The case of Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani woman who was likely tortured in U.S. custody, underscores the depravity of the current defects in our approach to intelligence gathering. Even the best intentioned of torturers should be educated about the value of information obtained through such methods. A victim of torture will tell his torturers anything they want to hear, eventually, but rarely tell the truth. They are merely desperate to make their suffering end.
Mas below
We've tortured kids. Now it seems we've tortured women as well. Not only that, but the U.S. has denied ever having her in custody before last month. That claim has been vigorously disputed. Credible claims have been made that she has been in custody for years.
Look at the picture of her taken last month.
Tell me she wasn't horribly abused. The released photograph is interesting in itself. Why would such a photo be released? It was probably to make Aafia look bad. That's not how it comes across, however. She looks traumatized, and she probably was.
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My Crazy Friend Jerome
I was a good friend of Jerome Corsi before he wrote "books." I remember his involvement in the preschooler prostitution ring well. I remember when he sold heroin to grade schoolers while dressed as a nun. "Hanging's too good for him! Burning's too good for him! He should be torn into little-bitsy pieces and buried alive!"
[My apologies to Bernie Wrightson for associating his work with Jerome Corsi]
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Kristol Collects A Paycheck
"Professional" clown Bill Kristol has a problem with accuracy. Does this surprise anyone? Kristol is just another big brain in the neocon universe who deserves recognition about as much as Iraq deserved an American occupation. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The worst writer at the Daily Kos does better work than many of those clowns.
Incidentally, the "cone of silence" story Kristol made the mistake about could be considered a metaphor for the entire election this year. McCain's dishonesty makes Obama look bad. Can anybody consider the Rove tactics of the McCain campaign and doubt for a second that John listened to Warren's questions in advance? I can't keep a straight face when I think about it. That clever scamp McMaverick always has something up his sleeve.
Puke.
I hope Obama isn't counting on the religious right to help elect him. There's no chance of that. Barack's the Antichrist, remember? Also, he doesn't look like the Presidents on American currency. The event at Rick Warren's church was a huge waste of time, and increased my doubts about Obama's political savvy once again. Our presumptive nominee turns to the right once again, alienating some of his true supporter base. The separation of church and state has never been so in danger before, and sometimes it seems Obama just doesn't get that.
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Sasquatch Threat Level: Red
Good Gawd, Godz, Jeebus, er, hm, Jesus:
Please don't make me go outside.
It's so scary in the United States.
Also, be careful of Sasquatch.
There are Sasquatch everywhere.
Seriously.
Watch yourself.
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Here's the latest conspiracy theory. Obama is leading by a huge margin. McCain universally sucks. The daily polls are all rigged. The voting machines are all rigged. The daily polls will substantiate the enormous lie the American people are told in November, that John McCain was elected.
That sounds plausible, except for one thing. Big money really doesn't have to rig everything. Big money has big money, and will just buy the Presidency if they so desire (directly, not indirectly). The simplest explanation is often the correct deduction.
It's a stretch, woo, quite a stretch, to believe <span style="font-style: italic;">everything</span> is fake.
It's all real, and fueled by dollars.
The polls are flawed, but the closeness of the race I can believe. Newsflash: Barack Obama is black. Does anybody really believe he has a huge lead?
I wonder what the landscape will look like when the dollar is equal to a peso, and Canada buys Detroit (just for the hell of it).
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A Harvard education and genius intellect helped make Matthew Yglesias an incredibly insightful and prolific writer and political analyst. When I was in college I woke up in sofas on lawns. I managed to pull out a fairly decent grade point average after partying for four years, but that's not the point. As much as I respect and admire Yglesias' work, it also brings me down. It would take more work than I have time to do to transform myself from a writer of speculative fiction to a writer like Matthew. I could have been a similar figure had I not enjoyed myself so much way back when.
[sigh]
If I had it to do over again, I would party twice as hard. I would try to date twice the number of wonderful young ladies. I would definitely attempt to never, ever leave college. Some people never change. I guess I just wasn't meant to be the kind of writer Yglesias is.
Late afternoon music: Stabbing Westward, "Wither Blister Burn and Peel"
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Yes, I said muchos mas two days ago. I was so embarrassed I made the mistake I never corrected it. My father and grandfather rolled over in their graves after I did it. Oots.