCER TEAM, they have what it takes to make things happen. Put the SOCCER team in charge of IRAQI politics !!!
The MORALE of our troops remain high, but there are a LOT of service members LEAVING the military. Including some of my family members, and military friends. My contacts in the front lines are now zero [all of them have left the military, I do have some friends on the war fronts but I have zippo communication with them].
The Army is doing something about those leaving, the Army is now offering MUCHO DINERO for those willing to stick around. The Army is offering a $20,000 bonus to new and prior service recruits joining, selecting any job and shipping out for training within 30 days.
Things are looking good for ambassador Ryan Crocker and General David Petraeus. They are to report PROGRESS made in IRAQ during the SAMO, and conditions related to the war strategy, to the Congress in September 2007. Right now we can say that the SAMO is working [things are NOT perfect, but they are better].
However, members of the DEM and GOP parties are expressing impatience with progress in IRAQ. Time for our lawmakers to have patience!
We do have some issues with IRAN and SAUDI ARABIA in IRAQ. Our friends from IRAN are supplying money and weapons to the SHIA fighters. Our friends from SAUDI ARABIA are supplying money and weapons to the SUNNI fighters. Up to this point, the KURDS are our best allies in IRAQ, we have no issues with the KURDS.
One SHAKEY development in IRAQ is the alliance our troops are forming with SUNNI insurgents in various areas of IRAQ. We are providing GOOD MONEY and WEAPONS to SUNNI groups [insurgents] with the condition that those groups will help us fighting al Qaeda operatives, plus the SUNNI groups have given their words that they will NOT attack our troops.
Those SUNNI groups were given amnesty for previous attacks [some of them have American blood on their hands], they are NOW operating as unofficial police force. This PACT with SUNNI insurgents is creating a defacto BLACKWATERS team of IRAQIS.
Our friend, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki [a stalwart of the Dawa party, SHIA political group that for years led an armed underground resistance to the secular Baathist leadership of Saddam Hussein] is NOT HAPPY with our alliance with SUNNI groups. He officially complained about the alliance [talked with GWB] and requested from the US government to FIRE General Petraeus for dealing with the enemy [it is not going to happen!!]
One of the SUNNI groups now helping our troops are in the area of Almiriya [they are now using the name of Almiriya Revolutionaries], this same group was shooting at our troops a few weeks ago, but are now helping to kill or capture al Qaeda members [yes, they were friends a few week ago]. Another proof that WE CAN BUY HEARTS AND MINDS OF OUR ENEMIES.
As I have said before, In IRAQ, money talks.
Again, we have made SOME PROGRESS in the past couple of months, but we do have a LONG WAY to go. We still have issues with WATER, FOOD, MEDICINE, and ELECTRICITY. Note that our government is no longer reporting electricity usage [because the numbers are NOT looking good, so the idea here is to IGNORE the bad news]. BAD NEWS are NOT going to go away with time!
Let me close with a great quote from one of the giants of the 20th century.
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Gandhi
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
We have made SOME progress in IRAQ
GREAT week for The Boys Of Summer
GREAT week for The Boys Of Summer!
On Sunday we had Cal Ripken Jr [Mr Oriole] and Tony Gwinn [Mr Padre] officially joining The Baseball Hall Of Fame. For the rest of the week we have three of the big ones trying to reach personal milestones [it could happen in the same day].
All those pictured above [Tom Glavine, Alex Rodriguez, and Barry Bonds], could make baseball history in a matter of hours.
Barry Bonds [currently with 754 home runs] is trying to tied "Hammerin' Hank" [Hank Aaron's] home run record of 755. Barry [and his San Francisco Giants] will be facing a TUFF crowd in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Then he will face a TUFF crowd in San Diego during Friday, Saturday, and Sunday [the man loves hitting home runs against the San Diego Padres].
Alex Rodriguez [currently with 499 home runs] is trying to reach home run number 500. Alex is lucky, he will be at home with his New York Yankees for the rest of the week. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday he will face the Chicago White Sox. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday he will face the Kansas City Royals.
Tom Glavine [currently with 299 victories] is trying to reach career victory number 300. Glavine and his New York Mets will be facing the Milwaukee Brewers, at Milwaukee. He looks to become baseball's 23rd 300-game winner, at age 41 and in his 20th major league season. Barry Bond hit home run number 745 against Tom Glavine on May 8th, but Tom Glavine got his 294th victory on the same game.
Good luck to the dynamic trio, and again, I do expect things to be TUFF for Barry Bonds on the road !!!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Loafing On The Job
If you are at currently at work, stop reading The Lowest Rated Blog and get back to work !
America on line and salary dot com did a research on time wasted on the job during June and July 2007. The data was analyzed by salary dot com's team of Certified Compensation Professionals. I was NOT surprised by the results.
Americans are wasting a LOT of time at work!
And it is interesting to note that using the INTERNET is the leading time wasting activity in the work force. Socializing with co-workers is the second time wasting activity.
But the good news is that overall, time wasting at work is DOWN 9 percent in 2007 from a year ago. Employees are wasting and average of 1.7 hours per day [this does not includes time for lunch and scheduled break times].
Time wasted in 2005 was 2.09 hours per day, and 1.86 hours per day in 2006. We are making progress.
On the average, workers are spending 8.5 hours at work per day. The time wasted comes down to 20 percent of their time at work.
Primary Excuses For Loafing On The Job
a. Don't have enough work to do [17.7 percent]
b. Work hours are too long [13.9 percent]
c. Feels underpaid [11.8 percent]
d. Work is not challenging [11.1 percent]
e. Don't like the job [8.9 percent]
Primary Loafing On The Job Activities
a. Personal use of the Internet [34.7 percent]
b. Socializing with co-workers [20.3 percent]
c. Conducting personal business [17.0 percent]
d. Making personal phone calls [6.5 percent]
e. Long lunches or breaks, doing personal errands on work time [5.6 percent]
More Excuses For Loafing On The Job.
Some believe there are positive things resulting from loafing on the job. Employees may walk away from a problem long enough to come up with a good solution. Water-cooler conversation with other loafers leads to an impromptu strategy session between co-workers and leads to a new, more innovative approach to solving a challenging business problem. And, at the very least, wasted time helps employees recharge their batteries to make it through the day.
Again, if you are at currently at work, stop reading The Lowest Rated Blog and get back to work !
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Political Recap 001
From Rasmussen. Fifty Eight percent of Americans say Presidential Debates are BORING. No problems with this one, yes they are BORING !
From Rasmussen. John Edwards is looking good against Rudy. He is beating Rudy 49 percent to 42 percent. John Edwards is looking good against Actor Thompson. He is beating the actor 50 percent to 39 percent.
From The Lowest Rated Blog. We must take those actors seriously! We must remember that in 1980 we had one actor running for president. He won! He was MY president. Ronald Reagan was an actor who could ACT like a president !
From Rasmussen. Obama is looking good against Rudy. He is beating Rudy 47 percent to 41 percent. A month ago Rudy was beating Obama by three points. Obama is also leading Actor Thompson, 46 percent to 40 percent.
From Rasmussen. Things are looking good for Hillary. She continues to lead the pack on the DEM side of the house. She has been the clear front runner since the debate season began with support in the mid-to-high 30s. Obama has remained in second with support in the mid-20s. John Edwards has been in the mid-teens.
From Rasmussen. Bad news for Hillary and Obama. Despite the solid performance to date for both Hillary and Obama, 46 percent of voters believe that the DEM voters will end up nominating a WHITE MALE in 2008. Edwards is the only competitive white male in the race.
From The Lowest Rated Blog. Based on my unbiased observations, this must be said. Unless there are DRASTIC changes in the modus operandi of our political system, there will be NO Woman, NO Black, and NO Hispanic nominated by their political parties [or elected president] during our generation.
From Gallup. In a hypothetical general election match-up between Hillary and Rudy in which voters are asked which of these two they would prefer to vote for in November 2008, an aggregate of more than 3,000 Gallup poll interviews collected during June and July 2007 shows the two candidates tied, 48 percent to 48 percent.
From Gallup. Now, religion WILL play big in the 2008 elections. Weekly churchgoers are less likely than "those who attend" "sometimes attend" or "never attend" to support Rudy for GOP nomination. Hillary's chances of getting the DEM nomination, however, are much less affected by religion.
From Zogby. Not looking good for the Do-Nothing-DEM-controlled Congress. JQP is giving Congress very bleak grades on its handling of the war in IRAQ. Yes, 75.1 percent are giving Congress a poor rating on the handling of the war.
From Zogby. The numbers for GWB are not as bad, JQP is giving GWB a bad grade too, 57.1 percent believe GWB is doing a POOR job in IRAQ. Actually, this is good news for GWB, his rating during the month of June was 59.2 percent rating of POOR.
From The Lowest Rated Blog. On the electability column, I continue to see Romney and Edwards as the two candidates with the best chances of getting their party nomination. As I have said before, THE FINAL FOUR are, Romney, Huckabee, Edwards, and Richardson. Yes, I know, some of my final four do have a LONG way to go [no changes on my part, yet].
Friday, July 27, 2007
Crooks and Liars - Time for this man to go
This man is supposed to be in charge of the United States Department of Justice [a Justice Department in total disarray]. But every time he opens his mouth he sets a BAD EXAMPLE to his team and to every law-abiding citizen.
This man is NOT respected by DEM members of Congress. This man is NOT respected by GOP members of Congress. This man is NOT respected by our well-informed, law-abiding citizens.
Many RWW supporters [including the majority of the RWW talk show hosts] believe that the Attorney General is on the right path.
It is possible that the RWW supporters continue to believe in Richard Nixon's mantra of "when the president does it that means that it is not illegal" [just replace the word president with Attorney General].
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Reporting the death of JAKE
It is sad to report the death of a HERO.
Jake, the black Labrador who became a national canine hero after burrowing through white-hot, smoking debris in search of survivors at the World Trade Center site died Wednesday after a battle with cancer.
Jake was suffering from cancer and "went over the rainbow" Wednesday at his home in Oakley, UTAH.
Jake was adopted by his owner, Mary Flood, as a 10-month-old disabled puppy [abandoned on a street with a broken leg and a dislocated hip]. Against all odds he became a world-class rescue dog.
Jake performed rescue work at the World Trade Center after the 9/11/01 attacks, and in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.
He was also involved in training younger dogs and their handlers across the country, and in therapy work with children at a Utah camp for burn victims and at senior homes and hospitals.
Read more about this great dog on the attached link.
http://tinyurl.com/ysm8m9
+ In memory of my good dog, a retired Greyhound Racer +
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The Shia and the Sunni
The Shia and the Sunni - when, why, and where did the two groups split. Why do they fight each other. I was wondering about the split, so, I decided to check things out [on the web] a couple of months ago.
What follows was collected from multiple sources. Caveat emptor [on The Lowest Rated Blog] we are no experts on this subject, so, proceed with caution.
Here we go with the rest of the story on the Sunni and Shia tribes split. See the year [AD] followed by what happened.
570 = Mohammed born in Mecca.
610 = Mohammed starts receiving the word of God.
622 = Mohammed flees Mecca with followers [to Medina].
622 = Becomes year 1 of Muslim Calendar.
624 = Mohammed victorious against a Meccan caravan.
630 = Mecca surrenders to Medina.
632 = Mohammed dies on June 8th, leaving no instructions on WHO will be his successor. Despite having 9 wives and several children, only daughter Fatima survives him. The leaders pick his father in law, Abu Bakr, as the 1st Caliph [or successor].
634 = The 1st Caliph dies, names Umar I as 2nd Caliph.
644 = Umar I dies without leaving designated successor. The leaders select Mohammed's brother in law, Uthman Ibn Affan, as 3rd Caliph.
656 = Uthman Ibn Affan, the 3rd Calif is assassinated by Medinan troops.
656 = Medina faction picks Ali [husband of Fatima] as the 4th Caliph. This faction is called SHIITES [Shi'ites or Shia]. The term Shia or Shi'ite derives from a shortening of Shiat Ali [partisans of Ali]. The Shia faction believes all Caliphs must descend from Mohammed through Fatima and Ali.
656 = Muawiyah then governor of Syria, cousin of the murdered Ibn Affan refuses to recognize Ali as 4th Caliph unless the killers of Ibn Affan are brought to justice.
656 = Muawiyah claims the caliphate. Supporters of Muawiyah are later called SUNNI or Sunnite [followers of the Sunna]. The Sunna is based on the custom of Mohammed [his words, habits, acts and gestures], second in authority only to the Qur'an.
657 = The Shia and Sunni fight each other inconclusive battles. Both agree to arbitrate succession. Some followers of Ali were not happy with the arbitration and tried to kill Ali and Muawiyah. Ali is killed by one of his own men. Muawiyah survives as Caliph. Ali is buried in Najaf [known as the Holy City of Najaf, IRAQ], and his tomb is housed in a mosque in the city's center.
657 = Ali's elder son Hassan accepts a pension in return for not pursuing the Caliphate. He died within a year [it is believed that he was poisoned]. His younger brother Hussein agrees to wait to become the Caliph after Muawiyah dies.
680 = Muawiyah dies but he named his son Yazid as his successor. Hussein [Ali's son] led the Shia to battle Yazid in Karbala [known as the Holy City of Karbala, IRAQ]. Hussein's team is outnumbered, and slaughtered. Hussein, his brother Abbas, and other members of his family, are killed. Hussein's son Ali survived. Hussein is buried in Karbala [the city of Karbala has become a Shia shrine city]. Hussein's death is commemorated annually in the Ashura ceremony.
680 = After the defeat of the Shia in Karbala, the Sunni outnumber and dominate the Shia ever after.
Notes.
1. Present day Shia. In IRAN 89% of the population are Shia. In IRAQ 60% of the population are Shia. The Shia are also a majority of the population in Yemen, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain. There are large Shia communities on the east coast of Saudi Arabia, and in Lebanon. Around the globe, the Shia constitute ONLY ten to fifteen percent of the overall Muslim population.
2. The Sunni recognize the Four Caliphs as rightly guided. The Shia recognize Ali as First Caliph and his descendants.
3. Shia differ on how many Imams there have been [some say twelve Imams, others say fourteen imams, there are also the Sevener Shias and the Fiver Shias, those groups do not recognize the later imams].
4. There are five Shia principles of religion (usul ad din) and they are: belief in divide unity (tawhid); prophecy (nubuwwah); resurrection (maad); divine justice (adl); and the belief in the Imams as successors of the Prophet (imamah). The latter principle is not accepted by Sunnis.
5. The Sunni and Shia agree on the core fundamentals of Islam - the Five Pillars - and recognize each others as Muslims.
6. The Shia have a strong theme of martyrdom and suffering, focusing on deaths of Ali and [particularly], Hussein plus other important figures in the Shia succession.
7. During prayer, Shia place their forehead on a hardened piece of clay from Karbala, instead of their prayer mat like Sunnis. Shia also prays less than Sunni, three times a day as opposed to five, and hold their hands differently during prayer.
8. The oldest university in the world [and most important place of learning of Sunni Islam], the Al Azhar University, in Cairo, was founded in the year 969 AD by the Shia Fatimid dynasty [the university was founded by the Shia, but it is now Sunni].
And oh by the way, as you can see, the two groups have fought each other [in IRAQ and other places] for over 1,350 years. And some Washington Desk Warriors are dreaming about stopping all the violence in the next 120 days !!!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Sick, Sick, Sick
As I have said before, I fully support Operation Greyhound [my best friend was my ole greyhound].
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Bob Schieffer Has Left the Building
Good on Bob Schieffer!!! Here is a transcript of his commentary on CBS' Face The Nation.
I am still not sure that I believe it:
The Iraqi parliament is going on vacation during the month of August.
The White House offers the lame excuse that, after all, Baghdad is hot in August – sometimes 130 degrees.
May I ask a follow-up?
How much hotter do you suppose it is if you are a wearing a helmet, full body armor, carrying ammunition and walking foot patrols through Baghdad?
The last I heard, that is how American troops are spending their August in Iraq.
For me, this does it.
God help the Iraqi people because there is not much America can do to help a government that leaves Americans dying in the streets while the parliament escapes to cooler climes.
Does this mean we should pull out immediately?
No.
A sudden withdrawal could set the entire region aflame.
The truth is there are no good options left.
But from here on, we need to put aside the dream of building a democracy in Iraq and focus solely on what is in our national interest.
It won't be pretty, but for all our good intentions, about all we can do now is try to contain this mess, pull our troops back from the middle of this civil war, and concentrate instead on the terrorist threat that this country faces around the world.
As for what kind of government Iraq needs, let their parliament figure it out.
They can get right on it when the Baghdad weather turns cooler.
Right on the money. Bob Schieffer has FINALLY left the building !!!
Shimon Peres is back
He is back! Eighty three years young Shimon Peres is back in office. He took office as Israel's 9th president today. He pledged to to devote his presidential term [7 years] to Middle East peace.
He said ISRAEL must make peace with everyone in the region, including IRAN.
As the Foreign Minister of ISRAEL, Shimon Peres received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his efforts to create peace in the region.
The 1994 Nobel Peace Prize was a joint award. The other winners were Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of ISRAEL, and the TERRORIST Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the PLO and President of the Palestinian National Authority.
Shimon Peres wants peace with the Palestinians, he says this would require ISRAEL to withdraw from part of the territory captured in 1967 [not a good position to be, this move is opposed by a large number of ISRAELIS].
One thing to remember about his position in the ISRAELI government. Political power in ISRAEL is concentrated in the hands of the Prime Minister [Ehud Olmert].
The position of President [Shimon Peres] is largely ceremonial. Ceremonial or not, he will have his hands full with the Palestinians issue.
Good luck to President Shimon Peres !!!
U.S. troops can leave IRAQ anytime they want
Alice in Wonderland Team, you better watch out!
We have tuff talk by part of those running IRAQ!
Our friend the PM Nuri al-Maliki is getting tired of all the talking about his failed IRAQI government.
He is leaving the doors open for our troops to leave anytime they want !!!
We will see some activity by part of the US Congress this week [based on the tuff talk by part of our friend the PM al-Maliki].
I do expect the DEM team to say "see I told you so, the IRAQI government wants us to leave IRAQ as soon as possible."
This is only tuff talk, those running IRAQ do know better.
If our troops leave too soon, the PM al-Maliki and the rest of the incompetent IRAQI politicians will immediately lose control of their country.
Reality check time!
The incompetent IRAQI army has become more reliant on our military. The number of IRAQI battalions able to operate on their own without our support has dropped in recent months from TEN to SIX.
Here are a few quotes from the Associated Press.
We say in full confidence that we are able, God willing, to take the responsibility completely in running the security file if the international forces withdraw at anytime they want. [Quoting PM al-Maliki]
One of al-Maliki's close advisers, Shiite lawmaker Hassan al-Suneid, bristled over the American pressure, telling The Associated Press that "the situation looks as if it is an experiment in an American laboratory [judging] whether we succeed or fail."
He sharply criticized the U.S. military, saying it was committing human rights violations and embarrassing the Iraqi government through such tactics as building a wall around Baghdad's Sunni neighborhood of Azamiyah and launching repeated raids on suspected Shiite militiamen in the capital's slum of Sadr City.
He also criticized U.S. overtures to Sunni groups in Anbar and Diyala provinces, encouraging former insurgents to join the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq. "These are gangs of killers," he said.
In addition, he said that al-Maliki has problems with the top U.S. commander, Gen. David Petraeus, who he said works along a "purely American vision."
"There are disagreements that the strategy that Petraeus is following might succeed in confronting al Qaeda in the early period but it will leave Iraq an armed nation, an armed society and militias," al-Suneid said.
Al-Suneid's comments were a rare show of frustration toward the Americans from within al-Maliki's inner circle as the prime minister struggles to overcome deep divisions among Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish members of his coalition and enact the U.S.-drawn list of benchmarks.
Our friend the Shiite lawmaker Hassan al-Suneid has nothing good to say about us. Now we know how they REALLY feel about our presence in IRAQ !!!
I found this very interesting [about the Sunni groups we are working with in Anbar and Diyala, our military is giving them money and weapons] "These are gangs of killers."
We can extrapolate that the IRAQI government is OFFICIALLY against the tactic of buying the hearts and minds of the Sunni gangs - but there is nothing they can do about it [because we run the show in IRAQ].
Again, I do expect the DEM team [and some GOP members too] to try to get some political advantage of this type of tuff talk.
We are going to have a FUN week in Washington.
Expect to hear a lot of BAR, CAR, and PAR talk !!!
Friday, July 13, 2007
August is VACATION time for IRAQI parliament
We have some serious issues with the war in IRAQ.
Over seventy percent of Americans had it with this war.
Our Bravest are doing the best they can under a BAD BAD BAD situation.
Our Bravest are hard at work, doing house to house combat operations NOW and will be busy at work during the month of August.
Yes, that nasty month of August in the Middle East !!!
Temperatures in August inside the Persian Gulf are in the 90s [we are talking about water temperature].
Temperatures on the ground are in the 130s.
But guess what ... our Bravest will be out there on the ground, tuffin' it out.
Our friends from the IRAQI Parliament will be busy on vacation during the whole month of August.
Too hot for them to work !!!
If it is too hot for them to work, then my recommendation to the civilians running the war on IRAQ from their air-conditioned offices in Washington is to do the following:
Recall all our troops currently in IRAQ to their camps for the duration of August. Have them spend some time in the swimming pools. Have them go back to their foot patrols AFTER the incompetent IRAQI Parliament returns from vacation.
What a shame !!!
tlrb
Rise and Fall of Senator John S McCain
Back on December 12th of 2006 I wrote on my PREDICTIONS:
REPUBLICAN PARTY. Potential 2008 Presidential Election candidates make their rounds on the Sunday news shows. Senator John McCain announces that he is running for president of the United States and immediately becomes the front runner, and is endorsed by a large number of GOP senators.
I was totally off the mark on that one.
This man was supposed to be the GOP front runner from the starting gun. But then we had some serious issues in IRAQ [he was, and continues to be, the leading GWB cheer leader on the IRAQ war].
GOP voters are not sending in their hard earned money to his campaign headquarters. His team did not use donations effectively and is almost broke.
He is losing his sense of humor.
He is losing his campaign managers.
He is losing his states campaign representatives.
He is losing the support of the GOP voters, based on the polls.
In one of my old writings I said "Only a water cooler can stop Senator John S McCain from becoming the GOP nominee and from becoming the next president."
Well, I guess someone dropped that water cooler on top of the senator!
At one point of my "Political Aficionado" career I supported Senator John S McCain, but I withdrew my support some time ago [others are finally catching up].
It is too early to call this candidate "out of combat" but things are NOT looking good for the "McCain For President Team."
And oh by the way, when I prepared my list of potential finalists, his name was not on the list.
In my opinion [against all odds] here are THE FINAL FOUR of the 2008 presidential primaries:
Romney, Huckabee, Richardson, and Edwards.
tlrb
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Time to place all crooks and liars behind bars
Why is this lady smiling?
On a previous note we wrote about all the crooks and liars getting away with murder and making a mockery out of our Congress.
This lady was supposed to be "present and accounted for" in front of Congress today, but she believes that she is above the law, she just said NO to the subpoena.
Congress had it. The tide is about to shift. Read on.
A House panel began clearing the way Thursday for contempt proceedings against former White House counsel Harriet Miers after she obeyed President Bush and skipped a hearing on the firings of federal prosecutors.
The White House contends that ex-counsel Harriet Miers has "absolute immunity" from congressional subpoenas.
Addressing the empty chair where Miers had been summoned to testify, Rep. Linda Sanchez ruled out of order Bush's executive privilege claim that his former advisers are immune from calls to come before Congress.
The House Judiciary subcommittee that Sanchez chairs voted 7-5 to sustain her ruling. If an agreement with the White House is not reached, the full Judiciary Committee could convene hearings and vote on whether to hold Miers, Bush's longtime friend and former Supreme Court nominee, in contempt.
Good move! About time! Congress is finally growing some Cojones!
I want to see this lady [and the rest of crooks and liars], SMILING BEHIND BARS.
It is time to get all of them arrested and prosecuted. It is time to hear the truth.
Mark Twain was right! When you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.
http://tinyurl.com/2ygv53
tlrb
We have made SOME progress in IRAQ
Okay, after listening to the president during his press conference this morning we can come up with this conclusion:
We have made SOME progress in IRAQ in the past six months.
And SOME progress is better than NO progress at all.
The incompetent IRAQI government has not yet fully met any of 18 goals for political, military and economic reform.
On his speech, the president mentioned Syria, Lebanon, and Iran as part of our problem in Iraq.
Lebanon is training IFWs to fight our troops in IRAQ.
Syria is allowing suicide bombers to transit through their airports on their way to IRAQ.
Iran is providing IED material used to kill Americans in IRAQ.
And again the president said that he believes we should succeed in IRAQ [yes we should, I don't like the other option].
Those planning to implement a BAR, CAR, or PAR plan will have to wait until AFTER the current president is out of office. It is NOT going to happen on his watch.
This president is going to run the IRAQ war clock on his opponents.
The press conference was informative, but then he shifted to the Q&A session, the first person to ask a question to the president was Hellen Thomas.
Nothing personal, but it is time for this young lady [Hellen Thomas] to retire. I could not take it, and turned the television off.
Check the link for more.
tlrb
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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Criminal Activity
Character counts.
As you know, on this blog Rule Number ONE is to be as unfair as possible with crooks and liars.
I don't know about you, but I HAD IT with all the crooks and liars getting away with murder in front of the Do-Nothing, Cojoneless DEM-controlled Congress.
Today we saw one of those "you can't touch me" types in action. Her name is Sara Taylor.
Is the leadership of our Justice Department involved in criminal activity?
Check this from the New York Times.
It is hardly news that top officials in the current Justice Department flout the law and make false statements to Congress, but the latest instance may be the most egregious.
When Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wanted the USA Patriot Act renewed in the spring of 2005, he told the Senate, “There has not been one verified case of civil liberties abuse.”
But The Washington Post reported yesterday that just six days earlier, the F.B.I. had sent Mr. Gonzales a report saying that it had obtained personal information it should not have.
This is hardly the first time Mr. Gonzales has played so free and loose with the facts in his public statements and Congressional testimony.
In the United States attorneys scandal — the controversy over the political purge of nine top prosecutors — Mr. Gonzales and his aides have twisted and mutilated the truth beyond recognition.
Congress and the American public need to know all that has gone on at the Justice Department.
But instead of aiding that search for the truth, President Bush is blocking it, invoking executive privilege this week to prevent Harriet Miers, the former White House counsel, and Sara Taylor, a former top aide to Karl Rove, from telling Congress what they know about the purge of federal prosecutors.
I say, enough of all this krappolla!
It is time for our Cojoneless DEM-controlled Congress to grow some huevos; to start ENFORSING subpoenas; to hold crooks and liars in contempt; and [last but not least], to send crooks and liars to JAIL.
The Alice in Wonderland Team has zippo respect for our [Cojoneless] Congress’ constitutional role.
The whole system is a joke.
Check the link for more.
http://tinyurl.com/28jp5v
tlrb
Crooks and Liars Beware of Larry Flynt
Yet another crook and liar exposed by Larry Flynt's Hustler team.
If you are a MSW then you better be on the lookout, the Larry Flynt's Team is out to get you!!!
Senator David Vitter [Republican from Louisiana] is the latest victim of Hustler Magazine. The magazine is claiming credit for exposing the senator's connection to the so-called DC Madam escort services.
The team claims that Senator Vitter confessed after a journalist reported finding the senator's number in the escort service's phone records. The senator apologized after his telephone number appeared among those linked to the escort service.
Senator Vitter is NOT expected to be the last congressman or senator exposed.
Last month Larry Flynt paid for a full page ad in the WashPost offering a cool MILLION dollars to anyone providing documented evidence of illicit sexual or intimate relations with a congressman or senator.
As far as offering a million dollar for dirty laundry, this is not the first time the offer is made by Larry Flynt. He made the same type of offer in 1998 in order to expose the MSW trying to impeach Bill Clinton during the Monica-Gate.
During the Monica-Gate, the Hustler's team was busy at work. Congressman Robert Livingston [he was designated to become the Speaker of the House], was exposed, and RESIGNED.
And oh by the way, David Vitter won the former Congressman Robert Livingston's seat the next year!
When Senator Vitter ran for Congress, his campaign was based on good values. He slammed Bill Clinton and Robert Livingston for their lack of character.
Character counts.
Another MSW goes down the tubes. My advise to the MSW crowd, if you see Larry Flynt's Team knocking at your door, RUN as hard as you can!
But wait ... there is more ! Check the attached link for the rest of the story.
Check this one first: http://tinyurl.com/22ydsc
Then check this one: http://tinyurl.com/2gjv9d
tlrb
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Boys of Summer - Ichiro Suzuki the MVP tonight
DHS - are you kidding me?
The DHS [Department of Homeland Security] Secretary Michael Chertoff said today that he had a GUT FEELING about a period of increased risk this summer.
Secretary Chertoff based his GUT FEELING assessment on earlier patterns of terrorists in Europe and intelligence he would not disclose. The Secretary is worried that the IFWs are rebuilding their activities.
This we know - The IFWs are interested in summertime attacks. The IFWs are training heavily in the Afgan-Pakistan border region.
Okay, now we know the IFWs are training heavily, and we know the area where they are currently training.
The question is, what are we going to do about it?
Are we serious about "taking care" of the IFWs before they hit us again? Or are we waiting for another 9/11/01 type of attack to happen, and then react?
Mr GUT FEELING guy, you have lot of explaining to do! Are you serious about a possible attack during the summer, or are you just playing politics [trying to get JQP's minds off IRAQ]?
tlrb
The GOP Exodus continues
Swimmers beware of sharks.
GWB is on record saying that he will VETO anything coming from Congress setting a date for our troops to withdraw from IRAQ.
That is good on him, but we have a lot OP Senators jumping on the "we need to get out of IRAQ" bandwagon.
GOP Senator Christopher Bond [one of GWB's strongest supporters] said the GWB's administration had pursued the wrong policy for years [the strategy we had before was not the right strategy, we should have had a counterinsurgency strategy].
Senator Bond placed the blame [on fubar strategy] on GWB [Ultimately, obviously, the president].
The DEM team do have some legislation in the cooking [to require a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days, to be completed by the end of April 2008].
GOP Senators Gordon Smith [from Oregon] and Olympia Snowe [from Maine] are planning to vote in favor.
Again, if such legislation is passed by Congress, we will see GWB in action with his VETO.
Another carpetbagger is shifting course.
GOP Senator Elizabeth Dole [from North Carolina] is calling for the troops to come home next year. This carpetbagger is changing her mind now because she is facing reelection in 2008, and she is well aware that over 70 percent of America is saying NO to the war in IRAQ.
Support for GWB and his war strategy is slowly going down the tubes. GWB shall NOT blame John Q Public for not having patience. The blame goes to the GOP Senators [defectors] facing reelection in 2008.
They [the defectors] shall not be trusted. They lack character. They are shifting course just for their political survival.
tlrb
The Cindy Sheehan Option
I listened to some of the RWW radio shows in California, their hosts and callers had a ball with that piece of news. She is nuts, that was the consensus.
Then I listenedd to some of the LWW radio shows in California, their hosts and callers were NOT laughing about it. In one of the shows, Cindy was interviewed.
The Cindy for Congress will be a GO if there are no changes in the heart and mind of Nancy Pelosi.
How serious is the Cindy for Congress group?
The group is very serious. They already have their campaign son - composed for Cindy Sheehan by Melissa Eldridge !
Five years ago, a large number of California voters were making fun of Congressman Darrell Issa [R-San Diego] when he began to collect signatures to "RECALL" Governor Gray Davis.
Yes, a large number of California voters believed then that Congressman Issa was "nuts." Then a "Perfect Storm" happened.
Gray Davis was booted out, and The Governator took over.
Lessons learned: Never understimate the will of the California voters !
tlrb
Monday, July 9, 2007
Seeing Al Qaeda Under Every Camel
Based on press releases by our military and by our administration, those "al Qaeda" guys seems to be under every camel in IRAQ. Al Qaeda makes for a good excuse [and they make for a good target too]. Don't believe it all. The New York Times is not buying it.
There is a big difference between the REAL "al Qaeda" and all the others wannabees. Of course there are thousands and thousands of the REAL ones, as per CIA estimates more than 100,000 of them "graduated" from training camps in Afghanistan PRIOR to 09/11/01.
There are thousands and thousands of wannabees, "graduated" from the streets of IRAQ [those went to TRAIN in IRAQ after 05/01/03]. I expect to see more and more of the wannabees in the not so distant future. The incompetent IRAQI government is talking about issuing weapons to "everyone" for personal protection [the IRAQI security apparatus can not do the job].
Just what we needed, more weapons floating around the streets of IRAQ. The Sunni and Shia do not like each other, however, they do HATE their common enemy [look at the mirror and you will find their common enemy].
Back to al Qaeda, here is this from the NYT.
And in using the language of the administration, the newspaper has also failed at times to distinguish between Al Qaeda, the group that attacked the United States on Sept. 11, and Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, an Iraqi group that didn’t even exist until after the American invasion.
There is plenty of evidence that Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia is but one of the challenges facing the United States military and that overemphasizing it distorts the true picture of what is happening there.
While a president running out of time and policy options may want to talk about a single enemy that Americans hate and fear in the hope of uniting the country behind him, journalists have the obligation to ask tough questions about the accuracy of his statements.
Middle East experts with whom I talked in recent days said that the heavy focus on Al Qaeda obscures a much more complicated situation on the ground — and perhaps a much more dangerous one around the world.
“Nobody knows how many different Islamist extremist groups make up the insurgency” in Iraq, said Anthony H. Cordesman of the bipartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Even when you talk about Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the idea of somehow it is the center of the insurgency is almost absurd.”
Read more about it on the attached link.
http://tinyurl.com/2goo4k
Again, don't believe it all
tlrb
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Cindy Sheehan for Congress !!!
Say what?
Are you kidding me?
Okay Bob from San Francisco, are you ready to vote for Cindy?
I was expecting to see this lady out of the headlines for good, but here she comes again !!!
Check the link for more.
http://tinyurl.com/2hptqn
tlrb
New York Times Raises White Flag on IRAQ
Well, back in the month of May 2007 we wrote about the LA Times raising the white flag on IRAQ and asking GWB to bring the troops home NOW. The LA Times was the first major newspaper to ask for troops withdrawal.
Enter the New York Times. Today, on the Editorial Pages, the New York Times is asking for the United States to leave IRAQ, without any delay [and to the pentagon to organize an orderly exit].
Here we go again with the BAR, the CAR, and the PAR plans !!!
Here are a few quotes from the NYT.
Like many Americans, we have put off that conclusion, waiting for a sign that President Bush was seriously trying to dig the United States out of the disaster he created by invading Iraq without sufficient cause, in the face of global opposition, and without a plan to stabilize the country afterward.
At first, we believed that after destroying Iraq’s government, army, police and economic structures, the United States was obliged to try to accomplish some of the goals Mr. Bush claimed to be pursuing, chiefly building a stable, unified Iraq. When it became clear that the president had neither the vision nor the means to do that, we argued against setting a withdrawal date while there was still some chance to mitigate the chaos that would most likely follow.
While Mr. Bush scorns deadlines, he kept promising breakthroughs — after elections, after a constitution, after sending in thousands more troops. But those milestones came and went without any progress toward a stable, democratic Iraq or a path for withdrawal. It is frighteningly clear that Mr. Bush’s plan is to stay the course as long as he is president and dump the mess on his successor. Whatever his cause was, it is lost.
Now, the NYT is offering our administration a hand on how to do it. Good editorial. Too little, too late. It is NOT going to happen.
I expect GWB and the rest of The Cabal to "run the clock" on this one.
There will be no BAR, no CAR, and no PAR during GWB's watch.
Here are the links.
Link to the NYT editorial:
http://tinyurl.com/2ff6vl
Link to my note on the LA Times raising the white flag:
http://tinyurl.com/2hk3uz
Note, the NYT and other newspapers will ask you for a login and password. I have a special account [aka spam mail account] which I use for this purpose, and oh by the way, I have not received any junk mail from any of the newspapers I read on line.
tlrb
The Boys Of Summer
Things are looking GOOD for some of our professional baseball teams just before the All Stars Game break.
Here are the leaders, and we do have a couple of surprises.
American League EAST
Boston Red Sox
American League CENTRAL
Detroit Tigers
American League WEST
Los Angeles Angels
National League EAST
New York Mets
National League CENTRAL
Milwaukee Brewers
National League WEST
San Diego Padres
Surprised to see the Milwaukee Brewers leading the Central section of the National League. Nice going, and keep on trucking!
Surprised to see MY lowest rated San Diego Padres leading the West section of the National League. Good match up here, Brewers vs Padres during the playoffs !!!
Bosox and Angels are playing GOOD, as expected.
MY lowest rated Houston Astros are having a BAD year with a 39-50 record, 11.5 games behind the Brewers [let's hope for a GOOD second half].
We will see what teams [plus wild-cards] are on TOP of their respective leagues by the end of the season. Sparky Anderson used to say "You win the pennant in September."
An oh by the way, [like it or not], we will have a new home run king sometime this summer [passing Hammering Hank's 755 mark].
tlrb
New EIGHT wonders of the world
Wait a minute, we used to have SEVEN ... what happened?
Anyway, the new SEVEN [plus one] wonders of the world were announced on 7/7/7 after all the bogus votes were counted. Here are the winners [based on a bogus an online vote]:
• The Great Wall of China
• Petra in Jordan
• Brazil's statue of Christ the Redeemer
• Peru's Machu Picchu
• Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid
• The Colosseum in Rome
• India's Taj Mahal
Congratulations if you live in any country having a new wonder !!!
But there is another one!
The country of Egypt objected to the list. So, the organizers of the bogus poll came up with a bogus compromise.
The pyramids have been assured "honorary status" [this is in addition to the new 7 wonders].
There is NO universal recognition about the new wonders. UNESCO [cultural organization of the UN] have said the organization has no link to the bogus vote.
The final tally lacks credibility, it is believed that X number of voters when on line more than once to submit their vote [there was no way to track cheaters].
I tried hard to submit my vote, but each time I tried the Internet web site collecting the votes was out of commission.
Check the link for more.
http://tinyurl.com/22jn66
tlrb
Saturday, July 7, 2007
DEM team ready to push for an IRAQ exit
Swimmers beware of sharks.
DEM Senators are keeping track of all the GOP Defectors on the IRAQ war policy. They are counting heads. GWB is slowly losing the support of GOP Senators [at least from those up for re-election in 2008].
The DEM team is under the impression that they have the BIG MO [momentum] on their side of the isle [thanks to all the GOP Defectors].
The DEM team intends to conduct a series of votes over the next two weeks on proposals to CAR, BAR, or PAR.
Their intention is to force of withdrawal of troops and/or to limit the spending on the IRAQ war.
It is NOT going to happen. The votes are just NOT there.
Check this out.
Democratic voters are not the only ones bitter over their party’s failure to use new Congressional power to force a withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Senator Harry Reid, the occasionally obstreperous Democratic leader, is upset as well.
“We haven’t done enough,” said Mr. Reid, a onetime moderate who has evolved into one of the party’s most fervent critics of the war.
That view captures not only Mr. Reid’s sentiment but also the shifting political dynamic on the war, as public frustration remains high, the conflict dominates the presidential campaign landscape and senior Republicans have chosen to break with President Bush even as the administration has urged patience.
Sensing momentum from the new Republican defections, Mr. Reid and other leading Democrats intend to force a series of votes over the next two weeks on proposals to withdraw troops and limit spending. Democrats are increasingly confident they can assemble majority opposition to administration policies.
“It is going to be harder for Republicans to not sign on to something with bite in it, a clear Congressional assessment that change is needed,” said Senator Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who is chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
“I think it is more likely there will be a majority around here that say we should begin to redeploy some forces by a certain date, and I hope it would be a larger majority.”
The coming debate will provide a showcase for senators from both parties to debate Iraq war strategy. The four Democratic presidential candidates in the Senate are expected to push their own antiwar proposals and views, and contrast their stances with those of Republicans, notably Senator John McCain of Arizona, who has been among the strongest supporters of the war.
In the first round of debates about the war, there was Democratic anxiety about appearing unsupportive of the troops, and Mr. Reid sought to keep a tighter rein on his colleagues who were pushing for the strongest antiwar legislation. But in the shifting environment, Democrats are newly emboldened.
This is very interesting "the four Democratic presidential candidates in the Senate are expected to push their own antiwar proposals and views..." - they are already behind the curve ball, today John Edwards issued his own statement [part of the statement quoted here]:
For months, I have been calling for Congress to use its constitutional funding power to stop the president's ‘surge,’ implement a timetable for withdrawal, and bring this conflict to an end. Under my plan, Congress should use its funding authority immediately to withdraw 40,000 to 50,000 troops, and should require withdrawal of all troops within about a year. They should take these steps quickly.
So, we know where John Edwards stands on this issue. What about the rest of THE FINAL FOUR?
Check this link for the rest of the story [from the NYT].
tlrb
"Mini-Tet Offensive" expected in IRAQ
Our troops have made SOME progress in SOME areas of IRAQ. But things are expected to get real H O T in the not so distant future. The IFWs are not going to drop their weapons, and they are expected to come up with some tricks.
The IFWs are expected to try a series of spectacular attacks against the coalition and against the IRAQIS prior to "the September benchmark."
Check this out.
Sunni extremists may try a series of high-profile attacks ahead of a September report to Congress on progress in Iraq, the top U.S. commander said Saturday, recalling the Tet offensive that torpedoed support for the Vietnam War.
"We expect they will try this — pull off a variety of sensational attacks and grab the headlines to create a `mini-Tet,'" Gen. David Petraeus told The Associated Press.
The 1968 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Tet offensive failed to achieve most of its tactical goal but it shattered political support for the Vietnam War among the U.S. public.
Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker are to present a report to Congress by Sept. 15 on the situation in Iraq. Several Republicans say if progress is not made by then, they may call for a new strategy in Iraq.
The general would not say what he and Crocker plan to tell Congress in the report.
But he added that the two top American officials in Iraq "have a responsibility to produce our assessment of the implications" of "different options."
He would not elaborate, but other U.S. generals have warned in recent weeks against drawing down American troops too rapidly before Iraqi security forces can cope.
Our generals are just saying NO to the BAR; NO to the CAR; and NO to the PAR.
Regardless of the "Mini-Tet'" we must continue to support our troops, it is way too late to BAR, CAR, or PAR.
Check the link for the rest of the story.
http://tinyurl.com/yuqvke
tlrb
Venus is back !!!
H O T days ahead of us in IRAQ
Very tuff couple of days for our troops patrolling the streets of Baghdad and other cities of IRAQ. We have lost a large number of troops in the past 96 hours.
The temperature is getting hot and the battle is getting hot.
Here at home the debate about WHAT TO DO about the IRAQ fiasco continues.
Now it is the GOP pushing the administration's panic button. Several GOP senators are on record saying NO MAS to our president's strategy in IRAQ.
Those GOP senators jumping off the sinking ship are doing so for their political survival [they are active poll watchers], and the polls are telling them "over 70 percent of Americans had it with IRAQ."
Over 70 percent of Americans are suffering from IWF. This is a large number for the DEM team and for some GOP senators, but NOT for members of The Cabal.
Back to our business in IRAQ.
The generals running the war on the ground in IRAQ are aware of all those GOP defections. One of them commented yesterday that we CAN NOT pack and run. Not at this time.
The fight against the IFWs must go on. Implementing the "BAR , CAR, or PAR" plans is not going to do the trick.
Things will get REAL UGLY in the whole Middle East if we pack and run from IRAQ "without finishing the job."
On this one GWB is correct, "please have some patience." America needs to take a deep breath, count to ten, and relax. Things are going to be okay at the end of the day.
Granted, our incompetent administration have made mistake after mistake with their fubar policies on IRAQ. But, the SAMO is producing results "in some areas" of Baghdad.
We must give our troops the chance to DEFEAT the insurgency in IRAQ [and this will take some time].
And oh by the way, have a productive "triple seven" day [07/07/07] and pray for our troops today [and tomorrow too].
tlrb
Friday, July 6, 2007
A large number of Americans favors IMPEACHMENT
Impeachment time !!!
Well, not yet. But as per the latest poll America is READY to see some action on the IMPEACHMENT court.
Right now this is only TALK. We still remember the good ole days when the RWWs were asking for Bill Clinton's head. Now the LWWs are asking for GWB's and Cheney's heads.
This is from the AFP article.
Nearly half of the US public wants President George W. Bush to face impeachment, and even more favor that fate for Vice President Dick Cheney, according to a poll out Friday.
The survey by the American Research Group found that 45 percent support the US House of Representatives beginning impeachment proceedings against Bush, with 46 percent opposed, and a 54-40 split in favor when it comes to Cheney.
So, a majority wants to see Dick Cheney's head on the IMPEACHMENT platter?
It is NOT going to happen. The DEM-Controlled Congress lacks the cojones needed to start articles of IMPEACHMENT.
Check the link for the rest of the story.
http://tinyurl.com/yuyzow
tlrb
Have YOU watched "Sicko" yet?
GWB just 1 point above NIXON !!!
Congratulations are in order to the current administration. The LWW gang is wrong again, GWB is NOT the worst president of the United States of America.
At the present time, GWB is ONE POINT above Richard Nixon.
Currently Richard Nixon is holding the title of the MOST UNPOPULAR president.
But GWB is closing in. Here are the numbers.
The highest unfavorable rating for any President is earned by Richard Nixon. Sixty percent (60%) of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of the only President to resign from office.
Close on Nixon’s heels for most unpopular is the current President, George W. Bush. Fifty-nine percent (59%) have an unfavorable opinion of him.
No time for celebration yet! Here is another list of UNPOPULAR presidents.
Lyndon B Johnson, George Bush The First, and Bill Clinton are the only other Presidents viewed unfavorably by at least 40% of Americans.
On the MOST POPULAR listing, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are on the top of the list.
Read more about it on the attached link.
http://tinyurl.com/2l4qba
tlrb
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Another GOP Senator saying NO to GWB on IRAQ
Add another GOP Senator to those saying NO MAS to GWB's strategy [aka the SAMO].
This time that GOP Senator is no other than Pete Domenici from the Great State of New Mexico. I will give you a warning on this one. This man can NOT be trusted.
Check this from Reuters.
President George W. Bush's Iraq war policy continued to hemorrhage support in the U.S. Senate as another senior Republican called on Thursday for a new strategy that would start to bring troops home.
A day after Bush appealed to Americans to be more patient with the unpopular war, six-term New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, who is up for re-election next year, urged a new course.
"I am unwilling to continue our current strategy," Domenici, who serves on the Senate's defense appropriations subcommittee, said in a statement.
"I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I do support a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home," Domenici said.
Domenici joined the ranks of influential Republican lawmakers who recently have broken with Bush over the 4-year-old conflict in Iraq, declaring themselves unable to keep backing a war that has no end in sight after the deaths of 3,590 U.S. troops.
"I have carefully studied the Iraq situation and believe we cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress to move its country forward," Domenici said.
Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, declared last week that Bush's strategy was not working and troops should start leaving.
Ohio Sen. George Voinovich, another Republican, urged "gradual military disengagement."
Bush has shown no public sign of changing course. On Wednesday, he asked the country for "more patience, more courage and more sacrifice" in Iraq during an Independence Day address at a National Guard air base.
Let me say this again, this man CAN NOT be trusted. Proceed with caution on this one.
tlrb
IRAQ Strategy Can Work [in three to five years]
Yesterday our president asked YOU for patience on IRAQ.
Plus he talke about all our sacrifices. This does not applies to everyone. As we know by now the rich, the famous, and politicians [and their families] are not included on those making sacrifices on this war.
For more info on the lack of sacrifices, check the book AWOL.
The SAMO continues in Baghdad. We have made SOME progress in that area. It is estimated that FIFTY percent of the city is finally out of the hands of the insurgents.
Our military commanders are using what is known as the CHR technique. The Clear, Hold, Retain is a classic counter-insurgent technique.
This is supposed to be a feasible plan. This plan SHOULD work.
However, this type of plan [CHR] takes three to five years to be successful. In my opinion, John Q Public is NOT ready to wait another three to five years for a "victory" in IRAQ.
How do we define victory, anyway?
Attached is a good [audio] interview on the CHR technique. This is from NPR.
http://tinyurl.com/yuamte
tlrb
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Tuff Day for American and Canadian troops
Well, the 4th of July is over for our GIs walking the streets of IRAQ. Not a good day.
As per the latest reports we lost at least two of our Bravest on the 4th of July, due to hostile fire [including one fatality during a helicopter crash].
A 4th of July to be remembered by some of our families. This is the first 4th of July with American fatalities in IRAQ [none in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 as per all the databases checked].
It was a bad day for our friends in Canada too!
In the forgotten war of Jihadistan our friends from Canada lost six of their Bravest when their armored vehicle hit a roadside bomb. The worst attack on NATO forces in Jihadistan this moth.
War is hell.
tlrb
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Happy Fourth Of July, America !!!!
Monday, July 2, 2007
Crooks and Liars [Scooter is off the hook]
No surprises on my side of the house. Today potus commuted Scooter's prison term in the CIA leak case. As per potus, the 2 1/2 year prison term was excessive.
No big deal, this was expected. Actually, I was expecting a FULL pardon. GWB is NOT running for office AGAIN [there is nothing for him to lose].
This is from Bloomberg.
President George W. Bush commuted Lewis ``Scooter'' Libby's prison term in the CIA leak case, saying the 2 1/2 year prison term was ``excessive.''
Libby, 56, was convicted of lying to investigators probing the 2003 leak of CIA official Valerie Plame's identity. Backers of Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, had argued for a pardon.
Bush acted after a U.S. appellate court today refused to let Libby stay out of prison during his appeal.
``My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby,'' Bush said in a statement. ``The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long- lasting.''
The president's action means that Libby's conviction still stands and he is still required to pay the $250,000 fine ordered by a federal judge.
The question of whether to intervene in Libby's case had been termed a ``no-win situation'' for the president by David Gergen, who advised Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
With Bush already suffering poor approval ratings, a Cable News Network/Opinion Research survey conducted after Libby's March 6 conviction found that 69 percent of respondents opposed a pardon while 18 percent favored it.
Congressional Democrats, including Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, demanded that Bush promise not to pardon Libby.
So, no big deal. I do NOT expect the GOP to lose any points for this fiasco.
tlrb
Sunday, July 1, 2007
What party is best for the market?
As per my previous note [Barron's The Mitt and Bill Show] the DEMs are better than the GOPs for the US economy. Are they?
From the beginning of the 20th century, the Dow Jones industrials have climbed an average of 7.19% a year when Democrats were president, versus 4% under Republicans.
Let's see how things are looking for both parties since WWII.
DOW industrial averages performance by presidents, gains per annum.
FDR 03/04/33 - 03/04/47 +32.80 percent
FDR 03/04/37 - 01/20/41 -09.60 percent
FDR 01/20/41 - 04/12/45 +04.90 percent
Truman 04/12/45 - 01/20/49 +03.60 percent
Truman 01/20/49 - 01/20/53 +12.20 percent
IKE 01/20/53 - 01/20/57 +13.40 percent
IKE 01/20/57 - 01/20/61 +07.50 percent
JFK 01/20/61 - 11/22/63 +04.10 percent
LBJ 11/22/63 - 01/20/65 +21.80 percent
LBJ 01/20/65 - 01/20/69 +01.00 percent
Nixon 01/20/69 - 01/20/73 +02.30 percent
Nixon 01/20/73 - 08/09/74 -16.10 percent
Ford 08/09/74 - 01/20/77 +09.00 percent
Carter 01/20/77 - 01/20/81 -00.20 percent
Reagan 01/20/81 - 01/20/85 +07.30 percent
Reagan 01/20/85 - 01/20/89 +15.40 percent
Bush Sr 01/20/89 - 01/20/93 +09.70 percent
Clinton 01/20/93 - 01/20/97 +20.50 percent
Clinton 01/20/97 - 01/20/01 +10.50 percent
Bush Jr 01/20/01 - 01/20/05 -00.30 percent
Bush Jr 01/20/05 - 06/26/07 +10.50 percent
Bottom line, while GOP candidates are saying the right thing, DEMs have been best for the stock market since WWII.
Source: Ned Davis Research Inc [Published on Barron's 7/2/07]
tlrb
Barron's "The Mitt & Bill Show"
Thanks Bob U for giving heads up on this article from Barron's.
I went to my favorite public library to read the printed copy of this article [I visit my favorite public library on a weekly basis, and I support public libraries].
This article is about WHO will be best for the US Economy [and other key election issues].
But, we are investors, and for the investors class the best candidates are [insert a long drum roll here] the Mormon and the Hispanic !!!
Check this from the article.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney strikes some voters as just too slick, and his adherence to Mormonism has hurt him in the polls.
Democrat Bill Richardson, the garrulous governor of New Mexico, has bloviated himself from near the front of his party's field to the back.
Yet Romney would be the best Republican candidate for stocks, bonds and the economy, and Richardson, hands down, would be the best Democrat.
Those are among the findings of a Barron's analysis of the nine major candidates from the two parties.
Now, what party is BETTER for the investors class? Check this from Barron's.
We are aware that the stock market often does best with a Democrat in the White House.
From the beginning of the 20th century, the Dow Jones industrials have climbed an average of 7.19% a year when Democrats were president, versus 4% under Republicans, according to Ned Davis Research.
Bonds, on the other hand, have done better under Republicans.
Sounds like an endorsement for the Democrats! However, as per the article, right now, the Republicans are clearly exhibiting more market-friendly tendencies.
This is a good article, pack with a lot of SURPRISES. I will not quote the whole thing here, but I will give you a good link to the article [two parts, please read both sections].
Note, if you have a chance, check the printed version [good looking charts on the candidate's positions on the printed version].
But before I close, check this quote from Barron's.
Based on our report card, the optimal match-up for Wall Street would be Richardson versus Romney, because both candidates favor low taxes and sound fiscal policy.
Interesting to see two of THE FINAL FOUR listed as "the optimal match-up."
Link attached.
http://tinyurl.com/yw6kc3
tlrb
The Obama Money Machine
Obama did it. The man is WHIPPING the competition! No, he is not a member of THE FINAL FOUR [as per my crystal ball], but he is a money collection machine.
Obama has received donations from more than 258,000 donors through the first six months of 2007. During the second quarter of 2007, Obama's money machine received contributions from 154,000 individual donors.
Obama's campaign on Sunday reported raising at least $31 million for the primary contest and an extra $1.5 million for the general election from April through June, a record for a Democratic candidate.
Obama's money machine raised 25.7 million dollars in the first three months of the year. So, how did the money machine do during the second quarter of 2007?
Well, Obama did pretty good during the last quarter. He whipped the competition big time, out-raising the BDB [Hillary] by approximately 10 million dollars !!!
Obama's money machine reported raising AT LEAST 31 million dollars for the primaries, and and EXTRA 1.5 million dollars for the general election [for a total of 32.5 million dollars collected during this quarter].
Not bad at all. But in my opinion this man is NOT going to make THE FINAL FOUR.
To see how the other candidates are doing on the money collection, check the attached link.
http://tinyurl.com/ywnxwz
tlrb
TGIJ and happy Canada Day !!!
Thanks God is July. Happy Canada Day to my friends on the Great White North [have a nice day in Victoria, Vancouver, and the rest of your great country].
We did NOT have a good month in April. We did NOT have a good month in May. And we did NOT have a good month in June. In those 3 months we lost 331 of our Bravest [the deadliest quarter for our troops since the March 2003 Liberation].
But July is here and this time things will be different. As the SAMO continues, we look forward to the GOOD month of July 2007 in "JIHADISTAN and IRAQISTAN."
As far as the IRAQIS, they did NOT have a BAD month during June 2007. As per some press reports, approximately 1,200 IRAQI civilians were killed in June. Not bad at all, this is 36 percent less than during the month of May, and the lowest number for 2007.
And oh by the way, remember Prime Minister Howard from Australia?
The man making fun of our presidential candidate Obama a few months ago [calling Obama a CAR]. Well, talking about CAR [cut and run], he is secretly planning to remove all Australian troops from IRAQ by the start of 2008.
We are making progress with the coalition of the willing.
Here we are. We are STILL at war. We know that ONLY A FEW Americans are feeling the effect of the war. God bless the troops and their families. I have updated my war time counter.
Here is the War Time Counter as of 01 July 2007:
Day number 2121 of the Global War on Terror [start date 09/11/01]
Day number 2083 of Operation Enduring Freedom [start date 10/19/01]
Day number 1564 of Operation Iraqi Freedom [start date 03/20/03]
Our troops continue to set endurance records. For reference, our war in the Pacific during WWII lasted 1366 days [give or take one or two, I ran out of fingers on the counters]. There is no light at the end of the tunnel.
tlrb
