Classified US military briefing says Iraq sharply moving towards "chaos"

From today's New York Times, we learn that the US military is watching Iraq slide towards chaos -- and they have the visual to prove it:

The conclusions the Central Command has drawn from these trends are not encouraging, according to a copy of the slide that was obtained by The New York Times. The slide shows Iraq as moving sharply away from “peace,” an ideal on the far left side of the chart, to a point much closer to the right side of the spectrum, a red zone marked “chaos.” As depicted in the command’s chart, the needle has been moving steadily toward the far right of the chart.

An intelligence summary at the bottom of the slide reads “urban areas experiencing ‘ethnic cleansing’ campaigns to consolidate control” and “violence at all-time high, spreading geographically.” According to a Central Command official, the index on civil strife has been a staple of internal command briefings for most of this year. The analysis was prepared by the command’s intelligence directorate, which is overseen by Brig. Gen. John M. Custer.

Bush says Iraq isn't in a civil war. Bush says he listens to the military. Does chaos register with him? Chaos is the direct result of staying the course. Read the rest of this post...

Oh my God. New video of George Allen supporters assaulting questioner at press opp

Go to this page and click on the video link. This guy didn't do a thing - they jumped him and threw him into a window.

This might be a direct link to the video. Read the rest of this post...

Another Republican House member reportedly likes to beat up women

UPDATE: The NY Daily News has more on this, including the police report.

You really can't make this stuff up.

The wife of U.S. Rep. John Sweeney [R-NY] called police last December to complain her husband was ``knocking her around'' during a late-night argument at the couple's home, according to a document obtained last week by the Times Union.

The emergency call to a police dispatcher triggered a visit to the couple's residence by a state trooper from Clifton Park, who filed a domestic incident report after noting that the congressman had scratches on his face, the document states. No criminal charges were filed.

Gaia M. Sweeney, 36, told a trooper that her husband had grabbed her by the neck and was pushing her around the house, according to the document....

The alleged incident at the couple's home off Kinns Road took place at the end of a tumultuous year for Sweeney. Less than two weeks earlier, his son, John J. Sweeney, then 19, pleaded guilty to felony assault charges for his role in a fight that left another young man with skull factures and blurred vision. The younger Sweeney initially faced the prospect of spending up to 15 years in prison, but a plea deal gave him youthful offender status and a sentence that included four months of weekends in jail and community service.

Sweeney, 51, has blamed his political opponents for his son's prosecution on felony charges.

A skull fracture? And he thinks that isn't a felony? These men are simply out of control. More from the police:

``Complainant stated that she and husband got into verbal argument that turned a little physical by her being grabbed by the neck and pushed around the house,'' Gunsel wrote in the narrative portion of the blotter entry, according to the document. ``Suspect had scratches on face. Both parties refused medical attention. Complainant removed to friend's house for the evening ... refused any type of prosicution (sic) arrest.''

His opponent is Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand. Read the rest of this post...

My "Larry King Live" appearance yesterday

Parts 1 and 2, it's 13 minutes in total, ugh.



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Wash Post: Allen supporters shove, put into a chokehold and throw against a window man who asked Allen question at press conference

Washington Post

A Democratic activist who verbally confronted U.S. Sen. George Allen (R) at a campaign rally in Charlottesville today was shoved, put into a chokehold and thrown against a window by three men wearing Allen stickers, according to a widely disseminated video of the incident.

W. Michael Stark, who identified himself in an e-mail after the incident as a law student, yelled a question at Allen about whether he had ever spit on his first wife, an unsubstantiated charge that has been circulating on liberal blogs on the Internet. Allen supporters hauled him away from the senator as television cameras rolled....

The event was caught on tape by a local television station, and was broadcast widely on CNN today. Within hours, the video was also uploaded to YouTube, a video-sharing Web site.

In the video, Stark can be seen being shoved back by several Allen supporters. A man puts a choke hold on Stark, who wiggles out and struggles. The man then wrestles Stark to the ground, knocking his head on a window.

You can see the video, and still photos of it, here. There's an even better video clip here. In this last clip, it's clear there was no provocation for the assault. Read the rest of this post...

Cliff exposes the ugly side of Lieberman

Cliff Schechter takes an in-depth look at the real Joe Lieberman. Behind the sanctimonious persona lies a Senator who will do and say almost anything. It's not a pretty picture -- and Joe isn't a guy who should be Senator. Read the whole article titled, "Joe Lieberman's Endless Hypocrisy." But this excerpt gives the flavor:

It is this willingness to say or do whatever is necessary to hold on to his U.S. Senate seat, damn the consequences to what he claimed to believe last year or even last week, that makes Lieberman, a smarmy, power-hungry little yapping poodle of a politician, the perfect poster-boy for the amoral might-makes-right culture that currently animates our political system.

Ever since Lieberman defeated elder statesman Weicker in that 1988 race, largely by portraying him as weak on Communism -- along the way garnering the support of William F. Buckley and the McCarthy-loving National Review -- there hasn't been a single issue on which Lieberman has been willing to risk an unpopular position or maintain a modicum of consistency.

He would seemingly invade Cuba tomorrow, but charges forth into slave-labor trade deals with Communist China at the behest of his corporate paymasters (and at the expense of his constituents' jobs). He once marched with Martin Luther King Jr., yet now forebodingly and dishonestly refers to Al Sharpton as "one of Ned Lamont's closest advisors," hoping the mere mention of the controversial African-American preacher will summon white-suburban fears of unruly invading black hordes who crave white women and seek Rotary Club membership.

Sharpton's response? "I've given more advice to Joe Lieberman than I've given to Ned Lamont," he told Election Central's Greg Sargent.

Veterans, health care, the environment. Lieberman has dissed them all.

Worst of all, Joe has been a leader of the "Stay the Course" cheering section for his good friend, George Bush. Connecticut showed America they were willing to change the course when Joe lost in August. Now, they can change the course for sure when Joe loses in next week. Read the rest of this post...

Iraqi Prime Minister al Maliki demands US call off effort to find abducted American soldier, Bush agrees

This is sickening:

Exploiting GOP vulnerability in the Nov. 7 elections, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki flexed his political muscle Tuesday and won U.S. agreement to lift military blockades on Sadr City and another Shiite enclave where an American soldier was abducted.

U.S. forces, who had set up the checkpoints in Baghdad last week as part of an unsuccessful search for the soldier, drove away in Humvees and armored personnel carriers at the 5 p.m. deadline set by al-Maliki. Iraqi troops, who had manned the checkpoints with the Americans, loaded coils of razor wire and red traffic cones onto pickup trucks.

So the Prime Minister of the country we "saved" said we can't look for our missing soldier. And, George Bush said "okay."

Seriously, could Iraq be any more of a disaster? And could George Bush be any more off course? He just left a US soldier to die. Read the rest of this post...

Latest on sexual assault allegations against Nevada GOP governor candidate

Big surprise, he's a sitting Republican US congressman. Read the rest of this post...

Increasing numbers of American military officers want US to set a deadline for troop withdrawal in Iraq

So much for the latest lie from George Bush and the Republicans about Iraq.

LA Times

Growing numbers of American military officers have begun to privately question a key tenet of U.S. strategy in Iraq — that setting a hard deadline for troop reductions would strengthen the insurgency and undermine efforts to create a stable state.

Had enough? Read the rest of this post...

Why George Allen's supporters (staff?) attacked a man today at a press conference

Because the man, Mike Stark, a UVA law student and former US Marine, asked a question about a story that's been discussed for a while now, but the media has yet to report: Why Virginia Senator George Allen has sealed his divorce records and won't explain why there were warrants out for his arrest in the 1970s?

There have been rumors that the divorce records included details of Allen's treatment of his wife, including a rumor that Allen spit on his former wife. That is what Mike Stark's question was about - whether Allen did in fact spit on his former wife.

Do you think those divorce records and arrest warrants are news now? Read the rest of this post...

BREAKING: Virginia GOP Senator George Allen staffers tackle/assault man asking Allen question at event

UPDATE: AP now has the story. CNN showed the video.

UPDATE: The man assaulted is Mike Stark, a first year law student at the University of Virginia. I have Mike's email contact info for any journalists who would like to speak with him. Email me.

And there's video. You really need to watch this video. The reporter says the man was simply asking questions that the Allen staff thought were rude. So they tackled the guy and threw him against a window. George Allen's sticker is clearly visible on the guy who grabbed the questioner in a headlock. According to NBC, when Allen was asked later about the assault he replied that stuff like this happens.

You are witnessing a multi-million dollar lawsuit, not to mention a crime.



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Happy Halloween - watch it

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Latest AMERICAblog fundraising tallies

Well, we're almost at $100,000 after 9 days or so of fundraising. That's damn good in any universe, let alone considering this is the first time we've tried to fundraise for candidates. You guys really came through, and I know the candidates appreciate it - several of them have contacted us in person. So thank you. We've intentionally picked races, for the most part, where your contributions, even a small contribution, will buy a lot of advertising and voter turnout efforts. Remember what Jill Derby (NV-02) said, she needs $50 a precinct for their "get out the vote" operation. Every little bit helps. Again, thank you.

Now, time for a little challenge. I've set some fundraising goals for each candidate (you'll find them in the chart below), some more ambitious (for candidates that I can tell you guys really like - like Duckworth, Wulsin, Paccione and Kleeb - and some less ambitious. Let's see if you can meet them. Please :-)



Use the links at the top of the blog, or in the left-hand column of the blog, to donate. And fyi, we lost the feed for the minute-by-minute updates as to fundraising totals, now you need to click on the "contribute" button to see the latest donation totals (don't worry, clicking "contribute" will not commit you to anything, it just links to the donor page). Read the rest of this post...

Arizona Senate race is tightening, Pederson is on the move

The Arizona Senate race between Democrat Jim Pederson and incumbent Jon Kyl hasn't been garnering a lot of attention outside of Arizona. But the state-based media is reporting on a close race. Tight and tightening are the operative words in Arizona.

Today's headline in the Arizona Republic reads "Giuliani touts Kyl's experience in tight Senate race."

Also today, the Tuscon Citizen reported:

The U.S. Senate race has shown signs of tightening in recent weeks. Pederson spent much of the year 10 to 20 percentage points behind Kyl. Polls now show Pederson within 6 points - largely because Pima County has begun to warm to him, Merrill said.

Governor Janet Napolitano is way ahead. There are three key House races in the state, too. The Democrats in Arizona know how to do the ground game. I've heard (from someone who really knows) that the coordinated campaign is very impressive. One of the best around. They're hitting thousands of doors targeting the infrequent Democratic voters -- the people who don't vote in non-Presidential years. Those are the votes they really need to win this year.

Put the Arizona Senate race on your radar screen. Read the rest of this post...

Republicans on House intel get desperate

There's a battle going on just beneath the pre-election radar that involves some of the issues you've read about recently on this blog, and it seems that Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee are trying to start a witch hunt against the Democratic staffers who have successfully fought back against some of the greatest idiocies of this past Congressional session.

After accusing a Democratic staffer of leaking the terrorism NIE that helped show the American public just how bad a strategic error Iraq continues to be, and revoking his clearance and smearing his name without a shred of evidence, House Republicans then announced a plan to investigate all Democratic intel staffers, including phone logs, email, and all other 'relevant' records. The staffer has signed a sworn affadavit that he had nothing to do with the leak, but in the face of such Republican perfidy, it's having little effect. These McCarthyist tactics -- and I don't use that description lightly, but this staffer was accused without any apparent evidence, on a political basis, and has been the target of physical threats and baseless vilification -- are yet another example of the shameful and harmful politicization of intelligence.

Republicans are afraid of the U.S. knowing just how badly they've governed, especially when it comes to Iraq, the war on terror, and the intelligence process. Their panic and retaliation in this case is a sure sign that they are willing to do ruin innocent, hard-working civil servants to cover up their failures of leadership and government.

Josh Marshall has an excellent wrap-up that includes (House Intel ranking member) Rep. Harman's response; America Abroad examines the timeline that appears to prove the innocence of the staffer. Read the rest of this post...

Menendez moving ahead in New Jersey

Independent polls have Bob Menendez moving in to a solid lead in New Jersey.

CNN:

Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez held a 51-44 percent edge among likely voters over his GOP challenger, state Sen. Tom Kean Jr. However, that gap was within the sampling error.

Quinnipiac:

Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez has a 49 - 44 percent likely voter lead over Republican State Sen. Tom Kean, Jr., according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Six percent remain undecided and 12 percent of those who name a candidate say they might change their mind before Election Day.

The movement is in the right direction. New Jersey is a Democratic state, but the GOP brain trust thought they had a chance with Kean, Jr. Wrong. Read the rest of this post...

Key to redistricting, state legislative races show potential for Democratic pickups

Those races further down the ticket have national implications. Today's NY Times examines what's happening in the state legislative races -- and why they matter:

Most significantly, the groundwork for redrawing Congressional districts after the 2010 census will be done under the 50 capitol domes, and the party in power will set the table for those discussions in ways favorable to its interests. Gains made this year, analysts say, will help give incumbents a leg up in the final elections leading up to the redistricting.

If the Democrats take control of a majority of the legislatures, which polls indicate could happen, women could also attain leadership positions in greater numbers, since Democratic women in state capitals outnumber Republican women by nearly two to one. The next generation of national political leaders, by tradition, is nurtured in the state legislatures.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) will be spending around $10 million this year to help Democrats in state legislative races. But, the GOP is spending double that amount. However, the Times predicts that the Democrats could "possibly gain[ ] control of a majority of state capitols for the first time in a decade."

In addition to redistricting, state legislatures do provide future Congressional leaders -- on both sides. Some of the biggest menaces in Congress, like Marilyn Musgrave, got their start in state legislatures. Beat the evil ones in their state races so we don't have to deal with them later on.

Show some love to your state legislative candidates and the DLCC. Those candidates are on the very front lines and often serve as the backbone of get-out-the-vote efforts. Read the rest of this post...

Tuesday Morning Open Thread

One week left. Tony Snow is on the Today Show smiling and spinning away. The Bush White House sure loves Michael Steele in Maryland. Steele likes to pretend he doesn't love Bush back so much. But, Snow said he will be the Bush surrogate campaigning for Steele tomorrow.

New firewall state polls from CNN. In Missouri, McCaskill and Talent are tied at 49 among likely voters. In Tennessee, Corker is ahead of Ford 52 - 44 among likely voters. In Virginia, Webb leads Allen by a margin of 50 - 46 also among likely voters.

The issue is Iraq. Turnout is the key. Read the rest of this post...

Blair wants to just say "no"

...to an official inquiry into the Iraq fiasco. With all of the failures, lies and death it comes as no surprise that he wants to kill this inquiry but it looks like that might not happen.

Tony Blair faces the risk of a humiliating Commons defeat today over his refusal to allow a wide-ranging inquiry into the crisis in Iraq. The Tories, Liberal Democrats and as many as 40 Labour rebels are threatening to support a nationalist demand for a parliamentary examination of the war and its aftermath.

The suggestion of any investigation is being fiercely opposed by Downing Street, which argues that it would undermine the British forces and give succour to Iraqi insurgents.

David Cameron turned up the pressure on the Prime Minister by warning that the Tories were ready to vote against the Government unless it bowed to demands for an inquiry.

Imagine that...an opposition. I am looking forward to seeing an opposition in a matter of weeks in the US. We are in desperate need of asking questions and forcing the administration to answer. I know that the GOP doesn't believe in asking questions but sweeping it all under the rug is no answer and no way to run a great country. Read the rest of this post...

More Iraqi troops? A good idea in theory, but in reality?

I'm just back from the US, despite the best efforts of United Airlines to make a mess of my flight home. What a difference a few years makes, as I struggled to hear anyone say anything positive about either Bush or Iraq. A few years ago when I questioned the intelligence of invading, I was called anti-American, as if questioning the support of an invasion with no evidence was somehow anti-American. Now, even the most loyal Republicans that I met were overflowing with negativity towards the war and unflattering words for Bush. Even as I overhead conversations on the trains, I heard lots of complaints about the failures and incompetence of the administration.

What struck me as especially interesting (though depressing) was a conversation I had with a family member of a US soldier who served in Iraq. I think that I now see where the missing $800M has gone over there, or at least a chunk of it. This person told me that on patrols in Iraq when US (and Iraqi) soldiers encountered insurgents, they would be fighting against well trained people who were all too often geared up in American uniforms and weapons that were provided to the Iraqi army. How can we ask American troops to engage an enemy that is equipped by America? What a bizarre situation and it unfortunately highlights the failures of this administration and Congress to offer any oversight.

So now when I read that the US wants more Iraqi troops, I wonder where the hell they have been so far, what has taken them so long and can we afford to equip more of them only to see them pass on everything they have to the other side? Who hasn't had enough of this rubbish? Read the rest of this post...

Check out the kid, then check out the guy on the right

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