State Sponsored Terrorism

So Libya's intelligence agencies were working to assassinate foreign leaders, in this case Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, while Bush was talking about how great it is that Libya is renouncing terrorism. Yeah, the War on Terror is working out great.

While the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, was renouncing terrorism and negotiating the lifting of sanctions last year, his intelligence chiefs ordered a covert operation to assassinate the ruler of Saudi Arabia and destabilize the oil-rich kingdom, according to statements by two participants in the conspiracy.

Those participants, Abdurahman Alamoudi, an American Muslim leader now in jail in Alexandria, Va., and Col. Mohamed Ismael, a Libyan intelligence officer in Saudi custody, have given separate statements to American and Saudi officials outlining the plot.

Mr. Alamoudi, has told Federal Bureau of Investigation officials and federal prosecutors that Colonel Qaddafi approved the assassination plan. Mr. Qaddafi's son, in an interview in London, called the accusation "nonsense."

American officials confirm that Mr. Alamoudi and Mr. Ismael have offered detailed accounts of a Libyan plot to assassinate Crown Prince Abdullah and that they appear to be credible enough to have launched an American investigation. But the officials said they are still examining the scope of the plot, how far it advanced and whether Colonel Qaddafi was involved. They said the accusations were one reason the United States had not removed Libya from the State Department's list of nations that support terrorism.

Bush Flip Flop on Telecom Regulations

Under political threats from the Baby Bells -- including Verizon, SBC and Bell South -- the Bush administration flip flopped shamelessly on a court case on prices the Bells charge long-distance companies for access to their lines. Bush solicitor general had argued against the Baby Bell companies in the appeals process, but has dropped its support for the Supreme Court case.

Mark Cooper, research director of the Consumer Federation of America, said that the elimination of the regulations could ultimately lead to higher rates for 19 million consumers who get phone service from competitors to the Bells and an additional 30 million who have discounts from the Bells in response to competition.

What makes this flip flop particularly egregious is the blatantly political lobbying by the corporate giants on both sides of the issue, throwing money and threats around like water. And Bush caved.

The administration's announcement followed fierce lobbying and aggressive tactics; each side has raised millions of dollars in campaign contributions for the president and the Republican Party. Before the decision, rivals of the Bells said they had told the administration that if it did not side with them in the dispute they intended to run television advertisements in swing political states accusing the White House of being responsible for higher telephone rates. For their part, the Bell companies pledged not to raise rates before the election in November.

That promise from the Baby Bells sounds, to me, remarkably like the promise from Prince Bandar to manage oil prices ahead of the election in November. Either way, the Bush administration is playing with the prices middle class Americans pay for staples -- like phones and gasoline -- for political gain.

The FCC had supported the long-distance companies in a 3-2 earlier this year to direct the attorney general to appeal the decision. However, upon pressure from the White House, Republican commissioner Kevin J. Martin reversed his position and the FCC flip flopped as well. In an interesting twist, Martin's wife works for Vice President Dick Cheney.

Beyond the political side of this argument, a decision to allow the Baby Bells to increase their rates for carrying traffic for long-distance companies will likely mean a jump in the number of people using cell phones for long-distance calls. Most cell plans include free long distance calls under plan minutes, and others free calls evenings and weekends.

The result may be a significant reduction in land lines to residential homes and the rise of people with only one phone number: their mobile line. Since Verizon -- the largest Baby Ball with a stranglehold on much of the local market -- is also the market leader for cell phone service in the United States, they stand to gain from higher prices for land line and more market share for cell service.

Not a bad time to buy stock, huh?

Laura Bush Opposes Stem Cell Research

Laura Bush's father died of Alzheimers, but she announced that she opposes relaxing stem cell research limitations placed by her husband, the President.

Compassionate Conservatives my ass.

Kurds Threaten to Bolt New Iraq Government

I think this is a pretty big story for Iraq, but the Reagan thing is keeping it from getting a lot of play. I hope the SCLM will pick this up quickly and continue telling the truth about the failure that is Iraq:

Kurdish parties warned Wednesday that they might bolt Iraq's new government if Shiites gain too much power. In another challenge to the interim administration, saboteurs blew up an oil pipeline, forcing a 10 percent cut in electricity output.

Kurdish fears of Shiite domination rose after the Americans and British turned down their request to have a reference to the interim constitution — which enshrines Kurdish federalism — included in the U.N. resolution approved Tuesday.

The country's most prominent Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, warned he would not accept mention of the interim charter in the resolution. Shiites oppose parts of the charter that give Kurds a veto over a permanent constitution due to be drawn up next year.

See Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Penis

Wonkette has the classic pose of a naked Arnold Schwarzenegger with his private parts hanging out. The picture is used as the cover of a book called, "Sue Me, Asshole" which is made up of letters from the Governor's attorney to a bobble head doll maker who dared to use a politician's image. Arnold is suing them for using his image, apparently not realizing that once you enter the Governor's mansion you lose the right to control your image.

What Tom Delay Does (or Doesn't) Do for Foster Kids

Tom Delay promised last year to build a foster care home, got the press and the photo op, and then hasn't built it. What a dumbass.

An Honest Politician in Florida

Many people suspect that Al Gore lost the 2000 Presidential Election because of voter fraud and other shenanigans in Florida. Gore lost by a total of 537 votes in that pivotal state that year, after more than 173,000 people were purged from the voter roles for being felons. Many of these people were not felons and had been erroneously removed, but were still turned away at the polls. Overwhelmingly, the people on this list lived in high performing Democratic districts and the state -- and country -- went to George Bush.

Apparently, Jeb Bush is looking to do the same thing for his brother this year. Ed Kast, the head of Florida's election division, is "feeling political heat over a push to purge thousands of suspected felons from the state's voter rolls." Fortunately, Mr. Kast is an honest man and has resigned his job to "pursue other opportunities."

"I've known him for 20 years, and I believe he has acted because under the circumstances it's the only thing he could do," said Leon County Election Supervisor Ion Sancho, past president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections.

"Ed had made a number of comments that the nature and timing of this felons list was not something he was responsible for. I think he felt in good conscience he could no longer be involved in the operations."

Hours earlier, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson joined a lawsuit to force state election officials to reveal the names of 47,000 suspected felons who could be dropped from voting lists, saying he wanted to be sure mistakes in 2000 are not repeated.

"This year, Ohio and Florida are looked upon as the two states that could decide the presidential election and we just can't go through this again," the Florida Democrat said.

At least there is one honest guy in Florida willing to stand up to this obvious attempt to influence the Presidential and other important elections this year.

Flip-Flop or Two Faced Liars?

I've seen this a few places in the past few days, including hearing it on Air America, but this example from Talk Left of the Bush administration twisting facts is just amazing. Actually, it's not really twisting facts -- it is just dissembling and saying whatever you need to get what you want.

Apparently when they wanted to torture prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention center they rationalized it as OK because GitMo was under United States control and liable to US laws. Since the law that forbids torture only applies outside US borders, putting GitMo in the United States meant we could torture them!

But, when they want to deny the prisoners the basic rights afforded to all prisoners in the United States the Bush lawyers argued that because GitMo is in Cuba and not the United States that American laws don't apply! Therefore, no need to provide lawyers, due process or other rights people in the United States get.

This is not a flip-flop, but outright lying to support whatever point they wanted to make that particular week. What a bunch of sleazebags.

He Also Rejects Deficits, Corporate Crime ...

Big headline all over my newsreader today: "Ashcroft Says Bush Rejects Use of Torture"

The only way, after all the different lawyers opinions and actual incidences of torture have come to light, that this can be true is: 1) Bush is totally out of the loop and someone else runs his government; or 2) Ashcroft is lying.

Or, it could be both?

Vote for Liberals and She'll Strip!

The Hungarian Liberal party has put together a 7 second video where a woman promises to strip if men vote for Liberal candidates.

Apparently democracy -- and lust -- are blossoming in Eastern Europe.

I Thought It Was Bush ...

When I saw this cartoon from the Guardian, I swear I thought it was George Bush on the back of the horse. And then I thought, maybe it is. And then I wondered, could the Guardian be wishing our President dead? Please provide comments below!

BushCheney Politicizes Reagan's Death

The pure and disturbing truth is that the right wing will use anything -- including the death of American soldiers or one of their heroes -- for political gain. It's disgusting.

Via Atrios.

The Brothers War

The Wall Street Journal has an excellent article on the Veterans for Peace movement, and how difficult it is to build membership and to explain to other vets, including family members, how you oppose war after fighting in one.

The article focuses on Eric Van De Vort, a Vietnam veteran who opposed the War in Iraq, and his brother Alan Van De Vort, a Vietnam veteran who supports the war.

Because the WSJ is subscription only, I have snipped the article here for your viewing pleasure.

For myself, I am in a diffucult spot because I know the war is wrong but I also know many soldiers and support them with all my heart. I have opposed this war from the beginning, and it pains me when people tell me that I can't do that and support the troops.

However, they are engaging in false choices as the right wing often does with their "you've with us or against us" attitude. They say you can't be pro-choice and pro-family, pro-business and pro-environment, or pro-peace and pro-soldier. They lie, and we need to start telling the American people what the real choices are.

You've Got To Be Fucking Kidding Me ...

From the AP:

The Army's top supply commander said Monday that all American troops in Iraq are now equipped with bullet-resistant vests, after a shortage that led many soldiers to pay for costly body armor themselves.

Let me get this fucking straight. For three months the Bush Cheney 2004 campaign has been running ads against John Kerry saying he has denied body armor to the troops because he voted against the $87 billion Iraq War bill last fall, and now we find out that 9 months after that bill passed and Bush had the money in his hands our soldiers are just now getting their goddamned protective gear?

A shortage of vests? Where the hell was George Bush? Why wasn't he on the phone demanding that every vest manufacturer in the country work overtime, like Franklin Roosevelt demanded that car manufacturers retooled to make tanks and aircraft?

And if there is a fucking shortage, where the hell were the soldiers getting the vests they were buying for themselves? The guys on the ground getting shot could damned well find the fucking vests! Where were the Pentagon procurement officers?

What kind of fucking incompetence is this? How many American military personnel died because the fucking Bush administration couldn't plan for this war enough to know soldiers in a war zone need bullet "resistent" vests?

I mean, Jesus Fucking Christ! And they have the almighty gall to accuse John Kerry of not caring about the troops?

Why do Military Families Hate the Soldiers?

How dare the parents, spouses, siblings and children of soldiers who are being forced to serve in combat beyond their contracted service question the Bush Administration?

Why do they hate the soldiers?

AP Tells the Story

In a story about another American military death, the Associated Press summed up this failed war:

More than 800 U.S. service members have died since President Bush launched the Iraq invasion in March 2003 to destroy Saddam Hussein's alleged stocks of weapons of mass destruction which have not been found.

Lucy, I'm Home!

Well, after a few days with no Internet connection I have returned to the Patridiot Watch! What fun!

Now all I have to do is catch up on the news out there. Anyone want to help me with a lead? Did anyone important die?