The ramped up rhetoric on Iran is deafening lately. To say the least, claims of Iranian meddling and fomentation in Iraq have reached an unprecedented level. But as vociferous as those claims have been, this time -- as opposed to the runup to the invasion of Iraq -- there seems to be some blowback swirling around up on Capitol Hill. They want evidence this time. Imagine that.

The truth is, the only difference between the runup to the Iraq invasion and the current buildup to a war with Iran is that this time we are the wiser. We have the benefit of hindsight this go around. We're more familiar with the modus operandi of the Bush regime now, and, we know how Dick Cheney & company will resort to bold-faced lies and slick obfuscation in making their case for perpetual war.

This time though, every piece of trumped-up evidence against Iran that Cheney comes up with or every time one of his acolytes hypes the threat, it seems to be falling more and more on a skeptical Congress. In addition, the notion of another war seems to be bombing (no pun intended) in general with the American people as well.

If I’ve learned one thing over the last seven excruciatingly-lonnnnngg years it has been this: whenever someone; anyone even loosely affiliated with the Bush regime utters any variation of the words in the title above, we’re about to lose another civil liberty.

Note: this subject was broached yesterday here. But, due to its importance, I believe this needs much more exposure -- hence today's effort.

This time it’s everyone’s favorite loathsome Independent Democrat; Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman who uttered the pernicious pronouncement at the end of his report. Lieberman (through a grave injustice) still wields all the power in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Released yesterday, the committee report details a "growing threat" from terrorists’ use of the internet for training and recruiting. The report concludes that the U.S. government should consider its own outreach program as a counter to the Web strategies of groups such as al-Qaida.

"... somebody affected with a personality disorder marked by aggressive, violent, antisocial thought and behavior, and a lack of remorse or empathy."

We on the progressive left in this country have long known that our fearless-frat-boy-in-chief is (to put it simply) not wrapped too tight. (and inherently evil) I myself have always had a uneasy feeling that Bush was either back on the sauce or perhaps taking regular medication for some undisclosed mental health condition. I mean, how is it possible that George Bush walks around every day, clueless and carefree; ne'er a qualm - no facial ticks or twitches, while knowing deep down that his corrupt, despotic-style of governance is alone responsible for growing tyranny here at home and endless death and destruction abroad?

He's got to know, right?

Ultimately, George Bush wakes up everyday to a world in which he feels he's entitled. His world view is both myopic and misanthropic. With a stroke of a pen and seemingly without a semblance of compunction or remorse, Bush has calmly and casually killed, injured, tortured, ethnically-cleansed -- or condemned to a perpetual hell -- as many as a million people or more.

So, how does he compartmentalize?

If there is one thing that can and should be taken from this admittedly cryptic story, I believe it would be the potential ramifications of the continuing convergence of the military and industry; in the sense that a significant portion of practical research into product development -- including but not limited to -- drugs, pesticides and genetic foods, is now carried out around the world on a regular basis by agents of the U.S. military .

Yes, I know the government/industrial/military complex has been cooperating with each other for decades. However, that cooperation has increased exponentially with the present administration; (along with secrecy thereof) and it doesn't bode well for both We the People... and indeed the planet.

That said: what in the hell is the U.S. Navy doing in Jakarta? Exactly what are the so-called "secret experiments" that entities of the Indonesian government are accusing them of performing behind closed doors?

The future of a major US Navy research laboratory in Indonesia is in doubt amid allegations -- dismissed as "crazy" by US diplomats -- of espionage and secret experiments.

The fact that seven years after the attacks on the WTC and Pentagon, and some six years after the formation of the Department of Homeland Security, the department designed to protect us, is just now finalizing a so-called rapid response plan for a terrorist-driven catastrophe, to me, is disturbing. However, the fact that the aforementioned plan will be in place just in time for the 2008 presidential election, is downright ominous.

No, I’m not putting forth a conspiracy theory here but if you really think about it, it’s not much of a stretch to admit that the timing is dubious to say the least. After billions upon billions of our taxpayer dollars have been spent hand over fist at the federal, state and local levels for years, are they telling us that that they don’t even have an effective plan in place for another national disaster right now? How can that be?

Folks, if there was ever a time in which to question your government’s motives as far as supposedly protecting us... this is it.

This is short but sweet. Please excuse the diary's brevity.

Update: The Dallas Morning news is reporting that the story isn't true, and that the vote was only to refer the matter to the South Central Jurisdiction's conference scheduled for July in Dallas. H/tip Hprof.

Well at least we know.

The People of the United Methodist Church organization has met in Fort Worth, Texas and voted overwhelmingly to reject [by a vote total of 844-20] the proposal to house the Bush Presidential Library at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

This has got to be a devastating blow to the organizations who have fervently campaigned for this -- not to mention the frat-boy-in-chief. Bush had wanted to locate his library at a prestigious location close to Crawford. It ain't happening. Get over it, shrub.  

Talk about potential for growth. If this or a similar deal goes through: the sky’s the limit for Blackwater.

Update: According to ABC News, it appears as though the deal is off. (Great news)

The gigantic hedge fund, Cerebus, that owns a controlling interest in Chrysler Motors and GMAC, the large financing arm of General Motors, is in intense negotiations to purchase outright the controversial North Carolina-based security mercenary firm Blackwater Worldwide. Blackwater has been the recipient of huge U.S. Defense Department [no-bid] contracts over the past decade worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

On paper, the purchase appears to be a good deal for both parties, with enormous profit potential attached. Besides the expected bloated profit margins, the deal would also set up the huge security mercenary firm for expansive growth opportunities all over the world, largely at U.S. taxpayer expense.

The egregiously unconstitutional "unitary executive" theory for the vice president is apparently alive and well.

In response to congressional requests for Vice President Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff David Addington's testimony in the approval of enhanced interrogation tactics at Guantanamo Bay, Cheney’s attorney, Karen Wheelbarger claimed today that the U.S. Congress -- a coequal branch of government, powers given to them by the U.S. Constitution – lacks the authority to investigate his conduct in office.

Any investigation of the vice president’s office, according to Ms. Wheelbarger is...

"... not within the [congressional] committee's power of inquiry".

If we were to believe the White House claims that Israel blew up a nuclear facility in Syria last September, then we’d also have to believe that it took both the Israeli and U.S. governments better than 7 months to confirm their suspicions, and then release the blurry photos.

We’d also have to believe both governments would keep such a revelation secret all these months. And, make no mistake about it; that would indeed be a revelation capable of making Cheney and his neocon ne’r-do-wells all have a massive orgasm.

Needless to say the timing is dubious.

Despite the adamant denials of Syria’s ambassador to the U.S., Imad Moustapha, Cheney’s neocons have promulgated the Syrian reactor claim by distributing nebulous photos of a structure that essentially have even vexed the experts; let alone us laymen.

So, what are we to believe? Well, I don’t know about anyone else but visions of the runup to the 2003 invasion of Iraq are flashing in my head.

This bit of news has largely been overshadowed here at Dkos and elsewhere amidst the ongoing primary battles and growing economic angst. Both seem to monopolize all our time lately.

However, I feel this is an important issue facing our country right now and I’m going to try to expound on it here so we're able to keep the pressure on Congress.

John Conyers has now set the stage for a legal battle [for the ages] that could potentially redefine the power struggle between the White House and Congress.

To review just a bit, the lawsuit challenges the Bush regime’s attempt to disregard contempt of congress charges against former White House aide Harriet Miers and current White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, resulting from the USA firings. The outcome of the landmark case could limit the president’s power in a big way; allowing Congress to bypass the Department of Justice while it investigates the inner workings of the White House.

Llewellyn Werner admits he is facing obstacles that most amusement park developers never have to deal with – insurgent attacks and looting -- but, it is only an obstacle when you’re as immersed in the entrepreneurial spirit as the intrepid (or insane) Mr. Werner.

Yes, I thought it was a joke too but apparently, it’s not. The chairman of C3, (no link) a Los Angeles-based holding company for private equity firms, Mr. Werner, not only believes it’s possible to open an amusement park smack dab in the middle of Baghdad, he’s backing up his belief with millions of dollars; pouring his money into developing what he’s calling the Baghdad Zoo and Entertainment Experience, a massive American-style amusement park that’ll feature a full-size skateboarding park, rides, an elaborate concert theater and a museum.

The park is currently being designed by the same firm that developed Disneyland in California.

As many as 996,000 vehicles registered in the state of California are currently exempt from traffic citations for running red lights, speeding and other traffic violations usually monitored by cameras.

The vehicles in question are registered to owners employed by or affiliated with a long list of public safety agencies. The owners of these vehicles are able to keep home addresses shielded from public disclosure through a loophole under California’s Confidential Records Programs (CRP).

Critics of the program say it made sense at one time. Before 1990, anyone could use license plate numbers to obtain the home address of most state residents through California State Department of Motor Vehicles records. But the law was changed to make all address records off limits to the general public while at the same time allowing law enforcement agencies access to all home addresses with the exception of those that are protected by the CRP.

I guess after all this time; with all that’s transpired over the past seven years, I shouldn’t be at all surprised by this dubious development, and in fact, British arms dealers selling their wares to Iran doesn’t really surprise me at all. What does surprise me is that U.S. arms dealers aren’t involved as well.

British investigators have recently identified a number of national arms dealers trading with Tehran. The investigations have sounded alarms with various government officials, who along with the Bush regime fear the arms deals are also fueling Iran’s supposed nuclear arms program.

At least seven Britons have defied the latest [3rd] round of sanctions imposed by the United Nations on exporting arms, supplying Iranian entities such as the air force and the elite Republican Guard Corps. The Brits in question have also reportedly sold parts that would enhance Iran’s controversial nuclear program. Investigators argue that it is the generous riches being offered by Iran, not any shared ideology that is seducing the dealers.

Money, money money.

Back in October 2006, Keith Olbermann did a segment on his Countdown show that highlighted the loss of Habeas Corpus and many of our rights included in the Bill of Rights through the use of executive orders, presidential directives and signing statements written by George W. Bush.

KO nailed it; as usual, in his own unique [poignant] but humorous way. I’ll never forget how he talked about each individual right and how if you take even one of those rights away the others seem to fall by the wayside as well. It was heartbreaking to watch him crossing off each right on a chart until only one right was left. (at the moment, I forget which one it was) He then scribbled out the ‘s’ in "Rights."

Well, this time it’s [the cadaverous one] DHS Sec. Michael Chertoff who’s working hard to decimate our cherished Fourth Amendment.

As many of you have, I’ve become somewhat of a keen observer of the ongoing occupation in Iraq over the past 5 years. If your travails have even remotely resembled my own during the course of these observances the past few months; there’s no doubt it’s been an even more confusing and unpredictable effort. But, there’s one thing that is always predictable: if Dick Cheney travels to Baghdad, you can bet the farm on the fact that the security and military situation is about to become markedly worse.

Cheney’s most recent trip is no exception to the rule.

Deep down in the shadowy recesses of Cheney’s brain, information is processed in a different way than it is for most of us. Where we see what’s happening in Iraq with somewhat jaundiced powers of reason and deduction, (we all want the war to end today) Cheney sees thing differently, with an equally jaundiced outlook. (just going in the opposite direction)

It’s bad enough that these men and women risk their lives in service to their country only to come home to major problems with the V.A., finding a job and quite possibly facing foreclosure, divorce and estranged families. But it’s simply unconscionable that the Pentagon would purposely overcharge active duty personnel and veterans who use credit cards to purchase goods and supplies at the military bases they’re assigned to.

According to the consumer advocate group Public Citizen, U.S. soldiers and veterans are being illegally overcharged in payments over military credit card debt.

Public Citizen and consumer lawyers have banded together and filed a class-action suit against the Army and Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES), the Pentagon led entity that issues credit cards to U.S. service members so they can buy uniforms and supplies at military stores where they’re stationed.

The relationship shared between a journalist and their source is a tenuous one. Without this legislation -- in this day and age -- that relationship will cease to exist at all.

The Bush regime is trying to deliver the coup de grâce to the rule of law as we know it by making sure there are no anonymous sources to report it.

Ok, anytime the current inhabitants of the White House go to the trouble of making a website, trying to gin up support for/against something, you can bet your bottom dollar that "something" is bad for democracy, and by extension... the American people.

This website is no exception...

You’d think that after lying continuously about the reasons for the invasion and subsequent five-plus-year occupation of Iraq that the liars in question would be pretty damn good at it by now.

On March 27, 2008, Bush regime officials did tell the truth regarding the fact that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had initiated the fight between Iraqi national forces and Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army. But that’s where the truth ends. The battle was not an indicator of any type of success for the surge. And, the fighting did not prove the fighting prowess of Maliki’s forces. What this little operation did prove however was that:

Nouri al-Maliki got his ass handed to him on a platter.

It was a grave miscalculation on the part of our nutcase-in-chief and the vaunted General Petraeus. It’s clear that it wasn’t even a product of bad intelligence. It was an ill-conceived exercise in incompetence, short-sightedness and very poor judgment.