Read this article about how Americans treated Prisoners....and then say it was all Newsweek's fault

The New York Times has an extensive story about the way Americans treated prisoners in Afghanistan. If you have any questions as to why they hate us, read this piece. It is extremely disturbing -- that is, if you are human.

The Times bases this article on the Army's own report:

The story of Mr. Dilawar's brutal death at the Bagram Collection Point - and that of another detainee, Habibullah, who died there six days earlier in December 2002 - emerge from a nearly 2,000-page confidential file of the Army's criminal investigation into the case, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.

Like a narrative counterpart to the digital images from Abu Ghraib, the Bagram file depicts young, poorly trained soldiers in repeated incidents of abuse. The harsh treatment, which has resulted in criminal charges against seven soldiers, went well beyond the two deaths.

A narrative counterpart to Abu Gharib. That's just great. And, before Scott McClellan starts yelling at the NY Times, telling them to retract and re-write, he needs to be reminded: this is a report from the U.S. Army.

There are many disturbing anecdotes in the article, but this one struck me as the probably the worst:

Some of the same M.P.'s took a particular interest in an emotionally disturbed Afghan detainee who was known to eat his feces and mutilate himself with concertina wire. The soldiers kneed the man repeatedly in the legs and, at one point, chained him with his arms straight up in the air, Specialist Callaway told investigators. They also nicknamed him "Timmy," after a disabled child in the animated television series "South Park." One of the guards who beat the prisoner also taught him to screech like the cartoon character, Specialist Callaway said.

Doesn't that make you feel proud? Read the rest of this post...

Ricky's getting some press for comparing Dems. to Hitler

The Washington Post has a piece in tomorrow's paper which mostly talks about the possible compromise on the nuclear option. But then there's this:

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said, "If Republicans persist in the course they have set, they will destroy the 'compact of comity' that enables the Senate to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities."

Such comity already appeared scarce late in the day, when Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) said Democrats have violated a long tradition of letting judicial nominees reach up-or-down confirmation votes.

He then denounced "the audacity of some [Democratic] members to stand up and say, 'How dare you break this rule?' It's the equivalent of Adolf Hitler in 1942 saying, 'I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me?' " Several liberal groups called the remarks out of bounds.

Oh, liberal groups may be just saying he's out of bounds. Liberal blogs, well Americablog at least, are saying the guy is a complete idiot and hypocrite. Atrios wants the media to hold Little Ricky to the "Move On Standard."

Santorum owes every single Democratic Senator an apology. He owes the Democratic Party an apology. He owes every single Democrat an apology. He owes every one who really suffered under Hitler an apology.

How much lower can the GOP sink? Remember, it's all in the name of god. Creating a theocracy is hard work and gets ugly. Read the rest of this post...

Video of Santorum comparing Dems to himself Hitler.

It's always fun to see an avowed bigot who would stop at nothing to achieve his anti-democratic goals or dominating the majority with the whims of the minority, turn around and have the gall to compare OTHERS to Hitler.

Your little buddies in the radical right are trying to pass laws banning books by gay authors, get gays kicked out of their jobs, pass laws making gays unable to marry, to have kids. So I'm thinking you know a thing or two about Hitler, Ricky. Too bad you're so blind to your own and your buddy's horrifyingly un-American activities.

Sometimes I wonder if maybe all the guy needs is some hot girl-on-girl action...

Today on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Rick Santorum compared Democrats to Hitler.

SANTORUM: I mean, imagine, the rule has been in place for 214 years that this is the way we confirm judges. Broken by the other side two years ago, and the audacity of some members to stand up and say, how dare you break this rule. It's the equivalent of Adolf Hitler in 1942 saying, "I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me. How dare you bomb my city? It's mine."

Click here to see video of Santorum. Read the rest of this post...

Open Thread

Stir it up... Read the rest of this post...

Bush to dine with porn star (so not kidding), and she'll be meeting with Karl Rove too!

Guess who's coming to dinner?

“I’m especially looking forward to meeting Karl Rove,” Carey added. “Smart men like him are so sexy. I know that he’s against gay marriage, but I think I can convince him that a little girl-on-girl action now and then isn’t so bad!”

America's Taliban is calling the White House right about now... Read the rest of this post...

Breaking from RawStory: Santorum compares Dems. to Hitler

Oh, this is rich. Senator "Man-Dog Sex" Santorum is comparing the Democrats to Hilter. RawStory has the transcript:

TO STAND UP AND SAY, HOW DARE YOU BREAK THIS RULE. IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF ADOLF HITLER IN 1942 "I'M IN PARIS. HOW DARE YOU INVADE ME. HOW DARE YOU BOMB MY CITY? IT'S MINE."

What an idiot. There really is no bigger fool in the U.S. Senate and that's quite a statement because the Senate is filled with them. Read the rest of this post...

Anti-gay Mayor West may be asked to resign

More troubles for Jim West, the homophobic, (yet self-admitted non-gay) Mayor of Spokane. The Spokane City Council is going to vote on asking him to resign according to the Associated Press:

The City Council will vote on whether to demand the resignation of Mayor James West, who has been accused of offering city jobs to men he met in gay online chat rooms.

City Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers submitted a resolution Wednesday calling for West to resign immediately. She said it is scheduled for a vote May 30.

The seven-member council does not have the power to remove the mayor, and Rodgers may not even have enough votes to pass her resolution. A vote demanding that West take a formal leave of absence deadlocked in the council on Monday. But Rodgers is hoping West will see that the scandal is hurting the city.

"With all the media attention we have received, it's difficult to get anything done up here," Rodgers said.

Read the rest of this post...

Tony Perkins explains one more time why Frist won't can't compromise

AP has a good analysis on the role of the hapless puppet doctor in the current debate:

Frist has served as the standard-bearer for the White House and the Republican Party's religious conservatives in the fight to put like-minded jurists on the federal bench. He has rejected Democratic offers to confirm some of the blocked nominees, contending that all deserve a vote while moving forward on the nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen, a step toward a Senate showdown.

For Frist, a man with White House ambitions, it's a role that has elevated his status in the 2008 presidential race.

Probably the key section of the article was the following passage which explains the entire basis for this debate:

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, rejected any talk of compromise on Wednesday.

"Some of the Republican senators engage in this at their own political risk," Perkins said. "So much is riding on the courts. Someone that sells the American people short on this, they're going to have a hard time running for national office."

So, please, let's not pretend Frist really has any say in this debate. Bill Frist's hands are tied here. He is doing the bidding of the theocrats. No more grand discussion about the constitutional precedent, this debate is about the radical right wing's control over the GOP. And, Frist just does what they say. He is their little puppet. If you watch C-SPAN closely, you can practically watch them pull his strings. Read the rest of this post...

Core inflation flat

Whew! What a relief. Now if someone can just point out how to get around those annoying energy and food costs that are going up. Energy and food? Who needs it? It's overrated anyway. Read the rest of this post...

Today's Nuclear Option Debate Open Thread

AP reports that Harry Reid is blasting the GOP...and bringing Bush into the debate:

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said Thursday that President Bush and Republican senators are trying to "rewrite the Constitution and reinvent reality" in their push to confirm controversial judicial nominees.

"The Senate is not a rubber stamp for the executive branch," Reid said. "Rather, we're the one institution where the minority has a voice and the ability to check the power of the majority. Today, in the face of President Bush's power grab, that's more important than ever."

Reid knows that Bush and Rove, along with the Dobson/Perkins/Robertson right wing cabal, are driving this agenda -- and none of them will allow a compromise -- ever.

Bill Frist, who is beholden to the right wing nuts because he wants to President, is really looking more and more like a hapless puppet in this debate every day....

Your thoughts? Read the rest of this post...

It's the Domestic Terrorists we must fear....

Just got this emailed from my friend, Joe, who lives in Paris now:

FBI, ATF address domestic terrorism
Officials: Extremists pose serious threat
From Terry Frieden
CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Violent animal rights extremists and eco-terrorists now pose one of the most serious terrorism threats to the nation, top federal law enforcement officials say."

With this appropriately snarky, and very accurate comment:

Really? Then why are we in Iraq? I am so glad that we have stopped the threat from Al Quaeda. That was easy.

Joe

Read the rest of this post...

Thursday Morning Open Thread

What's up? Read the rest of this post...

Radical right hate groups not happy until they control EVERYTHING

From the radical right propaganda organ, AgapePress:

...One pro-family leader is worried that American Christians could be facing a new form of inquisition. Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families senses that anti-Christian feelings are on the rise among some segments of America. He says he is concerned that born-again believers could be facing tough days ahead. "I'm concerned about the possibility of real persecution in the United States toward conservative Christians," Bauer states. "Harper's Magazine this week has a cover story entitled 'The Religious Right's War on America.' So there's a lot of rhetoric out there, very hateful rhetoric, aimed at traditional Christian conservatives -- and that can be very dangerous." Many Christian leaders have expressed their worry over the increase in "hate speech" aimed at Christians and the lack of public uproar over it.

First, bull - you people control everything. Second, yeah people hate you, because you're evil, un-American, Taliban bigots who want to turn our country into a 13th century far-right theocracy so you can oppress everyone you don't like. If you're not happy that people are on to you, take the next boat to Iran and move in with your like-minded brethren. Read the rest of this post...

New report shows negative views of US in Muslim world

Boy, that Newsweek report sure did have a quick impact because I think that our positive ratings were at almost 100% before that whole thing happened. It's all Newsweek's fault and clearly has nothing to do with US policy overseas. Those bastards are no doubt responsible for global warming, dropping bombs over Iraq and the deficit as well. Read the rest of this post...

Open Thread

Take it away.... Read the rest of this post...

Update on the $25m lawsuit against USA Next

A number of you had asked what the latest is on the $25m lawsuit against USA Next by the gay couple whose photo of their wedding day was stolen by USA Next for their anti-gay anti-AARP social security ad. The latest is that the bad guys filed a motion to dismiss the suit, and the gay couple's lawyers responded. You can read the brief in response to the motion here. Read the rest of this post...