Pigs Fly! I finally agree with a Bush proposal (w/ poll)
Mon Jan 31, 2005 at 04:52:03 PM PDT
Torture and Murder are Whitewashed by the US Army
Mon Jan 24, 2005 at 09:39:58 PM PDT
This appears to be the conclusion of the ACLU, which has through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit obtained some very disturbing documents detailing hundreds of allegations of abuse and torture committed by U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Here is the ACLU press release.
And there are ugly details below the fold...
DC forced to use Homeland Security funds for Bush Inaugural (with poll)
Tue Jan 11, 2005 at 12:02:53 AM PDT
Wow. An unprecedented requirement for District of Columbia to foot the bill for security during Bush's inauguration. This is an egregious misuse of Homeland Security funding that was earmarked for other uses.
From tomorrow's Washington Post:
U.S. tells D.C. to pay inaugural expenses
D.C. officials said yesterday that the Bush administration is refusing to reimburse the District for most of the costs associated with next week's inauguration, breaking with precedent and forcing the city to divert $11.9 million from homeland security projects.
more below the fold...
AP: 100,000 Iraqis Dead in War
Thu Oct 28, 2004 at 10:20:29 AM PDT
I haven't seen a diary on this yet. The AP picked up the story but not a word on any of the SCLM cable channels.
The Lancet has published a study concluding that 100,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the invasion, mostly women and children.
The survey indicated violence accounted for most of the extra deaths seen since the invasion, and air strikes from coalition forces caused most of the violent deaths, the researchers wrote in the British-based journal.
"Most individuals reportedly killed by coalition forces were women and children," they said.
UPDATE: SEN. LANDRIEU FIGHTING FOR TROOPS ON SENATE FLOOR RIGHT NOW!
Sun Oct 10, 2004 at 10:19:56 AM PDT
A couple of days ago, I wrote a
diary about Senator Landrieu's amendment to the corporate tax bill, an amendment to benefit Reservists and National Guard troops who are called to fight in Iraq. The Republicans in the House stripped this small amendment out of the bill, even though they kept in measures to benefit special interests, such as NASCAR track owners.
Senator Landrieu has written a letter to President Bush asking him to veto this bill if it doesn't include the benefits for Guard and Reserves troops:
http://landrieu.senate.gov/fsceti/bushletter.pdf
The Senate is debating this bill right now. You can watch it on C-SPAN.
more below...
Call Your Senator!! House Repubs Kill Tax Credit Provision to Benefit Reserve and Guard Troops
Fri Oct 08, 2004 at 12:31:21 AM PDT
This is truly vomit-inducing. Senator Landrieu (D-Louisiana) introduced an amendment to a tax cut bill, an provision to help Reserve and Guard troops who are activated for service overseas. Her modest $2 billion proposal was a small part, less that 2% of the cost of the JOBS bill, a $136 billion corporate tax-cut bill that passed the Senate unanimously.
The Landrieu Amendment would have offered small but important tax incentives to help businesses offer financial support to their employees who have been called to active duty and are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But the Republican leadership in the House chose to cut her amendment from the tax-cut bill. Apparently "bow and arrow hunters" and "NASCAR" deserve tax breaks but businesses that support our troops do not. Corporate tax changes passed by House, sent to Senate
more below
Who's aiding and abetting the enemy?
Mon Sep 20, 2004 at 04:42:28 PM PDT
I wrote a diary a few weeks ago about a group of military family members and veterans who've been speaking out loudly against the Bush Administration. My husband is serving in Iraq and I feel I have an obligation to protest the Bush Administration's near-criminal mishandling of the war.
But when our protest activities were covered in the local media, my husband was told by a senior military officer back here at Ft. Lewis that my protest actions are "aiding and abetting the enemies of the United States and the U.S. military". This same commander told me personally that I was "anti-military".
there's more below
There is no security in Iraq
Sat Sep 11, 2004 at 11:33:26 AM PDT
Update [2004-9-11 14:39:18 by pacific city]: Correction: I think the Green Zone is fairly secure.
--------------------
Here is an excerpt from an email sent by my husband, whose U.S. Army unit arrived in Iraq two days ago. He asked me before he left to post information he sends from Iraq, so I'm doing this with his permission and blessings.
It is very hard to describe this experience. We got fire coming in for landing, we've been mortared every night, I've heard IEDs and seen the result of one...this place is no joke. It is absolutely amazing how we went from flat out boredom...to full-tempo combat [operations] in just 12 hours. The adjustment has been strange
...Right now we're just trying to get acclimated and understand this area. It is a mess of political, civil, tribal and personal relations. There are contractors, government, military, and every other factor you can imagine impacting the projects we will be running. Nothing is easy here...There has been no easing into this.
And this is an area of Northern Iraq that is supposed to be relatively secure. Our servicemembers are in the middle of a huge mess over there. They are at risk every minute of every day and the Iraqi people have it even worse, with no security, no infrastructure and no protection.
How Bush can run on the Iraq War as a success is beyond my comprehension.
Letter to Condi delivered from Military Families and Veterans for Kerry
Wed Sep 08, 2004 at 12:08:52 AM PDT
Hello all.
I was part of a unique demonstration in Portland, Oregon today and wanted to let you all know about it. A group of military family members and veterans hand-delivered a letter to Condoleezza Rice, a letter signed by 141 military folks who are concerned about President Bush's poor leadership on the War in Iraq.
See below for our story.
Update [2004-9-8 13:52:14 by pacific city]:
I posted the entire letter in the comments below.
Greedy Trial Lawyer for Vice President
Fri Sep 03, 2004 at 02:12:04 PM PDT
Next line of attack?
Much will likely be made by the Bush Campaign and the SCLM out of this story.
September 3, 2004
Edwards Made Almost $39M in 10 Years
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 3:42 p.m. ET
Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards made almost $39 million in income in a decade, his campaign disclosed Friday.
(snip)
The couple paid 34.8 percent of their income in taxes during the 10-year span, $13.2 million.
New York Times
More below.
